Author: Matt Merta/Mitch Matthews

Musician and writer (both song and print) for over 30 years. Primarily interested in roots music (Americana, bluegrass, blues, folk). Current contributing writer for Fiddler Magazine, previous work with Metro Times (Detroit), Ann Arbor Paper and Real Detroit Weekly, as well as other various music and military publications. As songwriter, won the 2015 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (Bluegrass Category, "Something About A Train," co-written with Dawn Kenney and David Morris) as well as having work performed on NPR and nominated for numerous Detroit Music Awards.

Categories
Musical Instruments

Getting a Kid Interested In Music — On the Cheap!

Christmas is coming up fast, and it is always tough thinking of gifts to get someone, especially children, that they can use for more than a day, may be interested in using long term, and are somewhat age appropriate. If you know me, I always recommend something involved with music. Getting a youngster interested in music will benefit in the long run with creativity, attention development, and as some scientific studies show, can help in school with studying and learning.

However, investing in a musical instrument can be expensive, and as many parents know, it may result in a guitar, clarinet, violin, or piano never being used and eventually gathering dust. So how does one get a child, or even an adult, interested in playing music on the cheap?

The Five Below stores that appear in numerous strip malls and shopping centers around the country may be a quick oasis. A lot of us already know how reliable these stores can be for last-minute gifts such as T-shirts, candy, toys, and other unique items. While I was in one a few days ago to find another Christmas item for my brother, I noticed that it had a few musical items that may pique the music curiosity of some children, and of course, the items won’t break the wallet.

First, there are a number of different ukeleles available, usually plastered with cartoon characters or designs that more attention was paid to than the actual quality of the instrument. Now I am not a big fan of ukeleles, but they made a big surge of interest a few years back, and many people started picking them up to learn on. The ones available at Five Below are hardly pro instruments, and they will probably get banged around against walls and furniture more than plucked. Moreover, the features such as tuning gears and strings are not high-quality, so don’t expect it to stay in tune or sound good at the outright. However, it may get a youngster interested in a string instrument, and if enough attention is paid, a better ukelele, or even a small guitar, violin, or mandolin may be in order soon enough.

The miniature keyboards have been around for decades, thanks to companies like Casio, and have been useful musical tools for hobbyists and pro players alike. I still have one that I purchased probably 30 years ago and I still play around with. Thanks to advanced technology, mini keyboards that would have been pushing $100.00 back in the 1980s are as inexpensive as $5.00 at Five Below. They usually have a half-dozen different sounds that can be engaged at the push of a button, and also come with a simple drum machine built in so that one can play to a rhythm pattern. These little items are always great to get a child interested in creating music, and even adults tend to have fun playing with them. Heck, back in the days when I was an electronics geek, I would re-wire these things to be able to plug into a guitar amp or PA system so that a band’s keyboard player had one for his/her arsenal.

If one doesn’t mind a lot of pounding with hopes of having the next Ringo Starr or even Buddy Rich in the family, there is the simple drum set. This consists of usually three drum heads, a rudimentary cymbal, and a pair of small drum sticks. This is not a Tama or Ludwig professional drum set to be sure, but for hundreds of dollars less, it may get a child interested in percussion once he/she gets involved in a music program at the elementary school.

Finally, there is the old standby, the harmonica. It was my first musical instrument, and I still have a few that I play when I get a creative idea going. My brother, who was never really into playing a musical instrument, has started playing around with one in his 60s. We know that these instruments have been around since the American Civil War, and soldiers in every war since then relied on them to bring a little bit of musical comfort when resting near the battlefield. They are pretty easy to learn on once one understands the pattern of reeds in each hole. While professional harmonicas can run several hundred dollars, simple ones can be had for, yes, $5.00 at Five Below. This instrument has always been a go-to gift for anyone who has even a slight interest in music.

Of course, there are many videos on YouTube that can instruct beginners on these or any other instruments that are on hand. And if for some reason the child loses interest in the short time, there is not a lot of money lost.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

Visiting the Bluegrass Hall of Fame & Museum

I finally got to the Bluegrass Hall of Fame and Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky after wanting to get there for years! I had a few days off during the Thanksgiving weekend, so I made the eight-hour trek.

