Legendary Doc Watson in Concert!

3418 Elvehjem Road, McFarland, WI 53558

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The Fireball Mail is a publication of the Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association, Inc. Visit our website at www.swbmai.org

Fireball Mail

E n j o y B l u e g r a s s W e e k l y !

Every Tuesday: Lonesome Rogues, 8-10:30pm Wonder’s Pub, 1980 Atwood Ave., Madison

Every Thursday: Cork ‘n Bottle StringBand, 6-8pm, UW Madison Memorial Union

Every 2nd Tuesday: If We Only Knew, 7pm-9pm, Freeport Elks Club, 608 Stephenson St. , Freeport, IL

Every 2nd Thursday: New Pioneers, 7pm-9pm, Cafe Carpe, 18 S. Water St., Fort Atkinson, WI

Every 3rd Sunday: Sparetime Bluegrass Band, 4-7pm, Hody Bar, 1914 Aurora St., Middleton, WI

Every Sunday: The Weary Traveler, 2-4pm, 3201 Williamson St., Madison, WI. Performance/jam hosted by Arvid

Thanks for wanting the Fireball Mail – Promoting Bluegrass Music, and Saving Trees.The Board has been discussing how to use your membership dues for increasing the Bluegrass and music activities that we love to host and that define what our organization represents.As a non-profit organization we are dedicated to putting our resources toward activities for the membership. After all, the board is composed of members. Printing and sending hardcopies of the Fireball Mail to our members is a large financial ex-pense to us and we would like to reduce this cost where possible so that we can apply the money to hosting more events where our members can listen to bluegrass, socialize and have a great time!Not only would we be able to host more events, but you could get the Fireball Mail faster and we would also be reducing paper waste.All you have to do is send us your e-mail address. In this way, we can send you the Fireball Mail just as always, but it would come to your home computer. You will still receive all of the great articles, photos and listings of bluegrass-related events. This would be faster and via your computer, you could print it off at your leisure. What is more ‘back to your roots’ than protecting the land, natural resources and helping the country?This is a request of our members, not a demand, but the hardcopies of Fireball Mail are pretty costly. In December of ’06 it cost approximately half of each member’s annual dues to send out the Fireball Mail, and that was before postage went up. We feel that reducing this expense will allow us to have more activities for you, our members. In fact, organization of Fall/Winter member event is already in the works!We are asking you to send your e-mail addresses to the website at [email protected]. Write “E-MAIL NEWSLETTER” in the subject line, so we know what this is pertaining to.Your help on this would be greatly appreciated, and we look forward to hearing from you!

Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association, Inc. Newsletter July/August 07

w w w . s w b m a i . o r g

TheLegendary Doc Watson in Concert!

Review on page 15

2 Fireball Mail/July–August 07

Fireball MailSouthern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association, Inc.

The SWBMAI is a non-profit educational organization devoted to the preservation and promotion of bluegrass music, and supported by the volunteer efforts of its members.

SWBMAI Mission Statement:

The SWBMAI mission as stated in the by-laws:1) To promote bluegrass music and musicians2) To bring together persons of all ages who enjoy singing, playing and listening to bluegrass music3) To hold regular bluegrass jam sessions4) To publicize information about bluegrass concerts and festivals5) To promote family weekend camping with bluegrass music6) To help younger persons obtain instruments and instruction in bluegrass music7) To introduce bluegrass music to new listeners

Fireball Mail is published bi-monthly:

January, March, May, July, September, and

November. Please send articles, calendar

information, photos and letter to the editor to:

Fireball Mail

3418 Elvehjem Road

McFarland, WI, 53558

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 608-838-4852

Deadline for submissions is the 10th of the

month preceding the month of publication.

Advertising –

Contact editor at 608-838-4852

or Email: [email protected]

for rates and information.

SWBMAI is a member of IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) and GMCVB (Greater

Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau).

V o l u m e 2 4 I s s u e 4

SWBMAI Board of Directors

President – Karen Sonnenblick, [email protected]

Vice-President – Ellis Bauman, 608-257-2431, [email protected]

Secretary – Sharon Manion, [email protected]

Treasurer – Jon Peik, [email protected]

Membership – Catherine Rhyner, 608-835-8117

Newsletter – Mary Helmke, 608-838-4852, [email protected]

Webmaster – Brian Ray, [email protected]

Attendant Board Members-Jim Knobloch, 608-798-3810, [email protected]

Ongoing Volunteers-

Nancy Nikora

Sandy Nowack

Carolyn Hegeler

Carmen Burnett

Bill Malone

Patty Graham

Jim Robarts

Joe Davis

Margaret Kmiotek

Bruce Nichols

Fireball Mail Newsletter-

Editor – Mary HelmkeDesign – Rob Griffen

Note: The Board meets the first Wednesday of each month, at 6pm at the Bar Next Door, 232 E. Olin Ave., Madison, WI.If you would like to attend, please contact a board member to be sure of the date, time and location; they are subject to site availability and holiday dates.-mh

Summertime is here and the bluegrass season is upon us in full swing! Wisconsin and the entire Midwest are abuzz with bluegrass music every weekend of the summer. From our SWBMAI picnic on July 28th to weekend bluegrass and gospel festivals across the state, there are almost too many options for a bluegrass lover to choose from - and that is a great thing! SWBMAI’s website is completely up-to-date with descriptions and maps to all the events, so don’t forget to check it out (and if we forgot anything, don’t hesitate to let us know). It’s a great way for blue-grassers to stay informed of all the music happenings in the area. Mark your calendar! Don’t miss the second annual SWB-MAI picnic at the Capital Brewery in Middleton – there will be plenty of instruments, friends and pizza to enjoy. The third annual Sugar Maple Festival will take place August 3-4 in our very own backyard and will be a collection of traditional and old-timey musicians not to be missed. We are also looking forward to helping out with the first annual Gandy Dancer Festival on August 12th when trains will col-lide with bluegrass music at Central Park in Madison. Keep your eyes peeled this summer for our brand new logo as SWBMAI struts our new look at several of the upcoming events. Many thanks to all of the talented artists who submitted graphics in our logo competition. We had a very difficult time choosing between all of the great entries, and we appreciate your dedication in helping to promote bluegrass music in our area.

I look forward to seeing you at the SWBMAI picnic.

Karen Sonnenblick

-the new Association logo is on the front cover - designed by Paul Kienitz.-mh

SWBMAI is a proud sponsor ofWORT 89.9FM

Every Tuesday

Pastures of Plenty,

9-noon with John Fabke

Every Wednesday

Back to the Country,

9-noon with Bill Malone

Every Friday

Mud Acres Bluegrass Special, 9-noon with Chris Powers

From Madam President.

Fireball Mail/July–August 07 3

I thank everyone who contacted me regarding the missing information in the last issue of the Fireball Mail. The problem has been addressed and we'll be working to include all of the missing articles into upcoming issues. Thanks for your understanding in this matter.

Sincerely, Mary Helmke

Editors Note . . .

Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association, Inc.Board Meeting Minutes (condensed)

June 6, 2007

Present: Ellis Bauman, Mary Helmke, Brian Ray, Jim Knob-loch, Karen Sonnenblick and Sharon Manion

Regrets: Jon Peik and Catherine Rhyner

The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. The minutes from the May 2 and May 12 meetings and the treasure’s report were approved.

