"Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival" - aka - "Amelia Bluegrass Festival" - August 19, 20 & 21, 2010

Boy-o-boy it sure has been hot, hasn't it?  We've had more than ten days of 100 plus degree weather and we're only half way through the summer.  Why did me have all this heat?  Well, just for one word, "Bluegrass."  Yeah, for Bluegrass because you know that every year during the dog days of August we celebrate Bluegrass at the "Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival" at the Amelia Family Campground.  After all the heat we've suffered through in June and July August will be a piece of cake.  So, now I better get busy and tell who's gonna be there.

Things get started of with Copper Ridge, a band from the Richmond, VA area.  Most of the guys in the band make regular trips to jam with us at the Virginia Bluegrass Family on 2nd Tuesdays in the Jahnke Road Baptist Church on Richmond's south side.  Following Copper Ridge is a great band from the area surrounding Smith Mountain Lake; I guess that's why they call themselves Smith Mountain Grass.  Next up is the unmistakable voice of Eddie Gill & The Grassmasters.  Eddie hails from around Roxboro NC and sings with a volume and clarity that is quite rare.  The next band up has a leader who has been simply fading away.  What?  Yep, Donnie Mason & In The Tradition follow Eddie.  I've missed many opportunities to see Donnie since his lifesaving gastric bypass surgery, but I will see him in Amelia for sure.  The North Carolina based Rye Holler Boys are up next on Thursday.  The last group to appear on Thursday is the Lonesome River Band (LRB) headed up by Sammy Shelor whose taste and timing is always there; LRB boasts the strong lead singing of Brandon Rickman.  While you're at the CD table buying the latest LRB project don't overlook Brandon's "Young Man, Old Soul" project.

Friday gets started off with the wonderful sister harmony sounds of The Church Sisters.  These twin sisters really do love to sing and it shows.  Make sure you catch at least one of their sets.  You'll be glad you did.  If you like your Bluegrass a little raucous and full of good humor then look no farther than Code Blue, the next band on Friday.  Following Code Blue is another "blue" band called Virginia Blue.  I couldn't find a web site for this group so I guess I'll just have to go down to the stage and see them.  The next band is Shallow Creek.  The first time I saw these guys they were just in their early teens and were struggling but determined to play Bluegrass.  Well, they can play Bluegrass!  I had a power outage here at home this past week and got my battery powered boom box out and began playing CDs.  I had this CD by Shallow Creek that was a tribute to Reno & Smiley that I had never listened to.  WOW!  It is good.  If you're a fan of Reno & Smiley be sure to pick up this CD from Shallow Creek.  The last band up is the Josh Williams Band.  Josh has assembled a great band to back up his strong vocals.  Josh readily admits that he is a huge Tony Rice fan and he learned every Guitar break Tony ever played, but more than that Josh is well on his way to becoming the new Tony.  That combination of great innovative Guitar work coupled with his increasingly strong lead voice makes Josh a force to be reckoned with.  Therefore, I reckon I'll be at both of his sets in Amelia.

The Saturday morning Gospel at Amelia gets started with Mark Templeton & Pocket Change. Mark sang Southern Gospel before coming to Bluegrass full time and he brings a few elements of Southern Gospel into his act.  Following Mark is the inimitable Bluegrass Brothers from out around Salem way.  The next group is the Little Mountain Boys.  Now, I must admit when I first heard of this group I was looking for a bunch of little guys.  Oops!  It's the mountain that is little, not the boys.  By the way, these guys are good!  The Wildwood Valley Boys are up next featuring Tony Holt, the only remaining member of the original band.  If that name Holt strikes a chord with you, you're right.  Tony's dad is Aubrey Holt, one of the founders of the Boys from Indiana.   Next up is a good ol' Virginia boy made good, The Larry Stephenson Band.   Larry hails from the Fredericksburg area,but has been living in White House, Tennessee most of his adult life.  I saw Larry for the first time when he was 16 years old and participated in a big Bluegrass show held at The Robins Center on the University of Richmond campus in the mid-Seventies.  Others that headlined that show were The Earl Scruggs Review, Doc Watson, John Hartford and Richmond's own Uncle Leroy.  What a day that was!  Now, if you like your Bluegrass straightforward and traditional with a little Jimmy Martin here and a little Stanley Brothers there, then look no farther than Kody Norris.  I was talking to Kody one very late night at IBMA in Nashville a couple of years ago and he told me he believes (much as I do) the band should respect the audience and dress well.  He told me he makes sure all of the bands suits are cleaned and ironed the entire band's suits before each performance.  That's dedication to the fans!  Last up at Amelia on Saturday is one of my favorite Bluegrass singers, Audie Blaylock & Redline.  Audie spent ten years with Jimmy Martin and if he learned anything from Jimmy that was timing and singing with conviction.

