by Jim Knobloch

The picture to the right shows Brian Wicklund playing the German fiddle donated by Lane’s Lutherie of Madison, one of the spectacular prizes in the SWBMAI raffle. Brian is the author of the highly-acclaimed American Fiddle Method (Mel Bay Publications) and a first-choice instructor for many jam camps and festivals internationally. He performs with the acoustic power trio Brother Mule (http://brothermule.com) and Minnesota-based Brian Wicklund and the FiddlePals (http://www.fiddlepal.com).

Brian joined forces with SWBMAI member band Tangled Roots (http://www.tangledrootsbluegrass.com), the host band at the Mt. Morris Jam Camp (http://www.mtmjamcamp.com) in August. This year SWBMAI offered tuition scholarships for two SWBMAI members to attend this weekend bluegrass jam camp at the beautiful Mt. Morris Conference Center near Wautoma (http://www.mt-morris.org). A wonderful experience for anyone interested in learning about bluegrass music and how to play it!

Barry Lehman, one of the jam camp organizers, shamelessly promoted SWBMAI at every opportunity. During intermission at the Saturday night public performance by Tangled Roots, Brian Wicklund demonstrated to the audience what that fine German fiddle is capable of sounding like. I sold quite a few raffle tickets that evening with their enthusiastic support!

By Nancy Nikora

Thanks for your patience! After many e mails and calls back and forth, we have great news. Stacy Phillips will present TWO workshops in Madison!

We will host a fiddle workshop on Friday evening, November 7th, from 6:30-9:30 and a Dobro workshop on Saturday morning, November 8th, from 10:00 until 1:00. The cost is $60.00 for each of the three hour workshops. We know the price is a little higher than our recent workshops, but Stacy is providing a longer workshop, and we’re sure you won’t be disappointed. While these will be small classes, Stacy asks for a minimum of 7 participants in each group to make it worth while. Reserve your place ASAP, so we don’t have to cancel either event.

Stacy’s “Bluegrass Fiddle Boot Camp” workshop is designed to fit the needs of fiddlers of all backgrounds - from traditional players to the conservatory trained. Unlock the secrets of creating authentic bluegrass solos on songs, based on the playing of the greats like Benny Martin, Kenny Baker, Chubby Wise, etc.

Having trouble choosing what notes to harmonize a melody line for a double stop passage? This workshop shows how the big boys do it, and how you can make your own variations that will improve your skills at jam sessions and band situations.

Saturday’s Dobro workshop will also be taught for all levels of player. Stacy will cover picking patterns, slants, playing in all keys, and building solos out of scalar patterns. He will demonstrate licks and how to vary them, how to incorporate rolls into solos, and much much more.

One change from our previous offerings is that payment is required in advance. In the past we have taken payment at the door, but we were disappointed this summer by a few folks who had us hold places for them but canceled without paying on the day of Mike Compton’s workshop. This isn’t fair to participants who were turned away, or to the generous musician planning on a certain number of students.

Please email me [nancy@blue-note.com] to get your name on the list for the workshop, making sure to note if you are a fiddle or dobro student. Follow up to be confirmed by sending your check no later than October 29th to me, so we can pay Stacy in cash. All proceeds from the workshops go to Stacy; Jim and I do this because we are lucky enough to have a great home for music and we love having it filled with old friends and new. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. Stacy has graciously provided both his phone and e mail address if you want to contact him personally, but please send reservation requests and payment directly to me.

Jim and I look forward to hearing from you soon, and seeing you in a month.

Those of you who enjoyed the article on Eddie Adcock’s banjo-pickin’ brain surgery in the latest issue of Fireball Mail might want to catch video of the surgery, scheduled to air on Good Morning America Friday, Oct. 3, around 7:35 a.m. If it runs, and if somebody YouTubes it, we’ll post a link here!

Update: See the amazing video here:

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SWBMAI’s own Liberty Bluegrass Band is embroiled in an electoral struggle to win a slot headlining with David Grisman at Chicago’s Congress Theater Nov. 22.

Fans can vote for their favorite  acts at the Chicago Bluegrass and Blues festival site. You can vote once a day until October 16, and you don’t have to register or sign up for anything. Come to think of it, that sounds like a typical Chicago election!

So c’mon, Wisconsin bluegrass fans — let’s put a local group on stage at Chicago’s second-largest theater. Click the link below right now to vote, and enjoy some of Liberty Bluegrass Band’s music while you’re on the site!

Vote Now

We’d like to welcome The Oak Street Ramblers, the latest SWBMAI member band. Here’s an exerpt from their MySpace page:

Dishing up foot-stomping old time classics and tight high-and-lonesome harmonies, the Oak Street Ramblers are an up-and-coming band in Madison’s burgeoning bluegrass scene. The Oak Street Ramblers were born in a garage on the corner of Oak and Union streets on the east side of Madison, Wisconsin. At first a loosely-knit collective made up of a revolving cast of old time and Americana enthusiasts, the Ramblers eventually coalesced into a core group of dedicated bluegrass pickers. . .

The band is comprised of Liz Stattelman-Scanlan on vocals and guitar, Lonesome Willie Jones on vocals and mandolin, Ian Alderman on vocals, dobro and guitar, Tina Thompson on vocals and fiddle, Mark Schlutt on vocals and banjo, and Jeff Kunkle on bass (and the occasional off-key warbling).

The Oak Street Ramblers have gigs coming up in October at Epelegaarden on the 12th and the Alchemy Cafe on the 18th; you can get the details on the SWBMAI calendar.

