High Lonesome Strings Monthly Meeting

Sunday, January 29, 2012 2 PM

Greensboro Cultural Center

Band Rehearsal Hall, bottom floor

200 N. Davie Street

Greensboro, NC 27401

Bring instrument for jam sessions
Sponsored by Music Center City Arts

Featuring:

Southern Magnolia

Southern Magnolia marked its serendipitous beginnings in the spring of 1995. Three of its members had, at various times, frequented a local haunt for Bluegrass musicians known as Brown’s Ole Opry located in McLeansville, NC. On this particular occasion, the women from different corners of the Piedmont had gathered in the back room to jam. It was just a few short weeks later that the group gelled into its first configuration. After twelve years together, they recorded their first musical project titled “Something Blue” in 1997. Four of the songs were penned by two of the band members, Judy and Cindy. In 2011, they recorded “Down Home with Southern Magnolia” with five original songs from Cindy, Judy, Pammy and Susan. Special guest Linda Thore, original member of the band, also contributed a song that appears on the CD.

Judy Arnette: Guitar, lead Vocals

Although Judy has been singing since her early youth, she began playing guitar only in the late 70s. At that time, under the influence of her guitar teacher and friend, she began singing some of the traditional Stanley Brothers’ tunes. Judy became known among local jam sessions as the “Carter Half” of the Stanley Sisters’ duo. In addition to singing and playing, Judy enjoys trying her hand at song writing. The band features several of her original tunes of which two appear on the new CD – Heart of My Heart about her husband’s heart transplant and You Can’t Go Home Again. Judy is from Greensboro, North Carolina.

Pammy Davis: Dobro, Harmony Vocals

Pammy has been playing Dobro since June 1997. Previous to the Dobro, she played bass with Southern Magnolia until former Bass player Louise Wilson joined the band in September 1997. She has performed in several small bands throughout the years competing in fiddler’s conventions and entertaining at parties. In addition to playing Dobro, Pammy also plays upright bass along with a little guitar, mandolin, and clawhammer banjo. Pammy is a charter member of the Charlotte Folk Music Society and along with Judy and Cindy, started the Bluegrass Association in the area called High Lonesome Strings of which she was President for ten years. She co-wrote her first song, Chimney Rock Slide which appears on the new CD. Pammy resides in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina.

Susan Owen: Mandolin, Lead and Harmony Vocals

Susan, from Gibsonville, North Carolina, joined Southern Magnolia in November, 2003. She has been actively involved in music all her life. Her Bachelor of Music in Education degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro opened the door for her to share her knowledge and passion for music with others. She taught choral/general music to children for 25 years in the Guilford County School System. Susan retired from her teaching position in July, 2007 to explore other musical endeavors. Instruments she enjoys playing are the piano, mandolin, lap dulcimer and hammered dulcimer. She served in the music ministry at Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church and Gibsonville United Methodist Church both as accompanist and adult/children’s choir director. The first song Susan wrote appears on “Down Home with Southern Magnolia” – Carolina’s Calling.

Cindy Tucker: Banjo, Harmony Vocals

Cindy was inspired by her father’s love for the music and for the banjo in particular. Due to this inspiration, she began to play banjo in the late 80s. The artistically crafted instrument that she plays on stage was made by her father. In addition to her exceptional contributions on the banjo and vocal harmonies, Cindy also is a songwriter and penned the instrumental “Fox in the Hen House” and the vocal “Will You Love Me Anyway” written about her brother-in-law’s care for his wife. The band performs both songs and recorded the latter on their first CD. She also wrote There’s an Empty Place about a family member and co-wrote Chimney Rock Slide with Pammy. Cindy is from Altamahaw, North Carolina.

Keith Carroll: Bass, Harmony Vocals

Keith Carroll is a most sought after Bass player from Eden, North Carolina. He is a multi-instrumentalist playing Banjo, Fiddle, Mandolin, and Guitar and is learning how to play some basic Dobro. In addition to the typical “Bluegrass” instruments, he plays Saxophone, Harmonica, Hammered Dulcimer, Autoharp, Bowed Psaltery, Ukulele, Banjimer, Lap Dulcimer, Didgeridoo and can still play an old piano recital piece if he can find the music. He joined Southern Magnolia in November, 2003.

