BLUECiRASS CANADA THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE BLUEGRASS MUSIC ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

Volume 5 Issue 4 October 2011

FEATURE ARTICLE

RAV LEGERE AND ACOUSTIC HORIZON

Page 1

WHAT"S INSIDE

President's Message-Pg 3

Feature Article-Ray Legere and Acoustic

Horizons Pg 4, to 7

Bands Information-Pages 8-13

Sally Creek Music Festival Notice-Page 14

Music Biz Article Page 16

Notice of Annual General Meeting-Page 17

Divorced From Reality Article-Page 19

Editor's Message-Page 19

Just a Bluegrass Wife-Pages 20 & 21

Manitoulin Festival & Special Olympics-Page 22

Advertising Rates Pg 24

Organizational Memberships -Pg 25 & 26

Website Enhancement Announcement-Pg 27

Membership Renewal Form Pg 27

Editor's Message -

Leann Chadbourn

In this issue I would like to welcome back our familiar writers, Gord DeVries, Gary Hubbard and Diana van Holten with their very interesting articles that I know you will enjoy. Also, I would bring to your attention a couple of new writers. Mike

Page 2

Kirley, who has sent in an arti­cle entitled 'Divorced from Re­ality' and Wilson Moore who has provided two articles on Bluegrass News from the Eastern Provinces.

BMAC welcomes any interest­ing articles or information rele­vant to Bluegrass and are hopeful to start receiving arti­cles from Coast to Coast.

President

Denis Chadbourn

705-776-7754

Vice-president

Larry Johnston

519-576-9768

Secretary

Leann Chadbourn

705-776-7754

Treasurer

Roland Aucoin

905-635-1818

Directors at Large

Gord deVries

519-668-0418

Donald Tarte

877-876-3369

Bill Blance

905-451-9077

Murray Hale

705-474-2217

With so many Bluegrass Associations and Clubs across Can­ada there truly is no shortage of news. Anyone willing to sub­mit an article, please contact me at lschadbourn@gmail.com.

If you have a special cause that is near and dear to your heart, send us in a photo; let us know about it. And remem­ber, you can have your event posted for free at WWW BLU EGRASSCANADA. CA

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Bluegrass Revolution

In a world festering with corporate greed, and govern­ments selling out the environment for the sake of a buck, the grassroots music community is a beacon of light in these dark times. I am proud to be associated with blue­grass and the values it stands for. Perhaps it is time to start our own political movement. Vive la bluegrass re­volution!

Opening my emails today, I received notification of a couple of bluegrass events. Both of therm were benefit concerts for very worthy causes. I am always amazed at the vast number of these invitations I receive. But why should I be surprised? I grew-up in the bluegrass com­munity, and know well the values it holds. What a ca­ring, sharing , giving community it is!

There are many examples of this, and here are but a few. Artscan , under the direction of Carol Teal, collects instruments, and delivers them to first nation youth at risk, in remote communities.

At the Eastern Canada Bluegrass Awards, various blue­grass associations present cheques to the Children's Wish Foundation, and the IWK Children's Telethon.

Bluegrass festivals like Gerry & Fran Morgan's Conesto­ga Trail raise money for the Brantford General Hospital and Willett Hospital Foundation. The Manitoulin Blue­grass' inspiration is to raise money for the special olym­pic athletes. (Read more in this issue)

When our band released it's debut CD, we didn't want it to be just all about us ... we wanted to get behind a good cause. When one DJ , (who shall remain nameless), complained to me that he was tired of bands riding the "I'm doing it for a good cause" bandwagon ... I took extreme umbrage with it. My email response consisted of only one question. "Would you prefer bands do it for vain, selfish, reasons???"

Consequently, adopting a higher cause (above our own vanity and self-interest), gave us the drive and determina­tion to raise over $13 thousand dollars for cancer charity,

with the sales from that album. We have helped numerous people and organizations with it. My two daughters, Emily and Juleann, who are in the band, were pre-teens at the time, and they understood that it was not about us. It is my profound belief that we lead by example, and perhaps one day, they will too.

Whether it is raising money for victims of a house fire, or for a church fundraiser, or helping a friend with health issues .. . or even for political events ... the list of causes, that bluegrassers raise money for, is endless. Getting together to play music, not for vanity or for fame, but ra­ther for loftier reasons, gives deeper meaning to our mu­sic. Using music as an (forgive the pun) instrument to effect change, has been popular throughout the ages. The pay-off we receive, although often intangible, is im­mensly gratifying.

Most Canadians generally have the ability to put oursel­ves in the proverbial shoes of others. By picturing our­selves in that person's situaton, we thereby find com­passion for others,. This attitude of sharing and caring, reaches across our country, and around the world. That is why Canadians maintain a moderately good internatio­nal image. We have endeared ourselves to the world at large, by virtue of our generosity. It all starts on a gras­sroots level.

So hey, step-up and just do it! Join our grassroots politi­cal movement. Unite, and give of your talents, whatever they may be. What kind of a difference can you make? Together, we can heal this broken world. Vive la blue­grass revolution!

Yours from Bluegrass Central,

Denis Chadbourn

Page 3

Ray Legere

and

Acoustic Horizon

By Gord De Vries

never be able to play the fiddle, I'll have to French, but when he learned an English

be satisfied with the mandolin. so after the bluegrass song, he was word for word, pro-

mandolin, I took up the guitar, and the bass, nunciation was perfect, because he didn't

and eventually, when five years later, I was want to be embarrassed about pronouncing

fifteen, I learned to play the fiddle a little bit, incorrectly. Yeah, we had a great band,

but that was after my grandmother passed Roger Vautour as well, he was a nice

away. I'd made the promise, when she Scruggs style banjo player, he moved out

passed away, I'd pick up the fiddle and learn west shortly after that, and then Frank

how to play it, (a little bit) .. It is my favorite Doody took his spot. That's when I started

instrument, the fiddle, it's what I've been

making a living with, so I guess I'd better

keep it as my main instrument for now.

And that's how I got into music, except that I caught up with Ray Legere in June 2011, at my mother did give me some piano lessons the Tottenham Bluegrass Festival in Totten-

picking a lot with Frank; we would be the

last ones up at the jam sessions at the festi­

vals, you know, buy Kentucky Fried

Chicken, that would last us a weekend, there

was no ecoli back then (laughs), so we got a

lot of playing in and that's when I met Carl

ham, Ontario. His band "Acoustic Horizon"

was one of the featured groups this year.

With his regular sidekick, Frank Doody on

banjo and soulful vocals, guests Richard

Bourque on guitar and Andy Ball (of Lone­

some River Band fame) on bass, the band

when I was nine, and showed me what notes

were. Forever, I was in the car, singing

along with Merle Haggard songs that Dad

listened to and Flatt & Scruggs and we

made a lot of trips to Cape Breton and Hali­

fax, with his work and so, that's how I got

into the music business. Really, I just loved

it and I knew I was going to play music for a was "hotter than one of June Carter's pepper

sprouts!'. I managed to comer Ray for this living. After high school, I was going to go interview just a short time before he was due down to the States, meet all my idols, play to get back on stage for a set. music for a living, but my father said I

should probably get an education first, so I

Goodman. I was at one of these house par-

ties and he would come out to this "Red

Lion Tavern" where we would play every

weekend and Saturday afternoon,. He was

learning to play the banjo and we got to play

some. He was actually not as serious about it

as I was, cause I knew I wanted to make my

living at playing music, even at that young

age, and Carl said "This is a hobby, this is a

release from my day job, I just want to have

fun, have a few beers, you know .. ". Some of

those parties, of course, they got a little ob-Gord: To start this interview, Ray, would

you just recount some of your past history,

how you got into playing music and so on?

went to community college and took a two noxious with the drinking and stuff and I

year course in electronics, which did eventu-would get a little upset at that, but later on,

ally help, in putting together my studio, un-Ray: Well my past history, getting into mu­

derstanding the electronic part of signal sic. was always from my father's playing. He

paths and things. played everything in the book, including the

when he moved to Ontario, he was taking it

really serious, trying to put together a nice

group, which he did, he put together a bunch electric instruments, drums and saxophone, Gord: So here you are, the young, budding of different bluegrass groups, performed a

but besides those instruments, he was the electronics technician. Carl ( ed note: Carl lot, recorded a lot, got heavy into the song-

first 5-string banjo player in the Maritimes Goodman) had mentioned, he met you first writing, which he did very well. I know

and played mandolin and fiddle and he was

the hit at the parties. When he had us kids

(he had 5) he had to stop playing music and

start making a living, so he worked at CN

(the CNR hump yard) , but he got me on

mandolin when I was 10 years old and his

mother said if I learned a tune on the man do-

lin she'd buy me a mandolin, so that's how I

got my first mandolin. I learned a tune, bor-

rowed a mandolin from a friend, Dad's

friend, and learned a mandolin tune; she

bought me a mandolin. She said the same

thing, if you learn a tune on the fiddle,

in Moncton and you were playing with a

band called "Mountain .....

