Volume 8 Issue 4 October 2014 www.bluegrasscanada.ca ANNUAL BANDS ISSUE Blue Tie Affair BLUE TIE AFFAIR THE GRIDDLE PICKERS Feature interviews V o l u m e 8 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 published quarterly in January, April, July and October. Copies are distribut- ed to members of the organization. Individual membership fees are $20 for one year, $38 for two years or $54 for three years. Organizational memberships are $50 for one year, $98 for two years or $146 for three years. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without the written per- mission from the Publisher. PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NO.42167060.RETURN UNDELIV- ERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO BMAC, 70 MILLRIDGE COURT, LONDON ON N5Z 4P4, 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 the 1st of the month pereceding the month of publication. Advertising- Contact Barb Duncan at 705-499-7656 Email barbieduncan@gmail.com for rates and information. Bluegrass Music Association of Canada BMAC is a non-profit organization devoted to the preservation and promo- tion of bluegrass and old-time music in Canada, and supported by the volun- teer 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 - Denis Chadbourn - lea@thot.net - (705) 776-7754 Vice-President - David Porter - porterd@blackburnlodge.com Secretary - Leann Chadbourn - lschadbourn@gmail.com - 705-776-7754 Treasurer - Roland Aucoin - raucoin@cogeco.ca - 905-635-1818 Membership - Gord DeVries - gord.devries@rogers.com - 519-719-2501 Magazine Editor - Mike Kirley - mikekirley@gmail.com - (519) 653-4975 Webmaster - Gord DeVries - gord.devries@rogers.com - 519-719-2501 General - Murray Hale - murrayhale@hotmail.com - (705) 474-2217 Wilson Moore - jwmoore@ns.sympatico.ca - Regular column contributer Ongoing Volunteers Jerry Murphy - jerry@jerrysnews.com (NS - Event calendar + regular column contributer) Elaine Bouchard (MB - Event Calendar) - boucharde@live.ca Tim Osmond (MB - CD Reviews) - osmondt@gmail.com Sue Malcolm (BC - Event Calendar) - sue@suemalcolm.com 4 WHAT’S INSIDE Table of Contents4 President’s Message5 Editor’s Message6 Interview with Blue Tie Affair by Wilson Moore7 Music on the East Coast by Jerry Murphy9 Interview With The Griddle Pickers by Mike Kirley10 Open Mike - The Tumbler Pigeons by Mike Kirley13 Feature - BANDS - The Maritimes14 Feature - BANDS - Central Canada18 Band Name Creation Tool34 Feature - BANDS - The Prairies35 Feature - BANDS - The West Coast36 What is/is not Bluegrass?36 In The News37 Janet McGarry New CD Release39 BMAC Organizations Listing41 Radio on the Air Listing42 • Report on Awards shows • Eastern Canada Bluegrass Music Awards • Central Canadian Bluegrass Music Awards • More Interviews - news items - regular columns NEXT ISSUE (JANUARY): 5 TO SERVE YOU BETTER Help Wanted! When I joined the BMAC execu- tive, eight years ago, my exhuber- ance and enthusiasm levels were quite high. After all, it’s not every day one gets the opportunity to shape the face of Canadian blue- grass. With a head full of ideas, (some of which stuck, while oth- ers did not), the BMAC board and I took what was then a regional grassroots organization, to nation- al status. With growth, however, come growing pains. For the past year I have been working 60-70 hours a week in my own businesses, and am in need of some recreational time. While playing my git-box gives me the temporary relief I need, it does not top up my tank all the way. As a consequence of burning my candle at both ends, I have neglected my local bluegrass club, my songwriting, my band duties, and it has severely re- stricted the number of gigs I play. Sometimes I wish I could clone myself, but alas, I don’t think the world (or my wife) is ready for that. Grandma always said “It doesn’t matter how many hats a man has, he can only wear one at a time.” Gran Chad was always right, as evidenced by the dust gathering on my bluegrass hat. In a nutshell, I need you. All work, no play, makes Denis a dull boy. The BMAC board is continually looking for fresh new faces on its board of directors. A commitment of a hour or two per week is all that is required. The annual general meeting and election takes place 10am Sun- day November 23, at the Cen- tral Canadian Bluegrass Awards Deerhurst, in Huntsville, Ontario. Can’t be there, but still interested in helping? Let us know by con- tacting any one of us. We’d love to hear from you. Your ideas can make a difference! Regards from bluegrass central, Denis Chadbourn (Note: The Bluegrass Music Association Canada is an equal opportunity employer, that gives preference to die-hard bluegrass fanatics, even if they don’t play banjo.) As a BMAC member, you can expect prompt, courteous and comprehensive service. And that’s exactly what you’ll get each and every time you need help with your membership. That’s our promise to you. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Visit our online membership services at www.bluegrasscanada.ca /oss7_pro/register.php to fill out a membership registration form, renew your membership, or make changes to your current membership profile. Changes in address, email, phone number, etc. are important for us to be able to continue delivering services to you. MEMBERSHIP EXPIRY You will find the membership expiration date included on your Bluegrass Canada magazine mail- ing label. Please use the enclosed expiry notice letter to mail in your renewal cheque, or simply log in to your account online and pay by credit card or Paypal. You can mail a renewal cheque at any time to: Membership Co-ordinator Gord DeVries 70 Millridge Ct. London ON N5Z 4P4 HELP US GROW OUR MEMBERSHIP Each magazine includes a mem- bership application form. If you like the magazine, pass the form on to a friend. Our only revenue source is through the annual membership fees and advertising. More members = more services. Bluegrass Canada is produced and managed 100% with unpaid volunteer labour, so your money will directly affect our ability to improve. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE6 EDITOR’S MESSAGE Well, what a great summer for picking. I think I was out every weekend except two…four public festivals and three private ones. Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver at Conestoga Bluegrass and Gospel Festival was certainly tops for me personally. I have started calling him Doyle Awesome. . I hope your summer was as active as mine was, especially after being cooped up for that old time winter. I actually got to sing with my two sons Dan and Colin and Leslie Dawn Knowles onstage at a new festival in Oakland. That was a big thrill. This is the “Band Issue”, and we have done our best to find Blue- grass Bands on the net and offline. I think it is safe to say Bluegrass is alive and kicking in Canada. I can remember when there were only five or six bands in Ontario back when Pat Buttenham was editor for Canadian Bluegrass Review. Please drop us a line if we missed your band. We were sad to see General Store and Hometown Bluegrass retire. The former was together for 16 years and the latter for 25. They were solid bands for so long; but ‘nothing lasts forever”, as the saying goes. Time marches on, and people grow apart, both geograph- ically and artistically. General Store left us three great CD’s of Canadian Bluegrass, and Hometown Blue- grass left us two. And there are lots of videos on Youtube to help us reminisce. Many thanks to these two bands for all those years of entertainment. You will be missed. I also heard from Bill McDonald just last week that The Northland Ramblers have folded. Damn. Another fine band gone. Also, the McNulties have left Traditionally Wound, but the band is re-organizing. Down, but not out. I interviewed Sean Patrick, of The Griddle Pickers this issue. Sean represents a whole new wave of young pickers who were strongly in- fluenced by the movie, “Oh Brother Where Art Thou?” and are fans of The Old Crow Medicine Show. I am excited to see these young people talk in awe about Ralph Stanley. It is almost a “Neo Trad” movement. Sooner or later they get around to Flatt and Scruggs, Jimmy Martin and Bill Monroe. As I write this, I have received word that the Conestoga Bluegrass and Gospel Festival is folding after seven years of exceptional enter- tainment. Many thanks to Fran and Jerry for running a wonderful venue for the Kitchener-Waterloo area and beyond. It will be sorely missed next summer. It was not due to attendance; the festival was actually expanding. They have just decided to relax and travel now that they are retired. Although I did not get there, there was a new festival this sum- mer at South Grenville. Good luck folks with that one. See you at Deerhurst the third week of November in Huntsville for the Central Ontario Bluegrass Awards. JOIN NOW! Becoming a member of BMAC couldn’t be easier (or less expen- sive.) If you are able to access the internet on your desktop, laptop or iPad device, you have all you need! Simply navigate to www.bluegrasscanada.ca and click on the “Register” button at the top right of the website. You’ll be taken to a simple regis- tration form which will first ask you to select the Membership Type. Let’s assume for the sake of this discussion, you wish to be an “Individual Member”. Click in that box. The next choice is whether you wish to pay by Credit Card, or ‘Offline’, which means you’ll send in a cheque. Next, you’ll need to fill in a ‘security code’ simply by copying a few distorted looking charac- ters into an input box. (That’s for BMAC’s security, to verify that we’re dealing with a person, not a machine.) We need your Name and Address info and also ask you to select your own username and password. Note that the info fields that are identified with a red aster- isk are mandatory. The next sections of the form are optional and the purpose is fully explained on the form. Once you’re done this, just Click on “Submit” at the bottom. Be assured that BMAC does not share your information with third parties. Once you’re a member, you will have access on the website (using your username/password) for private member’s information such as magazine back issues and minutes of Director’s meetings. That’s it. Call Gord DeVries if you need help. 519-719-25017 BLUE TIE AFFAIR by Wilson Moore other, Johnny Cash’s “Ring Of Fire”. Her family was playing a lot of ben- efit variety shows, nursing homes, etc., so she was getting plenty of on stage experience. Now, fast forward to age eighteen or nineteen, when Roxeen met The Spinney Brothers, who were from the same area of Nova Scotia. That was when she learned to play acoustic bass. She played bass with this group for about eight years, when the band was called The Spinney Brothers and Close Company. It was during this time that Roxeen’s name was changed to Roxeen Spinney. (Can