The Logo contest brought in 16 entries. After some discus-sion, logo # 16 was selected as the top entry with modification of the font using the text from #11. Both entries were submit-ted by Paul Kienitz of Belleville, CONGRATULATIONS!

The Sugar Maple Festival sponsorship was discussed and the board agreed that the $350.00 sponsorship would be to our advantage. SWBMAI will donate that amount of money and charge the Sugar Maple Festival for any advertising, mailings, etc. that they request rather than offering in-kind donations.

The August 12th Gandy Dancer Festival was discussed next. Ellis reported that the festival received the $2500 grant from the Madison Arts Commission. We discussed how to promote our association during this event. It was decided to offer a jamming area, have our table set up with membership forms and web site information, a handout on the history of blue-grass along with our merchandise that we hope to have in place by this event to sell.

Speaking of merchandise, Brian reported that he had done some investigation on using our new logo on shirts, hats, cof-fee mugs, etc. The board will make a final decision on what to order and hopefully we will have this in time for the Gandy Dancer Festival.

The plans for the summer picnic were finalized. This will take place at the Capital Brewery, Saturday, July 28th starting at 3 p.m. Jamming will be the big attraction and at dusk the brew-ery will be showing a movie.

Sharon gave an update on the holiday party she is organizing. She had contacted the Montrose Town Hall in Paoli and felt this may be a great location for the event. Sharon suggested that we promote this event as a member potluck party (non members will need to join or pay to attend). This event will be free to members with donations accepted. A band will be hired in the evening with a caller to promote dancing.

The board had a lengthy discussion on the Fireball Mail. Mary gave an update on what she is working on for this next issue.

Brian is working on a way to offer advertising on our web site.

A motion was made by Brian and seconded by Mary to make Paul Kienitz a lifetime member for the years of service he put into designing our newsletter. This was past unanimously by the board.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.


The Bluegrass Bulletin Board

This is the bulletin board for the SWBMAI members to use to exchange Bluegrass information. This is for you to use to let people know that there are instruments on sale, bluegrass music instructors available for teaching, any services related to Bluegrass Music. Send me the information you have including your name, telephone number and e-mail address if you want. People will contact you directly with the information you send me: Mary Helmke, 608-838-7822, or [email protected] or 3418 Elvehjem Road, McFarland, WI. The editor has the right to alter or refuse posting. This will be a posting area only.

• Vinyl music collection for sale. Includes collector’s items. Martin Hebbe 920-648-5860.-In the last issue, Martin’s telephone number was incor-rect. The above is correct – mh

• ObSession Recording Studios are in Spring Green, WI. Now 24 tracks.([email protected] or 608-588-2854)

• Volunteers needed for upcoming events:The Sugar Maple Festival Aug. 3-4 in Madison, WI. Contact www.fourlakes Music.org.

• BlueGrace seeks a bluegrass/country fiddle player of any age and either gender. We are a Christian ministry performing band. Please note that this is not a money-making opportunity. All who play in the band are volunteers - we do not draw any pay as all proceeds are directed back into the band's expenses, including studio time and the production

of CDs. However, we do receive great exposure and resume-building opportunities. We have been featured with many national acts and have recently opened for Randy Travis and for Josh Turner. We have been invited to open for Diamond Rio this com-ing Fall. More information about BlueGrace can be found on our website: www.BlueGraceGospel.com, where you can listen to some of our music. Our CDs (including the newly released "Sweet River" can also be downloaded at iTunes. We meet for rehearsal ev-ery Tuesday evening in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Those who would like to audition should listen to the audio tracks on our website or on our CDs, then choose and prepare any 3 of our songs. To arrange for an audition, call Neal Letteney at (414) 651-1960 or send an email to [email protected]. Include in the subject line "BlueGrace Audition." Please provide a bio of whatever length you choose, including your thoughts on serving with a Christian ministry.

National String Instrument Repair ClinicJuly 28 – August 1, 2007

Don’t miss this learning experience especially for players and teachers of stringed instruments!Check the website for information and to download enrollment forms.This year’s String Repair Clinics feature five days of hands-on experiences in string instrument repair. Work on your own projects under the guidance of skilled repair specialists. Four tracks are available, so you may choose the track that best fits your individual needs and skill level.

Basic/Beginning Repair, with Duane WilcoxIntermediate/Advanced Repair, with Christopher GermainBow Repair, with Charles PinckneyFretted Instrument Repair, with Wil Bremer

UW-Madison credit and CEU options available. If you have any questions contact 608/263-6670 or write to us at [email protected].


Interview...

Meet Brad KlabundeBrad Klabunde took time out of his busy concert schedule to answer some questions for me which I could share with our readers. I think you will be interested in what he has to say. I appreciate Brad’s time, not only in doing this e-mail in-terview with me, but in working so hard to further Bluegrass music in this region.

How and when did you get interested in Bluegrass music?

I got interested in 1975. I went to the old Glenmore Opera House in Denmark and saw Lester Flatt. Marty Stuart was in the band at that time. Lester was brought out in a wheel chair. He was real weak and only sang about 6 songs all night. I had a "cookie duster" moustache, so I could get into the bar at 15 years old. (The Good Ole Days). I was play-ing drums in bars already, but the fiddle grabbed me. The Opera House burned down in ‘78. There was music around. Not a quarter of the bands are there now and maybe 4 festivals all year. I almost believe there's too much now, and though it might be good acoustic music, it's really not Bluegrass. Organizing these events is pretty involved, how did you learn to do this type of management?

I learned this type of management and how to put on shows from the bands I was in. In any band leading to this, I set up and took down sound, bought all the sound equip-ment, sent out PR, made contacts, sent out the contracts, did the mailing lists, etc; until the last round of The Bay-lakes Bluegrass Band was done. I basically did everything including playing the gig. When my wife lost her job cause her company moved to Mexico, she took Accounting and Marketing at LTC. I read her marketing book religiously. In 1997, my friend Tom Cleppe introduced me to Matt Rollins. Matt is the most sought-after keyboard session player in Nashville. He helped me so much. Just know, you cannot please everyone all the time. But show people you believe in what your doing, stay honest to BLUEGRASS music, and give the people a good show at a fair price. My wife eventually wrote a paper for her college course, "Marketing Bluegrass Music in WI." Rhonda Vincent, Penni McDaniel, and I helped her. She was the only student to get a 100%. The main thing - you have to have bands that draw, hold crowds, and make people sad because the show’s over. You want to leave them seething for more. I now have such a good relationship with the bands and agents, we rarely do contracts anymore. It's all about respect and them trusting you as a promoter to fill seats. Have you always been in the Two Rivers area?

