Bluegrass

Even though I've been playing Bluegrass professionally since early 1999, I recall five years prior to that when a close friend would often ask, "John when are you gonna start playin' some Bluegrass?" At that time, Western music and the Sons of the Pioneers were priority, but on September 9, 1996 that would slightly change. That evening I would take on a new project, the world of Bluegrass, and here's how it all came about.

After coming home from work that evening, and watching TV while waiting for Mom to have supper ready, the phone rang shortly after 5:30pm. I answered and it was Joyce Fowler, Jerry's Mom. Joyce asked if I had heard that Bill Monroe had passed away earlier that evening. After talking with Joyce, it hit me that right then and there was the time to learn all about his legendary icon, referred to as "The Father of Bluegrass." That evening I taped all the news coverage of Bill's death, and within hours The Nashville Network was doing tributes and showing some neat footage. That weekend, on Saturday night, the Grand Ole Opry paid honor to Bill and the music he created that we know as Bluegrass.

In the weeks and months to come, my buddies at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Branson helped me out in getting my collection of Bill Monroe recordings started. I soon realized that finding Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys recordings would be easy, as most all of them were available, being re-issued on CD. Bear Family Records had introduced 3 box sets, each set containing 4 CD's of Bill's recordings from 1950 - 1979, and a Columbia box set, covering the classic Bluegrass sessions from 1945 - 1949. Paying close attention to the instrumental style, in particular the rhythm guitar, those famous Lester Flatt runs that is a must in every song, and the vocal styles, that high lonesome sound, being a singing cowboy and learning all this would take some time!

There is a huge difference in the vocals of a Bluegrass vocalist versus a Western vocalist. Some believe Bluegrass vocals, are where you sing through your nose and sing the notes straight. Western vocalists on the other hand are smooth baritones like Rex Allen and others, they sing with a vibrato. As far as the harmonies, with trios, they are very similar, lead, tenor, and baritone, except sometimes in Bluegrass, the lead might be on the top with the harmonies below, or the lead on bottom and the harmonies on top. Usually with most Western trios, the lead is always the middle voice, unless the lead has to drop down in which case the baritone would cover the middle spot, and the tenor would remain the same. An example of that would be the Sons of the Pioneers recording of "Red River Valley." The phrase at the end of the chorus that goes "and the cowboy that loves you so true" is a spot where the lead goes down low enough that it would be a strain for the baritone to go lower to remain in harmony with the lead, so instead the baritone goes above the lead to the middle.

So now that you know what it requires to sing precise three-part harmony, whether it's Bluegrass or Western, the point is, I spent the next three years (1996 - 1999) studying and learning the differences and perfecting them. Most folks for instance lets say see me performing in a Bluegrass setting today, would not expect to see me the next day in a Singing cowboy Western setting. But I thought it would be neat to learn both and do them correctly. Occasionally during a show, someone will request that I do a Bluegrass tune so they can hear the vocal and instrumental difference from Western music.

In late 1996 a wonderful even took place that made me want to pursue Bluegrass even further. Uncle Rondo (Grandpa's brother) gave me his son's mandolin. Uncle Rondo and Aunt Lois only had one son, Tommy Ray Fullerton, he died in 1963 at the age of 21. Tommy Ray was one of the great local Branson musicians of the 1950's until his death. His main instruments were mandolin and guitar, he played at church services each week, was in the Branson High School marching band, and was proficient on several instruments. Aunt Lois had passed away in 1994 and with my interest in Bluegrass building after Bill Monroe's death, Uncle Rondo wanted to have Tommy Ray's 1940's Epiphone Strand mandolin. So, while listening to these Bill Monroe recordings that I was collecting the focus now shifted to mandolin. I started playing in church every Sunday, meeting and getting to know other area Bluegrass musicians, and attending Bluegrass festivals and concerts. All this, while still not forgetting the Pioneers and Western music.

During the summer of 1997 my group, the Stars of the West felt it would be neat to work up some Bill Monroe gospel tunes as well as some other Monroe songs, and before long we had as much Bluegrass material as we had Western. In 1998 I went from guitar to mandolin in the group and began working up an instrumental standard that Monroe had created in 1950. "Rawhide" is the classic Bill Monroe mandolin instrumental and I knew that I could never get it down, I'd give up the mandolin and move on! But that wouldn't be the case. I rehearsed each day and finally by August of 1998 felt comfortable doing "Rawhide" onstage. I do it at nearly every Bluegrass gathering I'm in, and it's my favorite of all the Monroe instrumentals.

Also during 1998 I would take the Stars of the West to a restaurant in Ozark, MO that featured live Bluegrass every Saturday night. The group that performed was called South Wynn, and featured John Wynn on banjo (also fine builder of mandolins and banjos), wife Betty on guitar, grand-daughter Casey Grimes on bass, Dan O'Day on fiddle, and Kenny Key on mandolin. After getting to know John and Betty and the gang after a few visits, they let the Stars of the West come in and do a 15 minute set. This association would last for over two years. In 2000, John Wynn invited me to fill in on occasion for Kenny Key and that really began my mandolin experience in a Bluegrass band setting.

