Volume 31, No. 9 Copyright © Central Texas Bluegrass Association September, 2009

Fiddler’s Green: My Kind of Music Shop!

I f you‘re a Central Texas bluegrass picker, Fiddler‘s Green is your headquarters. Located at

1809 W. 35th Street in west Austin since 2007, it caters strictly to the acoustic picker. The

store is owned by native Houstonian Clay Levit, but the guy you‘re most likely to see behind

the desk, or behind a mandolin in one of the bluegrass jams is (continued on page 3)

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The Central Texas Bluegrass Bulletin is published by the Central Texas Bluegrass Association, a 501(c)(3) tax-

exempt Texas nonprofit corporation. Contributions are deductible as charitable and educational donations. Work

published in this Bulletin is used by permission of the writers, artists, and photographers, who retain all copy-

rights.

Tom Duplissey, President Central Texas Bluegrass Association

Mike Montgomery, Vice-President Box 9816

Billy Bright, board member Austin, Texas 78766

Ben Buchanan, board member (512) 261-9440

San Dunn, board member/Treasurer www.centraltexasbluegrass.org/

Roy Glover, board member

Jami Hampton, board member

Carrie Thielemann, board member Ken Brown, Bulletin editor/board member

From the historical photo archive: The Dixie Dewdrops at the Kerrville Bluegrass Festival, September,

1986. Photo by Ken Brown.

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2009 CTBA Scholarship Recipients

By Jami Hampton CTBA is proud to announce and feature Bethany Rankin and Brett Hawthorne in this issue

as winners of the 2009 Willa Beach-Porter Scholarship award. The Willa Beach-Porter

CTBA Music Scholarship Fund was established five years ago in memory of Willa Beach-

Porter — a fiddler, bluegrass enthusiast, and long-time supporter (continued on next page)

(continued from page 1) Ben Hodges, a native of Tupelo, Mississippi (shown in the photo on

the front page), or maybe Doc Hamilton, the shop‘s newest ―intern.‖ Unlike the big chain music

stores in town, Fiddler‘s doesn‘t carry electric guitars, monster amps, or drum kits, and you

won‘t find any teenagers shredding on a PRS guitar plugged into a four-foot high Marshall

amp. If there‘s any shredding to be done, it‘s probably going to be on a Weber mandolin. Fid-

dler‘s carries strings for all bluegrass instruments (D‘Addario, Martin, John Pearse, GHS,

Elixir, plus Savarez for classical guitar) as well as strings for bouzouki, octave mandolin,

mandocello, dulcimer, ukulele, and tenor banjo; capos (Shubb, Kyser, Paige, Bill Russell);

picks (Blue Chip, Dunlop, and others); thumbpicks (Golden Gate, Dunlop, Zookies and others);

instrument pickups (L.R. Baggs, Radius, Redeye, Realist, Dean Markley, Hot Spot), DI boxes,

preamps (Shadow, Fishman); straps, fiddle chinrests, resin, Grover tuning machines and just

about any other gear you‘d need (yes, they have fiddle mutes, but what about banjo mutes?).

They carry a wide range of instructional materials (tab books and DVDs) for all the standard

instruments.

New instruments? They got ‗em, in varieties that will appeal to Celtic and oldtime pickers as

well as bluegrassers. For the bluegrass guitar picker, Huss and Dalton, Breedlove, and Eastman

are probably the brands of most interest. But they also carry Jose Ramirez, J. Navarro, Strunal,

Lone Wolf, Durango, Cigano, Luna, and other brands. They carry mandolins by local builders

Bill Collings and Tom Ellis, as well as Weber, Kentucky, Eastman, J. Bovier, Breedlove, and

others; banjos by Goldtone, Deering (and yes, they carry the entry-level Goodtime banjos) and

Vega. Fiddles are by Cremona, Strunal, and others; dobros (Regal, Goldtone with Paul Beard

setup) and weissenborns (Goldtone). Fiddler‘s also carries used instruments, too (check their

web page for current stock). If you need lessons, you can take mandolin from Billy Bright,

banjo from Matt Downing, guitar from Geoff Union, and fiddle from Shawn Dean or Dennis

Ludecker. Most of these guys should be familiar to readers of this newsletter. For other instru-

ments, Ben or Clay can probably refer you to someone. Lessons are upstairs at the shop, and are

usually on an hourly basis.