I was ‘borned and raised’ in Two Rivers. In 1983 I moved to LA and got in a rock band and worked at a lumber yard. We played Gazarri's, The Cheetah Club, The Whisky A-Go-Go; basically they were seedy dives. But in big cities, you pay to play. That’s right; because the club owner feels he's taking a chance on you; you would pay $300 for a 40 min slot. After that, you worked for the door. That taught me how to hustle to get people in seats. I was like a real-life Beverly Hillbilly out there, so I moved back to Two Rivers in 1985. I worked on the "fish tugs" for 6 years after that, and on and off at factories (while they were still here). I married in ‘92 and I'll celebrate my 15 year anniversary this year. Two Rivers is a great place to live. I can leave a D-28 and a sound system in the van with the keys in the ignition and still have no wor-ries. A person from Milwaukee called Two Rivers the "middle of nowhere" but I tell you, the fans here are the best and the bands always want to come back. Do you perform yourself? Do you play an instrument? If so, what instrument?

I play fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and recently bought an up-right bass. I've been in and out of bands since 1985. I now play with Mike Telzrow under the name "The Sub-Atomic Ramblers". In 1981 I went on the road with "Bobby Smith and The Boys From Shiloh". Curtis Burch was playing dobro at that time and I shared hotel rooms with him. It was an education, to say the least. In 2002, I had the privilege of fiddling 6 shows with the great Dave Evans.I'll never forget playing in Jamestown, TN. It was a good old Southern political rally. It was hot and humid. Dave is diabetic and was sweating bullets. He looked at me and said, "Talk to ‘em Brad". I said, "With my Yankee accent, you want me to MC?" he said, "Brad, these folk love you." It's the first time in my life people wanted me to keep talkin'!! I also met Si-erra Hull there, and she joined us onstage for 2 songs. The real highlight of performing with Dave Evans was in 2002 when we played The Musicians Against Childhood Cancer show in Columbus, Ohio. I never saw so many people from off of a stage and I was scared out of mind. We followed Mountain Heart (which is like WOW!!!) We opened with "Fire On The Mountain" right into "One Loaf Of Bread". It was in-credible! A high no drug can give you. Dave was a great guy to meet and work for; he gave me break and truly believed in me. I'll never forget him.

What are you looking forward to having happen in regard to your shows?

What I would like to happen with the shows is to see more local band people, jammers and more kids. What bothers me is why you don't see local bands and novice pickers


pickers at these shows? It's an apprenticeship program and so motivational. They show a promoter the musicians really take what they are doing seriously. I always envisioned those groups of people to be the first ordering tickets!!People ask me or Janice all the time why they don't see local band people. I tell them because I don't book them - and they hold that against me. Like I stated earlier, you have to have bands that make people want more. That’s why festivals have a national act headliner; it's the draw that will bring people. People tell me when I ask why they don't bring there chil-dren (this is a good one to send the Liberals into a tizzy), they respond, "We go out on the weekends to get away from the kids!!" WOW!!!! I would like to see the shows continue, with zero sponsor-ship help. It's tough, but extremely rewarding. I would also like to stop hearing from people who "claim to love Blue-grass Music" that if they can't drink - it's no fun and they don't want to go. The old "Mole Lake Mystique" I'm trying to

break is a tough one up north here. Here, Bluegrass music has always been associated with a huge party. It just makes me wonder, how many come for the music or the parking lot? Trust me, I used to be a HUGE member of the later group. People might not like the way I do things or some things I say, but, one person put it this way "Are you a Packers fan? The Packers were making a play for Randy Moss. He killed the Packers all the way to mooning fans in the end zone. He was hated by Packer fans everywhere. If the Packers did get Moss, would you now hate the Packers and never support or watch them again?" You don't hate the game, you hate the player. All I can do is give the people what they want to hear and that’s high-quality Bluegrass music at a fair price. Once you build the reputation, it takes care of itself.-For information on upcoming shows: www.bluegrassbrad.org or 920-794-7258

– Thank you Brad, mh

Thanks to Doug Hodge and Marilyn CarienThe Board has undergone a lot of changes in the past six months.

Doug Hodge served for nearly a year and felt he could not devote the time to the position of president. We appreciate all of Doug’s hard work on the Heritage concert, prepar-ing for the Jamboree and contributing some great ideas to better the Association. Not to mention, he was the host for the Dry Bean Jam on Mondays for several years. We look forward to seeing Doug at a lot of the events this year.

Marilyn Carien has been a member and a board member off and on for several years. Marilyn has some big changes occurring in her life right now and was able to help with the 2007 Jamboree before stepping back. Marilyn organized the Capital Brewery Picnic in 2006 and this year, we are repeating the event on July 28. All of Marilyn’s hard work and fine ideas have been appreciated and we look forward to seeing her at events.

– We are grateful for the time and effort - mh

By Carolyn Hegeler

Paul Kienitz recently retired as the graphic designer of Fire-ball Mail. We owe him enormous gratitude for his beautiful and creative work over the past four years.

As the newsletter editor for three years, I felt honored to have Paul’s help. As a skilled designer, he gave the news-letter a fresh, appealing look and put it together in a highly readable format. He made everyone’s contributions to the newsletter look great.

Paul’s volunteer work for SWBMAI consumed many hours. Most issues were 16 pages long, some were even longer, and Paul got them all together and off to the printer in a matter of days. He had a keen sense of what a good blue-grass newsletter should be, and he contributed more than just graphic design ideas. And he was fun to work with.

I would say we cannot thank Paul enough for his terrific work for SWBMAI over the past four years. But we should try.

Thank You, Paul Kienitz


BLUEGRASS FOR BADGER 2A benefit to restore Badger 2,an historic railroad car that transported fish to Wisconsin waters.

11am Madison, WI to (Ingersoll &

8pm E. Wilson)SUN. AUG. 12 - CENTRAL PARKFree & Open to the Public - Rain or Shine Info: www.midcontinent.org or 608-522-4444

ALAN MUNDE GAZETTE (Bluegrass)NOB HILL BOYS (Bluegrass)

WATER STREET HOT SHOTS (Blues)JOE FILISKO & ERIC NODEN (Blues)

LARRY PENN (Train songs)ROUND THE BEND (Bluegrass)

JEFFERSON COUNTY (Bluegrass)EmCee’d by Tom Martin-Erickson and Andy Moore

MUSICLI

VE

Gandy dancers were the workers who maintained

the tracks for the railroad.

FOOD VENDORSBLUEGRASS

JAM SESSIONKIDS’ PROGRAMS

TRAIN SHOW TENT

with Exhibits & Speakers:Dave Zweifel

Jesse AuerbachSteve Gilbert

Mid-ContinentRailway Museum &Southern Wisconsin

Bluegrass Music Association present

FREETRAIN RIDES on the hour on the

WI & Southern R.R.beginning at 10am

Last train departs at 4pm

WISCONSIN& SOUTHERN RAILROAD

OF MADISON

The sounds of Bluegrass music and train whistles will com-mingle at the first annual Gandy Dancer Festival on Sunday, August 12th in Madison’s Central Park. Sponsored jointly by SWBMAI and the Mid-Continent Railway Museum, this event will combine free train rides on the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad with free music in a day-long festival at the east side park.

Music on the main stage will begin at 11:00 a.m. with a Gospel/Bluegrass set by Jefferson County and end with the headliner, Alan Munde Gazette, 6:30-8:00 p.m. The Nob Hill Boys and Round the Bend will also be featured along with Larry Penn, a train song specialist, and two blues bands, Filisko and Noden and the Water Street Hotshots. Train rides will depart hourly.

