It’s true. Starting in 2012, December 12 was declared as a day to share your love for bluegrass music, and the artists who preserve and perform it. Word didn’t come down from on high designating this date, it was actually chosen randomly by Lee Marcus, a bluegrass banjo player from South Carolina, who figured that everything else had a day, why not bluegrass?
Marcus had a large Facebook presence thanks to a page he created called Bluegrass Life, which has over 47,000 followers, and he used that page, together with several other bluegrass sites, to publicize the first Bluegrass Music Appreciation Day. Those efforts made it all the way to Fox News.
There are no pre-printed occasion cards yet, but people seem to like the idea of taking a day well outside of festival season to think about our music, and maybe share it with someone you know. If you have a moment on Friday, post a video on Facebook of a favorite song or artist, pick out a bluegrass CD for a holiday gift, or put on a bluegrass radio station at work.
Or maybe send a nice note to someone in bluegrass whose music you admire, or folks that put on a festival or concerts in your area, and let them know you appreciate what they do.
It’s always a good day to appreciate bluegrass music, but especially on Bluegrass Music Appreciation Day.
Steady readers of Bluegrass Today know that we have a special interest in young bluegrass artists and performers. It’s exciting to see the zeal and excitement in a young musician’s eye, and encouraging to know that our beloved bluegrass music will be left in good hands.
If you attend shows and festivals in the Kentucky/Tennessee area, you may be familiar with Willow Osborne, a 13 year old singer and banjo player who is already making a name for herself as a performer. SPBGMA regulars will have enjoyed the precious sight of her and young Col. Isaac Moore walking around the hotel together, and singing and playing together in the lobby.
Well Willow has just announced a new musical partnership with another talented young picker, Lee Marcus, who though young in my eyes, is 15 years her senior.
Lee is a multi-instrumentalist who plans to serve as her accompanist and mentor, and he says that he thinks it’s a good match.
“I was first impressed by Willow by seeing her videos on YouTube. I thought to myself, ‘This girl is destined to be a star.’ I introduced myself, and since then, we’ve become just like brother and sister.
Through the years I’ve tossed the idea of us teaming up around in my mind. A few months ago, I pitched the idea to Willow and she was very excited and wanted to see what we could turn this into.
We played together for the very first time on stage at Dollywood last month. We instantly clicked musically, just as I had figured we would. And, we have fun together onstage. So, after much discussion between the two of us – and Willow’s mother – we’re now ready to announce that we’ve officially teamed up as Willow & Lee.
We are currently booking for 2015 and we’re in the discussion stage of a recording project. I believe in my heart that this venture will be really special and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes!”
I’ve known Lee since he was a teen himself, and he is a dedicated grasser. He released an album in 2011, Grandpa’s Pond, and donated a sizable portion of the proceeds to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
Willow also has a CD of her banjo playing, Bluegrass & Rhinestones, which is available from her web site.
Here’s a video of the two of them performing together.
You can see more videos of Willow & Lee on YouTube.
The annual commemoration on December 12 was suggested by banjo player Lee Marcus in 2012 as a way to get bluegrass lovers to share the music one day a year. He created a Facebook page to that end, and continues to promote it.
Lawson created this video to be shared, a rendering of There Is A God from his 2005 album, There’s A Light Guiding Me.
We’ve written a few times recently about Lee Marcus, banjo picker and budding bluegrass impressario.
He was the impetus behind seeking to mark December 12 as International Bluegrass Music Appreciation Day, which is being marked today online by artists and fans alike. For example, Doyle Lawson is running a promotion today asking fans to pick their favorite DL&QS song. A winner will be chosen from the responses, and Doyle and the boys will make a special video of themselves performing the song live for them.
But what we really wanted to note today was Lee making good on a pledge he made when his debut album, Grandpa’s Pond was released late last year. He promised to set aside part of the proceeds from each CD sold to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, with a goal of being able to send them a donation of $1000 before this year was out.
Doing just that is how Marcus celebrated the first annual IBMAD, and he sent along a screenshot of his donation confirmation.
