Allegheny Echoes
It’s time to register for the 16th annual Allegheny Echoes Summer Workshops at Marlinton, WV.
This summer’s session runs from June 24th through the 29th, and once again participants will be
staying in the Marlinton Motor Inn. The $50 discount fee for registering before June 1 still
applies this year, so don’t be late with your sign-up forms.
Several changes have been made to this year’s lineup of instructor’s. For the second year in a row, AE is offering bluegrass Dobro, taught this summer by Pat Walker. Pat is a multi-instrumentalist from Charleston, WV, who specializes in Dobro. The bluegrass section has several other changes. Dan Wilson, an AE master in the past, returns to teach bluegrass banjo. Dan continues a family tradition with his banjo playing, following in his grandfather’s and father’s footsteps. His main influences have been Earl Scruggs, Don Reno, Ralph Stanley and Doug Dillard, among others. Chris Nickell will be a familiar face to many long-time AE participants, Chris, who plays with Richard Hefner’s Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys, returns after an absence of several years to teach bluegrass guitar. Chris plays a hard-driving style of guitar, both in rhythm and flat picking. Brandon Shuping is back for a second year, teaching bluegrass mandolin, and Charlie Walden, a long-time favorite, will teach bluegrass fiddle once again.
Among other differences to this year’s program, David O’Dell returns after an absence of several years to teach a class in mountain dulcimer. Robert Shafer also comes back, teaching a course in swing guitar. Ben Townsend of Romney, WV, is a newcomer to AE and will teach beginning old-time banjo. Ben is a member of two bands, the Fox Hunt and Old Sledge, and has traveled across the country and to foreign lands to spread the joyful sound of old-time music. Returning participants will recognize the other old-time instructors who have taught many times at Allegheny Echoes. For you newcomers, check them out elsewhere on this site. Collectively they have many decades of experience in playing old-time music. Each is a master of his or her instrument and is a first-class instructor.
After taking a break last summer, Sherrell Wigal will again lead the creative writing class. Sherrell has been featured at many events throughout West Virginia and the Appalachian region. She focuses on poetry and very short fiction. Again this summer, the writing class will join with the Pearl S. Buck Birthplace Foundation. Students will attend a foundation workshop and receive a tour of the Buck birthplace home and museum.
Also, Charlie Loudermilk and Junior Spencer, who have performed as masters ever session since Allegheny Echoes was founded in 1997, are scheduled to return.
Last summer’s AE workshops had a record 140 students. Continuing the commitment to keeping
the music alive through successive generations, AE awarded 50 youth scholarships.
Paul Little of Richmond, VA, once again built a guitar, a classical style this time,
that was auctioned to raise money for the scholarship fund. Also, Janice and Pat Shields,
who teaches old-time, back-up guitar, crafted a glazed, ceramic possum that was claimed by
Pat Plunkett after very heated bidding.
Did Pat buy it for her husband Charlie “Possum”
Walden? Regardless, the youth scholarship fund thanks her, too.
The 15th Summer Workshops drew students from coast-to-coast and from England, Among the states represented were California, Oregon, Texas, Ohio, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri, South Carolina, Iowa and, of course, West Virginia. The range in age of last summer’s students was impressive, the youngest was 7 and the oldest was just weeks shy of her 87th birthday.
In other matters, Jon Mosey, who has taught Piedmont-style finger picking guitar won’t be
able to return this summer. Jon was offered the chance to travel and play in Scandinavia,
which coincides with this summer’s AE.
Also, David Wells,
a professional
videographer from Lynchburg, VA, filmed the 2011 student and instructor’s concerts.
DVDs of both concerts are available. Some DVD copies remain from AE 2010,
which consists of various videos of jams, classes and other activities.
Contact BP_Cline@hotmail.com for information concerning the DVDs.
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