“Gandy dancers” were the hard working section hands who maintained track for the railroads using tools designed and built by the Gandy Company. “We want to borrow from their image to symbolize the hard work that is taking place to restore one of Wisconsin’s railroad treasures, the Bad-ger 2,” says Johanna Fabke. She is working with Carolyn Hegeler and Bob Queen of Madison and Don Meyer of the

Railway Museum to organize the festival.The Badger 2 is a railroad car built in 1912 for the Wiscon-sin Fish Commission, a forerunner of the DNR. It was in service for more than 30 years transporting fry and finger-lings from state-owned hatcheries to waterways around Wisconsin to help build up the game-fish population. Sev-eral state and federal agencies used fish cars, but Badger 2 is believed to be only one still in existence. Citing its unique historic significance, the Jeffris Family Foundation of Janes-ville, Wisconsin has offered a grant of $475,000 to restore the car to original condition.

The Gandy Dancer Festival is a key event in publicizing Mid-Continent Railway Museum’s campaign to raise funds to match the grant. “Except for the food and beverages, all festival events will be free,” Johanna reports. “We are very excited to offer first-rate Bluegrass music, train rides and family entertainment as we generate support for this worthy cause.”

Further information:Johanna Fabke, 6398 Nordic Lane, McFarland, WI 53558608.838.3112 or [email protected]

First Annual Gandy Dancer Festival set for August 12, 2007

Whether you’re a picker, a grinner, a movie-lover or just love picnicking in the warmer weather, the SWBMAI summer picnic is fun for everyone! In fact, we had such a great time last year we are making it an annual tradition! The folks at Capital Brewery in Middleton are happy to host us again for the Second Annual BYOF (Bring Your Own Food) Bluegrass jam and picnic on July 28, 2007. The pickin’ and picnick-ing will begin at 3pm and last until the movie starts at dusk. That’s right! As if an afternoon of bluegrass, friends and food

wasn’t enough, the brewery will cap off the evening with a viewing of “Strange Brew” with Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas once the sun sets. And this movie is free, too!So mark Saturday, July 28th on your calendar for an after-noon and evening of great fun. We can’t wait to see you there!!!

Capital Brewery & Beer Garden, 7734 Terrace Ave, Middleton, WI 608-836-7100

Join Us For Our Summer Bluegrass Picnic! July 28.

by Dan Servais

‘Into the Fire’, Monroe Crossing’s second gospel CD is a wonderful collection of the old and the new. This was my first chance to listen to Monroe Crossing and I must admit that the more I listened to it the more it “grew” on me. Re-corded “live” with no over dubbing or slick production they achieved the desired effect. I could not hear any foibles or mistakes and they sounded like they were playing right in

front of me. While I pay more attention to the music rather than the lyrics one song in particular, ‘One Life’, rather grabbed me. Like their byline said “A message of tolerance and a rocking chorus too”. Their tempo and harmony are excellent and their mix of songs was a great representation of their talent. If you like gospel, you’ll like this CD. An excit-ing band, I can’t wait to see them in person!

"Into the Fire" by Monroe CrossingCD Review:


Lots of jams July / August 2007


EVERy MONDAyDry Bean Saloon, 6:30-10:30pm, 5264 Verona Rd., Madison, WI Host: Dave Bachol

Newgrass Jam, 6-10pm, Bar Next Door, 222 E. Olin Ave. Madison, WI – just off John Nolen Drive next to Jingles. Host: Spencer Walts (Info: [email protected])

LAST MONDAyFellowship Hall of United Methodist Church- Acoustic Music Jam Session, 7-10 pm, 4405 Oakland Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN Free, (Info: Roy, 612-822-1926 or www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org)

EVERy TuESDAyLearner/Beginner Jam at the Coliseum Bar, 7-10pm, 232 E. Olin Ave. , Madison, WI. SWBMAI sponsored instruction on first Tuesday, 7:30-9pm by Jon Peik, $5.00 donation for instructor requested.Other weeks is facilitated without charge. (Info: Mary 608-838-4852)

3rd TuESDAyHartland Music, 7-9 pm, 1125 James Dr., Harland WI. off Hwy 83, just south of Hwy 16 (Info: [email protected])

EVERy WEDNESDAyNorthland Ballroom, 8-11pm, HWY 49 (at CTY C) between Rosholt & Iola, WI Hosts: Art & Stephanie Stevenson with Dale Reichert (Info: 715-884-6996 or 715-677-3491)

Emily’s Restaurant, 8-11pm, Cedar Creek, WI. (Info: 262-677-0138 or www.emilysrestaurant.com)

1st & 3rd THuRSDAy Ruby’s Road House, 6-9:30 pm, free, Hwys 40 & 53, Bloomer, WI (Contact Larry Finseth, 715-926-5148)

2nd & 4th THuRSDAyBooks ‘N Brew, 7-9pm, Milton, WI. Maureen (Info: 608-868-3371)

1st & 3rd FRIDAyOpen Jam with The StringRays, 9:45pm Harmony Bar, 9:30 pm, 2201 Atwood Ave. Madison, WI. Hosts: The Trails End String Band (Info: 608-249-4333)

2nd FRIDAyBlack Earth Bank, 1-4pm, (downstairs) Black Earth, WI. Host: Ron Poast (Info: 608-767-2276)

EVERy SATuRDAyCulvers- Acoustic Music Jam Session, 1-4:30 pm , Coon Rapids Blvd NW, Coon Rapids, MN. Free (Info: Barb 763-784-7881 or www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org)Escape Java Joint & Gallery, 8pm – midnight, 916

Williamson St., Madison, WI (608-255-0997), Host: Stephen Lee Rich

1st SATuRDAyRiley Tavern, 2pm, 8205 Klevenville-Riley Rd., Mt. Horeb, WI Take CTH PD to CTH J between Mt. Horeb & Verona. Host: Archie Lowman (Info: 608-845-9150)

Waukesha Church of Christ, 1-4 pm, 2816 Madison St., Waukesha, WI. Host: Pastor Greg (Info: 262-470-3644)

2nd SATuRDAyR.H. Landmark Saloon, 3pm, 138 S. Main St. Jefferson, WI. Host: John Short (Info: 920-563-7441)

Spring Green General Store, 3-6 pm, 137 S. Albany St., Spring Green, WI. Host: Paul Bentzen (Info: 608-588-7070 or www.springgreengeneralstore.com)

1st SuNDAyOrfordville American Legion, 12-6pm. Orfordville, WI On Hwy 213 S, just south of Hwy 11. (6/3 was last jam until Oct. 7) Host: Fritz Jaggi (Info: 608-897-4286)

Life Spring Coffee Shop, 1-4pm, 7578 Hwy 51, Minocqua, WI. Host: Rich Gadow (Info: 715-588-9498) (www.head-forthedome.com

2nd SuNDAyHazelhurst (Yawkey) Town Hall, 1-5pm, Hwy 51, Hazelhurst, WI. Host: Keith Justice (Info: 715-356-3793)

Borders Books- Milwaukee Jam, 2-5pm, River Point Shopping Center, Bayside, WI. Take I-43, exit Brown Deer Rd. (Info: 414-961-0660)

3rd SuNDAyChestnut Avenue Center for the Arts, 1-4pm, 208 S. Chestnut Ave., Marshfield, WI. Host: Roman Stauber and Max Winkels (Info: 715-676-2305 or [email protected] or [email protected] )

4th SuNDAyPark View Manor, 1:30-4pm, Rock St., Viroqua,WI (except December) Host: David Peterson (Info: 608-637-3820)

LAST SuNDAyTom’s Garage, 1-5pm, Appleton, WI) Host: The Acoustic Buffalo. (Info: 920-882-2183 or www.toms-garage com) No Jams from April 30 through Sept.

