THE BLUEGRASS MUSIC ASSOCIATION OF CANADA Volume 5 Issue 3 July/August 2011 THE RIVETS BLUEGRASS BAND See Article on Page 4 With Bio Info on Pages 5, 6 & 7 Page 1 WHAT”S INSIDE President’S Message—Pg 3 Rivet Bluegrass Article & Bio’s Pg 4, 5, 6 & 7 News from Elliot Lake and the North Shore Pages 8 & 9 Carl’s Kitchen Party Pages 11, 12 & 13 Advertisements Pages 14, 15, 20, 21, Music Biz Article Pg 16 The Next Generation Pg 17 Just a Bluegrass Wife Pages 18 & 19 Special Notice Pg 22 Editor’s Message Pg 22 Canadian “A” - Article on Peace River Band Pg 23 Advertising Rates Pg 24 Organizational Memberships —Pg 25 & 26 Website Enhancement Announcement—Pg 23 Membership Renewal Form Pg 23 Website Enhancement Announcement Pg 27 President Denis Chadbourn 705-776-7754 Vice-president Larry Johnston 519-576-9768 Secretary Leann Chadbourn 705-776-7754 Treasurer Roland Aucoin 905-635-1818 Directors at Large Gord deVries 519-668-0418 Donald Tarte 877-876-3369 Bill Blance 905-451-9077 Murray Hale 705-474-2217 BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE It’s official! We are now a Canada-wide organization! Rest assured, our mandate has not changed. The Bluegrass Music Association of Canada will continue its mission, to preserve and promote bluegrass and old-time music, not just across this country, but around the globe . Make no mistake, BMAC is BLUEGRASS CENTRAL!!! We remain the go-to or- ganization for all things bluegrass in Canada. (WWW.BMACC.CA) So here’s the plan…current members, you don’t need to do a thing. You are automatically included in this new, coast-to-coast alliance of bluegrass nation buil- ding. Our bluegrass roots run strong and deep, here in the true north and anyone who does not believe that, is out of touch with reality! The bluegrass co- ming out of Canada is some of the best in the world. That’s why my vision for the future focuses heavily on marketing Canadian bluegrass to world. Let’s face it…bluegrass festivals are the best dang value for your buck. Where else can you go camping for an entire weekend, enjoying days filled with live music, (with unfettered access to the performers), for aproxi- mately $75.00 per adult ? How can we keep this a secret? Hey I know, Canucks don’t like to boast, but look at it this way…we are merely sharing the facts, without embelishment… Canadian bluegrass is surging and marketing Cana- dian bluegrass internationally will not only have economic benefits, like travel and tourism, but it will also give our bands the opportunity to expose themselves to the world. (Hey, put your pants back on, that’s not what I meant.) Your BMAC team has formed mutually beneficial relationships with like- minded organizations, such as the EBMA (European Bluegrass Music Association) and IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) to become active part- ners in future showcases to, and around, the world. (One of our goals is to reinstate Canada Night in Bluegrass at IBMA.) I am a graduate of the Lea- dership Bluegrass course through IBMA; the IBMA is a fine example of proactive promotion of bluegrass internationally, and it is continually working to show people, just how cool bluegrass really is. No gimmicks, or tricks, and no kareokee…just straight ahead, live, honest, music! We at BMAC, have also embraced our historical past by reaching out to country music fans. Heck, blue- grass was country music back in the ‘50s… until the Nashville sound took country music off in another di- rection. Because bluegrass is the historical precursor to country, it is after all, only natural to strike up ties with the likes of the Canadian Country Music Associa- tion. Indeed, we have already had success stories, showcasing bluegrass at country events, in an effort to reunite country fans with their blugrass cousins. Such an affiliation has been a model for success for the Grand Old Opry, for 80 plus years now. There are still a few exceptions, but bluegrass has changed from the traditonally thin, nasal sound of the past, and has grown into precision, blended harmony, with vir- tuoso instrumental performances. Grassroots music also bears aspects of folk, fiddle, gospel, celtic, and so on, so there is much room for growth. The Canadian bluegrass sound varies, ac- cording to which region of Canada one is in, or from. For example, Acadien fiddle playing, sounds different than the Renfrew/ Ottawa Valley sound. These regio- nal variations, are like different accents, and that’s what makes Canadian bluegrass unique. Vive la dif- ference! So the time has come, to let the rest of the world know... If you want to tour, come here. If you’re loo- king for great bands, look no further. The Bluegass Music Association of Canada is bluegrass central! Warm regards, Denis Chadbourn President THE RIVETS BLUEGRASS BAND The Rivet Family Band has been involved in Gospel and Bluegrass music for over thirty-five years. Clem Rivet, the father, (aka Pop Rivet) kept a strict family routine. Starting with musical evenings at home and various gatherings with family and friends on a regular basis. This strict routine helped the boys to develop a very distinct sound of their own, for many to enjoy. With Clem on Mandolin, Marc on banjo, Louis on gui- tar and Dennis on bass the band was formed. The band had many names ‘The Three Boys’, ‘The Get Together’ and of course the most familiar name ‘The Rivet Family’, which then led to ‘The Rivet Brothers’. Over the years they had many guests accompany them such as Isidor Rivet, Paul Menard and Don Reed. During those years they were asked to perform at many festivals in Southern and Northern Ontario. The boys were in their early to late teens when they began entertaining. The fans were attracted to their distinct sound. As teen years came to an end, the boys began to explore new avenues of reaching the public by releasing a Compact Disc. ‘Marc, Louis, Dennis and Raymond’ teamed up with Lou Dub- blestyne in 1992 for the next few years and produced their first Compact Disc ‘Storms Over Stinson’. (Raymond played the Dobro) The Rivet Brothers were raised in Stinson, Ontario, East of Sudbury much of their childhood brought many original inspirational recordings such as the title of their first CD release . Their original compositions acquired classical and blues overtones to support a wall of traditional blue- grass, vocal harmony makes up the RIVET Brothers. Their first compact disc release clearly placed the group in the tide of new acoustics, sounding the back to basics heartbeat of Canadian music today. Selec- tions from the CD include exciting arrangements of traditional pieces, original compositions by the RIVET Brothers and other Canadian song writers. By 2009 Louis went on to raise his three boys after his wife passed away. Marc and Dennis then decided to recruit new member ,Paul Lemelin. Paul was then an award winning Fiddle player around all of Canada and is rapidly growing in the bluegrass industry. Shortly after Hubert Giroux joined the group, to add his unique style of bluegrass guitar playing. His style is sure to drop jaws all around. Paul and Hubert then introduced Julie Joseph to the band. Julie’s outstand- ing voice makes everyone stop to listen. With her Tal- ent in lead and high tenor harmony The Rivets Blue- grass was official - they had found the sound they were looking for. With plans to promote their music across the country and without boundaries, the group intends to release their first Compact Disc as The Riv- ets Bluegrass. For booking information please contact Marc Rivet at banjomarc@hotmail.com Bio information on each member — Raymond Rivet MARC RIVET Marc was born on September 18 1962 in Sturgeon-Falls Ontario Canada, to Clement and Raymonde Rivet. He and his three brothers and six sisters were raised in Stinson, Ontario. Although his mother passed away in 2007, his fa- ther still lives in Stinson. Married in 2006, Marc and his wife, Sue, have one son, Jesse. Early on, the Rivet family en- joyed bluegrass music and from a young age, Marc loved the sound of a banjo. Blessed with musical talent and strong singing voices, the entire family sang gospel and played their instruments for their church, for revivals and eventually festivals. At the tender age of 13, Marc expressed an inter- est in learning the banjo. By working odd jobs, he was able to purchase his first instrument and taught himself how to play the banjo by listening to bluegrass music on the radio and on cassettes supplied by a good friend, Marcus Jarrett. Marc was and still is strongly influenced by the musical group, The Seldom Scene, not only for their well-known mu- sical talents but for the intensity and uniqueness they pre- sent in their recordings and their live shows. This helped