bevans - Posted - 01/02/2009:  18:13:00

Hi BHO friends and Happy New Year wishes to all!

I'm going to be hosting workshops all over the place in the next three months and I hope that many of you bluegrass Hangout Members might be able to join me. To check out the full concert and workshop schedule, please visit www.nativeandfine.com and click on the "Schedule" link.

Here is an itinerary of just the workshops that I'll be hosting or a part of over the next three months, with descriptions of topics and registration info. Note that advance registration is recommended or required for all of these sessions.

Thanks folks for your continued support!

January 6, 13: Berkeley, CA: Bill joins Ran Bush and other teachers in an eight week "Intro to Bluegrass Jamming" group class at the Fifth String, 3051 Adeline Street. Class runs through February 24, $20 fee per class.7 to 9:15 p.m., all instruments and singers welcome, no prior experience playing with others is necessary - all are welcome! Contact Ran at 510-682-8886 or ranbush@gmail.com for more information and to register.

January 9-10: Portland, OR: Bill Evans and Megan Lynch perform and host workshops at the River City Bluegrass Festival, Oregon Convention Center. Check out BEML's 5 p.m. Main Stage set on Friday and their Cascade Stage set on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Scruggs Style Basics Banjo Workshop, 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Fiddle workshop at 12:30 p.m. Workshops are free with festival admission. Additional info at http://www.rivercitybluegrass.com/

January 15: Portland, OR : Bill teaches a Melodic Style Banjo workshop designed for players with one year or more of playing experience at the home of Claire Levine from 7 to 9:30 p.m. $40 fee. Advance registrations are recommended by contacting Claire at 503-282-0883 or clairell@aracnet.com. Melodic style banjo is a three-finger bluegrass banjo technique that relies upon scales rather than rolls and offers an exciting, contemporary complement to Scruggs style. Melodic style allows you to play fiddle tunes note-for-note and also opens up improvisational possibilities. In this workshop, Bill will unlock the secrets of understanding how melodic style works. You’ll learn how to use melodic style in different keys, how to use it up and down the neck and how to combine it with Scruggs style to add new possibilities to your playing, whatever your experience level. Tab examples will be presented, including licks and complete fiddle tunes. Video/audio recording is encouraged.

January 17: Seattle, WA: Bill Evans teaches two banjo workshops at Dusty Strings, 3406 Fremont Ave. N. Bill teaches "Earl Scruggs Essentials" from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and "Unlocking Melodic and Single-String Styles" from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. $35 each or $60 for both sessions. Also, join Bill and Megan as they lead a Dusty Strings free jam session for bluegrass instrumentalists and singers from 4 to 5:45 p.m. designed to leave no one player in the dust! For more info phone 206-634-1662 or visit http://www.dustystrings.com/shop/index.shtml

January 18: Bellingham, WA: Bill teaches the Secrets of Melodic and Single-String Styles. Bill analyzes contemporary melodic and single-string approaches, picking apart the right- and left-hand essentials in a way that will enable you to quickly and fluently begin to use these techniques to enhance your own playing. This is an ideal session for those who are new to these approaches as well as those who want to develop a deeper understanding of these styles. Advance registrations are recommended. Contact Len Helfgott at 360-647-0203 or leonard.helfgott@wwu.edu to reigster and for directions.

January 19: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Workshops and concert!! Bill teaches the Secrets of Melodic and Single-String Styles (see description above). Advance registration is recommended by contacting Jay Buckwold at jbuckwold@telus.net or phone 604-737-0270. Bill and Megan then play an evening concert at The Anza Club, 3 West 8th Avenue, 8 p.m., sponsored by the Pacific Bluegrass and Heritage Society. Tickets $20 general public, $18 for Society members.

