Vol. 37 No. 1 INSIDE THIS ISSUE! Jan, Feb, Mar A conversation with Ellie Hakanson, Classical Vocal Techniques, Concert 2017 Reviews and more… $500 Oregon Bluegrass Association Oregon Bluegrass Association www.oregonbluegrass.org A Conversation With Ellie Hakanson By Jeff Wold hen it comes to exports, played in a band with Tristan Oregon is all over the map Scroggins (Jeff’s son) when Wwith a wide variety of Tristan was 14. So Sam was in incredible items we produce. Athletic Tristan’s first band and we were shoes, multi-tools, rail cars, timber just hanging out all weekend, the products, world-renowned wine, beer, three of us and in larger groups. whiskey and bluegrass musicians. I jammed with the whole band for several hours and clicked Wait … bluegrass musicians? really well. There’s a video on YouTub e 1 of us playing twin Yep, especially fiddlers. fiddles on Roanoke − me and Sam, with Jeff and Greg and Alex Hargreaves and his sister Tatiana, all of those guys. Later that Yonder Mountain mandolin whiz Jake summer they asked me to play a Jolliff and the newest young performer to few gigs, and then I played more hit the ground running, Ellie Hakanson, with them until eventually I was Ellie Hakanson who has become the regular fiddler with playing full time. the bluegrass band “Jeff Scroggins and coast, right before the Red, White, and Colorado.” Jeff: You left a regular job and career to go Bluegrass festival last summer around the on the road, as I gather. Fourth of July. I had been hearing about It only took a planetary alignment, the Station Inn for years. We had Mike windows in touring schedules, a pinch of Ellie: I actually got laid off from the Bubb with us there; he might have helped Divine Intervention and a promise of a company that I was working for. I was the us get the gig at the Station Inn. I’m not gourmet Thai food takeout lunch to finally most recent hire and they were short on sure who coordinated it, but we just played pin down the ebullient Ellie and ask her a work, so I chose to do this instead. there, with Mike Bubb, at the Station Inn. few questions about her new life, living the It was super exciting! bluegrass dream. Jeff: Tell me about some of these gigs that you - there was a gig at the Ryman Jeff: What’s the best part of being on the Jeff: One day you’re a fresh college Auditorium in Nashville? road for you? Give me some highlights. graduate working in your field of study (sustainable materials and chemistry) Ellie: No, we played at the Station Inn in Ellie: Definitely the people that I’ve gotten and the next you’re on the road playing Nashville. to meet − that has been exciting. bluegrass? How did this all happen? Jeff: How did that come about? Jeff: Other performers? Ellie: I met Jeff Scroggins and Colorado two years ago at Wintergrass. One of my Ellie: We were on our way through Ellie: Other performers and people closest friends in bluegrass is Sam Weiss Nashville to some other gig on the east in general. Meeting people all over the − I met him when I went to college. He 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0zg8wJZeLU continued on page 5 OBA Membership & Ad Information Membership Information Website The OBA Board of Directors invites you Features include an interactive calendar The OBA Board to join the OBA and to participate in its that allows you to post your own events, www.oregonbluegrass.org many activities. Our membership benefits excerpts from past issues of the Bluegrass include a subscription to the quarterly Express, and links for local bands. Come Chris Palmer - President Bluegrass Express, frequent mailings visit us online! Visit the OBA web page [email protected] about events, and ticket discounts to today! northwest bluegrass events. 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OBA Bluegrass Express -Winter 2017 2 Table of Contents Jan/ Feb/ Mar 2017 Volume 37 / Number 1 Newsletter of the Oregon Bluegrass Association www.oregonbluegrass.org This Issue Features Cover Story A Conversation With Ellie Vol. 37 No. 1 Hakanson ............................................1 By Jeff Wold Oregon Bluegrass Association Oregon Bluegrass Association www.oregonbluegrass.org Articles Classical Vocal Technique For The Bluegrass Singer .................................6 By Suzanne Chimenti Bluegrass Express is a quarterly newsletter dedicated to informing members of the Oregon Mitch Cline’s Cabbage Salad Tale .. 10 Bluegrass Association about local, regional By Mitch Cline and national bluegrass issues, events and Concert Review: Sierra Hull, with opportunities. The Hollerbodies ............................. 12 By Natalia K. Burgess The Hollerbodies Deliberate Practice .......................... 14 Bluegrass Express Staff By Tim Dawdy EDITOR Musicians, Financial Planning and Linda Leavitt Retirement ....................................... 16 [email protected] By Rich Steronko COPY EDITOR Columns & Commentary Nancy Christie President’s Message ............................4 [email protected] The Late Bloomer ............................ 13 by Freeman Harris GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT Southern Oregon Voices ................ 18 by Joe Ross John Nice-Snowdy [email protected] Ask Aunt Pearl ................................. 24 (805)748-6648 by Linda Leavitt Mitch Cline cooks up another salty tale. Calendars, Lists & Info ADVERTISING OBA Membership and Ad Pat Connell Information ........................................2 [email protected] What’s Playing on the Radio .............4 (971) 207-5933 Scheduled Jams................................ 35 OBA Supporting Performer WEBMASTER & WEB CONTENT Directory .......................................... 37 Tony McCormick John Hart [email protected] JAMS & ONLINE CALENDAR Jim Miernyk Clayton Knight [email protected] Tim Dawdy getting some pointers. OBA Bluegrass Express -Winter 2017 3 What’s Playing On The Radio President’s Message Local Radio Bluegrass and Country Listings Hi, OBA Members: Albany/Corvallis - KBOO Broadcast from Portland, can be heard at Baby, it’s cold out there! What a winter. It’s hard to believe that it’s already 2017. We hope 100.7 FM. See under Portland, below that all of you are