Tunes to Learn (or at least play along with)

Mac's Tune of the Week

I'm making some shortcuts to this local Southwest Virginia tune list, via Mac Traynham and the Floyd Country Store's Handmade Music School...

1. downbeat... one?
2. two?
3. three?
4. Shootin' Creek
5. Flying Indian
6. Sweet Grapes
7. Cuffy
8. Rachel
9. coming soon?
   
   Bonus:
     A thank-you to Abigail Washburn and Bela Fleck for contributing to the support of the music program

Speaking the old-time language

Heather Rousseau, a new photo journalist at the Roanoke Times, dove right into local culture with a photo and video story from the Sunday afternoon old-time jam at the Floyd Country Store

It was the first Sunday that I'd made it to the jam in weeks of bad weather and/or bad timing. She caught me playing the Firefly banjo-ukulele I've already written about here.

Surprises: Session leader Mac Traynham playing rhythm guitar instead of his usual fiddle or banjo, and my arriving in time to catch a seat between Mac and Radford neighbors Linda Frank & Chip Arnold.

I will send the photographer a note asking permission to "reprint" her close-up of the guy in the NPR cap playing a not-so-traditional banjo ukulele... But since it is property of the Roanoke Times, you might as well just go there and enjoy the whole presentation... if you haven't already been there via the flurry of posts on Facebook.

(note: this is my first attempt to use an Android phone app to post to blogger. I may have to come back and fix the link, edit embarrassing autocorrect errors, or something.)

New Year traditions...

Welcomed with a new calendar from the Floyd County Historical Society (bought at the last Floyd ContraDance) and some ritual foodstuffs I learned about when I lived in North Carolina, here's to 2010...

I didn't do anything wild on New Year's Eve, but, if the mountain roads stay driveable, I may try for the “Howl At The Moon” benefit concert with Windfall and others, Saturday, January 2, at 7 p.m. at the Floyd Country Store, although not on its calendar.

How else to celebrate?

(If any of my Web production students are reading... take a look at that Floyd County Historical Society page, figure out why it's in the condition it's in, figure out who is in charge, and make them a redesign offer they can't refuse!)