Canadian River Music Festival
On May 8th, six bands will take the stage at Jones Pavilion in Canadian, Texas to entertain audiences during the inaugural event of the Canadian River Music Festival. Music in its infinite variety will be the star of the one-day-festival-from Red Dirt to Texas Swing, with healthy dollops of dance hall twang, western folk, cowboy poet and brash young bluegrass thrown in the mix.
Festival organizers promise a full day of family entertainment, with plenty of food, fun and music on deck for what they hope will eventually become a full-blown multi-day-festival.
Stoney LaRue (www.stoneylarue.com) will headline this year’s festival. LaRue is a Texas native, raised in southeastern Oklahoma, whose distinctive Red Dirt style of music blends elements of country, blues and soulful rock. Released in 2005, Stoney’s Red Dirt Album hit the Billboard sales charts in its debut week and established his triple threat status as a truly gifted vocalist, player and performer. In 2006, he released an addition to the famed Live at Billy Bob’s series. His live single, “Oklahoma Breakdown”, topped the Texas charts for over four weeks and ignited his growing cadre of fans. LaRue’s shows are infused with an uplifting quality, described as “a cathartic barroom brand of spirituality”.
LaRue performs close to 300 dates a year at top festivals and venues across the world, sharing venues with renowned acts like Lee Ann Womack, Gary Allan, Direks Bently, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Willie Nelson, Rodney Crowell and others. For one very special night this May, he will light up the stage at Jones Pavilion in Canadian, Texas.
Leading up to LaRue’s electrifying performance is a line-up of bands that should leave no real music lover unsated. As with the food, the musical slate promises a distinct local flavor, as well.
Spring Creek (www.springcreekbluegrassband.com) will bring its contemporary, progressive brand of bluegrass back to Canadian, the hometown of one of its member, Taylor Sims. The award-winning Colorado bluegrass band has broken onto the national scene in the last year, following the release of their third album and back-to-back Best Band conquests at the famed Telluride and RockyGrass Festivals in 2007.
Following on the lively heels of two independent albums, including 2008’s highly-acclaimed Lonesome Way to Go, Spring Creek signed with Rebel Records and recorded with famed Nashville songwriter, sideman and producer Jeff White, known for his work with Vince Gill and Alison Krauss. In 2009, they released their third album, “Way Up on a Mountain.”
Musical road warriors, Spring Creek holds tight to the bluegrass tradition, emulating the first generation greats while presenting a youthful, fresh sound. They eat, sleep and drink their craft within a musical community steeped in bluegrass, molding and shaping their songs through intricate instrumental arrangements and pristine vocal harmonies. Their songs have already become local jam standards and have been covered by international touring acts like Uncle Earl. In addition, the band’s original crowd favorite, “High up in the Mountains”, won the Vox Populi Award for Best Americana Song from the Independent Music Awards.
Another local favorite, Lonnie Cox and Night Life, will perform for festival crowds. Asked to describe the band’s style, Cox said, “We play both kinds of music: country and western,” adding with a chuckle, “We’re just too lazy to learn anything new.”
Night Life has played everywhere from barnyards to trailer beds, from ballrooms to out in the front yard. “It don’t matter to us,” Cox said. “Just run a little electricity to us and we can run them out of there.”
The band performs mostly cover songs, everything from Jimmie Rodgers to George Strait. “We cover it all,” said Cox, “but we don’t do rap or rock. Just pure country.”
Night Life has released one album, Shot in the Dark, and is working now on its second, with a planned spring release.
Filling out the festival’s music line-up are cowboy entertainer Dave Stamey, Fiddlin’ Pete Watercott, and Jody Nix & the Texas Cowboys.
Cowboys and Indians Magazine has called Dave Stamey “the Charley Russell of Western Music.” Stamey (www.davestamey.com) has been a cowboy, a mule packer and a dude wrangler, and is now one of the most popular Western entertainers working today. He has twice been voted the Western Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year, three times Male Performer of the Year, and twice Songwriter of the Year. He received the Will Rogers Award from Academy of Western Artists. Among his several albums are his latest releases, “Come Ride with Me”.
According to his own press kit, Stamey has delighted audiences in fourteen states “and finds that he prefers this to being stomped by angry horses.” Stamey lives in Nipomo, California. He bets you don’t know where that is.
Fiddlin’ Pete Watercott (www.fiddlinpete.com) has been playing his own brand of high energy, traditionally-based Western Folk music for over thirty years. Out on the road, hitching, riding freights, and traveling in his pickup camper, the “Lone Prairie Schooner,” Fiddlin’ Pete has performed impromptu concerts for folk in rural communities all across America.
Fiddlin’ Pete performs original compositions and Western and Folk ballads, along with instrumental music using violin, viola, mandolin, guitar and harmonica. He has been described by Mark Bedor in Western Horseman as a violinist version of western music legend Don Edwards.
Among his several albums are two 2006 releases, LIVE! At the ICA and A Christmas Album, and a DVD released in 2007 of his 30th Anniversary Reunion with Larry Long and other old friends.
Jody Nix & The Texas Cowboys are well known from their extensive travel across the country playing major rodeos, clubs, and conventions to large audiences. Nix comes by his musical chops honestly, having learned the soft swing of country music at the feet of his father Hoyle Nix and the legendary Bob Wills. He began his professional career at the age of eight, playing five nights a week for his father’s band, The West Texas Cowboys. In 1973, he performed on Bob Wills’ For the Last Time album.
Since then, Jody has recorded seven albums and was a guest artist with Asleep At the Wheel on their Tribute to Bob Wills album, a Country Music Association nominee for “Album of the Year” honors at the CMA Awards Show in 1994. In October of 1996, Jody was inducted into the Western Swing Hall of Fame in Sacramento, California.
As a band leader, Jody creates a mix of pure, traditional western swing and true country music which blends to produce a unique sound that appeals to the educated listener of today. His high-energy stage shows and easy dance music have excited audiences and the band has developed a loyal following of fans of all ages.
To purchase tickets, an online ticketing system is in place and will be pressed into service for purchasing the tickets which will provide access to festival events. Visit our website www.canadianrivermusicfestival.com to find out more about tickets and festival information. Tickets may also be purchased in advance by calling or coming by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in the Visitor Center in Canadian, Texas, 806.323.6234. Tickets prices are $15/advance and $20/At-the-Door for an all-day wristband and kids under 12 free.
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| www.thirstyearfestival.com |
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| Discount earlybird tickets are now on sale for the 11th annual THIRSTY EAR FESTIVAL, June 12 & 13 at Eaves Movie Ranch in Santa Fe. NM's premier roots music event features the SAM BUSH BAND, ASLEEP at the WHEEL, DAVE ALVIN & the GUILTY WOMEN, PO' GIRL, and many more. Info is online at ThirstyEarFestival.com. The public may call 505-473-5723 for earlybird & VIP passes.
Southwest Roots Music
POB 29600, Santa Fe, NM 87592
505-473-5723
SouthwestRootsMusic.org
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES:
-Gritty blues with Tarbox Ramblers frontman, MICHAEL TARBOX. April 24, GiG Performance Space.
-Folk icon RAMBLIN' JACK ELLIOT. April 29, Corazon, Santa Fe.
-One of Africa's best bands, SIERRA LEONE'S REFUGEE ALLSTARS, May 5 at Santa Fe Brewing Co.
-Earlybird discount tix now on sale for the 11th annual THIRSTY EAR FESTIVAL. June 12 & 13 at Eaves Movie Ranch, Santa Fe. Call 505-473-5723.
-The undisputed elder statesman of mountain music, RALPH STANLEY & the CLINCH MOUNTAIN BOYS. July 8, Lensic Theater.
TICKETS for all shows: LENSIC BOX OFFICE, 505-988-1234 or online at THIRSTYEARFESTIVAL.COM
O+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++O
Earlybird tickets on sale through April 15 for NM's premier roots music event
11th annual THIRSTY EAR FESTIVAL
June 12 & 13, 2010, Eaves Movie Ranch, Santa Fe.
Earlybird tickets on sale through April 15. Call 505-473-5723 for an Earlybird Pass.
