Local Musician Interview

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It is always a pleasure to interview any local musician and Dale Sullivan is one person that is kinda of quiet but has a very interesting musical journey.  Dale is always a gentleman and person that you need to know.  He is a good friend and loves to play music anytime, anyday.  He knows more fiddle tunes than anyone I know and is still learning new songs after many decades.   I hope you enjoy reading the interview. 
BB: Can you tell me a little about your background?  Where you from? Hobbies? etc
Dale:   I was born at Fristoe, Missouri (BentonCounty) attended grade School at Locust Ridge, a one room school house, and attended High School at Cross Timbers Missouri.    I moved from Benton County Missouri to Kansas City in 1944.  I am an Army Veteran, having served in the occupation of Japan in 1946 until 1948, and in the Korean war in 1950 and 1951.   I started to  College in1948, but it was interrupted by the Korean war, however I finished college in 1955, having earned  BA and LLB-JD degrees.
BB:  When did you get started in musical journey?   
Dale:  Both, my father and grandfather played the fiddle.   When I was about 6 years of age, my father permitted me to play his fiddle.   At about 11 years of age,
I had my own fiddle and a fiddle instruction book.  At that time I learned to read music.
 
BB:  What happened after that?
Dale:  Part of the time while in college, I played for dances on Saturday nights at the Gay Nineties Square Dance Club who used the Odd Fellows Lodge at

Independence Avenue

and Hardesty in Kansas City, Missouri for their dances.  The dance program usually called for two square dances and one waltz, polka, or schottische, and the dance sequence was repeated as needed.  The band members were each paid $7.00 to $10.00 for playing music.  It was there that I first met fellow band member, Holly Baker.

BB:  Where did you go from there?
Dale:  In the early 1980’s I formed the Missouri Town Band and  played Contra Music for the Missouri Town Dancers and for Cloggers.  For over 20 years I played music for the Lloyd Shaw Foundation, at week long dance program in Colorado, playing Jigs, Reels, Hornpipes, Waltzes, and  English Country dance music for Square dances, Contra dances, English Dances, and other historic and ethnic dances.
BB:  How did you get into Bluegrass or Old Time Music?
Dale:  I don’t consider myself a Bluegrass Fiddler, but I like listen to it and attempt to play it.  
BB:  What is your favorite Bluegrass or Old Time Band or Artist? and who influenced you the most?
Dale:  My favorite fiddler is Howard Forrester, and my favorite local fiddlers were John Journagan, Lyman Enlow and Johnny Bruce, all of whom are now deceased.
BB:  What advice would you give to young people wanting to get started in Bluegrass or Old Time Music?
Dale:  I believe young musicians should learn to read music.  If one wishes to play dance music, most dance leaders wish to use specific music for their dances.  Being able to read music is a wonderful tool to learn new tunes.
BB:  What is your favorite Bluegrass or Old Time Festival or Magazine?
Dale:  During the past 35 years I have frequently attended Bluegrass Festivals at Dixon, MO and Kahoka, MO.
BB:  What is your favorite Bluegrass or Old Time instrument(s)?
Dale:  Fiddle and Guitar.
BB:  Anything else you want to say to wrap up this interview?
Dale:    I play tennis and golf, and I like to fish and hunt; but by far my favorite pastime in playing music.   I look forward to playing music most every day, and to get together with other musicians to play music.

Summer Jamming Continues – 8/26/11

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State Fair – Bill with Rhonda Vincent

Hello everyone,
We had another good crowd at our August.  It was good to see everyone as usual.  I had a real good time picking with friends (Bill-banjo; Dave bass; Richard – guitar; Charlie – mandolin; and Ruthie – fiddle).  It looked like the other rooms were have fun as well.
Don’t forget to check out the links on the RIGHT panel for some upcoming Bluegrass Events and if you scroll down you will find our “Popular Bluegrass Links” where you will find the links to our local bands like the Bluegrass Missourians and our Bluegrass Clubs.
DON’T FORGET to check out the photos from our August jam.  Click on the link below:
August Picking in the Heartland 
Congratulations to Janet Loveall for winning the “free CD” that we give away each month.

