New baby arrived yesterday. Chase Hearn II, 7.5 lb!
Good job, Team Hearn.
I'm sure we'll get some pix before too long.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Smokin' Jam at the Mill Last Night
Packed house at the Mill last night. Good folks pickin' all over the place. Mistah Christian was there trying to play out his pre-delivery-of-first-baby stress. I don't think it worked. Send some good thoughts his way, wontcha people? We got another picker on the way!
We were blessed with Ebby the fine, fine fiddler from Tazewell County. Along with Ralph, Sloane, and Richard, we had an elegant sufficiency in the violin section.
Never short of mandos, we had Wayne, Chris, Mary, Casey, and Brian Muller. Good tunes a plenty. Notable was the Wild Bill Jones by Ebby's lady friend. (Ralph - name, please?)
Lots of tunes in B to test the new fiddler and he ate it up. That guy was good, good, good.
I can't name all the pickers, there musta been 30. It was hot in there when I showed up round 7:30, and it rocked all the way till about 10:15. (Past closin' time!)
I dragged Casey over to Sharkey's afterwards to check it out, and all the reports I've heard are true: it's loud, loud, loud. They were out of Casey's choice, Red Hook, so we got a Newcastle each and picked some twin Mando out on the porch. It was loud out there, too, but that's cool. We had a good time.
Look out for the Casey Elder experience at the next Side Door. I don't know what he's whippin' up, but I'm sure it'll be great.
Peace out, yo!
We were blessed with Ebby the fine, fine fiddler from Tazewell County. Along with Ralph, Sloane, and Richard, we had an elegant sufficiency in the violin section.
Never short of mandos, we had Wayne, Chris, Mary, Casey, and Brian Muller. Good tunes a plenty. Notable was the Wild Bill Jones by Ebby's lady friend. (Ralph - name, please?)
Lots of tunes in B to test the new fiddler and he ate it up. That guy was good, good, good.
I can't name all the pickers, there musta been 30. It was hot in there when I showed up round 7:30, and it rocked all the way till about 10:15. (Past closin' time!)
I dragged Casey over to Sharkey's afterwards to check it out, and all the reports I've heard are true: it's loud, loud, loud. They were out of Casey's choice, Red Hook, so we got a Newcastle each and picked some twin Mando out on the porch. It was loud out there, too, but that's cool. We had a good time.
Look out for the Casey Elder experience at the next Side Door. I don't know what he's whippin' up, but I'm sure it'll be great.
Peace out, yo!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Dixieland
In my Steve Earle top three. From his awesome album with Del McCoury, The Mountain, but performed here with Tim O'Brien, Casey Driessen, and Darrel Scott because Steve cursed on stage too much and Del dropped him. :)
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Busy Weekend
We had a boss time playing for Leon's 60th birthday. (I hope you guys can still play at MY 60th!)
We played pretty good, we ate real good, and we got a taste of Fairlawn. I went home and hung out on my deck, too. A fine weekend all around.
Off topic, I know I'm always late, and all that, but I swear I had a dream that I was supposed to be playing with Del McCoury, but I was late and couldn't find my way to the gig. Except for the Del part, it's a recurring nightmare.
What are your recurring nightmares? Let's share!
We played pretty good, we ate real good, and we got a taste of Fairlawn. I went home and hung out on my deck, too. A fine weekend all around.
Off topic, I know I'm always late, and all that, but I swear I had a dream that I was supposed to be playing with Del McCoury, but I was late and couldn't find my way to the gig. Except for the Del part, it's a recurring nightmare.
What are your recurring nightmares? Let's share!
Thanks
I just wanted to put out a public word of thanks to Ralph, Joe, Chris, and Doug for coming to my church today and playing a few tunes. I don't think you'll find a more appreciative crowd. We came through and wowed 'em pretty good, and everyone really enjoyed it. I got a bunch of compliments and suggestions that we don't wait another year to come back, but get back at least once a month! Don't know if we have that much gospel in our archives!
It has been suggest to us (by Joes's uncle, I think) that we put out a gospel CD. I think that might be a seller for us after today. Anyway, I did want to thank you guys for coming. I owe ya one. Maybe a get together for burgers or something before the fall gets too cold.
See ya tomorrow a the Mill!!!!
