February 2010 - Original Dulcimer Players Club Home

February, 2010
News and
It is with great sadness that we report the deaths of two
ODPC past presidents. Gene Cox left us on November 14,
2009, at the age of 87. Jack Lewis passed away a short
time later on November 24, at the age of 78.
Gene was president of the ODPC from 1968 until 1983.
Gene’s wife, Esther, lives in Glendale, AZ. He is also survived by their daughters, Melva Ridgeway and Joy Robinson. Jack was president in 1984 and 1985. He is survived
by his wife, Frances, and one son and three daughters.
Sandy Holder writes of Gene:
Gene was one of the first people in 1983 who ever taught
me anything on the dulcimer. First, he tore out my cheat
sheets under the strings (to my horror). Then, he crumpled
them up and threw them away, saying, “You don’t need
those.” I have lots of wonderful memories about him over
the years. He was great with people, always friendly and
willing to take time to help. He was also fun to play music
with! I remember that he always dressed so perfectly dapper in his western hat, shirt and jeans, dress jacket or vest,
Paul Goelz writes of Gene:
western boots, and a big belt buckle whenever he went in
Gene is my very first memory of my very first Evart, front of an audience. He always looked like a movie star.
maybe 1974. I had heard about Evart from Jay Round,
whom I met at the Indiana Fiddler's Gathering in 1973. I Sandy Holder writes of Jack:
had a dulcimer I bought at an antique shop in 1973 (for In 1982, Jack Lewis was the first person we met at the festi$37.50, by the way) and could barely play it when I went val. We got our dulcimer plans from him. We kept in conto my first Evart. I had figured out how to tune it, but tact with him over the winter as we built our dulcimer,
then Gene showed me which we then brought to Funfest in 1983. Jack was the
how it was REALLY tuned. one who encouraged me the most. After meetings, he alGene had radar for new- ways wanted everyone there to take a turn to play a tune
comers and did everything by themselves. That
he could to make them was scary! Jack was
feel welcome. Gene was soft-spoken, and you
also very good at hooking really had to listen
people up with each closely. He was alother. He would walk ways willing to help
around and introduce peo- anyone to learn. Jack
ple. Without Gene, I might was very special to
not have gotten to know me. He will be greatly
Gene Cox
as many people as soon as missed and always
I did.
remembered.
Lou Lindenkugel on guitar; Wes (age 17)
Linenkugel and Jack Lewis on dulcimers.
give up, and he was right. From that point on, he endeavored to learn what songs could and could not easily be
Dad spread the word about the ODPC everywhere. He played on the dulcimer.
instigated jam sessions and generally helped where help
was needed in the early years. I know that he and If I had to pick something my dad was passionate about, it
Grandma Cox played at the Smithsonian at least once, if was music. As time progressed, and the ODPC grew, so did
not twice. There was one year in the early 1970s when we his passion for sharing the dulcimer. I believe it was his
played at the Grand Rapids Museum during some histori- idea to start the Funfest. Our family came home on leave
cal event. I was there playing the dulcimer when Dad had in March one year, and we slept in a small travel trailer at
to be at work. We became charter members of the ODPC the Evart fair grounds. It wasn't long after that when the
with the first meeting at Sears in 1963. To the best of my decision was made to hold Funfest in July when traveling
was safer, and the weather was warmer. We froze that
knowledge, I am the only founding member still living.
night in March! But, it was worth it. Look where Funfest is
My Dad loved country music, old time fiddle and square today: amazing, absolutely amazing.
dance music, and southern gospel harmony. The Rebels
Quartet was probably his favorite because they sang at At one Funfest, Dad had just finished playing his dulcimer
Byron Center more than once, and he met them person- version of “Lara’s Theme” from Dr. Zhivago. A man showed
ally at each visit. He enjoyed singing baritone/bass. He Dad a piece of music and asked if it could be played on the
was a member of the choir at the Methodist Church in dulcimer. Dad took a good look and said, "No way." The
gentleman then told Dad he had just done so. The man
Byron Center for many years
then complimented Dad on his ability to play by ear.
