How to be Elderly in the modern era? Surely, that’s the question that’s always on the mind of Lillian Werbin, CEO of Elderly Instruments, one of the nation’s best-known sellers of fretted and stringed instruments. At any time, there are upwards of 1600 guitars, banjos, mandolins, and other instruments at the store, which fills a rambling, repurposed Masonic lodge in Lansing, Mich. And while a pilgrimage to purchase an axe at Elderly is on the bucket list of many a devout acoustic musician, about 14,000 online orders are fulfilled each year. More than 50 years ago, Stan Werbin, Lillian’s father, began collecting and bartering vintage and using string instruments along with a partner. “They got good enough at it that they felt like they should open a store. So, they found a spot that was eight by ten feet,” Lillian Werbin explains. “In ’75, we started a catalog that went worldwide. We got a website in ’94, and we kind of just kept growing, building our expertise, and building our workforce.” That workforce now has forty-some employees, including a sales team, luthiers, shippers, video producers, and social media experts. Though she was in and out of the store growing up, Werbin didn’t really get to know the operation until later. “I started at Elderly in 2014 part-time in the warehouse. And I just fell in love with the products and the people and the way we interact with the music community. So, after a year, I went full-time, and I split my time in the warehouse and in the sales department. After maybe another year of that, I tried my hand at purchasing and marketing and from there, I found myself in management and kind of restructured the workforce. My role here now is to really foster community and to make sure that the whole ship is sailing smoothly.” And then the pandemic hit just as Elderly was about to reach a milestone. “We hunkered down and made it through, and I think we came out better for it,” Werbin says. “And so, we had a 50th birthday party in 2022 to celebrate not only the current Elderly but also the former Elderly. We had two different stages and bands playing from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and they were all staff bands from all throughout the decades.” Elderly Instruments was named America’s Top Small Business by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce last year. Werbin believes the store's several qualities distinguished it among the 14,000 applicants. “What they really liked was our community involvement and the longevity of the business. It certainly helped that I am a Black woman. But ultimately, it goes back to people. We really pride ourselves on not only our current employees but our past employees and on the hard work that they've put out to get us to this point. So, our application really focused on our camaraderie and our operations and how we work together to get the job done.” The metrics Werbin tracks reflect the staff’s dedication. “We respond to online chats within four minutes. The average of the top 10% of the industry is 46 minutes. There’s a ‘net promoter score,’ which, on a scale of one to ten, asks, ‘How likely are you to recommend this business to a friend?’ That’s a one-question survey, and Amazon has a 69, and Costco has a 70, and we are sitting at 90.” Besides being responsible for all aspects of the store, Werbin plays an active role in many organizations, including Bluegrass Pride and the International Bluegrass Music Association. Werbin is a recipient of IBMA’s Momentum Award. At last year’s IBMA conference, Werbin was an organizer for Roots Revival: A Black Stringband Symposium. “The goal was to amplify and highlight the Black contributions to bluegrass and old-time music,” Werbin explains. “We managed to bring in 20 experts from various backgrounds--scholars, musicians, historians--to really speak to the overlooked contribution of Black musicians.” Now, after years of organizing festivals, serving on panels, and coordinating countless activities on-site, Werbin has expanded with Sturdy Roots, an event planning and consulting business. “It allows me to support the community through my own work rather than Elderly's name,” says Werbin. “I'm able to do work that might not represent all of my staff or our customers but work that I feel really passionate about.” In recent years, Werbin has helped direct The Banjo Gathering, The Midwest Banjo Camp, the Midwest Ukulele Camp, and community events. Many music stores began over 50 years ago when Elderly Instruments was launched, but only a handful are thriving. Werbin says the company stays true to its roots while embracing new technology and internet sales. “I really think the secret sauce for us is the way we ‘people.’ Sometimes, we joke around and say that it's the people’s music store. It's a fine line on how to be Elderly in the modern era because we're not gonna sacrifice the way of old-fashioned service. So, it's a delicate balance modernizing without losing that old school feel.”

Caleb Malooley delivers guitar, harmonica, and lead vocals for Michigan-based group, The Gasoline Gypsies. The Americana-steeped four-part harmonies – and melding of rock, folk, bluegrass and country – have gotten them noticed; they’re eight-time Detroit Music Award winners and appear both in intimate settings and at larger venues. Malooley said he thinks bluegrass fans would really enjoy what The Gasoline Gypsies are doing. In particular, he mentioned the latest EP – Gravel Roads – and the upcoming EP, Hard Livin’. “These tracks are deeply steeped in the roots of American music,” he explained. “We feel as though we have finally found our sound. We’ve come back full circle to our beginnings in American folk and bluegrass music.” As is the case with many Americana groups, the band’s sound allows for meanderings and blendings that span genres. There are quite a few influences at play. “I was brought up on classic rock, bluegrass and folk,” Malooley explained. “My biggest influences being James Taylor, Van Morrison, CSNY and the like. For 32 of my 34 years, I have attended the Wheatland Music Festival, a staple of the Michigan folk and bluegrass scene, and I can honestly say that the festival is the reason I started a career in music.” He said for the rest of the band, there’s a wide variety of musical tastes: “Between the five of us, we appreciate pretty much any genre of music, with one thing in common…we just like good music.” The band’s musicianship and lyrical quality are showcased in a recent release, “Mud in the Water.” It’s a simple analogy, but these words from the thoughtful song clearly describe a life transition we all pass through: “There’s mud in the water, and the magic’s gone.” Malooley explained that “Mud in the Water” is about the gradual transition from childhood to becoming an adult. “When you’re young, especially in times before memory, everything is fresh, new and exciting…as you grow older, all those exciting things become mundane. Work, relationships, and the responsibilities of life in general are a constant distraction from the magic that still exists and becomes increasingly harder to find. Eventually, most of us start to lean more and more towards instant gratification and creature comforts just to try to feel some of that magic again.” He said it was one of the easier songs to record on the EP. “It all just kind of fell together and was wrapped up in a day or so, which I always think is the sign of a solid song. We recorded it right in our hometown of Port Huron.” Malooley said there’s a core group of devoted fans vital to the band’s success so far. In continuation of the gypsy motif, they’re called The Vagabundos. “The Vagabundos really are the backbone of this band,” he explained. “Some of these folks have been with us since the very beginning, something like 14 years now. We can honestly say we have the greatest group of fans out there. No drama, no jerks, no egos, just a bunch of great people and true music lovers. That attitude translates to our live shows, creating an environment where any new fans feel comfortable immediately. They are also the front line in getting our music out there and have been a huge part of our recent growth.” As for the future, Malooley said The Gasoline Gypsies will be focusing on recording new songs, making music videos, and expanding the band’s presence online. This year, they’ll release at least four to five new songs from the Hard Livin” EP. “I know I can speak for the whole band when I say this group of songs and the title track in particular are by far our best work yet,” he said. “We are incredibly excited to get it out to the world.”

