by Christine | Aug 9, 2019 | Welcome Column
Hello stranger, put your loving hand in mineHello stranger, put your loving hand in mineYou are a stranger, but you’re a pal of mineSometimes these lyrics just go on repeat in my head; to me they signify exactly what the bluegrass community is about....
by Christine | Nov 11, 2009 | Welcome Column
Happy Veteran’s Day, and Happy Birthday, Dad! We all know what dogs do when they greet each other. Bluegrass pickers have their greeting rituals, too. Being people, (instead of dogs), the greeting usually starts as a verbal exchange, ranging from mere “Hello,...
by Christine | Sep 6, 2014 | Welcome Column
Well, here I am. The other side of the country does have its fair share of culture shocks, like the fact that Mexican food is made with American cheddar cheese, but in general I am loving my time seeing and absorbing a different part of the world. I guess I have an...
by Christine | Mar 28, 2014 | Welcome Column
Good morning from Whiskey Creek where five turkey vultures lazily soar in a figure 8 pattern over our little slice of heaven here in the gold country. Known for their ability to sense from miles and miles away the smell of death and decay and abject failure, the...
by Christine | Feb 17, 2017 | Welcome Column
Mid-February and the FDF calls and emails are increasing with each new day. As Operations Manager I’m entrusted with getting back to each person with an answer and, believe it or not, this is my favorite part of the job. With 41 Grass Valley...
by Christine | Oct 15, 2014 | Welcome Column
The past few years, I have noticed Open Mic events proliferating around Contra Costa County. This is not a new concept – I’ve attended these types of things numerous times over the years, but they seem to be growing in number and sophistication. In the simplest...
by Christine | Jul 26, 2006 | Welcome Column
Unless you’re in a big time act, there are jobs within your band that go way beyond the instrument(s) you play and the part(s) you sing. Maybe YOUR band needs to fill some of these positions. Peacemaker/Diplomat The mix of personalities in any band can lead to some...
by Christine | Mar 13, 2012 | Welcome Column
My job, as a blogger, depends on my ability to obtain up-to-date information about bands and people in bluegrass music. A major feature of the blog is to provide previews of events we’re going to be covering. Usually I post a preview about two weeks before an...
by Christine | May 3, 2019 | Welcome Column
My mother grew up during the Depression. She shared a tiny house surrounded by alfalfa fields with her two sisters and four brothers just a few hundred yards away from the Old River in Tracy. They would walk the mile and a half to school, crossing the Old River Bridge...
by Christine | Mar 30, 2013 | Welcome Column
Good morning from Whiskey Creek, where the spectacular arrival of springtime that Lynn and I and the dogs have been enjoying all week will, according to the National Weather Service, take the weekend off. Clouds and showers and maybe even a little thunder and...
