Volume 9 Issue 1 January 2015 www.bluegrasscanada.org ANNUAL AWARDS ISSUE JOHN REISCHMAN & THE JAYBIRDS NEW GROUND Feature Interviews V o l u m e 9 I s s u e 1 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. CD Reviews: Tim Osmond 2-156 Sherbrook St. Winnipeg MB R3C 2B4 osmondt@gmail.com 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 /Treasurer - Roland Aucoin raucoin@cogeco.ca - 905-635-1818 Membership/Website - Gord DeVries gord.devries@rogers.com - 519-719-2501 Magazine Editor - Mike Kirley mikekirley@gmail.com - 519-653-4975 Advertising - Barb Duncan barbieduncan@gmail.com - 705-499-7656 General - Murray Hale murrayhale@hotmail.com - 705-474-2217 General - 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 Printing- A N B Print Inc. 4026 Meadowbrook Dr. #135 London ON N6L 1C8 519-621-0321 Distribution- Strictly Addressing 4-1025 Hargrieve Rd. London ON N6E 1P7 519-433-4244 WHAT’S INSIDE Table of Contents4 President’s Message5 Editor’s Message6 Joe Rohrer’s Christmas Message7 In The News8 Music on the Easy Coast by Jerry Murphy East Coast Bluegrass Awards results 10 Open Mike - by Mike Kirley15 New Members this Quarter15 Interview with John Reischman by Mike Kirley16 Central Canada Bluegrass Awards results 20 Interview with New Ground by Wilson Moore26 Wayne Dugas - Bluegrass DJ by Wilson Moore27 A History of Bluegrass Awards Shows in Canada27 BMAC Organizations Listing29 Radio on the Air Listing30 • Annual Festival Issue • More Interviews - news items - regular columns Festival producers - the DEADLINE is the 1st of MARCH 2015 to have your information to Mike Kirley if you wish to have your festival listed. NEXT ISSUE (APRIL): 5 In its simplest form, a grassroots association is one that is created and perpetuated by the members. Our bluegrass community is no dif- ferent. You and I, we the people; It all starts, or ends, with us. We work both individually and collectively, because we have a desire to see bluegrass flourish and grow, lest it become relegated to the historical music section of the public library. I wonder continually about what I can be doing to put bluegrass out there in front of the new people. There are plenty of little things we can do every day, depending on our personal circumstances. For example those of us who own businesses, ought to be playing bluegrass music at work. No com- plicated expensive phone system necessary (although I’d rather hear bluegrass instead of elevator music while I’m on hold). Just put on a CD in the background, or tune to Sirius bluegrass...you’d be surprised how peoples’ ears prick up. Many times they will comment or ask what you are listening to. This is an opportu- nity for you to talk to them about something you love. Perhaps there is an upcoming concert or bluegrass night at the legion you can invite them to. Tell them about your local bluegrass club, or that radio show you listen to. Just tell them about it! Even if you do not run a busi- ness, asking a friend or neighbour to go to a bluegrass event with you is, well...the neighbourly thing to do. There is something we all can be doing. Our grassroots strategy for preserving and promoting the bluegrass art form, has been one of working together. Collectively, we’ve grown this BMAC organi- zation to a point where certain fundamental operational decisions or options can now be made. BMAC has always operated as a volunteer-run grassroots organiza- tion. We have nurtured it from its infancy, and now in its adolescence, changes can take place to allow it to grow further. As president I have certain con- cerns, as to whether it can contin- ue to grow organically, or should BMAC operate increasingly more as a business model ? While there are already certain business like characteristics, i.e. administrative, accounting, budget, meetings, etc. , none of the directors of opera- tions are paid. However, recently the board did pass a resolution that our ad director receive 25% of ads sold...as compensation and incentive for taking time to chase advertising. which keeps member- ship rates low. I submit to you the following question. Do we want to grow organically or become more busi- ness-like? Are we comfortable with where we are, or will we stagnate if change is not forthcoming? If something should happen to one of our key people (ie accountant, webmaster, etc) would we be able to replace them? Personally, I like the grassroots approach. But it entails people telling other people about our fantastic Canadian blue- PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE by Denis Chadbourn grass scene. Are you chatting folks up about bluegrass? Remember, you have a vested interest. Go forth and spread the good news ! HAPPY NEW YEAR. Denis