February 14: San Francisco, CA: Bill teaches a Melodic Style Banjo Workshop as part of the San Francisco Bluegrass and Old Time Festival at the Swedish American Music Hall, 2174 Market Street. Jams, band scrambles, exhibitors and more are scheduled for this all day event. Workshop is from 11:00 to 12:30 p.m. $30 fee. Workshop description above. For additional information and registration, contact Dave Zimmerman at dzim@thepicksf.com or 415-215-6470 or visit http://www.sfbluegrass.org/

March 20-22: High Springs, FL: Bill teaches at the Suwanee Banjo Camp at O'Leno State Park. Bluegrass instructors include Bill Keith, Scott Anderson and Janet Davis. For additional info, visit http://www.suwanneebanjocamp.com/

March 27-28: Kitty Hawk, NC: Bill Evans teaches workshops and performs at the Outer Banks Music Showcase Theatre. Bill will be teaching banjo workshop sessions for beginning and intermediate levels with Richie Dotson. Workshops will run Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. $95 for banjo workshop. Contact Richie at 757-613-9627 or banjoteacher@cox.net to sign up and for more information.

I'll also be playing lots of concerts in these same locations, at just about the same time. Visit www.nativeandfine.com and click on the "Schedule" link for all of the exciting details.

Keep on pickin' and keep the homefires burning this winter!

All the best,

Bill Evans

www.nativeandfine.com
www.myspace.com/billevansandmeganlynch
www.myspace.com/billevansstringsummit
www.nativeandfinerecords.com

Edited by - bevans on 01/02/2009 18:14:06

Banjocoltrane - Posted - 01/02/2009:  18:26:16

Thanks for yet another Advertisement Bill....got anything to offer the hangout other than workshop announcements?

Edited by - Banjocoltrane on 01/02/2009 18:26:40

Sheldon - Posted - 01/02/2009:  18:58:58

Bill is doing us a favor by letting us know where/when he is going to be.
If there is any way to get to one of Bill's workshops . . . . DO IT.
Thumb a ride, catch a freight, or crawl, it is well worth the effort.

Thanks for the inspiration, Jody.

Sheldon

Edited by - Sheldon on 01/03/2009 09:48:19

Richie Dotson - Posted - 01/02/2009:  21:01:02

I'll be there!

Richie Dotson
Craftsman, Teacher
www.BanjoResource.com
(757) 613-9627

jpoulette - Posted - 01/03/2009:  04:32:43

Jody, c'mon man - you didn't have your prunes today did you....?

I live my imaginary banjo life precariously through Bill's schedule!! "I'm happy - don't ruin it".

Bill - sorry I missed you in Boston - my bad!



Stuff I''m "still" working on

country frank - Posted - 01/03/2009:  08:53:02

Bill is an inspirational teacher and a fantastic banjo player.

Wish i could be there.

Proud Union Man

Regards from London.

http://www.myspace.com/thehangingropesuk

bevans - Posted - 01/03/2009:  09:27:59

Hi Jody and everyone,

I appreciate the feelings behind your comment, Jody (BanjoColtrane). I do not want to overstep any of the rules that Eric has established here on Banjo Hangout and I'm really grateful for all of the work that he's done to create this website. I'm also grateful for the community that we've all worked to create here.

This is a tough economy out there right now and if it wasn't for websites like BHO that allow me to do this essentially free marketing, I don't know if I could hang in there trying to do what I do. I certainly don't want to be an annoyance to anyone but I'm not sure how I can get the word out in a way that I can afford otherwise. Luckily, you can overlook a thread that's not of interest - that's the great thing about this format.

Big name artists have other people do their marketing for them. I'm not in a position to do that but I'm not complaining - I'm actually thankful to be in direct contact with so many people who love the five-string banjo. I wake up every morning thankful for getting the chance to do what I do, but I also work very, very hard. My wife will testify to this!

Jody, I note from your bio that you're 30 and you're already teaching folks. I'm sure you play out in your area too. That's fantastic! I'm 52 and I've been playing professionally since I was about 14. My attitude towards life is a lot different now that I'm in my fifties than it was when I was thirty. I've got kids to try and put through college, big bills to pay related to my family, some of them health related, and there's also the realization that I might not be able to do this forever. You get these thoughts when you're in your fifties. You're allowed not to worry about this for a while at your age!

