Plank
Road's
Regular
Events
in
conjunction
with
2WS
NOTE:
The
Covid-19
crisis
has
severely
curtailed
our
usual
activities
and
events.
Until
further
notice
all
our
regular
"in-person"
Saturday
sing-arounds,
Country/Western
sing-around
and
monthly
BYOS
sessions
held
at
Two
Way
Street
are
cancelled.
In
the
meantime,
we're
hosting "virtual"
get
togethers
online,
via
Zoom.
(See
article
on
right
for
details.)
Barn
Dances at
2WS
are
also
cancelled
until
further notice.
Some Friday
night
concerts
at
2WS
are
being
streamed
live
--
see
their
website
for
information.
Sing-Around
1st
&
3rd
Sat.
|
2-4
pm
Vocal
instrumental
jam
and
sing-along
with
songbooks
and
leader.
Country
and
Western
Sing-Around
4th
Sat.
|
2-4
pm
Sing
along
with
your
favorite
C&W
songs.
2nd
Tuesday
Song
Circle
--
BYOS!
Two
Way
Street
Coffee
House
2nd
Tues.
|
7-9
pm
A
monthly
opportunity
for
musicians
to
perform
songs
for
each
other,
within
a
song
circle.
Bring Your Own Song!
Plank
Road
String
Band
Practice
630-620-0688
2nd
Sat.
|
2:00-4:00
pm
An
old-time
string
band
practice
for
intermediate/advanced
players.
from
Sept
to
April
Last
Thursday
Open
Mike
Last
Thurs.
of
every
month
|
7-9:30
pm
A
monthly
unplugged
open
mike
for
high
school
and
college
age
students
only.
|
|
|
Please
read
this
note
from
our
friends
at
2WS
Help
the
Musicians:
Keep
the
Music,
and
Their
Incomes,
Flowing
During
these
difficult
times,
know
that
Two
Way
Street
Coffee
House
has
the
interests
of
musicians
at
heart.
We
are
committed
to
helping
the
musicians
whose
acts
we
have
had
to
cancel
and
hope
that
you
will
continue
to
support
them
and
others
in
the
folk
music
community
whose
income
has
plummeted.
There
are
many
ways
to
help.
Musicians
are
hosting
online
live
showcases,
reaching
out
through
performances
to
which
the
public
can
make
donations,
and
selling
CDs
online.
Just
Google
the
names
of
your
favorite
musicians
to
see
if
they
are
hosting
online
performances
and
learn
how
you
can
help
them
financially.
Also,
"Undiscovered
Music"
is
an
online
site
that
has
a
list
of
upcoming
live
acoustic
concerts,
with
ways
to
donate
to
the
acts: undiscoveredmusic.net/streamed.
Please
consider
a
donation
to
the
American
Federation
of
Musicians
Emergency
Relief
Fund
(ERF). 100%
of
all
donations
to
the
AFM
Local
1000
ERF
will
go
to
working
musicians
in
need. To contribute, visit: www.local1000.org/product/emergency-relief-fund.
The
folks
at
FARM
(Folk
Alliance
Region
Midwest)
posted
these
resources
for
emergency
funding
for
artists
and
event
producers
on
their
websites:
Thank
you
for
your
continuing
support,
Two
Way
Street
Coffee
House
|
|
|
NOTE:
Barn
Dances
have
been
cancelled
until
further
notice.
Please
check
our
website
and
Facebook
page
for
updates.
|
We
hear
a
lot
about
"virtual"
these
days
.
.
.
And
that
includes
Eric
Lambert
and
Bluegrass!
Once
again,
multi-instrumentalist
and
well-known
folk
and
bluegrass
artist
Eric
Lambert
hosted
a
bluegrass
sing-around
--
but
this
time
it
was
a
virtual
event,
online
via
Zoom.
May
30th
was
one
of
those
rare
fifth
Saturdays,
but
restrictions
against
public
gatherings
presented
a
challenge.
Fortunately,
Eric
offered
to
try
it
online,
with
help
from
Denise
Davis
and
Ron
Leaneagh.
As
each
singer
led
a
song,
all
other
participants
were
"muted"
in
order
to
reduce
background
interference.
But,
as
bluegrass
fans
know,
instrumental
breaks
are
a
key
element,
and
thanks
to
Ron
on
the
"mute"
and
"unmute"
buttons,
people
were
able
to
take
instrumental
leads.
Not
quite
the
same
as
an
in-person
live
event,
but
it
worked
out
quite
well!
If
you
attended
the
event
and
haven't
had
a
chance
to
make
a
contribution,
please
consider
doing
so through PayPal at lambert130@gmail.com.
|
|
|
Why
didn't
I
think
of
that?
By
Andy
Malkewicz
Ralph
Peer.....
who
is
he??? Only
the
man
to
launch
the
careers
of
the
Carter
Family
and
Jimmie
Rodgers.
Producer,
engineer,
and
traveler,
he
led
the
move
of
the
recording
industry
from
classical
and
opera,
to
American
roots
music.
He
was
born
May
22,
1892,
in
Independence,
MO,
where
his
father's
furniture
business
also
sold
phonographs
and
gramophones,
and
as
a
teen,
worked
the
store's
stockroom,
eventually
ordering
new
machines
and
records
for
the
store.
During
high
school,
he
spent
his
summers
working
at
the
Columbia
Phonograph
Company's
Kansas
City
offices,
joined
the
company
upon
graduation,
and
showing
promise,
was
transferred
to
the
Chicago
headquarters.
