Patton Wages Archives - Bluegrass Today

Pickin’ For Patton a big success – all monies donated to Patton Wages

The organizers of Pickin’ For Patton last month in Hiawassee, GA have reported that the event was a huge success, raising a substantial amount of money for the continuing therapy costs of Patton Wages. The popular Georgia banjo and guitar teacher, and Volume Five banjo picker, suffered a debilitating stroke back in February, leaving him with a long road ahead living in a stroke rehab facility.

More than two thousand people showed up for the June 26 one day festival, and while the organizers don’t want to release a total take, you can do the math yourself with a $35 ticket price. Additional funds were raised on site with several instrument raffles, T-shirt sales, and food and drink vending. All proceeds were donated to Wages’ medical fund.

Music was provided by Volume Five, Alan Bibey, Deeper Shade of Blue, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Last Call with Brian & Maggie Stephens, Shannon Slaughter, Amanda Cook Band, Dave Adkins Band, Backline, and several others. Patton was not only able to attend, he was able to join Volume Five and his friends with Last Call on stage for their sets. A large recliner was brought out for him, and a hospital bed and a nurse were backstage should he experience any difficulties.

At the end of the program, organizers Rick and Pam Whiting, Wendy Newsome, and Melanie Wilson came on stage to thank everyone for their support, and to present Patton with a custom TKL guitar case with both his picture and the Pickin’ For Patton lineup on the front.

Rudy Fest in Kentucky also raised money that same weekend for Patton.

Wages is expected to make a complete recovery, but like all stroke patients, he will need extensive physical and occupational therapy to relearn the sorts of movements we all take for granted.

Anyone who was unable to attend can still contribute to the GoFundMe campaign online. Acoustic Cellar Guitars in Clarksville, GA, where Patton had been teaching for several years, still has some Pickin’ For Patton T-shirts for sale.

The entire four hour show was live-streamed on Facebook, and can also be viewed online.

Pickin’ For Patton – all day music on June 26 for Patton Wages

Tomorrow, June 26, is the day. Bluegrass artists and fans will get together in Hiawassee, GA at Pickin’ For Patton to enjoy music and raise money for the continuing rehabilitation costs of Patton Wages. The beloved music teacher and Volume Five banjo picker suffered a debilitating stroke back in February.

Given his relative youth, and the fact that his dad was with him when symptoms first displayed and got medical assistance right away, Patton is making a remarkable recovery. Both he and his medical team are hopeful of a return to full physical capability. But he is living in a full-time rehab facility, and even with insurance, those cost are substantial.

All proceeds from tomorrow’s one day festival will go to Wages’ medical fund. Two stages of live entertainment are on tap, both indoor and outdoor, with music from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee. Jamming is encouraged, and food and drinks will be available on site.

Performers include Volume Five, Alan Bibey, Shawn Lane, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Last Call with Brian & Maggie Stephens, Shannon Slaughter, Amanda Cook Band, Dave Adkins Band, Backline, and several others. Tickets at the gate are $35, with a number of raffles to be conducted during the event.

A full day of fun is certain, with all monies raised going for a true bluegrass brother. Patton is expected to attend, though it may be difficult for him to interact with everyone who wants to wish him well. Organizers are bringing a comfortable recliner to set right up front so he can enjoy the show.

If you aren’t able to attend, but want to support this effort, you can still contribute to the GoFundMe campaign online.

Albino Skunk Festival bike race to benefit Patton Wages

South Carolina’s Albino Skunk Festival has announced that proceeds from their annual charity bicycle ride, deTour deSkunk, will be donated this year to Patton Wages, banjo player with Volume Five, who suffered a stroke earlier this year.

Patton was fortunate that his dad was at home with him on the evening of February 22, noticed the sudden change in his demeanor when the stroke hit, and got medical attention to him within a half hour. Those with experience with stroke injury know that the biggest factor in a full recovery is prompt care from trained professionals. A GoFundMe campaign is in effect for his medical expenses, which are substantial for his residential care at the Robert C. Pearce rehab center in Greenville, SC where he is making tremendous progress.

The race is set for the morning of Saturday, May 15, prior to the day’s music which begins at noon on the final day of the festival. Registration of $40 includes entry to the race, plus a commemorative shirt, riding snacks, and a wristband good for a few hours of entry to the festival following the race. Full day admission to the stage show is offered at a discount for race participants.

Musical acts scheduled to appear at the Albino Stuck include Zoe & Cloyd, Chatham Rabbits, Unspoken Tradition, Anya Hinkle, and many others.

Festival tickets and race registration can be purchased online.

