Ramsey school pic 1920's L to R: 1st row, 1st person on left, Charles Clifton Ramsey, 2nd row 4th from left, Mary Alice Ramsey, 3rd row, 1st person Lula Ramsey and 3rd row, last person Lavada Ramsey.

…That’s my Grand Daddy, Charles Clifton Ramsey, on the extreme left in the photo. It was a school class picure. I may post the whole thing in a bit. It has several of his sisters in it as well. I thought it made a pretty good header for this blog.

My oldest nephew happened to check me out at the register. The total was like $4.19. He looked at me and said “I think you qualify for the senior citizen’s discount, since you can’t grow hair on your head.” He then punched a button and lopped off about 20 cents.

I know he’s my nephew and my brother is really my brother. They’ve got that same, smart-aleck sense of humor. It’s a good thing.

I may grow my white beard back and see if I can get a bigger discount.

Saturday was spent hauling Katie and her belongings back up 321 North to Boone, NC, as she starts her final year of college. We planned good. She packed up her stuff on Thursday and Friday, we loaded it into 2 vehicles and got into bed early, rested well and got an early start for the move on Saturday AM. We left early, got a bit of breakfast and had her finished up by about 2 PM. Then me and Momma Nagee went to The Mast General Store, stopped by one of those roadside apple stores and made our way back home by about 6 PM.

It’s quiet here this week. I enjoy the quietness, but I do miss the noise. These children have made noises in our home for over 24 years now (for one of them, at least). Some times the noise is musical, sometimes it’s just loud goofiness. I fully participate in both.

Recently, a week was spent in quiet Holden Beach, NC. There were quiet times, for reading, napping, resting, relaxing and then there were times for swimming, dancing, singing, goofiness, cooking, eating and things or activities that we don’t get to participate induring our regular day-to-day lives. I learned what the old country term “cyarn” means, by reading some Horace Kephart, who helped to study and document some of the wilds of the extreme western parts of the North Carolina mountains.

We swan in the relative ‘wildness’ of the ocean surf, feeling fish nibble at our legs and feeling crabs and skates underneath our feet. I love that place. I live in the edge of the mountains and will probably be here or at least in the region, for the rest of my life. But I will, from time to time, visit Holden Beach, as I have for the past 20+ years. It has such a calming effect on me. I think part of it is due to the ‘smallness’ of that community. Not a lot of flash and loudness or crowds, so often found at some vacation spots.

We’re gearing up for the 7th annual Red White and Bluegrass Festival. This year’s festival was a blast, even though I worked my tail off (as did others). Next year’s festival will be a bit bigger and hopefully, a bit better. More info about that here: http://www.redwhiteandbluegrassfestival.com I’m sure if you search, you can find videos and photos galore, from this year’s event.

Life. It has it’s twists and turns, it’s ups and downs and it just keeps rolling along. I like roller coasters.

Merlefest was a blast. Seeing my boy, and the band he plays for, take the main stage with Tony Rice was an experience, to say the least. Just 2 years prior Aaron was out in the tremendous field, with me, watching Tony play with Alison Krauss & Union Station on the same stage. This time, I viewed it from the side of the main stage and got a few pics of that as well.

May seemed to be a blur, filled with lots of rainy days and some good BBQ on Memorial Day weekend. When rainy periods come our way, I hear lots of people complain. Not me. Just last summer, up and down the Catawba River (water source for most towns between Marion, NC and Charlotte, NC) you were hearing about drastic measures that may have to be taken to insure that folks would have enough water to live on. Mikey don?t complain about rain. You die without water.

Kate finished her third year of college in mid May and found out in late April that she?d have to attend a summer semester in order to get two classes under her belt that her advisor hadn?t told her about. These were classes required to be at a full Junior status, prior to her beginning her Senior year of college this fall. So, immediately after Memorial Day, she had to traipse back up the mountain to Boone, to begin 2 classes per day, 5 days a week for 5 weeks. After about 2 weeks, though not happy about being in a 4 bedroom apartment by herself, she told me she wished all her classes could be like this. She said she was retaining what she was learning easier, due to doing the same classes every day. She comes home later today. Her only requirements remaining are 10 hours of volunteer work to be ready. She?ll get that next week.

