The 2013 Austin String Band Festival Redux

Too much happened at this year's Austin String Band Festival to truly do the weekend justice with a recap. What can you expect from three solid days of music, singing, dancing, jamming and general no-holds-barred fun? But we are going to try and share some of the highlights of the event with you, so that those who participated can reminisce and those who weren't able to make it out to Camp Ben can share in the memories that we made!

We started our weekend out the right way - a big square dance with some Cajun dancing sandwiched in the middle for good measure!

Even though some of us had been jamming into the wee hours, we were ready for workshops on Saturday morning. There were classes to fit everyone's tastes and interests, from country dancing and clawhammer ukelele to Son Jarocho and old-time rags.

(Thank you so much to all the musicians and dancers who were a part of my clogging workshop! Also, Tim W., you are an amazing person for making TWELVE step-a-tunes with your bare hands just for us!)

After the workshops, we were ready to hear some music! The afternoon and evening lineup took us from oldtime to country to bluegrass to conjunto and back again. We heard from local favorites like the Carper Family and Spencer and Rains, and special guests like Brad Leftwich and Linda Higginbotham. I think the only sound you could hear during their set (besides the tunes of course!) was the sound of everyone's jaws dropping in amazement. The delicious barbecue on that night's dinner menu kept us fueled as we headed back and forth from the main stage to the mini sets to catch our favorites!

(We got some awesome clogging and flatfooting going during the Sawmill Vagrants set! You guys rocked and rolled!)

Hopping Jenny braved the cold to wrap up the night with another square dance. Since they came all the way from Portland to be a part of our festival, we thought it was only fair to introduce them to a little bit of Texas tradition with the Cotton-Eyed Joe dance! After their set, it was off to bed another round of late night jamming.

In spite of how tired we were the next morning, we all came together to close out the festival with a big gospel sing-along. As sad as it is to leave a great festival, it was time to pack up our instruments and fold up our tents until next year. But whether we drove away from Camp Ben with new tunes in our repertoire, new friends or great memories, we all left the festival with our lives a little richer than they were when we arrived. Thank you so much to everyone who was part of the 2013 Austin Stringband Festival and helped to make the weekend such a success! We can't wait to see you next year!

by Erica Braverman

New Update of 4 Potatoes Podcast

There's a new episode of the Four Potatoes Podcast about the biggest dance craze of the 1920s that you've never heard of. To hear the show and learn more, visit: You Say You Want a Revolution. Four Potatoes is a podcast about traditional American music and dance produced by Marc Airhart, a local contra dancer and caller. It's like Story Corps meets American Routes. 

AUSTIN FRIENDS OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC SHOWCASE

AUSTIN FRIENDS OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC SHOWCASE

Beginning in July 2013, the Austin Friends of Traditional Music will be hosting an AFTM Showcase of fine traditional music from a variety of genres every FIRST Tuesday of the month at Flipnotics Coffeespace and Cafe, from 7 - 9 pm in the listening room.  1601 Barton Spring, Austin.

The first AFTM Showcase will be Tuesday, July 2, and will feature The Double Eagle String Band and the Ragtime Willie Show.

If you are interested in being considered to perform at one of these showcases, please contact  Christy Foster at aftmshowcase@aftm.us.

AUSTIN FRIENDS OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC has announced 2 scholarship recipients.

Josh Moore

Josh Moore is the 20-year old banjo player for Bottom Dollar String Band in Austin.  Josh will attend The Swannanoa Gathering Banjo Week in August at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, N.C.  Congratulations Josh and we know you will enjoy your time at The Swannanoa Gathering!

Isaiah Sibi-Hackney

Isaiah Sibi-Hackney is a 10-year old 5th grader and is a 5th generation player of the fiddle. He has been playing for over a year but has been around old time fiddling since he was born. He has attended the Swannanoa Gathering several times as a camper but this will be his first year as a student.

Austin Friends of Traditional Music 

Young Musician's Grant 

To do this, you got to know how. 

Whether it's Round Peak banjo, Swing guitar, , Piedmont blues, Bluegrass fiddle, or Old-time mandolin, the best way to learn traditional music is from someone who knows how.

The music has come down to us in an unbroken chain from one generation to the next, by hand and in person. That is still the best way to learn. The Austin Friends of Traditional Music is dedicated to helping keep the chain unbroken and preserving musical traditions as they evolve among those who still do know how!

In cooperation with Warren Wilson Warren College of North Carolina, the AFTM is proud to announce its Young Musician's Grant program for 2013. Anyone in the Austin area under the age of 26 may apply. Musicians will be selected from the entries to attend master classes at the annual Swannanoa Gathering in Asheville, North Carolina, tuition and lodging-free. Swannanoa offers a rich variety of hands-on classes with masters of several different instruments and styles.

The grant will cover the cost of tuition and board for classes offered during one of several weeks during the year. Dates for 2013 are the following.

Traditional Song Week July 18-14                 Guitar Week July 29-Aug 4
Celtic Week July 15-21                                  Banjo & Mando Week July 29-Aug4
Old Time Week JulyY 22-28                         Fiddle Week July29-Aug 4

For more information on Warren Wilson College's Swannanoa Gathering, visit www.swangathering.com.

To apply for the grant, please submit a description of your interest in traditional music, background, and why you think you ought to be chosen for a chance to learn from the masters.

Submit your entry for the AFTM grant by February 8, 2013, to: Austin Friends of Traditional Music, P.O. Box 49608, Austin, TX 78765.
www.aftm.us

Helping the next generation to learn the music, not so much as a way to make a living as to make life itself worth living.

2011 Austin String Band Festival Highlights

Thanks to Matt Bynum for making this video of the 2011 Austin String Band Festival.  It was a great festival!

A LETTER FROM ELIANA

Eliana Square Dancing

This is a note from one of our 2012 Youth Scholarship recipients, Eliana Salinas.  Thank you Eliana for such a nice letter!

Swannanoa is a place where people come together.  Whenever and wherever you look there will always be a jam going on.  At Swannanoa there is a strong community that is growing every year.

Nestled in the blue ridge mountains of Swannanoa, NC, Warren-Wilson College is the perfect environment for the gathering.  With all the the tall pines and natural flora, the peaceful environment puts you at home.  The meals are yummy and healthy with meat and veggies from the Warren-Wilson College farm. The Warren-Wilson Farm is about 275 acres.  They have many animals ranging from chickens, cows, pigs, plus a wide range of vegetables.  One tip is that late at night they have the BEST fried okra, hamburgers, and sausages for sale outside by one of the jam tents. 

The hardest part of the gathering is waking up and getting going.  You have to wake up no later than 8:00 every morning to get to breakfast and get ready for class, or earlier if you decide to go to tai-chi at 7:30.  After breakfast you have your first class at 9:00 and your second class at 10:45.  Then you eat a delicious lunch, made by the college students.  After lunch you can attend a guest master artist concert.  Following that is your third class.  After all your classes are over for the day there are potlucks, which are like mini classes or concerts that happen simultaneously so you choose which one to attend.  The night starts with a square-dance and following that are jams that last late into the night.

My time at Swannanoa made me so much more confident in my playing.  I have learned so many new techniques and tunes.  But most of all I have realized how much I love Old Time Music and how grateful I am for the people who I can share that with.

Hope to see you there next year,

Eliana Salinas