Marc cement his love for bluegrass music. After a chance meeting with Ben Eldridge at the Carlyle Bluegrass Festival in 1981, he decided he wanted to play music for a living and realized that he needed to learn other instruments. To today, Marc can easilytransfer from banjo, to guitar, to mandolin and to the upright bass. The Rivet Family musical group was formed in 1980 and Marc and his brothers played together on various stages for approximately 10 years. In 1993, along with Lou Doublestein and Don Read, the Rivet Family be- came the Rivet brothers and recorded their first CD in Mis- sion Studio in Sudbury, Ontario, called Storms over Stinson. They had found “their sound”. They have played on many stages and at many festivals but they were honored when asked to play at the Canadian Central Bluegrass Awards in 1995. Gospel music has always been important to Marc. He believes that there is no better message than the message of Jesus Christ and Marc, as a follower of Christ, he wants to continue to sing and praise his name in the only way he really knows how…through his music. DENNIS RIVET Dennis was also born in Sturgeon Falls, ON along with his twin sister Denise on Jan 2, 1967 and was raised in Stin- son, Ontario. Dennis’ musical influences started when his mom would do house cleaning and/or prepare her countless home-made meals for the family while listening to her French back- ground musical delights such as Marcel Martel & Lévis Bouliane as well as her favorite country artists - Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Willie Nelson, Kitty Wells, Loretta Lynn, Connie Francis to name a few. His Bluegrass influences began when he was around 7 years old when the family began attending the Canadian Fiddle Championships in Shelburne, ON where his dad met Marcus Jarrett, a long time family friend and supplier of bluegrass music to the family. The Family would soon form their own group. Dennis and Brother Louis had a choice to pick between guitar and bass. Louis chose the guitar first so Dennis was left with the “wash-tub-shovel handle-gut-string” bass. Which would soon become a full size “Hoffner” acoustic double bass. Dennis’ influences on bass are… Ed Ferris, Bill Yates, Tom Gray, Chip Street, John Cowan and his dad. Dennis is a founding member of the group since its early days in 1977. One of Dennis’ biggest thrills was sharing the main stage with Valdy in 1995 at the Northern Lights Festival in Sud- bury,ON. Dennis presently plays a Fender Precision electric bass with active pick-ups with Dr. Thomastik flat wound strings and enjoys playing bass and singing in church on Sundays at Restoration Ministries Church in Val Caron, ON (Because I Love Jesus!) JULIE JOSEPH— Born and raised in Verner Ontario, Julie grew up surrounded by music. Her father, Fern Lapointe, encouraged her as a young child to perform at various talents shows i.e. Sturgeon River House Bluegrass Festival. Her talent blossomed throughout her teenage years as the female vo- calist for the band, “B.J. & Silverwing”. She per- formed in Country Clubs & many Country & Bluegrass Festivals in Northern Ontario for three years with the band. After taking a five years hi- atus, Julie performed in a musical group called “The Loud Mouths” where she performed the 70’s movie “Grease” amongst many others. In 2004, she joined the band “Andre Giroux & the Dream catchers” as the lead singer of bluegrass and country classics which lasted until 2009. Ju- lie recorded a CD “Deep Rooted” with Andre Giroux in 2005. Hubert Giroux - Hubert comes from a musical family with roots deep into traditional French-Canadian and Bluegrass music. Envious of the musical talents exuded by his grandfa- ther, uncles and cousins, Hubert bought his first acous- tic guitar in his teens. Although attending Bluegrass festivals since the age of 9, it is only after his grandfa- ther passed away that Hubert got the “bluegrass bug”. Hubert was 17 when his grandfather passed away. He would later play some of the tunes that his grandfather ,played and sang as a means to reminisce some of his treasured childhood memories. From this point on, Hu- bert immersed himself into bluegrass music and draws his influences from flatpickers such as Tony Rice, Ken- ny Smith, Russ Barenberg and Tim Stafford. Hubert Giroux joined the Rivets Bluegrass Band in March of 2010. Prior to joining the