anyone say Rick Spinney?) Also, during this time, Roxeen and Marlee Spinney, (Allen’s now ex-wife), would do some duet harmony singing, and would often be part of The Spinney Brothers stage shows un- der the name of Golden Raven. As a matter of fact, Golden Raven won the open mike contest in 1998 at the prestigious Thomas Point Beach Festival in Brunswick, Maine. Approximately twelve years ago, Roxeen formed her own band un- der the name of Roxeen and Kickin’ Crew. One of the band members was Ryan Roberts, who was learn- ing to play bluegrass guitar at the time. The first big public appear- ance was at the 2002 East Coast Music Awards, where her recording (Roxeen-“Tell Me Mister”), received a nomination in the bluegrass abum category. By the way, that CD highlighted Roxeen’s song writing abilities, with ten of her composi- tions. Roxeen is now Mrs. Ryan Roberts. They started performing as a duo doing old time country, folk, and bluegrass songs. That duo has now morphed into the Blue Tie Affair band. Now, on to the other half of this dynamic duo, Ryan Roberts. Ryan is a Cape Breton native, where Celtic music dominates, but there were no musical family members. Ryan relates, “I was in my second year of universi- ty at Dalhousie in Halifax. I had tinkered on some acoustic guitar, and had always loved song writ- ing, and music in general, but song writing in partic- ular. I had met another singer-song writer in Hal- ifax, Dale Letcher, who said to me one day, “How would you like to go to a bluegrass festival?” I had never been to a bluegrass festival. At that time, Alf Dalton was organizing an indoor festival at The Old Orchard Inn, in the Annapolis Valley. Blue Tie Affair is a relatively new band on the scene in the Mari- times. Based in Wolfville in Nova Scotia, the band is headed up by Roxeen and Ryan Roberts. I had the oppor- tunity to have a conversation with them while attending the 29th Annual P. E. I. Bluegrass and Oldtime Music Festival in early July. Roxeen comes from a musical family in Nova Scotia’s Annap- olis Valley. She says “my whole family played music, from my great grandmother, to my grandmother, to my mom, so I was immersed in music since the time I was born. There were always friends dropping in for jam sessions and kitchen parties. She goes on to say “when I was five I was on stage with my mom and grammie with a band called “Johnny Gibson And The Roadrunners” who played country music. At the age of thirteen, Roxeen start- ed playing guitar. “My great grand- mother had a bunch of guitars at her house, and it was either play guitar, or make quilts, so I chose the guitar, but I can still make a quilt though”. At this time she start- ed her singing career, by learning two songs. The first, a song entitled “Wings Upon Your Horns”, an ob- scure song by Loretta Lynn, and the Roxeen Roberts Ryan Roberts8 duo, appearing at concerts, and fes- tivals, and making contacts in the music world. One of those contacts was Greg Cahill, leader of the Special Consensus band, who Ryan met first at the Nova Scotia Blue- grass and Oldtime Music Festival. As a result of that meeting Special Consensus recorded some of Ryan’s songs. Ryan relates “the opportunity for advancement arose when the then lead singer with the Special C, Justin Carbone, called and said that he was leaving the band, and that if we wanted to move to Nashville, the job would be a great fit for me. The whole family made the com- mitment to move to Nashville in 2009. Ryan was the lead singer for the Special C band for almost three years, and had the opportunity to record with the band during that time. He soon learned that the Spe- cial C band was a very busy band, traveling all over North America, and most parts of Europe and the U. K. While Ryan was away, Roxeen was at home caring for two year old Carson, and looking after the household chores. Ryan states “I learned really quickly one of the biggest things about playing on the road as a full time bluegrass musician with the caliber of some of these guys, is not how well you can pick, but how well you can travel. The important thing is the kind of a person you are, and the picking will fall into place, and you learn as you go. I was so fortunate to have had the experi- ence of traveling with Greg Cahill, because he had been traveling for thirty five years. He was truly a seasoned professional. I learned a lot from him”. Traveling constantly with a band takes a toll on family home life. Ryan says “there are many, many trials that a family goes through when not together, and you have those obstacles and challenges when one person is out there, and the other is at home. We kept our home in Nova Scotia and had one in Tennessee. That was very hard on us, so a commitment was made to “family first”. It was at this point that the Roberts’ moved back to Nova Scotia. After arriving back “home”, Roxeen and Ryan decided to make music Ryan continues,”I had never seen or heard live bluegrass music. From the first moment that I walked in to the area where the show was being held, where the Moncton based band “Blue River” was on stage, and when Paul Hebert, their lead singer, uttered the first note, I said to my friend Dale “Wow, I’m going to learn to sing like that”. Then when Scott Delhunty took a guitar break, I said “Wow, I want to learn to play guitar like that”. Later that evening, when Dale and I were back in our room fooling around on our guitars, Paul