First off, just because Kentucky is south of Michigan doesn’t necessarily mean it would be warmer down there. I froze most of the time there and took the wrong jacket. But it was still worth it to go. I thought that the building would be larger than it is, but the work done with displays and exhibits use the space perfectly.

Walking into the museum, one is met by a friendly worker that explains all of the rules and features. You are given a Walkman-style device that narrates parts of the museum displays by programming in the number on the wall next to the display. To be honest, I didn’t use it much, as I already knew the history of the photos and items. And those items were fantastic to see! Carter Stanley’s Martin guitar, Bill Monroe’s Rolodex that had all of his business contacts, John Hartford’s banjo, and Uncle Pen’s fiddle. There was a video accompanying the fiddle showing a number of bluegrass fiddlers playing the legendary instrument. The best was when Ricky Skaggs, after playing the fiddle, says, “That’s got some stank to it!”

There was a display of some of today’s popular bluegrass acts. I was happy to see my “kid sister,” Vickie Vaughn, in a photo with her band Della Mae.

One other great section is a bunch of acoustic instruments hanging on a wall that are purposely there for visitors to try and play. Bluegrass has always been a format that common people play, so it makes sense for that music to be accessed easily by the people attending.

One of the best displays was dedicated to bluegrass history coming from the Cincinnati/Dayton, Ohio area. Banjoist Joe Mullins narrated the video, showing all of the locales that bands like the Osborne Brothers and J.D. Crowe performed, as well as radio stations and record companies such as the legendary King Records, home of the Stanley Brothers, Reno & Smiley AND James Brown!

The second floor had the Hall of Fame member display. It was great to see all of the artists, radio D.J.’s, and promoters that made bluegrass music famous and have kept it alive. Two plaques that I definitely wanted to see were of guitarist Clarence White and his brother, mandolinist Roland White. Clarence was inducted in 2017, with Roland inducted in 2018. I was disappointed in the fact that the brothers’ plaques were not next to each other, separated by two other 2018 inductees. I made the suggestion to move Roland’s next to Clearance, as it would be spiritually important for the brothers to be together again. Hopefully that move will be made soon.

Also on the second floor was one of the main reasons that I made the trip — The bluegrass dedication to Jerry Garcia. While I have never been a big fan of the Grateful Dead, I have always valued Garcia and his love and respect for all roots music. He started out playing folk music, moving on to playing banjo in the Hart Valley Drifters before forming the Dead. During the 1970s, while the Dead was taking a break, he played banjo in the legendary band Old & In The Way. Up until his death in 1995, he was continuing to perform acoustic music with various side projects.

I totally recommend anyone into roots music to make the trip to Owensboro (about a 90-minute drive west of Louisville by way of I-64/U.S. 231 through Indiana) and visit the museum. By the way, there is also the Green River Distillery a few blocks away, just in case you need another reason to go.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Music

Bluegrass Covers of Pop and Rock Songs

Here’s something that I wanted to blog about for a while now, but I never really knew how to approach the subject. I am going to talk a little about bluegrass artists covering pop and rock songs, trying to get them to sound bluegrass.

This idea has been around since bluegrass was still in its youth and the birth of rock-n-roll. Most everyone knows that Elvis Presley’s first single contained a rockabilly send-up of Bill Monroe’s lamenting waltz, “Blue Moon of Kentucky.” Mr. Monroe didn’t think much of the cover, that is, until the royalty checks started coming in. Then, he was so impressed that he re-recorded the song to include a rockin’ 4/4 time version on the second half of the recording.

Through the years, bluegrass bands have dipped into the pop and rock-roll bag to get new musical ideas as well as to keep bluegrass relevant. Jim & Jesse McReynolds recorded a whole album’s worth of Chuck Berry songs. Through the 1960s, bands such as Flatt & Scruggs and the Country Gentlemen often picked up on rock and folk songwriters for material. Flatt & Scruggs had a minor hit with the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Nashville Cats” (which Del McCoury also recorded, and I will look at later), and a number of Bob Dylan compositions. That led to the disagreements of the band’s direction and ultimate break up. Earl Scruggs would go on to record and perform a number of pop and rock songs with his sons, while Lester Flatt would delve back into the traditional bluegrass sound.

