"Bluegrass Ramble" A Grassitorial! by Gary Robertson

Alright, I know that Bluegrass needs all of the support it can get.  I do support it with all my heart and a good portion of my wallet.  Just last night I went to hear the great Swedish Bluegrass band "G2."  I sat  through an out door concert on the hottest day Virginia has seen since 1977.  If that isn't support for Bluegrass then I don't know what is.  By the way, G2 did a great job .  They did so well that when I got home I finished filling out my ballot for the IBMA Bluegrass Awards and selected G2 as one of my five choices for Emerging Artist, 2010.  But this isn't my reason for writing this.  Nooo...........!

I have a few pet peeves about Bluegrass performers.  Now, the first I want to speak about is the amateur and sometimes even semi-pro Mandolin players.  Why do they insist on playing Mandolins that are out of tune?  My guess is this.  Their thinking is that they have eight strings and no matter what anyone tells them they just don't believe each pair of strings should be tuned exactly together.  To them the thinking is "What's the point?  Why have eight strings if they are going to sound like I only have 4 strings?"  So, they will get them pretty close, but they will be sure to leave them just slightly different sounding.  If you are reading this and you're a Mandolin "player" and you don't tune your Mandolin properly please, please read this commentary again and get that stinking Mandolin in tune.  To reiterate this problem I have asked some of these "out-of-tuners" if I can look at their Mandolin.  I compliment them on their great sounding Mandolin while I am secretly touching up the tuning and I strike a few chords nice and loud and as it rings so clear and true I compliment them again as I hand it back to them.  It does no good whatsoever for within a few minutes of giving the Mandolin back, it is once again "tuned" to that eight strings of dis-harmony.  Okay, thanks; I've got that off my chest.

Now I want to talk about spontaneous applause.  I think it is wonderful and I have been known to break out into it myself on many occasions.  Here's my problem.  To the uninitiated in the audience any time a Bass player makes a simple solo run or a Guitar player lays out a simple solo they feel it is their duty to break out in "spontaneous" applause.  Well, stop it!  Please only applaud for really outstanding musical solos.  I've seen it many times when the audience realizes it has given great applause for a mediocre solo.  Feeling guilty about the faux pas they then applaud for every break, no matter the instrument, for the rest of the concert.  I think the Guitar solo applause goes back to the early days of Tony Rice.  Every break he played was truly outstanding, bringing many outburst of applause and Tony was good at helping the audience to decide to applaud.  At the end of each break he would subtly nod his head "thank you" reminding the audience they owed him a "spontaneous" applause.  A very cool trick that his brother Wyatt learned well, although his nods are a little less subtle.  So, now even the worst Guitar solo is met with applause and they shouldn't be.  Only applaud if you are moved by the skill exhibited during the break.  Now, on to Bass breaks.  There are few really great Bass breaks played in Bluegrass and believe me you will know them when you hear them.  Missy Raines doesn't play a lot of Bluegrass these days, but I don't believe there is another Bassist that knows the instrument any better than Missy.  With my stating that to you I'm sure you believe that I would applaud for every break she plays.  That is not true.  On many songs she plays standard runs and simple breaks (Difficult for most Bass players, but simple for her!), but every once in a while she really gets into the song and she'll amaze you with an absolutely astonishing Bass break.  The thunderous applause she receives for these break is truly deserved.  I have stood and loudly cheered and applauded for her outstanding work many times.  But, now we get down to the average Bass player in the average Bluegrass band.  He  most often slaps out some really loud rhythm while he moves his hand up and down the neck.  He makes it look like he just finished chopping down a Sequoia as he finishes with a flurry.  Without fail the audience cheers and applauds, but for what?  By applauding inappropriately we only re-enforce poor playing.  Why should they improve if we have told them with our applause they are "great."

Please help me preserve "spontaneous" applause for those really special musical moments.  If you pay close attention you will recognize them.  Then be the first to acknowledge the accomplishment with your unrestrained applause.  You'll be letting that musician know you appreciate his/her effort and obvious talent.  Don't let the "applause whores" strip you of your dignity and only applaud when you have heard music that is truly deserving.

"NUFF SAID!"

G2 Bluegrass Band from Sweden will Appear at Pocahontas State Park on Saturday July 24th, 2010

That's right folks that great band from Sweden known as simply "G2" will appear at the Pocahontas State Park tomorrow evening beginning at 6PM.  You know and I know that Virginia as well as a lot of the USA is suffering some of the hottest weather ever experienced.  So, for this outdoor show begin at 6PM will be brutal for the band and the fans.  I only happened to hear an advertisement on WSVS today or I would not have known this show was happening.