Dozens of folk, blues, bluegrass, zydeco, Cajun, roots rock & world music artists on 4 stages all weekend long including SAM BUSH BAND, ASLEEP at the WHEEL, DAVE ALVIN & the GUILTY WOMEN, PO' GIRL, RICHARD JOHNSTON & the HILL COUNTRY HILLBILLIES, JT & the CLOUDS, African drumming for kids with AKEEM AYANNIYI & dozens more.
The festival features camping, kids' & family activities, local foods arts & crafts, NM beers & wines, zydeco dance lessons, educational demonstrations & lectures, and much more. See the latest info/lineup at ThirstyEarFestival.com.
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INFORMATION FOR ALL PERFORMANCES IS ONLINE AT
ThirstyEarFestival.com
To be removed from this list, simply reply with REMOVE on the subject line. If you continue to receive emails from this newsletter after removing yourself from the list, you may be receiving them via a third party's "undisclosed recipients" list. Use your spam filter to block the address of the party forwarding the unwanted emails.
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BECOME A SOUTHWEST ROOTS MUSIC MEMBER
SOUTHWEST ROOTS MUSIC MEMBERS RECEIVE:
*10% off tickets to all events.
*A prime block of tickets is reserved for members at all Southwest
Roots Music events. Even if a show is sold out, members can still get
the best seats. Just call at least 3 days before a concert and you're
in at a discount.
*Thirsty Ear Live! CD featuring Corey Harris & the
5x5, Butch Hancock, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Mary Gauthier, Chipper
Thompson & the Feast, Alex Maryol, ThaMuseMeant, Aimee Curl and
more. Only 500 of these collectors items exist.
*THIRSTY EAR FESTIVAL: Join us for a members-only beer
tasting at the 8th annual Thirsty Ear Festival, to be held August
29-31, 2008. Members also enjoy $10 off the gate price for a weekend
pass (be sure to order at least 3 days in advance) and a commemorative
festival glass.
An annual membership costs $125 for an individual and $175 for a couple. For more information, please call 505-473-5723.
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| Woody Guthrie Coalition, Inc.
PO Box 661 Okemah, Oklahoma 74859
www.woodyguthrie.com
12 Annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival Kicks-Off with Pre-Festival Benefit
Wanda Jackson, recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, to headline
Wanda Jackson, the First Lady of Rockabilly and a 2009 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, will headline a benefit show for the Woody Guthrie Coalition on Tuesday, July 7, 2009. The special pre-festival benefit show will be held at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa. During Jackson’s 55-year career, she has been nominated twice for a Grammy Award and is one of CMT’s 40 Greatest Women of Country Music. The pioneer of rock and roll music has been inducted into both the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame as well as the Oklahoma Country Music Hall of Fame. Memphis’ Princess of Twang, Nancy Apple, and Tampa’s Ronny Elliott, will open the show. General Admission seats are $20 and a limited number of Gold Circle seats are available for $35 at www.protixonline.com.
Jonatha Brooke and SONiA will open the festival the following night, July 8, at the historic Crystal Theater in Guthrie’s hometown of Okemah. Brooke will perform songs from her 2008 release The Works, the newest album of Guthrie’s unpublished lyrics from the Guthrie Archives put to music by a contemporary songwriter, and the first composed and recorded by a woman. Award-winning singer-songwriter SONiA is perhaps best known for her band disappear fear. According to SONiA’s website, her songs “weave political trials of love and romance next to heartfelt political ideologies.” This is the festival’s only ticketed event and is a fundraiser to help offset the costs of producing the four-day FREE festival. General Admission seats are $20 and a limited number of Gold Circle seats are available for $35 at www.protixonline.com. Purchase of a Gold Circle seat also includes admission to a post-show reception at the Brick Street Café, a short walk from the Crystal Theater.
Headliners at this year’s festival include Stoney LaRue in a solo acoustic set, John Gorka, and Jimmy LaFave. The Children’s Festival will include performances by the Red Dirt Rangers, Ellis Paul, and Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion.
There’s more than music to be experienced at WoodyFest! Other free events – poetry, lectures, film and more – examine the many different sides of Woody Guthrie’s life and legacy. This year they include:
Secrets of the Archives – In this multimedia presentation, Woody Guthrie Archivist Tiffany Colannino will share treasures from the Archives such as Guthrie’s annotated personal record album collection, the long-lost wire reels that were ultimately transformed into the 2008 Grammy Award winning album, lyrics written on menus and wallpaper, and other unique artifacts.
Bound for Glory: The Legacy of Woody Guthrie – This session will be presented by Woody Guthrie’s granddaughter, Anna Canoni, who along with her mother Nora Guthrie, directs the Woody Guthrie Archives in New York City. The presentation includes a screening of Legacy, a documentary directed by John Paulsen created especially for the exhibit This Land is Your Land: The Life & Legacy of Woody Guthrie that toured across the United States from 1998-2001. The documentary features Billy Bragg, Wilco, Ani DiFranco, U2, Bob Dylan, and others. Following the screening there will be discussion about the legacy of Guthrie’s music including his influence on contemporary musicians.
Woody Guthrie Poets – This will be the fifth annual appearance of the Woody Guthrie Poets. Co-chairs Carol Hamilton, former Poet Laureate of Oklahoma, and George Wallace, former Poet Laureate of Suffolk County, New York, proudly present a group of 19 poets representing six states and two countries who were selected from a blind competition. The two-hour event will be complemented by the music of David Amram.
Collecting Woody III – Barry Ollman, member of the Advisory Board of the Woody Guthrie Foundation, has compiled one of the largest collections of Woody Guthrie letters, artwork, and personal papers, as well as related papers of Lead Belly, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan and others. Ollman will share information about his 20-year endeavor.
Mary Jo’s Pancake Breakfast – Woody Guthrie’s youngest sister, Mary Jo Guthrie Edgmon, hosts her annual “pancake breakfast” as a forum to share memories of her big brother Woody. The informal event, a fundraiser for the Huntington’s Disease Society, includes unplanned and unrehearsed musical performances anchored by festival regulars Jimmy LaFave and Joel Rafael.
The 12th Annual Festival will be held July 8-12, 2009 in Okemah, Oklahoma – Guthrie’s hometown – located 70 miles east of Oklahoma City. The festival celebrates the life and musical legacy of one of America’s greatest folk music songwriters and troubadours. The festival concludes on Sunday with the Hoot for Huntington’s – a hootenanny backed by members of the house band under the direction of Terry “Buffalo” Ware. Festival regulars agree that the Sunday hootenanny – with its unannounced surprise performances – is not to be missed.
The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, which attracts attendees from around the world, is organized and produced by the Woody Guthrie Coalition, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, and is made possible in part by grants from the Oklahoma Arts Council, the Oklahoma Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Viersen Family Foundation.
For information about sponsorship opportunities, a detailed schedule of events and performers, and other information, please visit www.woodyguthrie.com.
Media Credentials: If interested in covering this family-friendly event, please contact Karen Zundel, Media Chair, at kmzundel@comcast.net.
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| www.wvfest.com |
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| Performers for 2008
Discography for 2008 performers
Camping
- Only Full-Festival ticket holders will be allowed on festival grounds prior to Wednesday, September 17, 2008.
- Festival grounds will open to Full-Festival ticket holders for camping on Thursday, September 11th, 2008 at 7:00 a.m..
2-day ticket holders may camp on grounds beginning 12:01 a.m. on the first day of their ticket.
- Single day ticket holders may park in day parking, but may not camp.
- The camping fee for all festival campgrounds (including Pecan Grove) is $7 per day per vehicle or $12 per day with electric hookup (over 800 hookups available).
- Fees include one camping permit per vehicle. Extra permits are $7 each per day and are not payable in advance.
- Campsites and hookups available on first come basis.
- Full camping fees must be paid for ALL nights on grounds.
- No spaces may be saved that have not already been paid for and
have a camping sticker on them (tarps, tents, trailers, roped areas,
etc.).
- Wi-Fi internet is available. Contact Kevin at KPM on 620-229-8316 or kevin@kpmwinfield.com.
Persons staying over Sunday night, September 21, 2008 will pay an additional camping fee.
Note: On grounds showers will be available.