It has been suggest to us (by Joes's uncle, I think) that we put out a gospel CD. I think that might be a seller for us after today. Anyway, I did want to thank you guys for coming. I owe ya one. Maybe a get together for burgers or something before the fall gets too cold.
See ya tomorrow a the Mill!!!!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Everybody knows this feeling...
The bottle let me down...
I don't know what this gig was, but it's Elvis Costello singing, Jerry Garcia on rhythm, and James Burton (Real Elvis) on guitar.
Good times.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
What to do with a Tuesday night?
Well in Radford, Hercules Street in particular, we got down on Gary Collier's front lawn and picked a whole bunch of tunes. The folks on the street got an earful, that's for sure, and a lot of it wasn't too bad, either.
Gary's pal Kurt was in town so we scratched together a little jam with the help of Casey Elder and Christian and Kimberly Hearn. The stars were out, and the youth audience tolerated us fairly well. It was a great way to spend the evening, what can I say? That boy Kurt can play the banjo, too.
Hope he'll be in town again soon.
Thanks to Gary and Alice for the burgers and beer.
Gary's pal Kurt was in town so we scratched together a little jam with the help of Casey Elder and Christian and Kimberly Hearn. The stars were out, and the youth audience tolerated us fairly well. It was a great way to spend the evening, what can I say? That boy Kurt can play the banjo, too.
Hope he'll be in town again soon.
Thanks to Gary and Alice for the burgers and beer.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
The Understudy's Night on the Stage
Interesting jam tonight. No Ralph, no Wayne, no Wilson,no Muller, no PJ, no Casey...lots of our A-list missing. So we had Gentleman George Smith, Chris, Joe Abercrombie, Jason, Fiddlin' Richard, and Super Doug on the bass. We also had Kurt from Tidwater with some A-list banjo.
Nancy and Mary were takin' cuts, and Frankie Fitzgerald was pickin' too. We busted out the Philadelphia Lawyer, Pike County Breakdown, and Sledd Ride. Good times. Chris tried to play Barroom Gambler's Blues and Let me Love You One More time, but hey, they can't all be winners. Slash and Timmeh hung out but didn't play.
No outside jam to speak of, even though it was a real nice night.
Dale showed up to contribute a couple tunes, too. Scott Patrick came along, too.
Another good jam, y'all!
Nancy and Mary were takin' cuts, and Frankie Fitzgerald was pickin' too. We busted out the Philadelphia Lawyer, Pike County Breakdown, and Sledd Ride. Good times. Chris tried to play Barroom Gambler's Blues and Let me Love You One More time, but hey, they can't all be winners. Slash and Timmeh hung out but didn't play.
No outside jam to speak of, even though it was a real nice night.
Dale showed up to contribute a couple tunes, too. Scott Patrick came along, too.
Another good jam, y'all!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Beautiful Summer Night
It was perfect jammin' weather tonight, and Brian and PJ, fresh from Galax, and Mr. Slash led a serious outside Jam at the Mill tonight. The jam inside was good too, and there was lots of new blood, and old blood, and temporary blood, and everybody was playin' good and havin' a good time. I think we're winning over some of the new Sharkey's walk-bys, too.
Y'all can add comments. It was a notable night only because the joint was all smiles. Wilson's back to his old self, Sloane is back and fiddlin' better and harder than ever, we're bringing in some new tunes, and Kendall whipped us up a real boss Java Brothers poster.
Life is good today!
Y'all can add comments. It was a notable night only because the joint was all smiles. Wilson's back to his old self, Sloane is back and fiddlin' better and harder than ever, we're bringing in some new tunes, and Kendall whipped us up a real boss Java Brothers poster.
Life is good today!
Along the Way
Ron Block Gospel number, also played in Wayne's basement. Also played without Doug. We'll make Doug learn it as soon as we learn it.
Old Dangerfield
We like this one. Played without our bass playah Doug in Wayne's basement.
The pix are from my trip to the Philippines this May. Check it out.
The pix are from my trip to the Philippines this May. Check it out.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Fine time on the River
It's always interesting putting an event together. Who will come? Will anyone turn out? How much stuff do we need? What if you have a party, and nobody comes?
We held the Outdoor Session yesterday and it turned out pretty dang good, and once again it was the community of musicians came through.