In
1919,
he
joined
General
Phonograph
Company's
Okeh
label
cutting
ballads,
classical,
blues,
and
Jazz
discs.
In
Aug
1920,
Peer
and
a
musical
supervisor
created
Mamie
Smith's
"Crazy
Blues,"
considered
the
first
record
geared
to
African-American
audiences
and
sold
in
excess
of
a
million
copies
proving
there
was
a
market
for
what
Peer
called
"race"
records.
He
soon
became
recording
director
of
Okeh's
new
"race"
series,
making
Okeh
a
force
rivaling
market
leaders
Victor
and
Columbia.
Peer
exhibited
an
uncommon
knack
for
recognizing
new
talent.
He
signed
jazz
pianist
Fats
Waller,
and
blues
singer
Sara
Martin
with
the
first
guitarist,
Sylvester
Weaver,
backing
a
blues
vocalist
on
record.
In
March
1923,
Peer
was
visited
by
the
self-proclaimed
"world's
greatest
harmonica
player"
William
Henry
Whittier.
This
led
to
the
release
of
the
first
official
country
music
recording,
Fiddlin'
John
Carson's
"Little
Old
Cabin
in
the
Lane." It
sold
over
a
half
million
copies
and
Okeh
was
now
into
what
Peer
dubbed
as
"hillbilly"
music.
Recognizing
the
possibilities,
he
started
traveling
the
U.S.
with
portable
recording
equipment,
and
in
1923
visited
Atlanta,
Chicago,
and
St.
Louis,
with
stops
along
the
way
finding
little
known
acts,
Louis
Armstrong,
King
Oliver,
Ernest
V.
"Pop"
Stoneman,
and
more.
He
continued
his
travels,
advertising
in
local
papers,
paying
artists
$25
per
selection,
and
securing
copyright
protection
for
original
songs
recorded
during
these
sessions.
Peer
encouraged
artists
to
write
their
own
songs.
He
was
the
first
label
exec
to
encourage
his
recording
artists
to
write
their
own
original
songs
and
avoid
copyrighted
material,
pocketing
most
of
the
royalties
himself.
It
was
so
lucrative
Peer
became
a
millionaire,
while
the
average
yearly
income
was
only
$700.
He
left
Okeh,
joined
Victor
Talking
Machine
Company,
and
assumed
control
of
all
copyrighted
work
created
under
his
supervision.
In
1927,
in
the
Virginia
border
town
of
Bristol,
TN,
Peer
recorded
76
songs
by
19
different
performers,
including
the
Carter
Family,
and
Jimmie
Rodgers
(the
Singing
Brakeman). After
leaving
Bristol,
Peer
migrated
to
Savannah,
GA,
where
he
produced
waltzes,
blues
and
Caribbean
island
music.
He
also
produced
the
first
racially
integrated
session
ever
documented. He
also
courted
the
pop
market
with
Hoagy
Carmichael's
"Georgia
on
My
Mind,"
and
more.
Peer
continued
his
business
acumen,
dealing
with
BMI,
while
ASCAP
was
at
odds
with
the
radio
industry.
By
the
early
1940s
his
Southern
Music
Company's
large
catalogue
of
songs
even
included
international
music
and
became
quite
lucrative.
In
the
1950s,
these
songs
grew
in
value
with
the
advent
of
rock
&
roll,
as
acts
such
as
Elvis
Presley,
Buddy
Holly,
the
Platters,
the
Rolling
Stones,
and
others
made
its
old
songs
new
again.
During
his
life
he
continually
recognized,
and
found
the
markets
for
various
roots
music,
that
flourishes
to
this
day.
As
his
interest
changed,
he
became
director
of
the
American
Horticultural
Society
in
1959,
and
died
in
Los
Angeles
on
January
19,
1960.
He
was
elected
to
the
Country
Music
Hall
of
Fame
in
1984.
|
|
|
"There
are
two
kinds
of
people
in
this
world.
Those
that
love
John
Prine,
and
those
that
kick
themselves
for
not
loving
him
sooner."
-
Anonymous
Tweet
COVID-19
claims
revered
singer-songwriter John
Prine.
There
has
been
so
much
written
and
said
about
John
Prine,
that
it's
hard
to
know
where
to
begin.
He
died
on
April
7
in
Nashville
of
coronavirus
complications.
He
was
73.
Following
are
a
few
reflections
--
including
quotes
from
Prine
himself
.
.
.
"I
wrote
'Sam
Stone'
and
'Hello
in
There'
on
the
route
(as
a
mail
carrier
in
Maywood).
When
you're
a
mailman
on
the
same
route
for
a
couple
weeks
there
is
nothing
to
do.
You
just
try
to
drop
the
right
mail
at
the
right
house
and
make
sure
you're
on
the
right
street.
...
I
likened
the
mail
route
to
being
in
a
library
without
any
books.
You
just
had
time
to
be
quiet
and
think,
and
that's
where
I
would
come
up
with
a
lot
of
songs."
-
John
Prine
"Prine's
stuff
is
pure
Proustian
existentialism.
Midwestern
mind
trips
to
the
Nth
degree.
And
he
writes
beautiful
songs."
-
Bob
Dylan
When
Prine
heard
Dylan's
comment,
he
told
the
Chicago
Tribune
in
2010, "Proustian
existentialism?