Kenny Feinstein began busking at the age of 12 in Santa Cruz, California. “It was the 1990s, and I was heavy into punk.” Kenny says he didn’t grow up in a musical family. “I just liked music—the Beatles. Blink 182. Nirvana. Also, gangster rap. All the stuff I watched on MTV. I grew up in the culture of skateboarding.” Kenny spent first through seventh grade in Singapore, then eighth through tenth grades in Mexico City before moving to Portland, Oregon. “But I say Santa Cruz is where I’m from because it’s the only constant throughout that period.” He played in punk bands during his teens, but when he was 16, Kenny went to a square dance and was exposed to bluegrass music for the first time. “I was mesmerized – I like bluegrass because of its improvisational nature.” Kenny attended the University of Oregon, where he earned a jazz guitar degree. “I was on tour much of the time and missed a lot of school. I was playing bluegrass music and then practicing jazz guitar. I remember practicing outside from 2 am to 3 am in a sketchy part of San Francisco because I didn’t want to wake anyone up. Fortunately, I had friends who would spot me so no one would steal my guitar.” Once he earned his degree, Kenny says he went “full hillbilly,” playing old-timey and bluegrass music, adding, “I did play it a bit jazzy and improvisational.” Going back to his busking days, Kenny had the idea for the bluegrass band he was in to play at the farmer’s market in Portland. “We took fifty CDs with us that we had burned ourselves and sold them all in the first three hours. We loved that we could make money with music. It was a punk rock ethic and attitude, real D.I.Y.” The first iteration of Water Tower, the band he fronts now, was called Water Tower Bucket Boys, formed in 2005. That morphed into Water Tower String Band. The band first recorded as Water Tower in 2012 before Kenny spent seven years “getting in trouble.” He moved to Los Angeles in 2018 and connected with Tommy Drinkard, who, while already an accomplished electric and acoustic guitar player, took banjo lessons from Kenny. Within a year, Tommy took the first-place prize for intermediate banjo at the Topanga Banjo and Fiddle Competition. Tommy and Kenny began collaborating on songwriting while forming their unique sound. Jesse Blue Eads joined the group after a chance meeting while busking on the Hermosa Beach Pier in 2021. The 19-year-old jazz bassist had just received a jazz award from the Berklee School of Music but held his own on the banjo. Taylor Estes joined the band, and soon the “family” was complete. “We do think of ourselves as a family,” says Kenny. “We also have auxiliary members for the band – those who come in to join us or sub for other band members from time to time.” The band also has a strong core of fans, with multiple Facebook groups. “They call themselves Owls, or some variation of that, which began during Covid.” When the pandemic hit, the band was forced to move indoors. “We had never been much into social media, but we did an about-face and began doing daily live streams at noon and five daily from our house in downtown Los Angeles. It was not uncommon for us to have 150 people watching us. We did it for a year, and it was so much fun.” The shows were interactive, with viewers singing along to some of the songs. “For some reason, I had a few owls on a shelf in the background, and at the end of each show, we’d do a closeup of an owl light, and everyone would say ‘owl out!” People began sending owls to our house, and we started putting owls on all our merchandise. Then it became a whole thing about how owls perch on the top of the water tower to protect the water supply from additives or other contaminants.” The fan groups for Water Tower include the Tower Heads, the Tower Ladies, Dudes of the Tower, Juice’s Mustache, Kenny’s Shoes, Drinkard’s Denims, Drinkard’s Hair, and other fan-created groups. There are even fans with tattoos of Water Tower song lyrics. “That’s a pretty big affirmation for us,” Kenny laughs. “It’s also very inspirational. It just makes me happy because our band’s mission is to contribute to the lessening of suffering. I have a lot of gratitude for our fans.” Water Tower’s unique sound is influenced by Foghorn Stringband, an old-time string band from Portland known for their intense dedication to the old-time tradition. “We are also heavily influenced by Bill Monroe, Clarence White, and Don Reno.” The band’s debut album, Fly Around, was released in 2020. The concept album is designed to listen all the way through (at least, the first time) from beginning to end. The album pushes boundaries, blending old-time and bluegrass sounds with rock, pop, punk, and psychedelia for a unique and captivating sound. The members of Water Tower attended the IBMA World of Bluegrass in Raleigh for the first time last fall. “It was absolutely worth it,” says Kenny. “Because of that, we got some amazing gigs, including the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado and the Strawberry Bluegrass Festival in Grass Valley, California.” www.watertowerband.com

Photo by Diane Coll Perhaps as long as humankind has made music, its spiritual, mental, and physical health benefits have been clear. Music as a means of healing isn’t a new idea. When it comes to music and mental health, Carl Jung, a notable Swiss psychiatrist who had a considerable influence on his field decades ago, really nailed the therapeutic value of music. According to Jung, “music should be an essential part of every analysis.” More recently, the late British neurosurgeon Dr. Oliver Sacks – who spent a significant part of his career researching and writing about the power of music to heal the human mind – explained yet again why music can soothe pain. In his book, Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain, Sacks asserted: “The power of music to integrate and cure…is quite fundamental. It is the profoundest non-chemical medication.” As a former Music Therapist and current mental health counselor, singer-songwriter Diane Coll shares similar sentiments. When she creates music, she hopes it will help listeners better explore emotions often hidden away. “We can listen in private and go through whatever thoughts and feelings we need to go through,” Coll said about music as a healing aid. “It can reach people who don’t want to talk.” She continued, “I think it’s important as human beings that we really feel what we’re