Ray: Yeah, "Mountain Meadow". This fel­

low I knew, Lee Allward, he was putting

together a bluegrass band and I was only, I

believe 15, maybe 14, when he approached

me, approached my Dad first, you know,

said "Do you think it would be OK? We

love his playing, he plays great for his age

and I think it would be good for him to get

into a band situation, learn to sing some and

learn about harmonies and all that", so Lee

All ward recruited myself and another which was her favorite instrument, she'd buy youngster from down around Rogersville me a fiddle. And every time I'd pick up the

fiddle, it was just too hard. I just figured I'd

Page 4

way Jean-Marc Doiron, who couldn't speak

one phrase of English. He was totally

Ralph Stanley and Doyle Lawson recorded

one. Carl was a good talent, really good

solid banjo playing, so when he approached

me about these Kitchen Parties, it reminded

us both about back then, when we were do­

ing the kitchen parties in the Maritimes,

about how nice the people were and appre­

ciative of the music and so that's what he

wanted to bring onto the stage, was a kitchen

party, not totally bluegrass oriented, but he

knew the musicians that he wanted to get

that would be able to back up the main cen­

ter, in their style of music and that's what we

tried to bring to the stage. Not necessarily a

bluegrass show but a nice show with a home

kitchen party atmosphere.

Gord: Well, we're going to see if that con- than the bluegrass world that I was part of our fiddle, I know Tony will let you play

cept will work again, later this September. and I knew that if I was going to make a with him as soon as he hears one lick" .

Now the group "Acoustic Horizon'~ is that living at it, that I would have to progress Jimmie told Tony about me and I drove

the first group you have headed? and learn other music than just bluegrass. through a snowstorm to get there. It was

Ray: I moved down to the States, after I

went to the tech, and I did meet up with all

my idols, like David Grisman, Tony Rice,

Jerry Douglas, I met them all and got to play

with some really nice groups, Dan and Stan

Tyminski, a brother team with "The Green

Mountain Bluegrass", (Dan went on to play

Ray Legere

And

Acoustic Horizon

with "Lonesome River Band", now he's with At that time I idolized Mark O'Connor, eve-

Alison Krauss), that was a great band to be rything Mark did, I wanted to just like Mark,

in . Everyone was young, hot pickers, and but as soon as I met Jim Buchanan, he said

January, and after the first show, Tony

came up to me and said" Listen, I have this

tour-it's a five week tour, but I have an­

other fiddler joining me in weeks, do you

want to do the first two weeks?" I said "for

sure". He hired me for the two weeks, and

if it wasn't for Alison Krauss being asked to

do the last three weeks, I would have had

the five week tour. But, I got to meet up

with Alison, and actually, it was at that time

I got to play her fiddle and I fell in love with dedicated - we drove all over the country. "Well you know, there's other players out

it. I told her, " if you ever need to get rid of there, other than Mark O'Connor". He was-

this fiddle, I'd appreciate it if you would

Gr"" Mount.in aov•, US6 D.-v• &evln•, o.-n fymlr1•~j . Scott Gr•• n•, Sun: Tymln•ll 1nd "ay L•911r•

n't downgrading Mark, he just wanted in­

troduce me to others like the Stephane

Greppellis's of the world, all the classical

players of the world. He introduced me to

Jascha Heifetz, I think the most amazing,

incredible classical violinist in the world.

So, from then, I just started watching and

listening to as many videos as I could get a

hold of and started learning as much as I

"White Mountain Bluegrass", they were could, in the sing world, int helrish world-I

the first band to 'invite' me down , I stayed love the Irish music and I love the Scottish

at Roger Williams' (the dobro player) Cape Breton fiddling and there's no one

house, they took me to Europe, and we style that I like better, other than I just t ruly

toured Holland, Germany, just all over the love bluegrass music. That in my heart and

place, so I got an education there. So I sould, I guess. The Kenny Baker stuff, the

moved, through Green Mountain, I met up Benny Martin music, that what I love, that

with Lonesome River Band at some con- kind of fiddling.

certs and they hired me to go down and

play with their group. I was already a fan of So from there, when I was in the States, I

· their music anyway. So I was part of the got the chance to meet all my idols. The

Lonesome River Band for a short stint, and one band I really wanted to join was Tony

from there, I had met David Grisman at one Rice, the Tony Rice unit and Jimmy

of his concerts and his fidd le player was Jim Gaudreau. I became good friends with

Buchanan. I remember him from Jim & Jimmy. He was producing a CD called

Jesse days and recordings and he played "Young Mandolin Monsters" and he asked

with David Grisman at that time, but he me to do two cuts on it. He also involved

also played country music with George Dan Tyminski, Adam Steffey, Wayne Ben­

Jones and Mel Tillis and he did all the son, Alan Bibey, and Ronnie McCoury, a

backup stuff in Nashville. He was the ses- bunch of the youngers at the time. I was

sion man in Nashville and they were playing glad to be a part of that. When Jimmie

with Charlie Pride. He started telling me all knew Tony was doing a tour, starting in

the songs and what he did differently to Maine, going into Massachusetts and the

make it sound unique. He did a lot of New England states, he gave me a call and

'bouncing bow' things, it was very different said "If you want to come down, bring hy-

give me a call". It's just one of those things,

when you play an instrument and you feel

this is just right for me, this is exactly what I

want, I knew that fiddle was what I wanted .

Years later, after I got married and we had

just bought our house, in 1998, my Dad

gets this call on his phone, it was on the

answering machine, "This is Alison Krauss,

Ray, I know you really want this fiddle, I got

the fiddle that I really wanted and I know

you really want this one, so it's for sale, if

you' d like to buy it from me, I won't adver­

tise it or anything, because I know you

really want it" . Anyway, to make a long

story short, I ended up with that fiddle and

that's the fiddle I still play, since 1998. It's

just such a treat to be able to pick up the

fiddle and be happy with it. Fiddles usually

fight back once you play them. They're a

hard instrument to master, I don't think

you' ll ever master it, there's always more

techniques and sounds and smoothness

that you can strive for.

To get back to what I was originally talking

about, I was in the States pursuing my

dream and immigration caught up with me.

They warned me that they knew I was

working under the table. I tried to go

through the legal process applying five

times. I had millionaire friends vouching for

me, friends like Mel Tillis. Still they turned

me down, so I had to move back home.

Page 5

ter sang, (Amanda) and I just love Andy's playing and attitude towards bluegrass music. He was the first one I called when our bass play Jean-Marc Boucher, he just got a new job back home, it's hard to play bluegrass for a living and I knew he couldn't get the Friday off, we were driving up and for him to fly in, especially right now, part of the Air Canada staff is on strike. I didn't

him. It's great to have a talent like that on stage beside you. And the bass player ,Tim McDonald, he's a great bass singer and banjo player but now that Carl's playing banjo in the Kitchen party, Tim gets to play some bass.

