First, a contribution from a friend of Randy's -- the four handed guitar solo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4BYMvVvMg0
Then a bit of unadulterated 10 string guitar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2BOApUvFpw&NR=1
In any event, WAGS at the Inn at Lucky Mud this Sunday afternoon!
See you there!
Although I couldn't be there to see it, the (local) Willapa Hills group went to Seattle this Memorial Day weekend to play at the Seattle Folklife Festival, and (no surprise to me) they were well received with substantial appreciation and enthusiasm, enchanting the crowd into singing along...
But don't take my word for it--we should let the folks in Willapa Hills give you the first hand account this Wednesday night!
Over the weekend we caught one of our illustrious 
members playing at the Taste of Wahkiakum, and the local crowd was delighted with his artistry and repertoire.
A number of event-goers (would that be "Tasters"?) commented on the melodious strains emanating from Randy's (very) sweet Martin guitar, the well-mic'd balance of voice and guitar carried gently and clearly throughout the "Taste" environs, blending perfectly into merry ambiance down at the marina.
As you can tell by the grin on his face, Randy was also having a great time, his guitar strings dancing the to bidding of his well-trained fingers, ever coaxing his Martin into a harmonious counterpart with his voice...
On Saturday when we were there, the sun was shining, the musical wafting through the air, and the folks wandering through the "Taste" quietly enchanted by Randy's musical spell...
What a wonderful evening! Stewart and Betty Hendrickson and Jerry Middaugh came down to the Inn at Lucky Mud (in Skamokawa, WA) and treated us all to a concert of traditional & contemporary music.
Stewart kicked off the concert with a recital of a poem entitled 'There is music in the glen tonight', and then launched into a number of haunting 'Irish airs'. Between Stewart's fabulous fiddlin' and poignant Irish folk songs (some that carried a bit of well-delivered melancholy) the musical ambience was established and the audience was well captivated.
Building on the melodious introduction, Betty charmed us all with beautiful renditions of tunes on her hammered dulcimer, spanning styles from waltzes to ragtime. The sweet sounds of her melodious strings wafting through the acoustically bright room enchanted the room into still silence punctuated only by the enthusiastic applause at the end of each tune.
The enchantment was sustained and enhanced by the alluring songs performed by Jerry Middaugh, his dexterous guitar playing well matched to his engaging singing style. The selection of songs ranging from trains and hobos, to cowboys and philosophy kept us all ensnared in an auditory spell, and left us with toes a tappin' and quietly singing along.
The musical tapestry so creatively woven by the ensemble--Stew with his poetry, guitar, fiddle, and beautiful sonorous vocals, Betty with the delightful, delicate melodies dancing from her hammered dulcimer (joined by Jerry's quiet underlying counterpoint), and Jerry's precise guitar work complementing his resonant vocals--kept the audience mesmerized from start to finish.
Overall this was a great concert and a marvelous experience--an eclectic collection of traditional folk music from the British Isles and America played with sensitivity, expertise, and flair--if you ever have the opportunity to hear them play, jump at the chance, as it is an experience you will cherish!
The hootenany / jam session that followed the potluck dinner (after the concert) was also a heck of a lot of fun, with local musicians jumping into the musical fray, with a bit of fun guitar work and even a washtub bass! There were many superb musical contributions played around the song circle, with each cycle highlighting the depth of the rich musical histories of all those singing and playing late into the night.
The Wahkiakum
Acoustic Guitar Society
presents
Stewart &
Betty Hendrickson,
& Jerry Middaugh
in concert
An afternoon concert followed by a potluck dinner and jamming into the evening hours. The concert will feature traditional songs from the British Isles & America, along with fiddle, guitar & hammered dulcimer.
And what a location for the concert! It will be held at a beautiful B&B - the Inn at Lucky Mud (Best Places Northwest, 2007) near the Columbia River in SW Washington.
Betty plays traditional music on a hammered dulcimer--a lovely stringed instrument that is played with wooden hammers.
Jerry has been performing folk music for many years. Rooted in old fashioned music and folk songs, Jerry has played in various old-time string bands, bluegrass groups, and related folk music ensembles. His repertoire includes songs about work, trains, cowboys, hobos, loss, women, and philosophy.
When: Saturday, April 21, 2007
Starting: 5 pm
Tickets: $ 12
Where: The Inn at Lucky Mud
Call 800 806 7131 or 360 795 8770 for reservations
44 Old Chestnut Drive, Skamokawa, WA 98647
Also, don't miss the introductory hammered dulcimer workshop (led by Betty Hendrickson) on Sunday, April 22nd from 12-2pm (only $10)
The Wahkiakum Acoustic Guitar Society hosted a concert by Bob Nelson, a balladeer with deep roots in the Pacific Northwest folk music scene.
What a great concert...between the practiced stylin's of Bob's light-fingered renditions and the complementary elocution of Bob's background stories wooing the crowd (and providing context for each song and presentation), the concert was a delight to all in attendance.
Following the concert, the potluck dinner provided quite a range of scrumptious fixins' -- a deep-fried turkey served in large handblown glass bowl ( from Collupy Glass ), rosemary dijon chicken, scalloped potatoes, bluecheese cheesecake with blueberry habanero chutney, homemade baguette bread, and a treasure trove of deserts (apple pie, pear cake, pumpkin pudding, and much more...)
Once our bellies were full (!) the hoot was kicked off in style with Sunrise Fletcher's rousing rendition of the Wild Life of Lucky Mud. Stewart and Betty Hendrickson enchanted the audience with a range of vocal stylings and fiddling (Stewart) as well as hammered dulcimer (Betty). Andrew Emlem added depth and dimension to a number of songs with his skilled fingering on cello, and joined with Sunrise and Jessica Fletcher and Fern Fey (all of whom are part of the Willapa Hills group) in a number of songs backed by 12-string and 6-string guitars and Jessica's autoharp. Bob continued to delight the group, pulling songs from the annals of American folk music, providing illuminating stories and marvelous performances for another dozen or two songs throughout the hoot. While the entire range of songs and participants were too numerous to list, to hoot was an wonderful event that will remain in the hearts and minds of those in attendance for a long time to come.
Bob, thank you so much for providing the concert and the excuse to have a hoot -- also thanks to Stewart, Betty, Andrew, Sunrise, Jessica, Candice, Fern, and other who sang or played. ALSO, many thanks to all that prepared the great food for the event--special thanks to Beth, Treasure and Michelle Collupy, Jessica Fletcher, Joyce, and everyone else that provided the delectable dinner and dessert.
And extra special thanks to the innkeepers, Sunrise and Jessica Fletcher, that hosted the event at the Inn at Lucky Mud.
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