Don’t forget the benefit concert for Patton on June 26, Pickin’ For Patton, on June 26 in Hiawassee, GA.

Pickin’ For Patton benefit June 26 in Georgia

Ever since banjo player Patton Wages of Volume Five suffered a stroke back in February, the bluegrass community has been sending well wishes and prayers in his direction. Fortunately, his dad, who was with him at the time, was able to summon medical attention very quickly, and while he has a long road ahead of him, Patton’s doctors says he can hope for a full recovery.

Many people have contributed to a GoFundMe campaign to help with rehab expenses, which are substantial, and today we learn that Acoustic Cellar Guitars where Patton was teaching, has organized a star-studded benefit concert for later this summer.

Billed as Pickin’ For Patton, the one day outdoor festival will be held on June 26 in Hiawassee, GA at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. Already signed on to perform are Volume Five, Alan Bibey, Shawn Lane, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Last Call with Brian & Maggie Stephens, Shannon Slaughter, The Amanda Cook Band, The Dave Adkins Band, and Backline. More are expected to be added as June draws near.

In addition to live music, Pickin’ For Patton will include two Martin guitar raffles, a vintage banjo raffle, a cake sale, and a 50/50 raffle. Proceeds from admission fees and these raffles will be donated to Patton’s medical fund.

This update on his condition was shared earlier today.

“Patton is currently in in-house rehab at Robert C Peace in Greenville, SC. He is still paralyzed on his left side, can’t see from his left eye, and can’t feel the left side of his tongue or mouth. His headaches seem to be better some days, and he seems to be able to get a little more comfortable when trying to rest. His mind is as sharp as ever, but Patton does think his thought process is a little bit slower than it was before the stroke.

Patton will be in rehab for several more weeks. Robert C Peace is training his Dad on the care he will need when he goes home which will include a live in nurse according to his Dad yesterday. We believe in miracles and we pray everyday for Patton to make a complete recovery!”

Details are still in flux for the festival, but organizers are hoping that people will save the date and plan to come out for a fun day of great bluegrass, and help out one of our own, one of the friendliest and most lovable people in our business.

Patton Wages undergoing surgery following a sudden stroke

Patton Wages, banjo player with Volume Five and instructor at Acoustic Cellar Guitars in Clarksville, GA, suffered a stroke on Monday night (February 22). He was taken to the hospital in Greenville, SC and was listed in critical condition overnight.

He is undergoing surgery this morning following several brain scans, and the early reports are quite good. Doctors say that Patton’s blood pressure has come down, and they feel quite confident that there was no major brain bleed or burst artery. They suspect that a blood clot was the culprit, and the surgical team is hoping to find and remove it this morning.

At this time, we have no indication whether Patton will suffer any permanent loss of function from the stroke, though his doctors have told the family that they hope for a complete recovery. We will update this story throughout the day as more details are available.

According to reports we have received, Patton was teaching lessons yesterday evening with no indication of any trouble. At some point, we understand that he was taken to the hospital by his father.

The family is asking everyone to pray for Patton and his medical team, and for him to recuperate quickly.

UPDATE 10:15 a.m. – It turns out that Patton was quite lucky in being able to get medical attention right away. His father says that they were watching television at home last night, and he noted that Patton’s speech became slurred and his eyes were rolled back. His dad called 911 right away, and first responders were able to provide a shot to prevent further stroke damage to the brain.

His family reports that they were all quite concerned last night whether he would make it, as doctors said they couldn’t do surgery until his blood pressure dropped and stabilized. They thank God that the pressure is down, and we expect a report following surgery soon.

UPDATE 12:45 p.m. – We are told via Patton’s father that his surgery was successfully concluded, with a doctor’s report that things went better than expected. No further word yet on likely outcomes.

UPDATE 4:30 p.m. – A number of fundraising efforts are underway to assist Patton with medical expenses, as well as the costs of whatever therapy may be required for his recovery.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched by his friends and co-workers at Acoustic Cellar Guitars, where Wages not only taught several instruments, but also served as assistant manager. They have set a $50,000 goal to assist Patton with whatever he may need.

A Venmo account, @benefitforpattonwages, is also set up with all proceeds going to his care. Donations can also be made at any Regions Bank care of “to Benefit for Patton Wages.”

For those who may prefer to send a check or money order, you are asked to send to:

Benefit for Patton Wages
c/o Acoustic Cellar Guitars
1442 Washington St.
Clarkesville, Ga. 30523

UPDATE 6:00 p.m. – From Patton’s sister we learn that a later scan today shows a greatly reduced amount of blood on his brain. He is currently awake and alert, and responding to simple prompts.

