FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- 11/20/10

Morgan Arts Council • Berkeley Springs, WV
www.macicehouse.org
PRESS CONTACT -- Mary Hott
304-258-2300

PHOTOS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

  

2nd annual Roots Music concert at Ice House

BERKELEY SPRINGS, WV ---- The Morgan Arts Council continues its 
showcasing of local "roots" music with its second annual concert at 
the Ice House on Saturday, November 27 at 7:30pm. More than a dozen 
musicians are scheduled to perform "roots" music from country and 
bluegrass to gospel. Noted musician, Joe Herrmann, hosts the evening.

Among the musicians performing at the event are several returning from 
the 2009 concert as well as several new ones. "The roots keep 
spreading," said Jeanne Mozier, part of MAC's Back to Our Roots 
planning team. "Thanksgiving weekend seems to be the perfect time for 
presenting this type of traditional, family style music."

New to this year's concert are the Sanders Sisters. A three-party 
harmony group, the sisters -- Linda Caldwell, Carol Chaney and Cathy 
DeLawder -- have been performing since childhood. Like all the Morgan 
County roots musicians, they can trace their musical passion back to 
their family. "We joke that we could sing before we could talk," said 
Cathy. The girls performed on local radio with their parents and 
other family members as the Morgan Gospelaires and evenings at home 
were often spent playing music with friends and neighbors. "Dad was a 
fiddler and my mom played the pump organ, "said Cathy. The sisters 
have been performing professionally for more than six years. "We all 
read music, but prefer to sing harmony by ear," she said. Their 
musical repertoire includes a wide range of types from rockabilly to 
gospel. They have released one CD and are working on a second.

"We wanted to focus some attention on gospel music since many local 
roots musicians started their playing in church," said Mozier. "It's 
such a treat to have the Sanders Sisters singing country gospel at the 
concert." For this event, the trio will be backed up by Dave Moore 
who is also a newcomer to the roots concert series.

Moore, a well-known figure in the world of rockabilly, has created a 
new band that will debut at this concert. The Hayride Trio includes 
Mike Colyer from the country swing band, The Tonehounds, and Strawback 
Slim, an upright slap bass playee, as well as Moore. A collector of 
early bluegrass and rockabilly materials, Moore is also bringing a 
display of vintage band clothing and instruments from the 1930s. Dave 
Moore traces his music roots to his father, Paul Moore, who had The 
BAR M Boys, a 1930s string band. Moore the elder was a regular at the 
famous Watermelon Park performances in Berryville, VA.

Jim Fleegle is returning with his band, “All Grassed Up." They were 
popular performers at both last year's roots concert and the summer 
concert series. "They’re sounding spectacular," said Mary Hott, MAC's 
Executive Director, "with tight vocals and a contemporary bluegrass 
sound." The Fleegles, who span several state lines in the region, are 
one of the most prominent members of MAC's Musical Family Trees exhibit.

With the changing patterns of family and community life, young 
musicians are less likely to follow the roots music path of learning 
at home by playing with their parents and families. Roots music is 
still being transmitted however by teachers like Joe Herrmann. In 
addition to his duties as host, Herrmann is performing and has invited 
his students to play with him. "It's just a more contemporary form of 
family circle," said Herrmann.

"We have several invitations still out," said Hott, "so there may be 
some surprise guests on Saturday night."

The concert is part of MAC's Music Census project that is sponsored by 
Washington Homeopathic Products. Tickets may be reserved by calling 
MAC at 304-258-2300 or going online at www.macicehouse.org. The Ice 
House is located at Independence and Mercer in downtown Berkeley 
Springs. The concert is funded in part by the West Virginia 
Commission on the Arts and county hotel taxes.