Camping Alternatives
FACILITIES INFORMATION
- Security Personnel on grounds 24 hours
- All weather facilities - 4 stages - city water
- Ten food concessions on grounds
- All camping $7.00 per day per vehicle (includes One camping permit)
- Electric hookups $5.00 per day (over 800 hookups available - first come, first served)
- List of nearby motels, campgrounds, and boarding kennels sent on request
Other camping
There are several camping areas available for those holding only one-day festival tickets:
Winfield City Lake
10 miles northeast of Winfield
(620-221-5635) |
Wellington KOA Campgrounds
25 miles west of Winfield
(620-326-6114 for reservations) |
Oxford City Park
9 miles west of Winfield.
No reservations, limited electric. |
Cherokee Strip Campground
13 miles Sth of Winfield
Sth Hwy 77
Arkansas City, KS, 67005
Reservations phone:
620 442 3250; 620 442 7471
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Motels
There are several towns in the surrounding area that are within easy
driving distance of the festival site that still have rooms available:
Arkansas City, KS
12 mi. south of Winfield
Crestview Motel
(620-442-6229)
Hallmark Scottish Inn
(620-442-1400)
Town House Motor Inn
(620-442-4000)
Wellington, KS
28 mi. west of Winfield
Wellington Motor Lodge
(620-326-2255)
Sunshine Inn
(620-326-8944)
Steak House Motel
(620-326-2266)
Oak Tree Inn
(620-326-8191) or
(888-897-9647)
Siesta Motel
(620-326-6223)
Chamber of Commerce
(620-326-7466)
Augusta, KS
30 mi. north of Winfield
Augusta Inn (316-775-5979)
Lehr's Motel (316-775-6327)
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Wichita, KS
45 mi. northwest of Winfield on K-15 Highway: numerous motels; please check with your own favorite
Newkirk, OK
26 miles south of Winfield on Hwy 77
Golden Acres Motel
(580-362-2545)
Seventy Seven Ranch Motel
(580-362-3444)
Chamber of Commerce
(580-362-2155)
Ponca City, OK
40 mi. south of Winfield on US-77:
Call Chamber of Commerce for information (580-297-8900). Please check with your own favorite.
South Haven, KS
30 mi. southwest of Winfield
Economy Inn
(620-892-5271)
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Bed & Breakfast
Iron Gate Inn – 1203 E 9th Ave Winfield
(620-221-7787)
The Barns at Timber Creek – 14704 91st Rd Winfield (620-221-2797)
Harris House – 1109 E 9th Ave Winfield
(620-229-8545 or 620-222-4913)
Country Rest – Dexter (23 mi. east of Winfield)
(620-876-5700)
Aunt Sue’s – Mulvane (25 mi. northwest of Winfield)
(316-777-1232
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September 17—21, 2008
Weather forecast for Winfield
at hq@wvfest.com for festival info
or
write to the webmaster if it concerns the web site.
jump to the
top of this page |
Walnut Valley Festival
Post Office Box 245,
918 Main
Winfield, Kansas 67156
(620) 221-3250 |
WV office hours are:
Monday — Friday
9 am — Noon; 1 — 5 pm
Central time
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The Black Crowes
www.blackcrowes.com
msypace.com/theblackcrowes
THE
BLACK CROWES are Chris (vocals), Rich (guitars), Steve Gorman (drums)
and Sven Pipien (bass)--and WARPAINT introduces new members Adam
MacDougall (keyboards) and guitarist Luther Dickinson, known for his
work in the North Mississippi All-Stars and The Word, where he performs
with Robert Randolph and John Medeski (of Medeski, Martin & Wood).
"Luther
couldn't have complimented the material or what the band does any
better," says Chris. “And what Adam has brought to the band is equally
a gift to our music." Rich continues, "Luther fit in before he even
plugged in to play. He comes from where we come from, he loves the
music we love, and he brought so much new to our songs. Same thing goes
for Adam. Bringing them in--their energy, playing and approach--just
made it so seamless and great. The first week we were in the studio we
recorded the majority of the album. We just knocked it out."
Paul
Stacey, who's worked with Chris for years and played guitar with the
band for a (by design) temporary period before Dickinson joined,
produced the new album, which came to life at Allaire Studios at the
foot of the Catskills in upstate New York. Not far from Woodstock, the
live-in facility has been the birth place in recent years for My
Morning Jacket's Z, Ray Lamontagne's Till The Sun Turns Black, Martha
Wainwright's debut and many other resonant modern gems. WARPAINT easily
joins this lineage, a work of instant depth and unrestrained gusto.
"It's
a little more self-assured, and has a bit more swagger,” enthuses Chris
about where the new album fits into the band’s body of work. “Not since
Southern Harmony have we had such a crystal clear picture of where we
are and where we're going.” Rich picks it up, "Allaire is stunningly
beautiful, so quiet and isolated…It brings a focus and inspiration to
what you're doing. You do draw from the place where you are."
Right
from their start in 1990—with their six million-selling SHAKE YOUR
MONEY MAKER, a pivotal work that kick started an authentic style of
rock and roll in America—THE BLACK CROWES have been at odds with
prevailing commercial trends. Their heady mix of '70s inflected rock,
Funkadelic soul and heartfelt roots music jostled against the hair
metal and high-gloss pop getting airplay at the start of that decade.
While the sheer attitude and charm of "Hard To Handle" and "Twice As
Hard" managed to make waves, the intervening years have seen the band
steadily evolve an increasingly refined, singular sound that takes the
best parts of hard rock, gospel, country, psychedelia and anything else
it fancies into their hungry maw to create something several light
years beyond the young men who recorded "She Talks To Angels."
"Even
in our most commercially successful period,” says Chris, “there was
nothing like us on any format. By the time grunge happened, Southern
Harmony (1992) and amorica (1994) didn't fit into any part of popular
music. We looked different, we sounded different, and we set up our
culture a little different," he adds. "Everybody who wanted to bag us
because they thought they knew what we were missed out on a lot of good
music, good concerts and a band that, even at our weirdest, had
something to say."
THE BLACK CROWES not only had something to
say; they became known as as one of rock’s best live acts and have been
called a “thoroughbred American rock ‘n’ freakin’ roll band.” Their
panoramic live shows feature alternating set lists and signature
incendiary musical explorations that are designed to take audiences on
a journey.
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All artists have confirmed their appearance at Wakarusa; however, artists
are subject to change without notice.
All sales are final. The 2009 Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival will
take place RAIN OR SHINE.
Wakarusa Event Passes
Note: Full Event Pass purchasers have mutiple camping options available
to them and all vehicles entering the festival will be required to possess
one of the vehicle passes listed on the right of this page. VIP Event
Pass purchases do not need to purchase one of these Camping Vehicle Passes.
Full Event Pass
- Access to all shows at Wakarusa
- Access to all late-night events
- All vehicles entering the festival, with Full Event Passholders,
are required to posses one of the Camping Options (Mainstage, Primitive,
Family, RV Reserved, RV Unreserved or ADA)
VIP Event Pass
- Includes meals, beverage service and upfront viewing
- Includes camping in the shaded, VIP camping area (no need
to purchase a Mainstage, Primitive, Family, RV Reserved, RV Unreserved
or ADA Camping Pass)
- Available shaded areas are first come, first serve
Wakarusa Camping Options
Every vehicle entering Mulberry Mountain will be required to have
a camping pass. Up to six (6) campers will be allowed per vehicle/camping
pass.
The benefits of carpooling are too numerous to list here (it's green,
it's fun . . .). In the event that you absolutely cannont ride in the
same car as your camping party, a satellite parking lot will be available
to park your car for the duration of the event. A fee will be charged
to park your car.
Mainstage Camping Vehicle Pass
- Closest to the mainstage
- Listen to music while you lounge in your camp chairs
- Minimal walking to all festival stages
- 1 vehicle and 6 campers per campsite.
- $79.00, plus fees
Primitive Camping Vehicle Pass
- General campground easily accessible from all festival stages
- $29.00, plus fees
Family Camping Vehicle Pass
- Camp further from the action
- Reserved for people with children & folks looking for a quieter camping experience
- More secluded and a little more remote
- $29.00, plus fees
RV Unreserved Sites Vehicle Pass
- Unreserved RV access will be located within the Primitive Campground
- $79, plus fees
Accessible Camping Vehicle Pass
- Accessible Camping is located adjacent to the main stage.
- $79, plus fees
Extended Stay Camping Pass
- Camp from June 7th - 10th at Mulberry Mountain
- Sold per person, not per vehicle
- $29, plus fees
RV Sites Vehicle Pass (reserved)
- Reserved RV Sites are currently SOLD OUT for Wakarusa
2009.