JuLy

7-8 Jammin’ in the Gardens Bluegrass Festival, Delavan, WI, Mary Knipper, 262-728-5585, 262-728-5095, [email protected],

13-15 5th Annual Viroqua Bluegrass & Gospel Annual Festival, Viroqua, WI. David Peterson, 613 S. Rock, Viroqua, WI 54665, 608-637-3820, www.viroquabluegrass.com

14-15 2nd Annual Barron County Bluegrass Festival, Cameron, WI, Kathy Krug, 715-736-1194, [email protected]

20-22 Badgerland Bluegrass Classic, Jefferson, WI, Linda Sanderson, 4856 N. Shoreland Ave, Whitefish Bay, WI, 53217, 414-961-0660, www.mabma.org

27-29 26th Annual Backbone Bluegrass Festival, Strawberry Point, IA, www.strawberrypt.com, 563-920-2120 or 563-933-4957

28-30 18th Annual Midsummer in the Northwood’s Bluegrass Festival, Manitowish Waters, WI Jerry Florian, 715-543-2166, [email protected]

AuGuST

2-4 Bluegrass Bash, Medford, WI, [email protected]

4-5 Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) Casino Bluegrass Festival, Hayward, WI, www.lcocasino.com

3-5 Bluegrass Gospelfest, Amery, WI, K. Lee Elmer 715-948-2774

3-4 Sugar Maple Traditional Music Fest., Madison, WI, 608-227-8685, www.sugarmaplefest.org

11-12 Shawano Folk Festival, Mielke Arts Ctr, Shawano, WI, http://shawanofestival.com/

12 Gandy Dancer Bluegrass For Badger 2, 11am-8pm, Central Park, Madison, WI www.midcontinent.org or 608-522-4444

12 4th Annual YesterFest, Portage, WI, Gil 608-742-5054, http://www.portagewi.com

17-18 10th Annual LarryFest, 24 Valley Rd and Fish Valley Rd, La Farge, WI www.kvama.org

17-18 8th Annual Northland Bluegrass Festival, Iola, WI, 715-884-6996

18 Little Bull Falls LogJam, Mosinee, WI, www.logjamfestival.org

23-26 The Lakes Bluegrass Festival, Pine River, MN, Tim Roggenkamp at Lakes Music, Inc, 218-568-7366, [email protected] or www.lakesbluegrassfestival.org,

24-26 Mt. Morris Bluegrass Jam Camp, Mt. Morris Camp and Conference Center, Mt. Morris, WI www.mtmjamcamp.com or Barry Lehman, 1435 Valley View Rd., Chaska, MN 55318

30-Sept 2 NIBGA Tri-State Festival, Kendallville, IN www.bluegrassusa.net

SEPTEMBER

8-9 East Troy Bluegrass Festival, East Try, WI

Festivals July / August 2007

Fireball Mail/July–August 07 1312 Fireball Mail/July–August 07

Current SWBMAI Band Members

Above the Town – Jerry Loughney; 262-510-1128,[email protected]

Cream City Bluegrass – Andrew Struthers; 262-754-1397, [email protected]

Jefferson County Bluegrass Band – Doug Hodge; 608-201-2032, [email protected]

Liberty Bluegrass Band – James Brocksmith; 414-803-7477, www.libertybluegrass.com

Monroe Crossing – Art Blackburn; 763-213-1349,[email protected]

'Round the Bend – Fred Newmann; 608-238-6863,[email protected]

Sparetime Bluegrass Band – Bob Batyko; 608-575-9945, [email protected]

Straight up Bluegrass - Melissa Rospenda; 920-991-2766. www.straightupbluegrass.com

The Krause Family Band - Rick Krause; [email protected]

The Front Porch Boys – J. Clark Speck; 262-408-2764, www.frontporchboys.com

The Alzen Family – Bradley Alzen; 715-749-3977, www.alzenfamily.com

Sawdust Symphony – Michael G. Mueller; www.sawdustsymphony.com

Band Membership . . .

For this fee, you receive:• Twice yearly, a list from the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau, of future conventions in the Madison, WI area.• Vast exposure and links to your websites on our website.

• In the Fireball Mail newsletter:Your band listing and contact information in each issue.Rotating featured band profile.One subscription for your band.

SpareTime Bluegrass Band is proud to announce that its album Bluegrass Matinee was awarded Best County/Bluegrass Album of the Year at the Madison Area Music Awards (MAMA) in its fourth annual awards ceremony held at the Barrymore Theatre in Madison on May 12, 2007. The MAMAs recognizes local music and musicians of all genres at the same time raising money for the purchase of musi-cal instruments for young people and promoting music in the schools. SpareTime is happy to be recognized by the MAMAs and be a part of their laudable efforts.

SpareTime released its newest CD, Stop Me If You’ve Heard This in June. The album consists of live covers of County and Rock tunes recorded at several venues in Southern Wisconsin.

– Congratulations Jim Robarts, Bob Batyko, Lorie Docken, Scott Shank and Dale Ward- mh

Monroe Crossing is pleased to announce that they have been selected by the International Bluegrass Music As-sociation (IBMA) to showcase at this year's IBMA World Of Bluegrass in Nashville, TN, October 1-7, 2007.And just when we thought we couldn't feel any better about ourselves, we received word that Monroe Crossing will be inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame in Novem-ber.

– Congratulations Lisa Fuglie, Art Blackburn, Matt Thomp-son, Benji Flaming and Mark Anderson! - mh

Member Band Announcements

JuLy

4 SpareTime Bluegrass, 11am-2pm, Hilldale Farmers Market, Madison, WI

6 SpareTime Bluegrass, 5:30-8pm, Madison Museum of Modern Art Rooftop Garden on State St. Madison, WI

7 SpareTime Bluegrass, 6-9pm, Tyranena Brewery, Lake Mills, WI

7 Straight Up Bluegrass, 11am-1pm, Oshkosh Farmer’s Market, Oshkosh, WI

8 ‘Round The Bend, Straight Up Bluegrass, Jammin in the Gardens Bluegrass Festival, Delavan, WI

7 Jefferson County Bluegrass, At The Park, 6:30pm, Wetwhen, WI

8 Jefferson County Bluegrass, 6:30, Free concert in the park, Brodhead, WI

10 Jefferson County Bluegrass, 6:30-8pm, Concert in the Park, Janesville, WI

11 ‘Round The Bend, 6:30pm, Edgerton Arts Council Summer Concert Series, Edgerton, WI

