BLUEGRASS CANADA The official magazine of the Bluegrass Music Association of Canada nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn n n n ALL THINGS BLUEGRASS n i FEATURE ARTICLE PAGE 4 i nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4 OCTOBER 2012 Page 1 WHAT"S INSIDE President's Message-Pg 3 All Things Bluegrass-Feature Article Pg 4 Maritime Notes-Pg 5 & 6 Down East News Pg 6 The Tuttles With A. J. Lee-Rising Stars Pg 7 - 10 Bands Information-Pg 11-17 Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards Nominees Pg 18 & 19 Article on County Bluegrass Festival Pg 23 & 24 List of IBMA Winners Pg 26 The Western Perspective Pg 28 NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Pg 29 Voting Procedures Pg 29 List of Nominees & Recipients of the 28th Annual East Coast Bluegrass Music Awards Pg 30-32 Just A Bluegrass Wife Pg 33 & 34 Music Biz Article Pg 35 Advertising Rates Pg 36 Organizational Memberships -Pg 37 & 38 Tim's CD Reviews Pg 39 I, (.: .' · ' .,: Editor's Message - Leann Chadbourn Awesome! So many talented Blue- grass Musicians in Canada-This is- sue-what we call the "Bands Issue" lists all bands that have sent in their information so the fans get a chance to put faces to the names of the bands. We have also concentrated on the Nominees and Win- ners of the East Coast Bluegrass Music Awards and the Nominees of the Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards. Congratulations to all the nominees! You are all win- ners. Thank you for sharing your music. We also wanted to congratulate and list the winners of the IBMA for all our members to see. Our articles keep coming from the East Coast, Central Page 2 President Denis Chadbourn 705-776-7754 Vice-president Dave Porter 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 705-4 7 4-2217 Wilson Moore 506-364-2221 Jerry Murphy Regi on 1 Rep Rick Ford Region 4 Rep Darcy Whiteside-Social Media & Region 3 Rep Canada and the West Coast with some really interesting news and information. Thank you to all of you for shar- ing your stories and expertise. BMAC welcomes any interesting articles or information rele- vant to Bluegrass and are hopeful to start receiving articles from Coast to Coast. With so many Bluegrass Associations and Clubs across Canada there truly is no shortage of news. Anyone willing to submit an article, please contact me at lschadbourn@gmail.com. If you have a special cause that is near and dear to your heart, send us in a photo; let us know about it. And remember, you can have your event posted for free at WWW.BLUEGRASSCANADACA PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE A Welcome to British Columbia ~s President of the Bluegrass Music Association of Cana- fa (Bluegrass Canada), I would like to welcome the Pa- :ific Bluegrass and Heritage Society (P.B.H.S.) as one of [he newest members of our national association. We 3re working hard to promote and raise awareness of Jluegrass and old time music events across Canada, and :o foster a national bluegrass and old time community. Ne also welcome Rick Ford as your West Coast Regional ·epresentative. Rick's job is to post all known bluegrass rnd old time music events to the Bluegrass Canada :BMAC) website and facebook pages. Ne look forward to hearing about events, bands, clubs, rnd the bluegrass culture on the west coast. Over the ,ext few months, I'm sure that Rick will be touching Jase with many of you Pacific Bluegrass members, and J/uegrassers B.C. wide, (whether you are jammers, Jands, bluegrass and/or old time clubs, festival organiz- ~rs/promoters, or just avid fans of bluegrass and old ime music). He will be encouraging you to check out >ur website and facebook pages and the huge amount >f information available in these sites as well as ensuring rou and your band or organization is aware of the nu- nerous benefits of BMAC membership. ~bout PB&HS ~ased in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Pacific Blue- :rass and Heritage Society (PBHS) is