feeling, and music is good for that.” For Coll, music isn’t always about being cheery and uplifting. Sometimes, it’s about unlocking the darker aspects of our feelings. Her music reflects that; she aims to address issues that are both “dark” and “light.” She believes people should be encouraged to delve into their more uncomfortable ideas and thoughts. “I’ve known people that don’t do that; they just want to live in the light all the time,” she said. As a mental health specialist, Coll said her job involves travel to work with “women, and some men, who have had some form of abuse or violence.” She said, “Where there’s abuse, there’s shame,” and music helps because it lets those suffering know that others have been in their shoes and “it’s okay, you’re going to make it through.” Coll knows the benefits of music; she’s had a first-hand appreciation of this. “For me, music has always been a safe space,” she explained. “As a little girl, that’s what I turned to.” She eventually realized she expressed herself better through music, so it became a passion. Dealing well with life – which Coll described as a combination of “messy and beautiful” – is about allowing oneself to have moments of vulnerability. As a songwriter, Coll said observing those vulnerable moments in other performers helped her to find her voice as a musician. “It was modeled to me that it’s safe,” she said, citing Joni Mitchell as just one songwriter from whom she learned. “I can’t think of another example of a female singer that digs down that deep.” Coll’s music isn’t easy to define; the broad genre of Americana might be a good try. It sometimes emits a singer/songwriter folk vibe in the spirit of performers such as Joni Mitchell but also pulls inspiration from the ambient music genre or has similarities to dreamy, eclectic British art-music creator Kate Bush. Coll’s newest release – the 14-track album Up From the Mud – is her fourth solo record. It is meant to give hope to anyone who has experienced “relational trauma.” She co-produced the record with Grammy-nominated producer Daniel Groover, who she said has been “a great musical partner.” She also brought on board guest musicians such as guitarist Jonny Daly. “Music has always been my therapy, and as a lifelong music lover, I truly honor the sacred connection between the musician and listener,” Coll summarized. “It’s a beautiful dance where change is inevitable.”

Lauded folk singer, humorist, songwriter and guitarist Steve Poltz is perfect for lightening the load of those who feel the heavy burden of the world. For decades, he’s been touring, writing songs, and basically going around cracking people up. “I’m excited for the upcoming tour,” Poltz said. “I guess it’s a never-ending tour…I’ve been on it since the 1980s.” The pickin’ is strong, and the songwriting is great, but Poltz is unique because one of his sets also feels like a stand-up routine. It makes you want to dance. Smile. Laugh. Cheer. It makes you love Steve Poltz. “Some people are drawn to just staying home and writing songs for other people. Others are road dogs,” he said, describing his life. Don’t be fooled. Poltz loves barking down that road, but he’s also sat down long enough to pen songs for – or with – some of the biggest names in roots music. Jewel. Billy Strings. Molly Tuttle. Sierra Hull. Mojo Nixon. Perhaps his most notable songwriting credits are numbers on Jewel’s debut album, “Pieces of You,” including the hit song “You Were Meant for Me,” which hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He loves collaborating with others but is most driven to explore every nook and cranny. It’s what keeps him going. “I’m a true rambling folk singer,” he explained. “I just remember, as a little kid, looking at a map and thinking, ‘What are people like over THERE?’” He’s discovered that despite the continued homogenization of the American landscape, where the same Cracker Barrel appears everywhere, “every town has its own special funky vibe.” He said an “energy exchange” happens between audience and performer—a kind of synergy. He dishes up humorous folk with a rebellious spirit—almost punk-folk, if you will. Between songs, he tells engaging, side-splitting stories. In return, the audience gifts Poltz with genuine, uproarious laughs. In addition to thriving on this change of place, he thrives on changing up what he does every single day. Each performance is a one-of-a-kind experience of humor and heart. “What I love about travel is I’m anonymous every night in a new town,” he said. “I can be who I want.” “I think what keeps it fresh for me is, for better or worse, I never use a set list,” he said. “It’s just unadulterated thoughts coming out of my head. It’s kind of shambolic and haphazard. I know it’s gonna be like a science experiment, and I hope the energy causes an explosion onstage. I hate to overthink it,” he added. “It’s a magic trick, and the magic involves energy.” Poltz said he strives to create a space where people might “forget how awful the world can be.” He wants to manifest a “short sonic journey” where he and the audience can “throw our worries out the window.” Poltz said he has “17 or so records.” Once, he was signed to Mercury Records, but it sounds like he’s more about doing exactly what he wants as an artist. “I think they wanted me to be more serious,” he said. Talk to the thoughtful but lighthearted Poltz for even a few minutes, and it’s clear that playing it “serious” would be an unreasonable, perhaps even impossible, expectation. “One of my superpowers was sort of the gift of gab,” he explained when asked what makes his personality so much fun. “Humor has always been a part of who I am.” He said he was picked on a lot when he was a kid and could somehow talk himself out of trouble by being verbally sharp. Combined with an interest in music – and discovery of songwriters, storytellers and performers who influenced him – people such as Bob Dylan (“I became a Dylan-ologist!”), Jerry Garcia and Louden Wainwright III – his talents eventually coalesced onstage to create something rare. “It’s hard to find your voice as a performer,” Poltz explained, but he said he took some cues from these guys. (“Loudon…he had humor and pathos.”) Poltz said he might put another album together soon. It will consist of songs he recorded live in Nova Scotia. “I’m still excited that I get to do this…I can’t BELIEVE I get to do it,” he said of his hilarious, decades-long tour.