My earliest recollections of the dulcimer in our family are
of my Grandmother Cox and her brother, Uncle Allie, Dad enjoyed every aspect of Funfest: the people, the muplaying at family reunions in Manton, and my father play- sic, jam sessions, and acting as MC for so many stage
ing the guitar or the fiddle with them.
shows that he lost count. An event that gave him extra
When I was a little girl I remember Dad playing the guitar pleasure was Funfest of 1982 when Grandma Cox, Dad, my
and singing for us after supper some evenings. Or, he son Brian and I all played on stage together, four generawould pick up his fiddle and play. Sometimes he would tions. Dad and Brian played guitars, and Grandma and I
forget the words, and mom would gently remind him. I played our dulcimers. Brian told me recently that his
loved to listen, and as I grew older I joined in the singing. I dream was to play music on stage someday. Then he hesiremember Dad learning to call square dances. When I tated and said, "Wait a minute, I've done that already. I
was in high school, we would spend Friday or Saturday played at Evart Funfest on stage with Grandpa, Grandma
night at the local grange hall, where Dad was one of two Cox and you in front of
callers. Dad was once a part of a dance band that played thousands. I don't need to
music at various clubs in and around Cadillac, Man- become a professional musician now." And with that
ton and Mesick.
he gave me a hug with a
I think it was in the late 50s when Dad and I first started tear in his eye and said, "I'll
to play the dulcimer. We both struggled with the instru- miss him, Mom."
ment for a few years. Then, one day my dad told me he
had found "it." He could play one particular song quite We all will, Brian.
easily. I wish I could tell you what that song was. He told
me to keep playing because I'd also find "it" if I did not Esther and Eugene Cox
From Gene’s daughter, Melva (Cox) Ridgeway:
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dulcimer. Then, he asked her if she would send out cards
to those people who would be interested in maybe forming a club. That was September, 1963. He was president
for 3 years. He passed away, and his wife took the job.
After 1 year, I became president and took the club
through its 20th year. In 1973 we had a 10th anniversary
party at the fairgrounds, with maybe 150 people at the
meeting.
A Letter from Gene Cox, January 18, 2000
Hello from sunny Arizona:
I don’t hardly know where to start, but here goes nothing. When I was about 8 or 9, I was given piano lessons
by my aunt. Then, when I was in 7th and 8th grades, I
got a violin lesson from the teacher. This all happened
while I was attending a 1 room school, K-8 grades. When
I started high school in 1936, the folks got a guitar. I took
about a dozen lessons, and that is what I played the
most and the best till I got
tangled up with the dulcimer.
Whenever the family had a
get together, my uncle who
played the dulcimer would
holler, “Gene, get your guitar,” and we would play
music.
In October, 1941, I was
working in Lansing and
supporting myself, and I
bought a Gibson guitar for
$75 that I played for so
many years. My son now
Gene Cox and Mildred Hickok
has it, and it is worth a
bunch, would you believe almost 5 figures?
My grandmother gave to my mother, a dulcimer that my
granddad had played. She started playing around with it
till she got good at it. In 1953, Mother (Viola Cox) was
invited to play on TV in Grand Rapids. I went along as
moral support and played the guitar.
My uncle gave me a dulcimer in the late 1950s. I knew
how it was played, so I just kept at it. After the club was
formed, I was working in the basement on a dulcimer,
and I was humming “Turkey in the Straw”. I ran upstairs
to the living room and proceeded to play “Turkey in the
Straw” without a mistake. Since that time, I’ve been able
to play just about any tune that I know.
I have repaired many dulcimers, from new pin blocks,
new sound boards, new backs. You name it, and I’ve
done it to dulcimers and built 15. The first one was stolen from my grandson. My daughter has the last one I
built.
In 1963 there was a jazz fest out east. Elgia Hickock went
to it and found a banjo club. That gave him the idea for
the club. He came to mother’s place and asked if she
played a zither. Mother took him in and showed him the
In 1976 the festival was moved to July. What you see today is what you got. I am so danged proud of the fact that
I had a small hand in getting it started and we HAVE
NEVER HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH LIQUOR OR DRUGS!!!!
I have played the dulcimer in Alaska, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, California, Florida, Michigan, New
York, Massachusetts, Maine, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona,
Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Louisiana and Ontario. I have
met some mighty wonderful people in my travels, mostly
since I retired in 1982.
Guess you know me better than I know myself. God loves
you, and so do I.