Suggested Reading Buttenham, Pat. “The Bluegrass Canada Story,” Canadian Blue- grass Review, Dec-Jan, Feb-Mar 1979 Rosenberg, Neil V. “Canadian bluegrass albums: a preliminary list,” Bluegrass Canada Magazine, vol 1, Jan-Feb, Mar-Apr 1991 Bluegrass: A History (Urbana, Ill, 1985) Wilburn, Gene. Northern Jour- ney: A Guide to Canadian Folk Music on CD (Teeswater 1995) McIntosh, Mary. “Blue roots: . . . ,” Telegraph-Journal (St John), 17 Feb 2006 Rosenberg, Neil and Thomas Goldsmith eds. The Bluegrass Reader (Urbana, Ill, 2006) Penguin Eggs: Canada’s Folk, Roots and World Music Magazine (various issues) The history of Bluegrass Music in Canada6 EDITOR’S MESSAGE As I open the blinds on this No- vember morning I see the first fall of snow. “It covers a multitude of sins!” my Dad used to say. Reduces the landscape’s colour to bright white lines of nothingness; remind- ing us Canadians that we live in a climate hostile to humans. And we must plan for that. Put away for the winter. Short term pain for long term gain. Even the squirrels in our backyards know that. It is also time to retreat and take stock of the past year. Make a list of four songs to learn over the next four cold months. One for each month. Learn them inside out... lyrics, phrasing, harmony parts, breaks, tags, dynamics...the whole shootin’ match. Stock up for those jams and summer festivals. Keep your muse entertained too. Create at least two of your own pieces. Record them on your digital recorder and file them under Origi- nals. Sing them to your dog. Maybe even be so bold as to sing them at jam night. If they like it, then video it and upload it to Youtube. Find a teacher and hone your craft as well. Go up a level or two on your instrument. Order a DVD and watch it once a week. Retreat from the blank white window view to your own creative coloured domain. Creativity is the remedy for snow’s obliteration. Make your own footprints in the Bluegrass landscape. Being a Bluegrass Musi- cian can give meaning to everyday existence. Pick on brother! Sing it sister! Many thanks to the DeBoer clan for putting on a terrific Awards weekend in Deerhurst. I think I had a total of five hours sleep. Good way to start off the winter. Never knew Ray Wintersteen knew so much about Tumbler Pigeons either. 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.org 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. 519-719-2501 by Mike Kirley7 how long d’ya reckon we been together the old man said as his gaze was cast oh , little better than 50 years this 19th of june just past. now who’d a thought t’would ‘ve been this long he said with a little grin back then people wondered what you was doin hangin round with the likes of him ! I guess they shoulda took a better look, cause the last 50 years gone by have read like a tale from a kid’s story book a tear of joy welling up in his eye. they sat together on the front porch swing oblivious to tide and time his gnarled old fingers with her’s work worn so lovingly intertwined for years they’d sat together each night watchin the sunset’s glow and for years their love for each other did nothing else but grow. the pages in the book of life are turned one every day the old man’s hair at one time blond now sparse and silver grey those auburn curls he used to braid are now a snowy white but he sits behind his love and braids them yet each night in years to come this loving pair will be just a memory but the love they shared will live forever in the love they shared with me. Happy New Year! ~~ share your love, it’s the very best gift anyone can receive!!! .... are like beautiful , loving women ! in the lamplight’s glow they are the first thing you see , they are always there, patiently waiting for you . their only goal in life is to make you warm and cozy, and to fill your empty belly. standing in their warmth , they can turn a bad day into a faded memory, and the smells of fresh bread intermingled with coffee ,bacon and maple smoke last a lifetime. the boots you wore yesterday that were cold and damp when your day’s work was done were dried and warmed through the night by the old cookstove’s gentle warmth. grandkids just love the chance to help Gramma make a batch of cookies in the old cookstove, cause they “ taste a whole lot better “ walkin up the lane at end of day , you are greeted with the gentle smells of applewood, or Maplewood smoke and you know that when you finally step through the kitchen door the old wood cookstove AND a beautiful , loving woman will be waiting. JOE ROHER’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE. OLD WOOD COOKSTOVES Joe Rohrer (Rhyme ‘n Reason)8 IN THE NEWS Oops - we goofed. Last month’s band profile for the Chem