a not-for-profit or- :anization dedicated to the promotion of Bluegrass and )Id Time music through regular jams, workshops, con- :erts, and other special events. To keep updated on >BHS activities, refer to the calendar of events section of heir website, and to find out more about the fantastic ,erformers coming to town this year, visit their concert istings page. Composed of over 200 individuals and operated on a volunteer basis, the PBHS always welcomes new mem- bers, as well as people who are just curious or just want to listen. If you play an instrument and are interested in Bluegrass, Old Time, or derivative forms of these tradi- tions, there are always plenty of people to jam with on all levels. September through June, weekly jams are held upstairs at the ANZA Club, and every month more mel- low-tempo folk can look forward to Sue Malcolm's Slow Pitch Jam. In addition to jam nights, there are also opportunities for members to perform material on open stage nights, and to participate in various workshops relating to Blue- grass and Old Time music. Once again, BMAC welcomes Pacific Bluegrass and Herit- age Society into the ranks of our national membership, and we look forward to working together, to preserve and promote Canadian bluegrass. Warm regards, Denis Chadbourn Know a Canadian who you think embodies "All Things Bluegrass?" We would love to profile them in our Bluegrass Canada Magazine. Contact Denis Chadbourn @ lea@thot.net Page 3 ALL THINGS BLUEGRASS A Profile on Dan Campbell Dan Campbell Most of us are content doing just one or two different things, like, either playing in a band, or being actively engaged in a bluegrass club .. or perhaps even v olunteering to organize a festiva l. Dan Campell is different. He does all that, and more. Indeed, Dan seems to eat, sleep, and breathe bluegrass . From writing original tunes, and playing in a band, to v olunteering with hi s local bluegrass club, and organizing festival s, Dan is like the bluegrass edition of the Energizer rabbit.. . . if it has anything to do with bluegrass, he's into it . Dan Campbell is the embodiment, of all things bluegrass, and BMAC sa lute s y ou Dan! If all that were not enough, Dan and his wife Shannon, operate Campbells Corner Music Sales . It is a mobile shop, that they set-up and knock-down nigh every weekend in the summer, and for concerts on the w inter tour, including the Central Canada Bluegra ss Awards . Campbell's Corner Music Sales is an impressive op era ti on . Their arrival at an event. is heralded by a non descript miniva n pulling in, with a utility trailer in tow. Nothing fancy, just practical, basic tran spo rtati on But when they start the unloading process, you quicky realize, that this a int their first rodeo. They have been operating this business since 2007, and have it down to a science . You'd be amazed Dan credits his passion for bluegrass, to his first bluegrass e x perience as a kid, at the festival in Carlilse. Among the performers there, were groups like Seldom Scene, and Bill Monroe. An instant fan, Dan has now been playing banjo for 25 years His first instrument was a Mandolin, and from there he picked-up the Guitar, and finally Banjo . Formerly with Bluegrass Edition, he now plays 5 string in « Dan Campbell & Buegrass Edition ». His dedication to bluegrass has entrenched him as a vital pa rt of of the Ou een 's Bu sh Bluegrass Club in Owen Sound, On . He has been there since its beginning in 2001 . For the past six years, the OBBC has been putting on an annual event, that continue's to grow each year. In 2013, the QBBC Camp out will be held July 19 -21. Both Shannon and Dan are ardent supporters of Canadian bluegrass , and promote Canadian artists whenever and wherever the opportunity arises . They do, not only by marketing eds by canadian artiists, but also by putting in a good word for them, to promoters at home and abroad . Their ex tensive network of contacts affords them the opportunity to connect individual artists with music industry professionals Shannon and Dan Campbell This dynamic duo are also regular volunteers at IBMA 's World of Bluegrass in Nashville . Dan .