Club Historian
We are still looking
for a historian! There
is so much history to
be preserved from
nearly 50 years that
the ODPC has been in
existence. This is such
an important position, and we need a
good person to fill it!
Elgia Hickok
Founder of the ODPC
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If you’d be willing to
serve the ODPC in this
position, or if you
have items that may
be of interest to save
for the ODPC, please
contact Gail Schwandt.
Leora Goodall
From the President:
Time marches on, whether we are ready or not.
That’s the feeling I had when I learned Gene had
died. He was a driving force, not only for the
ODPC, but for dulcimers in general. I fully believe that without him we would not have the club
or festival we have now. I have so many wonderful memories
of both him and Jack. As we move ahead, we honor all those
who have forged the way for us and for the upcoming generation of new players.
With that in mind, I think of the Education Committee and the
work they have ahead. The goal is to provide dulcimers to
aspiring youth who have a strong desire to learn to play. In
this way we will help to preserve our musical heritage and to
fulfill the purpose of the club in a very meaningful way. The
committee, under the direction of Jeff Allen, is in process of
acquiring dulcimers with accessory packages and formulating
guidelines for the program.
A vital part of the program is having qualified people act as
mentors to these young people. We want to assure not only
that steady progress is made, but also to include them as part
of the music community. We have many people in our organization who could fill this crucial position. It will begin at Funfest with the commitment of an hour a day with a student, like
the popular one-on-ones. We hope contact will continue after
festival, perhaps as a mentor and to provide encouragement.
The next newsletter will contain much more information on
the Education Committee and their work. For now, please
think of what you can do to help this become a reality. You
can donate to the program and/or become a vital part by
helping as a mentor at Funfest and perhaps afterwards. It’s
truly going to “take a village” to accomplish our goals. So join
us and share the load. We’ll all reap the rewards!
Gail Schwandt, President ODPC
A Request from Melva (Cox) Ridgeway
Melva writes:
I was hoping to obtain some history of the ODPC for
my daughter and granddaughter, who are both learning to
play the dulcimer, and my son, who played the guitar with
his Grandpa Cox many times through the years. However, it
has come to my attention that much of the club history has
been lost over time and with the loss of charter members
and those who joined the club during the early years.
Please, if you have any old ODPC newsletters, old newspaper
clippings, or other information that might help me create a
history for my heirs, please send it to me. Your assistance
will be greatly appreciated by our family.
Melva Ridgeway
27586 County Road 30
Opp, Alabama 36467
[email protected]
(use ODPC in the subject)
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334-804-5063
It is with sadness that we must report the death of
Leora Goodall on February 1, 2010. Her husband, Art,
still resides at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans at
300 Monroe Ave., Grand Rapids, MI, 49505. Leona
served as ODPC treasurer for many years.
Newsletters
With nearly 900 members, it is
a challenge to get the newsletter to your door every three
months. Some receive them by
e-mail attachment. This works
well if the editor has the correct address! If you change email providers, please let the
editor know at: [email protected]
If you receive your newsletter by mail when you have
given your e-mail address, then there was a something
wrong with delivery to that address.
The November issue also had a delivery problem. Over
10 copies were returned by the post office because
the labels had been torn off. There is no way of knowing who did not receive a newsletter. If you did not
receive the November issue, please contact the editor
so she can send you a copy.
If you want to make sure this doesn’t happen to you,
please submit an e-mail address. The quality of the
online issue is far superior, and you are then assured
that you won’t become a victim of the USPS!
Meet John Kuch
At the January meeting,
John Kuch was appointed
to fill the position of Locations Director on the
ODPC Board.
When John’s wife, Martha,
bought a hammered dulcimer, he was drafted in to the ODPC. Rather than just
sit around during jam sessions, he resurrected his old
guitar and joined in. As his wife gradually collected
more instruments, John became the heavy lifter and
mover. Now he and Martha perform at various events
and have released several CDs. She is known as the
"Harp Lady" at the Fun Fest.
Despite the cold weather outside the Spring Arbor Senior The letter of apology by Richard Rinzler for the shootings
Center, members had a warm reception on Saturday, Janu- on July 18, 2009, was made available for member review.
ary 16, from the members of Uncle Carl’s Dulcimer Club.
