Cybergrass Bluegrass Music News: Laurie Lewis' Tribute to Vern Williams

Guest wrote: on Jun. 10, 2006:
/Laurie Lewis/ - It is with great sadness that I must tell you that one of my heroes, Vern Williams, passed away yesterday at the age of 76. Vern was a fine mandolin player and a wonderful singer, with a voice like 80-grit sandpaper that managed to retain a simultaneous sweetness. He is perhaps best known for his long and not-very-often-recorded career with Ray Park, in the bluegrass band known as "Vern and Ray." Originally fromm Arkansas, Vern moved to California in the early 1950's and, together with fellow Arkansan Ray, was the leading light of traditional bluegrass up here in the northern part of the state.

Asked at a workshop once about what it takes to sing bluegrass, Vern replied, "You've got to spill your guts onstage. And then walk in them." Vern sang like a siren, a car horn, a bugling elk, a big leather bellows, rearing back away from the mic and blasting through the band with his high tenor. He sang the great old songs, with a penchant for Stephen Foster and Carter Family material. He always had an interesting and varied repertoire, full of beautiful gems that nobody else was singing.

It was my great good fortune to play bass in the Vern Williams Band over the course of about a year in 1979 and 1980, along with Keith Little on banjo, Ed Neff (or occasionally Paul Shelasky) on fiddle, and Vern's son Delbert on guitar. I was in heaven, with the best seat in the house for that scraped-clean, unvarnished sound. Playing with them at little pizza parlors, restaurants and festivals has always been among the highlights of my musical career.

Today, Kathy Kallick and I got together and reminisced about the Vern and Ray days and sang some of Vern's songs, including "Cabin on a Mountain," "Sweet Fern," "My Clinch Mountain Home," "Little Annie," "Field of Flowers," and "Happy I'll Be." Vern's music and his joy in playing are so entwined into the fabric that has held the Northern California bluegrass scene together, and though he has been largely absent from that scene for the last decade due to health problems, it is hard to think of him as no longer among us. It is a tribute to his spirit, though, that his passing makes me want to sing more.

June dates

June 11-14 California Bluegrass Association Music Camp:
Laurie- bluegrass singing for women
Tom Rozum- "roots of bluegrass" mandolin Nevada County Fairgrounds
Grass Valley, CA
209-293-1559
www.CBAOnTheWeb.org

Friday, June 16 Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands (Laurie, Tom, Craig Smith, Scott Huffman, and Todd Phillips)
Gateway Church
29646 Agoura Road
Agoura Hills, CA
818-889-4147
www.gateway4.org

Saturday, June 17 Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands Huck Finn Jubilee
Mojave Narrows Regional Park
Victorville, CA
951-341-8080
www.HuckFinn.com
Make history! Bring your instrument and be a part of "The World's Largest Jam," to be held at the main stage at 5:30 on Saturday!

Saturday, June 24 Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum, Dirk Powell and Christine Balfa
Kate Wolf Memorial Music Festival
Black Oak Ranch
Laytonville, CA
707-829-7067
www.CumulusPresents.com
We're very excited about this collaboration with Dirk and Christine, both terrific musicians steeped in Cajun and old-time music.

Please visit our website, www.LaurieLewis.com, for the latest news. Check out our new downloads, and find out more about our Tuolumne River trip, August 24-26. Coming up in July, I will be teaming up with the always-amazing guitarist Nina Gerber for a couple of rare duo performances. Stay tuned for more details.

Plant seeds of peace. Water your garden. Enjoy these long, light-filled days.
Take care,
Laurie

Seed Newsvine

Copyright 1992-2010 by CYBERGRASS® CYBERGRASS® is a Registered Trademark. All use and rights are reserved. No part of this site may be copied or reproduced in whole or in part without express written authorization from CYBERGRASS®. Derivitive works prohibited.