Rivets, Hubert has performed with Bonita & High Tide and River Blue. Hubert plays a Custom Proulx dreadnaught and uses Wegen TF-140 picks. Paul Lemelin Paul Lemelin, a fiddler from Sudbury Ontario Canada, has been playing the fiddle since the age of 4 and has been com- peting at various contests since the age of 8. At home Paul works as an Electronic Technologist for Vale Exploration, he enjoys teaching the fiddle, guitar, mandolin and Piano as well as being a father of 3 young boys. Paul is also a member of the “Fiddleworks Fiddle and Step dance competition” com- mittee in Chelmsford Ontario since 2009. Some of Paul’s big- gest influences include fiddle greats such as Calvin Vollrath, Yvon Cuillerier, Graham Townsend and Ray Legere. Paul has placed first place in a number of competitions in- cluding Richmond Ontario (Open Category) and Sturgeon Falls Ontario (Open Category) amongst others and has placed within the top 5 at the famous Annual Pembroke Fiddle Con- test for the last 3 years. The highlight of Paul's career came in 2006 when he was invited to compete at the Canadian Grand Masters, an invitational only contest where the top 5 fiddlers from each province are selected to compete at a National level. Paul has received the honor of being invited a second time to compete yet again in 2010. Paul played with the “Rivet Family” in 2004, and has rejoined “The Rivets Bluegrass Band” since August of 2009. Recently Paul has been filling in with various Bluegrass bands including “Honey Grass”. Although new to the style, Paul is quickly becoming more and more sought out as a “Bluegrasser” both on the fiddle and the mandolin. Paul plays on a Lowedall copy of a Maggini fabricated in Ger- many, was repaired and refurbished by Fabien Lefebvre, and is strung with D’addario Helicore medium gauge. Paul uses a three star Pernambuco Dörfler bow and has it re-haired by George MacArthur. THE RIVETS BLUEGRASS THEN AND NOW News from Elliot Lake and the North Shore—Written by Gloria Hanson The Bluegrass Summer Circuit is upon us with the highlight in Northeastern Ontario being the River Valley Bluegrass Festivals. All three of them, the first on June 30 through the July long weekend. Come out and see our Algoma Wild- flowers there, along with Espanola’s Ednsons, and River Valley’s own River Valley Grass and River Valley Martens, and Junction Creek. I can already taste the caramel-covered funnel cakes, the all night jamming, meeting old and new friends and just having plain old fashioned fun! The second event is over the August long weekend, and it is pure blue- grass—go to the Northern Bluegrass Committee and find which of your favorite bands are playing. The wind up festival is over the Labor Day weekend, more bluegrass and country music. In addition to playing with the Algoma Wildflowers and a whole whack of other stuff I keep busy with to avoid housework, I have just had a new book released, Rural Roots. The book is a collection of short stories about growing up in Kipling, a small Scandinavian farming community near Field. The stories within are based on reality, and the book also includes songs disguised as poems. These poems revert back to songs on the accompanying CD, some of the titles Moon over Kipling and Grandma Won’t Be In Church this Morning. If you want one of these, email me at ‘There will be a book launch and signing at Chapters in Sudbury with the Wildflowers playing in the Starbucks section of the bookstore for the afternoon. This will happen mid July, watch the Sudbury Chapters website for the date. Below find an excerpt of the book (the picture also graces the front cover of the book, and is of the Veuve River near Sturgeon Falls, ON): THE HOMESTEAD IS LONESOME The fence posts have rotted, you can’t see the lane The old house still stands, but it lets in the rain A family once lived here and made memories The homestead is lonesome, the old willow weeps No light in the window, the mailbox is gone No rooster will greet each beautiful dawn Cattle once lowed and grazed in these fields The homestead is lonesome, the old willow weeps The homestead is quiet, they’ve all moved away Flowers grow wild at the end of the lane Children once played here and shouted with glee The homestead is lonesome, the old willow weeps See you at one of the many upcoming festivals this summer! Gloria & the Algoma Wildflowers Next >