Native and Fine Records is Bill Evans’ label where you can order his Banjo for Dummies book and any of his many great recordings. He is a native Virginian, although now a west coaster, and he is a fine practitioner of all the five-string and its predecessors can deliver. Bill brought his one-man Banjo In America symposium to In Your Ear for our latest JAMinc studio concert last Thursday. 
With seven different instruments and a head full of stories and illustrative tunes, this genial and well-versed musician offered rare insight into why the banjo has so indelibly worked its way into our consciousness. Some remember him from his UVA days and Cloud Valley, or his stint with Ron Thomason and the Dry Branch Fire Squad. Those of us who go way back were reminded of 
what a genuinely nice guy he is, to supplement his tasteful musicianship and his scholarly appreciation of an instrument both beloved and derided. And he finished up by bringing up old pal Jack Cowardin to offer a little mando backup. Bill Evans is as much as anyone out there, giving the banjo a good name.
While we’re at it, here’s the deal on JAMinc’s “Farewell ‘til Fall” weekend at In Your Ear next month, a first-time double header the nights of the 13th and 14th. As mentioned in our previous post, Phil Wiggins’ long-time partner John Cephas played his final solo set at In Your Ear on May 1st, 2009. So it’s full circle that we welcome Phil and one of his new collaborators Rick Franklin to Studio A on a very lucky Friday the 13th. Rick is a Virginia-born exponent of the Piedmont Blues and will bring a solid guitar and vocal complement to Phil’s signature harmonica style. Reservations going fast here.
We’ll leave the chairs and food tables set for the following night as we segue from blues to bluegrass with the acoustic string band East of Monroe (see full disclosure from previous post). If you missed their sold-out show at AC&T in March, here’s a second chance, or if you did catch EOM trackside, maybe you’re hankerin’ for more of that sweet three-part harmony and Gary Ferguson’s tasty licks. Catch JAMinc’s last concert until September by making your reservations here. If you’re in the Fredericksburg area, the band’s playing upstairs at Picker’s Supply this coming Saturday. And some of us will be headed back to my old hometown of Staunton on May 21st as EOM plays the Valley’s very nicest venue, the Mockingbird Roots Music Hall. It’ll be the band’s final gig before Eminor packs it up to Portland…this would be a great chance to see and hear what all the Mockingbird buzz is about at 123 West Beverly Street in charming old downtown Staunton.
And the next night, May 7th on the growing campus of St. Joseph’s Villa on the northside, the 17th annual Hoedown In 
The Garden marks the 17th consecutive appearance of the incomparable Lonesome River Band for this bigtime night of food and fun benefitting the Villa’s Flagler Home. Tickets are $75 each and include an open bar, great barbecue and all the fixins from David Napier’s White House Catering, and a couple of choice sets from one of the top bluegrass bands in the land. I’ve missed the last few, but trust me it’s an amazing evening for a great cause, not to mention a great deal. Order tickets here, or…stop the presses…win them! Thanks to the Villa’s generous CEO Kathleen Barrett, I have a pair of Hoedown tickets to give away to the 17th (get it) one of you to email me (mail@timtimberlake.com) with SAMMY! in the subject line. Go for it. I’ll miss Mr. Shelor and the boys this time around but will enjoy sharing judging duties with Stephen Lecky at AC&T’s Songwriter’s Showdown Shootout finals on that Saturday night. Hope to see some of you there…I hear the finalists bring a lot to the table. And on Sunday the 8th, a very special tribute show for our too-soon departed pal Page Wilson at Canal Club. Details in our next post.
MerleFest moments starting in this space next week, like the journal’s title shot above featuring Emily and her fantasy band from a MerleFest long ago…fellas named Thile, Fleck, Witcher and Watkins. Magic always happens in Wilkesboro every April.
TT
(Wiggins, Savoy and LRB photos from artist websites)
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