"If music be the food of love, play on!" (Act I, Scene I - Shakespeare's Twelfth Night)
What started out as a one year blog about our Family, Food, Fun and what keeps us all connected has turned into an amazing four year experience. At the end of each year I think it may be time to stop blogging and then I look back and see a trail of pictures, recipes, births, deaths, tears, laughter, travels, sports, gardening, menus and music and I think maybe I'll just keep on.
Music has always been important to me but it has taken a real front seat in our lives recently. So no wonder I woke up this morning with Shakespeare's quote on my mind.
If music be the food of love, play on!
We are playing on and having a seriously good time. We had the remarkable opportunity to be involved with the grand opening of the Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby, NC this month. Remarkable opportunity barely describes it. It was truly a once in a lifetime thing but at the same time was exactly what this blog is about - family and friends getting together, staying connected, showing love for each other, working hard and enjoying the ride.
I have never had so much fun working so hard.
JT Scruggs called me one day last summer and said something like, "Sally. I want you to help us with the Earl Scruggs Center grand opening." I had no idea where this would take me.
Since Dad had just completed the sale of the Round Up Store and I was officially retired from my job there, I thought - well sure - helping with the Scruggs Center opening would probably be a good way to spend some time while I figured out what to do next.
Then JT says, "we want you to help us have a pickin' party at Malcolm Brown Auditorium. We're going to have the grand opening of the Scruggs Center coincide with Earl's birthday in January and we want to re-create the way he celebrated his birthday - with a pickin' party of some of his friends."
And I'm thinking ok - pickin' party - I know how those work. Sounds like fun. And then JT says, "So we've invited Vince Gill, Travis Tritt, Gary and Randy Scruggs, and they all say they are coming." Whoa. I am not a picker myself (at least not in front of anyone) but I have been involved with a whole lot of pickin' parties at my house, the cabin, the lake, and many places. Somehow this seemed like a horse of a different color. So the work began and it was very detail oriented and very interesting to say the least. A LOT of people got involved and came together behind the scenes to make this event a reality. It was wonderful to be a part of something where everyone was rowing in the same direction for the right reasons. A true sense of community.
As it turned out, Vince Gill, Travis Tritt, Gary Scruggs, and Randy Scruggs did come. Sam Bush, Rob Ickes, Jim Mills and John Gardner came too. These are Grammy Award winning musicians who genuinely wanted to get together and pick to honor Earl and his friendship and his unique contribution to music. Throughout the performance they shared memories and funny stories and outstanding music. Travis Tritt said that Earl had "raised the bar" for everyone by working everyday to improve his craft - that Earl never stopped learning and growing as a musician. And that one thing he would never forget was how in a town like Nashville, that can be tough to break into, Earl and Louise had always welcomed new musicians into the fold. Then Travis sang Where Corn Don't Grow. If you've been reading this blog you know how I love corn. And home. These lyrics really get to me - "hard times are real. There's dusty fields wherever you go. You may change your mind because there's weeds where corn don't grow".
Gary Scruggs was not only sweet and talented but also hilarious. I had no idea how funny and quick witted he was. And I really came unglued when Randy Scruggs played his beautiful and perfect instrumental version of Both Sides Now. It really brought back memories of the wonderful vinyl album Will the Circle Be Unbroken that I bought new - oh say back in the 70s? :).
Sam Bush was his high energy and smiling self and he was so fun to watch because he was having such fun himself. Rob Ickes' dobro and Jim Mills' banjo were perfect.
John Gardner played drums and as I handed his wife, Jennifer, an All Access Pass (which allowed her into the Green Room) she asked if she could give one to John. I told her that the performers didn't need a pass. She laughed and said "John may need one because last time he showed up backstage and said he was the drummer the people told him bluegrass bands don't have a drummer!" But we all know that in Earl's world of music rules were made to be broken.
Vince Gill talked about his own father and about Earl and then sang The Key to Life which he had sung at Earl's memorial service. That song just speaks for itself. There were 2 full hours of wonderful songs and stories and authenticity and happiness and I know I wasn't alone in wishing it would never end.
On January 11th as the day unfolded and many people came together to make the show happen, I began to realize that while it was remarkable in many ways, it also felt just like every pickin' party I have ever enjoyed. Sweet, loving, talented people getting together to show love, share memories and enjoy music that connects everyone together. If music be the food of love, play on!