Since Merlefest, Aaron has traveled to GA, VA (2x), PA, NC (3x), TN, KY, CO, and he will play in SC tomorrow. One of the NC dates was here in our hometown of Morganton, NC, when Mountain Heart played a show with Tony Rice AND Terry Baucom. There are videos up on YouTube. He is continuing his efforts at getting his newest recording finished when he is not traveling. His is a hectic life. I think they have 9 or 10 dates in July alone.

My wifey has been home for the past couple of weeks trying to get her house back in order. The end of each school year is so full, she gets to a point of giving up on tending house after finishing folders before the end of a school year, becoming informed about new students for the upcoming year, doing EOG testing for about 2 weeks, along with other duties. She?s catching up house stuff now.

My little Momma spent about a week in the hospital, coming home 2 days ago. Breathing difficulties are hard to live with and much harder to witness it happen to your Momma, for me. She?s doing much better and back at HER house.

Next week begins The 6th Annual Red White and Bluegrass Festival. Since last year, I have stepped out of the performance part of this event and have fully stepped into the role of event co-producer. I?ll have 4 solid 12 to 14 hour days in a row beginning next Wednesday, July 1st. There will be volunteers (Kate is one of many), many City Rec personnel, vendors, artists, sound crew and others that will contribute time and effort in July heat to pull this event off. We are expecting a great crowd and if advanced sales are an indicator, we?ll have a TREMENDOUS bunch of folks visiting our fair city to experience bluegrass.

Speaking of bluegrass, I?ve also had the wonderful opportunities to see Earl Scruggs in Charlotte, NC and his hometown of Shelby, NC since my last post. He turned 85 in January of 2009 and is still hammering the banjo. A very humble man, it is truly and honor to be able to be in his very gracious presence and see other folks travel from across the entire country to share in his talents. His boyhood home still stands in Cleveland County and I?ve also been afforded the very good opportunity to visit it myself. From such humble beginnings, greatness sprang forth.

I hope to be able to do a recap of the festival in a couple more weeks. I may have to catch my breath first.

We were talking about how bluegrass has changed. We also talked about how we loved the earlier sounds like Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, The Stanley’s etc., etc.

The gist of his conversation to me (and I remember this part a clearly as the ringing of a bell) was, “I love all that stuff, but people just need to get over Flatt & Scruggs.”

In this dream, he didn’t disrespect them, and had the greatest admiration for them (and he still does), but he was trying to convey to me that music has to evolve. F&S made their big, deep, cut to the bone mark on bluegrass from the late 40′s to the late 60′s. A 20 year run. Monroe did the same thing, partially involving F&S and Carter Stanley in the process, as well.

What they accomplished can’t be reproduced. It was them, their current band members, the current state of affairs going on in the world at that time, the current or recently current other musical influences happening then, just a myriad of information/influences that helped them shape their music into what we remember as representative portions of their musical catalog.

We live in a differing time, with differing influences, both musically and socially, so the music should change, to a certain extent to represent what we face or are exposed to NOW.

That’s not to say that there won’t be music that I won’t like, but there will also be stuff I’ve never heard before, that I WILL like if someone is brave enough to experiment with the formula, to come up with something NEW.

If anyone has an argument with this thinking, then argue with Monroe, F&S, the Stanley’s, Jim & Jesse, the Country Gents, the Seldom Scene, Al Wood, The Paisleys, the Lundys, Hot Rize, Doyle Lawson, The String Dusters, Del McCoury, Mountain Heart, Alison Krauss and others, because that’s what they did.

They were ALL thinking outside the box of what had happened before. Through the process, they developed their OWN sound and that’s why we discuss their musical efforts and know who they are.

Shew….there. Now I feel better.

