Volume 11 Issue 4 October 2017 RADIO STATIONS WWW.BLUEGRASSCANADA.ORG THIS ISSUE: BLUEGRASS SINGERS The Return of the Legendary Denis LePage The Two Worlds of Bluegrass Bluegrass Canada OCTOBER 2017 - 3 V o l u m e 11 I s s u e 4 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 ‘Affiliate’ 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 raucoin72@gmail.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 mhale@green-vision.ca - 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) Denis LePage - ON - Regular column contributer) - dlepage99@gmail.com. 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 & B Print Inc. - 519-652-0321 4026 Meadowbrook Dr. #135 London ON N6L 1C8 Distribution- Strictly Addressing - 519-433-4242 4-1025 Hargrieve Rd. London ON N6E 1P7 Advertising- Susan Nelson - 519-750-4111 theartofsusannelson@silomail.com CD Reviews- Pat Moore patmoore@patmoore.netWHAT’S BEHIND THE CURTAIN? Regular Features Editor’s Message5Mike Kirley In The News/Letters6Staff Run Forrest Run8Joe Rohrer 6 Month Festival Listing9Staff Getting Familiar With Bluegrass Singers 10Mike Kirley Recipe: “I got a Chip on my Shoulder” cookies 11Sue Draper Standard Bluegrass Harmony 12Staff Recipe: Pitch Perfect Pumpkin Loaf 12Sue Draper Old-Time Bluegrass Harmony 13Anonymous Getting your RV ready for Winter 14Public Domain Two Worlds of Bluegrass15Chris Pandolfi Book Review: “Don’t Give Your Heart To A Rambler” 16Ted Lehmann CD Review: “On That Other Green Shore” 18John Lawless The Magpie19 Mike Kirley The Return of the Legendary Denis LePage 20Denis LePage Bluegrass Rules for 201722Chris Jones Banjo Tab: “Blue Eyed Blues” 22Denis LePage The Neuroscience of Singing30Cassandra Sheppard Radio On The Air32Staff BMAC Organizational Members 34Staff ANNUAL *AWARDS* ISSUE • MORE INTERVIEWS - NEWS ITEMS - REGULAR COLUMNS ARTICLE SUBMISSION - THE DEADLINE IS THE 15TH OF NOVEMBER 2017 NEXT ISSUE (JANUARY 2018) The Return of the Legendary Denis LePage 20 The Neuroscience of Singing 30 6 Month Festival Listing 9 The Two Worlds of Bluegrass 15 4 - Bluegrass Canada OCTOBER 2017 Bluegrass Canada OCTOBER 2017 - 5 EDITOR’S MESSAGE by Mike Kirley This issue is about singing Blue- grass. It is not easy at first, and certainly doesn’t come natural. As Dan Timinsky once said, “Bluegrass vocals are when you sing high har- monies on the scale and use head tones. And it is not necessarily nasal, but it has an edge.” Pete Wernick says, “ There is a great deal of variation in tenor harmonies. The most popular type is where the harmony is as close as possible to the melody, usually no more than a few notes higher. In Bluegrass trios the harmony is usually sung this way, but with Bluegrass duets, often the tenor may sing an open harmony---notes higher than the closest high har- mony. Bill Monroe does this a lot. Although low harmonies can sound good, they are not often used in Bluegrass duet singing.” Mike Seeger said, “ Bluegrass departed from old time harmony in that it was an absolute no-no to hit a unison or an octave. You have passing notes, but you’re sup- posed to eliminate the place where you’re hitting a unison. Cross the other part, but don’t actually hit the unison note together. Also, a Bluegrass song has to give you the feeling that you are going through it. It’s not a conceptualized thing. It tends to be more of a blues idea, one of feeling more than relating an idea or relating an experience. Keith Whitley said: “I just like a song with good strong lyrics, good melody and a story; something that you can sing with feeling. Carter Stanley had more soul than any other Bluegrass singer I ever heard. And that’s the same way with his writing. He wasn’t afraid to put it down just the way he felt it. I’ve seen him stand and sing and get so involved in it that tears would just roll, and that’s definitely a talent.” I am reminded of James King when I read these words. He was often at the verge of tears when he sang “The Bed by the Window”, and “Daddy Doesn’t Pray Any- more.” Hope you enjoy this issue. Keep on singing in the car!!! --Mike6 - Bluegrass Canada OCTOBER 2017 IN THE NEWS / LETTERS New Contributor Denis LePage This month, we welcome a new contributor to the magazine. Denis LePage will be