High Lonesome Strings Christmas Party

Friday, December 9, 2011  6:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Tabernacle Methodist Church

Fellowship Hall

5601 Liberty Rd

Greensboro NC 27406

There will be a Pot Luck Supper. Please bring a side dish and a door prize. Don’t forget your instrument for jamming!

Kids, keep on the lookout for Santa!

Featuring:

Never Too Late

Brent W. Fain (Guitar) – Fifteen years ago, my daughter wanted a guitar and I bought two, one for her and one for me. Her musical goals changed and mine flourished as I learned country and folk songs. I then accidentally found Bluegrass Music through Gary Holmes, a chemical salesman, who took me to a jam session in Mebane, North Carolina. With the mandolin, banjo, bass, guitars, and high tenors filling the air, I fell in love with the sound and had to have more. At a local music store, I found a flier on the High Lonesome Strings and attended a meeting and immediately joined on March 19, 1998. The club was wise enough to have slow jam sessions and the patriarch of the session was J.V. Weadon. I enjoyed learning from him and his wife, Rheba, and soon joined their band, The Brown Summit Hilltoppers. After many session and jigs, I learned a great deal from them and they are among my very best friends. I began working on a small jam session in my neighborhood and after a couple of years it finally started at Kent Huffman’s home in Oak Ridge, North Carolina. From that jam session, Never Too Late was formed in October 2001 with a guitar, Keith Dunn on the mandolin, Bruce Hill on the banjo, and Kent Huffman on the bass. I have learned to be a rhythm guitar player, a lead and harmony singer with a great group of musicians who have decades of musical experience. We have gone through variations of the band and it is still partially original with David Riddle now as the mandolin player. We have played the “Rex” multiple times, Bluegrass Festivals, Political Fund Raisers, for the National Park Service, a one hour TV show for Winston-Salem, The Dixie Classic Fair commercial for two years, pig pickins, barn raising, fiddler’s conventions, and the list goes on. We are scattered many miles apart and only perform fifteen or so times a year now. It is a treat to come and share our music with High Lonesome Strings.

Bruce Hill (Banjo) – I was born in Atlanta, Georgia, attending college at the University of Georgia. Upon graduation I joined the U.S. Army, was discharged at Fort Bragg, NC, and began my career with Burlington Industries. In 1985, I met my wife Patty and joined her in her family trucking business. Patty and I worked there until 2002, when we retired. We currently spend our time between Sarasota, Fl and Blowing Rock, NC. I began playing the “five-string” banjo in the middle 1970′s, first with a group called the Bluegrass Construction Company in the Halifax, Virginia area. After moving to Greensboro in 1980, I joined The Southern Comfort Band as their banjo player, singing lead and harmony vocals. Southern Comfort was an established group formed in 1969. We did some traveling and recorded an album in 1984. I played very little from 1985 to 1996 due to time required in the family business. Late in 1996 I began a renewed desire to play the banjo again and performed with numerous local groups. In 2001, The Never Too Late Bluegrass Band, a local band from the Greensboro, NC area, was formed with me as an original member, We recorded two CD’s and were invited to perform a one hour public television show for a local station in Winston Salem, NC. Our four member band continues to play together, performing at numerous bluegrass festivals and private parties in and around NC. Upon retiring to Florida, I joined The Manatee River Bluegrass Band, playing banjo and singing with them for the past seven years. Our annual performances include the Manatee County Fair, the Cortez Seafood Festival and the Arcadia Rodeo. In 2006, I was a part of forming The Second Chance Bluegrass Band and we recorded a CD in 2009. From an educational standpoint, I have attended many bluegrass camps such as-Nashcamp, Steve Kaufman’s camp, Pete Wernick’s camp, the bluegrass camp at Augusta College in Elkins, WV and the Mars Hill College bluegrass camp in Mars Hill, NC.. I taught the banjo camp for the Central Florida BG Assoc in 2010 and 2011, the banjo camp at John C. Campbell Folk School in 2011. and the bluegrass banjo class at the Blowing Rock music camp in 2010 and 2011. Currently, I play a 1935 Gibson TB3, a 1931 Gibson Granada and a 1978 Stelling Golden Cross.

