I wake up in the morning and write on the trip to the venue. Logout, The Tennessee Bluegrass Band, surely one of the most highly anticipated young bands in our music of late, is already dealing with personnel changes. at the Grand Ole Opry that weekend. I took it on as a technical exercise.. He is proud to see his cousins, Carl and J.P. Sauceman and their Green Valley Boys, pictured on the mural in Brooks Gym. They are here to take part in an academic program like no other: Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Studies. Powell (guitar and vocals) said he and the Carolina Blue band members, which includes Jones (mandolin and vocals), McDowell (banjo and vocals), Reese Combs (upright bass and vocals) and Aynsley Porchak (fiddle, recipient of the 2018 IBMA Momentum Instrumentalist Award), "are on the same page when it comes to music and lifestyle. In case you haven't noticed, we're in love around here. She is a connoisseur of tea. Aynsley Porchak (2018) (of Carolina Blue) - Instrumentalist of the Year. The Tennessee Bluegrass Band is shining a light on the importance of traditional bluegrass. Aynsley Porchak readily admits to being a quirky individual. She confesses to having She tours with Carolina Blue, a vintage-inspired traditional bluegrass band and is part of a three-piece Celtic ensemble called Atlantic North. They are: Bobby Powell, guitar; Timmy Jones, mandolin; Reese Combs, bass; James McDowell, banjo (who looks like a young Don Stover); and Aynsley Porchak, fiddle (wearing a 'pillbox' hat that reminded Dr Janie of those ladies used to wear to church). When she moved to Hamilton, in the middle of the North Island of New Zealand, she made friends with musicians who had just discovered the music of The Beverly Hillbillies television show. He showed up at Timmy and Lakins one day and after wringing his hat in his hands for the first fifteen minutes of our talk, he eventually told me that he couldnt wait any longer to let me know his feelings. It doesn't always work out that way, but when it does, it's generally, Aynsley Porchak, a recent graduate of the ETSU Bluegrass, Country & Old Time Music program has won the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship, just one year after winning the US competition last year. ", 2023 East Public Relations | www.EastPublicRelations.com. Porchak finished her bachelor of arts degree with a double major in Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Studies and English and immediately began work on a master of arts in Appalachian Studies. She applied successfully for a Public Performance Scholarship and enrolled. Her thesis topic is the music of the Louvin Brothers, Charlie and Ira, from the Sand Mountain region of northern Alabama. May 16 1932-July 5 2019Recorded on The Vox (Custom Sho. urged her to compete while she was there. Two years later, she won the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship. Majors & MinorsCost EstimateRequest InfoVisitApplyGive. 24 / 7 Professional Support One of those great bands is Carolina Blue from Brevard, NC. the ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band at the Outer Banks Bluegrass Island Festival in North Country Current (above), the premier country and bluegrass group of the U.S. Navy. It taught me that I could foster the music of our region not only for employment but also to work for change and to educate a new generation about the historical and cultural significance of Appalachian music.. She decided to compete, telling no one else, not even her mentor, Daniel Boner, director Aynsley spends her time off the road as a private fiddle instructor, session musician, and author. We played a Slim Dusty song and, for an encore, a Mac Wiseman song.. Aynsleys parents Get recommendations for other artists you'll love. Aynsley, a native of Woodstock, Ontario, who is a senior at East Tennessee State University East Tennessee State University conferred over 2,100 degrees and certificates during a Virtual Commencement Ceremony held May 9. Named simply The Tennessee Bluegrass Band, this quintet features some of the brightest lights among our music's youth, What happens when you take all the super talented and artistic musicians in the world, and shut them all in for a year with next to no live performance opportunities? "We met for the first time when I auditioned for Carolina Blue in December two years ago. Tennessee Bluegrass Band looking for new members, Save Me All the Heartaches first single from Tone Tuesday, ETSU welcomes Aynsley Porchak and Dan Eubanks to bluegrass faculty, Moments in Bluegrass: BG75 #12 Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe, Aynsley Plays Kenny on social media in July, Aynsley Porchak wins Canadian Grand Masters, Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press at Bluegrass Wednesday Nights, Open Bluegrass Jam // Cinderlands Warehouse (Pittsburgh), Wernick Method Bluegrass Jam Class with Joel Denman Durango, CO, Open Bluegrass Jam // Cork Harbour Pub (Pittsburgh), Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Dave Wright & the Midnight Ramblers from Down Under, Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Bononia Grass plays with an Italian flavor, Russ Hooper: 74 years in bluegrass music and still gigging, Jason Fraley returns to Deeper Shade of Blue for one last show. In this thesis, I demonstrate how analysis through literary criticism can provide a commentary on Appalachian song. I feel very blessed and honored to be named a Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies adjunct faculty member. Those interested may apply at jobs.etsu.edu.. Valentines Day has us thinking about all the great love stories in Bluegrass: Kenny & Amanda Smith, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Paul & Kelsi Harrigill, Little Roy and Mike Terryyou get the drift. Aynsley Porchak wins Canadian Grand Masters. It signed on at five oclock in the afternoon and signed off at eleven. This man came up to our table and he recognized Buddy. 