Granny Pam

OK, we saw this, it’s true, this kid did really play that way.

I know you probably already checked today, to see if my I peeled my self out of bed a wrote something, and the answer is no.  But I wanted to let you know:

The Dan Band is as good as you could possibly imagine.  Better.  Better than that.  In case you see Jeff, Adam was playing a Daley, and it sounded good, very good.  It wasn’t this one, it was quite worn.  At first, I though it had some kind of funky yellow pick guard on it.  Really.

We’ll be headed downtown to watch a couple of Michigan groups, Hardline Drive and Max and Ruth Bloomquist,  play at the Bluegrass Inn.

We are attending the awards show again this year, then we’ll probably hit a few downtown spots to check out some of the music.  Fanfest starts tomorrow, then we’ll really be soaking up the atmosphere and sounds.

The Nashville Zoo was a blast yesterday.  The Croft house and its outbuildings on the site.  The home was not open yesterday, but the Master Gardeners who maintain the garden were present.  We enjoyed a very interesting tour of a southern kitchen garden, finding what was grown, and what varieties.  I ended up with a cookbook from the gift shop.

One more thing, the lineup for Jimmy Kittle’s Pickin’ on CF benefit is finalized.  Jimmy has a great line-up.  Please let everyone know to save April 4th, 2009 and be there to help us raise money to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.  What could be more important?

We were sorry to learn yesterday that our friend Cecil passed away on Monday.  He had been Ill a few months this time, but had previously fought off various illnesses.

We could always count on Cecil and Vickie being at all the bluegrass festivals, he was a great fan and supporter of local live music.  I couldn’t tell you how many times we watched R.J. Thomas, Jimmy Kittle, Red Martin, Ralph Paige and many others jamming under the awning of Cecil and Vickie’s camper.  There was usually coffee and sometimes other treats for the jammers.

We last saw Cecil at Marshall in July , and he wasn’t well then.  We had received word recently that he had taken a turn for the worse, so his passing wasn’t unexpected.  We’re sad, he was a great friend of bluegrass.

I found a minute to tell you that we’re going to the zoo this morning!  We don’t often have time on a trip to do something other than deal with photos, or reserach genealogy, our other major sideline.

But today, to get some much needed exercise, where headed for the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere.  They have some species that we don’t see at home at the Detroit Zoo, so it will be a great walk.

Check out Papa’s photos of Valerie Smith’s dare to be different showcase, and the Vine Grove Bluegrass Festival.

We’ll be at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop tonight, watching the Colorado Case/ Pine Mountain Railroad sponsored show. The Rangers,  and Dailey & Vincent are also appearing.

It looks like this:

10:00 pm            Steep Canyon Rangers
http://www.myspace.com/thesteepcanyonrangers

10:50 pm            Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad
http://www.myspace.com/pinemountainrailroad
with Special Guests Gloria Belle & Mike Long
http://www.gloriabelle.com/
and Seth Taylor and The Rye Holler Boys
http://www.myspace.com/ryehollerboys

12:00 am            Dailey-Vincent
http://www.myspace.com/thedaileyvincentband

Even though a lot of people wish WOB was still in Louisville, the abundance of downtown venues for performers to appear, showcase and spread their wings in make Nashville very appealing.

Check it out here and here.

And now, off to the zoo!

I’m still wondering how it happened, but Papa and I met a Poet Laureate Sunday. OK, I’ll back up. Papa and I drove down from the festival we attended in Kentucky to Bell Buckle, Tennessee, to Valerie Smiths “Dare To Be Different showcase” Sunday. We didn’t make the start, but got there about three in the afternoon. If the dew hadn’t been so heavy, and if we hadn’t had a tent to dry out first, we might have been on time. But we had a lazy morning, let everything dry, packed it all up, and drive. We were tired of sitting, and hungry, but cheerful.

We had a great meal, and the scouted out some seats to watch the remaining acts. In all, we saw six bands do sets of about 30 minutes, Valerie did two sets. During Valerie’s first set, she called up an apparently well-know local woman. Valerie introduced a delightful lady as Maggi Vaughn, the Poet Laureate of Tennessee, saying that she was pretty famous around here, and that they sometimes traded antique shop finds back and forth.

A delightful lady joined Valerie on stage, and they did a quick rendition of “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels”.

Later I visited a minute with Ms. Vaughn, and asked if she would have her picture taken with me, and she did!

Read how the Bell Buckle community feels about Ms. Vaughan.

I checked out a few on-line sources and found a total of 40+ songs copyrighted under the names Maggi Vaughn and Margaret Britton Vaughan. Of course, that’s just songs, it doesn’t count the poems, books, plays and other things Maggi has written.

What a gal!

We’re on a road trip.  We’re tired.  I am taking a nap now.

Well, in a minute.

We were in Vine Grove, Kentucky over the weekend.  We were lucky enough to see a very nice home town festival.  There was jamming galore.  It was nice to see Tommy Brown and the band on stage Saturday.  IIIrd Tyme Out, Dailey and Vincent, Bluegrass 101 also appeared.  I know there were more, but I don’t remember.

More later, or tomorrow, or after my nap, or next week.

Judy is Papa’s mother’s neighbor.  When Papa’s father died, Judy played the organ for his funeral, a real friend indeed, and deed.  She was a music teacher and choir director, but has had to take a leave from her job and cut back on some activities.   She has been struggling with an unusual illness for the past year. In spite of all her problems, she always has a smile and a hug for everyone.

Today I got a link to a wonderful story written by Judy’s daughter-in-law’s sister.  Really, that’s not that complicated a relationship, is it?  It’s a heart warming story about a wonderful person.  You can read the story, which was surely written with love, here.

Well, things have improved on the coast, but there is a long way to go.  I was looking around this morning, and found this.  Oh, and check this out, also.  After you read the articles, keep praying for the area.

Thank you.

We had a great weekend.  I met D2 and retrieved GS3, GD1 and GD2 Thursday afternoon.  They were fun to have around.   In their words, not mine, we “took a day off” on Friday.  They were here becasue there was no school, and they enjoyed it.  Friday night D3 was in charge, and Papa and I went to a concert we’d been looking forwad too.

The Steep Canyon Rangers showed why they are nominated for a couple of IMBA awards, Album of the Year and Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year.  I was a great show, and an enthusiastic crowd agreed with us.

Saturday Papa and I loaded up the crew for a trip to the Zoo.  A good time was had by all, especially those who like ice cream.  We saw some animals, too.

Sunday, we all headed out to our village.  Greenfield Village is “special” for GD1 and I.  We always have fun there, and she knows how to have fun.  One Labor Day, our family, including all the kids were at a parade and celebration Up North.  When the old cars started to roll by, no one had much to say.  Suddenly,  3 year old GD1 said, “Look, cars from Grandma’s village.”  Sure enough, there were a few Model T’s in the parade.  Well, we thought it said something.

Anyway, the bus is the big attraction for GD1 at the village.  GS3 learned a bunch about the Smith’s Creek Train station.  He repeated everything the guide told him about Henry Ford, Edision, and the station for me as we rode the train.  Unfortunately, he thinks he’s too old for the carousal.  GD2 wanted to “go in”.  We can go in anything, let’s do it.  And we did.  We had a nice lunch, and a treat, and headed out to meet D2 and S-in-L.

Back at home, Papa and I plotted our next trip, and rested!