13 Front Porch Boys, Friday Night Live at the Steaming Cup, Waukesha, WI

13-15 Monroe Crossing, DoNorth Bluegrass Jam Camp, Bemidji, MN

15 ‘Round The Bend, 6:30pm, Brodhead Summer Concert Series, Brodhead, WI

15 Straight Up Bluegrass, 12 noon, Bergstom Mahler Art Festival, Neena, WI

20- 23 ‘Round The Bend, Jefferson County Bluegrass, Liberty Bluegrass, Sawdust Symphony, SpareTime

Bluegrass, Front Porch Boys, Straight Up Bluegrass at Badgerland Bluegrass Classic, Jefferson, WI

27-29 Jefferson County Bluegrass, Backbone Bluegrass Festival, Strawberry Point, IA

28 Straight Up Bluegrass, 11am-1pm, Oshkosh Farmer’s Market, Oshkosh, WI

28 The Alzen Family, 3pm & 5pm, Polk County Fair, St. Croix Falls, WI

28-30 Liberty Bluegrass, Midsummer in the Northwoods Bluegrass Festival,

29 The Front Porch Boys, 16th Annual Ye Old Time Fiddlers’ Contest, Pioneer Village, WI

29 The Alzen Family, 7pm, Skonewood Christian Retreat Center, Luck, WI

AuGuST

3 Monroe Crossing, 7:pm, Stage Hands Theater, Spring Valley, WI

3-5 The Alzen Family, Lake Itasca Family Music Festival, Bemidji, MN

4-5 Monroe Crossing, Amery Bluegrass-GospelFest, Amery, WI

5 The Alzen Family, 6pm, Marcell Community Church, Marcell, MN

10 The Alzen Family, 3pm, Minnesota Bluegrass & OldTime Festival, Avon, MN

11 Straight Up Bluegrass, Humongous Fungus Festival, Crystal Falls, WI

12 ‘Round The Bend, Gandy Dancer Festival, Madison, WI

15 Straight Up Bluegrass, 11:30am-2pm, Ashwaubenon Concert Series, Ashwaubenon, WI

18 Straight Up Bluegrass, 6:30pm, Kimbery Concert Series, Kimberly, WI

24-26 Monroe Crossing, Mt. Morris Bluegrass Jam Camp, Wautoma, WI

29-30 Monroe Crossing, Minnesota State Fair, St. Paul, MN

SEPTEMBER

1-2 Monroe Crossing, Barnes Family Bluegrass Festival, Aledo, IL

9 ‘Round The Bend, East Troy Bluegrass Festival, East Troy, WI

Member Band Schedules July / August 2007

The SWBMAI band membership was introduced in 2001 in an effort to promote local bands. The annual fee was changed to $60.00 in April 2007.


Meet A New Member BandThe Front Porch BoysThe Front Porch Boys is an all acoustic band that plays the real thing - genuine, traditional bluegrass music. In this day and age of music made famous by movies, and country cross-over artists, they take pride in authenticity. Audiences will be immediately drawn in by the tight harmonies, fast, swinging picking and southbound train rhythm that takes you right to the heart and soul of bluegrass - the music made famous by Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, J.D. Crowe and Doyle Lawson just to name a few. Members of The Front Porch Boys include:Clark Speck: guitarJP Price: mandolin

Tom Nowlin: banjoJim Gingery: bass

The group was formed in 2001 by Clark Speck, a luthier by trade (and fine reputation) near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Origi-nally, Clark hails from Tennessee, which is apparent, when you hear him speak in a soft drawl. The Front Porch Boys have honed their skills over the years at numerous area outdoor music festivals, indoor venues as well as private events.

Clark Speck414-581-1565Email: [email protected]

From Karen Sonnenblick

Madison was honored with a visit from Doc Watson and Da-vid Holt at the Overture Center on May 19th. As if the pres-ence of Doc wasn’t enough to rattle Madison, Doc playing alongside David Holt (who is well-accomplished in several traditional instruments) made for a stellar performance. Da-vid accompanied Doc throughout the entire first set, and his clawhammer banjo-playing sweetly complimented classic

tunes such as Shady Grove, Whiskey Before Breakfast and Deep River Blues. Interspersed between songs were various stories relating to Doc’s life and his love of his music. We learned about the record player that Doc’s parents brought into his childhood home, and how it inspired him to learn to play music. He received his first harmonica from his father, and he spoke of how he yearned to use the harmonica to produce an accor-dion-like sound rather than just playing single notes. He

then played Fisher’s Hornpipe on the harmonica accompa-nied by David Holt on the bones (playing the bones is similar to playing the spoons, except, as one would expect, bones are used). It was astonishing that so much sound came from just two people. Doc then played Rain Crow Bill on the harmonica while David accompanied him with slaps; he used his hands to slap various parts of his body to

create rhythm, and it was very impressive. They closed out the first set with a National Steel guitar and steel guitar duo, and brought the taste of Appalachia into the Overture Cen-ter with a David Holt original: Slow Food, a song reminiscent of the corn bread and collared greens cooked with love that a musician longs for as he tours around the country. Doc began the second set playing solo and was then ac-companied by grandson Richard on the guitar. Doc lifted the audience right of their seats as he yodeled his heart out during ‘T for Texas’. He continually wowed the hall all night with his tasteful guitar licks and deep, soulful voice. Watch-ing Doc’s fingers move as quickly as they do was absolutely breathtaking, especially considering that he is 84 years old! David Holt came back on stage at the end of the second set and kept playing until they closed the encore out with Down Yonder. The performance was top-notch. As always, Doc’s music was heartfelt and full of emotion. He is always an inspiration as a musician and as a person who has overcome many hardships in life. To watch Doc play with such skill and love for what he does makes us appreciate how powerful music is in our own lives and happiness.

Doc Watson and David Holt at the Overture Center

CD Review:

Listening to this CD the first time, it was obvious to me that a whole lot of love went into its production. The dedication in the liner notes to the memory of Rick’s mother, Marilyn Chapman Krause, sets the musical tone. Rick & his two unbelievably talented daughters, Katie & Ruthie, sing & play their hearts out on this, their debut album. And what a fine tribute to Grandma they produced! “On This Bright, Sunny Day” contains eleven tracks with songs ranging from traditional bluegrass & gospel (most including the title track written by Rick), to the ethereal instrumental “Beyond The Veil” (composed by Ruth) that could easily be the theme song from a major motion picture.

The Krause Family Band’s CD release party at the Wil-Mar

Center in Madison was well attended. Absolutely exuber-ant on stage, Rick proudly played solid accompaniment on guitar while his girls sang perfect harmony that literally took your breath away. If you’re an Alison Krauss fan like me, you’ll enjoy listening to Katie sing lead. The ensemble (some of Grandad’s Favorites) that evening included the fine musicianship of Jim Nikora on mandolin, Pete Olig on bass, and Asher Streets on cello. With Ruthie’s precocious fiddle playing (also reminiscent of Alison Krauss) and Rick’s light-hearted interludes on harmonica, the evening ended too soon with their audience wanting to hear more. With release of this fine CD – capturing the excitement of a live performance – Krause Family fans can now savor their won-derful sound anytime. Thanks for sharing the love!