The bluegrass jam takes place on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (7 PM until

everybody leaves) in the ―picking barn‖ out behind the shop. It‘s a converted garage attached to

a house, air conditioned with carpet, chairs, and a small stage. Attendance is steady, usually

with about 12-15 people in one large circle. More recently, another jam has been taking place in

a back room of the shop, too. Fiddler‘s Green is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 AM-8 PM; Sun-

day, noon to 5 PM, and closed Mondays. It‘s on 35th street in west Austin, about a block east of

MoPac and Camp Mabry, on the south side of the street, flanked on either side by Viva Day

Spa and Brady‘s Distinctive Lighting and across the street from Things Celtic. Phone 452-3900

or go to the web site at <www.fiddlersgreenmusicshop.com/home.html>

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of CTBA. Generous donations from Willa's family coupled with the ongoing fundraising ef-

forts of CTBA allow scholarship recipients to attend Camp Bluegrass at no cost. Camp Blue-

grass is a one-week residential picking camp for bluegrass musicians that is held each July on

the South Plains College campus in Levelland, Texas, located just west of Lubbock. In addi-

tion to the annual summer camps, South Plains College also offers a two year Associate of Art

degree and a one year certificate course focusing on bluegrass music within their Commercial

Music program.

The scholarship fund's goal of fostering the development of up-and-coming bluegrass talent

from Texas was realized with this year's selection of Bethany and Brett. Both play the mando-

lin as their primary instrument — each citing inspiration from their grandfathers to pursue mu-

sic — and were highly recommended from their music mentors as outstanding candidates to

carry forward the tradition of bluegrass music. Bethany is from Robinson, Texas (near Waco)

and, after playing the mandolin only two years, has already demonstrated an exceptional musi-

cal aptitude and desire to improve. Although she never met her grandfather, Bethany heard

audio tapes of his nursing home performances that her grandmother had saved. She began by

learning to play on her grandfather's old mandolin many of the songs she heard on those tapes.

She wears a necklace she made from her grandfather's mandolin pick in remembrance of him.

Bethany honed her musical skills under the tutelage of the late James Reed and by regularly

attending the monthly Pearl Bluegrass Jam and Stage Show in Pearl, Texas. Recently, Bethany

and young fellow musicians John Peyton Shafer, Carey Janecka, Ethan Summerlin, and Steven

Krause formed the band Blackland Prairie, and they have been playing a variety of venues

around the Waco region. Bethany just graduated from high school (continued on next page)

in May and is currently enrolled at McLennan Community College this fall to study Business

Management.

Brett is a 17-year-old student from Abernathy, Texas (north of Lubbock) who was nominated

by the founders of the West Texas Bluegrass/Traditional Music Association who came to know

him through his attendance at their ongoing jam sessions. He and his older brother Trent, a stu-

dent at South Plains College who plays guitar and banjo, have also performed benefit concerts

for the association. Brett, who said he has been interested in bluegrass music since he was very

young, has been playing the mandolin for four years and has studied music primarily under his

grandfather. Brett plays mandolin and fiddle as a member of his family's three-generational

bluegrass-traditional music band that was formed by his grandfather Sterling Morrow, who

plays the guitar and banjitar. The family band called Vintage includes band members Reuben

Hall, Kent Taylor, ReChele Taylor, Loretta Bullock, Patti Grassie, Trent Hawthorne, Brett

Hawthorne, and Sterling Morrow. Vintage has performed for the Weed Bluegrass Festival for

the last six years and just released their new CD, "Who Will Watch the Home Place." Bethany

and Brett expressed sincere gratitude for the opportunity to attend Camp Bluegrass, affording

them the opportunity to participate in the camp's instrument classes (with featured mandolin

instructors Nate Lee and Steve Smith), structured and informal jams, nightly faculty concerts,

special workshops presented by camp co-director and world-class banjoist Alan Munde, as well

as the opportunity to play and network with other up-and-coming youth bluegrass talent who

attended the camp. Two CTBA board members were able to attend Camp Bluegrass and had

the opportunity to witness first-hand the positive contribution these fine scholarship recipients

can make to further the tradition of bluegrass music. For more information or to make a dona-

tion to the Willa Beach-Porter Scholarship Fund, please visit the website at

<www.centraltexasbluegrass.org>.