Gord: You know, it's a great concept for a show, and I'm hoping that it serves its purpose of broadening the experience for bluegrass people and lovers of folk and acoustic music cause honestly, I've never met anyone who liked folk music

That's when I started Acoustic Horizon. If it wasn't for Frank Doody, saying "Welcome back home, I think you should start a bluegrass band, you know, we'll just have some fun." and that's when we started Acoustic Hori­zon, with Frank and myself, and I had another friend, he had two sons and a daughter, but the two sons played mu­sic too, Daniel and Norm Maillet their

want any complications there, to bring up a bass, and all that, so I'm thankful to Andy that he was free and he's thanking us too, cause he misses it too or acoustic music and heard a well after having to leave the Lonesome done bluegrass piece and didn't like it ....

River Band after four great years.... Ray: and that's Carl's number one ob­

Gord: Yeah, they had a great sound, jective, is to make this show not a blue­particularly a great vocal sound . . grass show, to bring out the people to a

good concert and introduce them to the

father Fern Maillet, he played bas~ with Ray: So that's sort of how my band got us and Ron Savoie ended up playing together. We should get back to when guitar/mandolin. so that's what we we met Carl and when Carl had the have. Today, we got a guy like Richard idea to do these Kitchen Parties. He Bourque, he can play guitar as well as just wanted to bring that, I don't know, the mandolin and we can switch off the bluegrass musicians just seem to allows me to play the guitar once i~ have ~ ha~piness about them I guess, awhile, or whatever. It's great to have ~nd fnen_dhne_ss and people enjoy com­guys like that and of course Frank's al- ing out, listening to the sofa music and I ways been with me. was totally in, when Carl asked me to

Gord: And you've got Andy Ball on bass ... was that just a happenstance that he was available? ...

do it. He mentioned that he was going to have this other mandolin player, do­ing some mandolin and guitar work, I said "Gee, who would that be?" and he said "A guy named Joe Clark". I had

Ray: Yes, through my connections in heard of Joe Clark, never met him, but the States, Andy had just left the Lone- had heard how great he was, on all the some River Band (mandolin, tenor vo­cals) to finish off his studies. He's mov­ing to Edmonton to finish off his philoso­phy course, to get his masters in that. He's from Warren, Michigan and was living in Windsor, taking a course there. I met him through Pete Goble actually, I did a recording with Pete Goble and Andy lived right around the corner from him and was helping Pete do the sound engineering. So I met Andy and he said "Yeah, my family's doing a recording and my Dad would really love to have you on it", so I got to meet the fami ly and played on the Richard Ball Family Band Album, with Andy, and the daugh-

Page 6

instruments and we got along really fine. We even did a mandolin duo. It's so great, just to better yourself, each one will do a new lick and it's just an admiration of the other fellow's playing. "Oh yeah , that's a great idea" .. we all know all the mandolin players in the States, that's what we have in common - he's from the heart of Virginia, I be­lieve. - I'm from the East Coast of Can­ada, but I listen to all that music on LPs and cassettes, CDs and all the DVDs I could get hold of, that's the music I studied, but he was there, he lived it, he played with Larry Sparks, he played with all these players and he was play­ing with Honi Deaton when I first saw

bluegrass. I know its getting a little bet­ter now, with the emergence of bands like Alison Krauss and Union Station, Chris Thile and all these bands are bringing in influences of other music and making it more enjoyable to the people who didn't like the hard-core bluegrass, but now they're realizing what true bluegrass is and now they're going back and saying "Gee, I really do like that Bill Monroe music and the Flatt & Scruggs and gee, look at this guy Jimmy Martin, where, wow! boy he's an incredible talent!". Then they do their history, start hearing about the Osborne Brothers, people like the Osborne Brothers, they introduced electric instru­ments, even electrifying the banjo and the mandolin. They were in Nashville pushing that, they heard those songs on the radio, Wheeling, West Virginia, saying "Oh, they're a bluegrass band. OK!"

Gord: The thing I like about the Osbor­nes, they were doing harmony before Daily & Vincent ..

Ray: That's for sure! And very well! With a little research, you'll find it's all been done. I go back and listen to Benny Martin, the stuff he was doing on the fiddle, you can re-learn it and it sounds new. He was a genius.

The Louvin Brothers harmony, it was differ- songs with everybody playing and moving

ent again, because they kept switching har- around and jumping around and dancing,

mony parts. That's not common. Usually and so it's a great show. That group's called

you just find a lead and a direct harmony Bowfire. So those are your stepping stones

and you just do it in parallel all the time, well in making a living at music, you do some­

the Louvin Brothers, they would switch from thing with one person, then someone hears

lead to tenor and jump up to a bigger gap you, gets you doing something else with that

between the voices and it was just magical. person, that's really the way. I had a reputa-

tion and the personality, I guess. I've been Gord: So, what's in the future for Acoustic

able to make a living at it. Horizon?

Gord: Well, I guess we can wrap this inter­Ray: Well, Acoustic Horizon is my 'hobby'

view up. I know you have a set coming up in band, I guess. This is what I enjoy to do and

in the summer months I try to play as much about 45 minutes, so I have to let you go. I

will just append this by saying, anyone who bluegrass as I can and I'd love to tour Acous-

tic Horizon around but to make a living at

bluegrass, or as a musician I had to pursue

hasn 't heard Ray Legere play Kenny Bakers

great tune, "Bluegrass in the Backwoods",

hasn't heard a great fiddle talent at work.

It's available from Ray at http:// other avenues like, John McDermott, he's an

Irish tenor and he's done very well for him­www.raylegere.com/ and the CD is titled

self, so he's heard of me on the East Coast, "Ray Legere - Bluegrass in the Backwoods".

that I can back up a singer, so I play mando-lin and fiddle with him. One of his session I highly recommend this album! It is and has

been one of my all time favorite albums players, Lenny Solomon, a classically trained

jazz musician, he was putting together a

fiddle group of all different styles of music

and he wanted ten fiddle players on stage

playing jazz, bluegrass, Celtic, whatever style

of music we play, and bring it on one stage,

a theatre stage at that, a big light show, eve­

ryone moving around on stage. It was quite

an endeavor, because we had to put mikes

with wireless unit on the fiddles so we could

walk around and then for us to have moni­

tors wherever we walked we had to have a

sound man on stage moving our monitor

sound around the stage to different speak-

ers - so the monitor guy on stage is more

important to the show then the guy doing

the house sound, because the house really

only has two speakers, left and right, there's

obviously more speakers there, but basically

it's a left and a right. For the most part, a live

show is in mono, so really, he's only project­

ing that, but on stage, if I move from stage

right to stage left, he has to move my moni­

tor mix to the other side of the stage, so he's

hands on throughout the entire show. Not

just myself, but all the other fiddlers. We do

since I purchased it at the Nova Scotia festi-

val in about 2004.

Ray Legere and

Acoustic Horizon

Jean-Marc Boucher (hidden), Richard

Bourque, Ray Legere, Frank Doody and Spe­

cial guest Kelsey Maccallum.

(picture taken by Irene Doyle in New Rich­

mond Quebec.)

Pour L'Amour Du Country

Jean Guy Grenier, Ray Legere and Marty Melanson

John McDermott concert with Mark O'Connor

George Koller, Mark O'Connor, Ray Legere and Jason Fowler

Gord DeVries is an active director of BMAC and an

occasional interviewer/writer for this magazine.

