A FEW MOMENTS WITH A BLUEGRASS LEGEND His question was as direct as you can get: "Can't you put this string on yourself?" My answer was equal: "Not if I can get somebody else to do it for me." With my beat-up guitar back to a six-string instrument, he returned to what he was doing before I'd interrupted. That would be picking a 1957 Martin D-21 guitar at the noon hour on a Wednesday at Martin Music Store in Geneva. As Don Springer discussed and played bluegrass music for several people who'd come just to listen and learn from him, the pieces came together for me. I was with one-half of the Bristol Brothers, one-quarter of Bristol Mountain Bluegrass and Seneca County Bluegrass. Playing guitar and banjo "since his Navy days," he told me, and with at least five CDs to his credit, Don Springer has performed all over the country, playing bigtime bluegrass festivals as well as the Nashville Network and Opryland. Retired for the past few years from a career in television production, he still keeps busier than many could handle. Besides performing more than 150 shows some years, he has his own recording studio in his home. He produces and hosts a daily Internet radio show that airs at 10 and 10 daily on WDYN. It features old-time and bluegrass music from independent artists. He is also the commander of American Legion Post 457 in Phelps and a longtime member of the Phelps Planning Board. Springer's favorite artists include the traditionalists, like Earl Scruggs and Ralph Stanley. He reminded me that bluegrass, while considered an American music form, also has Celtic and other influences. It is enjoying great popularity now in Ireland, Australia and Japan. One of the newer groups he's following is the Niall Toner Band from Ireland. We can see him and Seneca County Bluegrass at Pickin' in the Pasture, Aug. 25-28, 2005, in Lodi. This is a world- class outdoor bluegrass festival with a least 14 bands playing traditional, contemporary, and gospel music. More about this in coming months. Yes, I did get to play the vintage Martin guitar, so you can say I've been to the mountain. Next I'll be in the pasture, listening to Don Springer and all the other musicians. Keep on singing... |