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Scholarships for Flatpicking Workshop: Apply Now!

Central Texas Bluegrass Association is immediately seeking qualified applicants for Steve

Kaufman's Flatpicking Guitar Workshop being held at Fiddler's Green Music Shop on Septem-

ber 11-12, 2009. The 8-hour workshop ($90 value), designed to accommodate all levels of

players, begins on Friday night, 7-9 PM and continues on Saturday from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

More workshop information is available at:

www.fiddlersgreenmusicshop.com/kaufman.html

Scholarship recipients (who are at least 12 years old) will be chosen based on serious interest

and performance talent in bluegrass music as well as financial need. Scholarship application

materials are available at <www.centraltexasbluegrass.org> and at Fiddler's Green Music shop

and must be received no later than Saturday, September 5, 2009. For questions, contact

us at <ctba@centraltexasbluegrass.org>.

The 2009 scholarship recipients: left, Bethany Rankin; right, Brett Hawthorne. Looks like we have a

bumper crop of eight-stringers!

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Events calendar: September, 2009

Friday, September 4, 7:30 PM: Piney Grove Ramblers at ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; 442-8283.

Friday, September 4, 7 PM: Blacktop Bend at Waterloo Ice House (Slaughter/Escarpment), 9600 Es-

carpment Blvd.; 301-1007.

Saturday, September 5: Deadline for scholarship applications, Kaufman Flatpicking Workshop

Sunday, September 6: Bluegrass workshops (vocals, instruments) sponsored by Jon and Sigi Field at

ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; intermediate, noon-1 PM; advanced, 1-2 PM. See http://jrfnet.net/rsr,

click on ―workshops‖ for PDF file.

Sunday, September 6, 7 PM: The Sieker Band at Kerrville Wine and Music Festival.

Thursday, September 10, 6:30-8:30 PM: Bluegrass open mike at New World Deli, 4101 Guadalupe;

< www.newworlddeli.com> 451-7170; contact: Eddie Collins < tuneman@austin.rr.com>

Friday-Saturday, September 11-12: Flatpicking guitar workshop with Steve Kaufman at Fiddler‘s Green

(Friday, 7-9 PM; Saturday, 9:30-AM-3:30 PM); 1809 W. 35th St.; 452-3900; fiddlersgreen@mac.com

Saturday, September 12, 9-11 AM: The Sieker Band and Randy‘s Rangers at the Up the Chisholm Trail

Cattle Drive and Chuckwagon Cook-Off, San Gabriel Park, Georgetown; www.upthechisholmtrail.org

Saturday, September 12, 6:30 PM: Piney Grove Ramblers at County Line on the Hill, Bee Cave Road

near Loop 360, Austin; www.countyline.com/index.asp; 327-1742.

Sunday, September 13, 10 AM: The Siekers at Maria's Taco Xpress, 2529 S Lamar Blvd; 444-0261 .

Sunday, September 13, 11 AM: Bluegrass Brunch with Danny Santos y los Bluegrass Vatos at

Threadgill‘s North, 6416 N. Lamar, Austin, 451-5440.

Sunday, September 13: Bluegrass workshops (vocals, instruments) sponsored by Jon and Sigi Field at

ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; intermediate, noon-1 PM; advanced, 1-2 PM. See http://jrfnet.net/rsr,

click on ―workshops‖ for PDF file.

Thursday, September 17, 7 PM: The Siekers at Seguin Silver Center Country Music Show, Seguin

Friday, September 18, 7:30 PM: The Sieker Band at ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; 442-8283.

