Volume 11 Issue 2 April 2017 FESTIVAL ISSUE WWW.BLUEGRASSCANADA.ORG The April Verch Band New Writer, Gloria Jean Hansen Danny Paisley IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year Bluegrass Canada APRIL 2017 - 3 V o l u m e 11 I s s u e 2 Publisher - The Bluegrass Music Association of Canada Editor - Mike Kirley Design/Production - Gord DeVries The Bluegrass Canada magazine is digitally published quarterly in Jan- uary, April, July and October, online in the ‘Members Only’ section of the Bluegrass Canada website. • Individual membership fees are $18 per year, or $25 per year for those wishing a grayscale hard copy. • Individual ‘Affilate’ membership fees are $15 per year. This special membership category is reserved for members of a registered Member Organization. • Organizational memberships are $50 per year. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without the written permission from the Pub- lisher. PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NO.42167060.RETURN UNDELIV- ERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO BMAC, c/o Gord DeVries, 22790 Amiens Road, KOMOKA ON N0L 1R0, 519-719-2501, membership@bluegrasscanada. org. Please send articles, calendar infor- mation, photos and letters to : Bluegrass Canada Mike Kirley 831 Rose Street, Cambridge ON N3H-2G2 Email: mikekirley@gmail.com Telephone: 519-653-4975 Deadline for submissions is 45 days preceding the month of pub- lication. Bluegrass Music Association of Canada BMAC is a non-profit organization devoted to the preservation and promotion of bluegrass and old-time music in Canada, and supported by the volunteer efforts of its members. BMAC Mission Statement The BMAC mission statement as enacted in the by-laws: a) Dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Bluegrass and Old-time music throughout Canada. Goals: b) To support individuals, groups and organizations involved in bluegrass and old- time music. c) To provide leadership and promote education among fans, clubs, bands and artists. BMAC Board of Directors President - Position currently unoccupied Vice-President - David Porter porterd@blackburnlodge.com Secretary /Treasurer - Roland Aucoin raucoin@execulink.com- 905-572-0116 Membership/Website - Gord DeVries gord.devries@rogers.com - 519-719-2501 Magazine Editor - Mike Kirley mikekirley@gmail.com - 519-653-4975 Advertising - Susan Nelson theartofsusannelson@silomail.com General - Murray Hale murrayhale@hotmail.com - 705-474-2217 General - Wilson Moore wmoore@ns.sympatico.ca General - Sarah Bea Milner sarahbea@gmail.com Ongoing Volunteers Joe Rohrer - (ON - Regular column contributer) Bryon Thompson - (BC - Regular column contributer) Gloria Jean Hansen - (ON Regular column Contributer) Sue Malcolm (BC - Event Calendar) - sue@suemalcolm.com Jerry Murphy (NS - Event calendar Admin) - jerry@jerrysnews.com Nancy Tellier - (ON - Event Calendar Admin) - nancy.tellier069@sympatico.ca Nellie Holmes (ON - Event Calendar Admin) - thepieplates@gmail.com Printing- A N B Print Inc. - 519-652-0321 4026 Meadowbrook Dr. #135 London ON N6L 1C8 Distribution- Strictly Addressing - 519-433-424 4-1025 Hargrieve Rd. London ON N6E 1P7 Advertising- Susan Nelson theartofsusannelson@silomail.com CD Reviews- Pat Moore patmoore@patmoore.netWHAT’S BEHIND THE CURTAIN? Regular Features Editor’s Message5Mike Kirley New Members this Quarter5Staff Run Forrest Run7Joe Rohrer BMAC Announcement7Staff In The News/Letters8Staff April Verch10Ron Moores Bluegrass Bands Are Special!17Gloria Jean Hansen The Penguins18Mike Kirley It’s Too Big!21Gloria Jean Hansen Viewpoint21Doug Ecklund Gary Glenn on Banjo22Gary Glenn 2017 Festivals Listing24Staff Minutes of BMAC Meeting Jan 25, 2017 28Staff Who’s The Bluegrass Audience? 30 Ted Lehmann The Nova Scotia Bluegrass and Oldtime Music Festival 33Mike Kirley Radio On The Air36Staff BMAC Organizational Members 38Staff Danny Paisley - Who Says The Soul Is Gone? 42Staff A Mother’s Day Story45 Mike Kirley 4 - Bluegrass Canada JANUARY 2017 ANNUAL *BANDS* ISSUE • MORE INTERVIEWS - NEWS ITEMS - REGULAR COLUMNS ARTICLE SUBMISSION - THE DEADLINE IS THE 15TH OF JUNE 2017 NEXT ISSUE (JULY 2017) 2017 Festivals Listing 24 Danny Paisley IBMA Male Volcalist of the Year 42 APRIL VERCH 10Bluegrass Canada APRIL 2017 - 5 EDITOR’S MESSAGE by Mike Kirley Greetings fellow pickers and pluck- ers. This is the Festival Issue. Lots of great bands are busy honing their skills for these exciting events. American, Canadian, local; all are busy getting their chops down for that special time when they are on a festival stage. I can’t wait to hear them. How about you? And how do we show our appre- ciation during these performances? By clapping, cheering, whistling, laughing at