Smithville Part 2

There are David and Adam... There is Billy Jean in the overalls playin' the fiddle. See the three guys all the way to the right behind the bass player? They are the people we met and ended up jammin' with for such a long time. They were really fun guys and girl. Their bass player friend, not pictured, was an awesome lady. Very friendly and she kindly hollered out chord changes now and then for me since it was fairly (well, REALLY) obvious that I knew not what they were playing most of the time. We'll see them again on Saturday at Uncle Dave Days.

This kid cracked me up. He had to be 7 or 8 if he's a day and he jammed on the guitar. Actually, he was his dad's accompanist...

I know NOT these people, but I love how the dude with the hat playing the guitar is gettin' down! The man in the blue shirt had a beautiful fiddle. It was carved on the back and dark and sooooo pretty...

There is Billy Jean again. We'll also see him and his friends at Uncle Dave Days...

The boy on the right was seven and rocked out on his mandolin...

Don't know her, but she was cute and played her fiddle very well.

This guy's guitar was a limited edition Martin. It says WSM Grand Ole Opry. I thought it was neat lookin'.

The boy in his element.

And me in mine... see Adam taking my picture?

have a great day!!!

Love,

Malinda

Smithville

We had fun. To say the least. Our friend, David - there on the left, went along and had so much fun with us!! I ended up with a blister on my thumb from playing. We met some really cool new musician friends and are looking forward to seeing them at Uncle Dave Macon Days on Saturday. I knew maybe 10 of the songs that we played along with all day. I played a fiddle song on the fiddle that I only know on the guitar and played in the key of F when everyone thought I'd quit playing along because I was a "fiddle player". Adam and David really got to have some good jammin' fun and enjoyed all of the new songs, as well. The weather was so nice... hot, but mild for July 3rd in Tennessee!!

g'night (or morning, depending on when you read this)

:)

M

Time for Fun...

This is our friend Billy Jean. We'll jam with him and his friends tomorrow at the Smithville Jamboree. I snapped this picture last year on the 4th.

Please be safe this weekend, my American friends and family!!

Love,

Malinda

Family Reunion Fun...

A friend from church asked if we would come and play at his family reunion this past Saturday. Of course I said of course and we ended up having a great time. Danny and Marlene's son, Mark, played with us and we jammed for quite a while. Of course I am not actually IN any of these pictures, but I was there. See? My chair is there by Adam's. There is Mark with his guitar slung over his shoulder. He usually does not play traditional music and followed along like a champ. Even sang along once he got the choruses down.

See? There is my empty seat again!

And a good time was had by all!

A Trip to See the Fiddle Maker

I had the pleasure of accompanying one of my students to Rockwood, Tn to purchase a violin from Mr. Charles Horner. He made the violin that I own in 1984 and I am here to tell ya that they just keep getting better and better. He is an easy going, wonderful man to meet and personable as the day is long. I think it is neat that he has "scrap" Gibson mandolin necks and headstocks just hanging around...

We got him talking and had a grand time discussing fiddles, different woods, fiddlers, and how different each fiddle sounds. He told us about Mountain Mahogany (that isn't really mahogany at all), blood wood, box wood (he is allergic to that so doesn't use it much), maple, spruce, you get the point, I'm sure!

I guess these didn't cut the mustard...

This one's varnish is drying. Isn't it pretty? It had a highly flamed, BEAUTIFUL one piece back. "If I had a million dollars.... " (Name that song...)

Here are some of the ones we had to pick from. The reddish/dark one on the far right sounded BEAUTIFUL and so lush and mellow.

Here is one in the process of coming to greatness...

I can't say enough good about this man. I am so glad to have met him and also glad that my students have the opportunity to experience going to his "shop" when they decide it is time for The Fiddle of their life...

Crazy Day

I love to visit this place. I'll tell you more about it later.

Adam and I are going to see my baby sister graduate college.

Smiles!!!

Malinda

One Month of Lessons ...

I'm at the beginning of a hellish two days (hellish because of all of the driving and not hellish because I get to see my Rachel and Sadie through their annual Christmas concert) and thought I would take one of my only minutes to myself that does not involve driving to share a typical "Elena Lesson". First of all, I must say that this is her fourth lesson, I think. Close to that anyway.

The kid loves to play.... she's memorizing songs already... and figuring out the mechanics of moving her bow and her fingers at the same time.

Mind you, her fiddle is too big... I didn't have one that was her size, so she is playing a half size violin in tune and with GREAT technique I might add.

When she plays for me without her music, this is what I see. I guess it takes off some of the pressure? I like it, though. She's a neat kid and I'm so happy to have her as part of my studio.

See you after tomorrow is over... the recitals and concerts of the kids that I teach really take it out of me. I know that they will do well...it is just the doing of it. The seeing things through that is stressful to me - because giving your own recital is a big deal, folks. When I start teaching someone like Elena or any of my younger students, I look forward to the day that they can give their own concerts and then when that day comes, I feel like I am going to throw up!! Then I get over it, act like a big girl, and become a proud teacher.... until the next recital...