Man how the time does fly!

Darron, nine weeks and counting to the next Durango Bluegrass Meltdown… 

April 19, 20, & 21, 2013 in Durango, Colorado
http://www.durangomeltdown.com/2013-lineup/

Larry Gillis and Hard Driving Swampgrass
James Reams and the Barnstormers
Bluegrass 101
Jeff Scroggins and Colorado
When Long Road Home
Steel Pennies
Kantankerous
Sand Sheff Trio
The Colorado College Bluegrass Ensemble
Sweetwater String Band
{the one and only world famous} Bar D Wranglers
Wild Mountain
Waiting On Trial *
Bluegrass Cadillac
Missionary Ridge {recently brewed at the Durango’s own Brewing Company - during hot weekly jam session}
The Scrugglers. 
The Blue Moon Ramblers ~ a Durango tradition.
Sugar Creek
Whispers of the North

Since the dude that’s run the Greenroom (musician’s/volunteer’s relaxing room, buffet-line, couple keggers, back area for warming up) has moved out of the area, I’m stepping up.  And looking forward to it… ya know my two decades in restaurants and banquets during the younger half of my life was fun.  Nothing like slamming and everything working like clock work.  And volunteering for these folks past few years I’ve loved being able to mesh with the Strater Hotel Kitchen (Past years I’ve volunteered as the runner between the kitchen & the GR food line) - which is going balls to the wall with their own scene - I’ve enjoyed understanding what’s happening; how to move around and accomplish what I need to; while knowing the etiquette and staying out of their way; gaining their respect and everything… running smooth as a sweet babe’s butt.  Love that stuff.

So now me, the semi-recluse, is going to have to run around to over a dozen restaurants and coordinate the food donations and then later make sure the Greenroom runs smooth.  Fortunately the Meltdown has been going on for years so it’s not like I gotta sell anyone - just coordinate and be there.  But it’ll be a trip, considering I been around since ‘79, well the Durango banana-belt since ‘86 so it’ll be a lot of old faces and memories.  And oh jeez some of us have aged… i just got a passport picture made and it was like ouch, fortunately, my gal thinks I look great so i won’t worry about it.    Ah, but I digress.

I know you were thinking about it last year. . .
*
Come on by!  I’ll buy you a beer and a good scotch.   
and there’s a fancy cigar shop down the street.

Ah hell   didn’t mean to sound so selective…
I invite all you old timers!

I’m sure this has been answered somewhere on these boards before… Do you both play? If so, what instrument(s) do you gents play?

I’ll definitely need to look into the works of all the folks listed in the OP.

Take care,

Derek

  no…

BUT, my dad was a heck of a musician,  used to get razed by his disapproving dad as “the shit house composer” because he had to hide to write music.  My mom’s apprenticeship was in a ( Sheet ! ) music store.  Later my dad even played chello in the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, (contrabass when he did jazz… Hammond Organ when he moonlighted as a soloist at them snazzy dinner restaurants of old) that would have been in the late 60s, so we grew up in a home with classical and jazz playing all the time.  We often visited the Grant Park concert shell for programs and concert hall concerts also.  Then… suddenly the Beatles showed up, so that was constantly playing outside the home too.

At one point or another my dad sent all of us kids (back then four of us) to piano lessons and none of us had the spark, nor did our surprise baby.  Must have been a little bit of a heart breaker for the man.  Interestingly our ‘baby’s’ daughter has grown up to sing like a pro and has starred in a number of small city stage musicals. 

Listening, appreciating, dancing when the music grabs me, that I’m good at.    And that’s why I’m in charge of food and not the music     Hey, but long long ago I was step-dad for three years to a toddler/young kid that grew up to, (besides becoming a great friend) learned to rip it up on mandolin, electric guitar and base; the one and only Tarzano [ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tarzano/206227149422205?sk=info ] At least my dad got to listen to him and Blackhoney rock the house during his last few years. {considering he used to hate that rock’n roll music, it was fun to see}

Any old Chicago people out there remember the Golden Ox?

I won’t be able to make this one because of my school schedule, but I am seriously thinking of going to the Chama Music Festival this year. I have some time off between semesters in June.

DarronS - 15 March 2013 08:51 AM

I won’t be able to make this one because of my school schedule, but I am seriously thinking of going to the Chama Music Festival this year. I have some time off between semesters in June.

Next year than, you can only put it off so long - and I don’t mean to dis Chama, but it ain’t the Durango scene. 

And OK their steam train is pretty cool, but it ain’t the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gage RR. 
 

Next year. Not definite yet, but it is on my short list. I need to ride that train, and good music is always an attraction.

DarronS - 15 March 2013 05:51 PM

Next year. Not definite yet, but it is on my short list. I need to ride that train, and good music is always an attraction.

Cool!  The good lord wil’n I’ll still be around. 

Don’t get me wrong about Chama, it’s a fun place, I’ve heard good things about their festival, and OK a great little train too, - in fact, I think their train actually reaches a higher elevation… but the San Juan Mtns and the destination of Silverton is in a class of it’s own.

I find it sorta appropriate that I wind up in an area that has no grand traditional sports rivalry with anyone, but we got a Narrow Gage Steam Train rivalry baby.