The Krause Family & Grandad's Favorites "On This Bright, Sunny Day"

Review from Jim Robarts

Flatt and Scruggs dissolved their partnership in 1969. After that you could never see them at a live concert again. But what if you could? What if you could see a representative sample of their live work? Now you can.Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys had a weekly half-hour television show from 1954 to shortly before the end of the group. The shows were sponsored by Martha White, sponsor of their early morning radio show at many of they segments of the Grand Ole Opry. Many of the shows were live, without benefit of taping or filming. But sometime in the late 50’s or early 60’s the shows were taped (the group would film for shows once a month for release later).Until 1990 it was thought that the tapes no longer existed, but since then, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Muse-um have found some 36 half-hour shows. Recently four of the shows have been released on two DVDs by Shanachie Entertainment as Classic Bluegrass from 1956 to 1962: Best of the Flatt & Scruggs TV Show (Volumes 1 and 2).These are entire TV shows, complete with the Martha White live commercials. They are also complete with errors and musical mistakes by the performers. Even though they were taped, they were taped live, with no edits.The first thing the shows illustrate is just how good the group was. This is the classic line-up of Flatt, Scruggs, Curly Sechler, Paul Warren, Josh Graves, and Jake Tullock. This is the group that traveled thousands of miles, played hundreds of shows, and was as tight a group as ever played bluegrass.This is a show package, with a little bit of something for everyone. The shows feature the humor segment of “Uncle Josh” Graves and “Cousin Jake” Tullock—a regular feature of the show. There are sacred numbers, instrumentals, Flatt and Scruggs standards and special guests. You also get to

see a bit of the way they moved in and out of the micro-phone, a stage dance that many who saw them live have commented on.One guest is Hylo Brown, a regional country/bluegrass performer who worked extensively with Lester and Earl and was included on many package shows. It’s interesting to see the Foggy Mountain Boys work with a higher singer than Flatt, and see how they adjusted. The most famous guest on the DVD is Mother Maybelle Carter, who plays “Wildwood Flower” on the guitar and “Liberty” on the autoharp. The show was done just about the time that Flatt & Scruggs put out their album of Carter Family songs that also featured Mother Maybelle. Her ap-pearance is an impressive nod by Lester and Earl to their (and country music’s) roots.Two things struck me while watching the shows—how good Paul Warren was on fiddle, and how integral Curly Sechler was to the Flatt and Scruggs vocal sound. Warren did very little solo recording, Flatt frowned on his sidemen recording on their own. Sadly, this has led to a dearth of recordings by the “King of the Hoedown Fiddlers”. He comes across on the DVDs as having great tone and timing.Sechler, who was only an adequate mandolin player, proved to be a wonderful tenor singer to Flatt’s lead. They formed one of the classic vocal duets of bluegrass. Sechler was one of the finest unsung performers in all bluegrass history. At this time he and Earl are the only living members of this classic line-up. You can’t go back in time, there is some physics reason for that—ask Rob O’Connell why. However, you can purchase these DVDs and pretend you are sitting around an old black and white television, watching Flatt and Scruggs in the early evening.

Flatt and Scruggs Shows DVDs


From Karen Sonnenblick

Pulling out of the Copps parking lot on Fish Hatchery and County Road PD, mandolin player Catherine Rhyner and I set out to the monthly bluegrass jam at Riley’s tavern on the western edge of Verona. Following the many stop-and-go traffic lights in Madison, driving past the pastures and farms on the way to Riley’s Tavern is scenic and refreshing. After 11 miles, we turn off of County Road J at a nearly a 360-de-gree bend in the road and park at Riley’s Tavern.

I am expecting to arrive at a dark, dingy, hole-in-the-wall bar (like one of the beat-down Madison bars with their names advertised on a Pabst sign and $1.99 pancake specials on Packers game days). Instead, I am pleasantly surprised when we pull up to a large white house with green trim that could be easily mistaken for a rural farmhouse if not for a sign reading “Riley’s Tavern”.

It is quarter after two on a Saturday afternoon and as we walk through the front door, the musicians are just beginning to tune their instruments. Despite being an overcast day in

early May, Catherine quickly encourages everyone to take their instruments to the porch. Everyone heads outside, and I think the non-bluegrassers in the bar let out a quiet sigh of relief since it is also Kentucky Derby Day. Although bluegrass music could not have been more appropriate for horse betting in Kentucky, most would argue that commen-tary is an essential component of watching televised sports.

Eight folks comprise the initial jam circle on the porch. Fritz and Donna Jaggi, who have been attending the Riley jam for seven years, find a cozy wooden bench beneath a blooming

crabapple tree where they can listen to the tunes and watch the fancy finger-work of the players. In an informal and com-fortable setting, the musicians trade songs around the circle about all the usual topics: trains, love, heartache, cheat-ing, death and jail, The birds are chirping, people are hiking their dogs along the bike path visible from the porch, and the horse-size Riley dog repeatedly barks at us desperately begging everyone to play fetch with him.

Bikers dressed in leather as well as other tavern attend-ees bring their beverages outside to hear the music. Fritz informs me that in a few weeks time when the summer heat becomes unbearable and the biker population at Riley increases and lays claim to the side porch, folks will play in a covered area across the lawn that looks like a car garage without the walls.

According to Bruce Nichols, banjo player, bluegrass afi-cionado and regular attendee of the jams, Riley has been hosting bluegrass jams since 1983. In fact, Riley’s is one of

the longest running bluegrass jams in the region. Bruce recalls the days when the musicians were fed a delicious array of “game animal-type food – I remember having rabbit and raccoon.” Archie Lowman, who has been attending the jam for over 10 years and brings sound equipment to the jam, likes being able to play anywhere

on the grounds and “ap-preciates how generous Murphy and his lovely wife are in dispensing drinks for the players”. Actually, everyone I speak to raves about how well-treated the musicians are that come to the jam. Patti Graham has been attending, bringing her dobro to Riley’s for over eight

years. She enjoys that it is a family bar, and likes looking at the pictures on the walls of the older players who got

it started.

Not only is Riley’s tavern a great spot for enjoying the first Saturday afternoon of every month, but they offer free popcorn that is deliciously buttered and salted. The tavern has a warm, welcoming feeling and the staff are friendly and outgoing. The entire property looked spectacular in early May as the trees were just beginning to bud amidst the green grass of the soft rolling hills. I know that when I head back to Riley’s in the summertime, I will be pleasantly surprised once again.