· The costs to attend this event can really add- up, and volunteering helps many of us offset cost. If you are a bluegrass enthusiast, WOB is a must, despite the costs. My friend John McNaughton is the person who tipped me about the volunteer work aspect a few years ago . The Campbells have developed an impre ssive list of contacts in Nashville and elsewhere in the states . Dan: Business contacts, like Sam & Pam Passamano who are the owners of Rural Rhythm Records have become friends of ours. Shannon and I have been invited to many private concerts and promo events, that we otherwise would not have been able to attend. As a result we have had a chance to meet and hang out with greats like Mary Raybon, II/rd Tyme Out, Lonesome River Band and many, many others who are signed by Rural Rhythm Records. Just last night we had dinner right next to Ricky Skaggs and some of the White family. Ea ch yea r, the Camp be II s ex ert a great dea I of time and effort putting together the Ontario Bluegrass Ca lend ar . Many folks in central Canada regard thi s ca lend ar as the festivals "bible ." The calendar also include s band lineup s for festiva l s , and contact listing s for bands and radio shows. Dan • I start early in the year to format the calendar, and as the information comes in, I quite often have to help contributors with their ad setup, which can take hours on the computer. We always get e xcited about the release for each new calendar, which is at the Bluegrass Awards in Huntsville, On., in November "Our heart is in the Bluegrass music and we would like to make sure that it lives on, and always keeps going We are here to promote it as best we can and if this is our way of doing it, w e'II do it" Y ou can find their shop online at www.campbellscornermusicsales.com Ex cerpts taken from interview by Murray Hale, Nashville, Tn, September 27, 2012, during IBMA World of Bluegrass. MARITIME NOTES Written by Fred lsenor CANA.DA' S PIRST BLUEGR:'SS E'ESTIVAL by r'red l9enor The first ~l~egrasa festiv~l held in Canada took place at John M.oxo~·~ farm in H~rdwoodlands, ~ova Scotia in 1972. Someti~c 1n 1971 V1c Mullen and I happened to oe on ths same concert at the Lantz School Aud1torillllil and whe~ we got together the au.bject of blue13ras~ ~usic alw~ys eame up. Vic who was froca Port Ma.it.land, was one of t:he first Nova Scotians to play blusqrass. The other two were Ron Scott from Amherst and John McM~naman from Spring ill . Vic suggested having an ever:t tbe next s~r for people who liked bluegr ass as it ~~s becoming more popular. In the summer of 1972 I approached John Mox.om on the possibil tty of a small festival at his far~ where he hel<l barn dances. John agreed 4nd put a covering over a wagon for a stage ~nd ra an electrical line for the P • .i\, system which Charlie Fullerton ~omehow put togec.her '•1th begged and bowO'lrled equipment. NO'"w in 1972 there was <;inly one blusgrass 'bano active in Nova Scoti~. That was the Boutili~r Brothers including Vic ~ullen on fiddle. It so happ~nod that Neil Rosenborg who is professor of folklore at Memorial r.:n1versity was visitinq and agreed to st.1y .:tri extra day .ind help out. lie were then abla to put another grou.p toy-ether with Neil on b~njo, Bruce Beeler on upright bass, Don & Joyce Peck on VCX'als and guitars and I played mandolin. M~l sarty and his cousin ~rever wer~ getting 1nto bluegrasg and sang p well as any of the brother dusts and rounded o t the ente rt ainment. Mel later had an excellent blueqrass b.and called The County Line Boy~ and we wish he ~~s still active. By tbe second year Ed Hj'nes played the fel:;tiv l with his first band, Th~ Odds And I:;nos Of Bluegrass, ~a late r had one of the top lo~al bands kno'il'n as Shady Grove. ThG 1972 event only drew about 150 but grew to where the paid