Volume 9 Issue 3 July 2015 www.bluegrasscanada.org KIDS IN BLUEGRASS THE SHADY GROVE FESTIVAL THE TEBWORTH BROTHERSFiddlers Three V o l u m e 9 I s s u e 2 April 2015 Publisher - The Bluegrass Music Association of Canada Editor - Mike Kirley Design/Production - Gord DeVries The Bluegrass Canada magazine is pub- lished quarterly in January, April, July and October. Copies are distributed 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 permis- sion from the Publisher. PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NO.42167060.RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO BMAC, 70 MILLRIDGE COURT, LONDON ON N5Z 4P4, 519-719-2501, membership@bluegrasscanada.org. Please send articles, calendar in- formation, 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 barbieduncan01@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 barbieduncan01@gmail.com - 705-499-7656 General - Murray Hale murrayhale@hotmail.com - 705-474-2217 General - Wilson Moore jwmoore@ns.sympatico.ca - Reg. column contributer Ongoing Volunteers Elaine Bouchard (MB - Event Calendar) - boucharde@live.ca Gary Hubbard - (ON - Regular column contributer) Sue Malcolm (BC - Event Calendar) - sue@suemalcolm.com Jerry Murphy - jerry@jerrysnews.com (NS - Event calendar + regular column contributer) Tim Osmond (MB - CD Reviews) - osmondt@gmail.com Joe Rohrer - (ON - Regular column contributer) Bryon Thompson - (BC - Regular column contributer) - 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 519-433-424WHAT’S INSIDE Table of Contents 4 Vice-President’s Message 5Dave Porter Editor’s Message 6Mike Kirley Music on the East Coast 7Jerry Murphy In The News 8Gord DeVries New members this quarter 8Gord DeVries The Hands of Time 9Joe Rohrer Developing Kids as Musicians 10Ted Lehmann Ode To A Banjo 11 Nat T. Winston Sr. Radio on the Air Listing 11Staff Best Bluegrass App for Kids 12BMNN Rant: Are There Too Many Bluegrass Bands 12Art Menius Bluegrass Immersion 13Mike Kirley Festival Listings for 2015 (July through December) 14Gord DeVries Go West Young Picker 16Bryon Thompson The Shady Grove Festival 18Shirley Ewart The Tebworth Brothers 20Mike Kirley The Ukelele in the Classroom 23J. Chalmers Doane Music ‘Biz’ 24Gary Hubbard The Red Headed Woodpecker 26Mike Kirley BMAC Organizations Listing 28Membership Database Review: Walter and Alice by Concession 23 (May 15) 30Pat Moore Offer from Minden Bluegrass Festival 34Denis Casey • ANNUAL BANDS ISSUE • MORE INTERVIEWS - NEWS ITEMS - REGULAR COLUMNS ARTICLE SUBMISSION - THE DEADLINE IS THE 1ST OF SEPTEMBER 2015 SEND YOUR INFORMATION TO MIKE KIRLEY FOR INCLUSION IN THIS ISUUE. NEXT ISSUE (OCTOBER)5 I’m filling in for Dennis Chadbourn this month. Dennis is battling an overly demanding day job at the moment. I know the feeling well Dennis. We wish you well. Our editor, Mike Kirley, has chosen to devote much of this issue to kids in music, a topic I have harped on more than once as Ottawa Valley bluegrass fans know only too well. You’ll find a nicely rounded selec- tion of articles ranging from fun stuff like J. Chalmers Doane’s ‘The Ukulele in the Classroom Story’ and Parenting magazine’s review of ‘Barnyard Bluegrass’ app, to an entertaining interview with Rob Tebworth, dad of the Tebworth Brothers, to the more thought-pro- voking ‘Developing Kids as Musi- cians – Essay’ by Ted Lehman and the article ‘What is the best way to teach music to children?’ Whenever the topic of kids in blue- grass comes up I find myself feeling optimistic and worried at the same time. Lehmann’s article brought back the excitement I always feel when I see kids thoroughly enjoying bluegrass – little 8 and 9 year olds playing their fiddles and mandolins with their cases open hoping to make a few dollars along the steep, gravel path leading up from the Creekside Stage to the food concessions at Grey Fox, or a tent full of happy kids at the Gettysburg Festival’s Bluegrass Kids Academy putting the final polish on their stage numbers, or groups of excited teenagers run- ning from stage to stage at IBMA in Raleigh hoping that watching Della Mae too long doesn’t mean they’ve missed Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen. Those