During the 1970s and 80s, there was a lot of bluegrass artists covering pop and rock songs. Tons of bluegrass bands were covering the Beatles’ songs because they were popular. The Seldom Scene covered Ricky Nelson’s “Hello Mary Lou” (which has now become a bluegrass standard), as well as many Grateful Dead compositions. Of course, it helped that the band, particularly Jerry Garcia, was big fans of bluegrass, and the Garcia/Robert Hunt writing team was highly influenced by old-time music. Progressive bluegrass bands such as the New Grass Revival would often incorporate pop and rock songs their albums. NGR does an amazing cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t that Peculiar.”

But what about today’s bluegrass bands and their choices in pop and rock music. Some bands such as Del McCoury can pull it off pretty well. Take his cover of the aforementioned “Nashville Cats”:

However, with his band’s cover of Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” in which they are joined by Sierra Hull, the Gibson Brothers, and a few others, it comes off to me as very tiring:

A few years back, the Grascals, who have always been known to cover popular country songs, had a bluegrass hit with its version of the Monkees’ “Last Train to Clarksville.” For me, it was OK, but not fantastic. Granted, at the time of the release, the Grascals were probably the most popular band in bluegrass, so they could take a chance on material.

Of course, Alison Krauss knows a good song when she hears one, and can make it her own. While not exactly bluegrass, she did put an acoustic swing to Bad Company’s “Oh, Atlanta”:

One artist that I think has a really good ear on choosing pop and rock songs to cover in the bluegrass vein is Dale Ann Bradley. I have always been a big fan of her, and part of the reason is that she chooses great material to record. Here are two fine examples of covers – the Kris Kristofferson/Janis Joplin hit “Me and Bobby McGee,” and Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down”:

A band out now that I really like is Echo Valley. They are a bunch of young kids that sound great together, and I was glad to finally see them live last January at the SPBGMA conference. They perform some great bluegrass gospel, and have a few decent traditional sounding songs. However, I am not too impressed with their choices of covering modern rock songs. Among these are Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing,” Electric Light Orchestra’s “Don’t Bring Me Down,” and Guns & Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine”:

Again, I really like this band, but the choice of rock songs makes me wince. Maybe it’s me, but I just don’t hear a good melding of genres here.

This is definitely a “Chew on it and comment” blog. I would like to hear what others think. My blog next week will be a little late, as I will be going to Owensboro, Kentucky on the Thanksgiving weekend to visit the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Categories
Rock Music

Memories …

I spent much of today cleaning out closets and the attic of clothes, mostly belonging to my deceased parents, to pack up and donate to charity. I also threw in a few things of mine that I either no longer fit in or don’t have the interest in continuing to wear.

Then I came upon this – an old vest that I used to wear when I played in my first punk bands. Holy cow! I vaguely remember finding this white vest at a Salvation Army store, then attacking it with red and blue markers to create a Union Jack. I was totally into the Mod look at the time, listening to The Jam, The Who, The Kinks, and The Small Faces.

I also put a few badges on it, relating to punk, Mod, reggae, and ska bands. Boy, did this bring back tons of memories:

  • the Peavey T-20 bass, my first real bass. That thing weighed a ton, but it was full-scale, and I felt like a real musician. I sold it after a few years, got some better basses, but a couple of years back I purchased another one before they started being considered “vintage” and going up in price.
  • the mid-70s Fender Bassman amplifier and a homemade speaker cabinet. Unfortunately, I gave that amp head to a female bass player that I had a crush on, but I still have the speaker cab. Loaded with a 15-inch Eminence and covered in polka-dot carpeting. An ex-friend borrowed it for a while and let her cat scratch its claws all over it.
  • the dozens of musicians that I worked with back in the early to mid-80s. Bands were everywhere, so you seemed to cross paths with just about everyone in Detroit. I laugh now that, in bluegrass bands, it is nothing to hear that members come from three or four different states. Back then, bands in the Detroit music scene rarely had members that were more than a few miles from each other. I can even remember there was this big East vs. West thing, where rarely did you work with someone on the other side of Woodward Avenue.
  • the Venues. Hamtramck was the epicenter. Besides Lili’s 21 and Paycheck’s Lounge, there were at least a dozen other bars in that two-square-mile city that bands could play. Even the most talent-less band could find a gig on a weeknight somewhere. Plus the dozens more bars in the suburbs, attempting to cash in on the burgeoning new-wave scene that ended up never really happening.
  • the Metro Times. Everyone grabbed a copy on Wednesday afternoon to see what bands were playing where. If you were a musician, you always checked out the “Musicians Wanted” classified ads to see who was looking for a guitarist/bassist/drummer into the music that you were into. Keyboardists were a hot commodity. Even if you couldn’t play one, if you had a synthesizer, you were in!

