Shed love to keep touring professionally in a band as well, while still continuing to give back through teaching. 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. 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. John Meador and Hensley have played gigs together although they performed with separate bands, (John with Kentucky Just Us and Lincoln with the Price Sisters), and Meador is married to . While playing local bars and restaurants like the Chuckey Trading Company, Chesney earned his Mass Communications degree from ETSU in 1990. And from an impromptu jam session comes the high harmony of twin fiddles. rolled the radio dial and hit a certain country station, Aynsley would say, Stop, She gave up her job as a teacher to go on the road, introducing bluegrass music to New Zealand. My number one goal is to teach music, especially higher education, said Porchak. I still have the program, Trenwith says. Just to even go to the Opry has been a dream gratefully giving Him all the glory for all His many blessings.. Through Bill Monroe, Seeger arranged to have the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band play on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in 1971. Monroe did two 15-minute sets, and we played in one of his sets. 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). Aynsley began playing fiddle at the age of 9. and the area. Following an invitation that the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) extended to its members that they share a memory from "75 years of bluegrass," we thought that we would collect a few to share with you. With a new album already completed for Billy Blue Records, and a solid year of dates booked, There's a brand new bluegrass band recently formed in east Tennessee that is sure to please anyone who enjoys solid, traditional bluegrass music. He had grown up among a group of West Virginia expatriates who had moved north to find jobs in the glass industry. Takes the music extremely traditional Bluegrass . Aynsley managed to secure a couple of lessons with legendary session fiddler Buddy In order to further hone her craft, Aynsley enrolled in East Tennessee State Universitys Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies degree program in 2013. Fiddle contests are a really big deal in Ontario, so I began to compete on the circuit. Despite busy weekends touring to places like Branson, Missouri; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; and Nashvilles famed Station Inn, Porchaks academic work continues. Old Time and Country Music Studies in ETSUs Department of Appalachian Studies. But the program had its beginning back in 1982 when Dartmouth-educated mandolin player Jack Tottle first started teaching courses in the music of the region through the universitys Center for Appalachian Studies and Services. Blue Added to East Public Relations /a > Aynsley Porchak fiddled for the now disbanded Carolina.. concert later this month when the Bluegrass Pride Band will open for The Earls of The Tennessee Bluegrass Band is shining a light on the importance of traditional bluegrass. Here he is playing with Alison Krauss and ETSU alumnus Barry Bales, then with Krauss and her band, Union Station, in 1991. it was probably the fiddle which attracted her to the music. While we both thought the other was nice, it wasnt love at first sight. The rest is history. It was the last violin he would ever make. She confesses to having a passion for boots. Top Aynsley Porchak Quotes. Though, from a young age, Porchak dreamed of a competing in bluegrass; she never imagined it would actually come true. Practice, play, and perform at the Father's Day Festival. She speaks highly of the teachers and the program. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), East Tennessean 2023 Readers Choice Awards, ETSU alumna receives Presidents Lifetime Achievement Award, Next on the queue: Netflixs Murdaugh Murders, Traveling exhibit visits Culp Center as part of Black History Month, Bluegrass features musical talent in showcase performance, Chanticleer vocal group performs at Martin Center, Pantsuit Politics co-hosts part of Festival of Ideas, Free pop-up shop continues to grow on campus, Access ETSU partners with regional music group for event, Baseball shuts out App State in 5-0 home win, HASCA President on what it means to be a leader. Find a band near you or share your band info with the world! Oklahoma Stomp, the song was adapted for the fiddle and renamed by Dale Potter, one She was introduced to bluegrass in her early teens, and quickly fell in love with the music. Porchak also loves the sense of community here at ETSU; as well as just being around such great music. When she couldnt fall asleep, her mom would 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. ! It was on Facebook before I even knew it. In addition to awarding bachelors, masters, and graduate certificates, ETSU bestowed doctor of education (Ed.D. 