That covers the weekend and boy it's gonna be a good one for sure!   The cut-off date for advance tickets was August 5th, but even at the gate price of $60 that's a weekend of fine Bluegrass.  So, come join me and all of your friends and picking buddies at the "Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival."  We're gonna have some fun!

"NUFF SAID!"

"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!"

I Finally Got That Longed For RV - Now If I Could Only Drive! ! ! !

That's right I finally purchased a nice older model RV.  It is a 1987 Coachmen Classic.  It's 34 feet long and has many nice features.  It was not a bottom of the line RV when it was new.  Now it's my driving abilities and that 34 foot length that has caused me heartaches.  Perhaps I should start at the beginning. . . . .

. . . . .I purchased the motor home on June 16th and proudly drove it home.  I spent the next few days cleaning and checking out the features.  I found the gas over electric fridge did not work like I was promised it did.  Dang! A little frustrating because I have heard the horror stories about how expensive they are to replace.  But, most everything else worked including the generator, although it is in serious need of a carburetor adjustment.  The RV has a nice long awning that needed a little coaxing to work, but now works perfectly.  All in all I was very proud of my decision to purchase the Coachmen and began moving my stuff from my small tag-along camper to the RV.  I found places for everything and was ready to pull out last Wednesday morning to attend the Sedalia Bluegrass Festival in Big Island, VA.  I was ready to pull out at 8:15AM.  All I had left to do was to buy ice for the weekend.  I started the engine and pulled to the end of my driveway and nosed out into the road to look to my left to be sure nothing was coming.  The way was clear, so I began to accelerate when I heard this awful loud crashing/crunching noise over to my right and behind me.  I stopped the RV and got out of my seat and walked to open the door to see what was wrong.  The door would not open.  It was jammed.  I looked out the window and there it was.  I was sick as I surveyed the damage I had inflicted on my RV.  I had failed to consider my mailbox and the 34 foot length of the RV and didn't pull out nearly far enough to clear it.  The box dropped right off the post, but the post raked the side of the RV and inflicted serious damage. (About the mailbox post.  Years ago when my street was actually US Route 460, our mailbox was routinely hit and knocked down.  My dad and I decided to put up a strong steel post and really sink it deep into the ground.  The next person to hit our mailbox would pay.  Yes I will!) I drove down the road and turned around and back into my yard.  I forced the entry door open and found the exit steps were completely destroyed and were only hanging on by some electrical wires.  The fiberglass side of the RV was ripped off for about 8 or 9 feet and I narrowly missed breaking a valve off the propane tack located right next to the entry steps.  As it was I did break the pot metal knob on the valve in half.  Unknown to me at the time I had two pilot lights that were lit.  Had I burst the tank there would have been a horrendous fire.  So, while I was disgusted with myself for my lousy driving technique, I was very happy to still be alive.

I got busy with my knife and cut the wires holding what remained of the entry steps and cast them aside.  I found a bungee cord to hold the door closed and proceeded to drive the the festival in Big Island.  I knew as I drove toward the festival that there were many friends and acquaintances there and they would razz at me endlessly about my idiocy.  They did not let me down!  While I did receive sympathy from most of my friends they simply could not resist raking me over the coals and explaining how I should have turned out of my driveway.  Thanks to all of you.  I know you love me, but you really don't have to show it so strongly.

If you're wondering, I do plan to repair the RV.  It is simply too nice to abandon, plus I've got money sunk into it that I simply cannot afford to lose.

