Sad news for midwestern flatpick guitar players. St Louis Flatpick, which has been operating annually in early spring this past 12 years, will come to an end after this month’s final weekend event.
Hosted by Bull and Tammy Harman since its inception, the successful workshop series has simply become too big a job for them to handle, in addition to the other work they have taken on over this past decade. In fact, there are few folks anywhere in bluegrass who give up so much of their time to assist in event preparation for our music.
They have recently assumed operation of the Bootheel Bluegrass Festival in Fruitland, MO each January, and they serve as Chairman, Treasurer, and Editor for the Missouri Area Bluegrass Committee and their annual festival in Eureka. They also have their own band, Bull’s Eye, and manage MASHTAG, a talented young band who won the SPBGMA Band contest last month. Plus they assist with SPBGMA events in Missouri and Nashville each year.
Perhaps the last straw was Tammy agreeing to work as a regional agent for the Graham Talent Group. On top of her part time work at a local school, Bull’s full time career, and the 50 acre farm they just purchased, she said that something had to go.
So if you want to get in for the last St Louis Flatpick event before it closes down, get on over to their web site and register for next weekend’s festivities. Dustin Benson and Molly Tuttle will lead classes at the Marriott St. Louis West, and will perform with Bull in a big Saturday night concert. Special rates are offered at the hotel for Flatpick students, and it is a smooth-running, family-friendly atmosphere.
Tammy says that she and Bull are not closing the door on ever hosting a workshop like this again, but for now, it’s time to take a break.
Congratulations on doing such a fine job this past 13 years!
