Bluegrass Pictures Page #11

Fiddlers and Fiddleheads Festival, Farmhouse Gallery, April 30, 2016

First 4 photos by Sherry Duncan. Next 5 photos by yours truly. 1st photo from left to right: Jerry Sams, guitar and vocals; yours truly, fiddle, banjo and vocals; Roger Messer, upright bass; Ron Duncan, mandolin, guitar and vocals; (Gordon Hoyle just listening, not playing); Rick Guinn, banjo; Brian Harney, fiddle; and a man named Dave playing guitar, banjo and singing. The 2nd photo also shows Ed Dance playing mandolin and singing and the 3rd photo adds Randy Singleton playing banjo and singing. The 1st picture in the last row is the band "IIIrd Day Resurrection" consisting of from left to right: Randy Singleton, banjo and vocals; Randy Carrier, mandolin, fiddle and vocals; Frank Culler, guitar and vocals; Mike Laws, guitar and vocals; and Gail Evans, upright bass and vocals.

First 3 photos by Sherry Duncan. Next 5 photos by yours truly.

Original Bogart-Bowman Log Cabin BLUEGRASS-ONLY Jam

It sure felt great to assemble the old, original gang and play strictly Bluegrass music at the Bogart-Bowman log cabin on Thursday, April 28, 2016. Ed Dance played mandolin and sang; Ron Duncan played guitar and sang; Jerry Sams played guitar and sang; Katie Jeter played mandolin and sang; Galen Jeter played upright bass and sang; Terry Tester picked banjo, played guitar and sang; Gordon Hoyle played guitar; and I played fiddle, banjo, guitar and sang. The weather was perfect, too! (photo by Sherry Duncan)

Bluff City Bluegrass April 26, 2016

Rheatown Jam, April 23, 2016

Bluff City Bluegrass Jam, April 19, 2016

Musicians present in the big room at times throughout the night were: Charlie Booher; Frank Wing, Julie Gable, Ashley Davis, Joe Thompson, Kevin Love, Bobby Love, Hal Boyd, Randy Blevins, Tim Laughlin, Aaron Smith, John Gott, Colton Powers, Beecher Powers, Dennis Crawford and quite a few others that I couldn't readily identify.

Musicians that formed the small group I played with were: Daniel Houseright, guitar and vocals; Ray Dearstone, guitar and vocals; Dave Wilhoit, guitar and vocals; Randy Singleton, banjo and vocals; Ronnie Rasnick, upright bass and vocals; and yours truly, fiddle.

Jam Session at Ron Lane's in Gray, TN., April 17, 2016

Pictured below are Ron Lane and Ron Duncan. Ron Duncan is playing the mandolin and singing a few numbers for our enjoyment after the Sunday afternoon jam session is over and the fellows have gone home.

Those musicians present were: Ron Lane, banjo and vocals; Jerry Coleman, guitar and vocals; Jim Stidman, guitar; Richard Widdows, Dobro and vocals; Jerry McCarty, upright bass and vocals; Ron Duncan, mandolin and vocals; and yours truly, fiddle and mandolin.

Rheatown Store, April 16, 2016

Pictures and player identities are left-to-right. Daniel and Isaac were guitar players I hadn't met until tonight. Also, it was good to see Tyler Williams singing and playing his guitar. I hadn't seen him in a couple of years. Dave Wilhoit also played guitar and sang. There was a couple who I hadn't seen for a couple of years or more (Dan White and his significant other) that played guitar and mandolin. Then there was Marvin Gladwell playing his guitar and Claude Smith playing his guitar. (I think there was a total of 6 guitars). Mike Wilbur played bass (positioned behind me) and I played fiddle and took the pictures. The last picture on the far right is of Bruno and Mary, die-hard Bluegrass fans for many years.

Anderson House Bluegrass Jam, April 15, 2016

Alice Hensley and John Gott played fiddles ( I did, too); Dave Wilhoit, and a man with a first name of Todd played guitar as did a young man also who I didn't know by name. Ernie Shaffer and Phil Hensley played mandolins; and Clancy Mullins and Randy Singleton picked the banjos. Bob Hensley sat and watched us all play and sing. In the other room, Bill McCall, Tom Antonoosie, Joe Thompson, Ron Lane, Jim Stidman, Jim and John and others played Bluegrass and Old Country or simply sat and enjoyed the music. Earlier in the evening I spent some time playing along with these musicians before joining John Gott in the other room for some Bluegrass fiddling tunes.

Jerry's Bristol Campsite Jam, April 14, 2016

Jerry Sams played guitar and sang; Ron Duncan played banjo, mandolin, guitar and sang; Galen Jeter played upright bass and sang; Gordon Hoyle played guitar, banjo, mandolin and sang a little; and I played banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar and sang. We had a wonderful time pickin' an' grinnin' at Jerry's campsite on Beaver Creek. (The above photo provided by Sherry Duncan)

After leaving the campsite, we went to "The Apex" bar and restaurant in Johnson City to catch the last part of Cory Jeter and Troy Boone performing a duet. They are very, very talented and the stop was sure worth it.