Page 7

BANDS INFO-PROVIDED BY INDVIDUAL BANDS

THE BACKWOODSMEN

Contact; Lorne Buck-Telephone: 613-475-3740 191 Goodrich Rd., R.R. #2, Codrington, ON KOK lRO http://backwoodsmen.tripod.com Lorne Buck-Guitar, vocals - Jimmy Ellis-Guitar, voca ls

BLUEGRASS EDITION

Contact: Campbellsbreakdown@hotmail.com

Dan Campbell - Banjo & Vocals,

Doug Van Den Kieboom - Guitar, Dobro & Vocals,

Peter Harrison - Bass & Vocals,

Tim Bellamy - Mandolin, Guitar & Vocals

Page 8

The Peace River Band

Mary Lou Fitzgerald - Guitar, Vocals Danny Morreti - Bass Jimmy Young - Fiddle

Pete Atkins - Banjo Bill Vickers - Mandolin, Vocals Marcel Blais - Guitar, Vocals

Contact: Marcel Blais 905-650-3738

mblais6@gmail .com

FOGGY HOGTOWN BOYS

As pictured left to right in the attached photo:

Andrew Collins- mandolin, fiddle

Max Heineman - acoustic bass

Chris Quinn- banjo, guitar, mandolin

..------------------iii CON-The C-DENNY BAND

Contact: Leann Chadbourn-Telephone 705-776-7754 339 Fichault Rd., Rutherglen, ON POH 2EO E-mail-Lea@thot.net Website-cdennymusic.ca Denis Chadbourn-Guitar Juleann Chadbourn-Fiddle Emily Ann Chadbourn- Mandolin Gord Grasser- Banjo

THE DUCHARME FAMILY BLUEGRASS

Mitch Ducharme, fiddle and mando,vocal

Mike Ducharme, guitar,vocal

Joey Ducharme, bass,vocal

Ray Winterstein, banjo

Contact; Nicole Ducharme 705 758 9589

www.ducharmefamilybluegrass.com

ducharmefamilybluegrass@live.ca

CESSION 23

General Store

Brian Riseborough - guitar and vocals

Helen Lewis - Autoharp and vocals

Norm Tellier - Mondolin and vocals

Bill Blance - banjo & guitar and vocals

John Perkins - bass and vocals

Contact: N orm-519-621-1160

Bill-905-451-9077

Page 9

Jane Uncer - Guitar, lead & harmony vocals

Wes Lowe - Mandolin & Guitar, lead and harmony vocals

Ray Surette - banjo, mandolin and Guitar.

Bob Tremblay - Dobro

Wayne Uncer - bass, lead vocals and harmony

Don Hutchinson - backup banjo, guitar and lead vocals

Contact: Wayne Uncer 766038 Twp. Rd.# 5

Page 10

R.R. 2 lnnerkip On. NOJ lMO

Phone: 519-469-3392 wuncer@xplornet.com

HOMETOWN BLUEGRASS

MIKE KIRLEY-Mandolin, Guitar, Vocals

Leslie Dawn Knowles- Fiddle, Vocals

Don Couchie-Guitar, Banjo, Vocals

Ed McDowell-Bass, Vocals

Al Benner- Banjo, Vocals

Contact : Al Benner-905-936-2008

Email: cofac@eol.ca

Mike Kirley-519-653-4975

Email: mikekirley@gmail.com

HARDRYDE

Doug deBoer- Guitar, Lead Vocals

Rich Koop-Bass, Vocals

Marc Roy- Mandolin, Guitar, Vocals

Garry Greenlaud- Banjo, Vocals

Julie Fitzgerald-Fiddle

CONT ACT: Melissa Sherman

Cell- 519-496-0397

HONEYGRASS

Karen May - bass, lead/harmony vocals,

Marie Gustafson-mandolin, guitar, lead/harmony vocals

Bill Stewart - guitar, lead/harmony vocals

Marion Linton-Fiddle

Graham Stone-Banjo

Contact information: Karen May bassladyl@hotmail.com

JAN PURCELL AND PINE ROAD

Jan Purcell, vocals and fiddle,

Jon Purcell, vocals and guitar, Gary Greenland on banjo and Dickson

Raynard on bass.

Contact: Jan Purcell 819-459-3362

36 Pine Rd, Wakefield, QC JOX 3GO

pineroadbluegrass@gmail.com www.pineroadbluegrass.com

NOTRE DAME DE GRASS

Members: Matt Large - guitar

Guy Donis - banjo

Joe Grass - mandolin

Josh Zubot - fiddle

Andrew Horton-bass

contact: Matthew Large

matt@hellodarlinproductions.com

NEW CUMBERLAND

Tom Bums - Guitar and vocals

Blair Heddie - Mandolin, dobro and vocals

Paul Hurdle - Banjo and vocals

Tom Rutledge - String bass

CONTACT:

Email - tombums@newcumberlandband.com

Phone - 519 - 438 -2274

RHYME 'N' REASON BLUEGRASS & GOSPEL BAND

Doug Moerschfeld-Guitar, Lead, Harmony Vocals

Stefan Van Holten-Banjo, Lead, Harmony Vocals

Bill Koop-Mandolin, Guitar, Lead, Harmony Vocals

Gary glenn-Bass, Harmony Vocals

FOR BOOKINGS CONTACT STEFAN OR DIANA AT

905-517-7478 OR 905-679-4049 OR E-MAIL Banjostef@aol.com

http://rhymenreasonbluegrass.shutterfly.com

Page 11

Page 12

The Rivets Bluegrass

Contact:Marc Rivet 705-591-2029

banjomarc@hotmail .com

Simcoe County Ramblers

Jill Jones - Guitar, Vocals Randy Brethour - Madolin, Vocals

Doug Cornish - Banjo Gene Gouthro - Bass, Vocals

Contact: Jill Jones 416-449-0822 or 905-729-2308

jill.jones@simcoecountyramblers.com www.simcoecountyramblers.com

ROAD SCHOLARS BLUEGRASS

Cheryl Maude-Guitar

Bill Welburn -Mandolin

Garth Priest-Guitar

Rick Rossi-Banjo

Perry Benedik-Bass

Contact-pbenedik@hotmail.com

The Algoma Wildflowers

Johan Delisle- Bass

Debbie French -Guitar

Gloria Hansen-Mandolin, Autoharp

All band members sing Lead & Harmony

Contact: Gloria Hansen at glowin@persona.ca

Phone: 705-848-0448

Christine Smith-Lead/Harmony Vocals, Guitar, Mandolin

Bob Wingrove- Dobro

Ron Coltman- Lead/Harmony Vocals, Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin

Paul Atkinson- Harmony Vocals, Fiddle, Mandolin, Guitar, Banjo

Jim Atkinson-Lead/Harmony Vocals, Guitar, Fiddle

Glen Atkinson-Bass

THE TRADITIONALLY WOUND

Contact: Sheldon Speedie

Telephone: 519-389-6097 (home) or 519-385-1292 (cell)

skspeedie@bmts.com

Wayne Ferguson-fiddle

Jerry McNulty- Guitar, Vocals

Jim McNulty-Guitar, Vocals

Nick McDonald- Mandolin, Vocals

Ken Grooms-Banjo

Sheldon Speedie- Bass

WILL WHITE

BASED IN CALGARY ALBERTA

WEBSITE: WWW.WILL WHITEMUSIC.COM

WINTERLINE

Gabe Gagnon, on guitar and vocals;

Joyce Gagnon, on mandolin and vocals;

Ron Jubenville, on banjo and vocals ;

Bernie Caron, on mandolin, violin and vocals;

Ken Robichaud, on dobro and

Jared Lozon on upright bass.

Contact:winterline@live.com

Page 13

Sally Creek Music Festival Discontinued

It is with extremely heavy hearts that we announce the discontinuance of the Sally Creek Music Festival leaving one less venue for our home grown Bluegrass musicians to play for reasonable compensation.

For the past three years the promoters of the Festival have done their utmost to provide a top quality venue with top quality entertainment at a reasonable price. During that time we have booked twenty-two Canadian acts with most of them originating in Ontario. This is an average of six to seven Canadian acts each year.

In 2009 the weather knocked us out resulting in a far greater loss than we anticipated. We expected 2010 to be better and it was but not enough for us to break even on the year. We lost more money. For 2011 we trimmed our attendance expectations and trimmed the budget to reflect our actual 2010 attendance. Our at­tendance actually decreased by 10% for no apparent reason. The weather was great and the entertainment superb. We stuck to our budget and came in on target but the sales just did not materialize.

The 2011 event was actually a great success if you consider establishing a tight budget, meeting that goal, and providing one heck of a Bluegrass Festival and lineup. The stellar US and CON bands we had on our program made it the best one in Ontario. We suspect that economics and high fuel cost have had something to do with our short fall in attendance. The Canada Day weekend is our only open weekend for southern Bluegrass events and there are many other free outdoor events happening that same weekend . We have sat and seriously analyzed it since the event and cannot pin point a specific reason the Bluegrass commu­nity failed to support the hottest lineup to hit Ontario in years.