Maybe you've already got a family and you're thinking about these things too. If so, fantastic! I love teaching and I love playing but I'm also at the point in my life where I have to take things pretty seriously. And this economy has made touring and workshops all the more challenging - attendance has been down this fall at many events by about half.

So, there you have it. If you'd like, I'd be more than happy to start contributing to more threads on various topics. Sometimes I deliberately stay out of certain discussions because someone with more knowledge than me has already said something that I essentially agree with. I don't like to use this forum to argue aesthetics (who's best, etc). I see it as a way to help folks.

All the best to you and to everyone on BHO. Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Bill

www.nativeandfine.com
www.myspace.com/billevansandmeganlynch
www.myspace.com/billevansstringsummit
www.nativeandfinerecords.com

Edited by - bevans on 01/03/2009 09:28:18

chickenpickin - Posted - 01/03/2009:  10:08:36

Bill,
I have enjoyed your AcuTab instructional dvd,s very much. Best money I have ever spent concerning the banjo. I appreciate what you do and understand that you have to look at it from a business stand point because that's what brings home the bacon. I can also see that you do it because you love the music and it's "in your blood" as they say.

The way I look at it.......when you post here on the Hangout for your workshops, you are contributing to the banjo community. Someone may read the post and find that you are holding a worshop in or close to where they live and by attending can without a doubt come away with some knowledge that they didn't have before. In fact I don't see how anyone could not attend your workshop or buy a dvd and not learn something from it.

I think it would be great to have you come to Western North Carolina and do a workshop. I'm sure Blue Ridge Music store here in Asheville would work with you on setting that up. I think it would bring in a good number of pickers from here and surrounding area's.
Best wishes, and I hope 2009 will be a good year for us all.

Tim


Happy Pickin'' from the Chicken

harold saxton - Posted - 01/03/2009:  10:16:44

Hi Bill,
My congratulations to you for such a well written explanation. Hopefully Banjocoltrane will understand where you are coming from. I certainly do and I'm sure the majority of people here on The Hangout do also. I want to add, that I am very grateful for the work you do. Also many of my banjo playing friends feel the same as I do. One has to ignore the immaturity of some folks. Sounds like a little professional jealousy to me. Keep up what you have been doing and good luck to you. Harold Saxton
A fan and friend.

bevans - Posted - 01/03/2009:  11:33:47

Thanks everyone for your input and there's no hard feelings here at all - I really do understand where Jody's coming from and I know that he spends a lot of time contributing valuable stuff here on BHO. I'll make a resolution and try and do more of this myself - thanks for the kick in the butt, man!

Tim - I'm going to be in Asheville for a concert on Friday, February 6th and it will probably be at the Blue Ridge Music Store! Oops...another advertisement! Check out my Schedule at www.nativeandfine.com for details or read the latest blog on my BHO homepage. There's no time for workshops in Asheville on this upcoming trip.

All the best,

Bill




www.nativeandfine.com
www.myspace.com/billevansandmeganlynch
www.myspace.com/billevansstringsummit
www.nativeandfinerecords.com

Edited by - bevans on 01/03/2009 11:34:39

bellflower - Posted - 01/03/2009:  18:49:24

quote:

---

Originally posted by Richie Dotson

I'll be there!

Richie Dotson
Craftsman, Teacher
www.BanjoResource.com
(757) 613-9627

---

obxpix - Posted - 01/04/2009:  16:07:08

The official announcement, details,and registrations are coming soon!! It will be a totally new format, with different groups at different levels with 3 of the top professional pickers-teachers in the business...there will also be 2 separate concerts, one on Friday evening, and another different on Saturday evening with some of the best bluegrass music and banjo picking there is!!

Ricky Skaggs/Jim Mills
For President 2008