are the moments that leave me optimistic about the future of the music. Then I remember I’m in the U.S. at all of these venues. And when I think back to the sea of grey heads at Ontario festivals or winter concerts, the worry sets in. Of course, it’s not all doom and gloom in Canada. We’ve had the Abrams brothers come out of On- tario. Now the Tebworth Brothers get better every year. And there’s Jason Jones’ amazing guitar pick- ing and young musicians like Kate Greenland and Elizabeth Weather- all in the Monroe Sisters or Shawn Wallace in County Road 44. But compared to the U.S. we have fallen well behind. And I can’t blame it on lack of interest on the kids’ part. I remember my grand- daughter’s excitement after several members of a blues band played music in her classroom as part of the ‘Blues in the Schools’ program. She and her friends were all blues fans for weeks after. VICE-PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE by Dave Porter No, it’s us, the adults, missing the boat. Talk to Jack Tuttle about his ‘School of Bluegrass’ in Palo Alto, California where he introduces kids to real bluegrass songs from the very first lesson; where he teaches kids to play a simple break in the very first song they learn; and where he mixes students on all instruments into bands to play on stage as early as possible, and you’ll see how it’s done. Spend some time watching Frank Solivan Sr. enthusiastically putting his many young charges through their paces in the ‘Kid’s on Bluegrass Program at IBMA or his counterparts at Gettysburg or Grey Fox or dozens of other festivals throughout the U.S. and you’ll see what we’re missing here. We need to take teaching our music to kids a lot more seriously at our Canadian festivals. Festival organiz- ers need to allocate space and time and personnel to organizing and promoting serious kids’ events at all of our festivals. Musicians need to offer their skills and patience to the important task of teaching the young and to do it in innovative ways like Jack Tuttle. And all of us need the determination to do it again and again when it doesn’t seem to be working in the first few years. Nothing puts a smile on the faces of bluegrass fans like watching a little girl or boy rip off a fast break on a bluegrass instrument. But it doesn’t happen by itself folks. It takes you and me. ...Dave6 band, New Vintage. Their fiddle player, Vickie Procter has been playing fiddle since she was 12 years old. Before I forget, we have a new writer this issue. Pat Moore, of Ottawa has submitted a CD review. Her review covers the new CD (their 3rd) by Concession 23, one of Ontario’s top bands which includes Sherry Philp, 5-time best female vo- calist at Deerhurst. The CD is called Walter and Alice. Pat is very active in the Ottawa Bluegrass scene, both as a Blue- grass radio host, and a band mem- ber of Maple Hill and The Monroe Sisters. Welcome aboard Pat! Hope to hear more from you. And lastly…..there is no such thing as a child who is not musical. I taught Music in the Elementary Schools for thirty years and never came across a child who was not responsive to Music. And then I came up against a Principal who decided to take Music out of the curriculum and replace it with Com- puter classes. He helped me make the decision to finally retire. LOL. I better go now. Too much informa- tion. I found an old tape in a ga- rage sale of children’s music today I want to hear, Ken Whiteley: All Of The Seasons. Got it for 50 cents. Take care…….Mike EDITOR’S MESSAGE By now, everyone has prob- ably been to a festival or two and is reaping the rewards for learning new songs last winter that they can show to their pickin’ friends around the campfire. I learned Dark Hol- low, Whose Shoulder Will You Cry On, and Some Kind of War. Two “Trads” and one Progressive. Got to sing all three at a jam last Monday night. Hope your songs worked out as well as mine did. This issue is about children; children and music, children and Bluegrass music. Nothing seems to warm the heart more than watch- ing children perform music. There is a purity about it that is hard to describe. I once heard