The budget for 2012 allowing for the loss in attendance could be established by simply reducing the budget by our loss and hope for a break even. This would cripple our ability to provide a quality lineup that would draw, and given the decline in attendance with the excellent show we presented, it could prove to be an even greater loss at the gate. Although the losses have lessened with budget restraints it now appears that regardless of what we do, no financial forecast could be guaranteed

A lot of hard work and long hours went into promoting the event and without the support of all of our families, friends , and volunteers, it wouldn't have happened. It came to be recognized as the best Bluegrass Festival in Ontario as stated by many of our attendees. Too bad we couldn't get more of them to come out.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our loyal volunteers and fans who have stuck with us during the past three years.

Wayne Uncer & Wes Lowe

Page 14

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... and many more!

Full Line of Electrics, Bass, Drums, Amps & PA equipment

Page 15

Page 16

Gary Hubbard

ARTICLE #3 MUSIC"BIZ"

(Performance Royalties - Part 2) - "Live" Performances -Festivals

The Copyright ta riff fo r "Live performances at theatres or other places of entertainment Tariff #4 (a) is 3 percent of gross receipts from ticket sales of paid concerts with a minimum fee per concert of $35" or (b) "3 percent offees paid to singers, musicians, dancers, conductors and other performing artists during a "free concert with a minimum fee per concert of $35". This section also gives SOCAN the right to audit. http://www.cb-cda.gc.ca/ta riffs-ta rifs/proposed-proposes/mus[c-musigue-e. html

The promoter is responsible J;o report t he gross sales and make payment to SOCAN 3% of these grosses by Ja n 31st of the year fo llowing the festival or performance. The promoter must also subm it a set list of songs to SOCAN. http:ljwww.socan.ca

At the seminar at Deerhurst last November, I provided the fo llowing calculation of what an individua l song might earn at a Festiva I.

10 bands X 2 sets x 10 songs per set= 200 songs performed(+ songs by me?) Festival "gross'' x 3% =total pmt to SOCAN .... $20,000 x 3% = $ 600

* $570/200songs = $2.85 per song... * (Less PRO fee-5%)

The PRO (SOCAN) would then pay 50% of this to the writer and 50% to the music publishe r. Obviously, if the song is a co-write, the amount per writer will reduce accord ingly. Any monies collected on behalf of other PROs would be forwarded to that PRO. It is obvious from the above that the song must (a) be performed at a great number of festivals and/or (b) be performed at festivals with higher grosses fo r it to generate any material income. The best bet is for the song to generate enough excitement on stage that the audience member wants to buy a CD or other merchandise available at the festival or seek out more information on the band on the internet.

Please note that the above is for educational purposes only. The current Copyright Ta riff and SOCAN policies will need to be refere nced to provide their specific defi nitions, requirements and payment schedules. Any questions ca n be directed to me via the BMAC e-mail address.

Gary Hubbard, CGA

Notice of Annual, General Meeting and Election

The Bluegrass Music Association of Canada

Saturday November 19, at 0930hrs

Deerhurst Resort, Harris Room (upstairs) (Central Canada Bluegrass Awards}

Bands, fans, clubs, media, promoters, all welcome.

BAL-1C u·o1-t!d like to congmt11/ate all m1ists 11omi11ated for the 27th mmHal Eastern C:-1nada Bluegrass 1lfusic A wards, hei11g held 22 Oct. i11 Tn,ro, 1"\.TS. and artists nontiflated for the 33rd am111al Central Can;uh.';,m 1lfusic A wards, bei1Jg held 191\Joti. i11 H 111ztsville) 01' -l. StqJ' l!medl IV111nf1:r ll'ill be p11b!ished in 011r ne::d iss11e.

Rlm,or has it ... that d1te to flnat1cia! cotlsiderations, the Sal/)' Creek B!t1egrass Festit1al has been disco11ti1111ed. It is fi1rther r11111ored, that in it's place) a brand neJJ~ all- ranadian ftstii·al is in the )J'orks. It 1~r said that this Great Canadicm Bl11egmss Festival Jl'ill contiwte to be held at the Dorcester Fair Gromirlr, j1tsf 1101th of L ondon, on Canada Dt!)' 1nekend. This event n·ill ftat11re Canadian bands exclusively . Cool eh!

The Northern Bluegrass Co1nniittee has confir1ned its list of dates and perfonners for it's 2012 winter concert series. ~ 'atch for Reniington Ryde, Grasstowne an d Notliing Fancy to b e on tour in the 1nonths of Feb, !vlarch & April. Check the Northern Bluegrass Conunittee website for particulars. w,vw.northen1bluegrass.co1n

Bands releasing a new cd are encouraged t o submit copies of t heir works to t he dj's

listed in t his publicat ion, and to Archives Canada. For a print review, please send a copy to :

Tim Osmond

(Home Routes) 951 Asburn St., WINNIPEG, MB

3G 3El Tim@simplyfolk.com

Page 17

www.genstorebluegrass.com Norm: 519-621-1160 • Bill: 905-451-9077

Central Canada Bluegrass Awards: 1' Gospel Bluegrass Band of the Year, 5 years 1' Mandolin Player of the Year Norm Tellier, 2 years 1' 2004 promising group of the year

Also Nominated for: Vocal Group of the Year, Entertainer of the year, Male Vocalist, Female Vocalist, Guitarist and Overall Group of the year.

See and hear what all the fuss is about!

Page 18

Special rates for members

SEE PAGE 24 FOR RATES

Divorced from Reality

Written by

Mike Kirley-Hometown Bluegrass

When I first heard Bluegrass, I thought it all sounded the same. Fast, repetitive, and regressive. My mother called it "White Trash Hill­billy music" . And she was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. She should know.

"You don't want to listen to that mu­sic Michael. They all sing through their noses.

Listen to Mozart.", she said.

I really liked Doc Watson from my university "folkie" days however, and took one of his Vanguard al­bums, Southbound to a music store in Aurora to find a teacher. All my buddies were splitting up with their wives, and I thought I'd better take up a hobby. Avoid the seven-year itch if I could .

"I want to play like this guy." I told the store clerk, pointing to the album cover.

"Don't we all?" he replied. "There are only two guys around here that can flatpick like that. One is Red Shea, and he is busy with The Tommy Hunter Show .. The other guy lives in a two room apartment up the street and is going through a divorce .. "

Eight lessons later I was playing Red-Haired Boy on my Norman guitar.

To this day I call it my "eighty dollar tune". It was my teacher that intro­duced me to the guitar playing of Tony Rice.

All his wife left him was his Mar­tin guitar and his bluegrass albums. I

helped him kill a twenty-sixer of Ca­nadian Club one night and we lis­tened to Bluegrass until I fell asleep on his couch. I found Tony Rice's gutsy G-runs and whirling riffs mes­merizing.

Then I heard his version of Doc Watson's Blue Railroad Train. That did it. If this was Bluegrass, I wanted more. Divorce or no divorce. I talked him into taping the album for me. I went home and played it over and over and over and over and over again. I was

hooked.

Meanwhile, at the Lion's Club meeting in Tottenham, Al Benner was flipping a coin as to whether they would have a Folk festival or a Bluegrass festival at the Conserva­tion Area south of town . Bluegrass won. As I lived in Tottenham, I got to go to my first Bluegrass Festival. I met Al at the top of the hill. I immedi­ately told him about Tony Rice, and had he heard "Blue Railroad Train" yet? He smiled at me and offered me his huge hand in friendship.

"Actually, all this music sounds the same to me, fast and whiney."

I talked to him some more about Tony Rice, trying to convert him to my newfound joy. I was bubbling over with enthusiasm. Al just smiled patiently and listened. All that next year the Lion's Club members re­ferred to me as "the fan". I was the only guy in town that seemed to ap­preciate this music.

Meanwhile, "unbeknownst to me" (is that a word?) Al had been mesmerized by a

different Bluegrass song, Rebel Soldier, as sung by Eddie LeBlanc, of Cross Country Grass. He took

up banjo lessons in Alliston and got through the Hal Leonard book. By that spring we were jamming to­gether once a week.

