Vol. 35 No. 1 INSIDE THIS ISSUE! Jan Feb March Where are all the young folks?, Update on Chick’s Kids, Sound 2015 Advice and More.... $5.00 Oregon Bluegrass Association www.oregonbluegrass.org luegrass xpress B E by Claire Levine Where Have All the oung Folks Gon YThere are tons of talented youngsters -- but why don’t we see/hear them?e Six friends spent a weekend together • About the lively, tight and talented in the Portland area. We interviewed to play music, eat, walk, play more bluegrass-style bands of young Aarun Carter, Jonathan Trawick, Liz music, eat more food, and chat about people performing in Oregon -- but Chibucos and Ken Chapple, all gigging the state of the world. (You know how that have no connection to the musicians who have their own take these weekends go.) Oregon Bluegrass Association or on what it means to be a member of a most of the musical community. festivals in the Northwest; Meet the musicians • About the Aarun won her first fiddle contest at bluegrass age four. In addition to her five state jam party championships from Colorado, she re- somebody ceived the 2011 National Young Adult was invited to, with a list of about 100 pickers -- none of whom he had The Student Loan. Photo by Billy Cook Billycookphotography. ever heard of; What’s missing from that first para- • Whether the nature of the OBA graph is the fact that all of us are all and current festivals push young eligible for at least some type of senior people away; whether young discount. people simply don’t know or care about the conventional bluegrass One of us mused: “Where are all the community; or both; and younger musicians? Why don’t we see • them at festivals, either performing or Is this anything to care about? and attending?” if so . • What’s to be done? This prompted a conversation that brought together a number of To learn more, we started by talking thoughts and anecdotes: to some of the younger musicians Photo credit Sterling Imageworks FebruaryHyatt Regency, Bellevue WA 26 - March 1, 2015 ÒHow Can I Keep From Singing?Ó www.wintergrass.com Del McCoury (Fri) Della Mae (Sat) Aofi e O’Donovan (Sat/Sun) Mark O’Connor (Sun) Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands (Sat) Kathy Kallick & Laurie Lewis (Vern & Ray tribute) (Th/Fri) Matuto (Fri/Sat & special appearance on Sunday) Mr. Sun (Darol Anger, Joe Walsh, Grant Gordy, Ethan Jodziewicz) (Sat/Sun) Dale Ann Bradley (Sat/Sun) Don Julin & Billy Strings (Th/Sat) Dust Bowl Revival (Fri/Sat) Cahalen Morrison & Eli West (Th/Sat) I Draw Slow (Th/Fri) Sarah Jarosz (Sat/Sun) The Steel Wheels (Fri/Sat) The SteelDrivers (Fri/Sat) Jayme Stone & the Lomax Project (Th/Fri) Birds of Chicago (Sat/Sun) Adult Education Blueberry Hill (Th/Sat) Wintergrass Intensives Caleb Klauder Country Band (Fri/Sat) Thursday, Feb. 26th 9am-4pm G Burns Jug Band (Fri/Sat) Vocals w/Aoife OÕDonovan & Sarah Jarosz Youth Education Thursday, Feb. 26th 9am-noon Pearl Django (Fri/Sat) Intuitive Improvisation w/Joe Craven Wintergrass Youth Academy (Th/Fri) Thursday, Feb. 26th 1-4pm Jeff Scroggins & Colorado Feb. 26th - 27th Dobro w/Phil Leadbetter Patchy Sanders (Fri/Sat) Guitar w/Grant Gordy Wintergrass Youth Orchestra (Fri/Sat/Sun) Fiddle & Cello w/Tristan & Tashina Clarridge True North Now - Sun. March 1, 2014 Mandolin w/Joe Walsh special guests: this year performing with Mandolin w/Don Julin (SOLD OUT) Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore Mr. Sun, Darol Anger & Emy Phelps Matuto, OÕConnor Method Teacher Training Aoife OÕDonovan & Sarah Jarosz Wes Corbett & friends Tues Feb. 24-Th. Feb 26th and Mark OÕConnor Table of Contents Jan / Feb / Mar 2015 Volume 35 / Number 1 Newsletter of the Oregon Bluegrass Association www.oregonbluegrass.org This Issue Features Cover Story Vol. 35 No. 1 Where have all the Young Folks Oregon Bluegrass Association Gone? ..................................................1 www.oregonbluegrass.org by Claire Levine Features Bluegrass Express Bluegrass Express is a quarterly newsletter The Pied Piper of Chick’s Kids ......10 dedicated to informing members of the Oregon by Chris Palmer Bluegrass Association about local, regional and national bluegrass issues, events and Picker’s Corner: Turn Your Car into a opportunities. Metronome ........................................23 Where are all the young bluegrass by John McCoy musicians? Bluegrass Express Staff Columns & Commentary EDITOR President’s Message...........................5 Christine Weinmeister The Theory of Bluegrass.................15 [email protected] by Matt Snook [email protected] Sound Advice ..................................19 by Mark Gensman COPY EDITOR Calendars, Lists & Info Nancy Christie [email protected] OBA Membership and Ad Information ......................................4 GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT What’s Playing on the Radio...........5 John Prunty Scheduled Jams...............................23 Chick’s Kids continue the legacy of [email protected] Chick Rose. OBA Supporting