I could go on, but there’s way too much to talk about. I’m glad that time was a part of my life, especially my musical life. I learned a lot about music and the business back then, and realized that dreams are usually just that. Everyone at the time thought that they were going to be the next Beatles. It didn’t happen, but we had some fun trying to get there.

Chew on it and comment

Categories
Electric Guitars Guitar Amplifiers

Kustom KLA10 Practice Amp

So this past August when I went to the US 12 Longest Yard Sale (https://luegra.design.blog/2024/08/11/longest-yard-sale-old-time-fiddler-covention-2024/), I mentioned that I picked up a Kustom KLA10 guitar practice amplifier and that I would talk about it in a later blog. Well, here we go!

Small practice amps are aplenty and can be purchased at some reasonable prices. Kustom has always made smaller practice amps since its inception back in the 1960s. For a long period, it was the only thing that they were producing, as its trademark roll-n-tuck padded monster solid-state amps were becoming unpopular. Recently, the company has gone back to making larger amps, even some retro padded ones, but they still mostly produce the small practice varieties.

Kustom has always had a mediocre reputation at best. While the roll-n-tuck models were what every garage band had back in the 60s, they proved to be cumbersome (they were housing large transformers meant for tube amps, using them on the tiny transistor circuits), and the “naugahyde” covering would tear easily. Solid-state circuitry fell from grace during the 70s and never gained much of a following afterwards except for smaller practice amps.

Through the years, Kustom built a number of different smaller amps, usually no more than 20 watts, at cheaper prices than Fender or Marshall could do, so they were popular with beginning musicians (and cost-conscious parents). The KLA10 is probably the most popular practice amp that Kustom has put out for a long time. It has seen different stylings and trim colors, but has remained pretty much the same as far as features and performance.

What you get with this amp is the basics. From left to right on the front panel, there is the Drive switch, input jack, gain control, voice control (a fancy way to say tone control), volume control, headphone jack, LED power indicator, and power switch. The open back exposes the rear of the six-inch speaker, and the power cord is coming out of the circuitry casing. Nothing else, just covered in Tolex and pseudo-chrome corner guards. For the beginning guitarist, it is a fun amp to use. The overdrive/distortion is decent sounding. It’s not Marshall stack or other tube overdrive, but can give a good distorted sound, especially with a humbucker pickup. The headphone output allows playing without disturbing others.

The KLA10, however, is no longer manufactured, replaced by Kustom with the KG1 with very similar specifications and features. The KLA10 can be found on eBay or Reverb for under $40.00. If you can snag one for under $25.00 in good condition, you may want to get it. I will be honest, I picked up mine, with some dirt on the covering, surface rust on the chrome corners, and some scratchy pots, for only $6.00! A little elbow grease and some TV tuner cleaner in the pots should make it sound great. In short, it is a great practice amp, be it headphone or through speaker. Moreover, it will serve as a satisfactory recording amp if using a regular guitar amp proves too loud and disruptive. HINT: Make sure that the guitar is in tune. One string out of tune through a solid-state amp sounds horrible!

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Bluegrass Fiddle Old-Time Fiddle

Two Great Young Fiddlers

Occasionally, the YouTube algorithm pays off. In recent days, I have come across two young fiddlers that impressed me with their talent. It makes my heart swell that there are some young people out there that are really taking an interest in music, particularly roots music like old-time fiddling. It brings up my spirits after the disappointing turnout at the Fiddle Contest I was at a few weeks ago (https://luegra.design.blog/2024/10/12/2024-michigan-old-time-fiddlers-contest-sad-turnout/).