attendance is ~round 2 1 000. We hired o~r flr~t u. S. band 1n 1976 and it proveo to tJ.e a good move. In the spring of 1976 I had a c~ll froa1 v1c Page 5 Mullen telling ~e he was coming out th t evenin~ and bringinq a 11411 who want•d to talk to u. Th man turn d out to be Allan "Mac" NCHale who was in Halifax procnoting Maine Tourism. However that night he was pr oting White Mountain Bluegrass band from Portsmouth, N w Hampshire of which he was the mandolin player. We hired th band and luckily we had a great weekend and met all expenses . If the we~ther had washed us out Vic and I would probably still be hiding out in a foreign country. Th re has been at least one and usually two U.S. bands on the festival v r since. We now have e~ough local bands and they are just as good but it oives the fans a chance to see oroups they wouldn't see otherwise. The a. s. bands h~ve been very co-operative and helpful over the years with only one being egotistical and snobbish and that band did well on stage which was all w w r paying the for. We have had many ot the big name o. s. bands including Bill Monro • The Blue Grass Boys, The country Gentle1nen and Del McCoury to name a few. Over the years the festival has moved to larger locations and ts presently h ld t the Exhibition Grounds, Truro, N. s. :. We went through 11 the qrowin9 pains. About 20 years go th rowdies were starting to be a problem but a new set ot rules took care ot that. one of th most positive rulos prohibit th lectric bas. mAd !or th sake of th music was to The Nova Scotia festival is operated by The Downeast Bluegrass , Oldtime Music Society and all work is done on a volunteer basis. In the early year g tting enough band was a problem but now there are over 20 bands in Nov Scotia. However there will uG ~everal other festivals in Nova Scotia this summer so hopefully all will get a chance to play. Down East News! The Northland Ramblers, an Ontario bluegrass band, were in the Maritimes in August for a "Home Sweet Home" Eastern Canada 2012 Tour. They appeared at various venues, and localities, in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Ed- ward Island, presenting a total of nine concerts. Band member Bill MacDonald, was born in Pictou, Nova Scotia, so it was a "homecoming" for him. While passing through Amherst, Nova Scotia, they visited radio station CFTA 107.9 FM, where they were interviewed , and played a few tunes live on air. Regards, Wilson Moore Page 6 The Tutti es with A.J. Lee - Rising stars Condensed aid upda ed from :an a-ticle in 'Grass Clippngs ( Feb/12), the ne-oNSI at er of the Ott:av.a Valley Bluegrass M.J:sic Associaion If you attended the guitar workshop at the Deerhurst BM.AC .AJ.Nards weekend in Nr:fllember, 2J11 you saw Jason Jones dem onstr a1i ng his incredible blue gr ass guitar skills which are all the more amazing because he is onty 16 years old . • !lit , ... -· J .;~:; ~l ~ ,. .. . . . . .. ' .. , ... ·; .',,,•.,: ~' 111··· :.a • r , '. ·,··· ·J ... .-,. . ·. ·»,: ··. . ~ ..... ~· • ;. ·~ ..--;;-_"1 Fiqure 1!3ulliv:11 Tuttle, .A .. .1 Lee, . ta::+ Tuttle, t·k,11 y Tutti e, t·.•1 i:ti::i~ Tuttle Now imagine 4 of Jason Jones, plus a bit, all pla-ying or singing in the same band, average age, 15 yea rs old, and youv e got "The Tuttles 1/1.ith .A..J. Lee" as they i.nJe re in their showcasing suite in September, 2011 at IBM.A. While s1ill relatively unkn oo,,in in Canada and even in the eastern states, The Tutti es with AJ. Lee have be en piling up a cco lad es as headliners in their home state of California for some 1ime. Jack Tuttle, dad to three of them and bass pl ayer in the band, has performed in several bands and has been a highty respected music teacher in California tor many years. In 2007 the California Bluegrass Association (CB.A.) ho no ure d him with the Distinguished Honorary Lifetime Dave Porter Membership A.Nard. His talented kids first achieved notice in 2JC6 1.1\flen Jack posted the YouTube of Michael @) and Sullivan (10) pla-yi ng El Cumbanchero a la Jesse McR eynol ds . The video prom ptty went viral and has now surpassed 1.6 million vielJ\S. Little did viewers realize, hoo,,iever, that it was sister, Mo lty (13), on rhythm guitar, who was the most advanced picker of the three. Molly's musical abilities came to light as more YouTube videos were posted and especially i.nJh en Jack and Molly released their duet CD. "The 01 d Apple Tree", in 2007. Recorded in multiple tracks so that the versatile Jack could play other instruments. the h ig hty acclaimed first CD sounds Ii< e a full blue gr ass band. Produced when Molty i.nJas 13, it features her singing lead on 11 songs, and playing impressive le ad banjo or guitar breaks aim ost every cut . Meantime, an hour north east of the Tuttles Palo .AJ1o home, in Tracy, C.A., .A.J . Lee had begun singing at age 2 and performing by age 4. By age 8 s:he had been invited to major bluegrass events including the IBMA. F anF est in Nashville. In 2J08 she performed for £JJ .000 people at a N.A.SC.A.R event in Indianapolis and on N a1i ona I TV and in 2J09 she joined the I BMA.'s instructional video series called "D iscr:/11 er Blue gr ass" that had featured Sierra Hull in 2005. .A.J. met the TutUes in 2J04 at the age of 6 while jamming at a CB.A. festival. She and Molly's 2 brothers began performing regular ty with Jack & Mol ty sometime after the release of 'The Old .A.pple Tree' and in .A.ugust, 2J10, the band released, 'Introducing the TutUes with AJ. Lee'. It was after the release of this second CD th at I convi need Ottawa's Ron Moo res of C l<C U- F M (93.1) and 2 other radio people to give them a listen. Ron featured their music and commentary on his show, 'The Back 40 , for a full hour in early 2011 . So on after, Barb Heller of NCPR, Canton, NY, and Bill 1-<ri oo,,ilton of WC NY (91 .3) · Syracuse NY, gave them shorter segments. Their amazing progress as in divi dua I musicians and as a band has been recognized in spades by their home state Bluegrass Society at A.Nards Weekends in both 2J11 and 2J12 In a process that requires 2 ballots to n ar roo,,i the long lists of nominees to 5 finalists and a 3rd ballot 1o determine a winner, all 5 band members we re finalists in their individual categories in both years. In the final ballot in 2011, members of the NC BS voted Molly Tuttle Best Guit cf'i st, and .A.J . Lee Best Female Vocalist. In 2J12. voters selected Mol ty TutUe Best Female Vocalist, Michael Tuttle Best Mandolin Player, and Jack TutUe, Best Fiddler. It is also likety that either Molly or Sullivan would have won the Best Guitar Pl eyer award in 2J12 had there been onty one Tuttle name on the fin a I ballot But the best prize was having their band beat out close 1o 3)0 adult bands to be chosen Best Bluegrass Band in both yecf's . Their talent has not gone un no1i ced by some key figures in bluegrass circles. In 2J07, Dennis Brun nen meyer (KVMR radio) said: "Molty sings (li<e) she grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Page 7 Page 8 150 years ago." Legendary banjo man, Pete Werenick, commented: "A.J. Lee and Molly Tutti e . . . can bring you into a song and create a duet blend that ma<es the senses stand at attention. Ifs remarkable that they are both teenagers ... Sullivan and Mi chae I play strong and leads Dick8"1S on guitar and mandolin ... " And. California band I ead er, Kathy Kallid<, with 15 CD's to her credit, I/IJrote on their latest CD jack et, "The picking is HOT! The singing is complex and gorgeous! Mol ty' has a voice that is unique and very traditional at the same 1ime ... And when she blends th at voice with AJ .' s .. . chills went up and down my spine .. . Michael and Sullivan played virtuoso solos that had the audience on their feet and I, m',6 elf, burst into laughter, as I do when music de lights and a mazes me." Mo re recently, as I le am ed at I BM.A, their showcasing rNe nts the re e am ed th em a private au diii on with Rounder Re cords and Molly was presented with the 'first Scholarship awarded by the Foundation for Bluegrass Music in memory of Hazel Dick ens . She commenced sru di es at the Berk lee Co liege of Music in Boston ~n January. 