Fountain AfterDark vol 4, no 14 April 4, 2008 published weekly by R.A. Fountain, General Store & Internet Cafeæ Lost County 35 Plays Bluegrass in Fountain Saturday Night - RAF Reviewed on David Cecelski's Food Blog [Fountain, NC] Lost County 35 performs original and traditional bluegrass this Saturday night at Fountain General Store. LC 35 isæa 6-piece band band based out of the Triangle and eastern North Carolina. They have been picking together as a serious band for over two years. Saturday marks their first appearance in Fountain. They will also play the Preddy Fest for the first time this June. Mandolin picker Tim Leeæand guitarist Anthony Campbell both live in Cary. Lee, a graphic artist with the News and Observer, has written several original tunes for the band. Campbell, who lived in Florida and Ohio before his move to North Carolina, also sings tenor and lead. Guitarist Brent Wiggins and bassist Felicia Bender both live in Wilson. Wiggins also sings lead. Bender's family includes the popular area bluegrass duo Robert and Peggy Ray, and her brother, Allen, an outstanding mandolin picker. Banjo picker John Dudley, originally from Scooba, in eastern Mississippi, grew up playing and listening to bluegrass. "The pickin's about the same here as in Mississippi," he said. "They have a different set of standard songs they play. But it's all good." His mother was a church organist and his cousin a bluegrass guitarist. Dobro player Tony Mullen, who lives in Spring Hope, plays in the traditional style of Uncle Josh Graves . Lost County 35's April 5 concert begins at 7:30; general admission is $7.50. Historian David Celcelski Features RAF on NC Folklife Institute Blog David Cecelski, author of four books on the history and coastal and African-American cultures of North Carolina, features RAF in his latest food blog, which is posted periodically on the North Carolina Folklife Institute webpage . Cecelski, who is finishing up his fifth book, was in Fountain last Saturday as keynote speaker for the North Carolina Folklore Society's annual meeting, held at Fountain General Store. Conference participants had breakfast from Mickey's Barbecue in Fountain and lunch from Cobb's Barbecue in Farmville. Cecelski raves about both in his blog, calling Mickey's famous cheese biscuits "amazing" and "unbelievably good." The blog , which he began writing last fall, has previously featured Ocracoke Oyster Pie and Miss Mogie's Molasses Gunger, among other Tar Heel treats. A native of Harlow, Cecelski is an independent researcher and freelance writer who also teaches at Duke University. All of his books, autographed, are available at Fountain General Store. Theyæinclude "A Historian's Coast: Adventures into the Tidewater Past," "The Watermen's Song: Slavery and Freedom in Maritime North Carolina," "Along Freedom Road: Hyde County, NC and the Fate of Black Schools in the South," andæ"Democracy Betrayed: The Wilmington Race Riot of 1898," which he co-edited with Tim Tyson. What You're Reading Each week, RAF sends out a news release to 28 area newspapers andæradio stations. The primary contents of each issue of FountainæAfterDark is that news release. The FAD distributed via e.mailænever containsæattachments. To add friends to our e.mail subscription list, send their e.mail address toæfountainexpress@rafountain.com. To removeæyourself from this list, reply to this e.mail with "unsubscribe" asæeither text or subject of your e.mail. Our e.mail list is not sold or traded or otherwise shared with anyone. Please let us know of any suspected abuses of the Fountain AfterDark/Fountain Express distribution list. - - - Fountain AfterDark vol 4, no 15 April 10, 2008 published weekly by R.A. Fountain, General Store & Internet Cafe Marshall Stephenson and the Bluegrass Train Friday, Steve Creech Septet Saturday with Peggy Vaughn [Fountain,NC] Marshall Stephenson and the Bluegrass Train perform classic bluegrass and bluegrass gospel on Friday night with a band that features 5-time national fiddler of the year Curtis Lee. The Steve Creech Septet features vocalist Peggy Vaughn on Saturday night with a band that stars Jimmy Aycock on piano and George Broussard on trombone. Broadway veteran Dirk Lumbard, a new area resident, is set to return for a few tap dance numbers. Marshall Stephenson, the bluegrass recording star and impresario, has been playing and promoting bluegrass in eastern North Carolina since the 1960s. His all-star band is named for his long-running Sunday night radio show, the Bluegrass Train, which airs on 98.5 WDWG in Rocky Mount. Stephenson