TICKETS WILL BEGIN SHIPPING IN EARLY APRIL.
- Additional pricing levels will be posted when they are available
- All transactions will be charged a service fee, facility fee and applicable sales tax
- All sales are final. NO REFUNDS. The 2009 Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival will take place RAIN OR SHINE
Our Service Fee
Service charge total includes facility fee, sales tax, service
charge and standard USPS shipping. In most situations, a service fee is
always added to the price of the ticket. We make every effort to keep
this service charge as low as possible. This fee covers the overhead
charges involved in box office operations not limited to ticketing
software fees, credit card fees, labor, ticket stock, phone fees and
more. Thank you for supporting our independent business and
understanding that this small fee helps to keep us in business.
The Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival is a 4-day foot-stomping party
in the heart of the Midwest. Born in 2004, Wakarusa burst onto the scene
with a diverse and eclectic lineup featuring over 70 artists. The 2004 and
2005 bills perked the interest of both devout and casual music fans alike.
Fans that made the trip to Wakarusa left with unforgettable stories of the
music and the beautiful surroundings. In 2006, Wakarusa returned and quickly
established itself as a premiere, grassroots event in the nationwide outdoor
music scene. Attracting folks from all 50 U.S. States and 5 countries, the
2006 event featured over 100 artists, 7 stages and over 4 days of non-stop
music and entertainment. The 2007 and 2008 events again featured over 100s
of artists and drew attendees from all 50 U.S. States and several countries.
2009 will mark the 6th Anniversary of Wakarusa.
What People Are Saying
Benjamin - Dallas, Texas
Freaking Awesome!!!! Kicking bands non-stop all weekend, there wasn’t
enough time to see them all, but I saw some killer shows.
Kerry - South Lake Tahoe, California
What a wonderful festival! Everything was peaceful and well organized and
it flowed very very well.
Kyle - Lawrence, Kansas
Wakarusa was awesome. I'll be back next year with more friends in tow. Thanks
for the great weekend.
Scott - Nashville,TN
Thanks for a groovy musical journey...peace out:)
Sarah - Lockport, NY
Wakarusa was an AWESOME time! I came a long way and it was soooo worth it.
Narissa - Denver CO
I absolutely LOVED, LOVED the festival. What a fun-tastic time.
Caroline - Boulder, CO
i loooooved wakarusa this year, it was a blast and i thought that you guys
did a great job scheduling bands appropriatly too.
Melanie - Boston, MA
AMAZING!!!!! I went last year, and thought nothing could beat it and I was
SOOO wrong! Waka was everything a festival should be.
Kyle - Iowa City, IA
Fantastic festival. Just as fun as Bonnaroo, only more managable, better
venue, and a great city to explore.
Wakarusa on Turnpike
The Turnpike is Lawrence's coolest and longest-running documentary
TV show, highlighting local artists as well as national artists coming
to the area.
We've linked up The Turnpike's footage of our first two years of
Wakarusa so you can learn more about Wakarusa through their eyes.
Turnpike @ Wakarusa 2004
Episode I - Air date: July 29, 2004
Episode II - Air date: August 12, 2004
Turnpike @ Wakarusa 2005
Episode I - Air date: July 14, 2005
Episode II - Air date: July 21, 2005
Location
- Where is the festival located?
- Mulberry Moutain Lodging and Events, Ozark Arkansas
Google
Maps Link
- How do I get there?
- The recommended route to Mulberry Moutain is from the South off of
Interstate 40. From Interstate 40, that the Ozark exit (#35) and travel
approximately 16 miles to the North on Highway 23.
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Rules and Regulations
- NO PETS ALLOWED ANYWHERE ON THE FESTIVAL GROUNDS.
- Unauthorized vending is not permitted.
- NO illegal drugs, weapons, fireworks or NITROUS TANKS are allowed
on the festival grounds. Violators will be ejected from the facility
and subject to prosecution under local, state, and federal laws. We’re
serious folks.
- Underage drinking is strictly prohibited.
- Park
only in designated parking areas. If your vehicle is found in an
unauthorized area it will be towed to the on site tow lot and a fee
will be assessed.
- NO OPEN FIRES ALLOWED IN THE PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUNDS.
- Please use only low-back chairs in the concert areas.
- Respect the environment. Please use trash and recycling bags provided by the festival.
- Please
listen to and respect all staff members, whether it is a parking
attendant or a police officer. Your safety and well-being is their #1
concern.
- Finally the most important rule of all: The
golden rule. Please be respectful of your neighbors and consider their
comfort. Would you want someone banging a drum next to your tent at
5am? Make an effort to introduce yourself if at all possible. Follow
this simple guideline and you will probably end up with more friends
than you started with which is never a bad thing.
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Weather
- What is weather like in mid-June?
- Very pleasant. Average temperatures in mid-June are:
- Highs: Mid-80s
- Lows: Mid-60s
- The threat of severe weather is always a concern in the Midwest; however,
severe weather is most prevalent in April and May. June is a very pleasant
month for outdoor activities in the Midwest.
Campgrounds and Camping
- Can we leave the festival grounds and re-enter?
- Yes, but you will need to go through the main entrance and vehicle
checkpoint each time you leave and return. In order to keep the driving
lanes open for those that need or wish to leave, it is important that
everyone keeps their camping gear close to their vehicles and not in
the driving lanes. Due to concerns for the safety of Wakarusa patrons,
the festival organizers may restrict traffic to a defined period during
daylight hours. More information will be posted when and if that decision
is made.
- What will you be providing at the campgrounds?
- There will be bathrooms, hand wash stations, and potable water. A
general store will be selling sundries (personal hygiene products, batteries,
film, disposable cameras, ice, soda, etc.) Showers. Vendors will be
selling a variety of reasonably priced foods, beverages and snacks.
There will be ATM's, but we still recommend that you bring enough cash
for your stay to avoid long lines or waiting for the machine to be serviced.
Please bring enough money for any additional expenses you may have.
- What emergency services will be available on site? What
should I do if I need emergency assistance (medical, police, towing,
locksmith, etc.)?
- There will be 24 hour security, access to a locksmith and EMT's. If
you need emergency medical or police attention, contact the nearest
security official or go to one of the on-site information or medical
tents. You may also locate a Wakarusa staff member or volunteer for
assistance.
- I know that chiggers can be a problem any time you camp
out, but what can I do about them?
- Chiggers are completely controllable, simple precautions are the key.
First, use bug spray on yourself and your campsite. Be sure to spray
around your feet and waist. If you don't like bug spray, gut sub-liminated
(non-sticky) sulfur at the pharmacy (really cheap), put it in an old
sock and pat your self and your camping area down. Second, keep putting
bug spray on yourself two-three times a day. That's it. We're doing
several things at the site to diminish the chigger potential. Ultimately,
however, precaution on your part is the real key.
- Where should I go if I lose my keys, my wallet or my friends?
- Lost and found will be located at the information tents. If you lose
something, or someone, check there. If it or they are not there the
first time, check again later. If you find something that needs to be
returned to its owner, please drop it off at an information tent. It
is a good idea to bring an extra set of keys. Obtain your key code before
you leave home and bring it with you. This will cut down on the time
it takes for the locksmith to duplicate your key if you lose it.
- Will pets be allowed in the venue / camp grounds?
- NO PETS!!! PLEASE LEAVE YOUR PETS AT HOME. If a pet is found in your
car you will be turned away - regardless how long you have waited in
line or if you have tickets or not.
- Will RVs be allowed? Is there a charge? Will there be any
hookups? Do we have to reserve a spot?
- RVs will be allowed to access campsites in the RV Campground. Limited
quantities of sites with electrical and water service are available.
An RV Unreserved Campground has been established for general RV camping/parking.
- What kind of handicap facilities will you be providing?
- There will be a designated parking/camping area for people with special
accessibility needs. You must have an official handicapped parking placard
or plate for your vehicle if you need to use this area. There will also
be accessible restroom facilities. There are no stairs or other barriers
to entering the concert grounds, so they will be entirely accessible.
- Where will we be camping / parking? Are we going to be able
to camp next to our cars?
- The web site has pictures of next to car camping. You'll find roadways
in the fields clearly marked. You may park on either side of the roadway
and set up camp.
- NOTE: You will not be able to save spots. If you plan on
parking/camping with your party you must arrive together.