The first is Fiddlin’ Hayley King. I only found her a few days ago, so I haven’t seen a lot of her videos, and I notice that her YT page does not have a lot of them. However, I was impressed with her original tune, “Little White Pumpkin,” which she performs on both fiddle and clawhammer banjo. From the looks of it, she also plays mandolin and guitar, and has a sweet voice. There’s not much information about her on the internet besides the YT page and a Facebook page, but a 2019 article on her states that she secured a full ride scholarship from Morehead (Kentucky) State University at age 16 (https://www.blythewoodonline.com/2019/01/king-fiddles-her-way-to-college/). She is definitely someone who will snag some interest in the bluegrass and old-time fiddle crowd shortly. I do see her being picked up be a bluegrass band real soon.

Next is Hollace Oakes. At 14 years old, she is impressing everyone that comes across her. Another multi-instrumentalist (fiddle, mandolin, piano, guitar) as well as flatfoot/clogging expert, she has competed for the last few years at the famous Galax Old-Time Fiddle Convention for the past few years, winning the blue ribbon in 2023. This past August, she performed the National Anthem on fiddle at the Convention. She is often seen performing with clawhammer banjoist Margo McSweeny, and has won praises and jammed with Carley Arrowood. I have a feeling that within five years, this young lady will be appearing on a lot of bluegrass stages, probably even the Grand Ole Opry stage.

It does my heart good. Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Americana Music

Viva Lone Justice!

Lone Justice was one of my favorite bands of the mid-1980s. Along with X, the Long Ryders, the Blasters, the Swimming Pool Q’s, Green on Red, and a few others, they were helping to create a sound that combined punk rock with traditional country, bluegrass, folk, and a touch of R&B and blues to garner the label cowpunk, which later was deemed alt-country, which helps to wean what would become Americana music a decade later. Lone Justice’s lineup consisted of great young musicians, but the highlight was the powerful vocalist Maria McKee.

McKee was perfect in so many ways. She had a voice that could cut through the thickest fog of bland pop music. Her songwriting was winning critics’ hearts with its matching of powerful emotions and Tennessee Williams style storytelling. And her presence on stage was eye catching to say the least. Small in stature, she had a unique look, with a Goth-meets-Madonna-meets-Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz persona. I, along with hundreds of other guys, had a big crush on her. When she slung a Telecaster around her neck, you know she meant business!

The band hit the Los Angeles alt-music scene in 1983 like a rocket. They gained praise from luminaries like Dolly Parton and Linda Rondstadt, who would put the band in touch with David Geffen of Geffen Records fame. Benmont Tench, keyboardist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, would often sit in with the band and worked on their first album.

That first album, 1985’s Lone Justice, was produced by famed studio wiz Jimmy Iovine, and included guitarist Tony Gilkyson, who joined the band temporarily. The album was praised by critics from Rolling Stone and The Village Voice. However, even with the Tom Petty/Mike Campbell penned “Ways To Be Wicked” released as a single, the album was not a commercial success.

The band toured with Petty as well as U2, but never got the success that critics expected of them. Bassist Marvin Etzioni and drummer Don Heffington left the band, and replacements were soon found for recording the second 1986 album, Shelter. With both Iovine and Miami Steve Van Zandt producing, the raw cowpunk sound was traded in for a more synth-pop sound. Even with the powerful vocals on the title cut released as a single, the album hardly hit the Billboard charts. By 1987, McKee called it quits with the band.

All remaining band members went on to varying solo careers. McKee caught most of the spotlight, releasing seven solo albums and garnering some songwriting success, as well as appearing in a few independent films with her husband, filmmaker Jim Akin. There were a few band compilations released through the years, most notably the 1999 This World is Not My Home. Along with some sporadic reference news blips, not much was heard about the band.

So it came as a shock to me that I recently came across this new album, Viva Lone Justice, while surfing the internet. The album cover is of the original quartet, most likely an early publicity photo. The description listed on Amazon stated that it was the first release by the band in 40 years. That caught my attention immediately. It also stated that it featured the original members. That had me scratching my head, as I was aware that the original drummer Heffington passed away in 2021. One press release stated “thanks to modern technology.” That made me really wonder about this project. Did they use AI to create Heffington’s drumming? Anyone who knows me knows how much I despise having AI involved with the arts, especially music.

