Sammy Shelor for President

"God is great and so is Steve Martin!"

Amen to that one, Sammy!

Thanks to social media, word spread like a Texas wildfire that Patrick County's (Virginia) own Sammy Shelor is the second winner of the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. The honor carries a cash award of $50,000, a bronze sculpture, and a guest appearance with Martin on the David Letterman Show November 3.

Martin told the New York Times that five or six "worthy names" were narrowed to a final two or three who were scrutinized on "anecdotal factors, and emotional factors, that are very hard to define and probably wouldn't bear up in a trial." Sammy won by unanimous vote.

The first time I recall hearing Sammy play we were in high school. I was a couple of years, or three or four, ahead of Sammy. I wrote and directed a play called "Our Heritage, Our Hero." It was to be performed in April or May of 1976, my senior year and the nation's bicentennial. Produced by my friend Karen Duncan Erickson, there was a cast of thousands, or dozens. Claudette Thompson Franklin said, "I know this banjo player from Meadows of Dan. . . . "

Leslie Shelor, Sammy's equally-talented-in-different-areas sister was already in the play and heavily involved with its production. So Sammy and his Grandpa came down off the mountain and provided the musical interludes between acts. It was perfect. I recall thinking, "this kid is really good!"

What an understatement.

Through the years, Sammy has racked up awards including Banjo Player of the Year from the IBMA more times than I can count. His Lonesome River Band is nominated for five awards later this month. Bandmates -- Brandon Rickman, guitar; Mike Hartgrove, fiddle; Barry Reed, upright bass; and Randy Jones, mandolin -- are equally talented and if you have never heard them, visit the website and order a CD.

I wasn't blowing smoke and neither was Sammy in saying that Steve Martin is great. He has used his celebrity and resources to bring the banjo and bluegrass to a larger audience. His passion has connected him to the best and he called upon the best in choosing the recipient for this award. The board members include Earl Scruggs, Bela Fleck, Neil Rosenberg, Pete Wernick, Anne Stringfield, and Tony Trischka, in addition to Martin.

Martin, along with his band the Steep Canyon Rangers, are also nominated for several awards this year including entertainer of the year. ALSO nominated for that prestigious award is the incredibly talented group, The Boxcars -featuring another Patrick Countian -- John Bowman. (John, I bet your Mama is just beside herself! And your Granny, too!)

Yep, it's a proud day for Patrick Countians everywhere. Our own Leon Pollard, retired teacher and musician extraordinaire, said about Sammy:

"Sammy is not only a great banjo picker, he is a great guy, both on and off stage, and he has never forgotten his roots here in the county. I was proud to pick with him when he was 10 years old and I am still proud to call him friend and pick with him whenever I get the chance. Congratulations to Sammy!"

This is such a great day I think everybody in Patrick County should get a free punkin. Can you hook us up, Sammy? This could be a great way to launch a campaign, Instead of the electoral college, how about a fiddling contest? Best banjo player is president, best fiddler is secretary of state, and so on. But that's a column for another day.

Sunday Readings

The neighbors weren't home so it was the perfect time to go over and pry their small, screened outbuilding off its foundation.

Gary had these five-foot-long, 2,000 pound pry bars (maybe they weighed a little less) and while he lifted the building I quickly stuffed a brick under the bottom. What had been an aviary for the neighbor (until the raccoons got his birds) will be a garden shed for the Bisels.

We had permission to lift the building, but would anyone have asked? Years ago, in a Mayberry far, far, away, Dewey and Verlie Hill were sitting on their front porch enjoying the summer breeze when a crew showed up at the log tobacco barn across the road and began to dismantle it. This is Mayberry, so everyone waved and the Hills watched as these hardworking boys loaded century-old logs onto their flatbed truck and drive away.

A couple of days later, the neighbors came knocking.
"Our barn is gone! Did you see where it went?"

"It went thataway," said Dewey, pointing away from town.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

One of my favorite ways to spend Sunday is in the cafe at Barnes and Noble with a cappuccino and a stack of magazines. Occasionally, I buy one.

Noel and I filled a basket with reading material and settled in by the window to watch the world go by and read particularly interesting excerpts to each other.

If a psychologist were examining my selections, I'm sure I'd be in a treatment program somewhere because they are always eclectic. I don't subscribe so much any more, because I can't afford to subscribe to all the magazines I love, but I also love going in and being surprised by the new issues and choosing which one deserves to come home with me. So between Veranda, Country Living, Military History Quarterly, Wild West, True West, Better Homes and Gardens, Mother Earth News, Grit, Country French, Armchair General, The Cowboy Way, American Cowboy, Cowboys and Indians, Cottage Living, Midwest Living, Southern Living, Country French, Southwest Art, a couple of books and poetry reviews--it sometimes takes two or three coffee refills.

To help narrow your own choices, here are a couple of gems I found yesterday:

The Cowboy Way--great article by Guy De Galard on the Artist Ride in which my friend Robert "Cowboy" Culbertson participated. Cowboy (above) posted on Facebook that it was good to do some hard riding, but he did some hard posing along the way. The photograph and subsequent painting of his iconic self are worth at least a thousand words. Maybe a thousand and one.

Also in The Cowboy Way, friend Dan Gagliasso (left) has a tremendous article, "Cowboy Cavalry Under Fire: Roosevelt's Rough Riders." Dan always delivers on solid writing with a compelling subject. My history buds are going to love this one.