- What will we be allowed to bring into the campgrounds?
- You can bring your own food and beverage into the camp ground areas.
No kegs please. Fires must be modest and in small grills. No open fires.
This policy will be strictly enforced. Acoustic music is welcome. No
electrified music gear in the campgrounds please.
- PLEASE follow these instructions if you are planning on using a grill.
- You can use gas/propane fuel sources or charcoal, but scavenging for
wood on site will NOT be permitted. The fire must be entirely contained
and off the ground. Please keep the fires as small as possible and extinguish
them as soon as you are finished. When you are done cooking with charcoal,
put it out with water before going into the show, going to sleep or
leaving your camp, rather than letting it burn out over time. In any
case, DO NOT DUMP COALS ON THE GROUND or in the trash until they are
entirely cool. After the coals are COMPLETELY DEAD, dispose of them
properly.
- Will bands be allowed to play in the camping area if not
affiliated with the festival?
- Acoustic music will be allowed. No amplifiers please! We ask that
you please be respectful of your neighbors.
- Are we allowed to bring gas powered generators?
- Yes, but only small portable generators 1.5KW or less.
- Are you allowing therapy dogs in the campsite?
- Yes, but they must be licensed.
- Is there cell phone service available at Wakarusa?
- There are numerous mobile phone providers that service the area.
- How far is the concert venue from the camping areas?
- All campgrounds are within walking distance of the concert field.
Venue
- What can I bring into the show?
- Non-frame Backpacks, low profile lawn chairs, water bottle, factory
sealed water, small snack and empty camelbacks will be allowed into
the concert field. All entries will need to go through physical search
for unsafe items or items not allowed.
- Will we be allowed to leave the concert venue and come back?
- Yes, but please keep your ticket with you at all times.
- What is the taping policy going to be?
- Audio Taping will be permitted. Video Taping will NOT be allowed.
- Will cameras be allowed in the concert (venue) area?
- Small or Disposable cameras will be allowed in the venue area. Professional
cameras will NOT be allowed.
- Will chairs be allowed in the concert area?
- Only low profile lawn chairs will be allowed into the concert venue.
Tickets
- Can I bring my kids? Do they have to pay?
- Children are welcome at this event. Children under 12 will be admitted
free when accompanied by a parent or guardian possessing a 4-Day Pass.
2 children per adult. Children 12 and over will be charged regular admission
price and will be required to have a valid ticket for entry. Please
note: This policy does not apply to VIP tickets.
- When will the tickets be sent out?
- EARLY APRIL
- Can you tell me how I can contact Wakarusa Ticketing to
check the status of my ticket, how can I change the mailing address
etc...?
- Please contact Wakarusa Tickets
(tickets@wakarusa.com) for any questions related to the delivery of
your order.
Vending
- What types of vendors will be on hand? Will they be reasonably
priced?
- There will be a variety of vendors in the concert venue and the campground
that will provide a variety of interesting, diverse, and reasonably
priced food. Vendors in the campground will be providing breakfast,
lunch, dinner and late night snacks. The general store will also sell
snacks and beverages in addition to sundry items.
- Can you send me info on becoming a vendor at the Wakarusa
Music & Camping Festival?
- Yes. Please visit the 'Vending
Info' section of this website.
Miscellaneous
- What is the security going to be like at Wakarusa?
- Event security will be located throughout the site for the entire
duration of the event. If you have an EMERGENCY, find a staff person
with a radio, go to an information tent, medical tent, or tell one of
the security personnel.
- When will a performance schedule be available?
- Soon. Please check back or join the mailing list to receive updates.
- How do I contact the festival with questions, etc.?
- Please send all questions to info@wakarusa.com
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The Flaming Lips
www.flaminglips.com
myspace.com/flaminglips
Even
within the eclectic world of alternative rock, few bands were so brave,
so frequently brilliant, and so deliciously weird as the Flaming Lips.
From their beginnings as Oklahoma weirdos to their pop culture
breakthrough in the mid-'90s to their status as one of the most
respected groups of the 2000s, the Lips have ridden one of the more
surreal and haphazard career trajectories in pop music. An
acid-bubblegum band with as much affinity for sweet melodies as
blistering noise assaults, their off-kilter sound, uncommon emotional
depth, and bizarre history (packed with tales of self-immolating fans
and the like) firmly established them as true originals.
The Flaming Lips formed in Oklahoma City in 1983, when founder and
guitarist Wayne Coyne allegedly stole a collection of musical
instruments from an area church hall and enlisted his vocalist brother
Mark and bassist Michael Ivins to start a band. Giving themselves the
nonsensical name the Flaming Lips (its origin variously attributed to a
porn film, an obscure drug reference, or a dream in which a fiery
Virgin Mary plants a kiss on Wayne in the backseat of his car), the
band made its live debut at a local transvestite club. After
progressing through an endless string of drummers, they recruited
percussionist Richard English prior to recording their self-titled
debut, issued on green vinyl on their own Lovely Sorts of Death label
in 1985.
When Mark Coyne soon departed to get married, Wayne assumed full
control of the group; in addition to remaining its lead guitarist, he
also became the primary singer and songwriter. Continuing on as a trio,
the Lips released 1986's Hear It Is, followed a year later by Oh My
Gawd!!!...The Flaming Lips. While touring in support of the Butthole
Surfers, they played Buffalo, NY, where they were befriended by concert
promoter Jonathan Donahue; after a jam session with Donahue's nascent
band Mercury Rev, he and Coyne became close friends, and Donahue
eventually signed on as the group's sound technician.
After recording 1988's difficult Telepathic Surgery, English exited,
reducing the Lips to the core duo of Coyne and Ivins; after adding
drummer Nathan Roberts, Donahue adopted the name Dingus and became a
full-time member in time to cut 1990's stellar In a Priest Driven
Ambulance while simultaneously recording the brilliant Mercury Rev
debut, Yerself Is Steam. Following a series of hopeful phone calls to
Warner Bros., the company signed the band in 1991, and in 1992 their
oft-delayed major-label debut, Hit to Death in the Future Head,
appeared to little commercial notice; Donahue soon exited to focus his
full energies on Mercury Rev, followed by the departure of Roberts.
With new guitarist Ronald Jones and drummer Steven Drozd, they cut
1993's sublime Transmissions from the Satellite Heart, which they
supported by playing the second stage at Lollapalooza and touring the
nation in a Ryder truck. Initially, the album stiffed; however, nearly
a year after its initial release, the single "She Don't Use Jelly"
became a grassroots hit, and against all odds the Flaming Lips found
themselves on the Top 40 charts. They took full advantage of their
requisite 15 minutes of fame, appearing everywhere from MTV's annual
Spring Break broadcast to an arena tour in support of Candlebox to a
memorably surreal lip-synched performance on the teen soap opera
Beverly Hills 90210, where supporting character Steve Sanders
(portrayed by actor Ian Ziering) uttered the immortal words, "You know,
I've never been a big fan of alternative music, but these guys rocked
the house!"
After the 1994 release of a limited-edition sampler of odds-and-ends
titled Providing Needles for Your Balloons, the Lips returned in 1995
with Clouds Taste Metallic, a strikingly mature and diverse collection
highlighted by the singles "Bad Days" (also heard in the film Batman
Forever), "This Here Giraffe," and "Brainville." Despite the inclusion
of the remarkably melodic "Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus with
Needles," "Christmas at the Zoo" (rumored to be under consideration for
inclusion on an upcoming John Tesh holiday record), and the epic "Guy
Who Got a Headache and Accidentally Saves the World," the album
nonetheless failed to live up to the commercial success of
Transmissions, and the band was once again relegated to cult status.
In 1996, the Lips' world went haywire; first, Jones disappeared to
undertake a spiritual odyssey from which he did not return, then
Drozd's hand was almost needlessly amputated after he was bitten by a
spider. At about the same time, Ivins was the victim of a bizarre
hit-and-run accident after a wheel came off of another vehicle and
slammed into his car, trapping him inside. Ironically, Coyne was having
car problems of his own when rumors of his latest sonic foray --
conducting an orchestra of 40 automobiles, all with their tape decks
playing specially composed music at the same time -- prompted fan
discussion of his possible psychological collapse. "I would try to tell
people what I was doing and found that I couldn't explain it very
well," Coyne later remarked about the project, dubbed the Parking Lot
Experiment. "Plus, I had a sore on the side of my tongue for a week and
it made me talk kind of weird. I'm sure they thought I was retarded."