a boy’s choir of 8-12 year olds from St. Michael’s Choir School in Toronto sing “Panis Angelicus”. (Bread of Angels) and Ave Maria. These were my parents’ wedding songs. We also used them at their funerals. When those boys sang I was deeply affected. They were so powerful, and in such a high register I could not believe it. Tears flowed down my cheeks. I still remember that heavenly sound like it was yesterday, and that was in the year 2000 at a Millenium cere- mony. Children have a lot to offer the community in Music. I have watched Wyatt and Marshal Tebworth grow in music over the years at Bluegrass perfor- mances. It is always both endearing and fascinating to see how much they are learning at such an early age. Once you set a child on the champion trail, they just blossom and spread happiness wherever they perform. I hope you enjoy the interview in this issue with Rob Tebworth, the boys’ father. It was nice to hear the role that Bill White played in their career formation. I remember listening to a young teenage Joe White playing the fid- dle with his Dad up at River Valley years ago. Who knows how far Canadian Bluegrass will go in the capable hands of these talented children. I would also like to thank Gary Hubbard for his timely articles on the business side of performing. He unravels the confusing world of GST/PST for us this issue. And of course, we have faithful Jerry Murphy with Music on the East Coast. He introduces a new by Mike Kirley7 MUSIC ON THE EAST COAST As seen by JERRY MURPHY Well, it was a long winter in the East, but it is finally over and the RV’s are back on the road, some just going camping and others heading to a Bluegrass or Country festival somewhere. As I pen this article, it is still a bit early for festivals in the Maritimes, other than a few inside events and nu- merous concerts which continue to take place all across the East. The Stewiacke Bluegrass Festival in Stewiacke, Nova Scotia, usually held in June, was cancelled this year, and also the one usually held the last weekend in July in Cape Tormentine New Brunswick. A few years ago a small festival started up in Blackville, New Brunswick, and it has now changed to a camp-out, with a talent contest and lots of great jams. Last summer we did an article on camp-outs in the East, and the one featured was The Old Mill in Steve`s Mountain, just outside Moncton New Brunswick, it will see a campout on the weekend of June 19th and unfortunately, the The Old Mill will close permanently following the campout on the weekend of September 11th. We have received news that a new Bluegrass Band has recently been formed in the Amherst, Nova Scotia area. It is made up of young, but very seasoned musicians, who have all spent time playing with other great bands and will do a top notch show in every way. The band has been named New Vintage and the members are as follows; Doug Proctor - Mandolin, Dobro and Vo- cals - Doug is from River Hebert NS and began playing bluegrass music after meeting fellow New Vintage band members Joe, Larry and Kyle in 2004, who played in a local bluegrass group. They asked him to accompany them to a festival where they were playing and after that weekend Doug was hooked, he immediately pur- chased a Dobro and Martin Guitar. After some practice, Doug played in local bluegrass groups, playing shows around the Maritimes, and this is how he met his wife Vickie. They now reside in Truro NS. At the Eastern Canadian Bluegrass Music Awards Doug has won Dobro Player of the Year, twice won Mandolin Player of the Year and has twice been nominated for Entertainer of the Year. Doug plays a Sawchyn S-5 mandolin, and Gib- son Phil Ledbetter model Dobro. Vickie Proctor - Fiddle and Vocals - Vickie has been singing for as long as she can remember and was introduced to bluegrass music through her family, when they started going to festivals. With her whole family being musical and loving bluegrass music, they were eager to start a group of their own. Vickie loved the sound of the fiddle so at 12 yrs old, it was her instru- ment of choice. Her dad bought her a left handed fiddle and started teaching her the basics and some