Hope to see you at our September jam on the 4th Friday.
Bill

Local Musician releases her first CD !!

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Hello everyone,
Hope you can come to our jam this Friday, August 26th at 6:30pm.   If you do, you will be able to offer your congratulations to Carolyn Armes for releasing her very first CD.  It is entitled:  Carolyn Niccum – “Steppin’ Out”. It is a compilation of her all time top ten favorite songs.  Including Blue Kentucky Girl, Singin’ the Blues, Jambalya and many more….

Carolyn is planning to be at the jam and have some of her CDs available for $10 dollars.  This is a wonderful first time accomplishment for her and I admire her for “steppin’ out” to make this new release.  


See you at the jam.
Bill

Record Crowd at the June 24th Jam

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Reply

Hello everyone,
Summer is buzzing and so is our monthly jam.  We had a record crowd (over 50 people) at our June jam along with several new faces.  I believe everyone had a good time because I saw lots of smiles, laughter and foot tapping and even singing by those that were listeners.  Thanks to Woods Chapel Church, the facilities are fantastic and we appreciate the use of the facility.  The halls were echoing with Bluegrass, Gospel and Old Time Music which is expected.  Here is the link to the photos that you can enjoy:
 http://www.fotfphotos.com/Music/Picking-in-the-Heartland/Picking-in-the-Heartland-6-24/17727358_7VHstG#1353143701_nTf5vc3

We had plenty of snacks along with our monthly FREE CD give away which was won by Mary Fisher.  I hope she is enjoying the Seldom Scene CD entitled “Different Roads”.   The photo shown above is a different road in Blue Springs, MO at one of the Burr Oaks Nature Trails.

I was able to go to the Fillmore, MO Bluegrass Festival last Saturday and had a great time.  It was really good to hear the band called “Driven” featuring Jimmy Campbell, and Liberty Highway along with the Duff Family Band.  It was also good to see several local folks attend as well, including Harvey, Sandy, Tim, Denny, Karla, Christie, etc and the list goes on. There was plenty of good jamming as well. 

Hope to see you at our next Jam on July 22nd.
Bill

Nice Crowd at the May 27th Jam

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Barking for a Bluegrass Jam

It sure was nice to see everyone at our May 27th Bluegrass Jam.  We had four rooms of pickers and several new faces which is always good news.  It is amazing the dedication and commitment of each regular attender.  Each player adds some dimension of talent to the jam.  I learn something new each time I attend.  Nice to see some new faces from around the Odessa area.  Hope you all come back again.  Our next jam is June 24th.  Hope to see you there!  PS:  The picture was taken in Versailles, MO at a driving school for dogs, NOT!!  Here is a link to see the pictures:
Jamming Pictures

Bill

The Picking Continues………

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Our last jam on April 29th was a lot of fun. We had a nice size crowd with five rooms of pickers.  I saw several new faces and even saw a new “blond” bass, owned by Mr Dave Hicks.  Way to to as it sounds great.  Here is a link to the photos: Jam Photos of 4/29  I am sure you will see yourself and get reminded of how much fun we were having.

Our NEXT jam is scheduled for 5/27 at our regular time of 6:30pm.  Hope to see you there.
Bill

Public Bluegrass Jam – Friday, April 29th

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I love “Cat in the Cradle”

Hello Everyone,
Just a note here to remind everyone that our monthly jam will be held on Friday, April 29th at 6:30pm at Woods Chapel Methodist Church.  Use the Southeast entrance and proceed upstairs to the picking rooms.  It has been a long time since our kick-off last March 25th.

Don’t forget we will have a CD give away!  Hope you are ready to have some serious picking/singing/laughing fun.  I am really looking forward to seeing everyone.  Please invite both of your friends (lol) to play, or just listen. 