At the second Tottenham Blue­grass Festival Peter Deveau intro­duced us to Don LeBlanc, a Blue­grass guitarist from Mono Mills. I switched over to mandolin. I also knew Gene Gouthro through some work connections. Al knew a guy through work too that played bass, Darcy Spady. Before you knew it we had a band that met once a week in the Lion's room. Exciting times!

We sounded more vocally like the Sons of the Pioneers than a Blue­grass Band, and we went through eleven bass players before Tom Mccreight joined up. But we met once a week, every week, rain, snow or shine. And that is the way it has· been for 26 years.

Hometown Bluegrass now has Leslie Dawn Knowles as our fid­dler, an amazing professional violin­ist in the first section of the Toronto Symphony. We have Don Couchie as our guitarist, a seasoned veteran who has been singing and playing Bluegrass since the seventies. And we have Ed McDowell on stand-up bass, one of the finest Bluegrass bass players around.

And he has a full-sized western bar in his rec room where we practice once a week. Life is good.

And I am not divorced. Yet.

Page 19

Whoooooo weeeeeee what a summer it has been, so many places to see and only a short amount of t ime to do it

in . Where do I start?? June 17-19"' 1st Annual Ga lop Ca na l Bluegrass festival, probably t he most un ique setting fo r a bluegrass

festiva l ever .... Bluegrass music, jamming and t he busy traffic of the boa.ts going t hrough t he canat all day and night. Never got

t ired of watchi ng the boats .. this fest ival will cont inue to grow and become a favo urite among bluegras.sers.

Dust'{ drifters on stage at Galop R'n'R, yes th at i s a boat going tliru the cana l Eagle Nesting at Ga lop

Sally Creek fest iva l June 30, Ju ly 1-3 (sad to announce, Sally Creek will not take place in 2012)

In its 3'd yea r t his festival can do no wrong, top notch bands from Onta rio, and then wow t he line-up of bands from the st ates,

Blue Highway, Kenny & Amanda Smith, Dave Peterson & 1946 were my faves, Joe Clark my neighbour was t he guest bassist so I

may be a tad bias. Also New Outlook from Ohio, our cd t ent was set up next to theirs and they gave t he guys from R'n' R t he

ultimat e compliment when they to ld us they thought it was a cd playing while R'n'R were on stage and New Outlook were out

back wait ing t o go on .. we wondered why the bass pla.yer and guitarist wa lked on stage during their set. Now we Kn ow ..

Dave Talbot & Stefan Van Holten Paur Nosko 1 of many volun teers at Sa lly creek Closing Ce remonies with lVBMA

Afte r a ll the excit,ement of Sally Creek we got to do it all over aga in the very next weekend at Re nfrew Valley Bluegrass

Festiva l, t his was a fa vourite of mine years ago so I was glad to be heading back t here, .. Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Friday night

did not disappoint although t he show had to st op fo r a bit due to a t hunde r storm. he played for 90 min. But fe lt more like

10 .. . Monroe Crossing always an entertaining show, Spinney Bros. Acoustic Blue, again the best of the :best were to be seen,

hea rd on stage and shake and howdied with under the cd tent . If you have not been t o this festiva l, you need to mark it on your

calenders for next year .. Most of my pies got sizzled from t he hot sun, but I ma naged to salvage a few ..

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver General Store Spinney Bros, Stefan , Doug and VI P !an=cruising

Page 20

Owen Sound was fun, this time I am sorry to say we did not take the extra day (Fri) off, but my self-employed husband worked it and tried to catch up on unfinished business ... we decided to car pool it with Cindy & Doug and rough it at a motel, The Queens Bush Bluegrass Club really know how to treat their members to a line-up of the astounding bluegrass groups in Ontario. Although very hot and most of us were melting it was another great weekend ...

On the subject of Bluegrass Clubs, Kudos to all the volunteers who help keep their members in the know ... although technically Stefan and I do not belong to just one club, we try to get outto as many clubs within our rainge as often as possible .. Waterloo-Kitchener club is closest to us and there never seems to be a shortage of banjo players there .. Mike Kirley hosts a slow Jam/workshop early in the evening while a circle jam takes place in another area of the hall. Thamestord Valley now moved to Dorchester, has a mic set up and all are encouraged to sing , play or just clap along. Oshawa Bluegrass Club (Pineridge Bluegrass and Folklore Society} is held once a month on a Sunday in the non festival season and although the farthest from us, one of my favorites ... simply because it is set up I fke we are watching a show, lots of chairs tor the many folks who come out to just simply listen. Downstairs where most of the musicians hang out is where tihe jamming happens and the conspiring to form a band to play on the stage upstairs develops .. for further info on these clubs or others check out the BMAC listings ..

A first tor us, Flinton Country/Bluegrass Jamboree was a pleasant surprise, a nice mix of country and bluegrass, well organized and a good t ime was had by all of us ... I had one of those days when we arrived at the stage and realized that my camera was left back at the trailer, trekked back to get it, took a pictur,e of the guys on stage to findl out the batteries had died . ..! always carry batteries in my purse but for some reason there weren't any ... so lesson leamed ...

R'n'R was asked to perform at Conestoga Trails bluegrass Festival when a U.S. band had to cancel due, to health problems. 1 have to say this festival does have a great family feel to it and it was nice to see all the folks from the Oshawa Pineridge Bluegrass and Folklore Society contributing all their time to making this festival a success .. A extra big thank you goe.s out to Rolly Levielle who has recorded his experience and posted videos from numerous festivals on You-Tube. Rol ly ha.s a online article you can check out at http:Jlbluegrassfestivalhangout.com

The rest of R'n'Rs week.ends have been fi lled with Heritage days, Music fn Parks, churches and fal l f.airs, it was nice to get to spend time with our families and catch up on long neglected chores .. .! am busy organizing an amazing schedule for R'n'R that not only includes a Florida Cruise and Festival, but we'll be heading to Nova Scotia in 2012 .. .Another flrst tor us ... We feel truly blessecLHere are a few more pies that are special to me .. and don't forget to take some time for some R'n'R ...

***" since writing this, Sally Creek has sadly come to an end. R'n'R has many fond memories performing there and even fonder memories of the wondertul people, who tried to make it a success ...

Sally cre,ek at night

Place-Cir>dy making sure there are no burnt heads

Stefanie our daughter at River

Valley/2010

··NOTE· • rm 'JUST A

BLUEGRASS WIFE' •. SOME of

these opinions do not necessarily

reflect th.e opinions of others ... .

Diana Van Holten

Alan 6ibey (Grasstowne)

loves this pit I took ..

Just a 'Bluegrass Wife'

Henley gospel Festival

what a view ..

Page 21

Manitoulin Festival & Special Olympics

Now entering it's third year, the Manitoulin Blue­grass Festival, (aka Bluegrass in the Country) is buil­ding a reputation as a choice destination for both bands and fans alike. And who could ask for more? A beautiful location, nice folks, and a great cause .. . oh, and our kind of music ..

Bluegrass in the Country is the brainchild of

Brother John Featherstone, host of the Sunday Mor­ning Gospel Hour, on CFRM Radio 100. 7 The Island and his son Austin. Thanks to kind-hearted station owner, K.T. Timmermans, Bluegrass in the Country recieves a good deal of sponsorship-based promotion along the north shore of Lake Huron. This invaluable asset, has afforded the festival a huge advantage in establishing itself. KT readily acknowledges that country music has its roots in bluegrass, and CFRM listeners have embraced this new festival. Oddly enough, not so much with the bluegrass community. The fact that this is a one day event only, may have some bearing. The good news is, that each year the festival is growing.

The Fair grounds at Providence Bay, make the ideal venue, having access to both an indoor and an outdoor stage, which makes this event weather-proof. No uncertainty, and no need for rain-soaked, or sun­baked fans .... comfortingly, this removes one of the risks to producing a successful festival.

In establishing this event, bands from northern Ontario were utilized, affording regional bands some showcase opportunities, which also assisted in kee­ping festival costs down. The plan to grow this event, seems to be a prudent strategy in these times of eco­nomic uncertainty.