fiddle tunes. Vickie played with her family group Harmony Ridge for about 10 years around the Maritimes. She has been nominated a number of times for Fiddle Player of the Year at the Eastern Canadian Bluegrass Music Awards. New Vintage is the first band Vickie has joined since last playing with Harmony Ridge in 2006 and is excited to start picking and singing again especially with her husband and the other awesome pickers. She plays a custom made left handed Grant Benvie Fiddle. Larry Rushton - Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin and Vocals - Larry is from Amherst Nova Scotia and his first love was the sound of the banjo, which he has played in the local bluegrass circuit for years. Larry has been nominated a number of times for Banjo Player of the Year at the Eastern Canadian Bluegrass Music Awards, and also nominated for Composer of the Year. Now Larry takes on something new as the guitar player for New Vintage, but he is no stranger to the flat top guitar either. He plays a Martin D-28 guitar. .....continued on page 9 The New Vintage BandWe wish to welcome Bryon Thomp- son, of Mill Bay, BC, to our stable of volunteer contributing authors, giving all Canadians a sense of the state of bluegrass music in BC, and particularly on “The Island”. His first article, entitled “Go West, Young Picker”, appears on page 16. Bryon is a teacher, both in the BC school system (retired) and an active music teacher on the island. He is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and song writer. But best of all - he’s an enthusiastic supporter of Bluegrass Canada and our goals of making the music ac- cessible to young folks and foster- ing greater attendance at concerts and festivals. Bryon, Welcome Aboard! Individuals •Randy Carville •Ron Atrill •Nick Edmonds Organizations Bands •Grasstic Measures •Grand Valley Ramblers Clubs •Blueberry Bluegrass & Country Music Society •Coombs Hilliers Recreation and Community Organization •Downeast Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Society •Mid Island Bluegrass Society •PEI Bluegrass & Old Time Music Society Festivals •Coombs Bluegrass Festival •Evangeline Bluegrass Festival 8 IN THE NEWS NEW MEMBERS THIS QUARTER 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.9 if I could stop the hands of time, I’d turn them back seventeen years. just to see my mother’s face and hold her oh so near. I’d tell her how I miss her, and how I wish that she were here. I’d tell her how my love for her grows with each passing year. but the hands of time cannot be stopped, though time will dull the pain till I reach my heavenly home to be with mother once again. THE HANDS OF TIME By Joe ‘Honest t’ Goodness’ Rohrer 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 characters 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 Joe Rohrer is the bass player for Rhyme N Reason Joe Doucette Bass, Dobro and Vocals Joe is the bass player for New Vintage, but also has been playing the Dobro for many years, he was introduced to the Dobro by Alan Robichaud, who himself is a 5 time winner and Master Dobro Player of the Year at the Eastern Canadian Bluegrass Music Awards. And now Joe is now a 3 time Dobro Player of the Year winner at those Awards, and has been nominated a num- ber of other times. Joe also sings lead vocals, harmony and plays the guitar. Joe resides in Maccan, Nova Scotia. Kyle Legere Banjo, Guitar and Vocals At the age of 15, Kyle Legere of Amherst Nova Scotia, began learn- ing guitar. At age 17 he got his first banjo. After several years of work- ing mostly on guitar Kyle found his passion in playing the banjo. At age 24 he began putting in serious time and effort, with the help of his good friend and mentor Russell Sawler, he developed a “tasteful” banjo style that can go from a pow- erful lead to subtle complimentary back up for vocalists and pickers alike. Kyle is excited to be a part of the New Vintage band and looks forward to its future. He plays a Williams custom banjo. We hope to have some festival pictures for the next issue. Until next time, Keep Pickin’ and ensure Bluegrass is here to stay! Jerry MUSIC ON THE EAST COAST (CON’T)Next >