sings lead and plays guitar. Also featured in his band tonight are two local music stars. Clyde Mattocks, from Kinston, is the popular founder of the Super Grit Cowboy Band . He fronts his own excellent bluegrass band, Highway 58, and is a popular studio and guest musician for artists throughout the region. And Tim Myatt, from Snow Hill, is the "godfather of eastern Carolina banjo," said Alex Albright, Fountain General Store proprietor. "He's as fine a picker as you'll ever hear." "Curtis Lee's a one-man show just himself," added Albright. "He's a phenomenal fiddler." [See him performing "Mockingbird": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIjjJDzxoxc&feature=related] Also performing with Stephenson this evening are Joe Pesolano on mandolin and tenor vocals and Kenneth Glover on bass. Marshall Stephenson and the Bluegrass Train's April 11 concert begins at 7:30; general admission is $7.50. Greenville jazzman Steve Creech brings a different all-star ensemble to Fountain about once a month. For Vaughn's first performance here, he has assembled an especially fine band. "She has tremendous range and a beautiful soprano voice," said Creech. "She doesn't get a chance to sing jazz very often, but she's got a great voice for it." The show will include a variety of jazz standards and Broadway hits, including "Summertime," "Stormy Weather," "I Got Rhythm," and "Bye, Bye Blackbird." Peggy O. Vaughn is Director of Music at Peace Presbyterian Church in Winterville. She¾has performed as a soloist with the Virginia Choral Society, the Cantata Chorus, the Greenville Choral Society, the Hickory Choral Society and Symphony, the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra, the High Wickham Choral Society in England, the East Carolina University Opera Theatre, and the East Carolina Religious Arts Festival. She is also music and choral director at Arendell Parrott Academy in Kinston. Trombonist George Broussard is a long-time faculty member in ECU's School of Music who has also played with Billy May, Robert Pemberton, the Dick Gable All-Stars, and the NC Jazz Repertory Orchestra. He is director of ECU's "Jazz Bones" student ensemble. On keyboards is Fremont's Jimmy Aycock, a recently retired career educator who was named the first Carolina Icon, in honor of his lifelong commitment to teaching and performing. Joining them will be¾Dennis McGaughey on tenor sax and clarinet, Earle Abernethey on drums, and Keith Dobbins on bass, all veterans of the Fountain jazz scene. Guest vocalists will include Lily James and Sarah Lang, who also will play a few tunes on violin. Dirk Lumbard, who stopped in at RAF for the first time for Creech's last show, will return this evening as a guest tap dancer and vocalist. A Broadway veteran and legendary tap dance teacher, Lumbard has recently relocated from New York to the Macclesfield area, where he and the author Anderson Ferrell are restoring a house, near where Ferrell grew up. [See Lumbard performing as the Tin Man with Mickey Rooney and Eartha Kitt in "The Wizard of Oz" at Madison Square Garden:¾http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb2bNqAnbec] The Steve Creech Septet performance on April 12 begins at 8 p.m. General admission is $8. 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. For further information, visit www.rafountain.com or call 252-749-3228. -30- PHOTOS High Resolution photo of Tim Myatt performing at Fountain General Store http://rafountain.com/pictures/Stephenson/hiRezTimM.jpg High resolution photo of Marshall Stephenson with mandolin picker Joe Pesolano performing at Fountain General Store http://rafountain.com/pictures/Stephenson/marsh&JoeP-HiREZ.jpg George Broussard (trombone) and Jimmy Aycock performing at Fountain General Store http://rafountain.com/pictures/Creech/broussard&aycock.jpg Steve Creech (guitar) and Jimmy Aycock performing at Fountain General Store http://rafountain.com/pictures/Creech/aycock&creech.jpg What You're Reading Each week, RAF sends out a news release to 28 area newspapers and radio stations. The primary contents of each issue of Fountain AfterDark is that news release. The FAD distributed via e.mail¾never contains attachments. To add friends to our e.mail subscription list, send their e.mail address to fountainexpress@rafountain.com. To remove yourself from this list, reply to this e.mail with "unsubscribe" as either text or subject of your e.mail. Our e.mail list is not sold or traded or otherwise shared with anyone. Please let us know of any suspected abuses of the Fountain AfterDark/Fountain Express distribution