I knew this weekend would be a challenge for lots of people schedule-wise, it's the middle of the high season and there's lots going on...Steppin' Out in Blacksburg, Galax warming up, you name it.
Then there was the weather. We got some pretty wild thunderstorms in the morning, about three individual squalls, and they made me pretty nervous. But I figured, "Hey, we're under a shelter! No biggie." So, long story short, we got set up at about 1:15 for our 2:00 kickoff, and Charlie Linkous was already camped out and waiting for us to play.
Dr. Carl, Wayne, and myself got right to setting up, and the sky was clearing, and things were looking good, but I was still wondering who all would show up. We got a jam's worth of Coffee Mill regulars (Chris, Wayne, Doug, Dale, and Slash) and that would have been fine group to spend an afternoon with, but then we got a whole 'nother contingent from the Snowville jam. (I've almost learned to pronounce it right..."Snow-vul." Doug Dalton brought a whole crew of great singers and pickers, not to mention his sweet fiddle and really turned the jam into something fun and memorable. Miss Chloe brought her bass, but I don't know she ever played it. Christian and Kimberly Hearn played on a bunch of tunes. We had no shortage of mando's, guitars, or even basses. We were short on banjos--I think we only had two all day, but you know, that was just about right. We had two dobros trading off, and tons of non musical visitors, too. My pals from Arlington were very impressed with the pickers' talent, and also their stamina. "They just played for hours! Don't they get tired?" I told her we work in shifts.
I want to thank everybody who came out and everybody who helped. It's a simple thing to get together and pick, but it really is a lot of fun, and you can't do it alone!
Send me all your ideas for next year. Special thanks go out to God for letting us all live to see this day, but Extra Special thanks for Him letting Wilson make it. Our boy Wilson is the hero of the day. He took a spill on his vacation and cracked his head, and while we can joke about it now, we definitely can't afford to lose him, or any of our pickers. Y'all be careful out there! Wilson played a bunch of tunes, including of favorite of his Dad and myself, too -the Philadelphia Lawyer. I'll see you all tomorrow at the Mill, Thursday in Snowville, and maybe even down at Galax.
We held the Outdoor Session yesterday and it turned out pretty dang good, and once again it was the community of musicians came through.
I knew this weekend would be a challenge for lots of people schedule-wise, it's the middle of the high season and there's lots going on...Steppin' Out in Blacksburg, Galax warming up, you name it.
Then there was the weather. We got some pretty wild thunderstorms in the morning, about three individual squalls, and they made me pretty nervous. But I figured, "Hey, we're under a shelter! No biggie." So, long story short, we got set up at about 1:15 for our 2:00 kickoff, and Charlie Linkous was already camped out and waiting for us to play.
Dr. Carl, Wayne, and myself got right to setting up, and the sky was clearing, and things were looking good, but I was still wondering who all would show up. We got a jam's worth of Coffee Mill regulars (Chris, Wayne, Doug, Dale, and Slash) and that would have been fine group to spend an afternoon with, but then we got a whole 'nother contingent from the Snowville jam. (I've almost learned to pronounce it right..."Snow-vul." Doug Dalton brought a whole crew of great singers and pickers, not to mention his sweet fiddle and really turned the jam into something fun and memorable. Miss Chloe brought her bass, but I don't know she ever played it. Christian and Kimberly Hearn played on a bunch of tunes. We had no shortage of mando's, guitars, or even basses. We were short on banjos--I think we only had two all day, but you know, that was just about right. We had two dobros trading off, and tons of non musical visitors, too. My pals from Arlington were very impressed with the pickers' talent, and also their stamina. "They just played for hours! Don't they get tired?" I told her we work in shifts.
I want to thank everybody who came out and everybody who helped. It's a simple thing to get together and pick, but it really is a lot of fun, and you can't do it alone!
Send me all your ideas for next year. Special thanks go out to God for letting us all live to see this day, but Extra Special thanks for Him letting Wilson make it. Our boy Wilson is the hero of the day. He took a spill on his vacation and cracked his head, and while we can joke about it now, we definitely can't afford to lose him, or any of our pickers. Y'all be careful out there! Wilson played a bunch of tunes, including of favorite of his Dad and myself, too -the Philadelphia Lawyer. I'll see you all tomorrow at the Mill, Thursday in Snowville, and maybe even down at Galax.
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