Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber, 2009
Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber, 2009
Days of Texas poster, Roznov pod Radnostem, CZ, 2005. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruberone of the most recorded, most influential musicians in Nashville. And he’s virtually unknown outside Music City, USA.
Texas quilts in Ethnographic museum. Roznov pod Radnostem, CZ. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Grubera sprawling complex dedicated to the preservation of local folk traditions and architecture. And the festival highlighted the fact that from the mid-19th century until World War I, thousands of people emigrated from Roznov and other towns and villages in the region to the Lone Star State. Today, Texas has the largest ethnic Czech community in the United States.
There were demonstrations of 19th century farming customs used by the emigrants, and performances by American-style Czech country-western groups as well as by local folk groups performing Wallachian songs and dances. An exhibition of quilting featured local designs as well as a big patchwork quilt reading "Texas," hung prominently from the upper floor of the old Roznov Town Hall.
I felt an immediate connection. My own great-grandfather immigrated to Texas from Lithuania in the 1880s, my mother and grandmother were both born there, and I had relatives who lived in some of the heavily Czech Texan communities.
Near Roznov, I made it point to visit the village of Lichnov, where a private little museum documents the Wallachian exodus with an exhibition called "Hope Has a Name -- Texas." It is a genealogist's paradise of archival records, photographs, maps and memorabilia tracing family histories on both sides of the Atlantic.
It was rather poignant to see how the immigrants, building new lives in a new world, named raw new prairie settlements after their ancient Czech hometowns and, in many cases, maintained at least some of their native customs and even a command of the language.
Indeed, the then-Mayor, Vaclav Mikusek, recalled his surprise when he first met descendents of Wallachian immigrants to Texas about 15 years ago. "There was one man whose ancestors had come from a village near Roznov, and when he started to speak Czech, it was like I was hearing my grandfather," he told me. "He was using the same words, same expressions. We were discussing it in the museum," he said. "Anyone who wants to hear a pure Wallachian dialect must go to Texas."
The survey reports that bluegrass listeners and consumers increased 15% from 17,280,000 in 2007 to 19,870,000 in 2008. This increase surpasses the total U.S. population growth of 1%. Overall, 63% of bluegrass listeners and consumers are over age 45, and there is 14% growth among listeners/consumers between the ages of 18 and 34.The data deal only with the United States, apparently, but there are some fascinating bits and pieces.
Current Simmons research data also shows that:
- 56% of bluegrass fans are employed full time and 52% are happy with their standard of living.
- As compared to the average American consumer over age 18, we are more likely to eat at Cracker Barrel (89% more likely), O’Charley’s (76% more likely), and Shoney’s (116% more likely).
- 68% of bluegrass fans are happy with their life as it is, 59% consider themselves optimists, and 76% like to “just enjoy life.”
- Bluegrass listeners/consumers are 76% more likely to shop for antiques and 79% more likely to play a musical instrument than the average American consumer over age 18.
- 14,624,000 (74%) bluegrass listeners/consumers are willing to volunteer their time for a good cause.
- 1,056,000 bluegrass listeners/consumers purchased 20 or more CDs (all genres) in the past year, while 1,669,000 purchased 20 or more downloads.
- 23% of bluegrass fans bought music online last year, while 15% bought music in a record/CD/tape store.
- 6,350,000 (32%) bluegrass fans own a portable mp3/digital media player, while 2,338,000 (12%) own a satellite radio.
- 13,774,000 (69%) attended a movie in the last six months, while 15,361,000 (77%) have traveled domestically in the past year.
- Bluegrass fans are 10% less likely than the average American consumer over age 18 to have a valid passport – only 33% have one.
The Autry National Center of the American West takes you on a tour through the life and times of American Music with Sparkle and Twang: Marty Stuart's American Musical Odyssey. The exhibition tells the story of country music icon Marty Stuart's personal experiences with some of the most famous stars of American music, highlighting several of the greatest performers on the country, bluegrass, rockabilly, and Southern gospel scenes. Visitors are invited to join the journey of Stuart's life and witness the road traveled by the beloved musicians encountered along the way. Discover what life on the road really meant, and learn about the struggles and triumphs these performers experienced in order to succeed.
This uniquely American collection underscores the importance of style and sound with performance costumes, handwritten lyrics, personal letters, musical instruments, and unpublished photographs of such legends as Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Porter Wagoner, Johnny Cash, and Bob Dylan. The fashion-rich collection includes such items as Elvis Presley's sweater, Jerry Lee Lewis's black boots, Johnny Cash's white tuxedo, a Bob Dylan outfit, and a Patsy Cline dress. The exhibition would not be complete without a life-size dressing room and interactive performance stage. Plus, listening stations, ambient audio, and video documentaries can be found throughout.
"I made it my mission to save the historic relics of country music, not just because they were things I loved, but to preserve them as cultural artifacts," says Marty Stuart.
This exhibition was developed by and originally exhibited at the Tennessee State Museum, Nashville, TN.
I spent a wonderful month as a Visiting Scholar at the Autry a few years ago, researching the creating and marketing of the Western Myth -- and these sparkly costumes and accoutrements are certainly part of it. The lit up the dreams of innumerable fans in Europe, and spurred them on to create their own idiosyncratic looks. Like these fans at the Country Rendez-vous in Craponne:
Photo (c) Ruth Ellen GruberVisit
Europe's premier bluegrass event, the European World of Bluegrass Festival in the Netherlands. The EWOB Festival is an unforgettable experience for musicians and audience alike! For 3 fun-filled days, you'll see Europe's most exciting bluegrass groups compete for the European Bluegrass Band Awards, performing alongside the finest touring American artists. The #1 European Bluegrass Band wins a chance to perform in Nashville, Tennessee!
We come from many different countries, but we speak one common language: BLUEGRASS! Geographic, political, and cultural borders fall away as we join together to celebrate our love for bluegrass music, and meet new friends from faraway lands. Maybe world peace can start with a banjo intro.
Bring your friends, your family, your guitars, banjos, mandolins, dobros, basses, and fiddles, and join in the fun! See you in May at EWOB 2009!
Charlie is known all over the world. He performs every year in Europe and Asia, most frequently France, Japan, and Denmark. His European backup band is made up of Europe's finest musicians and is second to none.
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