Kent Huffman (Bass) – I have been playing Bass since 1957. Before joining Never Too Late, I played in these bands: The Ascots, The Tassels, The Rogues, Ellington and Huffman, and The Board of Directors!

David Riddle (Mandolin) – I have acquired 65 years plus of experience in Bluegrass Music playing guitar and mandolin player. At the age of eight years old, I would attend square dances, community gatherings, and other musical functions where my father and two uncles would perform. At the age of eight and through my brother, I became interested in the guitar and used that talent while serving our country in the U.S. Army. I met two soldiers at Fort Riley, Kansas with the same interest in bluegrass and we three were sent to Korea where we formed a bluegrass band which was named “The Bearcat Hillbillies” by General Wheeler. The Bearcat was the company mascot and insignia. Every Saturday morning we would perform an hour show at AFKN-TV in Seoul, Korea. We became the camp band and entertained the troops at the Officer’s Club and special military functions. After my military service, I was on the bluegrass festival circuit and performed with many bands such as, The McPherson Brothers, Joyful Noise Gospel Bluegrass Band, The Bluegrass Congregation, Gramma’s Garage Pickers, The Backwoods Bluegrass, and many others. While with The Backwoods Bluegrass band, I played with Greg Corbett who later became Charlie Waller and The Country Gentlemen’s banjo player. I joined Never Too Late Bluegrass Band in 2006.

High Lonesome Strings Camp n’ Pick

Friday and Saturday,  September 16-17, 2011

Hagan-Stone Park Campground

5920 Hagan-Stone Park Road

Pleasant Garden NC 27313

Sponsored by Hagan-Stone Park.

Please call Pammy at 336.674.1277  for camping reservations. The campground host, Shane Swaim, will be collecting the camping fee at the park for campsites C1-20 only. Look for a sign at the shelter for his schedule when he will be collecting the fees. Bring your check or cash and make checks payable to City of Greensboro.  Camping fees are $18 for HLS only in area C1-C20 (sites around the shelter).

You will pay park personnel for these areas: Area B (woods) or C21& up $20 or $18 seniors, Area A $15 or $13 seniors (tent sites, no water or electricity)

Friday: Jamming

Choose your pick – at the shelter or at campsites up to when the Park Manager says shut it down.

Saturday morning and afternoon: Jamming

Choose your pick – at the shelter or at campsites.

Saturday: Pot Luck at 5:30 PM

The club will provide plates and utensils; you provide a side dish or dessert and your drink. We will have ice cream for dessert!

Saturday: Southeast Express at 6:30 PM

Southeast Express was originally formed in the late 70′s by Mr. LeRoy Gregory of Julian, N.C. Unfortunately Mr. Gregory was injured in a rodeo accident in 1994 and later passed away from those injuries. Today they are proud to carry on the band that he started in honor of LeRoy and the music that he loved!

The group is currently made up of the following members: Jim Boren of Pleasant Garden on Dobro, guitar and vocals; Ray Coble of Julian on bass and vocals; Jeff Wiseman of Reidsville on banjo; Dale Giddens of Julian on guitar and vocals; and Joe Norris of Julian on mandolin and vocals.

Southeast Express performs traditional, Gospel and contemporary Bluegrass with a little comedy thrown in and an occasional country or rock and roll song for variety. They have recorded 4 projects; “Southeast Express”, “On Track” and an all Gospel project, “Back To The Cross”. Southeast Express would like to carry on the “Bluegrass Tradition” for a long time to come!

 

High Lonesome Strings Camp n’ Pick

Friday and Saturday, August 26-27, 2011

Hagan-Stone Park Campground

5920 Hagan-Stone Park Road

Pleasant Garden NC 27313

Sponsored by Hagan-Stone Park.