well known to many of you, but in case you don’t know him, we have a feature article on his history appearing on page 20. His first Banjo Tablature submission appears on the follow- ing pages. Welocome Denis! Ron Petronko of Montreal sent in some interesting photos from his collection. Attached is a photo of me with J D in Steve Huber’s hospitality suite last February at SPBGMA 2017. J D is skinny again. Always been a favourite of mine.. I took these photos at a WWVA Package Show in Ottawa, in 1960 J D & Paul Williams with Jimmy Martin. Donna Darlene, Zeb Collins on bass. Donna Darlene recorded the first version of “Once More” with Dusty Owens in the 1950s. - Dusty Owens wrote Once More. Best Regards, RonBluegrass Canada OCTOBER 2017 - 7 MESSAGE FROM THE MEMBERSHIP CO-ORDINATOR The reprint of the “Two Worlds Of Bluegrass Music” written by ban- jo-player Chris Pandolfi (The Infa- mous Stringdusters), although not a Canadian sourced article, is full of insight and wisdom applicable to our own BMAC world in Canada. He draws an image of the emergence of the IBMA and its influence on the development of bluegrass mu- sic in the USA. The parallel between their success in having the Grammy organization recognize a Bluegrass category and their creation of the Annual Awards show are uncanny when you realize that BMAC is dedicated to the goal of having a Bluegrass Juno Award, and hosting a National Awards Show for blue- grass in Canada. Given that BMAC has continuing difficulties with in- creasing membership numbers, it’s encouraging to realized that IBMA has struggled with the same issues. I don’t usually offer my comments or opinions in this forum – howev- er, I’ve been particularly struck by some of the content in this issue. In my role as design/layout person, I usually take what my Editor, Mike Kirley, sends me and build a maga- zine out of it. Of course, it’s impossible to do so without reading the articles as they go in and there are several in this issue which have me thinking about the content. First, the letter and photos supplied by Ron Petronko of Montreal. I discovered bluegrass music at the Carllisle Bluegrass Festival in 1973. That event resulted in my running out and purchasing a 5-string banjo, which I played for the next 10 years or so, until I came to my senses and bought a dobro. Point is, although I had many favourite banjo players, J.D. Crowe would take the crown. The photos of him playing with Jimmy Martin in 1960 are priceless. I was also present at Carlisle’s 1976 World Champion Banjo Player contest, won by Denis LePage, and wouldn’t you know, J.D. was one of the judges. Denis, of course, is featured in this issue (pages 20-21) and is on-board as a new contributor, as well. (Pages 22-23) I thought this letter also was par- ticularly appropriate for this issue, considering the book review of “Don’t Give Your Heart To A Ram- bler” on page 16. By Gord DeVries In “The Neuroscience of Singing”, Cassandra Sheppard enlightens us with the simple message that, first, everyone can sing, and two, that it’s good for your health! When the author described her grandmother singing throughout the day, I was suddenly brought back to when I was a young child. I remember my Mother singing all the time – songs from Friesland, in her native Frysian tongue – I didn’t even know I *had* those memories. And, funny thing, the whole experience of remem- bering made me feel happy…… hmmm, maybe there’s something to all this. I’ll leave you with an impression of what I might have looked like after an all-night jam session.8 - Bluegrass Canada OCTOBER 2017 JOE ROHRER - RUN-FORREST-RUN ny and old Mr. Fenton sittin there ‘mongst all them critters with great big grins on their faces underneath a raggedy old beach umbrella that says “DON’T WORRY , BE HAPPY MON !!!!! “ ol’ wusername said “WHERE YOU GOIN NOW YOU OLDFOOL ??!!!!!!! “ I said to get ‘nother boat, I think we’re gonna need it !!!!!!!!!!! ol’ wuswername come home yesterday and pulled a brand new magic wand outa the back seat of her car . she looked at me with a wicked sort o’ grin , waved it over her head a couple times, and low and behold I got a sudden urge o’ gumpsion !