By the following year, the Flaming Lips (who continued as a trio,
opting not to attempt to replace Jones) were back in the studio,
recording an album that, according to Coyne, would be "so different and
exciting it will either make us millionaires or break us" -- in short,
1997's Zaireeka, a breathtaking and wildly experimental set of four
discs designed to be played simultaneously. A previously unreleased
track, "Hot Day," also appeared earlier that year on the soundtrack to
Richard Linklater's film SubUrbia. A Collection of Songs Representing
an Enthusiasm for Recording...by Amateurs, a retrospective of their
Restless label material, followed in 1998, and a year later the Lips
returned with a breathtaking new studio effort, The Soft Bulletin.
After a three-year absence from the shelves, 2002 brought several new
releases, including the new record Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and
a two-volume retrospective of the Restless years. Yoshimi won the group
even more popular and critical acclaim than The Soft Bulletin, which
the group maximized by spending half of 2002 appearing with Beck on his
Sea Change tour as both his opening act and backing band. The Lips kept
busy over the next two years by touring in support of Yoshimi Battles
the Pink Robots and working on their movie Christmas on Mars. They
returned to the studio in 2004 and spent much of 2005 recording; that
year, the Flaming Lips documentary The Fearless Freaks and VOID video
collection were both released, whetting fans' appetites for the band's
2006 album, At War with the Mystics. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
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All artists have confirmed their appearance at Wakarusa; however, artists
are subject to change without notice.
All sales are final. The 2008 Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival will
take place RAIN OR SHINE.
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We're just over two months away from Wakarusa 2008 and want to be sure to keep you in the loop on all the latest happenings. Here's what's going on...
Final Week to Buy Discounted 4-Day Passes!
The final day to purchase discounted 4-Day Passes is Friday April 4th. Wakarusa 2008 promises to be our best installment yet and you don't want to miss this opportunity to pocket some serious money. Purchase 4-Day Passes Now.
V.I.P. Packages - The Best Deal Available at Wakarusa!
Going VIP at Wakarusa is truly the Ultimate Festival Experience. The package is a combination of all the finest components you are looking for in a festival. Food, beverage, access, location, comfort and convenience are integrated to create an unparalleled package that really lets you know what the true meaning of VIP is. The VIP pass is only $469 and is good for all 4 days of the event. Sales tax and the facility fee are included in the price of the ticket. Full VIP details are available on our website. Purchase VIP Tickets Now.
Camping Upgrades Now Available!
Need some extra room to spread out with your family and friends? Wakarusa Camping Upgrades are available now. These are reserved sites complete with fire rings and other amenitites. Full details are available on our website.
RV Rentals
Looking for air conditioning and a private toilet at your campsite? Looking for all the amenities of home while you're enjoying Wakarusa? Look no further . . . we're offering full service RVs. That's right, a private premium campsite campsite with a fully setup RV for you and your friends - we take care of the delivery and hook-ups, you simply arrive and enjoy Wakarusa in style. Interested? Visit our website for full details.
Activities, Activities and More Activities!
Need to catch some rays or get some holistic relief during your stay at Wakarusa? We've got several non-music options in store for you at Wakarusa 2008. Disc Golf, Morning Yoga, Hiking, Biking, Swimming and more. Excited? We are too! Visit our website for full details.
Facebook and MySpace
Join us on Facebook to listen to music from festivals past, share Wakarusa stories, and connect with festival friends, new and old alike. Don't forget we're on MySpace too!
We have banners for your MySpace and web pages so you can help spread the Waka love. It's easy- all you have to do is cut and paste the code from our generator to your page. Just stop by www.wakarusa.com to pick yours up today!
 
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The Mayfield Brothers
by Joe Carr and Alan Munde
Born and raised on the Green Valley Ranch near Dawn, Texas in 1926, Thomas Edward “Edd” Mayfield and his brothers Herb and Smokey were among the first musicians on the plains of West Texas to embrace the basically eastern mountain-born bluegrass music. Like many others in the region, they gained a heightened awareness of the outside world with the introduction of the radio. On these remote plains, the first radios, which were battery powered, came through the mail from catalog stores such as Sears, Roebuck and Company.
Edd Mayfield's elementary school classmate Alvie Ivey of Pep, Texas remembered driving the family’s Model A Ford up to a house window and hooking the car battery to the radio to catch the broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry. Despite the great distances involved, West Texans could receive WSM’s clear channel signal directly from Nashville,and from time to time, thirty-minute segments of the Opry were broadcast on the nearby stations in Amarillo and Lubbock. Ivey related that it was not unusual to run the car battery down with this Saturday evening entertainment and later have to join his brothers in push-starting the car to get it back to the barn.
Edd Mayfield and his brothers were involved in family music-making before the introduction of the radio into the household. Both parents, William fletcher Mayfield and Penelope Ruth Drake Mayfield, were musicians. William played the fiddle, while Penelope accompanied him on the piano or guitar. The couple met at a community dance and later performed at house parties and dances through their courting days, playing such staple fiddle tunes as “Durang’s Hornpipe,” “Wednesday Night Waltz,” “Red Wing,” and one of William’s favorites, “Forked Deer.” William and Penelope were soon married, and in 1916 they moved to West Texas from Clay County, in north-central Texas.
William and Penelope Mayfield taught all their children, six sons and two daughters, to play musical instruments and sing. The mandolin,m because of its small size and the ease of fretting the strings to form chords, was the first instrument each child learned to play. Later the boys each learned to play the guitar to accompany their father’s fiddling. The sisters would join in to sing old songs like “The Jeweling Pond” and “Life’s Railway to Heaven.” Arnold Geiger, a Santa Fe Railroad worker, taught the boys to play “runs” on their guitars to fill in between the chord changes and rhythm strums. Herb Mayfield remembered that he and his brothers were so interested in music that they would often race in to the house after doing the ranch chores in order to have time to practice. Eventually, Smokey chose the fiddle as his instrument. Too small to hold the full-sized instrument correctly, young Smokey propped the fiddle between his chest and the wall of the barn in order to hold it in position to play. He continued to play in that position, with the fiddle on his chest rather than under his chin, into adulthood.
In addition to radio, the phonograph also brought the sounds of distant musicians to West Texans in the late 1920s and the early 1930s. In the mid-1920s, the recording industry found an audience for “hillbilly” or “mountain music” records in the homes of the rural folk of the Southwest. Increasingly popular, those recordings made their way out to the country music fans of West Texas. The Mayfields would travel thirty miles to a small music store in Hereford to find recordings of the music they liked. Record stores often provided a booth equipped with a record player for a trial listen before he purchase.
Searching for the string music they enjoyed, Herb, Smokey, and Edd came across a recording of Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers. This string band group from northern Georgia recorded during the late 1920s and featured the blind guitarist Riley Puckett. Behind the fiddling of Gid Tanner and Clayton McMichen, Puckett displayed a dazzling array of guitar runs that raised the level of guitar accompaniment to a status almost equal to that of a soloist. This guitar style appealed to the Mayfields, who quickly bought and ordered more Skillet Licker recordings. Each brother tried his hand at deciphering the style of Riley Puckett, and his guitar runs soon became part of their music. Those Puckett-style runs would later serve Edd well during his tenure as a guitarist with Bill Monroe’s band. Monroe was one of the Mayfields’ favorite country performers, and they bought the records of the Monroe Brothers and later those of Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys
The Mayfield family moved off the ranch to Dimmitt in 1932 but continued their ranching and farming activity. Besides leading the rugged life of a cowhand, Edd was active in athletics, playing on the first Dimmitt High School team to go to the state championship. An athletic bent also was apparent in the boys’ love of rodeo competition. Specializing in calf roping and wild cow milking, the brothers won several events. Later, when Edd was living in Indiana, he would use his rodeo skills during visits to Dimmitt to raise money for his family’s return trip.
Edd seems to have been the most performance-oriented of the brothers. Alvie Ivey recalled that Edd brought his guitar to school and, using the covered entry to the basement boiler room as a stage, entertained the other students during recess.