Please call Pammy at 336.674.1277  for camping reservations. A host will be at the partk collecting the camping fee at the park for campsites C1-C20 only. Look for a sign at the shelter for his campsite #. Bring your check or cash on Friday evening. Make checks payable to City of Greensboro. Camping fees are $16 for HLS only in area C1-C20 (sites around the shelter).

You will pay park personnel for these areas: Area B (woods) or C21& up $18 or $16 seniors, Area A $15 (tent sites, no water or electricity)

Friday: Jamming

Choose your pick – at the shelter or at campsites up to when the Park Manager says shut it down.

Saturday morning and afternoon: Jamming

Choose your pick – at the shelter or at campsites.

Saturday: Pot Luck at 5:30 PM

The club will provide plates and utensils; you provide a side dish or dessert and your drink. We will have ice cream for dessert!

Saturday: Destination Bluegrass at 6:30 PM

The band have about 100 years of experience amongst them! They just love to play bluegrass and bluegrass gospel music!

David Murph – Mandolin & Baritone

David is an excellent musician and a fine Baritone singer, has been playing mandolin and singing bluegrass and bluegrass gospel since age 9. He played many years with his dad; “Andy” Murph until his passing in 1997. David has played with several bands that include: The “Tri-County Bluegrass Boys”, this band recorded one project and also won the World Championship at Union Grove NC. in 1974

“The Bluegrass Experiment” which won many competitions such as Star Fiddlers Convention NC. and East Rowan Fiddler’s Convention in Granite Quarry NC, and “The Gospel Strings” this band recorded two projects, the first of which was produced by Doyle Lawson. David’s passion is really his music and one of his great joys, is to pick with older musicians, the ones that have been there and done that!

Chuck Ward – Banjo (Comic)

Here are some quotes from: “Chuck”: hmmm, well lets see, married only in North Carolina, taught Earl how to play, and uhhh, oh yeah, my latestest CD went Plywood….., I will send ya something soon when I accomplish it…., and my favorite: “voted for Goot Geesinslaw for President” (every year for the past 20 years, even though he hasn’t run for 90 years). Actually, Chuck is quite an accomplished musician and artist when it comes to fixing or repairing instruments. He is experienced beyond years. We need more……

Jeff Grubb – Bass / Bass vocals

Jeff is a highly sought after bass player and has won at several Fiddlers Conventions in the past. He placed second runner up several years ago at East Rowan Fiddlers Convention and played 5 years with “Gospel Strings” where they played regionally in GA, TN, VA, W.VA, KY. Jeff has played bass for 42 years and grew up in the mountains of Southwest Va. where he was taught by his uncle how to play bass at age 8. Jeff played for a short time with Sons Of The South where they placed 13th out of 185 bands at Galax, VA. Also, while performing with the Gospel Strings they won a Southern Gospel band competition in Albemarle, NC where they were the only bluegrass band and came away with 1st place.

Keith Souther – Guitar / Vocals

Keith’s father; Luther Souther started him singing and playing guitar at the age of six where he learned how to sing harmony with his family while learning to play bluegrass with his Brother. Keith has been singing and playing gospel music at rest homes in Statesville, NC for the past 16 years where he still goes every month. He had been performing with the Sons of the South from 2001 until 2009 until starting a new band in 2010. He has been working hard on getting his vocals right and enjoys playing bluegrass and Bluegrass gospel. Keith has won several individual awards for vocals and enjoys people sing along while performing. “It makes it close and personal”. He has traditional roots from Flatt and Scruggs, Bill Monroe to progressive groups like the Seldom Scene, Bluegrass Album Band and bands like Dailey & Vincent and others.