Dr. Rinzler and Mr. Agee still must give community service and may volunteer at Funfest, 2010.
The first meeting of the day began at 10 a.m. when President Gail Schwandt called the board meeting to order. The The treasurer’s report was
board began to work on a proposed revision of the ODPC read. The report covers
Bylaws. Discussion will continue at a special board meeting the period from Septemin February. It is hoped that the board will complete the ber 1, 2009, to December
31, 2009. The beginning
revision in time for a member vote next fall.
balance was $34,615.65.
About 65 members and
The ending balance was
guests gathered for a pot$35,886.22.
luck luncheon. There were
many choices among salPennye Scheiber preads, main dishes and dessented the World Record certificate for number of dulciserts. Especially popular
mers on stage to President Gail Schwandt. The 2010 browas a dish prepared by
chures were made available by Publicity Chair Kathy
Judy Raber Burns.
Cook. Mary Lou Battley has volunteered to fill the position of Sunshine Secretary. Thank you, Mary Lou!
The membership meeting began at 1:30 p.m. Minutes
from the September 26, 2009, membership meeting were The meeting adjourned at 2:15, when the jamming comread. Gail Schwandt reported that the ODPC reel to reel menced. It was a large crowd, with lots of dulcimers and
tape from the 70s was taken to archivist Paul Gifford of tunes being shared for the rest of the afternoon!
the University of Michigan, and he made a digital copy for
us free of charge. Paul Goelz has the club video cassette
Elections
tapes, and he will be converting them to a digital format.
In September the ODPC will be holding
Two past presidents passed away in November. We are an election of officers, an event that
saddened over the loss of founding member Gene Cox and takes place every two years. These
Jack Lewis.
include: president, two vice presidents
(in charge of stage shows and vendors),
secretary, treasurer, and locations.
Jim Rathbun has resigned as Locations Director and Chairperson for the Education Committee. John Kuch has been
appointed to fill the board seat as Locations Director, and
Jeff Allen has accepted the position of Chairperson of the
Education Committee.
Vice President Kathy Rayman is Chairperson of the Nominating Committee. It has been charged with the task of
creating a slate of candidates to be presented to the
membership at the next meeting on May 1. Your name
needs to be turned in before May 1 to be included on the
ballot. However, anyone attending the meeting in September meeting may be nominated from the floor. Since
absentee ballots are in the August newsletter, nominations made from the floor would not be on those ballots.
To become a candidate, or to nominate a candidate,
please contact Kathy at :
[email protected]
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You’re Invited
to the
ODPC Membership Meeting
When: Saturday, May 1, 2010
Time: Board Meeting at 10:00 a.m.
Potluck lunch at 12:30
Meeting at 1:30 p.m.
Jamming all afternoon
Sponsored by the West Michigan Dulcimer
Club
Where: Spring Lake Wesleyan Church
15550 Cleveland
Spring Lake, MI 49456
For more information,
Contact Kathy Messenger
616-846-4387
Directions: Take I-96 to exit 9 on the left toward M104 to Spring Lake. Take a slight right onto Cleveland Street. Church is on the left.
Sharon Skaryd does an excellent job of
maintaining the ODPC web site at:
www.originaldulcimerplayersclub.org
Sharon has developed a new, easier method for allowing
you to contact officers and chairpersons of the club, regardless of whether or not you know the name of the individual who holds that position.
Once at the web site, you’ll need the user name and password to get in. This is sent to all members each time a
newsletter is published. If you forget, just send an e-mail to
[email protected]
If you click on the heading for Officers and Lead Roles,
there is an e-mail address book that lists the names of the
officers as well as their contact e-mail address that
matches their position.
Music Technology Corner
If you are the lucky owner of an iPhone or iTouch, you can
take advantage of some great music tools. iPhones are
available now for as low as $99.
Having a tuner in your pocket means your instrument need never be out of tune again.
Your tuner is as close and convenient as your
phone. I installed and tested two: iStroboSoft
and Cleartune.
iStrobosoft has a letter readout and a scrolling
video that caused some difficulty figuring out
what it was supposed to do. It also took much
longer to load than Cleartune.
Cleartune has a display that more closely resembles a traditional electronic tuner, with a dial that spun from one note to
the next and lit brighter green when the note was exactly in
tune. A separate pickup was not needed for the iPhone, and
both tuners worked better when strings were plucked.