After military service in World War II, the brothers returned to Dimmitt to resume their farming and ranching life, and they continued to play music together for their own entertainment. They chose their instruments to achieve band sound: Edd concentrated on the guitar, Smokey, the fiddle; and Herb, the mandolin, the better to imitate the sound of the Monroe band with Flatt, Scruggs, and Wise. Although the Mayfield Brothers never featured a banjo, often considered the hallmark of the bluegrass sound, they nonetheless thought of themselves as disciples of the Monroe bluegrass style.
An army buddy of Edd’s sparked increased activity for the MAyfield brothers. Bill Myrick, from Monroe, Louisiana, had worked for Bill Monroe as a driver and singer and had promoted some Monroe appearances in Louisiana and elsewhere in the South shortly after the wear. Myrick and Edd had kept in touch, and with Edd’s encouragement, in March of 1950 Myrick moved to West Texas to join the Mayfield Brothers as guitarist and singer. The group performed as Bill Myrick and the Mayfield Brothers.
Throughout 1950, Myrick and the Mayfields appeared as regulars on the weekly KSEL Jamboree in Lubbock. Their fifteen-minute segment of bluegrass music opened many of the Saturday night broadcasts. Sonny Curtis, in grade school at the time, remembered hearing the Mayfields on the jamboree, and he saw them as the stars of the show: “They had a lot of charisma and really played good back in those days. Edd could just hang in there with the best of them, I thought.”
Promoter Dave Stone recalled that Bill Myrick and the Mayfield Brothers would just “disrupt the show when they would come in and walk around the arena. Whoever was on stage was practically not heard because they would get such a hand, walking down the aisle.”
In the late 1950s Bill Myrick promoted concerts by Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys in Amarillo, Plainview, Big Spring, and Lubbock, with Bill Myrick and the Mayfield Brothers as the opening act. Also on the Plainview date were the West Coast-based Maddox Brothers and Rose,a popular country group who performed in West Texas many times during their career.k Although the shows were not well attended, it was an exhilarating few days for the Mayfields. Herb recalled being amazed that Monroe and his musicians played so well, with breath-taking tempos, outstanding harmonies, and flawless instrumental skill. It was no wonder that Herb, Smokey, and Edd were thrilled with the music, for it featured, in addition to Monroe on mandolin and vocals, Jimmy Martin on lead vocals and guitar, Rudy Lyle on banjo, and Red Taylor on fiddle–one of Monroe’s great bands. It was a heady time for the three brothers. This was Monroe’s first meeting with the Mayfields, and he was impressed with their performances, commenting to Herb that he especially liked their version of the Browns Ferry Four’s “Keep on the Firing Line.”
Myrick also arranged for the group to have a guest spot ion the Louisiana Hayride in Shreveport. Bill Myrick and the Mayfield Brothers appeared on the Hayride in April 1951 and were such a hit that they were included in a feature article about the radio program in Shreveport Magazine. The novelty of “FOUR COWPUNCHERS from Dimmitt, Texas” playing hillbilly music appealed to the management, audience, and media. The band was so well received that regular Hayride member Webb Pierce gave up his fifteen-minute spot so that they could perform again. Later that same night, as a result of the audience response and their obvious talents, Myrick and the Mayfields were offered a regular spot on the Hayride that would begin in two weeks.
Upon his return to the hotel that night, Edd received a message to cal Bill Monroe. Monroe, remembering Edd’s singing and playing skills, had called to offer him a job in his band. It was a terrible dilemma for the group, but after some discussion they decided that Edd should not pass up this opportunity. This was to be the first of three stints for Edd under Monroe’s tutelage. Myrick tried working the Hayride with another group but eventually moved back to Odessa in West Texas, where he worked variously as a police officer, country disc jockey, bandleader, and concert promoter. Herb and Smokey returned to West Texas and continued their careers in ranching and farming, performing only periodically.
Edd’s West Texas background made a big impression on his fellow Bluegrass Boys. Many of Monroe’s sidemen who worked with Edd shared the same observation: “He was a real cowboy, you know.” Edd always kept a rope with him and would keep in practice by roping his fellow band members. Banjo player Larry Richardson fondly remembered Edd demonstrating his roping skill by having Larry run as fast as he could, and then Edd would rope and pull him to the ground.
Bobby Hicks, fiddler on many of Monroe’s classic recordings, noted Edd’s physical strength, which was required of the rhythm guitarists in the early days of country music, when sound-reproduction technology was primitive and guitars unamplified. Edd, said Hicks, could “chord a guitar all day long and not get tired.” In addition to his endurance and power, Edd’s rhythm guitar playing was musically as strong and solid as that of any who had performed with Monroe. Monroe banjoist Joe Drumright said of Edd, “You couldn’t get him out of time, and he played some of the best backing notes you ever heard in your life. Edd was way ahead of his time. There wasn’t anyone even close to him back them.” Eventually, Edd would record one of the rare guitar solos to appear on a Monroe recording with his bass string rendition on “Panhandle Country.”
Vocally, Edd was a perfect match to Monroe’s singing, according to John Hartford, banjo player, fiddler, writer, and composer of “Gentle on My Mind.” Hartford was backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in the late 1950s and heard what he identified as Monroe’s powerful, stylized singing coming from one of the dressing rooms. On searching out the Monroe sound, he was surprised to find it was Mayfield.
On October 28, 1951, during his first stint with Monroe, Edd recorded “The First Whippoorwill” and “Christmas Time’s A-Coming,” both destined to become bluegrass standards.” Edd stayed with Monroe from 1951 until early 1952 and then returned to Texas. Monroe was having difficulty getting show dates, and as a result he could not pay enough to attract and keep musicians. Brother Herb recalled that Edd could not make enough to support his family by playing with Monroe. At the end of one of his stints as a Bluegrass Boy, Edd was so broke that Herb and Smokey had to drive to Bean Blossom, Indiana, where Edd was living, and provide the transportation and money to get him back to texas.
Back in Texas, Edd worked as a cowboy and gain played with his brothers, who were appearing as the Green Valley Boys on a daily show on radio station KGNC in Amarillo. The brothers drove to Amarillo on Saturdays and recorded a whole week of programs, which were sponsored by a Ford dealership and a lumber yard. During the week they enjoyed listening to their own music on the radio each afternoon.
In early 1953 Edd once again moved east, this time to work with Bill Monroe’s brother Birch, who managed Bill’s country music show, the Brown County Jamboree, in Bean Blossom, Indiana. Operating out of an old barn, Birch ran the weekend shows that Bill booked, featuring some local musicians and headlined by Bill’s fellow Grand Ole Opry acts. Edd, Birch, and banjoist Larry Richardson performed as the house band and opening act or accompanied the featured solo artist if need be. While in Bean Blossom, Edd and his family and Larry Richardson made a trip back to Dimmitt for a two-week visit. Richardson, from North Carolina, was one of the earliest banjo players performing in the three-fingered picking style popularized by Earl Scruggs just a few years before. During the visit, Richardson played frequently in the area with Herb, Smokey, and Edd. Larry was the first banjo player of this style that Herb Mayfield had ever played with, and he believes that Larry was the first such player that many of his musician friends on the plains had ever seen. After his return to Bean Blossom, Edd got a call from Bill Monroe to rejoin the band, replacing Jimmy Martin. On June 26, 1954, Edd recorded some more classic Monroe material, including “Close By,” “My Little Georgia Rose,” and “Put My Little Shoes Away,” all vocal solos by Monroe. In September of that year Edd participated in a new recording of an earlier Monroe hit, “Blue Moon of Kentucky.” Few of the recordings of this period featured Edd as Monroe’s singing partner, as most cuts were vocal solos by Monroe.
Again the pay was not enough to support a wife and growing family, and Edd returned to Dimmitt. This time he went to work for rodeo producer Morris Stevens of Silverton, Texas. Edd handled the Stevens livestock that wa used in the major rodeos in the Texas panhandle, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. He also entered a number of these rodeos as a contestant. But the Texas ranch life was not enough for Edd. He had a vision of a music career of his own, or perhaps with his brothers.
At Norman Petty’s studio in Clovis, New Mexico, Herb, Smokey, and Edd recorded “Poison Love” and had about ten demo copies pressed, as Herb said, “with the hope of trying to get a record contract in Nashville.” This was mostly Edd’s idea, as Herb doubted that he would or could have made the move if they had gotten record deal, due to family nd work obligations.