Lee Marcus, banjo player, songwriter and noted bluegrass evangelist, has started an online effort to have December 12 celebrated as International Bluegrass Music Appreciation Day each year.
Armed with nothing more than an idea and a Facebook page, Lee is hoping to capture the imagination of his fellow bluegrass lovers across the globe, and build support for this annual celebration from the bottom up.
The concept occurred to him during Thanksgiving last week, and he choose the numerically alliterative date of December 12 (12/12/12) as a good candidate for the first IBMAD.
“It falls in between two holidays that center on giving thanks. Why not have another holiday for bluegrass lovers that focuses on our gratitude for the music? We needed one, so I decided to set it in motion.
I’m not wealthy, so I can’t pay to promote this. I’m not an elite star or person of high authority, so I can’t convince multitudes on my own to make this day possible.
But, good ideas tend to spread like wildfire. I believe this is a good idea.”
Since he began pushing this on Facebook over the weekend, Marcus has received enthusiastic support from fans and bluegrass media, and is encouraging people to post about what they will be doing to celebrate International Bluegrass Music Appreciation Day next month on the page he set up for that purpose.
Lee emphasized to us that he has no desire to own or control this effort. He simply wants to get the ball rolling in the hope that bluegrass associations, artists, radio and fans will take it up in whatever manner they choose.
It does sound like a good idea, one we’ll support as well.
Here’s another change on the bluegrass band front. Scott Walker has been tapped to play banjo with Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, filling a spot recently vacated by Lee Marcus. Lee had done two stints with Taylor’s band, and is leaving to start a new career as a military man.
Scott is stepping in right away, but as he is unable to make the band’s trip to Norway, Holland and Scotland in July, Mike Scott will accompany Taylor and the guys overseas.
Wayne spoke very highly of Marcus, and said that he would be a credit to the military, where Taylor also dedicated himself for 24 years, more than 20 of them as a musician.
“We would like to thank Lee for his contributions to our effort, and we wish him the best of luck in his new endeavors.”
Keep track of Appaloosa on their official web site.
Lee Marcus is the fine young banjo player with Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, and starting a few weeks ago, an occasional correspondent for Bluegrass Today.
He also has a solo project available, Grandpa’s Pond, released in 2011, which he is using to help raise funds for a very worthy cause. A portion of the proceeds from every CD sold is to be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Lee is aiming to send them a check for $1000.
The record features Marcus on banjo and guitar, where he shows prodigious chops, but he also shines as a vocalist, serving up a set of contemporary bluegrass with a heavy modern country influence. He is joined by Jim VanCleve and Christian Ward on fiddle, Aaron Ramsey on mandolin and resonator guitar, and Jason Moore on bass.
Wyatt Rice guests on guitar for one track, and Lee has assembled a very strong chorus of harmony vocalists (Cia Cherryholmes, Josh Shilling, Clint and Kalyn Wilson).
Marcus tells us that he isn’t looking for credit for doing something special with his St. Jude’s fundraiser.
“The reasoning behind this is not anything really deep and poetic. I’ve lost many loved ones to cancer and I have a special place in my heart for all children.
$1,000 isn’t an epic donation, but every little bit helps and I want to be able to say that I did the best I could.”
Grandpa’s Pond can be purchased from CD Baby, with digital downloads available from the usual sources.
Gone Beserk, written by Lee Marcus and performed by Dan Menzone on his Frostbite CD, took the top prize. Dan was assisted on this track by Adam Steffey on mandolin, Rob Ickes on reso, Rickie Simpkins on fiddle, Ronnie Simpkins on bass, and Wyatt Rice (who also produced) on guitar.
The tune is Gone Beserk, written by Lee Marcus, and recorded by Dan Menzone on his Frostbite CD with help from Adam Steffey, Wyatt Rice, Rob Ickes, Rickie Simpkins, and Ronnie Simpkins.
These awards are chosen by online voting, with one vote allowed per day, per person until they are closed on March 31. Here is the link to vote, which is enabled after a quick email confirmation to prevent robot voting.
Congratulations to Lee for getting his tune into the finals. He is currently working on a solo project featuring more of his originals and some classic songs as well.