Military History Quarterly--an exceptional issue. The United States has deployed the whole of its military might on eleven occasions, according to this article, to capture or kill ONE man. Among that elite and notorious group: Geronimo, Pancho Villa, Manuel Noriega, Saddam Hussein. This is a fascinating article with some compelling images.

Cowboys and Indians -- Mark Harmon on the cover. Enough said.

Flea Market Style -- One of the most fun and imaginative issues ever. The cover image says it all with a theme combining things I love -- old stuff and travel.

Now that I am sufficiently inspired, down to creating something -- though I can't decide whether to rearrange the guest room or take over a third world country. . . .

Festivities at Lone Jack

The battle of Lone Jack, Missouri, was immortalized by Rooster Cogburn in the
movie True Grit. It's where he lost his eye. This little detail, legend has it, was added by John Wayne, not the author, Charles Portis. The Duke apparently visited this quaint battle site and changed the location of the marshal's wound from Gettysburg to Lone Jack and then dubbed his cat "Sterling Price" after the Confederate general.

When the Lone Jack Historical Society marked the 149th anniversary of the battle, they unveiled a wall of honor for all veterans from the area. It was a day of ceremony and celebration, and Gary and I, along with fellow Topekan Beth Meyer, had a great time visiting with Jim Beckner, Greg Higginbotham, John Mackie, Jay & Barbara Jackson, Dave Bears, Kathleen Quigley, Dave Bears, and of course, Dan Hadley. Dan (above, far left) is one of the most talented and gracious people I know and I was tickled to be a part of the event he had worked so hard on!

PS--The soldier below (Greg Higginbotham) "volunteered" to help Dixie Lee Jackson whip up breakfast for the crowd. See her blog for more images from Lone Jack. dixieleejackson.blogspot.com

More Old Friends and Good Times!

Recorded an interview with Linda Wright and Kenneth Berrier this afternoon for their Local Grass Radio (localgrass.com). Broadcast on WEHC Radio with podcasts on their website, this show is a great idea well executed. Thanks to the internet, local is not defined geographically now and like-minded fans can enjoy fine bluegrass from around the world. We chatted about the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival coming up in Winfield, KS, from September 14 through the 18th. My handsome husband has been for 28 years. I'm looking forward to being Kenneth and Linda's roving reporter at this great festival so keep listening to Local Grass!

Old Friends, New Times!

Great visiting with my dear friend, Sherry Boyd (above), today. Sherry recorded an interview for broadcast later tonight. Listen between 8 and 9, EDT, to WBRF Radio, in Galax, Virginia: http://www.blueridgecountryradio98.com/ The Galax Fiddlers Convention marks its 76 year next week and nothing makes me more homesick, so I took it upon myself to invite friends and relatives back home to the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS, in September. (www.wvfest.com) The next best thing to going home would be having all the homefolks here! I wish we had room for everyone to stay with us!

Sherry and I have been co-workers and roommates and she wrote the foreword for Dixie Lee Jackson's Guide to Cookin' and Kissin'. Folks around the globe are sure glad she's back on the air. Sherry was honored at the Society for the Preservation of Blue Grass Music in America awards this past year with a lifetime achievement award. She emcees bluegrass music festivals around the nation and is beloved wherever she goes!

I'm so proud to include her among my talented and beautiful friends!

Updates

The inaugural Kansas Hall of Fame event was "superior" in the words of one attendee. I'll second that.

A highlight for Gary and me, of course, was hosting General Richard Myers, former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As one of my friends commented afterward, "Your friend the general is the real deal!"

I'll second that one, too.

I'd met the general on a couple of occasions previous to this one; in fact, I think I attended the first talk he gave as a civilian at a Conference of Military Historians in Manhattan. He joked that it was the first time in a long time he had not had staff to prepare his notes and it was a little unsettling. He was wonderful, of course, candid and compelling in describing his view of world affairs.

There was little doubt at the Hall of Fame event at the Great Overland Station that everyone wanted to meet the man the world had looked to on 9-11 when he was acting chair of the Joint Chiefs. He took the top post a month later and was front and center while history was being made. It was a privilege to host him and his brother-in-law and sister-in-law for the evening and we look forward to seeing them again.

My handsome and talented husband (below), along with friends John Neal and Jimmy Wilson, provided the pre-dinner entertainment. I'll post more pictures and keep you posted on next year's nominees.

Photos by Doug Ruth, topekatonight.com

Kansas Hall of Fame

We had a committee meeting of the Kansas Hall of Fame at the Great Overland Station today. I am so proud to be part of this group. Such creative, caring people and we're inducting some wonderfully deserving folks into the Hall of Fame. Visit the website, greatoverlandstation.com for more information. The gala and induction is June 17. The honorees are: President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Vice President Charles Curtis, Sen. Bob Dole, Gen. Richard Myers, The Carney Brothers (founders of Pizza Hut), Amelia Earhart, Marshal Matt Dillon as portrayed by James Arness. We are so looking forward to this event and invite you to join us.

On June 18, Dixie Lee Jackson is emceeing Wheatstock, the 7th annual, at Old Prairie Town at Ward Meade. Borderline is playing ( so look for Gary/Woodrow). Visit topekatonight.com for more details.

On June 15, Dixie Lee Jackson will be on the WIBW morning news with Dave and Amanda, and her granddaughter, Lulu, will be joining her. Tune in!

Happy start to summer!