2008 Annual Meeting a great time

This year’s annual meeting was very productive. There were about 50 folks who sat in at the meeting and participated with suggestions for how we can continue to keep the group healthy and happy.

Brevlin Thompson playing with Grandma Phyllis

 

Butte Folk Festival

We’re all looking forward to this enourmous music event coming up in Butte on July 11-13, 2008 (see http://www.nationalfolkfestival.com/).

I have written to the Executive Director of this event requesting help in locating a place where all of the MRBA members can camp together so that we can have a good parking lot picking scene. He would love to have us there but hasn’t been able to help us find a place where we can all camp together. This is really what we need if we’re going to play any music together.

Charlene has a lead on a possible place where we can all camp in the same spot. I’ll keep you posted here if hear anything else about that.

The entire festival is free and there will be free shuttle buses running form Missoula and Gt Falls (and maybe other towns). I heard that Michael Marsalek at KUFM in Missoula is organizing the Missoula bus. Not sure who to contact in Gt falls.

 

2008 MRBA party at Forrest Flatts

We have set the date for the associations’ 2008 annual party.

Date: Aug 8-10, 2008

Location: Forrest Flatts in Turah (take the Turah exit and look for the signs)

This year the association will provide the steaks.  Dinner will be a potluck. I think. Please post your comments here if this isn’t right.

Like last year, we’ll have some great giveaways.  This is our big party of the year and a great time to get to know your fellow members and enjoy the rewards of membership in the Montana Rockies Bluegrass Association.

 

Garrison Junction campout a big time

Curtis and I just got back from a great 36 hours of pickin’ and camping with a great bunch down at Garrison Jct. It was great to see old faces again, like our friend Jeff Trask, and to see several new faces including Derek (guitar) and John (dobro) from Helena.

The potluck was great and the weather was perfect.

I especially enjoyed seeing and visiting with our friends Teresa and Gary Kent from Thompson Falls. It was nice to hear all the great music coming out of one of Casey’s guitars.

I mentioned this “MRBA blog” to some of you there. Hopefully you found it and will join in the online conversation with your comments and pictures.

Jerry told me that his real true love instrument is the dobro. Jerry I hope you’ll check out the beautiful new Wechter-Scheerhorn down at http://www.gregboyd.com.

take care,

Phyllis

 

Caleb & Jesse playing Blackberry Blossom real fast

 

Spring Festival 2008

Saturday, April 12, 2008 marked our 9th year of getting together in the spring to perform. This years lineup:

2008 Festival Line-up

12:00-12:30 Kids In Bluegrass
12:35-1:05 Chester Rudyard And Mullan Road
1:10-1:40 Blue To The Bone
1:45-2:15 Three Rivers Bluegrass
2:20-2:50 Bill And Verna Molenda And Friends
2:55-3:25 Leftover Biscuits
3:30-4:00 The Accousticals
4:05-4:35 Wise River Mercantile
4:40-5:10 The WheelWrights
5:15-5:45 Mike And Tari Conroy And Friends
5:50-6:20 Pinegrass
6:25-6:55 Too Hot Too Handle
7:00-7:30 New South Fork
7:35-8:05 Will Williams And Gravel Road
8:10-8:40 Darby Sireens
8:45-9:15 Gravely Mountain Boys
9:20-9:50 Ramblin‘ Rose
9:55-10:25 Black Mountain
10:30-11:00 Greg Boyd and Friends

All of the bands sounded great this year. We just keep getting better year after year.

We all headed over to the American Legion and jammed together into the wee hours of Sunday morning. Lots of folks stayed over and camped there. The jamming was great.

Here’s a little snipet of Rebecca in the kitchen that night (for some reason my camera doesn’t seem to pick up the bass, sorry)