The Earl Scruggs Center: Music and Stories of the American South.
This is located on the beautiful Court square in Shelby, NC and connects the past with the future in a very high tech, interactive way. It details how Earl "changed the world with a banjo" by creating the 3 finger roll picking style and just as importantly in how he included musicians from several generations and genres together. Bluegrass as we know it would not exist without Earl.
The Center is full of all kinds of information about banjos from Africa and musicians from all over and also full of information about textiles and cotton and life in Cleveland County. I have visited several times and still haven't seen it all.
There were many facets to the grand opening weekend. This fun part was planned by Meghan, Christie, Bryon and many others. Suddenly Scruggs was a flash mob of banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass and fiddle pickers who filled up a church playing the song Reuben. Reuben is the song Earl describes as playing when he realized that he was using a 3 finger roll instead of the standard 2 fingers. That Scruggs Style of picking could produce more syncopated rhythms and that is how Earl redefined the banjo and bluegrass. And that's why musicians felt called to get together and play in his honor.
Plus they had a lot of fun.
I actually missed the flash mob so I relied on YouTube videos to see it. While the flash mob was going on I was at Brown Auditorium helping set the stage for the pickin' party. Les gave me good instructions on how he wanted it set up. After struggling with details like where to find rugs that would work, I realized that it was right under my nose. The cabin in Lattimore - where many a pickin' party have happened - had the perfect rugs. I don't know if Earl ever played there but he did visit my grandmother's house. I do know that Earl's brother Horace picked several times at the cabin so these rugs seemed to be the perfect fit in many ways.
Mom and Dad immediately agreed to let me borrow the rugs and Libby had the matching one so I borrowed it too. Jenny at Brown Auditorium had the chairs. Cindy and Carol brought some lamps they thought might work and I asked Sister if I could use her ficus trees for a backdrop. I bought the end tables at Walmart to use at the lake and they worked great for what Les described as "simple, simple, simple but with a vibe of sitting in Earl's living room".
It looks simple but it didn't seem that way until it came together. Made me think of Mandela's quote, "Everything seems impossible until it's done."
I wish I had taken so many more pictures of all the people who helped with the event. It was amazing and fun to be working with people who were volunteering their time and doing it with such professionalism and such easy relaxed attitudes. Phillip and the drivers, firemen who directed traffic, people who cooked food, volunteers who downloaded an app to their iPhones to scan tickets, ushers, electricians, sound and lighting techs, and more. Stan, Jenny, the Shelby High School Theatre Dept and Tech Crew were amazing as were the construction classes who learned to build a sidewalk for the event. And the dedication weekend committee members were such a joy to meet with over several months as we kept up with the progress of all the moving parts.
While I missed the Suddenly Scruggs flash mob, I was grateful to be present for the sound check at Brown Auditorium. There were many behind the scenes players working with sound and lights and hospitality and more as the performers were on stage for 2 1/2 hours for sound check. It was a concert in itself and everyone was so professional, but at the same time, very laid back.
The performers seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as anyone during the sound check.
The performers truly enjoyed being together and pickin' as they gathered in the dressing room at Brown Auditorium. Travis Tritt's manager tweeted this picture. It did my heart good to see that they were so comfortable and relaxed. I had borrowed the chairs from the Round Up for the dressing room. Linda had all kinds of snacks for them and the SHS Tech Crew had worked for weeks painting and cleaning and making sure all the light bulbs worked. Details and more details.
Penny and Libby are two sisters I can always count on to make yummy desserts. Libby even had her chocolate marshmallow brownies graded A and B. I give them and Linda an A+ for helping with the hospitality side of the puzzle. Carol isn't in this picture but she was a great help as were David, Richard, Jimmy and Jeannette and Lloyd. It truly took a village.
Les shared this picture with me of the Standing Room Only crowd before the performance. The excitement in the auditorium was contagious.
I borrowed this pic from either Les or Noel because I loved it.
A truly remarkable once in a lifetime show.
Rob Ickes on dobro, Randy Scruggs, Sam Bush, Vince Gill, Travis Tritt, Gary Scruggs, Jim Mills, and John Gardner together at SHS Mal Brown Auditorium for an amazing 2 hour show.
Gary and Randy are singing together in this picture. How awesome is that.
After the show, David snapped this picture of me with Vince Gill. Sweet.