and Scott stopped by, suggesting we have a jam session. I had never been involved in a jam session be- fore, and did not know what it was all about. Before long, the room started filling up, and this young lady (Roxeen) came along dragging an acoustic bass, and I said to Dale “Wow, I want to marry her some day”. It was that experience that started Ryan off on his musical career path, and led to being the guitar player in Roxeen’s Kickin’Crew band. And, as fate would have it they are now husband and wife. Ryan actually started playing music on a 1970 Fender bass guitar, that he acquired from someone who he saw playing it in the church he attended. He eventually gave it to a young friend who went on to be a professional bass player. Ironically, that friend’s family returned the bass to Ryan in the early part of July this year, and their six year old son, Carson, is now learning to play it. When Roxeen and Ryan became an item, they started performing as a BLUE TIE AFFAIR ...... Special Consensus with Ryan Roberts on guitar Lukas Munroe’s fiddle. Daniel Boudreau9 a full time career, and plans were made to form an band , resulting in Blue Tie Affair. They have Lukas Munroe playing fiddle, who was voted fiddle player of the year for the years 2012 and 2013 at the Eastern Canada Blue- grass Awards. They also have Daniel Boudreau playing banjo, who comes from an extensive musical background. Carson, their now six year old son, now makes special appearances during their stage shows. Although Ryan has become a very proficient guitar player and singer, songwriting has become his forte. He has had songs recorded not only by Special Consensus, but also by The Spinney Brothers in the blue- grass world. Last year, Ryan, along with two other Cape Bretoners, Kenny Boudreau, and Darryl Landry, composed a song that became a bluegrass hit for the Newton & Thomas Band. “Old MacDonald Sold The Farm” quickly climbed the charts, and is still receiving plenty of airplay. Roxeen and Ryan plan to continue to be involved in music full time. Ryan will continue to indulge him- self in song writing, not just writing bluegrass songs, but for other genres as well, including pop, hip hop, country, etc. Blue Tie Affair may be contacted at roxeenroberts@hotmail.com Wilson Moore is a BMAC Director and regular contributor to this magazine Summer has passed and the foliage is starting to turn to some great fall colours, the outdoor festival season is all but over but Bluegrass & Clas- sic Country is still going strong at various venues here in the East. We had the honour of attending quite a few Bluegrass Festivals during the summer and have brought along a few pictures for our readers. The St. Louis Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Festival in PEI, now in its 8th year, was held the last weekend in June. It is just a small festival, but is a very friendly place to spend the weekend. They had a great line up of Island Bands as well as a couple of great off Island Bands, and all did a wonderful job supplying enter- tainment to the attendees. They have a large building on site which was used to house jams each night with a sound system supplied, as well as the workshops and break- fast on Saturday & Sunday Morn- ings. As is the case with most Island festivals, they have a children’s program where one of the volun- teers makes instruments for them and they learn to sing a couple of songs to perform on the main stage on Saturday afternoon. Then on to Rollo Bay to the 29th Annual PEI Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Festival, where the grounds are very picturesque and the enter- tainment was excellent, with many local and off Island bands and the hospitality was great. There was an organized jam in a large building on Wednesday & Thursday eve- nings and the stage shows started here on Friday morning, with great weather and lots of good music, but low and behold, Post Tropical Storm Arthur arrived during the night, cutting power and dropping millions of gallons of water during the day Saturday and into Sunday, but they moved everything inside and the show went on. The atten- dance was considerably smaller than usual because of the weath- er forecast, but everyone there enjoyed great shows all weekend, even though one of the US bands was unable to fly in because of bad weather. We were able to get a picture of Simply Blue from New Brunswick inside the building. The next weekend took us to the 14th Annual Evangeline Bluegrass & Traditional Music Festival in Abram Village, PEI, where again the hospi- tality was excellent and the enter- tainment included a US band, The Tebworth Brothers from Ontario, Next Generation, a teenage group from Nova Scotia and some great Island bands as well. This event is held on an exhibition grounds and has a large barn where jams are held each evening, again with a sound system supplied. The weath- erman cooperated for this one with some very warm weather. Next to the viewing area there is a lovely restaurant, where most everyone visits during the weekend to have a meal, or just pick up some delicious baked goods. We spent the last weekend of July at the 43rd Annual Nova Scotia Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Festival, the oldest of its kind in Canada, for another great weekend of enter- tainment. There was an open mic BLUE TIE AFFAIR .... MUSIC ON THE EAST COAST As seen by JERRY MURPHY continued on page 39Next >