On August 21, 2001, a phone call would open a door for me in the Bluegrass field. Listening to the messages on the answering machine that evening, there was the voice of Springfield musician Peter Sterpe. Listening to the message I actually recognized his voice before he stated his name. I had seen Peter and the group he worked with, Waterloo Boy Bluegrass, at the Shepherd of the Hills Bluegrass festival in June and we had the chance to visit briefly after a show. I was actually a huge fan of Waterloo Boy, they had a nice strong vocal trio, and superb instrumentation. I had seen them for the first time in 1998 at a Bluegrass gathering in Springfield and had kind of been following the group since then.

Peter called to let me know that there was going to be a position in the band soon and if I would be interested in joining. I called Peter back and we had a great visit. He stated that there would be weekly rehearsals, road trips on weekends with one sometimes lasting 3 to 4 days, I talked it over with everyone and a couple of days later called Peter again to let him know I was ready for the experience, I needed more Bluegrass stage experience anyway, and overall, it would improve my mandolin playing. Peter stated that I wouldn't be appearing with the group until later October but rehearsals would begin right away so I could get familiar with the material.

My first practice with Waterloo Boy was scheduled for the evening of September 11th, 2001, at Peter's house in West Springfield. Well, as you know from that horrible day, I had second thoughts of driving from Branson to Springfield. But I wanted to get my mind off of the day's events and relax so to Peter's house I went. Arriving after 7pm there to meet me at the front door was Nelson Prewitt, Waterloo Boy banjo picker and vocalist. After a short visit with everyone, Peter on guitar, Nelson on banjo, Peter's wife Linda on bass, and myself on mandolin we went over several songs that we knew we could do together, and after 9:30 that night, drove back home. My experience with Waterloo Boy had begun.

The group began in 1997, Peter, Nelson, Luke & Brenda Dartt, Brenda alternating with Peter's wife Linda on bass from time to time. That day in January 1998 when I saw Waterloo Boy for the very first time, it was just Luke, Nelson and Peter. Their vocal trio had a very pleasing sound. The gang was nuts about their John Deere tractors so they chose the name of the band to be Waterloo Boy. The Waterloo Boy Gas & Engine Company introduced it's two cylinder one-man Kerosine powered tractor in 1912, in the coming years, a couple of versions, the model R and model N being the most successful. In March of 1918, the Waterloo Boy Gas & Engine Company was purchased by Deere and Company for $2,100,000,00. This put John Deere in the tractor business. Deere continued producing the Waterloo Boy thru the end of 1924 and in 1925, the John Deere model D came out, replacing the Waterloo Boy.

So with the name of the band coming from that, I soon learned that these musicians were very serious about John Deere, as I'll never forget one night after a Waterloo Boy practice that Nelson and his father Don, took me through their tractor shed and parked inside were 31 vintage John Deere tractors. So in the months that would come, I would be getting educated on John Deere history as well!

In late September of 2001, fiddler Jim Smith from Urbana, MO would make the weekly practices with us, and he appeared with us onstage thru the middle of 2002. Jim is a wonderful musician, also versatile on several instruments. It was great working with him. My first long distance road trip with the group was in April of 2002, we performed in Columbia, Tennessee at the world famous Mule Day weekend. We had just finished two recording projects, an instrumental CD and an all gospel CD. In February of '02 we added 19 year old Chad Graves on Dobro. A wonderful talent, he's one of the best Dobro pickers in the country, and still continues with Waterloo Boy as well as a few other Bluegrass bands. And later that summer, fiddler Michelle Kuhlman came on board, she had worked with Waterloo Boy off and on in pervious years. An excellent fiddler and vocalist, she is currently in Texas working as a fulltime instructor giving lessons on Texas style fiddle.

The fall of 2002 we headed West and played a Bluegrass festival in Pahrump, Nevada, a little town that's still growing, just West of Las Vegas. Quite a trip, as we flew there and back and it was my first plane experience! My favorite trip was the yearly visit to the Midwest old Threshers reunion in Mt. Pleasant, IA. We would perform there for four days, doing daily tent shows. Huge crowds, without a doubt one of the largest gatherings of its kind in the country.

By the fall of 2003, my Singing Cowboy pursuit was still riding high, making three solo appearances per week at Branson resorts. Feeling the need to slow down a little bit and take care of some issues at home and be with family, I went to part-time status with Waterloo Boy, only working a few dates per year. My replacement would be the talented John Trew. John had gotten familiar with us in June of 2003 and started going with us on a few of the summer road trips. An excellent singer/songwriter, and a young man who can play several instruments, including claw-hammer banjo, John is right at home with Waterloo Boy. I enjoy working with him on occasion, as John Trew, Peter Sterpe, Chad Graves and myself are still available for Bluegrass appearances when needed.

I'm glad I made the move into Bluegrass in September of 1996 when the great Bill Monroe passed on. My plan in life is to see that the Bluegrass sound lives on.

To see what's going on with Waterloo Boy, Click here.

Below are some photos I've collected from my Waterloo Boy experience, 2002 to present.