Fountain Express

Tim Smith, champion fiddler, headlines the SuperPickers, an all-star bluegrass band assembled by Marshall Stephenson for a Saturday night concert in Fountain.

Smith won his first fiddling championship in 1977 at the famed Galax Fiddlers Convention. He has released 5 albums under his own name, and he has been a featured performer on over 30 other recording projects. He has performed with a who's who of bluegrass stars and legends, including Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Jim and Jesse McReynolds, Mac Wiseman, Del McCoury, Doyle Lawson, Lou Reid, and Vassar Clements, among many.

"He's the best," said Stephenson, "the absolute best bluegrass fiddler alive."

Joining fiddling Tim Smith and Stephenson, on mandolin and guitar, will be Clyde Mattocks on dobro; Kelly Tew on guitar and tenor vocals; Daniel Casey on banjo; and Mike Langdon on bass. "Patty Hopkins will be one of our special guests," added Stephenson, who has been performing and promoting bluegrass in eastern North Carolina since the mid-1960s. "With her and Daniel on banjo, we'll have two of the best young pickers in eastern North Carolina." Hopkins, who plays fiddle, is completing her studies in classical violin at East Carolina's School of Music. Casey plays regularly with Roby Huffman and the Bluegrass Cutups.

Mattocks, an original SuperGrit Cowboy, also fronts his own bluegrass band, Highway 58, and he often performs with other regional favorites such as the Malpass Family. Tew and Langdon are familiar to Fountain audiences from performances with both Stephenson and their own band, White Pine Hollow.

Stephenson is host of "The Bluegrass Train" radio show, now syndicated on over 25 radio stations.

The SuperPickers, with Fiddle Champion Tim Smith, will perform at 7:30 on March 25. General admission is $7.

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This 4-day run of entertainment in Fountain begins with a free bluegrass jam on Thursday night, March 23, hosted by Greenville picker Jack Wryzenski. Music begins at 7:30.

"We've had some excellent pickers the last few jams," said Alex Albright, Fountain General Store proprietor. "What the pickers need now is to get a few more fans out to hear what they're playing."

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Carolina Still presents its high-energy bluegrass on Friday night. This Washington-based trio describes itself as "not your traditional bluegrass."

"They're more in the style of the Avett Brothers than Bill Monroe," said Albright.

J. Alan Casey plays banjo, Robert Norman, guitar, and Eric Holms, bass. Casey adds percussions with a homemade "stomp box" and a hi-hat drum.

Carolina Still has released three CDs, "Go Your Own Way," "Old Time Ain't a Crime," and "Carolina Still." They are a late replacement on the Fountain schedule for the oldtime band Big Medicine, which was forced to cancel because of a day-job conflict.

Click to hear Carolina Still perform "Go Your Own Way" (6.2 MB).

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On Sunday afternoon, Marty Silverthorne celebrates the publication of his latest book of poems, No Welfare, No Pension Plan. Joining Silverthorne in this poetry reading will be the Johnston County poet Shelby Stephenson.

No Welfare is published by Rank Stranger Press in Mount Olive. Silverthorne, who lives in Greenville and works as a certified clinical addiction specialist, has published two previous collections of poetry.

Shelby Stephenson, older brother of bluegrass star Marshall, most recently read poetry in Fountain to celebrate Possum Day and his own book-length poem Possum. He is editor of Pembroke Magazine and an English professor at Pembroke University.

The Silverthorne-Stephenson poetry reading is free and begins at 4:00 p.m. on March 26.

R.A. Fountain, General Store and Internet Cafe, is located in historic downtown Fountain, at the intersection of US 258 and NC 222. Its family atmosphere is smoke- and alcohol-free.

Reserved seats are available for most shows at an additional charge. Prices are always posted on our up-coming events page. For further information, phone 252-749-3228.

Higgs Improving
George Higgs, the Tarboro bluesman hospitalized 2 weeks ago in Rocky Mount, is progressing. He's received lots of good wishes from his fans and is anxious to get on with his rehabilitation.

Higgs' long-time friend and performing partner Lightnin' Wells recently visited him. Wells reports that Higgs is a ways yet from being well but his spirits are up, he's able to eat, and he's surrounded by good, loving family.

"Betty's a strong woman," Wells said, "and she's taking good care of her man."

Cards and donations may be sent to George Higgs, 199 Bogey Street, Tarboro NC 27886.

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