As with many festivals , this one too, has it's worthwhi­le cause for which it raises funds. Indeed the whole premise for this festival is, to enjoy good music, while raising money for a good cause, namely The Mani­toulin Special Olympics program. Numerous Special Olympics athletes, have benefitted from the charitable nature of this festival, including John's own son, Aus­tin. It has assisted Austin , and other special olym­pians, with costs related to equipment, training, and transportation. As a direct result, these olympians have been able to travel to events such as the Pro­vincial Winter Games, the National Games, the Sum­mer World Games, and the biggie, The World Special Olympics. They have thrived as contenders, and ha­ve won numerous medals at all levels of competition . In fact, this year, Austin was named Male Athlete of the Year. Congratulations Austin!

Page 22

Oh, and did I mention that Austin and many of the other special olympian ambassadors, love and play bluegrass music? The consequence of Bluegrass in the Country has been enormously positive. If you have never been to this festival, I highly recommend that you do so. Good folks, good music, good cau­se!

Leann Chadbourn

Pictured : Austin Featherstone winning gold medal in the 400 meters in Athens Greece.

Austin and his parents

NEWS FROM THE EASTERN PROVINCES

WITH BMAC CORRESPONDENT-WILSON MOORE

40TH ANNUAL NOVA SCOTIA BLUEGRASS & OLDTIME MUSIC FESTIVAL

This year, the Nova Scotia Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Festival celebrated it's 40th Anniversary. Always held the last full weekend of July, this festival is believed to be the oldest continuous operating event of it's kind in Canada.

This festival is organized by The Downeast Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Society, which also presents The Eastern Canada Bluegrass Music Awards Show in October.

Throughout the course of it's existence, The Nova Scotia Bluegrass & Oldstime Music Festival has changed venues a total of six times, having finally settled in Bible Hill, a suburb of Truro, Nova Scotia. For the past three years, this event has been held in a huge plastic covered domed building, with astro turf on the floor, on the Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition grounds. This venue works very well, and hopefully this festival will not be going anywhere else anytime soon. Sound reinforcement is sometimes an issue in a bulding such as this, but this year Nova Scotia's Greg Griffin and his support crew provided excel­lent sound.

This festival endeavours to present a cross section of some of the top bluegrass and oldtime music artists in the Maritimes and some of the emerging artists as well. Also, over the years such bluegrass greats as Bill Monroe, Del McCoury, J.D. Crowe, Bill Harrell, The Bluegrass Cardinals, etc., have graced the stage. This year the talented and knowledgeable David Peterson, and his band 1946 were the featured U.S. artists.

Plans are already underway for the 41 st Annual Nova Scotia Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Festival.

40TH BLUEGRASS & OLD TIME MUSIC FESTIVAL

EDDY POIRIER-GUITAR, JANET McGARRY-MANDOLIN

BRIAN POIRIER-BASS, SERGE BERNARD-BANJO

VALERIE SMITH & BECKY BULLER

In August, Valerie Smith and her band mate, Becky Buller paid a surprise visit to the Amherst, Nova Scotia area. Fol­lowing a hectic six week tour of Europe in May, they and their manager, J. Gregory Heinike, decided to spend some vacation time in the Maritimes.

ALEX LEACH-LARRY GILLS BAND &

WILSON MOORE

Bob helps organize an open mic eve- grass and Americana related TV docu­ning on Thursdays at Duncan's Pub, a mentaries with the next few months in popular gathering spot in downtown the U.S.A., with the first one airing pos­Amherst. On August 11th, Valerie and sibly in January. Becky showed up, and joined in with a few other local musicians for a most entertaining evening.

Valerie and Becky then journeyed to

Through contacts with Judy Osborne, Prince Edward Island, where they were who is a former area resident, now liv- to play a gig with a Daughter of Blue­ing in Ontario, (and the Abrams Broth- grass compatriot, Janet McGarry and ers grandma), they landed at a summer her husband, Serge Bernard. When camp in Northport, Nova Scotia, on the asked about her upcoming visit to PEI, scenic Shinimicas River. The camp is Becky replied "I am a big Ann of Green located on the old homestead property Gables fan , so in preparation for this ------'--where Judy and her siblings spent their trip, I have been reading all of my Lucy VALERIE SMITH & BECKY BULLER WITH

younger years. The property is now Maude Montgomery novels." DARREN MOORE-MANDOLIN &

shared by the siblings, one of who is Gregory stated that he expects to have TIM HICKS-GUITAR

Bob Ackles a local Amherst musician. the girls involved in a series of blue-

Page 23

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Publicize your event, band or organization in "BLUEGRASS CANADA" or on our

website.

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Prices subject to change-confirm with Editor or Webmaster the rate

Page 24

ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERS

Here is a list of the organizations who have become members of BMAC:

Bluegrass Sundays

Contact: Judy Fink 416-779-2627 bgsundays@aol.com

Campbell's Corner Music Sales

Contact: Dan Campbell 519-371-5037 campbellsbreakdown@hotmail .com

Music City

Contact: Mike Perreault Toll Free 877-895-9411 www.music-city.ca sales@music-city.ca

Nechville Musical Products 9700 Humboldt Ave. S

Bloomington, MN 55431

952-888-9710

nechville.com

The Stringman Contact: Gord DeVries 800-587-4647 gdevries@thestringman.com

FESTIVALS

Lindsay Country and Bluegrass Music Jamboree Contact : Albert Hefferman 800-954-9998 info@lindsaycountryjamboree

Minden Hills Bluegrass Festival

Contact: Dennis Casey www.mindenhillsbluegrassfestival.ca roxden@sympatico.ca

Palmer Rapids Twin Music Festival

Contact: Allan Schutt 613-758-2747

Sally Creek Music Festival

Contact: Wayne Uncer 519-469-3392 1-888-288-4423 www.sallycreekmusicfestival.ca www.tvbma.ca

Tottenham Bluegrass Festival Contact: Peter Deveau 905-936-4100 1-888-258-4727 www.tottenhambluegrass.ca

PRESENTERS

Holstein Bluegrass Celebration William Crooks 905-846-3160 www.bluegrassinholstein.ca wjcrooks@sympatico.ca

Hapidawg Productions Melissa Sherman 613-392-2412 melissa@hardryde.ca

Manitoba Oldtyme Bluegrass Society Inc. (MOBS) Contact: John Sawatzky 204-467-2182 www.manitobabluegrass.ca

Nipissing Bluegrass Association Contact: Denis Chadbourn 705-776-7754 lea@thot.net

Northern Bluegrass Committee Contact: Tony DeBoer Bluegrass.gypsy@hotmail.com

Ottawa Valley Bluegrass Association Contact: Nick Strachan/Sherry Philp 819-459-1089/613-623-0779 www.valleygrass.ca

Queensbush Bluegrass Club Contact: Shannon Campbell 519-371-5037 www.queensbush.ca

Skyway Bluegrass Club Contact: Roland Aucoin 905-635-1818 raucoin@cogeco.ca

Thames Valley Bluegrass Music Assoc. Contact: Paul Nosko, President 519-936-1695 http://www.tvbma.ca/ pnosko@yahoo.com

Waterloo Wellington Bluegrass Music Association Contact: Glen George 519-576-0149 gandn@sympatico.ca

Backwoodsmen Contact: Lorne Buck 613-475-3740

C-Denny Band Contact: Dennis Chadbourn 705-776-7754 lea@thot.net

Concession 23 Contact: Nick Strachan/Sherry Philp 819-459-1089/613-623-0779 info@concession23.com www.concession23.com

Ed N Sons Bluegrass Band Contact: Brent Guay Elaine.t@sympatico.ca General Store Contact: Bill Blance 905-451-9077 billblance@yahoo.com

The Generation Gap Contact: Gretchen Lamers 519-866-5910 l_love_reba@hotmail.ca

Gid-R-Done Contact: Wayne Uncer 519-469-3392 wuncer@xplornet.com

Hard Ryde Contact: Doug DeBoer 519-249-0397 melissa@hardryde.ca www.hardryde.ca

Hometown Bluegrass Contact: Al Benner 905-936-2008 or 647-430-5761 cofac@eol.ca www.hometownbluegrass.ca