Saturday, September 19: Bluegrass Heritage Festival, South Oaks Baptist Church, 5925 U.S. Highway

287, Arlington; see display ad on page 8. Contact Alan Tompkins (214)236-0783 or

alan@bluegrassheritage.org.

Saturday, September 19, 6 PM: Piney Grove Ramblers at Iguana Grill, 2900 Ranch Road 620N,

Austin, 266-8439; www.iguanagrillaustin.com/

Sunday, September 20, 11 AM: Bluegrass Brunch with the Piney Grove Ramblers at Threadgill‘s North,

6416 N. Lamar, Austin, 451-5440

Sunday, September 20: Bluegrass workshops (vocals, instruments) sponsored by Jon and Sigi Field at

ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; intermediate, noon-1 PM; advanced, 1-2 PM. See http://jrfnet.net/rsr,

click on ―workshops‖ for PDF file.

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More events: September, 2009 Tuesday, September 22, noon: The Siekers at Thundercloud Subs, 1700 Grand Avenue Pkwy; Pfluger-

ville; 990-8871

Thursday, September 24, 7:30-9:30 PM: Danny Santos y los Bluegrass Vatos at ArtZ Rib House, 2330

S. Lamar; 442-8283.

Saturday, September 26, 1 PM: The Siekers at St. Ignatius Catholic Church Fall Fest

7 PM: The Sieker Band at Leander Bluegrass Festival

Sunday, September 27: Bluegrass workshops (vocals, instruments) sponsored by Jon and Sigi Field at

ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; intermediate, noon-1 PM; advanced, 1-2 PM. See http://jrfnet.net/rsr,

click on ―workshops‖ for PDF file.

Sunday, September 27, 10 AM: The Siekers at Maria's Taco Xpress, 2529 S Lamar Blvd; 444-0261

3 PM: The Sieker Band at Wendish Fest, Serbin

Sunday, September 27, 6-8:30 PM: Eddie Collins at ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; 442-8283.

Friday, October 2: Sarah Siskind at Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin

Bluegrass Workshops by Randy's Rangers Each Sunday in September

In promotion of the Central Texas Bluegrass Association, Randy's Ranger presents Bluegrass

Workshops − "How to Be a Better Musician" each Sunday in September at ArtZ Rib House.

Workshops are free for CTBA members and $10 per session for non-members. The intermedi-

ate session starts at 12 noon and the advanced at 1 PM. All CTBA members and other players

are invited to attend.

The workshops place an "Emphasis on practical theory application, learning why you play what

you play and how to build on your knowledge," and are hands-on workshops. All bluegrass

instruments are welcome and players should bring their instruments and come ready to play.

Vocalists are welcome.

Please visit http://jrfnet.net/rr and click ―Workshops‖ for the flyer. Pre-registration is required

to obtain workshop materials; call Sigi at 512-869-8076 or email to bluegrass@suddenlink.net.

Randy's Rangers is Sigi and Jon Field.

Miscellaneous News

Congratulations to Maggie Banks of Wimberley, third-place winner in the 2009 Youth Old

Time Fiddle competition at Galax, Virginia.

Sunday, September 6 and 13: KOOP-FM fall pledge drive; call in during Strictly Bluegrass and

show your support for Austin‘s only all-bluegrass radio show!

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CTBA Artists and Bands Austin Lounge Liz-ards Mike Drudge

615-262-6886 www.austinlizards.com

Blacktop Bend George Rios 512-619-8536 blacktopbend@yahoo.com

Blazing Bows Mary Hattersley 512-873-8925

Bluegrass Vatos Danny Santos 512-218-4141 danny@dannysantosmusic .com

Brian Byrne and Borrowed Time www.myspace.com/ brian-byrneandborrowedtime 512-699-9251 jjs@jjshaffer.net

