Good News Leads to Good Grooves

This month, I received two bits of good news related to my local old-time music community. The news has led me to find a decent groove this month playing banjo and fiddle.

Two of my favorite local festivals announced they will return this year after having been canceled the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

First, the Lake Erie Folk Festival (LEFF) announced it will return to the Shore Cultural Center in Euclid, Ohio, on April 30. This festival was actually the last musical event I attended before everything shut down. I had interviewed organizer Laura Lewis prior to the festival for its fifth anniversary.

LEFF only missed 2021, due to the pandemic. Usually held in February as a way to scare away the winter doldrums in Northeast Ohio, the organizers moved the event to April to avoid spikes in pandemic numbers.

Second, the Raccoon County Music Festival announced it too would be coming back this year, returning to Century Village in Burton, Ohio, on Aug. 20. This has long been a favorite for me, with its wonderful outdoor setting amid historical buildings and overlooking the rolling hills of Geauga County.

Neither event has listed any details regarding performers or workshops, but it's nice to think about being able to play music in person with friends again. I'm hoping this will eventually lead to some of the public old-time sessions to return, as well.

Learning that there was a chance to play tunes with a group again helped light a spark, and I have gotten some good playing time in this month. With the exception of one or two socially distant jams I've attended, my interaction with the old-time music community has been mostly virtual and increasingly rare.

I had gotten into a pretty good routine in December, but then the holidays kind of derailed my progress. I played very little in January, but now I'm feeling much more motivated to play, learn and improve. I'm back to working through Michael Ismerio's online fiddle course, and I'm trying to expand my banjo repertoire, instead of just playing the same tunes I always play.

I gotta sharpen up my skills! It's been a long time since I sat in the circle. But it won't be too long before I can do so again. Happy February!

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The Glory-Beaming Banjo

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