When I was a kid, it seems like every day was a summer day. Riding my bike, or running barefoot around the yard. my dad was playing bluegrass music inside on the turntable, lifting the needle to back up on a banjo break. play the break, back up , play it over and over and over again. I knew more about what Earl Scruggs was doing than Lester Flatt did I think. In those days, LP's were the norm, cassettes were first coming out I think. Then he tried putting them on a real slow speed, and tuning the banjo down a half an octave to figure things out.

My first live show of real big performers was I think around 1971 or 1972. Ralph Stanley was to be playing in New Haven CT, about two hours away from us. We tried to get as close as possible to see what he was doing with that Clinch mountain backstep. It was Ralph Stanley, Jack Cooke, Curley Ray Cline, (probably Junior Blankenship), Ricky Skaggs, and Keith Whitley. quite a show to an audience of about twenty people. In those days it was not uncommon to see a show with twenty people in the audience.

We witnessed that Ralph really did have only three finger picks on, and Curley Ray was quite a dancer, and a wonderful performer that really loved what he was doing. We had the best seats in the house, at $8 apiece, you do the math.

After the show, we went to a family style diner for some supper. After sitting down at a table, in walks Ralph Stanley and all the band, getting a table right next to ours! I will never forget that night. We had dinner right next to Ralph Stanley, and Curley Ray was also a character off stage.

A few other shows come to mind in my early years of Bluegrass music. Del McCoury and the dixie pals, of which Dick Staber played mandolin. In later years, I got to know Dick, and jammed with him several times at his Ancram opera house in Ancram New York. What a nice man, who was never hesitant to show somebody something on the mandolin.

Later in 1976, there was a BIG bluegrass festival in Hillsdale-Ancram New York, called Berkshire mountains bluegrass festival. All the big guys were gonna be there that year; Bill Monroe, Ricky Skaggs, Don Stover, Jim and Jesse, Osborne brothers, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper ,Bill Kieth, and others.

It was amazing to see all this talent, and hear them just as I had been hearing on LP's and Cassettes. This was quite an eye opener to witness. Here is Bill Monroe with those huge hands playing the hell out of that little mandolin.

I bought a booklet that they had of all the performers, everyone I had been idolizing since I was about 6 years old. I was twelve years old now, and as shy as shy could be. My dad led me toward the back of the stage with my booklet in tow, to see if we could get an autograph. He went towards Ricky Skaggs and told him that we would like his autograph. He said "Come with me and I will get everybody to autograph your book." We made the rounds backstage, and then out to busses to obtain autographs. We got nearly everybody but Bill Monroe, he was our last stop. We carefully approached his bus and Ricky pounds on the door. "Bill, kid wants to meet you," he yells out. Inside somebody said something like "come in", and the door opens. Inside was Bill Monroe, Kenny Baker, Tater Tate, and I cannot remember the banjo picker at that time. Bill steps out of the bus in a tall and proud manner, over shadowing us all. This man was LARGE! we got his autograph, and my dad shyly says, "The kid wants to be a mandolin picker". Mister Monroe says to somebody inside the bus, "Gimmy my mandolin". Out comes the famous Loyd Loar Gibson F-5, and Monroe puts the strap around his shoulder. Here he gives me my first mandolin lesson. All business. "G" bark, bark, bark. "C" bark, bark, bark and so on, just barking out three or four chords rapidly, and very deliberately. Amazing to see Bill Monroe three feet away and hear that awesome mandolin bark out those chords. I will never forget that.

Later in the evening during what I assume was dinner break, we see Bill Monroe walking up near the chicken barbeque. My dad politely asks Mister Monroe if he could buy him dinner, and he gladly accepts his offer. He ate an entire two or three pound chicken, buns, and corn on the cob! This huge man could eat! He seemed larger than life, and I guess that he was larger than life. I still think so anyway.


Wonder and wait

To my dad 1932-1984

Today was the day that it hit me.

Never to play his music again.

He'll fish no more, his best days are over,

all he can do now is suffer.

Cancer has won, he's nearly done,

I mourn for him now, not later.

I ask my lord, to take him now,

for the point of his life has left him.

I watch and I care, wonder and wait,

for the end, it should be nearing.

Why is it this way, I ask him now,

that I see his pain and suffering?

He says you will see, wonder and wait,

for all will see the beauty.

Of life and death, for death is life

for both are truly everlasting.


Copyright ©2007 Stephen M Brandt, Sharon, CT