Chicks and Chicklets incorrectly depicted a photograph of the USA band “Dixie Chicks”. We apologize to the Chem Chicks and Chicklets. From Kingston, members of the all-girl group range in age from 13 to 19. “Their sound is a combination of bluegrass, gospel, country and old tyme fiddle music,” said Jane Chamney, a member of the organiz- ing committee. Also appearing will be father and son Lloyd and Chris Wilson. “My cousin (Mary) is married to Lloyd, and Chris’ two daughters are in The Chem Chicks and the Chick- lets, said Chamney. “It’s a total family affair.” c/o Chris Wilson, 456 Kingston Mills Road, Kingston, ON K7L 4V3: canadianfiddler @hotmail.com Another band, “Old Tradition” submitted their profile too late for inclusion in last month’s issue, so we’ll add it here. OLD TRADITION BLUEGRASS BAND This bluegrass band was brought together in 2013 by two men that loved to play and listen to the old time bluegrass music. After playing many years together and waiting for the right time in their lives to start their own band “Old Tradition” was created. They’ve handpicked the other players that they knew were as commit- ted in carrying on the tradition- al bluegrass mu- sic as they were. They pour out their heart and soul on all the songs that they perform. This 5 piece band consists of Dan Clement on stand up bass, Luc Lebeau on 5 string banjo, Izzy Rivest on fiddle, Gilles Jalbert on mandolin and Raymond Leclaire on flat top guitar. These men have dedi- cated countless hours on all your favorite artists like Ralph Stan- ley, Bill Monroe, Earl and Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, Jim and Jesse to name a few. They have grown to be a family and with that essence the music and sound that they produce has grown tighter and tighter with every note they play. In one year they have entertained many of you in venues like the 2014 Central Bluegrass Awards, River Valley Festivals, Lavigne Centen- nial and at the Markstay Tavern and with a great year behind them they would be pleased to entertain you at your event or venue in the coming year. Thank you all for your support and for more information please don’t hesitate to contact Dan Clement at 705-822-2910 or by email at oldtradition.bluegrass@hotmail. com. Old Tradition hopes to see you all in the upcoming year. Old Tradition Bluegrass Band The Chem Chicks & Chicklets9 Sweetgrass Bluegrass Band A few changes for SweetGrass Band...John Partridge joins us on banjo as Al Kirby is taking a little break from burn-out and we wish him all the best.... Lorne Lean joins us on dobro, lead guitar and vo- cals...Mike Del Mastro on mandolin and vocals. We do have a new cd release with Al Kirby and its call An Evening in The Village of Keene... it was taped off the floor at this concert and edited in studio. We will be working on our third cd over the winter at Sound Travels in Co- bourg. SweetGrass Band did receive the 2014 Promising Group Award at the Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards, we are so honoured to be recognized by our fans and other musicians, we feel like a big family in the bluegrass music scene. For the 2015 season, we have 7 book- ings so far. Thanks, Jimbob The Woodsmoke Bluegrass Jamboree will be March 27-29 2015. We decided to move it to the end of March to accommodate many Snowbirds that said they would like to attend but are not back until later in March... so we’ll see what happens. We have learned that the following radio program is no longer airing. Donna Muir Country Grass CHES FM 88.1 Erin muir-8@sympatico.ca Sunday: 7:00-8:00 pm We collectively owe Donna a big “Thank You” for her service to our community. Gord’s Rant: Near the beginning of Decem- ber, I sent about 130 emails to a list of bluegrass bands and festival organizers from across Canada. I asked for news of interest to the bluegrass community. The results were disappointing, because of a general lack of re- sponse. For those few who did respond, we thank you. Our President, Denis Chadbourn has hit the nail on the head with his eloquent appeal for more grass- roots support within our bluegrass community. I second his message. Unfortunately, most of the recipi- ents of the emails will not see Denis’ message, because they’re not members, and therefore do not receive a copy of this magazine. I ask those of you who are mem- bers, to pass this message on. Loan them your copy of the magazine to read, or intoduce them to our web- site at www.bluegrasscanada.org. Reward our hard work with a tangible sign of interest. It doesn’t need to be something big - just some bluegrass news. Thank you for your support.. IN THE NEWS TO SERVE YOU BETTER 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.Next >