So, like I said the heat will be brutal, but G2 is a great band and deserves our attention.  So, if you can possibly stand a few hours in the heat, drive on over to Pocahontas tomorrow evening and help support, not only the G2 Bluegrass Band, but also, Bluegrass music in general.  After the show we can all go to a place where the A/C is COLD and have a nice dinner.  By the way, G2 has been nominated as "Emerging Artist of the Year" for this year's IBMA Awards.  Come to Pocahontas and join me to find out why.

"NUFF SAID!"

Owensboro, Kentucky soon to become "The City of Bluegrass"

The following is exciting news.  Please take time to read and absorb the information.

Yes, you read that headline correctly, Owensboro, KY has made a leap forward in it's dedication to Bluegrass music and the International Bluegrass Music Museum (IBMM).  Just today I received a letter from Gabrielle Gray, the Director of the IBMM, detailing the exciting news from the City of Owensboro and future growth of the IBMM and the city.  Below is Gabrielle's letter in its entirety.

"July 8, 2010

Dear IBMM Members:

In light of the much-heralded announcement made to the press by the City of Owensboro last night to make their newly-acquired 60,000 square foot building at the intersection of Main and Frederica Streets available to the International Bluegrass Music Museum for a new International Bluegrass Music Center, today we have been fielding phone calls and emails from people who are very excited by the possibilities (as indeed we all are). This letter will attempt to give information regarding the proposal, and as many answers as we have at this time.

The proposed Center would house the museum as well as other elements relating directly to bluegrass i.e. (POSSIBLY) a Bluegrass Opry, concert hall, bluegrass library, international center, recording studio, radio station, outdoor amphitheater, etc. Each element will be priced and either planned or not, according to what we can do with the funding we receive and raise. Most important, of course, is planning for posterity, for preservation of our current and growing collection of artifacts, and continuing the important work we're already doing such as gathering, digitizing, and cataloguing the video oral histories of the early practitioners of bluegrass music.
It's necessary for everyone to understand that the details are yet to be worked out, and that the museum's Board of Trustees has yet to vote to accept the building as the museum's new home. Much planning will need to be done by our board, museum staff and city planners to determine exactly what the new Bluegrass Center will look like, what it will house, what elements will be incorporated into the plan, and then financing over and above what the City is going to donate will have to be found. These costs are as yet undetermined and will continue to be thus until such time as plans for the new International Bluegrass Music Center are solidified and budgeted.

 
Our first step is a feasibility study that will begin almost immediately to determine whether or not the museum can sustain the increase in general operating expense inherent with occupying and maintaining a building three times the size of our current museum and staffing the new center appropriately to handle the plans as-yet-to-be adopted.

The proposed timeline for completion of the new riverfront development is the summer of 2012. Construction is to begin on the hotel and convention center by mid-2011. If the museum moves to this new location, it's possible that both the renovation and move could be completed in a year -- that is optimistic but not unreasonable, provided the funding is found, architectural renderings are approved, and the renovation goes smoothly.

 
The City of Owensboro and Daviess County Fiscal Court also publicly announced last night that they intend for the focus of Owensboro henceforth to be "Bluegrass". This is not surprising as this has always been a mega-bluegrass-supportive environment, thanks primarily to Terry Woodward's vision, leadership and generosity. What is a surprise, and a delightful one, is that they would help us move to the best block of real estate in town, in a building they would own and maintain, in the absolute kingpin location of a massive riverfront redevelopment project that spans 1.1 miles from the existing RiverPark Center all the way to English Park, incorporating the old Executive Inn property in approximately the center of that expanse. This is such an affirmation of Bluegrass Music and the Bluegrass Museum that it's impossible to put into words how elated this makes us feel. But of course, there is the money to raise!

Current potential plans have a large new Hampton Inn across one street, a new convention & events center across the other street, and the Ohio River running in front of it all. Current plans also have the convention center incorporating the pier structure on the river (from the old Executive Inn Showcase Lounge) into the new convention center, recapturing memories of all the great music shows that have taken place in that exact location over many decades.

 
All of this comes at a time when we are in full-scale planning for the Bill Monroe Centennial Celebration in 2011. SO, we are going to be BUSY, and again, if you can volunteer to help, please put us in your schedule. Maybe you can find a week in the winter of 2010 or the spring/summer of 2011 to spend here in O'boro making some significant dreams come true for current and future generations to enjoy.