Coffee will be provided but any snacks you want to bring will be most welcome.  Q:  What is a bluegrass jam without something to snack?  A:  It is a bluegrass jam with hungry musicians.  I know, keep my day job!

See you there!
Bill

What exactly is a demi-john?

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Hello everyone.  If you have been around any Bluegrass jams you most likely have heard someone sing a very traditional song entitled: “Hot Corn, Cold Corn”.  The song uses the phrase “bring along the demijohn”.  So what exactly does it mean?  In my opinion for the purposes of this song it is referring to a large bodied jug with a short neck which would be used to store some homemade corn liquor. Sometimes the demijohn bottle is encased in wicker. 

However, according to Wikipedia  it has a more precise definition which is:  “In brewing, a carboy is also known as a demijohn. It is a glass or plastic vessel used in fermenting beverages such as wine, mead, and beer. Usually it is fitted with a rubber stopper and a fermentation lock to prevent bacteria and oxygen from entering during the fermentation process.”

When I first heard the song, I thought they were singing, “bring along a “jimmy john”, which even confused me more.  But I finally got straightened out when I read the lyrics.  Another challenge is to sing Hot Corn Cold Corn three times at an upbeat tempo.

“Hot Corn Cold Corn” is an interesting song to sing and play.  So if you have not tried it check it out.  Many believe it is a Flatt and Skruggs tune, but I am not sure.  Here is link so you can hear it.
“Hot Corn Cold Corn”

See you at our next jam on April 29th!!
Bill

WOW !! What a kick-off. Everything but the fireworks !!

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Andrew – 10 yrs old

Hello everyone and thanks for attending our “official” kick off jam in the new location.  We had over 40 attendees and five different rooms open for picking.  It was so much fun for me and from what I could tell it looked like everyone was having a great time. 
The facilities were fantastic and thanks to those who brought the “goodies” as they were delicious along with the coffee.   We were able find a good location to hang the banner and it looked great!

  Congratulations to Don Alison for winning the two free CDs.  We will be providing a free drawing each month, so don’t forget to get your free ticket.  Don seems to have the magic touch of our drawings, but even without it, he is a winner anyway!

It was nice to see several members of the KC Bluegrass Club in attendance as well.  Please come back!

We really had some hot, and do mean “hot” picking in one room in particular thanks to Lucas Albright, Monty Parker and Harvey Heidbreder.  How do they play that fast?  One secret I learned is subtract twenty years off your age, ha ha ha, in my case try 25 years. 

IMPORTANT:  Due to good Friday, Our next jam will be on the 5th Friday which is April 29th.

It was nice to see some new faces as well.  I received several positive comments from the participants as I think people were very glad to be able to get out a pick, laugh, sing and have a good time.  Just maybe next time the weather will be warmer.  Is it really Spring??

Thanks to the Frank Vail, the photographer for taking the pictures:  Here is the link to view all 85 of them:
http://www.fotfphotos.com/Music/Picking-in-the-Heartland/Picking-in-the-Heartland-3-25/16344333_rR4nt#1228649405_6M227

See you at the next Jam as we continue “Picking in the Heartland”.
Bill

Hoo-rah! Our First Jam at the new Location -3/25/11

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JD Crowe at Starvey Creek 2010



Hello everyone,


I hope you are making plans to attend our monthly jam this Friday, March 25th at 6:30pm.  It seems like forever since we all have been able to get together.  I miss seeing each one of you and listening to your songs.  As you know last month the jam was canceled due to bad weather, so it truly has been a long time.  I believe it has been at least one or two “Blue  Moons of Kentucky” since we have picked together.  I am looking forward to checking out the new facilities and helping everyone find a room to settled in.  We are expecting a good turn out and want everyone have a good time.  So come on out and get ready to pick, sing, laugh, listen and enjoy our new jam.

Invite your friends,

Bill