SEPT 25, BRIGHTWOOD VA!!!

Subject: SEPT 25, BRIGHTWOOD VA!!!
From: Tony Burns
Date: 24 Sep 99 - 09:53 AM

From The Jug Band Rag e-zine:

3rd Annual Bones Festival ... is September 25 in Brightwood VA, near Charlottesville. Objectives are varied, but mostly to have fun! Contact Russ Myers at 540-543-2368, or e-mail Martha Cowett, or visit the web site for Rhythm Bones Central!

If that was a reasonable drive away I'd be there based on the name alone. So, I'm passing the information on in the hopes that some other Mudder will attend and tell us all about it.

Subject: RE: SEPT 25, BRIGHTWOOD VA!!!
From: Allan C.
Date: 24 Sep 99 - 10:40 AM

Thanks, Tony. That's only about an hour away from me. I'll try to go and have a listen. BTW, our own Mike Billo is on the program.

Subject: RE: SEPT 25, BRIGHTWOOD VA!!!
From: Allan C.
Date: 24 Sep 99 - 11:44 AM

Rats! I just learned that due to an illness, Mike won't be there.

Subject: RE: SEPT 25, BRIGHTWOOD VA!!!
From: Tony Burns
Date: 28 Sep 99 - 01:17 PM

Allan C. (or anyone else),

Did you go? How was it?

Subject: RE: SEPT 25, BRIGHTWOOD VA!!!
From: Mike Billo
Date: 28 Sep 99 - 01:51 PM

Greetings; I was scheduled to perform and participate, but my father-in-law has become very ill, and I had to cancel in order to stay close to home. Ev Cowett organizes this event every year (this year, held in bones virtuoso Russ Meyers' home town of Brightwood), and any Mudcatter interested in tradidional percussion, and the folklore of the Bones, should start visiting Ev's website (URL in Tony's original posting). Ev is doing a GREAT job in keeping this vanishing musical art form alive. It may be hard to believe now, but most people who have researched the matter have found that bones players were once common in America. Today, there are only a handful of us. Some wags attribute this to natural selection.

Since there appers to be an interest, I'll keep the Mudcat posted about next years "Bones Fest" when the time rolls around.

Subject: RE: SEPT 25, BRIGHTWOOD VA!!!
From: Allan C.
Date: 28 Sep 99 - 02:07 PM

Thanks, Mike. Ev generously offered to have me there as a guest but I had some last minute problems which prevented my attending. Sorry to have missed it.

Subject: RE: SEPT 25, BRIGHTWOOD VA!!!
From: Tony Burns
Date: 28 Sep 99 - 02:27 PM

Thanks Mike.

This is a day of coincidences (See the Bedstead thread),I was answering email from Martha Cowett when you posted this. She asked for my snail mail address to be put on the list for the quarterly newsletter.

It sounds like a great festival this year here (in part) is what Martha had to say.

This years festival was an absolute blast. There was about 22 players who showed up and showed off their talent, style, and technique, you would never believe how many ways there are to play them. There will be a video soon and, pictures on the web page and PBS even came out to film us for an upcoming folk music show they will be airing next year.

Next year we plan to have Bones Fest III in Signal Mt, Tenn. (just outside Chattanooga). The date will be about the same, the 4th Saturday in September.

Subject: RE: SEPT 25, BRIGHTWOOD VA!!!
From: Mike Billo
Date: 28 Sep 99 - 05:12 PM

Dear Tony and Alan; Let's all mark it on our calendars, don our Mudcat T-shirts, and meet one another in person at Signal Mt. Tenn. next year.

Subject: RE: SEPT 25, BRIGHTWOOD VA!!!
From: Tony Burns
Date: 28 Sep 99 - 07:06 PM

Mike,

According to MapQuest it's about a 16 hour drive from Toronto. As much as I'd like to see what happens at a bones festival I think I'll have to pass unless I win the lottery and just start touring for fun.

Subject: RE: SEPT 25, BRIGHTWOOD VA!!!
From: Mike Billo
Date: 29 Sep 99 - 09:52 AM

I'm rooting for all of us to win the lottery. Hope you win and are able to get to Tenn. next year.