From: Robert Everhart
[ruralcountrymusic_at_gmail_dot_com]
Sent: 20 August 2012 16:44
Subject: FARMERS DANCE WHERE CORN
DON'T GROW....LeMars, Iowa
FARMERS
DANCE WHERE CORN DON'T GROW.....LeMars, Iowa
"It's only one of
ten stages," says Bob Everhart, host of the 37th annual old-time music
festival in LeMars, Iowa. "but we have a dance hall connected to our
air conditioned main stage. It's huge, so we have dances every night of
our festival which runs Aug. 27 through Sept. 2. That means we have to
find some dance bands that can still play country music, like country music was
when it was young. I'd hate to try to dance to some of today's country
music, about the only thing you could do is jump up and down. A
waltz? Forget it, today's country music doesn't even know what that is,
but farmers do. Iowa has just gone through a terrible drought, and many
farmer's have lost their corn crops here. Iowa farmer's are a different
breed. Most of our farmer's have been with the land for hundreds of
years, passing the farm down from generation to generation. This isn't
the first time we've had drought in Iowa, nor will it be the last.
Farmers just hitch up their overalls, find other ways to save the crop, take
care of their family and animals, live close to the ground and God, and keep on
farming. One of their favorite pastimes is going to an occasional dance
to take off the stress. Not so many dance halls left in Iowa, but there
are a few, and one of the biggest ones is still at the Plymouth Country
Fairgrounds in LeMars, Iowa, where we have our old-time music festival.
And indeed, there you will find farmers dancing where corn don't grow."
The festival Everhart has directed for 37 years, is still the largest gathering
of like-minded folks who still like to hear the music they grew up with.
"Country music today is quite different from the music I grew up
with," said Francis Hahn, a retired CIA agent and songwriter for Johnny
Cash's 'House of Cash' publishing company. "I like country music
when country music was young, it's a whole different genre of music. I
write a lot of country songs, and like Terry Smith who wrote "Far Side
Banks of Jordan" for Johnny Cash, we both write for the same
company. I'm also a volunteer, helping Bob & Sheila Everhart put on
this incredible event that has no less then ten stages with performers on them
from 9am to midnight every day. There's got to be over 600 pickers,
players, and singers to fill all that time for seven days, but somehow they get
it done. That's also why farmers put their plows and corn pickers away
for a time, and come to this amazing event for a different kind of
pickers. Some of the best 'pickers' of country music make their way to
this acoustic music event that doesn't turn anyone away. Even if they are
just beginning, the Everharts make a stage available for them. I have two
favorites. I like the Main Stage because that is where Michael Martin
Murphey, Lynn Anderson, Ed Bruce, Charlie McCoy, Terry Smith, and a host of
other celebrities will be performing. But, I also like the Dance Hall
where they have old-time dances every night, even a waltz or two. I guess
Everhart is right when he says the farmers dance where corn don't grow."
According to Everhart, "We try to keep alive all of the various 'styles'
of country music when it was young. We even have an old log cabin on the
grounds, and that front porch is where some of our very best acoustic musicians
gather. We don't even use a sound system at that stage, and still it
attracts a large audience, at least as large as those who can still hear the
music without amplification. We have contests and workshops for those just beginning,
we even let anyone under the age of 18 in free in the hopes that they might
re-discover what country music was like when it was young. However, like
Francis Hahn, the dance hall is one of my favorites, and indeed, there will be
farmers dancing there where corn don't grow."
The schedule for the dances includes a Monday night polka party. Everhart
expects as many as 20 or 25 accordion players for that one. Tuesday and
Wednesday is western and cowboy dances featuring the Rancheros. Thursday
is one of the midwests finest dance bands, Bobby Awe's All Stars.
According to Dale Eichor who plays in the band, "we still like to play the
songs and the tempos that get people up on the dance floor. We might even
have our old friend Michael Martin Murphey join us for a dance tune or
two. Wouldn't that be fun?" Friday and Saturday nights the
dance hall becomes the realm of the 'Danciest Dance Band in the West" the
Kenaston Family who have an enviable reputation far and wide, or wherever there
is a dance hall."
Everhart stresses the 'family' style of entertainment offered at this long-time
event. "We don't allow any liquor or illicit drugs. We don't
need that to have a good time, and we certainly don't need it to dance where
corn don't grow. Neither do we allow loud electric instruments that take
the pleasure out of listening to really good country music. Of the ten
stages we have going simultaneously, one of them is a Gospel music stage called
the 'Church Without Walls' and you can definitely hear some great music
dedicated and devoted to our Saviour, Jesus Christ."
The folks who put the festival on have a website at http://www.ntcma.net/ or you
an call 712-762-4363
for information about parking an RV, camping on the grounds, food, tipi
village, performers, scheduling, or just asking a question about those farmers
who dance where corn don't grow.
Be with us for our big 37th
annual Old-Time Music Festival at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds in
LeMars, Iowa, August 27-Sept 2, 2012. Over 650 performers
on ten "sound" stages, including Hall of Fame inductions and
RRMC CD's of the Year Awards. ...AND, our Rural Roots
Music Festival October 5-6-7, 2012 at the Christensen Field
House in Fremont, Nebraska. Visit our website: http://www.ntcma.net/
--
PLEASE If you do not want to receive these press releases about old-time music in Mid-America ....please.... simply write 'remove' in the subject line and return to us. Don't forget our 37th Annual National Old-Time Music Fest, Aug 27-Sept 2, 2012, LeMars, Iowa, AND the Rural Roots Music Gathering Oct 5-6-7, 2012 in Fremont, Nebraska. Our website is at http://www.ntcma.net THANK YOU!