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. Maybe the newest great love story to emerge, is that of Carolina Blue's James McDowell and Aynsley Porchak, aka "Jaymsley." Aynsleys parents with a double major in bluegrass and English, was actually scheduled to perform with This week's (and last weekend's) adventures were one for the books!! Aynsley is also an experienced contest fiddler. I don't think there's anything wrong with pullin pop into the genre with covers like this. they took such an interest in this style of music as to start a degree program for She is a connoisseur of tea. 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. In 2008, ETSU opened its own recording laboratory. This fund has been established to assist the Hensley family of Flag Pond, Tennessee in their husband's and father's medical bills. Aynsley Porchak(Photograph contributed / ETSU). It could take me a while, I said, before I knew - it could be days, could be weekscould be monthscould be years! By a miracle, that didnt scare James off, and it didnt take years after allin August, I drove to Galax to surprise him and tell him that I wanted to take him up on his offer to date. Colleen Trenwith and the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band became household names in New Zealand. Then between first and second sets of music, I write again. Her thesis topic is the music of the Louvin Brothers, Charlie and Ira, from the Sand Mountain region of northern Alabama. Boner discovered the ETSU program through a high school English teacher in southern New Jersey and enrolled as a student in 2000. . Website design and development by Camellia Digital Agency. About the author: Fred Sauceman has worked at ETSU since 1985. Leicester, a Grammy Award-winning, all-star Flatt and Scruggs cover band comprised Spicher, and they took him to lunch. 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. Very cool. about bluegrass. Originally a western swing tune for the steel guitar called The cancellation, she headed to Nashville to surprise one of her own students, who was Funeral . Her technical prowess is second to none. that as the 2015 winner, she will be a judge for the 2016 competition and perform The Meadors are married. the epicenter of all this music.. Porchaks love of the fiddle really began, though, when she was three. Fiddler Aynsley Porchak didnt grow up in a musical household, but her parents always supported her musical interest. After all, shed already appeared in this 2023 California Bluegrass Association. didnt listen to country music, and her mom thought it unusual that every time she East Tennessee State University conferred over 2,100 degrees and certificates during a Virtual Commencement Ceremony held May 9. 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. When Carolina Blue co-founder Bobby Powell left the group, he took the name Carolina Blue with him and the remaining members formed a new band. Aynsley Porchak is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Nina Hensley. Bluegrass Pride and Celtic Pride bands, and has had opportunities to share the stage We've helped hundreds of small business create a successful Web presence. Im honored to begin this amazing opportunity to work with ETSU, its faculty and students.. . loves it. urged her to compete while she was there. 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. She also received the 2018 IBMA Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year award. Country Current (above), the premier country and bluegrass group of the U.S. Navy. She accepted Paul Trenwiths invitation to join the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band as well as his marriage proposal. We were the resident band for a program called Country Touch, based on early Grand Ole Opry television shows.. High-res versions are in Flickr. But I was set at ease immediately, and I love the campus Music program at East Tennessee State University. My jaw dropped, because Id already I don't think there's anything wrong with pullin pop into the genre with covers like this. Oh, and shes also the current Grand Master Fiddle Champion, having won the 44th annual contest last fall a contest she did not think she was going to attend. She tours with Carolina Blue, a vintage-inspired traditional bluegrass band and is part of a three-piece Celtic ensemble called Atlantic North. Shortly after winning, she learned that she was the first person ever to win both Canadian and American Grand Masters fiddle championships. and touring with a band, she would love to teach both music and English. Roy Andrade, best known for his work with the string band Reeltime Travelers, specializes in old-time music. The appointment is for one academic year and is renewable. Very cool. In 2018, Aynsley joined the SPBGMA award-winning band Carolina Blue, and performed with them for four years before becoming one of the founding members of The Tennessee Bluegrass Band. International Bluegrass Music Association 4206 Gallatin Pk Nashville, TN 37216 USA Map it Phone 615-256-3222 | Toll Free 1-888-438-4262 . huge NBA fan. His great uncle, Larry Boner, was a guitar-strumming preacher. When they found out that it was the fiddle that I . Porchak had found the program she was longing for and enrolled at ETSU in the fall of 2013. Well you get all sorts of creative solutions, as we. 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