Kentucky Dance

Hi, On the left is my finished painting, Kentucky Dance. (Click to enlarge) The cabin is actually from Kernersville NC.

My only regret is there's no banjo in the painting- haha

Bluegrass Messengers Schedule March 2011

Hey everyone,

Here's the new schedule for March 2011. Come on out and see a show. Bring your friends!

The March 12 show will feature my students and other band members of my various bands.








BLUEGRASS MESSENGERS SCHEDULE



Friday March 4, 2011 8:00 Bistro 42; 6021 Timber Ridge Dr. Prospect, KY 40059 (502) 632-2552

Sun. March 6, 2011 at 6:00- 8:30 Bard's Town 1801 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40205 (corner of Bardstown Rd and Speed Avenue)

Thursday March 10, 8:00- 11:00 Gerstles 3801 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY info 502-742-8616

Sat. March 12, 2011 at 6:00 Heine Brother Coffee (Herr Lane) Westport Village (Other performers 7:00) Call (502)290-5090

Sat. March 13, 2011 at 3:00 (Private perf) Belmont Village Of St. Matthews; 4600 Bowling Blvd. Louisville, KY 40207

March 17, 2011 7:00- 10:00 Gerstle's (St. Patty's Day) 3801 Frankfort Ave Louisville, KY
March 18th, 2011 8:00- 10:30 Pirate's Cove Charleston IN

Sunday March 20, 2011 Epworth UMC (5:30 dinner/evening show 6:00) Louisville, KY

Fiddler Magazine article out: Clayton McMichen- Early Years

Hi,

On the left is my painting tribute to Clayton McMichen, "Pretty Little Widder." [click to enlarge]. The first part of my article Clayton McMichen: The early Years just came out in Fiddler Magazine. (Click to enlarge)





The article has interviews with Clayton's daughter Juanita (also Harry Bickle) and tells of his childhood, first band (Home Town Boys- with Lowe Stokes), up to the Skillet Lickers. It's a shortened version of my article which was about 25 pages long!! Hopefully they'll run the next part which features the last interview with Sim Byrant (who was 101 when I did a series of phone interviews with him), now deceased and the Louisville days with the Georgia Wildcats.

You can get info on picking up a copy from Fiddler Magazine:
http://www.fiddle.com/

McMichen moved to Louisville and was based here (in this area) for the rest of his life (around 1934 until 1970). He owned the Spring Street Bar and Grill a few houses away from my house on Spring St.

That's all for now,

Richard

Another Boring Night At Home

Hi,

Everyone thinks I have an exciting life- playing music, writing books, doing research on the origins of songs, writing articles, teaching, doing artwork, researching performance and the subconscious mind etc. etc. etc.

It's time to look at the other side of a bluegrass picker, my home life. Here's a photo (Click to enlarge) of the little lady serving up a fresh plate of vittles- she sure likes to cook!!

After cooking up a hearty dinner she like to relax on the couch fer a spell. Here's another photo (Click to enlarge) of her- she sure looks a bit peaked after laboring in the kitchen all evening over a hot stove. Whew!


She's a good little woman, she can knit and sew my britches. I just wish she'd keep her shoes off the furniture (Click to enlarge). Here I caught her putting her foot on a chair!



Nothing much going on at the Matteson house tonight, that's for sure. Y'all come back now. Come on in anytime and set a spell. She can rustle up some vittles and I'll pick you a tune on my guitar. Hope she can keep her feet off the furniture!

Richard

Performance & The Subconscious Mind

Hi,

On my DigiMusiCam blog
https://digimusicam.com/DigiMusiCam/wordpress/ I'm writing a series of articles about performance- how to perform and develop you ability to perform.

The latest series of blog articles are titled, "Performance & The Subconscious Mind." I've done an interview with Judy Rees from London and hope to line-up some other interviews from leaders in the science of the mind and how it works.

Again- you can check them out here:


https://digimusicam.com/DigiMusiCam/wordpress/


Till next time,

Richard Matteson

New 2011 Bluegrass Messenger Line-Up

Hi,

On the left is our new Bluegrass Messengers line-up:

(Click to Enlarge)

(Left to Right) Rob Mitchum (Mandolin) Roz Carothers (Fiddle) Richard Matteson (Guitar- Vocals) Roger Miller (Banjo- Vocals) Jim Zils (Electric- Stand-up Bass) Mike Grissom (Dobro)

We've got some talent and more than that we love playing music. We have about two sets of songs and we are working on new songs that we will be adding shortly.

For info email me at Richiematt@aol.com

We'll be playing around Louisville. Our next gig is Feb. 12, 6:00 pm at Heine Brothers Coffee on Herr Lane in Westport Village.

Come on out and set a spell,

Richard

Sleepy Marlin Dies

Hi,

The great fiddler Sleepy Marlin, who was featured in an article I wrote for Old-Time Hearld last May/June, died last night- Jan 20th- at the age of 95. On the left is a photo of Sleepy and me after an interview last Spring.

I talked to Jase Marlin tonight and he said Sleepy passed away last night. Jase and the Marlins are performing in Florida. Jase played mandolin with my group Bluegrass Messengers at the Sleepy Marlin Tribute concert on May 8, 2010. You can see us on youtube and also an interview with Sleepy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suf-9rTZd5k

There is a viewing for Sleepy at Coot's Funeral Home in Jeffersonville Feb. 1 between 2-8 and a mass will be held at St. Augustine Catholic Church on Feb. 2 at 10:00 AM.

Sleepy was great man and led an active life both as a father and a performer. He was a founding member of the Drifting Pioneers along with country Music legend Merle Travis in the 1930s.

TY Sleepy for all you've given us- see you again someday in the great bye-and-bye,

Richard