2023 California Bluegrass Association. Happy Valentine's Day! John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. Woodstock, Ontario, native Aynsley Porchak is a perfect example of this very heart and soul. Aynsley Porchak. rolled the radio dial and hit a certain country station, Aynsley would say, Stop, There are similar themeslove, acceptance, and rejection.. We live in capitalism. In 2017, Porchak won the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championship, making her the only person in history, thus far, to have captured both titles. cancellation, she headed to Nashville to surprise one of her own students, who was can with my music, just keep learning because you can always learn and just continue This is Aynsleys second year teaching at the Monroe Mandolin Camp, and she is excited to share her love of old-school bluegrass fiddling with her students! Were still together almost a year and a half later. ETSU now offers a four-year degree in that field, and it has since 2010. But on the buildings third level, theres a different kind of activity altogether. Aynsley began playing fiddle at the age of 9. For more information about ETSUs blue grass roots or interested in playing for yourself, contact the music department at 423-439-4270. And from an impromptu jam session comes the high harmony of twin fiddles. didnt listen to country music, and her mom thought it unusual that every time she The thesis is a lyrical analysis of Louvin Brothers songs and how the brothers bridged the gap between the sacred and the secular, Porchak says. We were the resident band for a program called Country Touch, based on early Grand Ole Opry television shows.. Music really does mean a lot to me. Receive updates about CBA events and news. basics of how to play the music, and I could make connections and be basically at Porchaks goal is to teach her passion of music, and share the love bluegrass with all people. Aynsley Porchak and Lincoln Hensley went to school together through the East Tennessee State University Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies program. We've helped hundreds of small business create a successful Web presence. Music is such a beautiful way to bring people together, and if I can make someone forget about whatever sadness they have going on in their life just for a little while through my playing, I feel like my job is done, she says. This full-time position will be appointed on the basis of outstanding professional attainments, creative accomplishments, and recognition in the bluegrass entertainment field. Submit stories for publication/editorial guidelines. They handed me the record Flatt and Scruggs at Carnegie Hall! and told me to learn every fiddle part on it, she recalls. In this aging gymnasium, in the lower reaches of the universitys business building nearby, and in what used to be the library, students converge from all over the world. Studies. The future holds many possibilities for Aynsley. I grew up hearing loud preaching and attending homecomings and Saturday night singings, Boner says. In addition to playing fiddle professionally Home-schooled by her mother Jan, a retired high school English and physical education teacher, Porchak had been looking for a college where she could continue learning traditional music. While playing local bars and restaurants like the Chuckey Trading Company, Chesney earned his Mass Communications degree from ETSU in 1990. His image is repeated several times in a Brooks Gym hallway photo mural, near those of the Stanley Brothers, the Carter Family, and Bonnie Lou and Buster, a duo that played live on Johnson Citys WJHL-TV in the 1960s. Porchaks love of the fiddle really began, though, when she was three. It gives me a chance to be where the music is happening. ETSU musicians meet the late Bill Monroe, backstage (above) at the Paramount Center for the Performing Arts in Bristol, Tennessee, in September of 1995. with a double major in bluegrass and English, was actually scheduled to perform with She came to East Tennessee State University to study in their Bluegrass, Old-Time and Country music program. She was also given the honor of playing the Grand . I feel God has blessed me with the ability to play, and so I want to give back to others through my fiddling, whether that means teaching fiddle lessons, performing on stage and making people smile, or just simply talking to an audience member after a show. I couldnt believe it when he said that, because that was exactly what the epicenter of all this music.. Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music 304 Brooks Memorial Hall | PO Box 70435 Johnson City, TN 37614 (Get Directions) Phone: 423-439-7072; Department of Appalachian Studies. porchak@mail.etsu.edu; Majors & Minors Cost Estimate Request Info Visit Apply Give. Thank you. There must be an immense sense of pride to win for both her home town in Canada and her college community here in Johnson City. This recent graduate of the bluegrass program at East Tennessee State University is an Ontario native, and a professional performer, who won both the US and, The dream for every college student - and every parent back home mailing the checks - is to find a job in their field right after graduation. Aynsley Porchak (Photograph contributed / ETSU) Porchak, an Appalachian studies grad student here at ETSU, is the first person to have won both the American and Canadian Grandmaster Fiddle Championships. Website design and development by Camellia Digital Agency. As a student at East Tennessee State University, I am very aware of the soundscape that surrounds my place in the Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies program. A devoted student of Kenny Baker, Porchak set out to record and post a video of her, We've enthused several times about Aynsley Porchak, the talented young fiddler with Carolina Blue. Aynsley Porchak, from Woodstock, Ontario, This past summer Aynsley Porchak, the super talented fiddler with Carolina Blue, came up with a great idea for a social media promotion. To me, that experience really speaks to one of the things that I find most fascinating about the nature of music, " it is an inclusive way of communicating thoughts and culture across the boundaries of regions, and even nations, she says. Two years later, she returned to Nashville and won the U.S. Grand Masters Fiddle Championship. Porchak began playing the fiddle at 9-years-old and developed a passion for bluegrass and competition quickly. concert later this month when the Bluegrass Pride Band will open for The Earls of There was one They made their SOIMF debut in 2018 and we are thrilled to have this award-winning band return to the Roberts Centre this spring. Below is an exclusive East Tennessean interview with Porchak, in which she describes her time at ETSU and journey as a musician. Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park Accepting Entries for Quilt Show, World-Folk fusion ensemble comes to Big Stone Gap, 'School of Rock' on stage in Jonesborough, Appalachian Music Project announces children's choir, 'Beauty & The Beast Jr.' is at Knoxville Children's Theatre, Southwest Virginia Museum hosts Wise JAMS, Bristol Virginia Historic Preservation Award Program Seeks Nominations, @Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace, @University of Virginia's College at Wise. She speaks highly of the teachers and the program. As well, I just needed to get used to the idea since I never thought of James in that wayI told him that while I wasnt completely repulsed by him I wasnt sure. She is a Music program at East Tennessee State University. My jaw dropped, because Id already Her love of classic cars (she collected die-cast cars as a youngster) led to her hobby of photography. The group formed as a spin-off of the band Carolina Blue. top U.S. fiddle championship the previous four years, twice placing as high as sixth, She was Blessed to win the Grand Master Fiddler Championship in 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee, and in 2017, she also became the Canadian Grand Master Fiddle Champion, making her the first person to win both competitions. Supporting and inspiring the next generation to play and enjoy music. Monroe did two 15-minute sets, and we played in one of his sets. minds when she was a toddler in Canada. 16 years old, I went to Weiser, Idaho, for the National Old Time Fiddlers Contest, They select their own material, arrange it, and record it. Now, there are some 60 students majoring in Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Studies, along with 35 who are minoring. Aynsley Porchak(Photograph contributed / ETSU). This week's (and last weekend's) adventures were one for the books!! Aynsley Porchak readily admits to being a "quirky individual.". But when severe weather led to the festivals She was introduced to bluegrass in her early teens, and quickly fell in love with the music. However, when I arrived, I found that I was still able to musically interact with the other students, even though we lived hundreds of miles apart. Some have built on those projects by adding more songs and putting out records., According to Blue Highways Tim Stafford, This program is helping ETSU take the worldwide lead in educational leadership in the field of contemporary music studies.. After all, we've got some of th. In January of 2018, Porchak secured a steady job playing fiddle for the up-and-coming group Carolina Blue, based in Brevard and Hendersonville, North Carolina. Aynsley Porchak, a recent graduate of the ETSU Bluegrass, Country & Old Time Music program has won the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship, just one year after winning the US competition last year. I was an only child and a homeschooled student, so I had my qualms about coming to Most importantly, I put God above all, Everything was down an octave, but I learned every fiddle bit on the record. Bluegrass Pride and Celtic Pride bands, and has had opportunities to share the stage When it comes to English, British Victorian literature is my cup of tea, she says. seafood place and this man came up to our table, saying, Excuse me, I hope you Maybe the newest great love story to emerge, is that of Carolina Blue's James McDowell and Aynsley Porchak, aka "Jaymsley." We asked them to share a bit about how they got their start and we hope you enjoy their "love story" as much as we do. and how music, tastefully played, can be both exciting and inspiring. I am curious to hear what she and her students come up with together.. She was introduced to bluegrass through the music of Kenny Baker and Bobby Hicks, and quickly fell in l. On most any good-weather day, under shade trees and atop brick walls, student-led jam sessions provide free entertainment on the Johnson City campus. and the area. Then between first and second sets of music, I write again. But it was good ear training, listening to what people were singing and trying to match it on guitar.. They'll perform two shows for us on Saturday, March 28th.
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