When the town of Fort Fairfield, Maine, was looking for entertainment for its annual Potato Blossom Festival in 2004, someone suggested bluegrass. “I didn’t know much about bluegrass music,” says Stev Rogeski. “I’m an electrician by trade. My son and I volunteered to set up the electrical connections to the campground and work in the fields. My wife, Nancy, worked at the check-in for the festival.” By 2008, the music had grown beyond what the festival organizers could handle. Stev and Nancy didn’t want to see it go away, so they took matters into their own hands. “I gave the town 40 acres of my own land so that we wouldn’t lose the festival.” A 100’ x 100’ pole barn that seats 1200 people was erected on the land, and a campground was installed. “That all happened in July, and by Labor Day, we did our first show,” says Stev. “We then did a winter show by request.” They had come to love bluegrass music but knew little about presenting a music festival. Before they knew it, Stev and Nancy were festival promoters, seeking talent and coordinating a bluegrass festival held three times a year. They planned the festival around other local festivals. “During the summer months, there are a number of local festivals in small towns all over northern Maine,” Stev explains. “We planned ours at different times of the year.” That was all fine until the great Covid pandemic hit. “We are very close to the Canadian border,” explains Stev. “About 90% of our audience is Canadian. When the pandemic hit, Canada had very tight border restrictions. That changed what we were doing. Before Covid, we would have about 300 people at each festival. That’s not a lot compared to some of the festivals in Canada, where there is more bluegrass music in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick than there is in Tennessee.” The County Bluegrass Festival is scheduled for Labor Day Weekend, August 28-31, at 119 West Limestone Road in Fort Fairfield, Maine. This year’s lineup includes Carson Peters & Iron Mountain, Serene Green, Nick Chandler & Delivered, The Grass Messengers, Mike Mitchell, The Ruta Beggars, High River, Blistered Fingers, Dirigo Strings, and more to be announced. Stev and Nancy visit other festivals to find talent for the festival and attend the IBMA World of Bluegrass, where they observe as many artist showcases as possible. “I love to hear new talent,” he says. “It is always exciting to find – and book – an up-and-coming band. I remember when we first heard Carolina Blue at IBMA. It was 2:30 in the morning, and it was the first time I had ever heard them. I only heard three songs and asked them to play at our festival.” The same happened with Flat Lonesome and Nick Chandler. “We typically offer them a three-year agreement.” Stev says he has specific criteria he looks for in a band. “I like it if they write their own music. If they don’t, they typically don’t last too long. I watch how they participate with the audience, which is very important. And I want them to be entertaining. They get bonus points if they jam with people in the fields, but we don’t require that. But those that do tend to have a very loyal following.” Stev says he also follows bands on social media. “They don’t need to spread their personal business on their band page,” he says. The festival’s motto is “Just ask.” That came from an exit survey the Rogeskis asked each guest to complete before leaving. “We always want to know how we can make their next visit better. We tell everyone that if they need something, just ask.” The festival campground has spaces for recreational vehicles and campers and ten campers for rent. A few cabins are also on-site, and one big cabin is just five miles down

Photo by Rebekah Speer Kevin Denney grew up surrounded by bluegrass music. “Some of my family members, Clyde and Marie Denney, toured in a bluegrass group called The Drifting Kentuckians from the 1960s through the 1990s, so I grew up around music. I suppose it came naturally to me.” A native of Monticello, Kentucky, Kevin began playing guitar when he was old enough to hold one. “I played banjo for a while, but the reality is that I am a guitar player.” His first memories of playing and singing in front of others besides his family were at church. “I started playing in public around town when I was somewhere between 12 and 14 years old. By the time I was 15 or 16, I was playing on stage with my parents. I learned so much from watching how they did things.” That experience also allowed Kevin to see some of his favorite artists perform. “I got to see Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Larry Sparks, and others when I was a teenager. That had a huge influence on me.” Seeing the artists he grew up listening to was like a dream come true for Kevin. “I’ve heard my parents tell the story of my dad listening to weekend bluegrass shows on the radio when I was very young. They said that when Larry Sparks played, they said I ran to the radio, listening to his music by standing as close to the radio as I could. I was drawn to that early on and still love it today. I remember hearing him play and thinking that’s what I wanted to do someday.” Years later, Kevin had the honor of recording with Sparks. “I played on the song “Tennessee 1949” with him, which was recorded in Tom T. Hall’s studio. That was something very special for me.” While growing up, Kevin would tune his radio dial to country and bluegrass music. “I listened to a little rock ‘n roll from time to time, but I was mostly drawn to traditional country and old-time bluegrass. We had some George Jones records at home, and that was also a big influence for me.” And fast forward again, Kevin has great memories of opening for George Jones a couple of times. While he did a few odd jobs as a teenager, he knew early on that he wanted to make music the focus of his career. “I have been fortunate to make a living primarily with music all my life.” At 21, he signed on as a staff writer for a publishing company in Nashville. “I moved to Nashville in 1999 and spent the next twenty years there. I learned from some great writers, and that led me to a publishing deal as a songwriter within a year of moving to Nashville.” Kevin says living in the music city was new, fresh, and fun. “I was young, and it was all very exciting. I caught the tail-end of the old-school writers and singers. I was so fortunate to have been a part of that. And today, I still consider myself fortunate -- I am able to do what I love for a living.” Kevin was on Lyric Street Records from 1999 through 2004 as a country artist and had a couple of hit songs during that time. Now back in Kentucky, Kevin recently signed a deal with Turnberry Records. “I’m proud to be a Turnberry artist. I