I had a very nice time at Sedalia (sans the ribbing, etc.) and enjoyed a very hot weekend of Bluegrass.  There were jams each night and we ate as if there would never be another meal in our lifetimes.  My super quiet Honda 3000 watt generator handled my AC just fine and I had a nice cool RV to sleep in.  This was the first time in all my years of camping at festivals that I actually had a shower in my own camper.  The water heater worked flawlessly and I enjoyed 4 nice showers over the course of the weekend.  Also, I tend to take along much more than I need for any camping trip and my old tag-along camper was so small that it was simply piled high with all this stuff.  I found places for most everything in the RV and simply left behind those things which I found I never use.  In other words I enjoyed a very nice camping experience except for having to use a step ladder to enter and leave my RV.  Also there was a large hole at the entry where the steps had been.  I covered it with a piece of cardboard each night to keep the varmints outside.  Oh yeah, there was that bungee cord door thing.

My email address is at the top of the blog, so if you feel I need more instructions about driving or simply a bit more ribbing and harassment then drop me a note.  However for now.........

"NUFF SAID!"

Reminder! Donna Ulisse live @ The Uptown Coffee Cafe - Victoria, VA - July 2nd - Bluegrass Ramble

Hi folks,  I won't take up too much of your time today, but I wanted to tell you, that is, remind you that Donna Ulisse, a native of Hampton, VA will appear in person at the Uptown Coffee Cafe in Victoria, VA on Friday July 2nd.  Here's a a note from Donna:

Hello friends,

Any time I can play in my home state of Virginia, I am one happy girl! I have never been to Victoria but I sure am looking forward to playing there on July 2nd at the Uptown Coffee Cafe. I love playing the big festivals and theaters but there is also something real special about singing in a very intimate setting and being able to visit with everyone in between sets and after the show so I hope you will plan to be there with me and The Poor Mountain Boys on Friday night, July 2, 2010 as we play our hearts out for you.

Tickets are $10.00 each and advance tickets are recommended as seating is limited. You can call and buy tickets at  434-696-3600. The Cafe is located at 1812 Main Street, Victoria, VA 23974. You can learn more about this family owned cafe on their MySpace site. See you there!

Peace,

Donna 

Now, to the "Bluegrass Ramble" and this will be short.  I know I've told a lot of you that I would be traveling west to Owensboro, KY to attend the International Bluegrass Music Museum's (IBMM) Bluegrass festival called "River Of Music Party (ROMP).  Boy, I was going for sure.  I had made motel reservations and purchased my advance ticket and had even started planning my itinerary for my five days in Owensboro.  I was ready to go!  All was for nothing when I was reminded I had an appointment with my ophthalmologist.  If any of you ever have to see these specialists you are no doubt aware how difficult it is to reschedule.  Sooooo, with my eyesight a top priority I decided to cancel my plans and, instead, attend the Sedalia Bluegrass Festival after my appointment.  I know I will have a good time at Sedalia because all my friends will be there, but that's not the only reason or even the most important reason.  If you are my age and you grew up in the country or the south you're gonna know exactly what I'm gonna tell you about, but if you're younger and perhaps a city slicker (you varmint!) I'm gonna have to describe what I'm about to tell you.  There's a lady there near Sedalia that fixes "Fried Apple Pies" to sell for a charity.  Now I know you city slickers are wondering what the heck a "Fried Apple Pie" is and I'm gonna tell you.  First you make up a generous amount of home made pie crust.  Be sure you use plenty of shortening and you fold and roll out over and over until you just know it'll be flaky.  But, before you start making the dough you get out a whole bunch of those apples you dried last fall and put them in a bowl with water and lots of cinnamon and sugar to let them begin to reconstitute by soaking up the water.  Then you pinch off little pieces of the pie dough and roll out nice and round.  Put a tablespoon or two of the apples to one side of the crust and then fold over and crimp together with a fork.  Have a cast iron frying pan ready with a half inch or so of shortening (When Mama made them it was lard. Mmm Mmm!) already preheated and fry to a nice golden brown.  I'm gettin' hungry just writing about them.  Well, anyway this lady brings them and I eat so many my eyes bulge.  They are good and bring back many fond memories.

So, come on out to the Sedalia Bluegrass Festival and if you don't do anything else, eat a Fried Apple Pie!

"NUFF SAID!"