Chinese New Years Eve

There's a great article in the Mountain Xpress about the Chinese New Year's Jam Fest in Negril, Jamaica. It's been on our (Black Betty and mine) radar for a while. We can't make it this year but are hoping for 2010. The line up is totally ass-kickin' and I'm envious of any who get to attend.
The dates this year are Saturday, Jan. 24-Saturday, Jan. 31.


Check out the article by Alli Marshall here: http://www.mountainx.com/ae/2008/123108any_reason_for_the_season_the_other_new_year

From the Chinese New Year website:

We believe that travel can lead to a deeper understanding of cultures and
philosophies different from our own. The intention of the celebration is to do
what we can with what we have to build a culture of peace and community through
travel, music, arts, and play to set a positive tone for the New Year.

http://www.chny.org/

Merry Christmas

"Oh Shit, It's Christmastime" from Asheville's Mad Tea Party.




Here's Ami Worthen's Blog http://ukulelerockstar.wordpress.com/

What a show!

Bobby Lee Rogers and Caroline Pond

Photo by Vincent Tseng

Man, I am really sorry that I missed the jam at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta last Friday night. The Keel Family Holiday show featured Larry Keel, Bobby Lee Rogers, Caroline Pond, David Blackmon, and Tony Rice among others.

Don't you know it was a dream show!

I can only hope someone taped it..........

Caroline Pond's Blog here: http://carolinepond.wordpress.com/

Great interview with Bobby Lee Rogers here:

http://www.connectsavannah.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A11806

The Sons Of Ralph

The Mountain Xpress has once again named The Sons of Ralph as the Best Local Band: Folk/Old-Time/Bluegrass in Western North Carolina. This award for 2008 is the 8th time in the last 10 years that SOR have been awarded this distinction.

Ralph Lewis turned 80 this April and still jams out on mandolin with his sons, Marty Lewis on guitar and Donny Lewis on fiddle and banjo. Second cousin, Steve Mosely plays bass while drummer Ozzie Orengo rounds it out. Ralph hangs tough with the boys and they play everything from traditional and original bluegrass tunes to Grateful Dead covers, with an occasional Doors tunes thrown in, to shake things up.

They generally can be seen at the Jack of the Wood in Asheville every other Saturday night. They'll be there New Year's Eve, it is always a great show.

More info on the Sons of Ralph: http://www.sonsofralph.com/index.html

Southbounders on Springer Mountain

SOBOs on Springer: (top) Bookworm, One Gallon, Default, Beef, D-wreck, EKG, Flamebo; (bottom) Mountain Goat, Timber, Bearwalker [photo courtesy of Bookworm]

Congratulations to all the SOBOS (southbounders) who finished the 2176 mile Appalachian Trail hike this season from Mt. Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia.

This year a group of four girls (known collectively as the Vermont Mafia) made the journey, together. They maintained a blog about their hike, read about it here: http://5millionsteps.wordpress.com/2008/12/19/we-did-it/

Appalachian Tales

Lots of hikers met Hobo Dave this year on the Appalachian Trail. We heard stories up and down the trail about this poor, wasted individual who was out there trying to hike his own hike.
One particularly talented hiker went home and captured "the essence" of Hobo Dave in animation.
Here's the link to the 49 sec. videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByUjmlW35QI
It's well worth the watch.

Mountain Music Family Circus

This will be our third year ringing in the New Year with Larry Keel and friends at the Grey Eagle.

This is Asheville JamGrass at its very best, I can't wait to see who shows up to jam the night away with Larry, Big Daddy, and the gang.

It's always guaranteed to be the hottest NYE show in Asheville.

See The Grey Eagle website for more info:http://www.thegreyeagle.com/

The best part of thru hiking the Appalachian Trail this year was all the great people I met along the way.

Thru hikers Start, Rethinker, SiteSee, and Hometown on Mt. Katahdin, ME on Aug. 13, 2008.

"Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life." - -- Mark Twain

"I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I do not believe I deserved my friends." - -- Walt Whitman