As plans progress, we will keep you posted. Garian Vigil is the museum's publicist, so please stay tuned to her posts, as many of our announcements will come through her.
Thanks for everything each of you do to make bluegrass music so exciting that this city would take on such a large financial commitment to make an even-more marvelous home for the music we all love.
We welcome your input and suggestions. Please let us hear from you.

My best to all,
Gabrielle
270-926-7891 (Call to volunteer!)"

I've written Gabrielle with my intentions to volunteer a week of time to help.  Think about it.  The IBMM is your museum and it is dedicated strictly to Bluegrass music, your music.  We could go as a group.......

"NUFF SAID!"

Ruling by Judge William Young, US District Court.

The following has nothing whatsoever to do with Bluegrass.  It speaks of the freedoms granted us by our constitution and our privilege to live in this great country and why we celebrate the 4th of July.  To all a very happy 4th of July.  Let Freedom Ring!

Prior to sentencing, the Judge asked the defendant if he had anything to say  His response: After admitting his guilt to the court for the record, Reid also admitted his 'allegiance to Osama bin Laden, to Islam, and to the religion of Allah,' defiantly stating, 'I think I will not apologize for my actions,' and told the court 'I am at war with your country.'

Judge Young then delivered the statement quoted below:

Judge Young:  'Mr. Richard C. Reid, hearken now to the sentence the Court imposes upon you. On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in the custody of the United States Attorney General.  On counts 2, 3, 4and 7, the Court sentences you to 20 years in prison on each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutively.  (That's 80 years.)
On count 8 the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years again, to be served consecutively to the 80 years just imposed.  The Court imposes upon you for each of the eight counts a fine of $250,000 that's an aggregate fine of $2 million.  The Court accepts the government's recommendation with respect to restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines.  The Court imposes upon you an $800 special assessment. The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply because the law requires it. But the life sentences are real life sentences so I need go no further. This is the sentence that is provided for by our statutes.  It is a fair and just sentence.  It is a righteous sentence.

Now, let me explain this to you.  We are not afraid of you or any of your terrorist co-conspirators, Mr. Reid.  We are Americans.  We have been through the fire before.  There is too much war talk here and I say that to everyone with the utmost respect.  Here in this court, we deal with individuals as individuals and care for individuals as individuals.  As human beings, we reach out for justice.

You are not an enemy combatant.  You are a terrorist. You are not a soldier in any war.  You are a terrorist.  To give you that reference, to call you a soldier, gives you far too much stature. Whether the officers of government do it or your attorney does it, or if you think you are a soldier, you are not----- you are a terrorist.  And we do not negotiate with terrorists.  We do not meet with terrorists.  We do not sign documents with terrorists.  We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice.

So war talk is way out of line in this court  You are a big fellow. But you are not that big.  You're no warrior.  I've known warriors. You are a terrorist.  A species of criminal that is guilty of multiple attempted murders.  In a very real sense, State Trooper Santiago had it right when you first were taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where the press and the TV crews were, and he said: 'You're no big deal.'
You are no big deal. What your able counsel and what the equally able United States attorneys have grappled with and what I have as honestly as I know how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so horrific.  What was it that led you here to this courtroom today?

I have listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I ask you to search your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you to do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty of doing?  And, I have an answer for you.  It may not satisfy you, but as I search this entire record, it comes as close to understanding as I know.

It seems to me you hate the one thing that to us is most precious. You hate our freedom.  Our individual freedom.  Our individual freedom to live as we choose, to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe as we individually choose.  Here, in this society, the very wind carries freedom.  It carries it everywhere from sea to shining sea.  It is because we prize individual freedom so much that you are here in this beautiful courtroom, so that everyone can see, truly see, that justice is administered fairly, individually, and discretely.  It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are striving so vigorously on your behalf, have filed appeals, will go on in their representation of you before other judges.

We Americans are all about freedom.  Because we all know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the measure of our own liberties.  Make no mistake though.  It is yet true that we will bear any burden; pay any price, to preserve our freedoms.  Look around this courtroom.  Mark it well.  The world is not going to long remember what you or I say here.  The day after tomorrow, it will be forgotten, but this, however, will long endure.

Here in this courtroom and courtrooms all across America , the American people will gather to see that justice, individual justice, justice, not war, individual justice is in fact being done.  The very President of the United States through his officers will have to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific matters can be judged and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge that evidence democratically, to mold and shape and refine our sense of justice.

See that flag, Mr. Reid?  That's the flag of the United States of America .  That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten. That flag stands for freedom.  And it always will.
Mr. Custody Officer.  Stand him down.

"NUFF SAID!"