started out writing country songs when I was in Nashville, but bluegrass never left me. I’ve come full circle now, working on a new bluegrass album. That is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid.” Kevin says everything is recorded for the album and is now in the mixing phase. He wrote about half the songs on the record; the other half are some of his favorite songs he has always wanted to record. “When I first moved to Nashville, I worked with singer-songwriter Harley Allen. He became a mentor, taking me under his wing when I was just 21 years old. Some of the songs on the album are Harley’s. I think he’d be proud to know I am using his songs.” The album's first single to be released was “Chasing Old Memories Down,” which did fairly well. The second, “Let Me Be Lonesome,” was recently released. When the album is released, Kevin plans on playing a few festivals “when the time is right.” In the meantime, he fronts a band called Organic Country every weekend. “We have been playing together each weekend for ten years,” Kevin says. “We play about five to ten road gigs a year, then every Saturday at The Local in Nashville.” His musical influences today include Keith Whitley, Larry Sparks, Harley Allen, Tony Rice, and George Jones. “I’ve been very fortunate to have experienced so much, all because of music. I try to be good to the music because it’s been so good to me.”

Angela M. Wellman, Ph.D. Angela M. Wellman, Ph.D., had the good fortune of growing up surrounded by music. From the time she was in elementary school until she earned her Ph.D., she studied in music conservatories. Wellman has been a performing musician, a music educator, and an activist, now following in her family’s footsteps as an institution-building village woman. “I grew up in a family of institution-builders who worked to illuminate and lift people up through music.” Wellman plays the trombone and uses music as a way of educating people about the gift of music unwittingly brought to the Northern Hemisphere through the trans-Atlantic slave trade. She founded the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music (OPC) twenty years ago. “I was an artist-in-residence at a school in Oakland, and I noticed a lot of kids who needed to be in my after-school classes who weren’t there. Instead, they were being tutored on other subjects so they could pass the school’s standardized tests. It is my belief that children must have similar access to music.” Multiple studies have shown that music students score better in math, science, and English than their non-musical peers. To remedy the problem, Wellman founded the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music twenty years ago to provide all interested students with a music education. The conservatory is a project of Music is eXtraordinary (MIX), a non-profit Wellman founded in 2001. She consulted with area schools to develop music programs that reflected each school’s culture. The OPC followed in 2005 with a mission of “opening the world of music to all through access to quality, economical instruction in a nurturing environment in a quest to preserve the musical traditions of Oakland.” Wellman says that the public conservatory speaks to roots music in this country. In 2023, plans were made for a Black Banjo and Fiddle Fellowship (BBFF), the first of its kind at OPC. A collaboration with the Berkeley Old Time Music Convention, the project aims to repatriate old-time music in African American communities and illuminate the Black experience in creating old-time music. A call went out for BBFF applications, and the first Fellows were selected from the applicants for the program. The two-year paid fellowship program trains Black musicians on the rich history of old-time music. Recognizing the historical and cultural ruptures that erased the Black origins of fiddle and banjo musicians, the BBFF works to ensure the tradition is sustained by also offering a teacher-training program where apprentices are trained to pass down the knowledge they gain about old-time music on banjo or fiddle. They also gain skills in leading jam sessions. Three Fellows were selected for the first “class” of Fellows. Darcy Ford, a fiddle player, is a trained violinist and educator who has taught strings in public schools for twenty years. She co-founded Stockton Soul, a non-profit soul orchestra “dedicated to educating, empowering, and inspiring audiences through the performance of Black music.” A multi-instrumentalist, art educator, and Black music researcher, Joe Zavaan Johnson, is pursuing a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology at Indiana University-Bloomington. Rounding out the Fellows is Patrice Strahan, who cultivated her love for music in a common starting place – the church. She has also played in bands and is driven by her passion for “engaged spiritual social justice” and “communal music at the intersection of land stewardship/kinship.” She is dedicated to ensuring Black old-time music is learned and passed on to future generations. The goal is for the Fellows to learn to play banjo and fiddle tunes, cultivating a historical context of Black banjo and fiddle origins and their contributions to old-time music. They will then create educational content for teaching banjo and fiddle music at the OPC and curate and lead old-time jam sessions. The BBFF has now completed year one of the first two-year fellowship. “The first year went very well,” says Wellman. “This is our first time doing something like this, and with that came a few bumps, but we have learned from those. The first year was a time to go deep with the culture-bearers. In this second year, the Fellows have begun teaching a few free classes to get people involved. The response has been overwhelmingly positive – we have had to add more classes.” Faculty for the BBFF includes Earl White, a renowned fiddler who has been performing and preserving Appalachian music and dance for over 50 years. He is accompanied by Jake Blount, who is an award-winning musician and banjo player. Blount has performed at the Kennedy Center, Newport Folk Festival, and on the National Public Radio’s Tiny Desk series. Tony Thomas, a leading historian on banjo origins and American banjo playing, will be facilitating the program's history seminar. Dom Flemons, a co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, is quoted on the BBFF’s website: “The Black Banjo and Fiddle Fellowship is a missing link in the propagation of the influence of the African American role in the development of American music. The African American experience touches every genre of music created in America…and the knowledge of this fact must be cultivated in the African American musical community.”