Pickers weren't shy about getting together in Uptown Shelby after the show. Here is Jackson and friends gathered at Pleasant City Grille to keep the music playing. I didn't get there but Carol said as much as she loved the professional performance it was fun to hear some of our local talent too. Reminds me again of what Leroy Neiman told me years ago about artists, "For every one of us who makes it there are 100 more who are just as good."
Kailey visited from Boston and I enjoyed taking her to the Scruggs Center. She is playing music on what Peggy and Brownie call the giant iPad. It is so fun to play on this. 8 people can pick an instrument and play songs together. There are tons of other things you can do here including listening to Patsy Cline or Don Gibson and watching TV clips or learning all kinds of things about music and performers. I could spend hours just in this part of the Scruggs Center.
WBTV anchors got into the act when they lost a bet over football and had to sing "I left My Heart in San Francisco". Some pickers showed up at the Scruggs Center to help them sing it southern style. The singing was terrible but it was fun and the cutest part were the preschoolers who had made banjos out of paper plates and walked over from Central Methodist Church to help accompany.
Peace Avenue got into the spirit too and designed special Banjo Tshirts. I love the roots around the banjo because that's really what it's all about. Earl's roots. I didn't know until I watched a clip at the Scruggs Center that Earl had been outspoken about the Vietnam War and that he wore a banjo strap with a peace sign on it. You can learn a lot at the Scruggs Center.
Carol and Beth enjoying a night out at Dragonfly in Uptown Shelby. All smiles as always.
Pickin parties continue in Shelby long after the dedication weekend and I hope forever. This is at Dragonfly Wine Shop last night.
Pickin isn't always bluegrass. This is Eddie at Nifen in Uptown Shelby last night as he played soothing jazzy classical soft rock.
This is New Year's Day Lunch in Lattimore at Jackson and Mary Beth's house. We enjoyed the typical streak o lean, collard greens, corn, peas and cornbread. And we enjoyed starting off the New Year together again.
We rolled the rugs up and brought them from Brown Auditorium back to the cabin in Lattimore.
The rugs are back at the cabin safe and sound and waiting for that next pickin' party to break out.
I.can.not.wait!
Happy 2014. Play on!
Lyrics - Where Corn Don't Grow
As we sat on the front porch
of that old grey house where I was born and raised.
Staring at the dusty fields
where my daddy worked hard everyday.
I think it kinda hurt him when I said,
"Daddy there's a lot that I don't know.
But don't you ever dream about a life
where corn don't grow?"
He just sat there silent
staring at his favorite coffee cup.
I saw a storm of mixed emotions in his eyes
when he looked up.
He said "son I know at your age
it seems like this ole world is turnin' slow.
And you think you'll find the answer to it all
where corn don't grow."
Hard times are real
there's dusty fields no matter where you go.
You may change your mind
cause the weeds are high where corn don't grow.
I remember feeling guilty
when daddy turned and walked back in the house.
I was only 17 back then
but I thought that I knew more than I know now.
I can't say he didn't warn me
this city life's a hard row to hoe.
Ain't it funny how a dream can turn around,
where corn don't grow.
Hard times are real
there's dusty fields no matter where you go.
You may change your mind
cause the weeds are high where corn don't grow.
You may change your mind
oh the weeds are high where corn don't grow.
As we sat on the front porch
of that old grey house where I was born and raised.
Staring at the dusty fields
where my daddy worked hard everyday.
I think it kinda hurt him when I said,
"Daddy there's a lot that I don't know.
But don't you ever dream about a life
where corn don't grow?"
He just sat there silent
staring at his favorite coffee cup.
I saw a storm of mixed emotions in his eyes
when he looked up.
He said "son I know at your age
it seems like this ole world is turnin' slow.
And you think you'll find the answer to it all
where corn don't grow."
Hard times are real
there's dusty fields no matter where you go.
You may change your mind
cause the weeds are high where corn don't grow.
I remember feeling guilty
when daddy turned and walked back in the house.
I was only 17 back then
but I thought that I knew more than I know now.
I can't say he didn't warn me
this city life's a hard row to hoe.
Ain't it funny how a dream can turn around,
where corn don't grow.
Hard times are real
there's dusty fields no matter where you go.
You may change your mind
cause the weeds are high where corn don't grow.
You may change your mind
oh the weeds are high where corn don't grow.