BuffaloGrass Don Inbody 512-295-6977 don@inbody.net

Cooper’s Uncle coopersuncle@hotmail.com 512-736-2664

David & Barbara Brown 361-985-9902 ddbrown@grandecom.net

Dear Henry Band Chris Brewster 512-693-4648 www.dearhenrymusic.com

Eddie Collins 512-836-8255 www.eddiecollins.biz tuneman@austin.rr.com

Grass Onions Band Jon Ricketts <jon_ricketts1@mac.com> 217-6437

The Grazmatics L. Wayne Ross 512-303-2188

Howard Rains

7704 Peaceful Hill Lane Austin, Tx 78748 512-577-0851

The Ledbetters Spencer Drake 830-660-2533 kthdrake@wildblue.net

The Lost Pines Talia Sekons thelostpines@gmail.com www.lostpinesband.com

Manchaca All-Stars B. Buchanan 512-282-2756 manchacaallstars@ email.com

Out of the Blue Jamie Stubblefield 512-295-5325 jamie5011@aol.com

The Piney Grove Ramblers Wayne Brooks 512-699-8282 877-899-8269 www.pgramblers.com

Randy’s Rangers Sigi Field 512-869-8076 http://pages. sud-denlink.net/jrf/rr/

The Sieker Band Rolf & Beate Sieker 512-733-2857 www.siekerband.com

String Beans Mike Montgomery 512-517-6753 mike-mon@astro.as.utexas.edu

Two High String Band Geoff Union

512-563-9821 Geoff@highstring.com

Wayward Pony Dale Albright dale-mandolin@austin. rr.com www.waywardpony.com

The Wimberley Bunch Charlie & Sally Lewis Box 2077 Canyon Lake, Tx 78133 (830) 899-7511

All bands listed are members of the CTBA. See the membership form on the back cover for information on band membership. Randalls Good Neighbor Program

To designate your contribution to the CTBA, go to the address below,

print the form and fill it out, and take to your local store:

http://shop.safeway.com/corporate/randalls/gn_houston_austin.pdf

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CTBA Business Members

Overton Bluegrass Festival Overton Bluegrass Festival

City of Overton Sponsoring Bluegrass and Gospel Music

www.overtonbluegrass.com

Don Eaves

bluegrass@cl.overton.tx.us Drawer D

903-834-3171 Overton, Texas 75684

Sponsored by City of Early

Charlotte Parrack

325-646-8531 300 Early Blvd.

P.O. Box 483

Grapeland, Tx 75884 www.salmonlakepark.com

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CTBA Area Jams and Events AUSTIN AREA, CTBA Beginner/Intermed. Jam 1st. & 3rd Thu. 7-9

PM, Steve Mangold 512-345-6155

CTBA 2nd & 4th Sat , ArtZ Rib House, be-

ginner/Intermediate Jam 4—6 contact: Steve

Mangold 345-6155

Jam Session: Sunday at ArtZ Rib House, 2-6

PM

Live Bluegrass Show: ArtZ Rib House Sun-

day 6 pm; 512-442-8283

AAAMS Jam 2nd & 4th Wed. Leander/Cedar

Park Fine Arts Academy, 200 Buttercup Rd, Ste. 104, Cedar Park, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, 512-

401-8863

AFTM Contradance: 3rd Sat. 3501 Red River

7:30 to 11 pm, $7 453-8936

AFTM Jam Session: 2nd Sun at ArtZ Rib

House, 2330 S. Lamar, Austin, 2-4 PM

FIDDLER‘S GREEN jam session in the

BARN out back behind the shop every 2nd and 4th Tuesday from 7 PM to 11 PM.

Phone: 512-452-3900

www.fiddlersgreenmusicshop.com

BANDERA

4th Friday of each month at Silver Sage Cor-ral– east of Bandera. Starts at 6:30 pm. For

more info call (830)796-3969 (Not on Good

Friday)

BELLVILLE

Spring Creek Club Jam/Show Jan. thru Sept 4th Sat; 4pm Jam, 6:30 pm show. Coushatte

Recreation Ranch 979-865-5250

bluegrass221@ev1.net Plenty of RV camping and good food.

BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION, Brazos Country Grass Monday Jam, J.

Cody‘s, 3610 S. College 6-9 PM

www.brazoscountrygrass.com

ELGIN

3rd Friday of each Month: Blue Fire-Station jam session, FM 696, 7-10 PM

FAYETTEVILLE: Texas Pickin‘ Park: Jam 2nd Saturday, each

month beginning at 6 PM on the Courthouse

Square. Acoustic instruments only.

For info: info@texaspickinpark.com

www.texaspickinpark.com

GARLAND

Bluegrass on the Square: Saturday, March-

November between Main and State Sts. At 6th, 7:30 PM to 1 AM

GEORGETOWN Randy‘s Rangers Thursday Jam: Duke‘s

BBQ Smokehouse, 6-8 PM, 512-869-8076 or

sigi@sigi.us&gt; sigi@sigi.us

THE GROVE

Outside Pick General Store, 15 mi. west of Temple on Hwy 36, Sat, 6pm until ?

Contact: Moody Anderson, 512-282-1215

HARWOOD

Stage Show & Jam Session 3rd Sat, 9 mi. E. of Luling, Hwy 90, 2 to 9 PM

HONDO

Hondo Hootenanny, 1 PM, Hondo Commu-nity Center, 1st Fri each month 830-426-3438

HOUSTON Second Saturday jam, 1-4 PM, sponsored by

BABA and the Houston Railroad Museum

(April-November), Houston Railroad Mu-seum, 7390 Mesa Road; www. houstonrrmu-

seum.org; 713-319-8906

LEAGUE CITY (BABA)

Jam & Free Bluegrass Show 3rd Sat: Jam 5

PM, Show 6:30 PM Jan- Nov., League City Civic Center, 300 W. Walker St. 281-636-

9419

LIBERTY HILL

4th Sat. Jam Session at 1-6 PM, Hwy 29

West, contact Paula at 512-778-5410

LILLIAN Third Friday show and jam, 10552 CR 519,

Lillian; 7 PM, $4; www.ntbluegrass.com or

817-929-8391

MANCHACA

Open jam every Thursday night from 7-9 PM at The Railroad BBQ on FM 1626 in Man-

chaca

McDADE

2nd Monday of each Month: McDade Jambo-

ree at the McDade VFW Post Hwy 290. 7-10 PM Call: 512-273-2307

MEDINA

2nd Tuesday—each month— all gospel jam at

the first Baptist Church—Medina. Starts at 6 PM; for info Linda Barton 830-589-2486

2nd Friday each month— The Medina Jam

session will be held at the Masonic Lodge at

6:30 PM (bring covered dish)

MONTGOMERY

1ST SATURDAY Jam in downtown historical

District from 10 AM– 2 PM. For discount coupons at local KOA contact Dr. Mike

Davis: mld@consolidated.net

PEARL Jam & Stage Show, 1st Sat: Jam starts at

noon, show 4:30 PM, Hwy 183, 7 mi South

of Purmela; contact: Ronald Medart 254-865-6013 www.pearlbluegrass.com

SAN ANTONIO Open Bluegrass Jam Session Tuesdays, 6-8:30

PM, Grady‘s BBQ Store No. San Pedro Ave,

at Jackson –Keller (beginner-friendly)

Beginner/Intermediate Bluegrass Jam 2nd

Thursday 7-9 pm at 6418 Ridgehurst, San Antonio. Hosted by Clifton Bowren 210-602

-5544 cliftonfiddler5@aol.com

SHULENBERG

RV Park community Center

2nd Tuesday of every month, 6:30—9:00 PM

Laretta Baumgarten 979-743-4388

schurvpk@fais.net

WIMBERLEY

Bluegrass Jam Fri 8-12 pm, Lane‘s Country

Café, Wimberley

Editor‘s note: this list of jams

hasn‘t been verified in a long

time. Call ahead before check-

ing out an unfamiliar jam, to

make sure it‘s still active.

Central Texas Bluegrass Association P.O. Box 9816

Austin, Texas 78766

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