After Edd’s final return to Nashville in early 1958, he recorded a number of songs with Monroe, alter released on the gospel album I Saw the Light. Edd sang lead and some tenor in the quartets and played guitar on two instrumentals, “panhandle Country,” and “Scotland.” This was Edd’s last recording session as a Bluegrass Boy. While on tour with Monroe, he succumbed to leukemia in a hospital in Blueflield, West Virginia, in July 1958.
In all, Edd Mayfield's recorded output includes only the twenty songs he made as a member of Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys, the Mayfield Brothers’ demo, and one live recording sought by collectors. The studio recordings make up some of Monroe’s most powerful and fertile music and reveal Edd as one of the finest guitarists and singers in the long line of outstanding musicians who have contributed to Monroe’s bluegrass sound. This relatively small library of recorded material, coupled with Edd’s early death, has led Doug Green, country music historian and former Bluegrass Boy, to label Edd Mayfield “the mystery man” of bluegrass.
Many of the talented young performers of bluegrass emerging during the 1960s looked to Edd Mayfield as a source of power in the music. Peter Rowan, a guiding figure in the urban youth involvement in bluegrass music and pivotal member of Monroe’s band from 1965 through 1967, sang a song he learned from a rare, noncommercial tape recording of a Monroe show featuring Edd Mayfield. On this tape Edd sang “I’m Knocking on Your Door” and a Red Taylor composition, “I’m Not Broke But I’m Badly Bent.” Rowan recorded “I’m Knocking on Your Door” on the album Old and in the Way and titled one of his own albums The First Whippoorwill, the first song Edd recorded with Monroe. Mandolinist David Grisman also heard that tape and recorded the Red Taylor song, using Ricky Skaggs as the vocalist.
In addition to Edd’s influence in Bluegrass,s the Mayfield Brothers’ radio performances and their personal appearances in the West Texas region are important early memories of many of the musical greats to come from West Texas. Sonny Curtis, Waylon Jennings, and Buddy Holly all heard and were inspired by the music of the Mayfield Brothers.
After the band’s active period of performance in the 1950s, Herb, al welder in Dimmitt, continued to sing and play in area bluegrass jam sessions, and Smokey, foreman of the Turkey Track Ranch near Spearman, played only occasionally at family get-togethers. On May 6, 1989, a tribute to the Mayfield Brothers was held at South Plains College in Levelland with a concert performed to a full house by Herb, Smokey, Edd’s son Freddy, and Smokey’s son Clint.
| The Mayfield Brothers
Patuxent Music has released a new CD of vintage recordings from 1948-1956 entitled “The Mayfield Brothers - Herb, Smokey & Edd.”
The CD, produced by Tom Mindte, includes twenty-one songs. Six of the songs were originally recorded at Norman Petty’s studio in Clovis, New Mexico circa 1955-56 (Poison Love, The Old Hometown, Mother was Called Away, When You Go, Don’t Write to Me, Lonely Heart Blues, Pardon My Whiskers While I Kiss You Goodnight). The remaining material presented here was recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder in the living room of Lorena Curtis, sister of the Mayfield Brothers, between 1948 and 1956.
All of these recordings had been transferred to cassette tapes at some point in the past. When the time arrived for this project, the original tapes and/or discs had been lost, damaged, destroyed, or were otherwise unavailable, so it is these cassette tapes that serve as the actual source recordings for this CD. The cassette material was subsequently remastered by Bill Wolf at Wolf Productions.
As observed in the biographical notes, each of the Mayfield Brothers had learned to play mandolin and guitar while growing up. Various songs and tunes on this CD feature brothers Herb and Smokey on rhythm guitar, in addition to the rhythm and lead guitar work of Edd Mayfield. As was more common in his day, Edd played rhythm guitar with a thumbpick. Edd was way ahead of his contemporaries, however, when it came to playing lead guitar, almost unheard of in bluegrass music at the time. Remarkably, Edd’s lead guitar playing was done with a thumbpick. Herb Mayfield remembers that Edd would “clamp the bottom edge of that thumbpick with his finger and play it like a straight pick.” returning to the thumb-style rhythm at the end of the guitar solo. Interestingly, at times on the CD, Edd’s guitar sounds almost like an electric or amplified guitar; on those songs, Edd was actually playing a Dobro guitar that had a regular Spanish-style guitar neck.
CD’s are available at Prairie Garden Flowers and MurMur’s in Spearman for $13.50 each.
Following are the songs included on “The Mayfield Brothers” CD.
1. I’m Knockin’ On Your Door (by Edd Mayfield) Kentucky Colonel Music, BMI; Edd Mayfield - Guitar, Vocal; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle; Raeford Shirley - Bass
2. Arizona Moon (Raeford Shirley & George Green) Patuxent Music, BMI; Edd Mayfield - Guitar, Vocal; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin; Delmar Shirley - Fiddle; George Green - Bass
3. Midnight Ramble (Ruby Rakes) Fort Knox Music/Trio Music, BMI; Edd Mayfield - Guitar, Vocal; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle
4. When You Go, Don’t Write to Me (Smokey Mayfield) Patuxent Music, BMI; Edd Mayfield - Guitar, Lead Vocal, Tenor Vocal on Chorus; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle, Lead Vocal on Chorus; George Green - Bass
5. Poison Love (Anglin/Wright) Rightsong Music, BMI; Edd Mayfield - Guitar, Tenor Vocal; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin, Lead Vocal; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle; George Green - Bass
6. Cotton Eyed Joe (p.d.) Edd Mayfield - Guitar, Lead Vocal; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle
7. The Old Hometown (Flatt) APRS, BMI; Edd Mayfield - Guitar, Tenor Vocal; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin, Local Vocal on Verse, Baritone Vocal on Chorus; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle, Lead Vocal on Chorus
8. Mother Was Called Away (Smokey Mayfield) Patuxent Music, BMI; Edd Mayfield - Guitar, Tenor Vocal; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin, Baritone Vocal; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle, Lead Vocal
9. Lonely Heart Blues (Edd Mayfield) Patuxent Music, BMI; Edd Mayfield - Guitar, Lead Vocal; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle; George Green - Bass
10. My One and Own (Smokey Mayfield) Pantuxent Music, BMI; Herb Mayfield - Guitar; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle, Lead Vocal
11. High Plains Breakdown (Smokey Mayfield) Pantuxent Music, BMI; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle; Ed Mayfield - Lead Guitar; Herb Mayfield - Rhythm Guitar
12. On and On (Bill Monroe) Hill & Range Songs; Edd Mayfield - Guitar, Lead Vocal, Tenor Vocal on Chorus; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin, Baritone vocal; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle, Lead Vocal on Chorus
13. Rocky Mountain Goat (Herb Mayfield) Herb Mayfield - Mandolin; Smokey Mayfield - Guitar
14. Just a Little Talk With Jesus (Derricks) Bridge Building Music, Inc., BMI; Edd Mayfield - Lead Guitar, Tenor Vocal; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin, Baritone Vocal; Smokey Mayfield - Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocal; Reuben Mayfield - Bass Vocal
15. Pardon My Whiskers While I Kiss You Goodnight (Wayne Raney) Fort Knox Music/trio Music, BMI; Edd Mayfield - Guitar; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle, Lead Vocal; George Green - Bass
16. Sawing on the Strings (Compton) Lewis Compton Music, BMI; Edd Mayfield - Lead Guitar, Vocal; Herb Mayfield - Rhythm Guitar; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle
17. Bill Cheatam (P.D.) Edd Mayfield l- Guitar; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin
18. Holiday for Love (Peddy/Pierce/Walker) Universal Cedarwood Publishing, BMI; Edd Mayfield - Lead Guitar, Lead Vocal; Herb Mayfield - Mandolin; Smokey Mayfield - Rhythm Guitar
19. Black Mountain Rag (P.D.) Edd Mayfield - Lead Guitar; Herb Mayfield - Rhythm Guitar; Smokey Mayfield - Fiddle
20. Where Could I Go But to the Lord? (Coats) Bridge Building Music, Inc., BMI; Edd Mayfield - Lead Guitar, Tenor Vocal; Herb Mayfield - Baritone Vocal; Smokey Mayfield - Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocal
21. I Have Found the Way (Charlie Monroe) Berwick Music Corp. BMI; Edd Mayfield - Lead Guitar, Tenor Vocal; Smokey Mayfield - Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocal
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