It turns out that the majority of the album’s material is demos that Etzioni found of the band from the pre-Shelter days. All three remaining original members agreed that it would be good for their souls to release the demos with some re-recording of guitar work, as well as adding a few other recent recordings made by McKee with the help of the SteelDrivers’ fiddle player Tammy Rogers, as well as assistance from Tench, steel guitarist Greg Leisz, and horn player David Ralicke. Along with a number of originals, the album includes covers of Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” MC5’s “Sister Anne,” and the George Jones/Roger Miller penned “Nothing Can Stop My Loving You,” along with traditional folk songs “Jenny Jenkins” and “Rattlesnake Mama.”

A few reviews that I have seen have been mixed. However, for me, this is a much-needed blessing. I loved the band back then, and it has given me a few minutes of reminiscing what my musical life was like back around 1985. Personally, I want to say thank you to the band for making me smile like I used to back then when hearing the original cowpunk music. For those that still don’t understand, give it a listen if you can.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Lutherie Music

Unique Stamps and Wood

A couple of crazy things happened to me this past week. Crazy as in “good” crazy, and both are music related.

First, I went to my local post office a few days ago to pick up some stamps. I happened to be wearing a t-shirt with some fiddle bows on it forming the stripes of the US flag. Anyway, he hands me a small sheet of ten Forever stamps. They happened to be ones dedicated to bluegrass music, complete wit guitar, banjo, fiddle and mandolin. I asked if he purposely got me these stamps, and he said that they just happened to be on top of the pile.

I’m not using these. This sheet is going into a frame.

Next, I was talking to a co-worker that does some woodwork, While I dabble in lutherie, she is more into making furniture. We are talking about places to get wood, and she mentioned a small store near where I live called Homestead Hardwoods. The place deals with special woods like mahogany, walnut, and other pricier choices that craftsmen like to use for furniture, shelving, and wall covering. I do not have a Facebook account, but the store does, and I checked out a recent posting that stated “Reject Wood from Gibson.” I was curious to find out what Gibson they were referring to. The store is mostly by appointment only, but are open for a few hours on Friday and Saturday, so I went after work this past Friday.

I had passed the place hundreds of times on my way home, but never thought to venture in. This time, I entered to be greeted by the friendly co-owner. Before I could finish asking my inquiry, he confirmed that the small slabs of mahogany (roughly a 2×4 about 18 inches long) came from the Gibson Guitar factory in Nashville. These particular pieces were meant for the bodies of Les Paul Junior models but rejected by the factory inspectors. The guy at the shop told me that he occasionally gets wood meant for guitars and stays in touch with area luthiers. He also told me that he makes banjos on the side. I will definitely be keeping in touch with him.

Just the fact that they were from Gibson made me giddy. This was no ordinary wood – this was potentially going to be a solid-body guitar! I snagged a few that day, and went back today (Saturday) for more. Another co-worker who is also a guitarist told me that he would be interested in a few pieces for his curious collection.

I plan on saving a few for a possible guitar project, but I am also thinking of making a table out of a few, with perhaps the Gibson logo on the face. I am just fascinated with the background of this wood. While it is not a piece of unique history (I actually have a piece of the floor from the Grand Ole Opry that I cherish), this wood does hold a small place in my musical heart. I hope to make good use of it.

In the meantime, I‘ll still be working on guitars and such, thinking of great ways to use this great wood.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Old-Time Fiddle

2024 Michigan Old-Time Fiddlers Contest: Sad Turnout

Last weekend I attended the 36th Annual Michigan Old-Time Fiddlers Contest, held each year in New Boston during the Huron Township Applefest. I have always accepted the fact that this is not a big event drawing dozens, if not hundreds, of fiddlers to compete like the Galax, Virginia or Weiser, Idaho contests. However, this year was extremely disappointing, and the musicians that consider themselves old-time fiddlers are a lot to blame.

This year, only two competitors showed up. That is correct, only two fiddlers. In the previous years that I have attended, there were at least four competitors vying for the top prize, which is $200.00 plus a trophy and some material awards such as CDs and songbooks. Second place is $100.00 plus a trophy and prizes, and third place is $50.00 plus trophy and prizes. There are usually non-monetary prizes for fourth and fifth places as well. Heck, if I would have known, I would have brought me fiddle with me and hacked through “Flop Eared Mule” just to get the $50.00 cash!