I was more comfortable with the Cleartune. And, at only
$3.99, it is a better bargain than iStroboSoft at $9.99.
If you want more, you can also get a metronome. The application Tempo only costs $.99! There are no more excuses
for not keeping a steady beat while playing!
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Hammered Dulcimer Pre-Show
Friday, July 16, 2010
Most Dulcimers on Stage
ODPC Funfest, Evart, MI
July 17, 2009
From Pennye Scheiber, Chairperson
We are all looking forward to another wonderful festival. I am also looking forward to breaking last year’s record of 197 hammered dulcimer players for the preshow. Now that we have an official record with World
Record Academy, I am also going to apply to Guinness
World Records as "the world's largest dulcimer
band". Hopefully, that will help us to fill their criteria. We had a great list of tunes to play from last year,
and a few tunes were new. I am only making two
changes, so that we aren't playing everything in the key
of D. “Red Apple Rag” will replace “Over the Waterfall”,
Pennye is working on the possiand “Sophrina” by Les Raber will take the place of “John
bility of not only breaking last
Ryan's Polka”. These tunes can be found on the Evart
year’s record of 197 dulcimers,
website.
but she’s also looking into other
record keeping organizations, like the Guinness Book of Won’t you join us to become part of the world’s largest
dulcimer band?
World Records.
At the membership meeting on
January 16, Chairperson Pennye
Scheiber presented to President
Gail Schwandt the official certificate from the World Records
Academy. The certificate traveled all the way from Romania
to reach its destination in Michigan.
Please consider becoming part of this effort by joining the
group onstage prior to the Friday Night Stage Show.
Friday and Saturday Evening
Stage Shows
2010 Pre-Show Tunes
Stage Show Chairperson Pat Harkins will be sending out
invitations to performers who will be asked to perform on
stage for either Friday or Saturday evenings at Funfest,
2010. She feels we are very fortunate to have such excellent and talented performers who are willing to appear on
stage for the pleasure of festival attendees. She encourages people to purchase CDs from our performers to help
them meet their expenses.
If you would like to be considered as a performer for one of
these shows, please contact Pat at her address on the last
page, or at [email protected] .
There are other opportunities to perform during Funfest.
Those who are interested can sign up once at Evart for
shows on Thursday evening, as well as shows held during
the afternoons.
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Red Apple Rag (G)
Whiskey Before Breakfast (D)
Sophrina (G) - Les Raber
Soldier's Joy (D)
Blueberry Splash (G) - Judi
Morningstar
Bryson Hall Waltz (G) DeeDee Tibbits
Festival Rag (D) - Bill
Robinson
Hey Polka (G)
Liberty (D) - if time permits
Dear AbbyAbby-Gail,
WxtÜ Tuuç‰
Tuuç‰Zt|Ä
My family loves camping in the rustic area behind
Mancino’s! It’s a regular musical community over there,
away from the hustle and bustle of the fairgrounds. We
really appreciate the convenience of having porta potties, especially when a trip becomes necessary in the
middle of the night… if you know what I mean….
BUT, there is no convenient place to wash hands! With
all the emphasis nowadays on spreading germs, can the
board look into hand cleaning near the potties?
Dear Abby-Gail,
We have the cutest little dog! Her name is
Sprinkles. We named her that because it
seems she has to go outside all the time! We love Funfest,
but it’s so hard to take care of Sprinkles’ needs when we’re
there. We must take her for walks off the fairgrounds, and
we hate to keep our car at the campsite so we can drive
her back and forth. I have hidden her in my music bag and
snuck her away from the campsite, but now my music
doesn’t smell so good. And, it’s much harder to do that
with our other dog, Hulk. We heard the fair board has relaxed their rules on dogs. Is it true?
Obsessive Olivia from Otsego
Dearest Olivia,
I do understand your desire
to be clean! After all,
cleanliness is next to godliness, I must say! The
board will be considering
your request, and they
hope to have some sanitary arrangements in
place for Funfest.
Lizzy Leasher from Livonia
Dear Lizzy,
We have a very understanding and tolerant fair board!
Yes, you can now walk your dogs to the closest gate to
take care of business. It is no longer necessary to drive
them there.
