Author: jaf

A journey Odysseus would appreciate!  My last participation at the Appalachian String Band Festival was in 2024.  Getting to this one in 2026 was full of various challenges from family needs, health issues, and traveling to this year’s event.  It was all well worth it as my time at the festival held this year was…

Due to various life changes, my participation at music festivals has been limited.  However, travel to West Virgina to the Vandalia Gathering became a reality.   Initially there were concerns of being able to play at outdoor jams as the weather was looking very bad with lots of rain in the forecast.  However, many people provided…

It was another excellent time at the string band festival this year.  I believe this was our 11th time at our Huntington camp and it just gets better and better.  We enjoyed seeing our good friend Lucas perform in the neo-traditional band contest as well as being with others:  A very bright young person who…

The 2024 Vandalia Gathering held at the West Virginia Capital complex was another event for us to gather, play lots of tunes and songs and celebrate the culture of West Virginia as well as Memorial Day weekend.  My time there was on Saturday being joined by members of the Stony Point String Band and others…

It was a somewhat quiet but very joyful pre-camp weekend at this year’s Appalachian String Band Festival.  In year past travel was always the Wednesday or Thursday of the actual festival week but due to the arrival of a grandchild, this required a change to annual attendance.   It was interesting that we got there just…

Steve Brightwell is a professional photographer with thirty years of experience specializing in professional photography.   He has been a family friend and we always enjoy seeing him at various music festivals held in West Virginia such as Clifftop and the Vandalia Gathering.  We consider him the “World’s Greatest Photographer” that is declared by our bother…

The Stony Point String Band was invited to play for the square dance at this event.   Besides experiencing the sounds of battle at the annual Barboursville Civil War Days Weekend they got to watch a wonderful group of very enthusiastic dancers. This event commemorates two small battles that occurred in the Village of Barboursville, West Virginia….

Welcome back!!!  We surely missed you.    After a two-year hiatus, thanks to the COVID pandemic, the Appalachian String Band Festival returned with a very reasonable turn out even though there were concerns regarding additional infections and possible excessive raining days.   Everyone was very good about following proper social distancing and mask wearing protocols and the weather,…

A trip to Florida included the first time sitting a blue grass style music jam.  Simply stated, traditional old time music is mainly an upbeat instrumental dance music with the fiddle being the lead instrument while bluegrass is a vocal style where the instruments freely improvise and is led by the banjo or mandolin.  Or at…

It has returned!!!  After two years of postponements due to the COVID pandemic, the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History was able to hold this celebration of heritage this year.  It was so wonderful to be able to see all of the exhibits and (of course) the traditional music.   Our contingent of players…