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I washed all the dishes , swept the floors , milked the cow , fed all the stock , mowed the lawn , raked all the pot holes outa the driveway ,split and piled two cord o’ wood , put new hinges on the outhouse door , dug a bushel of spuds , and picked a poulet for suffer !!!!!!!!!!!! it’s been a looooong time since I’ve felt the sting of a hockey stick across me arse !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ol’ wusername come home from work yesterday and said “ wud- didyoudot’day you old fool ??” I said me and some of the fellers was sittin on the porch at the feed store watchin the circus. ol’ wusername said “ THERE WEREN’T NO CIRCUS IN TOWN YESTERDAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!! “ I said BY JIMMERS THERE WAS TOO !!!!! the show started when Granny come up the street with a dozen piglets she had stuffed in some tater sacs in the back o’ that ol’ democrat she always has her mule hitched to . she pulled up in front of the hardware store for a minute , and just as soon as she went inside the store , that pet monkey that old Eli the cobbler has in tied to that perch in front of his store got loose and went over to investigate them wiggl’in squealin sacs . well , didn’t take too long and he figgered out how to untie the bind- er twine ol’ Granny had them sacs cinched up with . the next thing ya know , there was 12 pigs , a monkey a buckin mule and a busted up democrat rico- chetein’ from pillar to post all over main street ! every shop keeper in the settle- ment was out there waving brooms and aprons and whatever weapon they could pick up,tryin heard the whole shemozzle outa town ,but everytime they’d get anywhere’s near the swine herd the monkey or the mule would chase ‘em back the other way ! the parade lasted for a good half hour, ‘til the Mountie ran outa steam and had to sit down on the boardwalk in front of the bakery ,most of the piglets come up and snuggled up to ‘im when they found out he would scratch ‘em ahind the ear , and the last we saw Granny , she was chasin old Eli down the street with a brand new corn broom she snatched from in front of the mercantile ! wudddid you do t’day my little pas- ture princess ? ������ I was lookin out the kitchen win- dow yesterday and ol’ wusername said “ it’s been rainin steady now for two days ,I ain’t NEVER seen so much rain !!!! “ I said yup , it’s damp all right and I think the critters from here ‘bouts is tryin to tell us som’n ! ol’ wusername said “WUDDERYA YAMMERIN ‘BOUT YOU OLD FOOL ??!!! “ I said well , my trappin boat just went driftin by , and there was 2 rabbits ,2 squirrels, 2 whistle pigs ,2 foxes , 2 deer , 2 beavers bailin water like crazy with their tales ,2 chipmunks , 2 shunks , and Gran- By Joe ‘Honest t’ Goodness’ Rohrer Joe Rohrer is the bass player for Rhyme N ReasonBluegrass Canada OCTOBER 2017 - 9 EAST COAST Oct 21, 2017 Eastern Canada Bluegrass Music Awards Truro, NS - 1-844-442-2656 charlotte@downeastgrass.com www.downeastgrass.com Nov 3-5, 2017 Bluegrass & Acoustic Festival Summerside, PE - 902-566-2523 acb46@pei.sympatico.ca Dec 2, 2017 East Hants Bluegrass Club Christmas Jamboree Milford, NS - 902-883-7189 http://www.easthantsbluegrass. com Feb 10-12, 2017 Shivering Strings Gordon Stobbe’s Annual Winter Music Camp Oak Islaind, NS - 902-627-2600 http://www.shiveringstrings.ca/ March 3-4, 2017 Spring Tune-Up Bluegrass Weekend Windsor, NS - 902-757-3440 btlake@eastlink.ca Mar 16-18, 2017 Annual Bluenoser Bluegrass Festival Yarmouth, NS - 902-250-0504 marilynrafuse@yahoo.ca http://www.bluegrasscanada.org/Resourc- es/festivals/region1/bluenoser.php Mar 25, 2017 Bluegrass Old Country Jamboree Summerside, PE - 902-439-2344 joeandeleanor@live.com http://www.harbourfronttheatre.com ONTARIO Nov 17-19, 2017 Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards Deerhurst Resort, Huntsville, ON - 705-758-9049. bgypsy@northernbluegrass.com http://www.northernbluegrass.com 6 MONTH FESTIVAL LISTING Jan 27-29, 2017 Shivering Strings Southwest Carnduff, SK - 306-482-3707 http://sboardy.wix.com/shiveringstringss Jan 20-22, 2017 Shivering Strings West Music Camp Saskatoon, SK - 306-373-4190 http://northernlightsbluegrass.ca/ SASKATCHEWAN DID YOU KNOW? 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