2012. This s cho larsh 1p was especially meaningful for Molly. She says: "I have been singing Hazel Dickens songs since I was 8 years old .. . (see 1st CD) ... and I was lucky enough to get to meet her s rNer al years ago at IBMA Hazel Dickens has been one of my biggest influences .. . " But v...tia: Have You Done for r-Ae L:atel y? That's where the accolades ended when I first w ote th is article in late January, 2012. But these kids have not let up. On January 30, the popular ort-line nel/lJS service, · 81 ueg r ass To day listed as it. lead nel/lJS item. the Tuttles s ig nin g with Roe E nterta inm ent (the same a gent that handles Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, and Dale Ann Bradley.) And Molly has been ma<ing noise since she started at 8 erk I ee Co liege of Music. In Apri I, she took first place in the Me rlefest so ngA1rite rs contest. In May, she was one of wvo singers chosen to sing in honour of Aty'son Krauss who was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music by Berklee. The other singer was Aty's on Krauss' pr oteg e, Sier~ a Hull. Also in May, a group of six blue gr ass veterans led by 8 ruce co mpton chose 1st semester student, Molly Tuttle, to sing and play guitar as they played a tribute to John McGa nn, a highly respected Berk lee professor of music and mandolirvguitar teacher, who died suddenly. And On July20/21, despite being a fresh man Molt,,," was co- I ea der of the Berklee bluegrass band in a Saturday Nigh(!) perfo rma nee at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Fest iv a I, one of the I arg est in the country . Meanwhile, her band had a brea<- thr oug h year having I anded ma in- stage performance spots at wvo high profile festivals: -Getbfsburg and Wind gap . .Ai Gettysburg they rece~1ed 3 standing O's and were introduced for their second set as the "surprise and the discovery of the Fest iv af'. The reception was the same at Windgap. And finally, on- Ii ne n a.ius service 8 lue gr ass To day, gave the Tuttles 25% of the photo coverage for Saturday at Gettysburg fN en tho ugh they we re only one of 7 bands. Fiqure 3 A.J Lee, M:,11~.,-Tuttle, [l;,,,e P,:,rter, t·11 •:t1'.'±:I 3rid ::;u111 ··.,::1n Tuttle Tuesday N ght at I B MA., 2011 I had a good id ea of what to expect musically when I wal<ed into room 102 at IBM.A. because I've been a Tuttles fan since October 11, 2008 . Th at was the day I ran across. quite by accident, their YouTu~e recording of a song I'd played m my '2fJs and wanted to relearn, called 'Diamond Joe' . Since then, I'd also listened to their 2 CD's many times over. Despite ~hat prep ar aii on, wvo things immediately surprised me th at night The M.Jsic First. neither YouTube nor their wel~produced CD's do them justice. Whether they were playing their signature instrumental. El Cumba nche ro or the old blue gr ass standard, Be au mont Ra · Fiqure 4 Fi::~ ph ':.t::r,I e!i or the jazzy Gypsy Palo .AJto, composed by Jad<, their insirumental ljljzardry almost made me laugh out loud in sheer amazement I thought of Kattry- Kalli d< as I sat the re. The transitions from instrument to in sir ume nt a re im pe cca bly timed and the brea<s are not only fast and intricate, but full of the unexpected 'hnJis:ts and turns that define er eative blue gr ass pi d< ing. The vocals are equally im pressw e. Whether it IAl.3S Molly's lonesome mountain sound in her own hauniing composition, 'It's Long Road,' or 13-year old AJ. Lee absolutely nailing Gr am Pa rs on' s 'Hid<ory Wind, the voices were crisp, mature way beyond their years, and the harmonies perfect. The second surprise is re lated. .Mer listening to their great music on-line or in my car so manytimes, I had stopped thinking ab out their ages. But when I finally saw them lw e, I was once