5/27/06 Erin and I went to the Acoustic Cafe last night to hear The Red Stick Ramblers.  I had never been there before and was very impressed with what Steve Masterson is doing on his Blount County mountain land.  The setting is rural Blount County in the rocky limestone hills which are timbered here with scrubby oak-hickory and cedar.  This kind of land can be very diverse in lifeforms, with an abundance of wildflowers and wildlife.  We hiked in from the lower parking lot and saw an Indian Pink, a beautiful pink tubular flower that opens up into a yellow starlike flower. ready to flower along the road.  This is not a common sight in the Alabama woods normally, although they are not rare.  

The stage, which was built to resemble the facade of a shotgun shack, is set on a small natural bench partway down the hillside in the woods and seating is on the amphitheater-like hillside opposite. A very intimate setting with good acoustics. The first band we saw was The Kudzu String Band from Marion, we did not see all their performance.  They were dressed in overhalls, suspenders, had a banjo, guitar and upright bass, and did a lot of traditional stuff in a laid back, humorous, folksy manner.  Next came The Mayhem String Band a high energy bluegrass band from Mississippi.  They played tradtionals like Slewfoot and some originals written by several band members.  They lived up to their name, it was great, almost frantic, wonderful music.  Their ending was great they all collapsed on stage in a semi circle feet in heads out. Both bands put on really good shows.

Last came the headliner The Red Stick Ramblers.  Being part French I like the Cajan flair to their music.  Mighty big sound from 2 fiddles a guitar and drum. They did old standards, Cajan standards and originals.  It was wonderful: great fiddlin, great guitar, great vocals and the drums kept it moving along. 

The big day is today, Saturday, I can't go but would sure love to see the Waybacks and Dread Clampet.  Steve had a large crowd Friday night, mostly campers and was expecting an even bigger crowd today.   This is a great venue for this part of the world. Keep it up Steve!   

5/22  A great night of folk music!  That is the best way I can describe Karren Pell and Tom House at the Coffee House last Saturday night. Tom, a Nashville based songwriter, poet, playwrite and performer started off the show with a 40 minute set and really put on a good show.  His original songs are poetry put to music, they tell fascinating stories and he delivers in a style that I really liked; 60ish folk revival I think. I liked his style of guitar which complemented his songs and never got in the way. 

Karren and Tom played next, songs from their musical adaption of "Fair and Tender Ladies" which has enjoyed several good runs at the Alabama Shakespere Festival and other places across the South. Tom and Karren have co-written several musicals one of which she said may go "off Broadway".

Then Karren performed some of her original songs and her husband, Jim. who normally is in the background playing mandolin, fiddle and guitar, sang some country stuff, he plays in a country band in South Alabama.  Their friend Sarah helped on the vocals. Karren closed her set with some stories and songs from "The Alabma Troubour Project", one about the Ave Maria Grotto, and then had us all singing (or howling) along on the Coon Dog Cemetary song.  

Tom, Karren and the group closed out the night with a final song together.  Just a great night!!     

5/16 Last night was one of the best open mikes we have ever had.  We had a full house most of the night with standing room only at times.  The music and poetry were great, we had some newcomers and first timers perform along with many of our regulars.  But what really made it special was that it was the last open mike for some of the Wallace State regulars who were graduating and so it became pretty emotional before the night was over as they gave their last performance and said their goodbyes.  Andy Newby will be entering the Marines, Opie and Lee will be going to Montana then Yellowstone to work for the summer and then to college out of state.  Meleah will be moving to Bluefield Va. 

Dennis Kaylor and Roger Snow performed some of their humorous originals and had everyone laughing.  David Speegle, a wonderful performer who has been unable to come due to his work schedule showed up and did several of his great gospel originals, his mother Artis came, she is a songwriter as well.  Joey Crumley, Joh Brooks, Opie, Thomas Smith, Clint Verden and newcomer Tim Childers performed to Stewart Norman's guitar accompaniment.  Jason Anderson, Josh James and newcomer Julie Gobell red their poems and Garland Talbert (in his 90's) brought down the house with a rousing reading of "Casey At The Bat".  Guitarists Joe Oney and Andy Newby perform jazz instrumentals and Andy performed the rendition of Autumn Leaves that won him the position as guitarist in the Marine Corps Jazz Band.  Meleah Miller closed with wonderful acuppela renditions of Adel Vise (?) and Moon River.  Very enjoyable evening.  

5/15  Last Saturday was the first annual (we hope) Cullman downtown "Then and Now" Street Festival sponsored by the Historical Society.  For a first time event it went well and holds a lot of promise for the future. Basically several streets were closed and band stands set up for live music; everything from praise to bluegrass and clogging.  Stores were open late for Cullman which usually shuts down early on Sat.  We had a live music program at the coffee house from 3-6 featuring singer songwriters Dennis Kaylor, Josh Brooks, John Lott and Julie Lndsey along wifh folksingers Andy Stephens and me. We all had a great time, the music was good and well attended. Out in front of the store were twirlers and a local band playing in the street.  Hope we do this again. 

5/9/06  I've been a little lax posting my blog entries over the past couple of weeks, so hopefully this will get me up to date.