Tuesday, April 1, 2014

DOUGLAS WYOMING MUSIC FESTIVAL

The High Plains Old Time Music Festival is a two-day competition with the largest variety of categories in the region.  Some of the categories include: fiddle, vocal, banjo, piano, variety and guitar.  Preliminaries are on Saturday and the finals are on Sunday.  Over $3,000 will be offered in cash and prizes!   The location is at Eastern WY College in Douglas, WY.  Events start at 9:00 am both days.  There is also a Saturday Night Showcase of Talent with a Strut Your Stuff and Band Scramble categories and live entertainment that night.  This festival is enjoyed by competitors and spectators alike because of the great music, friendly atmosphere and family feel. For more information, please call Jamie at 307-358-5622. Mark your calendars! The dates for High Plains in 2014 are April 12 and 13! Those are less than two weeks away from today's date.

I believe the idea for the competitions in Douglas was first patterned after the National Flatpicking Championships in Kansas. Those grew spectacularly over the years. Now a bit of history. Some 20 odd years ago the man who wanted to start a bluegrass club in Billings, Robert Massey, took a trip to Douglas and entered the competition.  Bob had impressed me and others with his Scruggs Style rolls on his banjo and he also led our early jams with his nice Martin guitar.  An older fellow from Wyoming, whose name I don't recall, had turned up at one of the Columbus jams with his mandolin.  He later had Bob, a minister, perform his marriage to his fiancee. Bob didn't own a mandolin back then, but borrowed his and entered that category  at the Douglas festival. To Robert's surprise he won first place.  I believe that was when  Bob Massey decided that mandolin was THE instrument for him and I know he still owns and plays one down in Georgia. BTW, he has had health problems in recent months and I am sure he would appreciate prayers and good wishes. You could offer these on his Facebook page. We all wish you the very best Rev. Robert. May God be with you always.

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