I
can't
even
pronounce
that."
"My
friend
and
hero
John
Prine,
wrote
'Angel
From
Montgomery'
and
so
many
other
songs
that
changed
my
life. He's
a
true
folk
singer
in
the
best
folk
tradition,
cutting
right
to
the
heart
of
things,
as
pure
and
simple
as
rain."
- Bonnie
Raitt
"I
was
kidding
with
John
one
time.
I
said,
'John,
when
I
talk
to
people
like
the
air-conditioning
guy
or
the
plumber,
they
say,
"I
tell
ya,
the
guy
I
like
is
John
Prine."
They
don't
care
about
the
other
(singers).'
And
John
said,
'Yeah,
and
I'm
also
big
with
pest-control
people.'
"
- Ed
Holstein
"We've
lost
not
only
one
of
the
greatest
singer-songwriters
that
the
world's
ever
had,
but
in
my
mind
one
of
the
only
ones,
because
of
the
voice.
There
aren't
a
lot
of
people
that
actually
have
their
own
voice,
that
don't
sound
imitative
in
any
way.
That
was
John.
In
songs
about
death,
betrayal
or
loneliness,
it
seems
to
always
include
a
light
sense
of
irony
or
humor
or
absurdity
--
everything
mixed
together
in
life,
the
way
that
it
is.
You
just
feel
who
he
is
when
you're
listening
to
his
songs
on
a
record.
There's
nothing
between
that
brain
and
your
heart
when
you're
hearing
his
music.
It's
like
the
greatest
magic
act
in
all
of
singer-songwriterdom."
- Robbie
Fulks
"I'll
get
some
of
my
best
ideas
behind
a
steering
wheel
rather
than
behind
a
guitar."
- John
Prine
"He
sings
rather
quietly,
and
his
guitar
work
is
good,
but
he
doesn't
show
off.
He
starts
slow.
But
after
a
song
or
two,
even
the
drunks
in
the
room
begin
to
listen
to
his
lyrics.
And
then
he
has
you."
- Roger
Ebert
"(The
Ryman
Auditorium)
is
the
place
where
the
new
John
Prine
--
older
now,
scarred
by
cancer
surgeries,
his
voice
deeper
and
full
of
gravel
--
is
most
clearly
still
the
old
John
Prine:
mischievous,
delighting
in
tomfoolery,
but
also
worried
about
the
world."
- Margaret
Renkl
(New
York
Times)
"John
and
I
were
'New
Dylans'
together
in
the
early
70s.
(He
was)
a
true
national
treasure
and
songwriter
for
the
ages."
-
Bruce
Springsteen
"It
gets
pretty,
then
it
gets
ugly,
and
then
it
gets
pretty
ugly,"
- John
Prine
(Commenting
on
his
"gruff
and
unsteady"
voice.)
"Can
we
please
have
a
new
Genre
of
Music
officially
recognized?
Simply
known
as
Prine?"
-
Anonymous
Tweet
|
A
reflection
on
John
Prine
By
Mark
Dvorak
By
the
time
I
first
picked
up
a
guitar
John
and
his
songs
were
already
there.
It
seemed
they'd
always
been
there.
He
grew
up
working
class,
not
too
far
from
where
I
grew
up
and
somehow
that
resonated.
John
became
one
of
my
musical
suppliers
--
lots
of
us
were
doing
his
songs
as
best
we
could
early
on.
And
then
a
day
came
when
I
realized
how
complete
his
writing
voice
was.
How
complete
was
his
performing
style.
And
what
came
with
that
realization
was
a
thought
that
something
else
deep
and
profound
was
also
going
on
beneath
all
his
joking
around
and
cornball-country
simplicity.
It
was
around
that
time
I
became
serious
about
learning
to
develop
my
own
writing
and
style.
It's
as
if
John
was
asking
all
along,
"Ain't
it
kinda
fun
to
find
out
how
to
be
yourself?"
And
I
found
myself
headed
to
Tennessee
one
summer
and
took
the
long
way,
through
Muhlenberg
County
in
western
Kentucky,
not
far
from
the
Tennessee
state
line.
The
little
town
of
Drakesboro
is
a
place
from
where
many
guitar
pickers
have
come
and
are
honored.
Mose
Rager
is
from
there
and
he
showed
everybody
the
Kentucky
thumb-style
picking
including
Ike
Everly,
father
of
the
famous
Everly
brothers.
Merle
Travis
grew
up
in
the
next
town
over,
Greenville,
which
is
a
little
bigger.
The
quiet
streets
of
Drakesboro
are
named
for
many
of
those
famous
Kentucky
pickers.
The
main
road
into
town
is
Highway
431
and
the
stretch
of
it
through
Drakesboro
is
named
John
Prine
Avenue.
The
Paradise
Fossil
Plant
is
right
there,
or
used
to
be,
and
you
can
order
pie
and
a
cup
of
coffee
at
the
Paradise
Cafe
right
there
on
the
corner
of
Prine
and
Rager.
When
I
arrived
at
the
little
festival
the
next
day,
John
and
his
songs,
Drakesboro
and
fingerpicking
guitar
were
on
my
mind.
I
closed
my
set
that
afternoon
with
John's
great
song,
"Paradise."
An
old-timer
waved
over
as
I
climbed
down
off
the
stage
and
asked
about
that
last
song
I
did.
He
said
he
knew
all
the
songs
from
this
part
of
the
country
and
had
never
heard
that
one
before.
