Cover: Each July and August, the NC mountains are home to the Swannanoa Gathering, held on the campus of Warren Wilson College, near Asheville. With the sweet sounds of fiddles, guitars, banjos and songs filling the air, the only thing missing is you! 29th Dear Friends, Fall 2019 Welcome to this year’s edition Flinner, blues player Steve James, and Mandolin for of our newsletter, the Postcard Dummies author Don Julin. The banjo staff was led from Swannanoa. This summer by bluegrass masters Tony Trischka and Bill Evans, the Gathering’s new Admin team with Paul Brown and Terri McMurray teaching welcomed our biggest group ever. the traditional old-time clawhammer banjo style. Ed Dodson taught guitar and led the daily bluegrass jam, Our spring Celtic Series, a part of while legendary mandolin builder Lynn Dudenbos- the Mainstage Concerts at Ashe- tel was again on-hand to offer expert repair work. ville’s Diana Wortham Theatre, presents some of the world’s finest Our vocal program, Traditional Celtic artists, and last year featured concerts by Song Week, welcomed newcomer Eileen Ivers and We Banjo 3. See the “P.S.” section Grammy-winner Suzy Bogguss to below for details on next spring’s concerts. the staff that also featured singer and activist Reggie Harris, Irish singer To reduce conflicts with other events, this year the Nuala Kennedy, bluegrass and order of our programs was revised, with Week 5’s old-time veteran Joe Newberry, programs (Fiddle and Mando & Banjo) moving to the Riders in the Sky’s Ranger Doug, Week 1 slot and all the other programs shifting over Karl Scully of the Four Irish Tenors, Thistle & a week in the schedule. Shamrock host Fiona Ritchie, coordinator Julee Glaub Weems, ballad singer Elizabeth LaPrelle, Fiddle Week continues its partnership with Mando gospel singer Kathy Bullock, Irish ballad singer & Banjo Week, as the two programs combined Len Graham, early country & honky-tonk specialist jams and band sessions, and members of both staffs Mark Weems, multi-talented Appalachian musician performed in the staff concerts over three nights. Josh Goforth, Nashville guitarist Tim May, and This year’s Luthier’s Exhibit featured violinmaker community singer Matt Watroba. Special guests Joe Thrift and bowmaker Roger Treat. Coordi- included old-time artist Carl Jones, Scottish singer nator Julia Weatherford’s staff this year included Ed Miller and Grammy-winning member of the bluegrass phenom Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, creative Carolina Chocolate Drops, Dom Flemons. Melissa dynamo Joe Craven, jazz great Andy Stein, old- Hyman offered a Fairy Tale-themed program for time fiddlers Erynn Marshall and Josh Goforth, children during Traditional Song, Celtic, and Old- Irish fiddler Liz Knowles, multi-stylist Alex Harg- Time Weeks. reaves, Scottish fiddlerLaura Risk, Brazilian choro fiddlerAndrew Finn Magill, Nora Garver teaching Celtic Week continued to be our largest single pro- beginners technique, guitarist Greg Ruby and bassist gram and welcomed a few new staff this year includ- Kevin Kehrberg. ing mandolinist Dave Cory, flute & whistle player Shannon Heaton, and Conor Hearn, who subbed Mando & Banjo Week featured for an injured Owen Marshall. After a long absence, such world-class mandolinists as we also welcomed back the great Mike Marshall and Caterina fiddler Gerry O’Connor. They Lichtenberg, bluegrass greats joined veteran fiddlersLiz Carroll, Alan Bibey, and John Reischman, Colin Farrell, Katie McNally, Liz jazz mandolinist Don Stiern- Knowles, Mari Black, Alasdair berg, Celtic mandolin/guitar player White, Rose Flanagan and Cait- David Surette, choro player Tim lin Warbelow, guitarists Eamon Connell, Newgrass master Matt O’Leary, Robin Bullock and John Doyle, Nuala Kennedy on flute and voice, bluegrasser Ed Dodson, Jamie Stillway and A Prai- storyteller Maírtín de Cógáin, bodhran player rie Home Companion’s Pat Donohue to create a staff Anna Colliton, multi-instrumentalist piper Kieran with truly an international flavor, while instrument O’Hare, singers Len Graham, Dave Curley and repairman Randy Hughes diagnosed problems to Ed Miller, harpers Billy Jackson and Gráinne complement our Luthiers Exhibit which featured Hambly, Cillian Vallely on whistle, Lúnasa flute instruments by master luthiers John Slobod, Tyler player Kevin Crawford, accordionist John Whelan, Robbins and Jonathan Razo, along with selected sean nós dancer Siobhan Butler and John Skelton inventory from Dream Guitars, a local shop spe- again served as the Celtic Week Host. cializing in high-end instruments. The week and the summer concluded with the return of the Friday Old-Time Music & Dance Week night Luau, catered by our own Hawaiian slack-key had another big group, attracted by guitarist Patrick Landeza. Coordinator Erynn Marshall’s ter- rific lineup that includedBrad Left- Check out the “Coming Next Summer” section wich, Bruce Molsky, Greg & Jere below for a sneak preview of the 2019 lineup. Canote, Evie Ladin, Phil Jamison, Kay Justice, Kari Sickenberger, Linda Higginbotham, John Hol- landsworth, Carl Jones, Sheila Kay Adams, Tatiana