Music makes Memory.
Or, put another way, if there were any way we could truly "go home again," then music would be our best bet.
Take, for example, the song, "Paradise," written by John Prine. Here's a brief excerpt from the beginning lyrics:
Or, put another way, if there were any way we could truly "go home again," then music would be our best bet.
Take, for example, the song, "Paradise," written by John Prine. Here's a brief excerpt from the beginning lyrics:
When I was a child my family would travel
Down to Western Kentucky where my parents were born
And there's a backwards old town that's often remembered
So many times that my memories are worn.
This heartfelt song was one of the many covered during the 35th Gardner Winter Music Festival here in Morgantown, West Virginia. The festival is named after the late Worley Gardner who started it with his friends in 1979. The idea was to re-create the feeling of a summer music festival in the depths of winter.
The festival (Feb. 22-23) chased away my winter blues. Near the stage, I jotted down poems like the musicians plucked the stringed instruments. I've always enjoyed writing poetry on the scene of live music. I recommend writers regularly experience (and write along with) local music. Perhaps I'll soon share some of the poems which were begun at Gardner. (Stay tuned by bookmarking theodorewebb.com.)
The talented musicians at this two-day festival are too numerous to name, so I'll focus on mentioning the musicians/groups I saw (this list reflects the way the line up was listed on the program handed out Friday evening): Triple Becket, Paul Buege, DAA Strummers, Jeff Fedan, Trillium Minus Two, Donna Weems, Katie Zucker and Friends, Vince Farsetta, and Logan Town. These musicians represented a variety of interests and styles, including Irish folk, Appalachian, bluegrass, country and more.
Songs included "Brian Boru's March" (Irish), "West Virginia, Oh My Home" by Hazel Dickens, "From a Distance," "Coal Tattoo" by Billy Edd Wheeler, "Remington Ride," "I'll Fly Away," "The Cuckoo" (English folk song) and others. (Note: Some of the musicians/groups such as Logan Town shared their own excellent, original songs.)
It's not only the powerful imagery of songs like "Paradise" and "West Virginia, Oh My Home," which conjure faces, places, loved ones, friends and feelings in my mind and heart. Having grown up in central West Virginia (attending the summer West Virginia State Folk Festival) and eastern Kentucky, the instruments themselves take me "home." At Gardner, I saw an instrument for every memory: Hammered dulcimer, lap dulcimer, fiddle, clawhammer banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, harmonica, autoharp, guitar, stand up bass, harps and more.
I appreciate the organizers, volunteers, teachers, travelers and musicians at the Gardner Winter Music Festival. Thank you all for creating new memories and for helping this author/poet get through a long, cold winter.
Below are some of the photos I took at the festival. Enjoy & feel free to share this post on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Do you recognize any of the songs I mentioned? Which songs are special to you? Which songs bring back memories? Any favorite song lyrics? Leave some comments. Share your memories.
The talented musicians at this two-day festival are too numerous to name, so I'll focus on mentioning the musicians/groups I saw (this list reflects the way the line up was listed on the program handed out Friday evening): Triple Becket, Paul Buege, DAA Strummers, Jeff Fedan, Trillium Minus Two, Donna Weems, Katie Zucker and Friends, Vince Farsetta, and Logan Town. These musicians represented a variety of interests and styles, including Irish folk, Appalachian, bluegrass, country and more.
Songs included "Brian Boru's March" (Irish), "West Virginia, Oh My Home" by Hazel Dickens, "From a Distance," "Coal Tattoo" by Billy Edd Wheeler, "Remington Ride," "I'll Fly Away," "The Cuckoo" (English folk song) and others. (Note: Some of the musicians/groups such as Logan Town shared their own excellent, original songs.)
It's not only the powerful imagery of songs like "Paradise" and "West Virginia, Oh My Home," which conjure faces, places, loved ones, friends and feelings in my mind and heart. Having grown up in central West Virginia (attending the summer West Virginia State Folk Festival) and eastern Kentucky, the instruments themselves take me "home." At Gardner, I saw an instrument for every memory: Hammered dulcimer, lap dulcimer, fiddle, clawhammer banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, harmonica, autoharp, guitar, stand up bass, harps and more.
I appreciate the organizers, volunteers, teachers, travelers and musicians at the Gardner Winter Music Festival. Thank you all for creating new memories and for helping this author/poet get through a long, cold winter.
Below are some of the photos I took at the festival. Enjoy & feel free to share this post on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Do you recognize any of the songs I mentioned? Which songs are special to you? Which songs bring back memories? Any favorite song lyrics? Leave some comments. Share your memories.
Read 1st Chapter! Theodore Webb: Poet, novelist, short story author, playwright. Webb is the author of the Dystopian fiction short novels, "Lifeline,” “Crucible,” “Colossus” and “Inferno,” the first books in “The STARLING Series,"available for ALL DEVICES, smartphone, Kindle, PC, MAC, via Amazon.com. All 4 books are also available as 1 volume, "The STARLING Connection." Webb's short stories are online, including "Desperate Engine" (Amazon) & "Family Hour" (Smashwords).