He
about
fell
over
when
I
told
him
it
was
written
by
a
mailman
from
Chicago.
He
didn't
believe
me
at
all
--
but
I
did
send
him
a
copy
of
it.
|
|
|
|
Bill
Withers
Soul
legend
and
three-time
Grammy
winner
Bill
Withers
died
March
20
in
Los
Angeles.
He
was
81.
He
is
best
known
for
timeless
songs
during
the
1970s
and
80s
like
"Lean
on
Me,"
"Lovely
Day,"
"Use
Me"
and
"Ain't
No
Sunshine."
Withers
released
eight
albums
before
walking
away
from
the
spotlight
in
1985,
but
left
an
indelible
mark
on
the
music
community
and
the
world
at
large.
His
family
released
a
statement
describing
Withers
as
"a
solitary
man
with
a
heart
driven
to
connect
to
the
world
at
large.
With
his
music
he
spoke
honestly
to
people
and
connected
them
to
each
other."
Withers
was
born
in
a
small
coal-mining
town
in
West
Virginia,
and
struggled
with
a
stutter,
saying
he
had
a
hard
time
fitting
in.
After
nine
years
in
the
Navy,
he
relocated
to
Los
Angeles
to
start
his
musical
career.
His
1972
hit,
"Lean
On
Me,"
became an
inspirational
anthem
to
those
rising
up
after
tragedy,
or
a
rallying
cry
of
togetherness
and
resilience
in
times
of
trouble,
from
earthquakes
to
hurricanes
and
other
natural
disasters.
In
2020,
"Lean
On
Me" quickly
emerged
as
an anthem
of
hope
and
solidarity
in
this
time
of
COVID-19,
protest
and
social
unrest.
Withers
was
inducted
into
the
Songwriters
Hall
of
Fame
in
2005,
and
the
Rock
&
Roll
Hall
of
Fame
in
2015.
Little
Richard
Flamboyant
singer-instrumentalist
Little
Richard,
whose
high-voltage,
keyboard-shattering
R&B
singles
kick-started
the
'50s
rock
'n'
roll
revolution,
died
May
9
in
Tennessee.
He
was
87
(although
some
sources
say
he
was
older).
Richard's
manic
45s
--
"Tutti
Frutti,"
"Long
Tall
Sally,"
"Rip
It
Up,"
"Jenny
Jenny,"
"Keep
A-Knockin'"
and
"Good
Golly
Miss
Molly"
--
became
major
crossover
hits
in
pop
music
and
influenced
many
succeeding
generations
of
rockers.
Elvis
Presley
covered
four
of
Richard's
hits
in
his
breakthrough
year
of
1956.
The
Beatles
--
who
shared
a
stage
with
him
on
a
1962
U.K.
tour
--
paid
explicit
homage
to
his
style.
He
was
born
Richard
Wayne
Penniman
in
Macon,
GA
and
was
nicknamed
"Little
Richard"
as
a
boy
because
of
his
diminutive
stature.
Richard
left
home
and
school
at
the
age
of
15,
and
edged
his
way
into
secular
music
in
traveling
medicine
shows
and
vaudeville
units,
and
soon
joined
the
Southern
R&B
"chitlin'
circuit."
In
1957,
at
the
height
of
his
popularity,
he
quit
rock
'n'
roll,
and
undertook
a
new
career
as
an
evangelical
minister
and
gospel
singer.
He
made
a
splashy
return
to
rock
on
his
'62
tour
of
England
and
cashed
in
on
the
rock
'n'
roll
revival
of
the
'60s
and
'70s,
but
returned
to
religion
again
in
1977.
He
was
an
inaugural
inductee
in
the
Rock
and
Roll
Hall
of
Fame
in
1986
and
a
1993
Grammy
Lifetime
Achievement
Award
honoree.
Pompadoured,
mustachioed,
slathered
with
pancake
makeup
and
mascara-painted
eyes
--
and
graced
with
an
ego
as
outsized
as
his
personality
and
his
voice,
the
daringly
androgynous
musician
established
himself
as
the
wildest
performer
of
his
musical
era.
The
rock
'n
roll
world
will
never
forget
that
famous
lyric
--"Awopbopaloobop
Alopbamboom!"
|
Get
Out
of
Your
House
--
Go
Hear
Some
Music!
|
Soon
the
sun
shall
rise
again
(hopefully
in
the
east).
Let
us
not
forget
our
friends
when
once
again
we
can........
|
|
_________________________
NOTE:
Due to
the
current
health
crisis,
most
events
at the
following
venues
are
cancelled.
Check
their
web
sites
for
details.
|
 Two
Way
Street
Coffee
House
|
Maple
Street
Chapel Folk
Concerts
If
you
are
near
Lombard,
please
visit
the Maple
Street
Chapel
Folk
Concerts
website
to
see
a
current
listing
of
upcoming
performers.
|
If
you
are
near
Hinsdale,
please
visit
the
Acoustic
Renaissance website
for
a
list
of
upcoming
performers.
|
For
those
of
you
closer
to
the
Wheaton
area,
please
visit
the
Acorn
Coffeehouse
located
in
the
Burning
Bush
Art
Gallery
at:
216
N.
Main
St
Wheaton
|
 Tobias
Music
concerts
Every
once
in
awhile,
our
friends
at
Tobias
host
music
in
their
new(ish)
music
room
|
Did
you
know
that
many
of
our
local
libraries
also
host
occasional
music
events
throughout
the
year?