the M.C.; showing that we appreciate the show. By being involved. Keeping quiet during songs, and of course…not smoking or vaping in the concert area. And leaving our dogs behind. Later we can buy CD’s to support the bands. We can even bring a Sharpie pen to get them auto- graphed. I opened an old CD from 2001 yesterday called “Blue Lone- some Wind”, by Richard Bennett and friends. And there was an autograph by Jimmy Gaudreau, one of my favourite mandolin players. I quickly cut it out and placed it in my mandolin case, on top of my Bill Monroe autograph I got in 1987. Seems the older I get the more important these things are to me. And don’t forget to give thanks to the volunteers. Without them nothing happens. Festivals have shut down due to lack of volun- teers. Many of them work quietly behind the scenes all weekend: putting up fencing, raising large tents for protection from the sun and rain, seeing that large RV’s are parked in the proper places, patrolling the site for security long after dark, cooking lunch for bands and volunteers, cleaning up sites after the festival is over, collecting money at the gate, and so on and so on. And there are many smaller jobs like making sure bands fill out SOCAN sheets of their set lists. Why do volunteers keep do- ing this year after year? Because it is a community of like-minded individuals who enjoy each others’ company and seek to have fun for a good cause; the cause of enjoying good music in public for three days or more. Music is fun and enriches those who take part in it; whether playing, singing or listening. Fes- tivals are a time for renewing old friendships, singing around the campfire (or high powered lamps), sharing food, drink and laughter. Relaxing among good friends. And the children, let’s not forget the kids. Give them a memory that will stay for a lifetime. Make it an annual family event. Last year at Tottenham I told my own children (who are parents now) that I want my ashes put in the campfire we have sung around for decades. They smiled quietly at me, “Oh Dad!” --Mike Individuals • Terry Smith • Roland Barlow • Amanda Lynn Stubley • Doug Benson • Dan Awender • Denis LePage • Apil Verch • Eddy Van Ramshorst Organizations Festivals • Pick N Ride Bluegrass Festival NEW MEMBERS THIS QUARTER6 - Bluegrass Canada APRIL 2017 Bluegrass Canada APRIL 2017 - 7 ANNOUNCEMENT JOE ROHRER - RUN-FORREST-RUN BMAC BOARD APPROVES NATIONAL GOALS, ADOPTS NEW FEE STRUCTURE The Bluegrass Music Association of Canada (BMAC) Board of Directors met in Peterborough on January 25th and approved a new set of national goals to clarify that its pur- pose does not conflict with regional clubs. The goals include: 1) the establishment of bluegrass categories in the Juno Awards; 2) lobbying with other musical genres for changes in US laws to allow easier access to the US by Canadian musicians; 3) establishing a national bluegrass awards program not in conflict with the two existing regional awards events; 4) sponsoring Canadian Bands to Showcase at IBMA; 5) supporting Canadian bands efforts to play in other parts of the country; and 6) seeking grant fund- ing to achieve these goals. Achieving these goals requires more members and more econom- ical operations. BMAC will cut costs by moving toward the publication of its excellent 1/4’ly magazine as a primarily on-line publication. To add members a new fee structure was approved. Members who receive the on-line magazine only will see their fee reduced from $25.00 to $18.00 per year. In addition, a $15.00 membership will be available to members of affiliated clubs, bands and festivals. --see full details of the January 25th Directors’ meeting -- Page 28. me and ol’ wusername went to the zoo yesterday , and we was havin a pretty good time too ,,,’till,,,well ,,, we was lookin at the elephant and he came over to where we was standin and stuck his trunk out through the bars on his cage .I started tick’lin the end of his trunk , and he commenced to shakin his head and makin funny noises . ol’ wusername said “ CUT IT OUT YOU OLD FOOL ,, HE’S GETTIN MAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! “ well , he wasn’t , and I didn’t . I kept tick’lin and he kept shakin his head and makin funny noises and ol’ wusername kept sayin “ CUT IT OUT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! “ and then it happened . he sneezed a DANDY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ol’ wusername just happened to be standin in the line of fire ,,,,,,, when the mist kinda settled , I took one look and started to laugh , ol’ wusername let out a great big growl , and then-----------oh oh ~~~~~RUN FORREST ~~~~~~~~RUN ~~~~~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! today