PAT  FLYNN

 

 

Warming up a favorite mandolin at a gathering in Estill Springs, TN - 2011

Performing with a group of singers at a gathering of family and friends
in Estill Springs, TN - 2011

 

 

World-class guitarists are few indeed! One who stands alone for talent, versatility, range, and complete comfort in any number of musical styles is Pat Flynn. Once a member of the legendary New Grass Revival, along with Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, and John Cowan, Flynn continues to perform, record, and work steadily with young and upcoming musicians in the Nashville, TN, area.

 

A recent online radio broadcast of "Bluegrass Breakdown" with Dave Higgs on WPLN 90.3 (www.wpln.org) in Nashville featured a great 20-minute one-on-one with Pat Flynn. The subjects and the selections were taken from the final CD of Flynn's three-album trilogy called "reQuest,," "reVision," and "reNew". (www.patflynnmusic.com)

 

Higgs began the music from Flynn's "reNew" album with some great flat-top traditional songs in tribute to everybody's guitar hero, Doc Watson: "Little Rock Getaway" and "I Don't Love Nobody".

 

The title track on "reNew" is called "Kingdom Come". It has that 'newgrass' feel for which Flynn is easily recognized. He and Higgs discussed Chris Hillman's "Eight Miles High," mentioning that it was a monster hit until the song was labeled as a 'drug song' and stations began to drop it. Can you remember "Puff the Magic Dragon" which was popularized by Peter, Paul and Mary? The reputations of the two songs were much the same; however, through the years, the songs began to stand on their own merits.

 

And then there is reggae and the song "Change Yourself". Reggae? Now you're kidding, right? No sir! New Grass Revival wandered into Bob Marley territory without apologizing to anybody. Flynn went on to mention that at the time, Bela Fleck had not known anything about reggae. It didn't take Bela long to figure it out. "Change Yourself" is bluegrass done reggae-style.

 

You can find Pat Flynn's music at the usual online locations or at his website. You can actually find Pat himself on tour with Leon Russell when he's not working on a new project or giving of his time and talents to the students at Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN.

 

Further information:  www.patflynnmusic.com

 

Pick away!

Betty





 

 

Scenes in and around the Collierville

Historic Town Square  

Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Jams

 

 

       Lest we be accused of repeating ourselves here, let me say that some photos are just so sweet/cute/fun that we may have shown a few pictures in a previous blog or two. Writer's prerogative, you know.

 

        We are having a splendid summer at the Square. You can easily see that. July gave us some splendid weather which nobody expected. Wasn't it wonderful? August? Well, she is turning out to be August as usual--hot and humid with popup thunderstorms. It is what it is. All we need is YOU!

 

        The indoor scenes are from the first-Sunday-of-the-month County Line Old-Time Jam. The jam takes place at St. Andrew's Church just off the Square on Walnut Street. The church sits on the corner of Walnut and Mulberry Streets. Hours of the jam are 2:00-4:00 PM Central time. Drop by and pick a tune with the jammers. It's strictly acoustic...and almost strictly old-time.

 

 

 

An adoring fan

Adoring fan heading for stardom

Warming up for a great night of pickin'

Bruce and Daisy (Coley at left)

Jam moving into high gear

Bobby in foreground -- Bob and Kathy from Clarksville stopped by

Old-Time Jam with Lee, Bill, Nancy, and Marshall

Old-Time Jam with Lee, Marxhall, Judy, Janice and Donna

Old-Time Jam with Nancy, Marshall, Judy, Janice, Donna and Bill

Old-Time Jam with Lee, Bill, and Nancy (Valerie behind Lee)

Old-Time Jam with Marshall and Judy

 

Gazebo Jam with Bob, Joe, Jeanette, Chris and Frank

Gazebo Jam with Jeff, Bob, and Joe

Gazebo Jam with Robert the roving guitarist and three great harmony friends

Sidewalk Jam with Marilyn and Coley

Sidewalk Jam with Marilyn, Coley, and Bobby

Sidewalk Jam with Marilyn, Coley, Bobby, and Joe and appreciative fans

 

Collierville Historic Town Square Jam

 

July 25, 2014

 

 

 

     People often ask us how and why we do what we do on Friday nights at the Collierville, TN, Historic Town Square. That's an easy one! We do it for the dedicated musicians and fans who have been coming to the Square for 15 years! Word-of-mouth has taken care of the huge numbers of folks we see each Friday evening. It's different every week. We never can tell who will show up to play or to just enjoy the music. That's the beauty of the thing! That, and the fact that it's all free entertainment! Such a deal!

 

       We have folks of all ages--little tykes to tykes with a little snow on the roof. We have pets and passers-by of all descriptions. We love all of them.

 

       Here are some photos filled with fond memories and some fresh-made memories. Enjoy the little tour. Come on out and join us 'til mid-October, when we will go indoors to Collierville United Methodist Church, 454 W. Poplar (around back at the Common Cup Coffee Shop). We pick the year 'round.

 

     Pick away!

       Betty

 

Remembering Missy, our devoted regular four-legged fan. We shall miss Missy!

Loosening up the fingers and tuning the ol' instruments

Playing, watching, or just visiting--all are enjoying this!

Future bluegrass musician developing his technique

Players and fans enjoying the jam in the park





 

 

COUNTY LINE OLD-TIME JAM

 



St. Andrew's Church on Walnut Street

 

Collierville, TN

 

July 6, 2014

 

The County Line Old-Time Jam at St. Andrew's Church in Collierville, TN, takes place each month on the first Sunday. The jam is all-acoustic and mostly old-time. An occasional bluegrass tune does crop up. The jam welcomes all players and visitors! Contact Lee Cagle for further information:  Lee@LeeCagleDulcimers.com.