Harpeth
Rising,
Mark
Dvorak,
Chris
Vallilo,
and
Lonesome
Eagle
all
have
been
featured
at
several
of
our
libraries
in
the
past
years.
Lisle
Library's
Friends
of
Lisle
Library
Concerts
are
offered
on
a
regular
basis.
You
can
check
their
calendar
at:
|
|
The
Brashler
Barn
Located
at
17560
S.
Gougar
Road,
Lockport,
IL
60441
Friends
and
Family
Venue
-
Not
a
Public
Business
No
smoking,
no
alcohol,
no
pets,
no
children
under
14
|
|
A
Special
Thanks
to
our
Membership
Contributors!!
|
|
Sustaining
Member
Supporting
Members
($50
-
$199)
- Dan
and
Mary
Anderson
- Bill
and
Mary
Boylan
- Tony
Janacek
- Paul
Klonowski
- Dottie
and
Gerry
Lee
- Bill
and
Sandhya
Matthews
- George
Mattson
- Gregg
and
Elizabeth
Morton
- Bud
O'Connor
- Joe
and
Pam
Schumacher
- Jen
&
James
Shilt
- Carol
and
Fred
Spanuello
- Gary
Steffenson
- John
Wolaver
New
Members!
Say
Hi
to:
- Betsy
Anderson
- Kevin
Conlin
- James
Kezerle
- Richard
Krueger
- Jill
Lagerstrom
- Mike
Lake
- Steve
Langford
- David
Rockett
If
you
would
like
to
become
a
member
or
just
need
to
renew,
here
is
a
link
to
the
renewal
form
that
you
can
print
and
mail.
|
.gif)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top
10
Indie
Folk
Albums
Once
again
from
Paste
Magazine,
we
have
a
list
of
new
folk
albums
to
present
- Sufjan
Stevens:
Illinois
(2005)
- Neutral
Milk
Hotel:
In
the
Aeroplane
Over
the
Sea
(1998)
- Elliott
Smith:
Either/Or
(1997)
- Phoebe
Bridgers:
Stranger
in
the
Alps
(2017)
- Gillian
Welch:
Revival
(1996)
- Nick
Drake:
Pink
Moon
(1972)
- Bon
Iver:
For
Emma,
Forever
Ago
(2008)
- Bright
Eyes:
I'm
Wide
Awake,
It's
Morning
(2005)
- The
Avett
Brothers:
Emotionalism
(2007)
- Waxahatchee:
Cerulean
Salt
(2013)
If you
have
come
across
some
new
or
little
known
artists
that
you
think
others
might
enjoy,
please drop
us
a
line.
|
|
|
Bob
O'Hanlon
-
President
(630)
325-7764
Bill
Lemos
-
VP,
Secretary
2020
Board
Members
-
Dave
Humphreys
-
Kristen
Fuller
-
Jennifer
Shilt
-
Jim
Gilroy
-
Dottie
Lee
|
|
QuarterNotes
Contributors
|
Stephen
Davis
Bob
O'Hanlon
Bill
Lemos
and
thanks to
the
folks
who
took
and
shared
their
photos!!!
|
|
|
|
|
President's
Message
July,
2020
I
hope
this
message
finds
everyone
in
good
health.
My
family
and
I
are
doing
well,
meaning
no
virus
cases,
and
we
are
following
all
current
rules
and
guidelines.
But,
we
are
all
hoping
to
get
out
and
get
going
with
our
lives
as
soon
as
it
is
deemed
safe
and
advisable.
Plank
Road
is
still
active
throughout
the
phases
of
the
pandemic;
always
cautious
and
safe,
but
doing
what
we
can
to
keep
our
members
involved
in
some
music
activities.
How
do
you
like
the
virtual
sessions?
While
they
are
not
perfect,
we
find
them
a
nice
way
to
stay
connected
and
play
some
music
together.
We
are
closely
watching
the
Illinois
"phases
of
reopening,"
and
thinking
ahead
as
to
how
we
will
proceed
as
things
change.
What
will
Phase
4
mean
to
us?
We
aren't
sure
yet.
Some
of
our
favorite
Fall
music
events
have
already
been
cancelled,
The
Fox
Valley
Music
Festival,
and
the
Danada
Fall
Festival,
where
many
Plank
Road
members
perform
on
their
music
stage.
Our
question
is,
when
will
we
be
able
to
gather
together
to
play
and
sing?
Keep
watching
our
web
site
for
updates,
but
we
haven't
scheduled
anything
yet.
An
outdoor
session
seems
like
a
reasonable
starting
point,
but
that
has
a
unique
set
of
challenges.
Be
assured
that
we
are
constantly
thinking
about
what
to
do
next,
and
when.
In
the
meantime,
stay
safe
and
stay
in
touch.
Play
your
instruments;
maybe
learn
some
new
songs.
Bob
O'Hanlon
President
|
|
Plank
Road
Goes
Virtual
|
A
whole
lotta
Zoomin'
goin'
on!
Plank
Road's
popular
events
have
gone
"virtual"
The
Coronavirus
has
thrown
a
monkey
wrench
into
what
we
once
called
"normal,"
with
quarantines,
face
masks,
social
distancing
.
.
.
and
major
disruptions
of
our
day-to-day
lives.
Then
came
social
unrest
--
followed
by
a
plague
of
locust?