Throughout history, food has been shaped by labor demands, and some of the most iconic dishes in American culinary culture were born out of necessity and ingenuity. These meals weren’t designed for fine dining but to sustain workers through long days in fields, factories, mines, and on the road. From the pepperoni roll of West Virginia to pasties in Michigan and kolaches in Texas, these humble yet hearty creations are a testament to the resourcefulness of working-class communities and their lasting impact on our collective food heritage. Pepperoni Roll: The Coal Miner’s Staple West Virginia’s pepperoni roll is a shining example of a necessity-driven invention. Created in the early 1900s by wives of coal miners and commercialized by Giuseppe “Joseph” Argiro, a baker in Fairmont, the pepperoni roll was designed with Italian immigrant coal miners in mind. These workers needed a portable, shelf-stable meal that didn’t require refrigeration or reheating deep underground. The roll—a soft bread stuffed with pepperoni sticks or slices—was perfect for this purpose. While baking, the oils from the pepperoni seep into the bread, creating a savory, flavorful snack. Today, the pepperoni roll remains a beloved symbol of West Virginia’s coal mining heritage and a favorite regional treat. Pasties: The Miner’s Portable Pie The pasty (pronounced “pass-tee”) is another dish forged in the mines—this time in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where Cornish miners brought the recipe from England in the 19th century. These sturdy hand pies, traditionally filled with a mix of beef, potatoes, onions, and rutabagas, were a practical solution for miners who needed a meal they could carry into the depths of the earth. The thick, crimped crust acted as a natural handle, allowing miners to eat the filling while discarding the outer edge, which could be dirtied by coal dust. Pasties became synonymous with Michigan’s mining communities and remain a cherished regional specialty, now enjoyed cleanly with every bite. Kolaches: A Baker’s Gift to Texas Kolaches are a nod to the cultural melting pot of America’s industrial history. Brought to Texas in the 19th century by Czech immigrants, these sweet or savory pastries became popular among workers in the state’s burgeoning farming and oil industries. Traditional kolaches are pillowy dough pockets filled with fruit, cream cheese, or poppy seeds. But in Texas, the dish evolved to include savory fillings like sausage and cheese, creating what is often called a “klobasnek.” These grab-and-go pastries were ideal for busy workers who needed a quick, filling breakfast before a long day in the fields or factories. Today, kolaches are a Texas breakfast staple, sold in bakeries and gas stations alike. Primanti Brothers Sandwich: A Trucker’s Delight In the 1930s, Pittsburgh’s Strip District—a hub of warehouses and wholesale markets—was bustling with truckers and laborers who needed fast, hearty meals. Enter the Primanti Brothers sandwich, a culinary marvel that packed a full meal into one handheld masterpiece. The sandwich featured bread piled with meat, coleslaw, and French fries, combining convenience with calorie-packed sustenance. Workers could eat it on the go, making it a perfect solution for those with tight schedules. Today, the Primanti Brothers sandwich remains an iconic symbol of Pittsburgh’s industrious spirit. Other Foods of Industry: Chicago-Style Hot Dog: During the Great Depression, vendors offered this “meal in a bun” for just a nickel, loaded with mustard, onions, relish, pickles, tomatoes, sport peppers, and celery salt, making it a hearty and affordable meal for Chicago’s working class. Fried Bologna Sandwich: In Appalachia and the South, this twist on the classic bologna sandwich became a staple for factory and mill workers. A quick fry added flavor and texture to an otherwise humble meal. Bierocks: German-Russian immigrants brought these stuffed bread rolls to Kansas, where they became a popular meal for wheat farmers. Bierocks are filled with ground beef, cabbage, and onions—simple, hearty ingredients that reflect the prairie lifestyle. A Culinary Legacy of Labor The foods born out of industry tell a story of survival, creativity, and adaptation. Whether it’s the pepperoni roll tucked into a coal miner’s pocket, a pasty warming in a lunchbox, or kolaches fueling a farmer’s morning, these dishes embody the spirit of the workers who shaped America. Today, these meals have transcended their utilitarian roots and are celebrated for their rich history and timeless flavors. Each bite is a taste of resilience, a reminder of the enduring connection between food and the hardworking communities that built our nation.