SWBMAI works hard to get local bluegrass bands in touch with local bluegrass fans! If your bluegrass, old-time or traditional country group could benefit from the attention of Wisconsin music-lovers, contact Membership Director Catherine Rhyner at  csrhyner@rhyn-rivet.com

The Belleville Intermediate School (10 miles south of Verona) is looking for a Bluegrass demonstration to compliment the visit of author Jacqueline Briggs Martin and book Banjo Granny at a school general assembly K-6th grade some time in the next week or so. A half hour show would need to be provided during the school day and would pay $100.

This is a great opportunity to spread Bluegrass to some children in Southern Wisconsin. Check http://www.jacquelinebriggsmartin.com for info on the author. If interested contact Paul Kienitz at 424-6386 or email at windyk@merr.com and he’ll get you in touch with the school.

Click Here to Sample Banjo Granny

“…Lilly Drumeva has a very bright future in bluegrass music…Recommended…” - Bluegrass Unlimited

Come out and show some of that Wisconsin hospitality as Bulgarian Bluegrass artist Lily Drumeva will be appearing on Thursday Oct. 9 at the Cafe Carpe, 18 S. Water Street, Fort Atkinson, WI at 7pm. Lily is visiting the United States this fall to attend IBMA Fanfest in October and is making a trip to Wisconsin see a little “slice” of the Midwest (maybe some cows) besides the Nashville area while in the country. She will play an evening of her bluegrass music with new friends John Fabke (mando, banjo, guitar), Jon Peik (banjo, bass, mando) and Paul Kienitz (fiddle). See more about Lily on the web at www.lillydrumeva.net

Listen to Lilly Drumeva performing “Summer Fly”

By Julie Cherney

[Editor's note: Those of you who enjoyed Julie's tale of her exploits at Nashcamp 2008 in the recent newsletter can read the full, "unexpurgated" version by following the link below.]

January ‘08 in Wisconsin.  Christmas is over.  The New Year has come and gone.  The Packers blew it in the playoffs and another winter storm threatening to dump a foot of snow is on its way.  I should have written blue yodel #154, but instead I watched an inordinate amount of T.V. and settled into lethargy.

One day, however, I get an email from my pal Karen asking if I’d be interested in attending NashCamp in the summer.  Hmmm.  A week of picking, singing, learning and having a good ole time in a place far from winter. It took me a day or two of pondering, but I was sold.  My other pal Catherine needed even less time to decide.  “Let’s go!” she said on the spot.  And a little farther down the road our fourth pal Teresa said, “I’m kenneling my dogs and coming with you!”  It was decided, four girls from Wisconsin were going to take Cumberland Furnace, TN by storm. . .

Click here to continue

By Pat Logterman

Some of you may recall that after several years of playing every Wednesday evening at Ken’s Bar the Cork ‘n Bottle String Band was forced to embark on the “Homeless Tour” when Ken’s was sold and closed for remodeling (a project that inexplicably continues to this day). The group played at a series of venues before settling into a weekly spot at the UW Memorial Union Rathskeller and Terrace which lasted until this past summer when the Union reduced the groups appearances to once per month.

This change has prompted the group to add shows at local venues and in October we will be trying out Madison’s newest addition to the music scene, The Frequency at 121 W. Main Street. This location has been a few different venues over the past few years but is probably best remembered as The Slipper Club. As of this writing we have not been told if we will have access to the old costumes used at The Slipper Club burlesque shows but we hope to spice up our show one way or another.

The Frequency is a small venue and reminds us of our times at Ken’s Bar although not quite that small and without the cigarette smoke. There is a bar in the front room and the club opens up in the back where the stage is located. The venue takes the cover charge at the entrance to the back room so the merely curious can sit at the front bar and down shots of schnapps while they wrestle with the decision to plunk down $3 to see a 6 piece acoustic string band.

As this is a new venue for us we would appreciate everybody helping us to get the word out on the street. Please forward this email to interested parties or start a blog or just stand on the street and mumble about it to yourself. Untold rewards await you.

Saturday, September 27, 7:30 - Stoughton Opera House with The Lonesome Aces

Thursday, October 2, 6:00-8:00 - The Frequency, 121 W. Main St. $3 cover charge
Thursday, October 16, 6:00-8:00 - The Frequency, 121 W. Main St. $3 cover charge

Thursday, October 30, 6:00-8:00 - UW Memorial Union Terrace/Rathskellar

Thank you for your attention. Don’t ever forget that we love you but if you feel the need to spout off you can reach the band at bignew@bignew.com

[Editor's note: Many of you know that Johanna Fabke, a driving force behind the Gandy Dancer Festival, was unable to attend this year's event due to an illness. She recently wrote us this note to keep her many well-wishers up to speed.]

Greetings to all.

I’ve been home from the hospital for about a month and am doing pretty well, all things considered.  Stoughton Home Health is providing support services, but I’m able to manage most basic household tasks on my own.  Double vision persists, however, so I can’t drive.  My doctors have said that my general recovery is going well enough that there is still some hope that the double vision will resolve in the months ahead.

My first venture away from home for something other than a medical appointment was to hear Bill and Bobbie Malone at the Roxbury Tavern with my son, John, and  Dave, the bass player, backing them up.  Ruth Ellickson, an old friend who has been a wonderful volunteer at both Gandy Dancer Festivals, kindly drove me up to Roxbury.  The music was great and bratwurst never tasted so good!

Bill Malone mentioned from the stage that I was there - I’m told that he was similarly gracious in explaining my absence when he served as emcee at the festival.  During the intermission, a woman I did not know came over to the table where I was sitting and said, “Thank you for the Gandy Dancer Festival.  It was magical.”

I told her I wished I’d been there and thanked her for sharing her thoughts.  I’m delighted to pass this along and to have an opportunity to thank you all again for carrying on in such wonderful fashion after I got sick.