(OK,
it
was
really
just
the
17-year
locust,
which
are
really
cicadas.
And
they're
gone
now.)
While
the
pandemic
is
nothing
to
make
light
of,
there
has
been
a
welcome
glimpse
of
light
when
it
comes
to
Plank
Road's
cancelled
events,
such
as
our
Saturday
sing-arounds.
Thanks
to:
- George
Mattson
- Denise
Davis
- Timothy
Kendall
- Ron
Leaneagh
- Bob
O'Hanlon
- Dottie
Lee
With
their
efforts,
we've
been
able
to
gather
--
virtually
--
via
the
Internet
and
Zoom.
Sure,
there
are
some
issues
with
sound.
For
example,
we
can't
all
sing
together
--
only
the
person
leading
the
song
is
"live"
while
the
rest
of
us
are
muted.
But
for
everyone
participating,
we
can
still
sing
and
play
along
from
the
comfort
of
home.
The
only
difference
is
nobody
else
can
hear
you.
Which
might
be
a
good
thing?
More
virtual
events
every
month
.
.
.
- Twice-a-month
Saturday
Sing-arounds,
led
by
George.
- Bob's
4th
Saturday
Country/Western
Sing-arounds.
- 5th
Saturday
Bluegrass
sessions
with
Eric
Lambert.
- Once-a-month
Tuesday
evening
BYOS
sessions
with
George.
And
on
June
19,
Two
Way
Street
presented
its
first
live
virtual
concert
with
Eric
Lambert
and
Char,
followed
by
a
concert
by
Heather
Styka
on
June
26.
Lots
going
on! All
you
need
is
a
computer,
a
tablet
or
a
smart
phone.
Just
look
for
emails
from
Plank
Road
and
Two
Way
Street
with
links
to
Zoom,
or
check
the
schedules
on
our
website
or
Facebook
page.
While
it's
not
quite
the
same
as
live-and
in-person,
it's
a
wonderful
option
during
these
strange
and
difficult
times.
Plus,
you
get
to
see
all
your
old
Plank
Road
friends
--
and
you
don't
have
to
wear
a
mask!
|
|
Revised
Website
|
Refreshed!
Announcing
the
revised,
refreshed
(and
really
cool)
Plank
Road
website!
Got
extra
time
on
your
hands?
Tired
of
watching
TV
or
working
puzzles?
Take
a
break
and
check
out
Plank
Road's
refreshed website.
It's
more
intuitive
and
navigable
than
ever.
And
you
might
be
surprised
to
see
how
many
activities
and
benefits
Plank
Road
offers
our
members.
Take
a
look
.
.
.
- Updated
photos -
There's
a
good
chance
you're
in
there
somewhere.
- New
videos -
Enjoy
clips
of
Plank
Road
events.
- New
"Special
Events"
section --
See
all
the
great
"extras"
Plank
Road
offers.
Special
thanks
to Dottie
and
Gerry
Lee for
their
technical
expertise,
and
to Jen
Shilt for
coordinating
photos
and
videos
--
they
made
our
revised
site
come
to
life!
As
you
know,
most
of
our
regular
events
have
been
postponed
due
to
COVID-19,
but
you
can
still
participate
online
in
many
"virtual"
activities.
Keep
up
to
date
with
the
official Plank
Road
website as
well
as
on Facebook,
which
can
also
be
accessed
directly
from
the
website's
home
page
by
clicking
the "Join
Us
On
Facebook"
section.
|
|
Mark
Dvorak
|
Mark
Dvorak
releases
new
CD
"Let
Love
Go
On"
is
his
18th
album.
Chicagoland
favorite
Mark
Dvorak
-- multi-talented
musician,
singer,
songwriter,
teacher, AND founding
member
of
Plank
Road
-- recently
released
his
18th
album, Let
Love
Go
On.
The
recording
represents
a
creative
milestone
for
the
popular
artist:
He
produced,
arranged,
engineered,
mixed
and
mastered
the
entire
project
--
and
played
all
of
the
instruments
and
sang
all
of
the
parts.
A
musical
reflection
on
the
theme
of
love
and
its
many
variations.
When
asked
if
there
was
a
theme
to
the
album,
Mark
quoted
Pete
Seeger: "I
call
them
all
love
songs.
They
tell
of
love
of
man
and
woman,
and
parents
and
children;
love
of
country,
freedom,
beauty,
mankind
--
the
world.
Love
of
searching
for
truth
and
other
unknowns."
Paul
Schingle,
a
writer
from
Flagstaff
AZ,
reviewed
the
disc
and
says
it's
difficult
to
put
a
label
on Let
Love
Go
On.
"Dvorak
has
never
really
fit
neatly
into
one
particular
mold,"
says
Schingle.
"The
album
contains
a
lot
of
variety,
some
cover
material,
some
live
tracks
and
seven
Dvorak
originals.
His
lyrical
choices
have
always
been
thoughtful
and
intelligent,
but
with Let
Love
Go
On his
writing
seems
to
have
taken
another
step."
|
|
|
|
"At
this
stage
of
the
game,
I
feel
like
I'm
doing
my
best
work."
|
|
Why
Dvorak
went
"solo"
"I
guess
I
have
to
admit
I've
reached
this
stage
where
I
like
everything
simple,"
says
Mark.
"It's
harder
that
way,
but
it
forces
me
to
get
something
extra
out
of
my
playing,
singing
and
writing."