Performer [email protected] Directory..........................................25 ADVERTISING Pat Connell [email protected] (971) 207-5933 WEBMASTER & WEB CONTENT Tony McCormick John Hart [email protected] JAMS & ONLINE CALENDAR Jim Miernyk Don’t forget to stop by the OBA Clayton Knight hospitality suite at Wintergrass! [email protected] OBA Bluegrass Express - Winter 2015 3 OBA Membership & Ad Information The OBA Board Membership Information Website The OBA Board of Directors invites you Features include an interactive calendar that www.oregonbluegrass.org to join the OBA and to participate in its allows you to post your own events, excerpts many activities. Our membership benefits from past issues of the Bluegrass Express, and Officers of the Board include a subscription to the quarterly links for local bands. Come visit us online! Bluegrass Express, frequent mailings Visit the OBA web page today! about events, and ticket discounts to www.oregonbluegrass.org Chris Palmer - President Northwest bluegrass events. Annual [email protected] membership dues are $25 for a General Article and Editorial Submissions Member, $50 for Supporting Performers, The OBA Board invites you to submit letters, stories, photos and articles to The Bluegrass Tony McCormick- Vice President and $125 for Contributing Business [email protected] Sponsors, as well as other options. To Express. Published files remain in our archives join, complete the application on the back and art is returned upon request. Ron Preston - Secretary cover and mail with your check to: Please send submissions to: [email protected] Oregon Bluegrass Association John Prunty P.O. Box 1115 Christine Weinmeister [email protected] Portland, OR 97207 John McCoy - Treasurer [email protected] Advertise in the Express! Liz Crain - Your Express advertising will reach over 500 households of bluegrass enthusiasts, while OBA Roseburg Chapter President helping the OBA to continue publishing this valuable resource. We appreciate your [email protected] support of the Oregon Bluegrass Association. For information about placing an ad for your music-related business please contact Pat Connell via email at: [email protected] or (971) 207-5933. John Hart - Webmaster [email protected] AD RATES AND DIMENSIONS Published quarterly: Chuck Palmer - Membership Winter (January, February, March) [email protected] Mailed on January 2 Reserve by Dec. 1, Copy deadline Dec. 15 Michelle Traver - Development Spring (April, May, June) [email protected] Mailed on April 1 Reserve by March1, Copy deadline March 15 Linda Leavitt Summer (July, August, September) Mailed on July 1 Volunteer Coordinator Reserve by June 1, Copy deadline June 15 [email protected] Fall (October, November, December) Mailed October 1 Christine Weinmeister Reserve by September 1, Copy deadline September 15 John Prunty - OBA Express [email protected] SIZE DIMENSION COST TWO OR MORE ISSUES Full Page 7.5 x 9.5” $150.00 $130.00 Half page horizontal 7.5 X 4.75” $90.00 $80.00 Pat Connell - Ad Sales Half Page vertical 3.75 x 9.5” $90.00 $80.00 [email protected] Quarter page 3.75 x 4.50” $60.00 $50.00 Eighth page 3.75 x 2.25 (2 1/4)” $40.00 $30.00 The OBA prefers to receive advertising payment in advance. For one year contracts, we The OBA holds board elections each April request payment six months in advance and we will bill for the next six months. Payment as individual terms expire. The Board of may be made online via PayPal at www.oregonbluegrass.org/bgexpress.php or you may Directors invites you to join our monthly send a check payable to The Oregon Bluegrass Association and mail to PO Box 1115, meetings. We welcome your visit and ideas, opinions and proposals. Or, just come to Portland, OR 97207. see what we’re doing! We generally meet the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. When submitting an advertisement to the OBA, please be sure the file is black and white, The location is subject to change. Call us or 300 dpi and in either PDF, TIFF, or JPEG. If you have questions about your file please email any board member for time, location email Christine Weinmeister at [email protected]. and directions. President’s Message What’s Playing on the Radio? Local Radio Bluegrass and Country Listings I hope all of you are cozy and warm by your fireplaces. Some of you are getting your picking in at one of the many jams held throughout the winter. And of course Albany/Corvallis - KBOO there are opportunities to enjoy live music. Such as Wintergrass, which is February Broadcast from Portland, can be heard at 26 through March 1 in Bellevue, Washington. The lineup and more information 100.7 FM. See under Portland, below are in this issue. We are lucky, lucky people to live in Oregon. Almost every week there is live bluegrass music at McMenamin’s White Eagle Saloon, LaurelThirst Astoria - KMUN 91.9 FM Public House, Muddy Rudder Public House, Mississippi Studios, Mississippi Pizza, Some syndicated programming Alberta RoseTheater, 503-325-0010 among others.