When Marty Falle sits down to write a song, he often draws on two facets that interest him most—history and heritage. Not surprisingly, those threads run through Falle’s seventh album, Wanted in Kentucky. The title song, co-written with Rick Lang, is set in 1883, exploring the consequences when deep-seated feuds become violent. That song, from the perspective on Milton Wyatt, one of his wife’s ancestors, gives the account of a blood feud in the Bluegrass State between the Wyatts and the Youngs, perhaps less publicized but no less violent than that of the Hatfields and McCoys. “I'm deeply affected by Appalachian history and by all that has happened in and around my farm. over the years. I love to write about events that happened before. I can still write the love song or a sad song, but I prefer to write about historical events.” Just as important to his songwriting are the places that mean the most to him, particularly eastern Kentucky and Appalachia America. Falle grew up in Ohio and attended Ohio University in Athens, in the southeastern part of the state. His first job after graduation, selling law books, took him all over Eastern Kentucky where, Falle said, “I fell in love with the place Appalachia. It was strange; it was beautiful; it was so different. I had to go to places like Pikeville and Harlan and Hazard and spend many weeks at a time in these places that seem to have their own law and culture.” Falle’s Kentucky farm is at the center of much of his music. The painting by Disney artist T. J. Matousek on the cover of Falle’s 2023 album My Farm, My Bluegrass depicts the old tobacco barn on his property. The stories and songs from that album, says Falle, were inspired by that barn and the land surrounding his property, 200 acres bordering the Daniel Boone Forest. When he needs inspiration for a song, Falle says, he likes to take his ATV through the Appalachian countryside, with no one around. On one such excursion, he saw an old chimney standing where a house had once been, that sparked his imagination. “I realized that that a couple hundred years ago, some family, maybe some little child, would have been keeping warm by the hearth right there, and I wrote ‘Chimney Letters.’ that was also on that album.” Dale Ann Bradley, Kentucky Bluegrass Hall of Famer, sang on the record, giving it what Falle calls an “Eastern Kentucky coal country feel on vocals.” ` Falle’s love for story songs resulted in at least three songs co-written with Jonathan Holmberg, the haunting “Ghost Bride of Cumberland Falls,” “Freddie’s Runaway Balloon,” and “Breaker Boys.” He came upon the idea for “Breaker Boys” when he read about ten-year-old boys forced to work the coal mines back at the end of the nineteenth century. He was moved by photographs of the boys, whose small hands were desirable to separate the anthracite. Coming from poor families, many of them didn’t learn to read and write, and without child labor laws, the boys worked long days for fifty cents a day. Falle admits he has been deeply affected by the coal industry and its demise in Eastern Kentucky. He has observed strip-mined hills and mountains, land that has been clearcut without replanting. His own farm is part conservancy land, home to many animals, some endangered species. He also acknowledges the influence on songwriting of his wife, part Native American, whose family goes back hundreds of years in Eastern Kentucky. “Up Against the Big Hill Line” pits “a Kentucky daughter with a Cherokee soul” against slick and greedy energy company men who would “steal nickels off a dead man’s eyes.” One hallmark of the songs is the specificity of detail, particularly the sense of place—Falle’s Appalachia. True but little-known stories appeal to Falle. “Freddie’s Runaway Balloon” is one such narrative song, set in 1910, when a young boy somehow managed to climb into the basket of a hot air balloon just before it became untethered and floated along before finally landing safely. A songwriter at his core, Falle says he at first swore he would not record cover songs. The exceptions, however, often have strong ties to Kentucky. On his last album Appalachia Rust, he recorded his version of Darrell Scott’s “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive,” which has held a Top 10 place in the Roots charts for several months. He noted his surprise at the reception, since in addition to Scott’s version of the song, Pike County native Patty Loveless had also recorded a definitive version. “I couldn’t resist; I had to sing it. I wish I’d written that one.” said Falle. Another highlight on the album, Dwight Yoakam’s “Bury Me,” features Carly Greer of Crandall Creek on lead vocals. For Wanted in Kentucky, Falle reached further back into the canon, choosing Stephen Foster’s “My Old Kentucky Home” for the closing track. His original instrumental tracks on Wanted in Kentucky also serve to establish the mood of the album, and Falle placed them with intention. The album opens with the instrumental “Dance on the Emerald Grass,” which should appear on any playlist for St. Paddy’s Day. Falle wrote it after shutting his eyes and hearing the tune in his head. He pictured “people dancing an Irish jig on a Kentucky farm surrounded by beautiful green pastures” and composed the tune, even incorporating the pennywhistle, to achieve that feeling.

