Mr. Ortha's "Goat Roasts" are still going...

I was in Mississippi the summer after Mr. Ortha died and visited with his daughter and his grand-daughter, Sharde... I also got a short tour of Mr. Ortha's farm...

My introduction came thanks to "Reverend Slick" (Daniel Ballenger) who as a 17 year old had spend the summer of 2002 living with Mr. Ortha...

While in Mississippi I was privileged to attend a couple-three "picnics" where some fife & drum was played... I remember one in particular where Great Granny (age 93) was doin' "The Dog"... I mean, something to behold... But all kinds of music gets played at "picnics" so I was able to play some myself... Played one that was so far back off the road that there was no "lectricty...

BTW, Mr. Ortha made the fifes outta cane that grew along creeks and taught all the kids how to make their own fifes...

Maybe more later... I gotta a world of stories from my three pilgrimages into North Mississippi "hill (haha) country"...

B~