By Theresa-Marie Wilson ~
If you like a lot of twang in your music, a pep to your step and some good ol’ foot stomping fun then spend an afternoon with an eclectic group of musicians with well over a century of combined experience who embrace classic country and bluegrass music.
The non-profit Central Coast Fiddlers Inc. (CCF) is a group of mostly musicians dedicated to educating and preserving awareness of “old-time” music with an emphasis on the fiddle and other acoustic stringed instruments. They play monthly jam sessions on the second Sunday of the month in Arroyo Grande that brings together between 40 and 50 players, crooners, dancers and listeners. Open mic opportunities are also part of the gatherings for any folks ready to take to the stage.
“My objective is to carry on old-time music,” said CCF President Mike Morgan who plays guitar and mandolin.
There are currently 75 members who play anything from the fiddle to the stand-up base and hail from both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
Frank Carraway looks and sounds like he was handpicked to be a country singer of days gone by. The 94-year-old, who wears a straw cowboy hat, speaks with a slow drawl and made his own guitar, is quick to play either guitar or banjo and sing a song, often one on the more comical side.
“I was born in 1922, and you had to make your own music,” he said. “You didn’t have music or TVs. They had a phonograph if you had enough money to buy one. Back in those days families made their own music.”
During the interview, Frank played two songs from his repertoire; “Out Behind the Barn,” originally performed by Little Jimmy Dickens, and “I’m an Old Cowhand” performed by Bing Crosby.
Friendships have been formed over the decades these musicians have played together. Warmth and laughter round out the sound of instruments creating an atmosphere steeped in tradition.
Trying to pin these guys down to a favorite song is nearly impossible with the vast number of them that are stored in their heads and memorized by their fingertips.
“I love them all,” said Mike, who has been playing for 65 or 70 years. “There is a book that has close to 500 country songs in it; I know about 90 percent of them. I like old-time country, Hank Williams Sr. and that era. I will pick one, Gene Autry’s ‘That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine.’ I do that every year in memory of my silver haired daddy.”
What drives these folks to play?
“It’s an addiction,” said Julio Boysenberry, who plays 5-string banjo and composes his own songs. “The first time I heard a 5-string banjo, my draw dropped. After it ricocheted off the floor, I turned to my college roommate and said, ‘If it is the last thing I do, I am going to learn to play banjo like that.’”
German Von Thal and his wife Fran Courain-Von Thal originally attended the jam sessions for the dancing, but he soon joined the group as a guitar player.
“The rhythms that I like the most are boleros, polkas, the Caribbean type and some European songs,” he said with a Columbian accent. “That’s what I like to play. I don’t play much of the bluegrass because I didn’t grow up with it.”
Several core members of CCF break away from the group and play gigs each week in Santa Maria and Lompoc. General practices are held every Friday in Lompoc.
“It is very healthy, very enjoyable and very relaxing,” said German. “You get rid of all your tensions by playing music. That’s how I started; I had a job full of tension. When I learned, I noticed right away how smooth things were, and how I became calm.”
Originally part of the California State Old Time Fiddlers Association 12th District that first met in Pismo Beach in 1985, CCF broke away from the organization and formed their own in 1994 due to costs and travel time that often took them too far out of town.
The group is down to less than five fiddlers now, a drop from between 12 and 15, and is looking for more to join.
“We would like to bring in fiddlers,” said Julio. “It’s not that we don’t want them, we want them very much.”
Musicians of all levels who play acoustic stringed instruments are encouraged to attend the jam sessions. Dancers and people who just want to listen are welcomed too.
“Most of them are older and they are just happy to be there and to dance,” said Fran. “Many of them can barely get up and dance, but a big smile comes on their faces. It is a place where we don’t talk politics. It is like a family visit. To me it is so uplifting. Even though they are old, they have so much joy. They are smiling, nobody is arguing. It is just a happy place.”
For the younger generation of aspiring musicians the group offers words of wisdom.
“The best thing you can do, other than practicing every day, is to play with other people,” said Julio. “Music isn’t a one person situation. If something is fun, it is normally more fun when it is shared by others with equal proclivity. Come on out.”
Bring your dancing shoes, grab your instrument and join the fun at the Central Coast Fiddlers next jam session on June 12 from 1:15 to 3:30 at the Arroyo Grande Woman’s Club and Community Center, 211 Vernon Street. Entrance is free, but bring some cash for the tip jar, a 50/50 drawing and food items.
“It is the way it is meant to be for mankind, I think, where you just have your own fun for free,” said Linda Morgan, who handles the administrative and treasurer duties for CCF. “It is people getting together, being themselves and sharing a love of music. It is a strong sense of community.”
For more information about the group, visit www.centralcoastfiddlers.org or call (805) 937-2238 or stop by a jam session.
Photos by Herb Shoebridge