list. - - - Fountain AfterDark vol 4, no 16 April 17, 2008 published weekly by R.A. Fountain, General Store & Internet Cafeæ No Shows This Weekend - Three-day Weekends of Live Music Resume April 25 - May/June Schedules Announced [Fountain, NC] Fountain General Store is dark this weekend. Live music resumes Friday, April 25, when Charlie Flowers and the International Harvesters kick off a weekend of shows that includes the old-time string band Hushpuppies on Saturday night and the Flat Mountain Dulcimers æon Sunday afternoon, free at 3:00. With Free-at-3:00 shows running through June, RAF will be presenting 3 shows most weekends until July. In July and August, only a few shows will play Fountain. Weekend shows will resume in September. - - - May Live Music Features 12 Acts: Roby Huffman, Champion Fiddler Curtis Lee, Special Mother's Day Concert, Lightnin' Wells [Fountain, NC] The return of bluegrass legend Roby Huffman with his band the Cutups on the 9th headlines a full schedule of live music at Fountain General Store in May. Other highlights include the return of French guitarist Claude Bourbon on the 30th and local star Lightnin' Wells on the 31st. Also, RAF's Free-at-3:00 series on Sunday afternoons features free homemade ice cream for all mothers on May 11, at a special Mother's Day concert. The May calendar: Sat May 3 Smith Brothers Bluegrass Band 7:30 $5 Rocky Mount based bluegrass band of brothers and picking friends hosts a Saturday night jam, open to all levels of pickers, who get in free, just for trying. Sun May 4 Wilberville Free-at 3:00 Three generations of the Ball family from Greenville. Grandpa Wil, on guitar, is, a West Virginian by birth who settled in Greenville for a career at ECU. Son Mike, on bass, practices law in his day job. Grandson Alex is a phenomenal fiddler, guitarist, and mandolin picker. Fri May 9 Roby Huffman & the Bluegrass Cutups 7:30 $8 http://robyhuffman.com/ The godfather of eastern Carolina bluegrass, Roby has that high lonesome voice that defines the genre in its classic sense. Sat May 10 Steve Creech Septet featuring Pat Tutino 7:30 $8 http://home.earthlink.net/~cscreech/ Creech and his all-star crew of jazzmen host sensational vocalist Tutino for an evening of classic big band jazz and Broadway standards. Sun May 11 Melody Brown and Brien Barbour Free-at-3:00 Melody Brown: http://www.avoice4him.com/ Brien Barbour: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=162193352 A special Mother's Day concert--all mothers get free homemade ice cream. Two of the best solo vocalists who have played Fountain share a billing that will include original folk songs and classic gospel, country and pop. 16 Curtis Lee 7:30 $8 Five-times national fiddler of the year, Lee is one of the very best show fiddlers living in the southeast. He performs with his wife, Ruth Lee. 17 Unshackled 7:30 $5 http://www.unshackled.us/ Classic and original bluegrass gospel from a fine Chocowinity-based quintet. 18 Take 2 & Ramblin' Rose Free-at-3:00 Original and classic gospel, bluegrass, and country from a big ensemble of Roanoke Rapids folks. 24 Coyote Ridge $8 7:30 p.m. http://www.crbluegrass.com/ Chatham County-based bluegrass quintent making their Fountain debut has just released its first Cd. 30 Lightnin' Wells 8:00 $5 http://www.lightninwells.com/ Fountain's favorite son, Wells will have just returned from a series of shows in Germany, where he was featured at a blues festival. 31 Claude Bourbon 8:00 $5 http://www.myspace.com/claudebourbon Medieval blues from an exquisite French guitarist, now living in England--his third annual RAF show. 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. For further information, visit www.rafountain.com or call 252-749-3228. -30- June Music at RAF Sun Jun 1 Eric Thomas & Helen Wolfson Fri Jun 6 @ Risk Sat Jun 7 Boys from Carolina Sun Jun 8 Linda Ripke and Barefoot Movement [2 acts] Fri Jun 13 Carolina Yellowhammers Sat Jun 14 Steve Creech Septet with Pat Tutino Sun Jun 15 Jimmy Aycock Fri Jun 20 Donald Thompson Band Sat Jun 21 Travers Chandler & Avery County Fri Jun 27 Reno Station Sat Jun 28 Mac & Tammy McRoy Bluegrass Band What You're Reading Each week, RAF sends out a news release to 28 area newspapers andæradio stations. The primary contents of each issue of Fountain AfterDark is that news release. The FAD distributed via e.mailænever containsæattachments. To add friends to our e.mail subscription list, send their e.mail address to fountainexpress@rafountain.com. To remove yourself from this list, reply to this e.mail with "unsubscribe" as either text