Hargreaves, Vollie McKen- zie, Ellie Grace, Abby Ladin, Rachel Eddy, Sam Bartlett, Travis Stuart, John Herrmann, Gordy Hinners, Meredith McIntosh, Paul Brown, Ben Family News... Nelson, folklorist and shape-note singer Ron Pen Any of you with news of inter- and dulcimer ace Don Pedi. This year’s Guest est to the Gathering community Master Artists were fiddler Bruce Greene, ballad should send a copy to the Gath- singer Bobby McMillon, banjoist Larry Sigmon, ering office, so we can publish Emily Spencer and dancers Mack & Thelma it here... Congratulations to Samples and Thomas Maupin, accompanied by staff instructor David Wilcox, the irrepressible Daniel Rockwell. who won the Grand Prize in last year’s USA Songwriting Contemporary Folk Week welcomed back Competition for his song, Asheville’s own David Wilcox and newcomer “We Make the Way By Walking”... Staffer Jeremy Moira Smiley, along with veteran staff members Kittel was a Grammy finalist in theInstrumental Tom Paxton, Kathy Mattea, John Gorka, Composition category... Huge, off-the-charts Con- Peter Mulvey, Vance Gilbert, Don Henry, Amy gratulations go to Contemporary Folk Week staffer Speace, Ellis Paul, Jon Vezner, Joe Craven, Nora Anais Mitchell, whose Broadway play, Hadestown Jane Struthers and Camela Widad to the staff. won eight Tony Awards, including Best Score and Kim Richardson again acted as the Contemporary the big prize of Best Musical... Congratulations to Folk Week Host. Old-Time Week dancer Thomas Maupin who was awarded the NEA’s National Heritage Award, the New Guitar Week coordinator Greg Ruby US’s highest award in the folk arts... Congrats also tbrought in several new instructors this year to to staffer Alan Bibey, who won Mandolin Player complement the veterans. Newcomers Christie of the Year at the IBMA Awards in September... Lenée, the 2017 International Fingerstyle Champ, Congratulations to veteran staffer Andrew Finn flatpicker Grant Gordy, gypsy jazz guitarist Gon- Magill who was awarded a 2019 North Carolina zalo Bergara and fingerstylist Arts Council Fellowhip in musical composition, Hiroya Tsukamoto joined blues the same one his father Jim was awarded when they players Steve James, Scott Ainslie debuted in 1994... This summer, we welcomed 20 and Del Rey, percussive guitarist scholars sponsored by our own Youth Scholar- Vicki Genfan, Jazz player Sean ship Fund and 12 others sponsored by a number McGowan, Celtic fingerstylists of other organizations including the Charlotte Folk Robin Bullock and Steve Baugh- Society, the Measley Brothers, Austin Friends man, British fingerstylists Clive of Traditional Music, Wilkes Acoustic Folk Coordinators Carroll and Tony McManus, Society, Tosco Music Parties, Dream Guitars, juggle a lot of balls... Savannah Friends of Music, The Shepard Posse, Master Class in Artistry during all High Lonesome Strings Bluegrass Association, five weeks of the Gathering and proceeds from the Banjo Gathering CD (produced will be a regular member of the by one of our instructors), Green Grass Cloggers Contemporary Folk Week and ArtistWorks Video Exchange Learning. This staff. This will be a rare oppor- year’s scholars were: Ella Thomas, Kaj Litch, Holt tunity to gain insight into what Rieck, Kate Loomis-Adams, Gretchen Houser, it means to be an artist from (Fiddle); Simon Holden-Schrock, Faith Kings- someone who has been at it for ley , Tashi Litch, Cabe Rieck, (Mando & Banjo); more than 50 years. Nora Rodes (Trad. Song); Margaret Kepler, • Our new, integrated database/website, which we Rose Hardison, (Celtic); Ellie Hoffman, Sara nicknamed ‘Jerusalem’ came online this year and Nell Chase, Cyrus Garretson, Clara Overhol- now automates our registration process, classsignups ser, (Old-Time); Rylee Heck, Matthew James and evaluations. It also provides each registrant with Overholser, Campbell McEntire (Guitar); Aubrie an account where they can see the classes they’re Heck (Contemporary Folk) ... Key deposit dona- registered for, their housing choices and balance due. tions to our Youth Scholarship fund this year totaled It worked seamlessly, and we continue to tweak it $13,735. Our profound thanks to all of you who and add capabilities. gave financially to help cultivate a love for traditional • The reordering of our programs last summer music and dance in the next generation... Teachers was very successful in avoiding conlicts with other please note that the Swannanoa Gathering offers programs and events. One additional benefit of the teacher renewal certification hours for any of changes is that our biggest programs now have room our weeks. Contact your local school board for prior to expand. approval... Don’t forget to support your local Public • Rebecca Bond has decided to step down as Hous- Radio and Television stations. For other folk news, ing Coordinator, but will be returning as a student don’t forget the online resources AcousticGuitarFo- in future years. rum.com, UMGF.com (The Unofficial Martin Guitar • Operations Manager Puck Askew, will also be Forum), MandolinCafe.com, BanjoHangout.com, stepping down to resume her role as student fid- Mandozine.com and dler.