He
says
he
relied
heavily
on
his
"ever-steady
Martin
000-28
Vintage
Series
guitar"
as
well
as
a
classical
guitar,
12-string
guitars,
banjo,
mandolin,
stand-up
bass,
harmonica
and
some
percussion.
Unfortunately,
the
COVID-19
pandemic
has
temporarily
curtailed
Mark's
concerts.
He
looks
forward
to
the
day
when
we
all
can
return
to
some
sense
of
normalcy,
and
he
--
and
all
side-lined
performers
--
can
return
to
the
stage.
In
the
meantime,
you
can
order Let
Love
Go
On directly
from
Mark
at markdvorak.com,
or
you
can
download
it
from
iTunes
or
Amazon.
|
"Chicago's
official
troubadour
.
.
.
"
When
Mark
Dvorak
began
his
career
in
music,
he
knew
right
away
he
was
in
it
for
the
long
haul.
Thirty-two
years
later
he
is
still
writing,
on
the
road
performing
and
recording.
In
addition
to
concerts
at
Two
Way
Street
Coffee
House
and
numerous
venues
in
the
Chicago
area
and
across
the
country,
Mark
is
a
founding
member
and
long-time
supporter
of
Plank
Road
Folk
Music
Society
--
and
has
hosted
several
Plank
Road
workshops.
The Chicago
Tribune has
called
Mark
Dvorak
"masterful,"
and
the
Fox
Valley
Folk
Festival
describes
him
as
"a
living
archive
of
song
and
style."
Dvorak
has
won
awards
for
journalism
and
children's
music,
and
was
honored
in
2013
with
the
FARM
Lantern
Bearer
Award
from
Folk
Alliance
International.
In
2008
he
received
the
Woodstock
Folk
Festival
Lifetime
Achievement
Award.
Mark
has
also
been
a
teacher
at
the
Old
Town
School
of
Folk
Music
for
many
years.
In
2012
Rich
Warren,
host
of The
Midnight
Special,
named
Dvorak
"Chicago's
official
troubadour."
|
"Over
the
years
I
have
learned
that
music
gives
us
a
place
to
agree
.
.
.
"
"Conservatives
and
liberals
in
general,
do
not
listen
to
each
other
very
well.
I
have
friends
who
are
conservative
and
I
have
friends
who
are
liberal
and
I
see
this
all
the
time.
At
the
Old
Town
School
of
Folk
Music
and
at
my
concerts
I
see
and
hear
members
of
these
opposing
viewpoints
working
together
in
class
and
singing
together
in
the
audience.
Singing
songs
together,
and
engaging
in
folk
arts
give
us
all
a
solid
platform
on
which
to
agree,
and
on
which
we
can
begin
to
envision
good
things
worth
passing
on
to
future
generations." -
Mark
Dvorak
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With
a
Little
Help
From
our
Friends!
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During
these
stressful
times,
try
a
little
music.
It's
good
for
the
soul
.
.
.
and
your
immune
system!
To
boost
our
immune
system,
doctors
recommend
a
healthy
diet
including
plenty
of
fruits
and
veggies.
But
how
about
a
little
music?
Apparently
it's
true.
Numerous
studies
have
found
that
both
performing
and
listening
to
music
can
have
a
significant
impact
on
the
immune
system.
As
we've
all
struggled
through
COVID-19,
folks
are
looking
for
ways
to
mitigate
stress
and
boost
the
immune
system
to
ward
off
viral
infections.
"Certainly
music
has
an
impact
on
the
brain,
and
anxiety
and
stress
impact
the
immune
system,"
says
Dr.
Andrew
Levin,
a
neurologist
at
the
University
of
Pittsburg.
He
believes
music
can
indirectly
affect
our
physiology,
and
that
there
is
research
to
support
it.
One
of
the
unfortunate
ironies
of
the
cancellation
of
all
our
summer
music
festivals,
concerts
and
live
performances,
is
that
it
robs
us
of
music
at
the
very
moment
we
need
it
most.
Music
takes
us
away
from
the
stress
of
our
everyday
lives.
Does
it
matter
what
sort
of
music
you
listen
to?
It
does,
as
long
as
you
like
the
song.
In
general,
research
indicates
that
relaxing,
peaceful
music
works
best.
Major
music
streaming
companies
report
that
classical
music
has
seen
a
bump
during
the
pandemic
.
.
. along
with
folk
music! (Who
knew?)
So
keep
on
listening
to
music
--
but
even
more
important,
keep
on
singing,
strumming
and
picking!
It
really
is
good
for
the
soul.
NOTE:
The
above
was
inspired
by,
and
edited
from,
articles
in
the
Chicago
Tribune
by
Jeremy
Reynolds
and
Howard
Reich.
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Andy's
Music
Trivia
Quiz:
Answers
to
previous
Quiz:
A1. What
1960's
hit
is
named
after
a
foreign
city
with
only
one
word?
Gene
Pitney
took
"Mecca"
to
#4
in
1963
was
the
expected
answer
(question
supplied
by
Bill
Matthews). Fred
Spanuello
had
another
one
I
didn't
think
about:
a
snappy
instrumental
by
most
of
our
mom's
favorite
dance
band
leader.....
Lawrence
Welk
did
"Calcutta"
in
1961.
A2. What
famous
singer/songwriter
was
an
inmate
sitting
in
the
first
row,
when
Johnny
Cash
performed
there?