again aware that these kids, Fi ,;:iure 5 ._la:; k Tutti e's S,:t,ool ,:,f E:luE:grass incredibly talented kids, but kids nonetheless. I was first re minded of th at 1 act when I asked Rodney Lee, AJ.'s dad, why- the band did not get out more into the bluegrass fest iv al circuit. He answered: 'Well you have to remember, AJ. and Mi chae I are just finishing elementary school.'' J ad< added later that the boys do not yet sing in the group because their voices are stil I ch an gin g. But it was the reactions of the band members themselves that were the most telling . Audience applause to one of their brea<ned<-speed instrumentals often pro duce d s ii ly grins. I'm sure I even heard a couple of giggles. A.J. would look bad< shyly at bass p I ayer, J ad<, tor support as he paiientty encouraged her to introduce her own songs . Ev en 18-ye ar Molly T ultle, whom I have watched on YouTube for the past 3 years as she grew up into the pretty college freshman that she now is, seemed to blush with em ba rr ass me nt at e nth us iasii c audience response. These youthful rea c1i ons take nothing away from their music. They onty- serve to endear them to the audience more completely. Meeting the Family By now you know I'm a die hard fan. The reason is simple . Its fair to say I would not be editor of 'Grass Clippings' and that I would not be pr actis: ing with a bluegrass band, had it not been for the Tuttles. In his teaching website: Jad< Tuttle says : "How inspiration ha pp ens is a tota I mystery, but al most every musician has a story ab out how they saw some musician or band that just set th em off." 01 course, it's usually kids who are inspired by adult musicians, but in my case it was the ex act opposite. Some readers know the story. Th at day in 2000 when, tor no particular reason, I cli d< e d on ''the Tuttle Kids Play Diamond Joe", I was frustrated and on the verge of giving up as fruitt ess, my quest to regain my Ion g lost guitar playing skills th at had be en set aside 30- some years earlier. But, within 'hnJo mi nut es of watching the flying fingers of Molly & Sullivan, I IAl.3s a Tuttles fan for I ife and totally re- ho ok e d on bluegrass. A five minute dose of Tuttles videos or CD tr ad<s was all it took from th at point on to get me practising again. Numerous videos and CD 1r ad<s later I knew I had created a rather idealized mental picture of this family. It crossed my mind as I rode the escalator down to that room at I BMA that I could dis cover a bun ch of self- centered br ais at the bottom. I need not have worried. Jad< Tuttte. and mother, Maureen Roddy and Rodney Lee, father of A.J. could not have been more welcoming and the four young musicians were as polite, and friendly, and seemed as happy and well adjusted as any group of teenagers I have ever met. It was th t ii as much as the Fi qure I:· IJn ::t::iqe a The ·:;t~°:l-·.-'·.berr!i F~"ii v:l 1 ~1 Califomi a music that made th at evening the highlight of my whole week . Bl uegr:ass :ard Silicon Valley Palo Alto. California in the he art of Silicon Valley seems li<e the pe rte ct antithesis of the mountains of Kentud<y, the Carolinas and Virginia. I had wondered for three yea rs how 3 apparently normal teenagers in that env iro nme nt cou Id be co me so totally devoted to bluegrass. Music has been a part of AJ . Lee's family for generations and one gathers from the YouTube videos of AJ. singing with her mother and s is:ters that it was mostly country and bluegrass . She seems to have been destined to sing aim ost before she cou Id talk . Maureen Roddy, mother of the Tuttle kids explained that the situaiion was similar for them. Jad< grew up on a farm near Yorkville. Illinois:. His dad, Jerry, played banjo & guitar and formed the first Tuttte bluegrass band with his kids -Jad< and his "silver- voi ced' s is:ter. J ad< had started on guitar at age 5, added banjo at age ·12. after watching his dad, and later added mandolin and fiddle. After finishing Page 9 Next >