That’s sort of what it’s like at The CoMMA about these Mountain Heart & Tony Rice tickets. There’s folks coming from far and wide to see it. Tickets are selling like hot doughnuts! The show is on Friday, May 29, 2009, in Morganton, NC. The CoMMA is a 1058 seat house with wonderful acoustics.

Here’sa link to the page with the details. On that webpage, it’ll tell you approximate distances to Morganton from points north, south, east and west of town. It’ll even draw you up directions from YOUR town if you enter your zip code into a Google Map generator.

Good music, good show, good seats (reserved), good room and all for a good cause. College scholarships for deserving individuals by The Men’s Club of Morganton.

Box office hours are: 10 AM 5 PM (Mon-Fri eastern time)

Phone numbers are: (800) 939-SHOW or (828) 433-SHOW NC RELAY-711

Oh, and before I forget it, a little bird done told me that there’s been a big order for SON!!!!!! stickers.

Did I say something about Tony Rice being there? If you listen closely to his original recording of Me & My Guitar, you’ll hear him say during Jerry Douglas’ dobro break, “Break it off, SON!!!!!!”

I went to Nashville for a week at the end of September/first of October. This was to attend the IBMA. Banjos, mandolins, fiddles, dobros (I don’t buy into resophonic guitar), guitars and basses galore. Music 24/7 for real. Bluegrass music. Much business was attempted/accomplished, much sleep was lost.

November 2008:

Thinking about how high heating oil was going to go. The election. I voted. Did you? My baby did for the first time, which means she’s probably not considered a baby, technically. Going through the emergency room with a migrane on Veteran’s Day. Thanksgiving. Suffering with the worst sinus infection I’ve ever had. Finally going to the doctor to get some meds. Getting a bit of relief and then feeling it begin to creep up on me again. Picking with David Wiseman, Perry Woodie, Aaron and Aaron’s girl, Rachel Johnson. Sort of a Linville Ridge Band reunion, in my living room.

December 2008:

Getting another round of anti-biotics for the sinus stuff. Gathering funds for Christmas presents. Spending funds for Christmas presents. The tree. BTW, I picked it out (along with Aaron) not too big, not too small, just right. Putting on the lights and then helping the wifey-mae decorate it. Sort of sad, but no children involved in decorating. But they came in for the real inspection. To see if there were any presents under the tree FOR THEM. CHRISTMAS. Wii consoles for my big old young’uns. Boxing on the Wii until I thought my arms were going to fall off against Aaron. But at the end, I was standing in the room, he was on his bed. But on the screen I think I was OUT and his figure was still standing, so it is NOT real life people! Folks moving in to stay with us for a while. It was all good. A new digital camera. Lots of new pics.

Going to the doctor again, this time to start checking up on blood pressure. Trying to eat right. Losing 20 pounds shortly after Christmas. And actually a 4th round of anti-biotics along with some steriods to finally clear up the sinus infection. IT WORKED! YAY! I CAN BREATHE!

January 2009:

We had the biggest New Year’s blow out we’ve ever had at our house. No, Dick Clark didn’t show up, but, if he had, he would have enjoyed himself. Fireworks, hats, racket makers, food, music, the whole works! The first Sunday of January was spent watching Aaron begin his new recording. I hesitate to call it a CD, since it may only end up being a download. Who knows? I’m sure I’ll be sharing more on that later. Going to Knoxville, TN, on one of the coldest nights of the winter to hear Mountain Heart play a show with Tony Rice. Monitoring blood pressure as it starts to lower.

February 2009:

The only 28 day period of winter that takes 6 weeks to pass. Or so it seems. Hearing of the passing of a musical friend, Bruce Moody. He was Clyde Moody’s nephew. Clyde Moody played guitar for Bill Monroe. Riding with Aaron to Walhalla, SC, for a Mountain Heart show and getting back home about 3:30 on Sunday morning. Going up to Bluegrass First Class, in Asheville, NC, talking and visiting with Ron Block and others and laughing as they spelled Clay Hess’ name wrong on his name badge. He is now known as Clay Hell. That’s what happens when you have a band with folks whose last names are Hull, Eller and Hess. More BP lowering. That’s a good thing.