Riley Tavern Jam – A Fine Tradition for 24 Years


Review by Jim Robarts

On June 2nd, the Orpheum Theatre Stage Door hosted the second and third Madison screenings of “Cork n’ Bottle String Band: The Ken’s Bar Story”. At its most basic, it’s the story of a woefully inexperienced new “bluegrass band”, a small neighborhood bar that never featured live music, and the six years of weekly Wednesday gigs that ended in 2002. At it’s more complex the film shows Cork n’ Bottle’s learn-as-you-earn approach (in this case learn as you drink free beer) creating a continuously building six year happening. It also shows them entertaining while becoming accomplished bluegrass musicians.The filmmakers were Greg Dirks, original member and mandolin player for the Cork n’ Bottle, and Jeremy Gotcher, owner of a video business who never considered doing a feature documentary. Greg had the musical footage and Jeremy had the video expertise. With the help of Andy Moore’s interns, they conducted interviews with Madison musicians and patrons of Ken’s Bar. The live comedy inserts were shot in just three hours with a small video camera. They cut it, printed, and tweaked until the “almost” hour and a half film was ready. The film truly captures the Ken’s venue. This was a small, narrow, neighborhood bar with a barely adequate stage and, in the beginning, a nonexistent sound system. Ken’s Bar was difficult to play in, especially when packed. The sound emanating from the crowd could drown the band. In warm months the band could have drown on its own perspiration. The ever-present haze of smoke, if it had been found in a factory, would have spurred OSHA or the EPA into action. As it was, Cork n’ Bottle kept playing rain or shine, sickness or health, long after other bands would have quit.If the band and the bar were two elements of the story, the audience was the third. The band, in the beginning, was just starting out in bluegrass music, so was the audience. They

learned together. They connected. In Ken’s there never was an invisible barrier between audience and performer. Oddly, bringing together these three elements led to a phe-nomenon that was greater than the sum of its parts—and a phenomenon that left more than one more established local bluegrass musician scratching his or her head wondering just what the hell was happening at Ken’s Bar. What was happening in that improbable musical space was simply fun on either side of the footlights. And as the Beatles once sang, “Fun is the one thing that money can’t buy”.The film deftly captures, through concert footage, contem-porary inserts, and interviews how much everyone enjoyed him or herself. Both the Cork n’ Bottle and the audience were writing the rules as they went and erasing those same rules just as quickly. Cork n’ Bottle entertained while playing music, and their slightly skewed sense of humor meshed with the audience’s own. Another aspect of the film is the symbiotic relationship be-tween Ken, as owner of the Ken’s Bar, and the band. Every band/bar owner relationship is supposed to be symbiotic. The bar owner wants the band to bring in new customers and lead to more profit. The band wants a venue where they can (if you want to get too esoteric) practice and perform their art. In the best of relationships the art leads to profit, and vice versa. This was the best of relationships, and that comes through in the film.Cutting to the chase here and forgetting all the talk about elements and art—this film is laugh-out-loud funny and incredibly entertaining. Its lightly magic impact is almost as unexplainable as the actual Ken’s six year experience.Luckily, if you have not seen the film, it is on DVD. Go to the Cork n’ Bottle website (bignew.com) or just see them at the Memorial Union on some Thursday from 6-9 p.m. You can buy it there and buy a slice of bluegrass history.

Cork n' Bottle String Band: The Ken's Bar Story

SWBMAI Bluegrass Membership Form

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Band Affiliation:

Annual Dues - Individual $20.00 Family $28.00 Senior $12.00 Band $60.00 (Circle choice)Make checks payable to SWBMAI Mail to: SWBMAI Membership, P.O. Box 7761, Madison, WI 53707-7761Or join online at www.swbmai.org. Now you can pay your membership online, too! Thank you!

Thank you for inquiring about advertising in our newsletter, The Fireball Mail. Below is information about our advertising policy.

Fireball mail is published bi-monthly in January, March, May, July, Sep-tember and November.The advertising deadline for each issue is the 10th of the month pre-ceding the month of publication. SWBMAI must receive full payment for the ad by that deadline.

All ads must be submitted in camera-ready condition* and accompa-nied with t he name of the organization or business, full, name, address and phone number of contact person and check (made payable to SWBMAI). Send ad copy with payment to: Fireball Mail, 3418 Elvehjem Road, McFarland, WI 53558. Send the electronic file to [email protected] and the payment to the McFarland Address. (*If the ad is not camera-ready, we can provide graphic design service for you, at the rate of $75.00 per hour.

Advertising file submissions:a) Supported file types:Prefer Hi-resolution pdf files to all other methods.We can also accommodate:Mac: Quark Xpress, Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, pdf, tiff, eps, jpg, PC: pdf, tiff, eps, jpg.

b) Resolution: hi-resolution would be 200-300 dpi at the ad’s actual size (100%). Pay careful attention to photography (black & white only) and maintain 300 dpi for maximum clarity.

c) Email ad file submission: Send complete ad layouts with all fonts and images embedded as pdf, tiff, eps, or jpg files. Pay careful attention to

maintain resolution; screen resolution (72 dpi) is unacceptably low.

d) CD file submission (Mac format only): Include all necessary support files (photography, artwork, fonts) with the layout file. For best results, include a print of the contents on your disk.

SWBMAI members and other non-profit organizations are eligible for a discount on all ads, as indicated below.

Sixth Page Vertical (2 3/16” x 4 5/8” ) $20.00 – Member or Non-profit $15.00Quarter Page Vertical (3 3/8” x 4 5/8”) $25.00 – Member or Non-profit $20.00Half Page Horizontal (7” x 4 5/8”) $35.00 – Member or Non-profit $25.00Full Page (7 ½” x 10”/ no bleed) $50.00 - Member or Non-profit $40.00

Potential advertisers may submit ads for publication on a space-avail-able basis. Preference will be given to bluegrass-music-related ads. The SWBMAI Board of Directors reserves the right to reject ads for any reason, including, but not limited to, the following:1) Prohibitions in advertising that jeopardize the non-profit stan-dard mail rate according to the laws and regulations of the U.S. Postal Service, 2) Inappropriate content,3) Availability of space, 4) Ads that conflict with the mission of SWBMAI.

For questions about this policy, for any other newsletter-related ques-tions, or if you’d like to join SWBMAI to receive the lower ad rates, please contact Mary Helmke at 608-838-4852 or email to [email protected].

Fireball Mail Advertising Policy and Guidelines.

From Sharon Manion

Many of you may have (or perhaps not) wondered what the status is of the bluegrass t-shirt quilt that I created with the help of Hagar Nelson's shirt donation. The quilt was donated to the International Bluegrass Music Museum, in Owensboro, Kentucky.On June 9th, I met with Gabrielle Grey, the director of the museum, in Kewaunee, Wi. The Museum folks were in Wis-consin to film a story on Bill Jorgenson and were present during the Bill Jorgenson Memorial Bluegrass Festival which took place June 8 – 10. The quilt will be auctioned off during the next 5 months and will kick off during the ROMP Festival, which is sponsored by the Museum and will end during IBMA fan fest.

The profits that are raised from this item will be split (40/60) between the museum and our association with SWBMAI receiving 60% of the money raised. I will keep you up-to-date on this event or you may go to the Museum's web site. Gabrielle said that information about the auction will be posted on their web site in the near future.– The ROMP is June 21-23 in Owensboro, KY, site of the In-ternational Bluegrass Music Museum. Visit www.bluegrass-museum.org to find out about Sharon and Hagar’s beautiful quilt.-The IBMA Fan Fest will be Oct. 5-7, during the World of Bluegrass in Nashville, TN. Visit www.ibma.org for more information -mh

Update on the 2007 Jamboree Quilt

Legendary Doc Watson in Concert!

Documents

Transcript of Legendary Doc Watson in Concert!