or subject of your e.mail. Our e.mail list is not sold or traded or otherwise shared with anyone. Please let us know of any suspected abuses of the Fountain AfterDark/Fountain Express distribution list. -30- - - - Fountain AfterDark vol 4, no 17 April 24, 2008 published weekly by R.A. Fountain, General Store & Internet Cafe Charlie Flowers and International Harvesters Play Honky-Tonk Country Friday, Hushpuppies in Old-Time Stringband Show Saturday, Free-at-3:00 Returns on Sunday with Flat Mountain Dulcimers - Jones Fruit Farm Ice Cream Is Back - Bluegrass Unlimited Features RAF in New Issue Just Out [Fountain, NC] Charlie Flowers and the International Harvesters return to Fountain General Store Friday for a night of honky-tonk country music. Also this upcoming weekend, the Hushpuppies, a Durham-based old-time string quartet, performs songs from the 1920s-30s on Saturday night, and the Flat Mountain Dulcimers kick off a two month run of Free-at-3:00 Sunday afternoon concerts. Elm City's Hootin' Cowboy, Charlie Flowers, sings classic honky tonk country with a band that features lead guitarist Ronnie King and bassist Ryan Kirby. Their April 25 show begins at 8 p.m.; general admission is $5. The Hushpuppies are John Newlin; Molly Stouten; Amy Davis; and Steve Terrill. They play banjos, fiddles, guitars, and bass, and are popular festival performers both in concert and as accompaniests for cloggers. They were featured at last week's Shakori Hills Music Festival where they also accompanied a performance by the Apple Chill Cloggers. Legendary North Carolina banjo picker Bob Carlin produced both of their CDs, "The Hushpuppies" and their latest, "Homestead on the Farm." The Hushpuppies perform April 26 at 8 p.m.; general admission is $5. Sunday's Free-at-3:00 series kicks off with Fountain favorites the Flat Mountain Dulcimers a trio of old-time, folk, and gospel musicians from our local Flat Mountains. Nany Galambush and Dave and Margit Roberson play dulcimers handmade by Galambush's husband, J.C. Bradshaw. Dave Roberson also plays guitar and Margit Roberson plays cello. 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. For further information, visit www.rafountain.com or call 252-749-3228. -30- PHOTOS High Resolution photo of Charlie Flowers performing at RAF http://rafountain.com/pictures/CharlieFlowers_IntlHar/CharlieFlowers_lg.jpg - - - Flat Mountain Dulcimers performing at RAF http://rafountain.com/pictures/FlatMountain/FlatMountain_all.jpg - - - Jones Fruit Farm Ice Cream Is Back [Fountain, NC] Jones Fruit Farm is back at making its locally renowned homemade ice cream. Ashley Jones reports that his strawberries are in and his ice cream operation is back at full speed. Flavors delivered to RAF already this week include strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, and banana. The Greene County fruit farm grows the strawberries, blueberries, peaches, and cantaloupes it uses for those flavors of homemade ice cream. The other fruit flavors will become available as their ripening seasons arrive. - - - Bluegrass Unlimited Features RAF in May Issue, Just Released [Warrenton, Va.] Bluegrass Unlimited's May issue on newstands and delivered to subscribers this week, features "Bluegrass at R.A. Fountain General Store" as one of its five main articles. Written by Nashville, NC-based freelance writer Michael Brantley, the 4-page article also includes four photos snapped by Brantley when he visited for Marshall Stephenson's New Year's show with his Bluegrass Train Band. "A popular buzz phrase across most genres of music these days," Brantley concludes his article, "seems to be authenticity. The little store in the little town, with the look, sound, and feel of a time passed, has it in spades." Copies of the current issue of Bluegrass Unlimnited, with Rhonda Vincent on the cover, are available for $4.50 at RAF, where back issues dating back to January 2005 are also on sale. - - - What You're Reading Each week, RAF sends out a news release to 28 area newspapers and radio stations. The primary contents of each issue of Fountain AfterDark is that news release. The FAD distributed via e.mail never contains attachments. To add friends to our e.mail subscription list, send their e.mail address to fountainexpress@rafountain.com. To remove yourself from this list, reply to this e.mail with "unsubscribe" as either text or subject of your e.mail. Our e.mail list is not sold or traded or otherwise shared with anyone. Please let us know of any suspected abuses of the Fountain AfterDark/Fountain Express distribution list. -30-