 Dear Derek,
I want to thank all who supported
Monogram, the Czech band. Everyone wanted to shake
hands and tell them how good they were. A member of one of our top bands
told them they had such soul and feeling in their music he actually cried,
and the American band was so impressed they offered help of a tour in America.
The TV people bought a CD and are doing a special spot on just Monogram.
So thank you all very, very
much.
Carmen Turner, Hope Valley.
 Derek
- Got some good news...
Our band had a real uplifting experience last week.
We played at an acoustic club which was mostly guitarists. We agreed to do
a night there free of charge since it was new territory and at least would
serve as a practice without having to hire our usual practice
hall.
Well, they went absolutely "bananas" from the word
go! They were sending drinks at us all night. They were making requests and
everything we did received great applause. You'd think that they'd never
heard Bluegrass before! At the end they had had a whip-round and donated
£25 to our
kitty.
That's not all... a guy came up from the University
and booked us for £150 there and then. As a result of all this we're
on at the same very prestigious venue for a fully fledged booking. What a
very productive sprat that night turned out to
be!
Geoff Bowers, Nottingham
Derek,
Many thanks and congrats for the great NWBN web
site. I have only just learned of your stroke, and I am disheartened, but
glad to read that you are well on the way to
recovery.
I am in touch with some folks including Dave Bresnen
regarding a new tour in September. I will keep you
informed.
Kindest regards,
Sharon Cort, Nashville, TN.
Dear
Editor,
 Bakers Fabulous Boys (BFB) were
the featured band at this years' Ashfield Music Day in Nottinghamshire. In
the afternoon they ran workshops for various instruments and in the evening
they played in the concert, which also featured local band
Bootleg.
I hear they will be doing similar workshops at the
North Wales Bluegrass Festival in Conwy and at the
Yorkshire Dales Bluegrass Festival at Silsden.
I strongly recommend anyone who gets the chance to attend their workshops
to do so. Whether a beginner or experienced, or just a tired old fart who’s
been there and back three times already you will learn something, or at least
have your jaded brain pummelled into thinking about bluegrass
again.
Stuart and Russel Williams have had a lot of experience
running workshops in the North-West at their regular Planktones gatherings.
They know what they want to say and they know how to say it positively and
pleasantly. At Ashfield the whole emphasis was on the drive and rhythm of
a Bluegrass band and on how each instrument is used to achieve these goals.
Time was allocated to each instrument group after which all were brought
together to play as a band - a format that worked very well at Ashfield.
It certainly made me rethink my approach to Bluegrass. Treat yourself to
a dose!
Steve Read, Millersdale, Derbyshire
Hello Derek,
At the Barbican I had a session with a guitar player
named Chris (not Moreton). We would like to contact him. He is probably in
his forties, wearing glasses and played the guitar with one of his self rolled
cigarettes hanging from his lips. Not much of a description I'm afraid. I
think Chris plays in with a full bearded mandolin player and a banjo player,
who is about 50 years old. We would appreciate your help very
much.
Gerhard Pehland (gerhardp@ibm.net) Munich,
Germany
If anyone can help please let me know -
Ed.
Feedback:
Sirs:
I think Mr.Robinson is a bit naive if he thinks bluegrass audiences are going
to support anything. As a rule this is the cheapest (i.e. meanest - Ed) and
most closed minded audience-type I have ever witnessed.
(Read the
article
They expect musicians to play constantly for nothing
and complain when the admission goes up from $3 to $5 at a bluegrass association
event. Mind you that they are getting a minimum of 5-7 bands and music from
7 p.m. to 11 p.m. for five bucks. All of this money goes to support the
association and the music and all the trips and meetings that the director
and his wife care to attend (I'm sure there is not much left over after that).
NONE EVER GOES TO THE
MUSICIANS!
My son is a most accomplished banjo player who studied
with Bill Keith for 5 years. One night Bill asked him to accompany him to
New York City where he was playing in some small club. Two other players
met him there as they were also scheduled to play. The other two were Tony
Trishka and Buddy Wachter. This would be the equivalent of having Tony Rice,
Chet Atkins, and Doc Watson at one event for guitar
players.
There was a grand total of 25 paying customers in
the club with room for an additional 100 + people. This is the sad state
of affairs in bluegrass music. The musicians constantly give away their talent
and the audience continues to expect to get it for free. If you look at the
audience in the US they are primarily blue and grey- haired geezers who drive
Lincoln Town Cars and Cadillacs to the events but won't even throw a buck
into a tip jar. This lack of support will kill the music here in the US and
elsewhere I suppose. In other words if you get something for free you don't
think it is worth much.
My son is fed up and plays alternate styles and
is toying with joining a rock band with his Crossfire or converting an old
electric guitar into a 5-string. Phoney country music is where the dough
is even though it is rock music in disguise.
Thanks,
Tom Jacques, Havelock, North Carolina, USA
brdist@cconnect.net
Updated 23rd Jan 1999
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