Honeygrass Contact: Karen May 705-788-4362 bassladyl@hotmail.com www.honeygrass.com

Jan Purcell and Pine Road Contact: Jan Purcell 819-459-3362 pineroadbluegrass@gmail.com www.pineroadbluegrass.com

Peace River Band Contact: Marcel Blais 15 Myrtle Ave St. Catherines ON L2M 5W2 905-650-3738 www.peaceriverband.com mblais6@gmail.com

Rhyme'N'Reason Contact: Stefan Van Holten 905-679-4049 banjostef@aol.com

The Rivets Bluegrass Contact: Marc Rivet 705-591-2029 banjomarc@hotmail.com

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Simcoe County Ramblers Contact: Jill Jones 905-729-2308 jilljones@sympatico.ca Www.simcoecountyramblers.com

The Algoma Wildflowers Gloria Hansen 57A London Cr. Elliot Lake ON P5A 2P7 705-848-0448 glowin@persona.ca

Traditionally Wound Contact: Sheldon Speedie 519-389-6097 skspeedie@bmts.com

Winterline Contact: Ron Jubenville 519-352-4079 jubyfive@hotmail.com

Bluegrass on the Radio Linda Axman and Dan Joseph Blueridge Express CKRW-FM-98.5-Kitchener Wednesday at 7:30-8:30 p.m.

Dan Bieman Bluegrass Rules AM920 CKNX-www.am920.ca dbieman@cknxradio.com 519-357-1310- ext. 446 Sundays at 1:00 p.m.

David Blakeny Daybreak in Dixie CJAM-FM 91.5-www.cjam.ca daybreakindixie@cjam.ca Sunday 8:00-10:00 a.m.

Country Grass - Erin Radio 88.lFM Donna Muir 519-856-9159 muir-8@sympatico.ca

Howard Bonner The Catalogue Parlour cfrc@ams.queensu.ca Fridays - 6:00-8:00 p.m. CFRC - 101.9 FM-www.cfrc.ca

Brother John's Sunday Morning Gospel Hour www.100.7theisland.com Sunday 8:00 a.m.

Bluegrass Revival with Gloria Hansen Sunday 9:00 a.m www.100. 7theisland .com

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Don Day and Dusty Hill Bluegrass Express country93@radioowensound.com CKCY 93.7 FM-www.country93.ca 519-376-2030 Sundays at 9:00 p.m.

Linda Elliott Country and Bluegrass CHIP 101.7 FM-www.chipfm .com 819-683-3155 - 888-775-3155 radiopontiac@chipfm.com Saturday - 5:00-10:00 p.m. Sunday- 6:00-10.00 p.m.

Audrey Lockwood Bluegrass Program CKOL 93.7FM-ckol­radio@excite.com Friday 9:00-10:00 p.m.

Jim Marino Smokin' Bluegrass jlmarino@mountaincable.net CFMU-FM 93 .3 http://cfmu.mcmaster.ca

John and Angel McNaughton with Maria Polillo The Bluegrass Show litefoot@worldchat.com CKRZ-FM 100.3-www.ckrz.com Tuesday 7:00-11:00 p.m

Wilson Moore Bluegrass Jam CHMA-FM 106.9-Sackville, NB 506-364-2221 www.mta.ca/chma-chma@mta.ca Saturdays 6:00 pm-Sundays 4:30 pm (Atlantic Time)

Ron Moores The Back 40 CKCU FM 93.1-www.ckcufm.com ron .moores@back40.ca www.back40.ca Saturday Noon-1:00 p.m.

Tim Osmond CJUM 101.5 Winnipeg Sundays 4-5 pm CST osmondt@gmail.com Www.umfum.com

EASTERN CANADA BLUEGRASS MUSIC AWARDS

The 27th .-\nnual Eastern Canada Bluegrass Music Awards were held in Truro on October 2 2nd with a wonderful lineup of talent .

Follov..rin g is a lis t of nominees and winners from tha t evening:

BANJO PLAYER OF THE VEAR· DARREN RICHARD (Bluegrass Tradition). Also nominated: Ryan Dillman - Shadow River and Jeff McRae (Southbound)

BASS PLAYER OF THE VEAR - TERRY MUMFORD (A New Shade Of Blue). Also nominated: Karen Decoste (Bluegrass Tradition) and Brian Hazlett (Shadow River).

DOBRO PLAYER OF THE YEAR - DOUG PROCTOR (Shadow River). Also nominated: Dan Fraser (Southbound) and George Grant (Joe Casey & Westwlnd).

FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - CHRISTAL THIBAULT (New Ground) A lso nominated: Megan !senor (Megan !senor & Connection ) and Lucas Munro (The Mark Boutilier Bluegrass Band).

GUITAR PLAYER OF THE VEAR - Darrin Beaton (Bluegrass Tradition).

Also nominated: Todd Macumber (A New Shade Of Blue) and Ron Savoie (Acoustic Heartstrings).

MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR - DAVID SAULNIER (New Ground). Also nominated: Gary Dalrymple (Spinney Brothers) and Dean Simm (A New Shade Of Blue).

BAND OF THE YEAR - BLUEGRASS TRADITION Also nominated: A New Shade Of Blue and New Ground.

MALE VOCALIST OF THE VEAR - GLEN WILLIAMS (Grassfire) Also nominated: David Doyle (Shadow River) and Dean Simm (A New Shade Of Blue).

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR· CHRISTAL THIBAULT (New Ground). A lso nominated: Karen DeCose (Bluegrass Tradition) and Megan !senor (Megan !senor & Connection).

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR - BLUEGRASS TRADITION Also nominated: Grassfire and New Ground.

GOSPEL PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR - BLUEGRASS TRADITION Also nominated: Grassfire and New Ground.

INDIVIDUAL ENTERTAINER. DARREN RICHARD (Bluegrass Tradition) Also nominated: Serge Bernard(Janet McGarry & Wildwood) and Mike Dixon (Saddle River).

BLUEGRASS TRADITION

GRASSFIRE

THE SHADOW RIVER BLUEGRASS BAND

RECORDING OF THE YEAR - A NEW SHADE OF BLUE Also nominated: Bluegrass Tradition and New Ground .

MOST PROMISING BAND - SHADOW RIVER Also nominated: Megan lsenor & Connection and Mountain River.

COMPOSER OF THE YEAR - KAREN DECOSTE (Bluegrass Tradition) Also nominated: Trevor Boutlller{Bluegrass Tradi tion) and Ryan Dlllman(Shadow River).

PROMOTER OF THE YEAR - JERRY M URPHY Also nominated: Anne-Marie & Maurice Melanson and Wayne Dugas. The winner of PROMOTER also received the CHRJS DRA~ER MEMORIAL AWARD.

EMCEE OF THE YEAR - SERGE BERNARD Also nominated: Ken Edwards and Bob Sharples.

RADIO/TV DJ OF THE YEAR· WAYNE DUGAS (CIFA) Also nominated: Nancy Keddy(Sackvllle Community Radio and Wilson Moore (CHMA).

MASTER AWARDS for being five time vtinners In their categories were presented to CHRISTAL THIBAULT for FIDDLE PLAYER and SERGE BERNARD for EMCEE.

The Participation Award went to the EASTERN SHORE BLUEGRASS MUSIC ASSOCIATION with 65.5% of ballot returns. The runners up being Truro & Area Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association and East Hants Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association.

The FAN Of THE YEAR award went to DAVE & MARILYN SINGER of the East Hants club.

Certificates of Recognition were awarded to FRED I SENOR of REC- TV, MILFORD, NS for

30 Years as a Bluegrass Show Host

The deserving person to rece ive LIFETIME MEMBER this year was ART MACNEIL, member of the East Hants Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association and the Truro & Area Bluegrass & Oldtlme Music Association. Art has also spent a considerable amount of time working for the Oowneast Bluegrass & Oldtlme Music Society.

Jerry Murphy Treasury & Promotions Oowneast Bluegrass & Old lime Music Society

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