Kansas Acoustic Arts Association

With the dog days of summer upon us, I’m sure that many of you are gearing up for the Walnut Valley Festival. At this writing, I’m told there are already 140+ campers in line to get in line--- kinda mind bogglin’, huh!?!? We are truly creatures of comfort!

I know it is impossible to get out to every event you would like to but I hope you got out to some of the great acoustic shows that have been happening this summer. If you went to any new to you events we would like to hear all about them.

I attended the Woody Guthrie Free Folk Festival for the first time this summer. A great lineup: Arlo Guthrie, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Josh White Jr., Jimmy La Fave, Vance Gilbert, and Pete Seeger. There were a number of great ladies performing too: Darcie Deville, Emily Kaitz, Mary Reynolds. Not too mention all those fantastic Red Dirt pickers, Red Dirt Rangers, Tom Skinner, Larry Spears, Owen Lynn.

During the heat of the day, you could find great music downtown at the Crystal Theater, the Brick Street Café and Lou’s Rocky Road Tavern. At the tavern out back on the shaded patio you could listen to singer/songwriters from all over on the open mic stage, all while sitting in the biggest porch swing I ever had the privilege of swingin’ in! The Brick St. Café was a great place to cool off but the music was to-o-o-o hot!! Fiddlin’ Phenoms Randy Crouch and Wes Gasaway shook the place up both Fri. and Sat. afternoons. Evenings brought us all out to the Pastures of Plenty stage for evenings full of great music, laughter and fellowship.

The highlight of the whole weekend, though, was the almost two hours we were fortunate enough to get to spend visiting with Pete Seeger on the lawn at the Okhema Public Library! But that is a story in itself!

Media Specialist for the festival Debbie Spears said, “This is the biggest crowd we have ever had!” We met folks from Hawaii, Portland, Maine; Oxford, England; and Gerry, a Woody Guthrie fan and fun songwriting Scotsman from Ireland! My traveling companions and I had a great time, hope to see this festival continue to grow, and can’t wait to go back next year, hoping to take some of you with us!

Meanwhile back on the home front, word from the boys in Medicine finger is that they are making progress on their CD project and hope to have it ready for release right after the first of the new year.

The New KAAA Compilation CD is nearing completion soon. We will be looking at a release date in the next couple of months.

Pat and Juanita have been serving up some great music too. Had the opportunity to hear an old friend there recently. Mike Knapic is back in the area and performing again. He is also making some very beautiful autoharps that sound great! Be sure to catch him next time he’s around!

Speaking of the Artichoke, the 2nd annual Fish Fry will be held on Sept. 27. KAAA will be having an auction and open mic. Music will start at 5 PM and signups will be on a first come first serve basis so be early! Also, we welcome all donations to the auction. We have a lot of very talented members who traditionally have contributed some fantastically cool stuff!

With summer wrapping up and another season of change upon us you’ll be seeing some new things happening, starting with this publication. If you have ideas, stories, reviews, anything you would like to contribute, we welcome all.

All our favorite acoustic haunts are also gearing up for a new season so be sure to check out the calendar of events and see what’s happening! Remember we are here for you so-o-o send us your “notes on what’s happenin’ behind the strings”.


Peace
Dulcie