ol’ wusername sat at the kitchen table nursing a mug of stump water tea , and starin at that ol’ tom cat of Granny’s that she’s been babysittin. then ol’ wuser- name said “ya know , I’m kinda worried ‘bout that old cat ! “ I says howcome ? ol’ wusername says “I been fixin ‘im Granny’s special recipe , but he ain’t putting no weight on , and he just lays around like he ain’t got no energy ‘er nothin , but every last bit o’ grub I fix for ‘im is always cleaned up by the time I get home at night !! “ I said wutcha feedin ‘im ? ol’ wusername said “ it’s Granny’s special recipe ,she gets three or four dead mice she traps down at the feed store , chicken guts from the butcher shop , ‘bout half a quart of cod liver oil , a little bit ‘o pine tar , and some concoction from the vet’s that’s s’posed to dissolve hairballs , then I throw it in a pot with a little coon fat and boil it for ‘bout an hour then I put it in that big yellow bowl in the fridge . you have been feedin it to the cat , AIN’TCHA ?? “ I said you mean this here bowl ?? ol’ wusername said “ YES !!! “ I says ~~oh oh , ol’ wusername says “wuddyamean OH OH you old fool ???!!! “ I thought that was macaroni soup you whipped up for me , it’er good though ! oh oh ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~RUN FORREST ~~~~~~~~~~RUN ~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By Joe ‘Honest t’ Goodness’ Rohrer Joe Rohrer is the bass player for Rhyme N Reason8 - Bluegrass Canada APRIL 2017 IN THE NEWS / LETTERS Hi Folks, I’ve been involved in a festival called Mountaingrass held in Harri- etville, Victoria Australia the past 4 years. I have stepped back from the com- mittee this year, but they are cur- rently taking Expression of Interest from US (and Canadian) Bands/Acts who are interested or are planning to come to Australia. EOI LINK: http://abotma.org.au/ mountaingrass-2017/ The dates are 17th to 19th Novem- ber, 2017. This is the key event on the Austra- lian bluegrass Calendar, with over 20 locals bands and plenty of jam sessions. The festival cumulative attendance in 2015 was 1,700 over the week- end. Main stage is a marquee of 600+ capacity. You’ll likely sell up to 100 CDs. That said, Australia needs to be a place you’d like to visit due to the distances and 20m population spread over a large area. Most tour the east coast successfully. The past four years I assisted in bringing out our main headline acts which were: • Don Rigsby (2013) • Special Consensus (2014) • Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands (2015) • Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley (2016) They would be a good source of info if you’d like to know what the trip down under is like. More than happy to answer any questions you may have to assist. Lachlan Davidson DAVIDSON BROTHERS AUS Mob 0407 510 245 USA Cell 615-870-7451 www.davidsonbrothersband.com davidsonbrothers@hotmail.com Donald Tarte and Peter and Nancy McGuire Honoured at Annual David Tinkoff Awards Night On January 23rd, for the 12th straight year Valley’Grass celebrat- ed the achievements of members of the Ottawa Valley bluegrass community “who have made a significant contribution to the community over a long period of time.” Originally a single award was presented. Beginning last year, however, Valley’grass presents two awards — one to a person who has contributed as an organizer and promoter of bluegrass, and one to a musician. Donald Tarte whose interest in bluegrass goes back to the very beginning of the music in the late 1940’s was the recipient in the organizer/promoter category. His award was presented by last year’s winner, Pat Moore, who set her thoughts to music. Her song chronicled Donald’s early years as a fan before covering his history as a long time Board of Director mem- ber including holding the positions of Vice President and President. As well he has been a member of the South Grenville Bluegrass Festival Organizing Committee since day 1 and he was a founding member and Board member of the Bluegrass Music Association of Canada. For the second year in a row, in the musician category, the selection committee chose to honour 2 peo- ple. This year it was husband and wife team Peter & Nancy McGuire. Last year’s winners, Ray & Glen Adams were unable to attend due to the death of their mother, so Darwin Thom chronicled Peter & Nancy’s long history of pickin’ and singin’ in any number of bands and musical configurations. The Blue River Band and the Mon- roe Sisters provided the music on this night that remembers long- time and well-loved Valley’Grass member, David Tinkoff, who died after a long hospitalization resulting from being struck by a car in 2004. Anyone know these two?Bluegrass Canada APRIL 2017 - 9Next >