March 2009:

Doing time studies at work. Writing (with a pen on paper) and documenting a ton of information so the Dept of Labor don’t throw our facility in the jailhouse. Trying to figure out the economy. Scary, ain’t it? Feeling the creative juices beginning to flow again. Maybe beginning to get the itch to play some music again, but not yet. Keeping up with health problems of some of my local musical heroes, who just so happen to be my friends. Going back to Asheville to listen to The Dan Tyminski Band at The Orange Peel.

April 8/9 2009:

We’re here. It’s either really late or really early, since my watch says about 15 minutesafter midnight. But the month is off to a good start. I’ve written parts of 2 songs with a buddy from Gate City, VA. We don’t know if the lyrics are finished or not, but there has been no melodies assigned yet. So, they probably are just poetry at this point. Oh, I bought a book titled, “The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.”

My Daddy’s middle name is Poe. He got it from his maternal Grandmother. I called her Mam-Maw Medford. Her maiden surname was POE. She was borned in the late 1800′s. Edgar Allan Poe had no children. That’s what we’ve all been told. He died in 1849, I think. He did have a brother. Ed’s wife’s name was Virginia Clemm. She was 14 years his junior. My paternal Gramdmother’s name was Virginia Mae Clemments. It was her Momma whose surname, before she was married, was POE. Weird ain’t it?

I like to write scary songs…..

If you read my post from last June about the end of The Linville Ridge Band, I think it speaks of being involved for 25 years in music. The making of it, the promotion of it, the business end of it, the whatever…..so far.

At the time, it was a love/hate thing to have to do. Make that choice. But the end result demonstrated that it was the right move to make. I’ve picked with my buddies from that band in jams and we’re still all good friends.

Now, since I’ve had that break, my creative juices are flowing again. I’m interested in song writing again and feel I have some spare time to devote towards that. I have one song started that, hopefully, will end up being co-written with one of my songwriting heroes. I helped another known Gospel songwriter write parts of 2 songs last week.

I have collaborated with my son on several songs over the past couple of years. Aaron will include some of them on his upcoming recording. Most of the time, I write lyrics and he comes up with chord structure, rhythms and melody. I like to be there during that process, seeing and hearing him invent music.

One of my main problems is that I like too much stuff! I like fly fishing, camping, bike riding (I need to do more of that), bluegrass, watercolor painting, photography, reading, writing, songwriting, other forms of art including pottery, Japanese woodcut prints, so, you see part of my problems is that I have too many interests. I wish I could participate in the making of the Japanese prints and making pottery. Their both beautiful, to me, at least.

But the festival in my hometown now sort of takes precedence. I never dreamed nearly 30 years ago, that a festival of this sort could ever be the hit that is, in our fair little town. I don’t take any credit for it, but it really feels good to be able to contribute to the production of it.

When you hear that from other folks that are involved in producing events like MerleFest, GreyFox, WinterGrass, Fan Fair @ IBMA, and on down, it’s hard to understand what they really mean.

For me, seeing the festival being a success is sometimes nothing more than seeing that throng of people come to listen to music and a lineup that you had a hand in putting together, seeing a young kid getting up the nerve to get his/her instrument out in front of total strangers and feel like he’s their new best friend due to music, hearing a jam cranking up as most of the listeners are leaving the festival grounds at the end of the days stage schedule, and having people come up to you that you’ve never met before and feeling like you’ve known them all your life when you start to talk about that day’s music.

If I have any advice to offer to anyone, it is this. If you want to contribute to something that is of great interest to you, TRY or get involved. Participate. I know I’m not guaranteed to live to see the sun come up tomorrow. So, I’ve got to be busy, doing what I can do, TODAY.

Now, if we’ll all get out our hymnals and turn to page…….