The ODPC hopes that, in light of the fair board’s generosity, people will be even more considerate of their
neighbors. It all comes down to good manners, doesn’t it?
We know you love your pets, but others might not. Make
sure your pets do not annoy the neighborhood, and ALWAYS take supplies with you to clean up after them!
Tuuç@Zt|Ä
Trying to keep feet clean and cool
at Funfest
Dear Abby-Gail,
Why do they play so fast? I want to play in jams at Funfest. I travel from building to building, from jam to jam,
trying to find a group where I’ll fit in. Just when I take
out my dulcimer and try to settle in, the tempo picks up
as though they are rabbits with the foxes after them.
Help! How do I find a group that plays slower?
Tahlulah Turtle from Tecumseh
Dear Tahlulah,
The ODPC sympathizes with you! Who among us hasn’t
shopped the jams, only to find out we don’t feel we fit in
anywhere? Plans are being discussed to provide more
opportunities for musicians like you, who want a chance
to play tunes at comfortable tempos.
But, the best option may just be to start your own jam!
Meet a friend in a workshop, and just play together. You
may find others dropping in to join you!
Do you have a question for Dear Abby? She is always looking to provide answers to the questions you may have.
Please write to her at: [email protected]
8
Tuuç@Zt|Ä
Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) was an American novelist and poet. He was a member of the Beat Generation,
who traveled about the country with friend Neal Cassady. He wrote about their cross-country adventures exactly as they had happened. Despite his beatnik stereotype, Kerouac was a political conservative. As the
beatniks of the 1950s began to yield attention to the hippies of the 1960s, Jack took pleasure in standing
against everything the hippies stood for.
Kerouac was Mike & Dayle Black's first try at writing a tune together, written immediately after they got home
from the 2005 Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS. Mike started it off, and then they accidentally ended up
alternating every couple of bars. In the beginning, they thought it sounded a bit weird and random, so after
leaving it alone for a couple of days, Mike came up with his groovy back up chord rhythm, and their first tune
came alive. It still remains a favorite for many people. The original title was “First Try”, but their luthier friend
Steve Mason advised, “It’s a great tune, but you have to give it a real title.” They thought that the groove was
reminiscent of beat poets, so they chose Kerouac. Esoteric, for sure, but it seems to fit.
Mike and Dayle are members of the group, “Three Bean Salad”, an Acoustic
Potluck. Since 2004, the band has been serving up an eclectic high energy
style of acoustic music that incorporates a blend of old-time, New England,
French-Canadian and Irish styles. The band is especially fond of tunes that
have a unique twist, or sets of tunes that perk up listeners’ ears and dancers’
feet alike. The members of “Three Bean Salad” are four-time winners of New
Song Showcase at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield Kansas. You can
visit their web site at:
Three Bean Salad
www.threebeansalad.net
Be sure to check out Mike’s beautiful mandolins that he builds and sells!
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Kathy Rayman, VP—Vendors
62030 Indian Trail
Ray, MI 48096
[email protected]
John Kuch, Locations
2782 Burlington
Hickory Corners, MI 49060
[email protected]
Roger Elkins, Trustee
815 N. Pine St.
Evart, MI 49631
[email protected]
Ron and Ida O’Dell,
Youth Workshops
PO Box 257
Ida, MI 48140
[email protected]
Gail Schwandt
President/Resident Agent
427 N. Line St.
Chesaning, MI 48616
[email protected]
Pat Harkins, VP—Stage Shows
11601 74th St.
Alto, MI 49302
[email protected]
Gail Perna, Secretary/Editor
8220 Buchanan
Allendale, MI 49401
[email protected]
[email protected]
Sharon Skaryd
Workshops/Web Site
11238 Lake Circle Dr. N
Saginaw, MI 48609
[email protected]
Gail Perna, Editor
8220 Buchanan
Allendale, MI 49401
Peg Earl, Treasurer
2547 W. Webster Rd.
Montague, MI 49437
[email protected]
Al Switzer, Trustee
7874 Windoga Lake Drive
Weidman, MI 48893
[email protected]
Pam Bowman, Trustee
17319 10th Avenue
Marion, MI 49665
[email protected]
February, 2010
Original Dulcimer Players Club, Inc.
ODPC News and Notes
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