John Lilly
Shepherdstown welcomes our four-time MC John Lilly back for another
Appalachian Festival. Well respected as a traditional musician, songwriter,
folklorist, and as editor of Goldenseal magazine, John sings (and yodels)
in the style of Jimmie Rogers, can play Carter-style with the best of them,
and also has a diverse repertoire of traditional tunes that he has learned
from old-time musicians across the region. Accomplished on guitar, mandolin,
and bass, Lilly is a versatile musician with a fabulous voice that reminds
listeners of the great early stars of radio. In addition, he is a
great flatfooter who used to tour as a member of the Green Grass Cloggers.
He also co-founded Old-Time Music On the Radio to promote the broadcast
of traditional music. In 1992, he moved to West Virginia to work
for the Augusta Heritage Center. Working for the Division of Culture
and History, John has gained tremendous knowledge of the history and context
of the traditional culture of West Virginia. After many years of
performing with groups across the region, John finally released his long-anticipated
debut CD Broken Moon in the fall of 2000.
Patent Pending
A highlight of the 2001 Festival will be a performance by the Eastern
Panhandle's own Patent Pending Bluegrass Band. Combining tight harmony
vocals and fast bluegrass licks, Copper Creek recording artists Patent
Pending are one of the area's most popular bluegrass and gospel groups.
Founded in 1979 by Eldred Hill (mandolin), Jim Steptoe (banjo), and Rusty
Williams (guitar), the group has refined its sound over twenty years of
performing and recording together. The three met at the Indian Springs
Bluegrass Festival sponsored Bluegrass Unlimited magazine. In recent
years, this core trio has been joined by Teri Chism (bass), Wayne Lanham
(fiddle), and lead guitarist Ed Barney. They are regularly heard
on National Public Radio's "Bluegrass Country" and "Stained Glass Bluegrass"
as well as on the "Eddie Stubbs Show." Their recordings on the Copper
Creek label include Troubles and Trials, Through the Window, and Child
of God.
The Yahoes
The Yahoes-Paul Gartner, Pam Lund, and Doug Van Gundy- are an old-time
string band from West Virginia that plays traditional West Virginia music.
The band got together in the fall of 1997 after playing together informally
at festivals and parties for a few years. They soon found themselves
playing square dances, weddings, and festivals across the region including
the Vandalia Gathering, the Appalachian String Band Festival at Clifftop,
The Augusta Heritage Workshops, FOOTMAD's Fall Fling, The Old-Time Wing-Ding,
and at the Tamarack Center. In October 2001, they will be the band-in-residence
for the August Heritage Center's Old-Time Week.
A typical Yahoes concert features lots and lots of fiddle tunes with
the occasional novelty song or gospel number. The members of the
band often trade instruments and trade jokes. The Yahoes still very
much enjoy playing for square dances and weddings because, according to
fiddler Doug Van Gundy, "it keeps this music in its natural habitat, at
the center of a community function."
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