Bluff City Bluegrass Jam, April 12, 2016

Ron, Sherry, Gordon and I enjoyed picking in one of the rooms at the emergency squad building on Tuesday evening. John Gott played with us with his fiddle. The big room was filled with those musicians pictured below.

Sunday Afternoon Jam in Gray, TN, April 10th, 2016

Sunday afternoon Ron Duncan and I attended a Bluegrass jam session at Ron Lane's studio in Gray, TN. Musicians present were: Jerry McCarty, upright bass and vocals; Ron Duncan, mandolin and vocals; Jim Stidman, guitar; Jerry Coleman, guitar, vocals and upright bass; Richard Widdows, resonator guitar, guitar and vocals; Ron Lane, banjo and vocals; and yours truly, fiddle.

Rheatown Store Bluegrass Jam April 9, 2016

Pictured below are my good buddies I like to jam with every Saturday night that I get the chance. They are in order from left to right: Ken Cornwell, Mike Wilbur,Tim Carter, Dale Shelton, Claude Smith and Andrew Marshall. (I took the pictures and played fiddle).

Jiggy Ray's, Open Mic, Elizabethton, TN. April 6, 2016

Ron and Sherry Duncan and Jerry Sams and yours truly decided to go to Jiggy Ray's Pizza in Elizabethton and listen to the open mic performers. There were several acts, each talented in their own way. The most enjoyable for me was my friends Jeff Webb, lead guitar and Todd Arnett, Rhythm guitar and vocals. They're pictured below:

Tuesday Night in Bluff City, April 5, 2016

Ron and Sherry Duncan and yours truly went to the Monday night Bluegrass jam session in Bluff City held at the Emergency Squad building.
While there, we met up with Norma Campbell and Terry Tester and many more of our friends.

Ron, Terry and I played Bluegrass in one of the rooms while others played up front and in a room adjacent to ours. The musicians playing in the general large gathering area were John Gott, fiddle; and Joe Thompson, guitar. Musicians in the other room on the mid level were: Charlie Powers, guitar; Hal Boyd, upright bass; Randy Singleton, banjo; Tim Laughlin, fiddle; Steve Price, guitar; and a few others who came in, picked a while and left.

Sunday Afternoon Jam Session in the Countryside, April 3, 2016

Ron Duncan and yours truly went up to Ron Lane's studio in the countryside near Grey Station for a Sunday afternoon jam session with some select friends. We had a great time and enjoyed playing Bluegrass for several hours. Musicians present were: Ron Lane, banjo and vocals; Jerry Coleman, guitar and vocals; Jerry Mc Carty, upright bass and vocals; Jim Stidman, guitar; Richard Widdows, Dobro and vocals; and yours truly, fiddle.

Rheatown Store, April 2, 2016

Ryan Henard played mandolin; Hunter Patterson played lead guitar; Ty Fillers played fiddle; Dave Wilhoit played guitar; Marvin Gladwell played guitar; Claude Smith played guitar; Dave Henard played upright bass; Andrew Marshall played mandolin; a young teenager boy played banjo; and a couple of other fellows played guitars while I played fiddle. We all had a super Bluegrass jam session.

Anderson House, Blountville. (April 1, 2016)

I had the pleasure of picking with John Gott, fiddler and Bill Mc Call, guitarist and a host of other fine musicians April 1st when I jammed Bluegrass at the Anderson House in Blountville. There were many in attendance that I didn't know, some that I've met and picked with and can't remember their names and others like Randy Singleton, banjo; Alice Hensley, fiddle (and her husband, Bob); Clancy Mullins, banjo; Dave Wilhoit, guitar; Ernie Shaffer, mandolin; and others that I know.

Bluegrass Party at Private Home in Erwin, March 30, 2016

(Photo by Sherry Duncan)

Bluff City Bluegrass, March 29, 2016

Several of the "gang" picked in one of the mid-level rooms at the Emergency Squad building in Bluff City, TN. Those pictured below are Ron Duncan, banjo and vocals; Jeff Webb, lead guitar; Gordon Hoyle, guitar; Gail Evans, upright bass and vocals; Roger Messer, guitar; Jerry Sams, guitar and vocals; and yours truly, fiddle. (Photo provided by Sherry Duncan).

Route I-26 Tourist Information Center, Kingsport, TN. (March 28, 2016)

Ron, Jerry, Gordon and yours truly went to Hardee's in Grey Station for the weekly Monday night jam session only to find it had ceased due to poor attendance. So we stopped by the Tourist Information Center on Route I-26 in Kingsport to check it out and I snapped a few pictures of a nice group of musicians playing some wonderful acoustic music, both "Old Time" and "Bluegrass". Since they already had a nice sounding group we felt we couldn't really add anything to the mix, so off we went to the Moose Lodge in Johnson City where we performed for the patrons for several hours.