The two competitors that did show up are regular fiddlers on the state’s old-time fiddle circuit. Two-time winner Trae McMaken, who I have discussed in a previous blog (https://luegra.design.blog/2022/05/14/trae-mcmakens-michigan-fiddle-website/), and old-time fiddle instructor Dave Langdon. I recently posted a video of Dave doing instruction at the Michigan Fiddler’s Association conference earlier this year in Hastings. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aziU3k6zXQa).

As expected from those familiar, Trae won again this year, and Dave came in second. That was it, the contest lasted about 30 minutes total, including trophy presentation. Audience attendance was sparse, as the preceding act was the local middle school’s band and choir performing the same songs they have done every year, and parents taking pictures, then abruptly leaving when it was over. A few that were there seemed to enjoy a change of pace as far as entertainment was concerned, but of course, there was the screaming kid and parents that refuse to control the kid.

There were a few fiddlers that usually show up every year that didn’t show this year, which surprised me, the MC Tom McKinney, and the two competitors. I know that it was disheartening for a few of us who wanted to see those old faces, as well as hope for one or two newbies. Two years ago, a young girl named Belinda impressed me with her beginner skills that I sought her out in order to get her parents to apply for a Southeast Michigan Bluegrass Music Association scholarship.

With Trae winning a third time, he is considered by rules to be a Master Michigan Old-Time Fiddler, and is no longer eligible to participate in future competitions. So what does that mean? If this year is any indication, there will be only one person showing up to compete next year, if the contest is even held at all.

So what seems to be the problem? There are a lot of little issues that build up to create this dilemma. First, there is very little advertisement for the contest. The Applefest itself has some local advertising, but they are going to promote the festival first, and the fiddle contest, which the festival planners are basically giving a time slot to the fiddle contest and considering it part of the entertainment along with the middle school presentation and a few tribute bands. The organizers of the contest need to get the word out to more music stores, schools and folk music venues to gain interest from both fiddlers and fans. A few years back, I suggested to chief organizer Jim McKinney (Tom’s father and also a fine fiddler) to do a showcase at Elderly Instruments in Lansing a month prior. That peaked some interest in the contest, and I believe there was about 10 competitors that year. When I attend the annual Old-Time Fiddlers Convention in Hastings, there is not talk about the contest, let alone any flyers promoting it. How about putting some flyers up at non-musical locations, like supermarket bulleting boards, area historical museums, and sending announcements to local college and highschool radio stations?

I have done the word-of-mouth to many fiddlers in the area, but there is a general lack of interest due to a number of reasons. One fiddler stated that she would participate if the contest was on a different weekend, as she was doing some instruction at a local music camp. I doubt that the contests organizers would move the contest to another location or weekend as they have held it at the Applefest for at least two decades.

Unlike other fiddle contests, the Michigan Old-Time Fiddlers Contest has strict rules for the participants. The main concern is that the fiddlers perform about 90 seconds each of a waltz, a schottische, a reel and a jig, staying as close to the original structure of the song as possible in order to provide music that one could do cotilion style dancing. There is to be no flashy playing, and songs such as “Orange Blossom Special” or “Lee Highway Blues” are not allowed. This means many country fiddlers would not consider entering the contest, but one would think that some fiddlers would appreciate the challenge of performing such tunes.

Even though I consider myself a bluegrass fan first, I love listening to all forms of roots-based music, including old-time fiddle tunes, as I consider this a precursor to bluegrass. I would think that some bluegrass fans would take the time to check this event out and support these fiddlers.

I have been told by a few that it is a bad weekend to hold the contest, as there are so many things going on in early October, especially on the weekends. Kids have football games, there are other fall festivals going on that may be closer, and the autumn chores of raking leaves and winterizing the homes. In all honesty, there is never a good weekend to schedule some event that doesn’t conflict with other events, no matter what the season. Again, this comes back to promotion, letting people know far in advance that the contest is always at the Applefest held on the first weekend of October, almost always on the Saturday. Because I look forward to the contest, as there is not much other musical events going on at the time, I mark my calendar months in advance. I would hope that other interested parties would do the same.

The contest has always had a decent amount of sponsors to support the contest, providing cash prizes, trophies, and consolation items. If this contest keeps losing interest form the fan base as well as the fiddlers, these sponsors may discontinue providing their services, which in turn would mean the contest may be dissolved completely. In short, the organizers need to step up a bit more tho at least guarantee that there are more than two contestants as well as letting people know that this music is a part of Michigan history.