Brandi Waller-Pace Brandi Waller-Pace, a native of Atlanta, taught elementary school in Fort Worth. “I taught stringed instruments, and after hearing the banjo, I wanted to get one. I learned to play in the claw hammer style.” They began playing in a string band in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, playing backup guitar and banjo when needed while they were still learning. Brandi was mesmerized when they attended the Affrolachian On-Time Music Gathering presented by Dr. Dena Jennings, a gourd banjo builder based in Nasons, Virginia (the event is affectionately known as “The Thang”). “It was my first time around a significant group of other Black folks who played that kind of music.” They began attending other old-time banjo gatherings and listening to artists like the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Brandi attended many festivals over the next few years. At the Augusta Heritage Center, they took part in a session in which participants discussed Black representation and integrating spaces versus creating spaces, and the creative wheels in Brandi’s head began turning. “I love creating new spaces, and I also thought it would be nice to have folks come to me instead of me having to fly somewhere.” That’s when the seed for the Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival was planted. As someone who presents workshops and speaks nationally and internationally, creating this particular festival was a natural thing for Brandi, who holds a BM and MM in Jazz Studies from Howard University and has co-written music curriculum and participated in district and community work in racial and system educational equity during her twelve-year tenure as a public-school music educator. They served on the Texas African Studies Course Curriculum Advisory Team in 2019 and 2020, which helped formulate curriculum standards for the first state-approved African American course. Brandi also serves on the Board of Directors for Folk Alliance International and is an accomplished musician who strongly emphasizes jazz and early American roots music. The festival is a program of Decolonizing the Music Room, an organization that Brandi founded and serves as the executive director. The mission centers on Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian voices in music education, research, and performance. According to the organization’s website, Decolonizing the Music Room accomplishes that mission by providing training and educational content for educators and creating community programming for people of all ages. “I began planning the first FWAAMFest in 2019, then Covid hit, and plans changed,” explains Brandi. The first festival premiered virtually in 2021. “I partnered with a friend who had a video production company, Shiny Box Pictures.” In 2022, the first in-person event was held at the Southside Preservation Hall in Fort Worth, a historic venue that dates back to the early 1920s. In addition to the partnership with the Southside Preservation Hall, Brandi cultivated some strong partnerships to present the festival, including a partnership with Lillian Werbin, co-owner and president of Elderly Instruments, based in East Lansing, Michigan. “I met Lillian through festivals I attended, and we even shared an Airbnb and rental car at Clifftop,” says Brandi. “Lillian has been an important partner in the development of this festival.” Other corporate partners include Ear Trumpet Labs, Universal Music Group’s Task Force for Meaningful Change, and Fan Alliance. Several public entities and organizations have come on board to support the festival, including the Black Owned Business of DFW, Communities Foundation of Texas, the Fort Worth Tourism Public Improvement District, and the Texas Commission on the Arts. Brandi has also garnered support from cultural organizer, artist, and educator Sister Tufara Waller Muhammad, and the Datule’ Artist Collective. “Fundraising for this event is necessary and will happen until the wheels come off,” Brandi states. This year’s festival will be held on Saturday, March 15. As the event organizer and founder of FWAAMFest, Brandi says that the festival will feature a show-stopping line-up of award-winning artists, along with educational sessions and jamming – all to celebrate the central role of blackness in American roots music. “Fort Worth is one of few major city festivals of its kind in the United States. This is a Black-led festival centered on Black artists who are reclaiming their place in roots music forms through preservation and innovation.” This year's lineup includes Dom Flemons as the headliner act, Yasmin Williams, and Kyshona. “We have another strong lineup of artists this year, which is very exciting,” says Brandi. “We’ll have everything from old-time string bands and early country and blues to artists who infuse their roots music with rap and soul.” Workshops will be held in the Rose Chapel, including a workshop on “Black Cowboy Musical and Cultural Legacies,” presented by Dom Flemons. Other workshops include “Black Appalachian Music and Instrument Building” by Dr. Dena Jennings and a rhythm bones workshop presented jointly by artists Kafari and Demeanor. Dr. Maya Brown-Boateng will present a workshop on “Black Banjo History and Reclamation.” Click here for more information on the Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival.

From his home in Chimney Rock, North Carolina, Andrew Wakefield is thankful. “Our house is still standing, so we are grateful for that.” The after-effects were wide-reaching when Hurricane Helene unexpectedly barreled through the Appalachian region. The music community was hit hard. “I lost a bunch of gigs, but it also gave me more time to enjoy with my family.” That family includes his wife, Kristen, and their one-year-old daughter, Irene. Andrew’s childhood was spent growing up in a musical family. “My father played just about every instrument, and that was inspiring to me. He played in a Christian band in his younger days. My mom played violin, and my sisters played clarinet, flute, and piano. I always sang in church choirs. My dad used to play me to sleep, and he taught me to play ‘Ticket to Ride’ by the Beatles on the guitar when I was in the fourth grade. Of course, that was before I moved on to grunge music, which was easy to play on the guitar.” Since middle school, Andrew knew he wanted to be involved with music. “It was a hobby for years. I began playing in an electric band when I was 16, and that continued through my early 20s before I moved to Northern California.” Andrew led a nomadic lifestyle for several years, traveling to India, Brazil, the Philippines, Laos, and Mexico. During that time, Andrew was constantly writing and playing. In early 2020, he became disillusioned with the music scene in Northern California, and a friend convinced him to move to North Carolina, where the music scene is quite vibrant. He got a weekly gig with a house bluegrass band at Jack of the Wood for their Saturday bluegrass brunch. He also began gigging with regional bands, including The Well Drinkers, Supper Break, and The Pigeon River Messengers. That was the beginning of the path he is on now. “I went full-time during Covid.” Writing is Andrew’s passion, and his verses must have a purpose. “I like co-writing with Jake Bachman from The Well Drinkers. We make a good team.” He typically storyboards his songs. “I don’t freeform it.” Undoubtedly, he has a knack for crafting songs, and his skill on the guitar has folks taking notice. He weaves old with new, and he likes to blur genres, bringing a sound and style of his own to the American roots music communities. Despite Helene putting a crimp in things last fall, 2024 was very good for Andrew, with performances at the Blue Ox Fest and the AVL Fest. He got radio play on The Bluegrass Jamboree and other stations around the country and appeared live on WDVX’s live radio show The Blue Plate Special in Knoxville. Andrew has had the opportunity to share the stage with such greats as Molly Tuttle, Ketch Secor, and others. His debut album, Bluegrassish, was released in 2023 it quickly reached 45,000 Spotify plays. At that time, Andrew decided to go solo. “I’m going full tilt with my solo stuff,” he says. “I’m just trying to sell more tickets and expose more people to my music. My goal now is to get more songs together for a new record mid-year. With this next album, I want to be more intentional about how I place the songs, so it should mesh really well. They will be all love songs and all instrumental.” Andrew says different styles of music inspire him. “I like just about every style from classical music to classic rock– it just depends on my mood. I like Jimmy Martin and probably cover him more than anybody else. I also like Brian Sutton. And I’m obsessed with Tony Rice. To me, he’s the chosen one.”