 

Don't forget the Memphis Dulcimer Gathering & Folk Festival on September 19 and 20, 2014, at 2nd Baptist Church at 4680 Walnut Grove Road. The festival offers an instructor concert, classes with skilled instructors, merchandise, lunch (pre-order or bring a sack lunch), jammin' and more. Contact Lee Cagle or visit www.leecagledulcimers.com or call 901-877-7763 for registration and general information about the Festival.

 

On a recent Sunday afternoon, we stopped by the jam rather late to listen to the acoustic sounds we enjoy. We heard the following songs:  Twilight a-Stealin', Waterbound, Crawdad Song, Elk River Blues, Down the River, Colored Aristocracy, Over the Waterfall, and Kentucky Waltz.

 

L to R: Bill Erskine, Hilary Scheel, Lee Cagle, Janice Bird, Marshall Brown, Donna Gray

L to R: Hilary Scheel, Lee Cagle, Janice Bird, Marshall Brown, Judy Brown, Karl Gray, Donna Gray

L to R: Hilary Scheel, Lee Cagle, Janice Bird, Marshall Brown, Judy Brown, Bill Erskine

L to R: Karl Gray, Donna Gray, Valerie Gray

There are literally thousands more songs in the old-time genre. Here are more songs we have enjoyed at previous County Line Old-Time Jams. Perhaps you remember some of these:  John Brown's March, Sail Away Ladies, The Water Is Wide, The L & N Don't Stop Here Anymore, Ramshackle Shack, Soldier's Joy, Fair and Tender Ladies, Hard Times, Jesus and Me, Natasha's Waltz, My Window Faces the South, The One I Love Is Gone, Memories of Mother and Dad, By and By We're Goin' to See the King, Angelina Baker, Ashokan Farewell, Redwing, Red-Haired Boy, Whiskey Before Breakfast, Jordan Am a Hard Road to Travel, There'll Be No Church Tonight, Unknown Waltz, Blackberry Blossom, New River Train, West Virginia My Home, Dark Hollow, The Memphis Yodel, All the Good Times Are Past and Gone, My Better Years, Hole in the Bottom of the Sea, Darlin' Nellie, Bury Me Beneath the Willow, Cannonball Blues, Swallowtail Jig, Shenandoah, God Gave Noah the Rainbow Sign, and Catfish John.

 

Pick away!



 

 

Happy Father's Day

 

June 15, 2014

 

 

Bob Westmoreland (1902-1981) was my Pop! I hope you will remember your father in your own special way--today and every day! Pop was the best! Not perfect, but the best as far as I was concerned. Here we are in Nashville in what I have called "The Big Freeze of '51".  We kids got out of school for what seemed like forever! You can see Pop and me enjoying the deep snow. Check out his pipe in his left hand. Granger Rough-Cut pipe tobacco was his favorite. It nearly choked Mama and me, but he loved it! And he loved us!

 

 

Bob also loved sports from an early age. At Union University in the '20s, he was a standout athlete in football, basketball, and baseball. The beautiful hand-drawn background of this amazing award is evidence that he was a serious threat at tackle, and he was honored to be selected to the Union University All-Time Football Team. In basketball, his underhand free throw couldn't be matched! In my effort to find others who might have been honored at that ceremony in Jackson, TN, I realized that nobody there even remembered that Union University ever had a football team! How time does change things!



 

Regardless of how you choose to remember your dad on his special day, just remember his sacrifices in wartime, on the job, or in whatever was presented as a challenge. Pick a bluegrass song for Dad--there are many from which to choose. Whether or not he is still with you, he will always be in your life.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Mother's Day

 

May 11, 2014

 

Cleo Bailey 1923

Cleo Westmoreland 1973

 Happy Mother's Day to all mothers everywhere. You were tireless in your efforts to rear your children. You denied yourselves so that your children could have more. You defended your family at every turn. You loved us unconditionally. We thank you and we love you.

This Mother's Day, pick and sing a bluegrass song about Mother. If you are fortunate enough to still have your mother, call her or send her an e-mail. Even a text will do. Let her know you care.

 

Collierville, TN, Scenes and Last Winter Jam

Before We Return to the Historic Town Square

 

April 4, 2014

 

 

Town clock, monument, spring tulips -- the landscape team works really hard!

Mural depicting life in Collierville and water tower

Jammers pickin' a few more in the Common Cup Coffee Shop before the move to the Town Square

Sharin' the news and spinnin' tales

L to R: Victoria, Marilyn, Coley, Nancy (Cleve at desk)

View of jammers from the kitchen at the Common Cup Coffee Shop

Marilyn, Coley, a singing visitor, and Nancy

Miss Ellen and her entourage--They say she is 97 years old but we can't believe it! We LOVE Miss Ellen!

 

The COLLIERVILLE HISTORIC TOWN SQUARE BLUEGRASS & OLD-TIME MUSIC JAM wishes to thank the pastor, congregation, and everyone associated with Collierville United Methodist Church for a wonderful indoor season of music and fun. The jam returns to downtown Collierville, TN, on April 11 2014, for our 15th spring-summer-fall of wonderful music and great gatherings with family and friends. Get out the lawn chairs and the picnic baskets!

All are welcome. We are ALL-ACOUSTIC.  Just remember the basic rules of civility: No drugs, no alcohol, no personal agendas (religious or political), no personal sales or business conducted, no amplifiers, keep pets on leashes and clean up after them, monitor children at all times, and clean up around your area before you leave the square each time.

We will return to Collierville United Methodist Church once again in mid-October.

See YOU at the Square! Celebrate our 15th birthday with us!

Pick away!
Betty