Chew on it and comment.

Categories
Country Music Songwriting

Kris Kristofferson RIP

Last weekend, one of the greatest talents in the country music industry, if not in the whole entertainment industry, passed away. Kris Kristofferson left this world September 28 at the age of 88. He was a singer, songwriter, musician, actor, writer and poet. He was known in the music community as part of the country music Outlaw movement. The one word that I would describe him: Badass!

He was born in Brownsville, Texas with a father that was a US Air Force officer. The family moved around frequently, and he graduated from high school in California. His college interests were in writing, where he had a number of essays printed in the Atlantic Monthly. He worked as a dredging contractor on Wake Island, as well as appearing in Sports Illustrated for his achievements in football, rugby, and track & field. He graduated summa cum laude from Pomona College, and was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to attend Oxford University in England, where he excelled not only in literature, but also in boxing.

After Oxford, under pressure from his parents, he joined the US Army, where he attained the rank of captain and became a helicopter pilot. While stationed in Germany, he re-launched his fledgling music career by forming a band. He then was assigned to teach literature at West Point, but resigned to pursue songwriting.

In Nashville, he struggled for a few years, taking on a janitorial job at Columbia Recording Studios. It was there that he met June Carter, who gave one of his demos to Johnny Cash. He also took a job as a helicopter pilot for a petroleum company in Louisiana, which is when he wrote some of his most iconic songs. During this time is when he performed his most famous stunt of flying and landing a helicopter in Cash’s front yard to pitch a song. Cash would eventually record Kristofferson’s song “Sunday Morning Coming Down.” That song would win Song of the Year at the 1970 Country Music Association Awards.

He briefly dated Janis Joplin, who would later have a posthumous hit with his song “Me and Bobby McGee.” Other songwriting hits included Ray Price’s “For the Good Times,” O.C. Smith’s “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” and Roger Miller’s “Darby’s Castle.” By the mid-1970s, he was starting an acting career, which included films throughout the next four decades to include Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Convoy, Semi-Tough, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, a remake of A Star is Born (for which he received a Golden Globe Award), and most famously as Abraham Whistler in the Blade trilogy.

He was married three times, with the second marriage being to singer Rita Coolidge. The two of them made a number of recordings together, and even appeared as a couple on The Muppet Show. He was a political activist, especially with anti-war sentiments. He would often perform at rallies, and even performed in Havana, Cuba in 1979.

In the 1980s, he was best known for being part of the country music supergroup The Highwaymen, along with Cash, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings. The quartet put out three critically acclaimed albums, as well as starred in a remake of the movie Stagecoach, and provided voices for audio readings of Louis L’Amour stories. In the later part of his career, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Country Music Hall of Fame. He has received numerous Grammy Awards, along with recognition from BMI, the Americana Music Association, and CMT. He announced his retirement in January 2021, while his last performance was in February 2020.

My view of him as a “badass” comes from the fact that he was multi-talented, supported so many causes, and had that stare from his eyes that he looked like he could kick your ass in if you crossed him (and he probably could). I was fortunate enough to meet him once a few years back at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. I was working for Jim Lauderdale, who was MC-ing the event, and Kristofferson was one of the headliners. He came in for his soundcheck early. It was cold and flu season, and I had a decent cold going on. I sneezed real hard once, and he turned to me and said that he knew how I was feeling, as he had a cold going on as well. It thanked him for all of his work, not only as a songwriter but for his military service, and he was extremely cordial and friendly to me. We talked about a few things, then he went off to do his soundcheck. All of his time there backstage, he was friendly and kind to everyone that he met. Later that evening, despite his cold, he gave an amazing hour-long solo acoustic performance that had the laid-back crowd go wild.

I have a Kris Kristofferson songbook that I occasionally pick up and look at. Not so much to perform one of his songs, but to look to his lyrics for inspiration. It is truly a gospel reading for songwriters everywhere, no matter what genre.

He was an amazing talent, and I know that his songs will continue to be covered for many years. And I can guarantee you, somewhere in this world right now, at a coffeehouse, there’s a singer/guitarist performing a Kris Kristofferson tune.

Chew on it and comment.

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