The Rheatown Store on a Saturday Night (March 26, 2016)

I hadn't been to the Rheatown Store in a good while so it sure was nice to go there and pick with so many of my friends I hadn't seen in so long. I had a great time. I met a young just-turned-teenager by the name of Ty Fillers who takes fiddle lessons from Keith Williams and he sure is doing a fine job for only having played for 4 years. I also got to visit with my old buddy Charlie Booher before I went to sit in on the jam session. While jamming I played with many fellows I didn't know by name and some I could remember. Andrew Marshall, Eric Bowman, Charlie Phillips, Dale Shelton, Phil Hensley, Mike Durham, Brent Lamons, Johnny Skelton, Marvin Gladwell and Claude Smith (two of the several guitar players), etc. Below are some pictures taken from my chair where I sat and played fiddle.

Bluegrass Jamming at Anderson House, Blountville, TN. March 25th)

I was originally scheduled to perform at the Moose Lodge in Johnson City with a few other musician friends, but at the last moment, one of them called in and said he was unable to play after all. This threw a big wrench in the evening's plans so I decided to try something I hadn't done in well over a year: go up to Blountville to the Friday Night Bluegrass Jam. I'm very glad I did. What a wonderful evening with old and new friends playing all Bluegrass. Here's a few pictures I took after several musicians had already left for the evening. Another room was full of Bluegrassers, too, but I didn't get a chance to pick in there.

Bluegrass Jamming at Bluff City, TN. (March 22, 2016)

Here's a few photos I took of some of the many musicians who participated in the weekly Bluegrass jam session held at the Emergency Squad building in Bluff City each and every Tuesday night throughout the year.

Arkansas Edition Performs at Country Kitchen, Searcy, AR.

Arkansas Edition is comprised of Randall Wyatt, banjo and vocals; Lonnie Collins, fiddle and vocals; Donnie Faith, guitar and vocals; Ronnie Faith, Standup bass/bass guitar and vocals; and Samuel Cobb, mandolin. They are a real treat to listen to and also a great bunch of guys.

Picking at "Pickles" Restaurant in Jonesboro, TN.

I took these photos with my cellphone. I also played standup acoustic bass to give Charlie Black a rest for a while.
Performers were: Bill Slimons, guitar and vocals; Jim Clayton, banjo and vocals; Paul Master, fiddle, banjo and vocals; Charlie Black, acoustic bass and vocals; Terry Nelson, mandolin, guitar and vocals; Terry Tester, banjo, guitar and vocals; Homer Ball, guitar and vocals; "Red" Hazelwood, guitar and vocals; and Dennis Crawford, resonator guitar and vocals.

Pickin' at Ron Lane's Studio in Gray, TN.

Thanksgiving Day Eve at a public park in Searcy, AR.

Arkansas Edition Performs at Friendly Acres Park, Judsonia, AR., 10/17/2015

ETSU Faculty Music Show, Down Home, Johnson City, TN, 10/07/2015

Some of the faculty that appeared and performed while I was in attendance are noted here: Ed Snodderly, Ben Bateson, Dan Boner, Dave Yates, Susan Carson, Dwayne Anderson, Colleen Trenwith, Aynsley Porchak, Will MacMorran, and Sally and Hunter Berry.

I also recognized a few folks in the large audience: Frank Wing, Art Lang, Tom Scott, and Lisa Pattison.

I only stayed for the first hour of the Faculty Show and I'm quite sure there were many other performers present that I missed.

Bluegrass jam session at Ron Lane's Studio, Gray Station, TN, 10/05/2015

I always enjoy picking at Ron Lane's studio. Ron and his friends are Bluegrass traditionalists and that's something I love and respect.

The Mullins Banjo, 09/28/2015

Here's one of Clancy's banjos that has his grandchildren's picture on the back of the resonator. I took these photos on 09/28/2015 after a fun Bluegrass jam session at Hardee's in Boone Creek. Clancy played banjo; Matt Mullins played guitar and sang; Ron Duncan played mandolin and guitar and sang; Gordon Hoyle played guitar; Ernie Shaffer played mandolin and guitar and sang; Jim Woods played upright bass and sang; and I played fiddle. A "Clancy Mullins" banjo is a very professionally built banjo with a wonderful tone.

Jeter Family "House-Warming Party", Erwin, TN, 09/26/2015

Center on Aging & Health, Erwin, TN, 09/25/2015

(Row three photos taken by Sherry Duncan)

Jeff Little Trio at North East State, 09/24/2015

Hardee's in Boone Lake, TN, Monday Night Bluegrass Jam Session, 09/21/2015

Ron Duncan, banjo, mandolin, guitar and vocals; Dennis Sturgill, banjo and vocals; Clancy Mullins, guitar, upright bass and vocals; Ernie Shaffer, mandolin, guitar and vocals; Gordon Hoyle, guitar; Jerry Sams, guitar and vocals; and Fred Warner (yours truly, not pictured), fiddle and vocals.

Lonnie Collins, Fiddle "Accumulator", Letona, Arkansas

Lonnie told me he doesn't necessarily "collect" fiddles, he "accumulates" them.

Arkansas Banjo Company

The Arkansas Banjo Company is located in Beebe, Arkansas and owned and operated by my good friend and pickin' buddy, Joe Jakonczuk. His banjos are made with a level of professionalism only seen in the highest of quality instruments and these banjos are the highest. Joe uses the finest metals and woods and combines them into masterpieces. They're a delight to perform with.