He
credits
Johnny
with
turning
his
life
around.
Merle
Haggard
during
the
Jan
1,
1959
performance.
A3. Who
wrote
the
song
"Ghostbusters?"
Ray
Parker
Jr's
original
1984
title
track
earned
him
a
Grammy,
a
#1
video
on
MTV,
3
weeks
at
#1
on
the
Billboard
chart,
and
the
title
"Academy
Award
Nominee". But
WAIT!
He
settled
with
Huey
Lewis
out
of
court
for
copying
of
Huey's
melody,
with
the
stipulation
that
Huey
would
keep
the
settlement
a
secret. In
2001
Huey
disclosed
the
settlement
in
a
VH1
interview,
and
was
sued
by
Parker.
A4. Who
is
playing
guitar
on
the
cover
of
the
"Chad
Mitchell
Trio
at
the
Bitter
End"?
James
Roger
McGuinn
(Jim)
early
in
his
career
(before
the
Byrds).
A5. Felice
&
Boudleaux
Bryant
had
a
son
who
held
a
big
position
in
the
music
industry. Which
son,
and
what
position?
Son
Del
became
President
&
CEO
of
BMI
(Broadcast
Music
Inc).
A6. KWTO,
a
small
(5K
watts)
Springfield
MO
radio
station
started
what
program
that
had
a
6-year
run
on
network
prime
time
TV?
ABC
started
airing
the
Ozark
Jubilee
on
Dec
26,
1953. Big
names
such
as
Patsy
Cline,
Eddy
Arnold,
Johnny
Cash
and
Faron
Young
were
interspersed
with
the
telecast,
which
included
11-year-old
Brenda
Lee,
Porter
Wagoner,
Wanda
Jackson,
Sonny
James,
Jean
Shepard
and
The
Browns.
A7. Why
is
"Bye
Bye
Love"
NOT
a
3
chord
song?
The
choppy
guitar
intro
was
Don's
on
another
tune,
and
was
added
onto
"Bye
Bye
Love."
A8. What
did
Boudleaux
Bryant
and
Chet
Atkins
disagree
about?
An
unknown
chord
in
"Bye
Bye
Love."
Boudleaux
said
in
a
1978
interview
that
Atkins
had
dropped
the
song
from
a
Porter
Wagner
Session
because
they
couldn't
agree
on
a
chord
alteration.
NEW
Trivia
Quiz:
Q1.
Where
and
how
was
the
group
Crosby
Stills
and
Nash
conceived?
Q2.
To
who,
is
Bob
Dylan
directing
his
comment
and
song,
"It
Ain't
Me
Babe"?
Q3. When
and
why
did
the
Beatles
sing
and
write
"Hey
Jude"?
Q4.
Other
than
"The
Wrecking
Crew",
what
is
Glen
Campbell's
connection
to
the
Beach
Boys?
Q5. What
made
Mark
Lindsey's
(vocalist
of
Paul
Revere
and
the
Raiders)
voice
increase
by
half
an
octave
or
more?
Q6. Who
wrote
the
Chicago
Bulls
intro
song,
and
why?
Keep
those
responses
coming
in
to
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It's
all
about
Plank
Road
pride!
You
say
you
already
have
a
Plank
Road
t-shirt?
Not
to
mention
a
tote
bag
or
sport
bottle?
But
you know your
collection
isn't
complete
until
you
have at
least
one
of
everything with
a
Plank
Road
logo!
So
here's
the
list. Start
checking
'em
off! ✔
☐ Hats
$15
☐ T-Shirts
$15
☐ Tote
Bags
$3
☐ Sport
Bottles
$5
☐ Guitar
Case
Stickers $1
Items
are
available
at
many
Plank
Road
events,
or
you
can
contact
Bill
Lemos
directly
at lemos.bill@comcast.net.
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Promote
yourself!
New
lower
advertising
rates
for
members
If
you're
a
current
advertiser
in
this
newsletter,
or
think
you
might
want
to
advertise,
we
have
good
news! Our
new
ad
policy
makes
it
easier
(and more
economical) to
promote
your
gigs
or
other
music-related
endeavors.
Paid
members
of
Plank
Road
can
submit
an
ad
that
will
run
for
the
full
year
(4
quarterly
issues)
for
only
$50.
Your
ad
can
be
a
basic
line
listing
which
can
be
hyper-linked
to
your
external
website,
or
a
complete
ad
with
graphics.
(For
these
ads,
you'll
need
to
submit
an
image
file.
See
ads
above
for
reference.)
Artwork
must
be
submitted
3
weeks
prior
to
our "publish"
date. For
the
Autumn
2020
issue,
the
deadline
is September 8,
2020.
- Plank
Road
members
only.
- $50
annually
(4
newsletters). Previously
$200
-
save
$150!
- Ads
must
be
related
to
folk
or
acoustic
music.
For
complete
details,
including
specs
for
image
files,
please
contact Stephen at:
plankroadfolk@hotmail.com.
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Do
you have
ideas
for
future
articles?
Things
you'd
like to
see in
the
newsletter?
Ways we
can make
it more
enjoyable
and
relevant
to Plank
Road
members?
Here's
your
chance
to be
"note-worthy."
Just
send us
an email
with
your
comments
about
QuarterNotes.
We
welcome
your
input!
We
may
publish
some
of
your
comments
and
always
appreciate
ideas.
(Think
of
it
as
sort
of a
"letters
to
the
editor.")
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