John Hofmann – Fiddle / Vocals

John Hofmann is a native of and resides in Thomasville, NC. John is a veteran performer, having played fiddle in various bluegrass and country bands through the years, most notably for Mickey Gilley and Johnny Lee in Mickey Gilley‟s Urban Cowboy Band in the early „80‟s. In addition to appearing on many network television shows and specials, John was featured performing “The Orange Blossom Special” on the live broadcast of The Grammy Awards from Radio City Music Hall in New York City in 1981. John repairs and restores violin-family instruments and bows, as well as teaching fiddle, mandolin and banjo at Fairgrove Music (fairgrovemusic.com) in Thomasville; and performs with his wife Mare Holloway in the acoustic trio “John Hofmann‟s AcousticA.” John‟s primary claim to fame is: “I know David Murph”.

High Lonesome Strings Camp n’ Pick

Friday and Saturday,  July 22-23, 2011

Hagan-Stone Park Campground

5920 Hagan-Stone Park Road

Pleasant Garden NC 27313

Sponsored by Hagan-Stone Park.

Please call Pammy at 336.674.1277  for camping reservations. A host will be at the partk collecting the camping fee at the park for campsites C1-C20 only. Look for a sign at the shelter for his campsite #. Bring your check or cash on Friday evening. Make checks payable to City of Greensboro. Camping fees are $16 for HLS only in area C1-C20 (sites around the shelter).

You will pay park personnel for these areas: Area B (woods) or C21& up $18 or $16 seniors, Area A $15 (tent sites, no water or electricity)

Friday: Jamming

Choose your pick – at the shelter or at campsites up to when the Park Manager says shut it down.

Saturday morning and afternoon: Jamming

Choose your pick – at the shelter or at campsites.

Saturday: Pot Luck at 5:30 PM

The club will provide plates and utensils; you provide a side dish or dessert and your drink. We will have ice cream for dessert!

Saturday: Southern Gentlemen at 6:30 PM

The Southern Gentlemen is a bluegrass & bluegrass gospel band based in the foothills of the blue ridge mountains of Virginia and the piedmont area of North Carolina. The band was founded in 2001 by Johnny Johnson and Gary Handy. Our music, we are proud to say, is up to date and down to earth with a drive and energy that keeps our audience amazed and enthused. We have been featured on Blue Highways TV on Reno’s Old Time Music Festival with an interview and performance at High Falls, NC Fiddlers convention in March of 2009. Also we have opened for several name acts in our area including Dr. Ralph Stanley in 2001

Johnny Johnson – founder bandleader, guitar, lead vocals – Collinsville, Virginia

Johnny or band name ” John ” has been performing bluegrass most of his life. A past master and trooper beginning his professional career as a youth playing mandolin with Smilin’ Jim Eanes & the Shenandoah Valley Boys, Johnny then becoming a founding member of the Classic Grass with Gordon Brown for ten years. John is a Songwriter & owns Woodchopper Music Publishing BMI. He plays guitar, mandolin, banjo, and bass.

Gary Handy – co-founder bandleader, mandolin, fiddle, harmony vocals – Reidsville, North Carolina

Gary is a true past master of bluegrass music. He grew up in a musical family. Taking to the stage at an early age he developed his own style on the mandolin. Performing in various regional groups over the years, Gary feels right at home going into his tenth year in the Southern Gentlemen.

Bobby Whitlock – lead, tenor, baritone vocals banjo, guitar – Fieldale, Virginia

Bobby is truly one of the smoothest, and cleanest five string banjo players anywhere. With a style of perfection all his own, his driving banjo is very distinctive to the Southern Gentlemen sound. As with the others, Bobby started at a young age performing and co-founded the Fork Mountain Grass in the late 1970′s playing the circuit. He also played banjo with the Churchmen gospel band. Bobby also pays three finger lead guitar made popular on quartets by the great Earl Scruggs. and is also a very gifted song writer.

Johnny Mullins – lead, tenor, baritone, bass vocals , upright bass – Collinsville, Virginia

Johnny originally born in the coalfields of Southwest Virginia in the town of Clintwood, he grew up in a musical family with his brothers. Johnny is one of the best bass players in the business, always right on the beat with perfect timing. A super singer and musician in his own right, we are very proud to call him a Southern Gentleman.