Patton Wages teaching at Acoustic Cellar Guitars

Patton Wages with Volume Five – photo by Ted Lehmann

Pickers in north Georgia have a great new opportunity to study with a top pro player. Patton Wages, banjo player with Volume Five, will be teaching at Acoustic Cellar Guitars in Clarkesville when they officially open for business next month.

The store will seek to serve the needs of the acoustic and bluegrass community, with both new and vintage instruments, lessons, repairs, and accessories. Clarksville is about 80 miles northeast of Atlanta at the foot of the Chattahoochee National Forest.

Acoustic Cellar is the brainchild of David Newsome, a vintage instrument collector, and his wife, Wendy. They are huge bluegrass fans, and have a storefront set up in downtown Clarkesville. They will be a Martin guitar dealer, also stocking multiple vintage guitars and banjos, including a number of prewar Mastertones. Newsome will also display some of his vintage pieces for people to see, including what Patton tells us is a very special prewar flathead that will be in the store.

Once they open, Patton will be in the store most days when the band isn’t open the road. In addition to lessons on banjo and guitar, he will be offering instrument set up, and help choosing a new instrument from their many selected pieces.

He invites all his bluegrass pals to stop in and visit the store when they open in November.

”I’m truly looking forward to diving into this new endeavor with some really great folks that I’ve become close friends with over the last few years. To be able to offer lessons, repairs and setups on instruments, as well as a place for someone to find their own prize instrument, new or vintage, is gonna be something that I’m definitely going to enjoy! If you’re in the area, come see us and maybe pick a tune or two!”

More details about an opening date will be posted on the Acoustic Cellar Guitars web site.

Volume Five banjo tabs from Patton Wages

Back in January we wrote about the banjo tab book expected this spring from Patton Wages, five string man with Volume Five. He’s since sent along a copy for us to look over, and it’s a first rate publication that should be a welcome addition to the learning library of any bluegrass banjo picker, especially if you enjoy the music of his band.

Volume Five has earned their reputation for playing music that fits squarely into the contemporary traditional bluegrass vein, while offering enough “something new” to make them unique. Part of that comes from the distinctive voice of lead singer Glen Harrell, and the fact that the band always chooses quality songs to record.

But part also comes from Patton’s banjo playing, and the way he works a bluesy sound into an approach that draws heavily on the legacy of Earl Scruggs and J.D. Crowe. Experienced pickers will have no difficulty playing through his arrangements, while grabbing some useful licks along the way. Banjo students and fairly new players can learn a great deal from Patton’s sparse approach, sticking very closely to the vocal melody of the songs and employing the familiar techniques of the style to make the tune stand out.

The book includes the banjo breaks and selected backup sections from 17 Volume Five cuts, taken from both their Drifter and Voices CDs. Russell Sawler did the transcriptions, and they are presented using professional notation software with chord symbols and occasional left hand finger markings included. All of the tabs are clear and easy to read, and printed large enough for even old timers to see.

A foreword from Sammy Shelor and an introduction from Wages opens the book, followed by an explanation of the tablature system and the picking fingers. It runs a total of 52 pages.

Sawler is a highly experienced transcriber in the banjo world, having previously published several volumes of J.D. Crowe tabs, and books that accompany recent recordings by Kristin Scott Benson, Greg Cahill, and Jason Davis. He has also created tab books for Ron Stewart. Most of these can be purchased from Russell’s web site.

The Patton Wages tab book can be ordered for $20 plus shipping from the Volume Five web site, or by contacting Patton by email. It will be most advantageous if you also have the recordings, which can also be purchased from Volume Five.

Volume Five banjo tabs coming soon

Patton Wages, banjo player with Volume Five, is producing a tablature book with all the solos and selected backup from their Drifter and Voices albums. The transcriptions were created by Russell Sawler, who has done tabs for numerous JD Crowe projects, plus recent books for Jason Davis, Greg Cahill, Ron Stewart, and Kristin Scott Benson.

The books are in production now, but Patton hopes to have some with him when they perform next Saturday at SPBGMA.

Wages is a thoroughly modern bluegrass banjo player, with a subtle but driving style that should be attractive to any pickers learning to play the instrument. With today’s widely-available slow down software, learning transcriptions from records is a great way to work on tone and timing, as well as walk through what another professional player has done in the studio.

Pricing hasn’t been announced, but if it follows the pattern of Sawler’s recent releases, expect an asking price of $24.95.

They will be available at all Volume Five shows, from the band web site, and from Russell’s Bluegrass Outlet site.