HUM 223: New Salem story in Springfield, Peoria papers

A Sunday story in Springfield's State Journal-Register previews the upcoming Traditional Music Festival this weekend at Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site in a way that sheds light on what your instructor thinks about the festival. It may be of interest, because the New Salem festival is one of several you can write about for your live music review for Humanities 223. I'll post an assignment sheet this week, and it will be due at any time this semester. Basically you will be assigned to write a review of a live music event, and consider how the player(s) maintain the tradition of the music.

So one event coming up this weekend is the Traditional Music Festival at New Salem. There are other possibilities: On Sept. 22 traditional musicians Sparky and Rhonda Rucker will appear at a Prairie Grapevine concert at the Unitarian Universalit fellowship south of town, and the weekend of Sept. 19-20 a Sacred Harp gospel singing convention will be held in Taylorville. I'll post information on it later.

And I'll post information on other events as I hear about them. You are invited to keep an eye out for performances, too, of anything from a gospel quartet, a choir, a jazz band or a garage band that covers old Grateful Dead and Phish songs.

Back to New Salem. The State Journal-Register's story leads with this:

Listen and learn at New Salem’s bluegrass fest
By DAN NAUMOVICH
GateHouse News Service
Posted Sep 06, 2009 @ 12:02 AM

Pete Ellertsen is a communication arts professor at Benedictine University at Springfield. He’s also a dulcimer player who has attended the Traditional Music and Bluegrass Festival for 10 years.

So listen when he says where to find the music worth hearing.

“This is how music festivals work. You attract people and the good players by having the stage show,” he said. “And once they’re there, everyone’s picking in the parking lot, or at New Salem they’re picking in the campground. The rule on all of these things is that the best music can be found in the parking lot and campground. That’s the ethos of an old-time music festival.”

In Peoria, the Journal-Star ran the same story under the following headline:

Some of the music will even be played onstage
New Salem bluegrass festival will feature great music - even in the parking lot

Several of the people interviewed for the J-R's article talked about roots music. Although they didn't use that word, they were conscious of tradition, of passing down the old ways of making music.

Ellersten is a volunteer interpreter at the historic site. He said it is an ideal place to tap into the old-time music vibe that’s still strong in many rural communities.

“Part of what they do at New Salem is to keep the old ways alive and be mindful of tradition. It’s not just Lincoln. It’s about heritage,” he said.

Steve Clark agreed that the period setting enhances the musical experience.

“At New Salem, with all of the jamming around the log cabins, that really adds some extra flavor to it,” the Herrick resident said.

Clark and his bluegrass band, Rural Rights Revival, are one of the acts slated for an evening performance.

He grew up listening to folk artists such as Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, but then heard bluegrass star Earl Scruggs about 30 years ago and fell in love with the 5-string banjo. For him, it was a natural transformation.

“It’s all music of the common people. Bluegrass is nothing more than folk music in high gear,” Clark said.

Although Ellersten said the people of Menard County commonly refer to it simply as the bluegrass festival, the New Salem event covers a broader spectrum of traditional music.

“What’s great about New Salem is that it’s a folk music festival and you’ll hear everything. You’ll hear bluegrass, Celtic, your old-time music. There’s something there for every taste. It’s just a great festival,” Joe Readnour said.

Readnour and Jeff Runyon perform and record as R&R. The Celtic music they specialize in, some of which was popular with Civil War soldiers of Irish and Scottish descent, dates back to the 1750s.

The other common thread that runs through the article is the idea everybody can play it. It isn't music to be listened to in an electronic format, it's music people can play for themselves and each other.

Readnour is a multi-instrumentalist who plays several instruments including mandolin, violin, highland bagpipes and Irish pennywhistle. Although he played clarinet in school and is the son of a talented musician, the 51-year-old from Moweaqua took up the traditional music instruments he plays today only about a dozen years ago.

He thinks a similar bug might bite non-musicians who attend the New Salem festival.

“They’ll have a good time. They’ll hear all kinds of music — beautiful acoustic music. And if anybody’s interested in learning how to play, they can approach somebody and they’ll help them get started. You don’t have to be a young person to pick it up. I’m a testament to that,” he said.

Runyon, also a multi-instrumentalist, said some flashy pickers might get defensive if they think someone is trying to rip off their chops. But most often a more experienced player is willing to help someone who is less accomplished.

He recommends that a beginner start on guitar, which is more accessible than mandolin or banjo. Guitar offers a quicker route to go from being a spectator to joining in the impromptu jam sessions that pop out all over a music festival.

“Even if you’re just standing in the back playing rhythm on a three-chord song, man, that’s just the greatest feeling,” Runyon said.

“You might never be a spectacular player when you start later in life, but you’ll enjoy yourself and get a lot of pleasure out of the music you play,” Readnour concurred.