Plank Road's
Regular
Events in
conjunction with
Two Way
Street:
Please join us
for our
"virtual" get
togethers
online, via
Zoom --
co-sponsored
by Two Way
Street Coffee
House. Be sure
to check the
Two Way
Street
website,
Plank Road website or
Facebook
page for
details and
links to each
event.
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!
2nd Tues. |
7-9 pm
A monthly
opportunity
for
musicians to
perform
songs for
each other,
within a
song circle.
Bring Your Own Song!
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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.
Here are some
ways you can
help:
"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.
Thank you
for your
continuing
support,
Two Way
Street
Coffee
House
NOTE:
Two Way Street
continues to
host live
online
concerts every
Friday night.
These concerts
are free, and
we encourage
you to tune in
and donate to
the
artists.
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It's
a
high-tech digital
world
. .
.
...
and
sometimes
we
need
a
little
help.
With
Stephen
Davis'
departure
from the
Plank Road
board, the
technical
responsibilities
of
distributing
QuarterNotes
and
sending
out
upcoming
event
email
notices
fell to
Dottie
Lee. This
was in
addition
to
updating
our
Website
and
Facebook
page.
Concerned
that we
might need
someone to
act as a
tech backup,
Dottie
talked to
Bob
O'Hanlon,
who put
together a
list of
possible
Plank Road
members who
might be
able -- and
willing --
to
help.
Jim
Scalone
to
the
rescue!
The first
person Bob
contacted
was Jim
Scalone,
who
graciously
agreed.
Jim says
he's
"pretty
good" with
technology,
and what
he doesn't
know, his
wife
probably
does.
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Dottie
Lee
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Jim has
been in
touch with
Dottie and
she says,
"training
is in
progress." He's
already
done a
Facebook
update of
the
calendar
and
events,
and will
probably
continue
to as he
becomes
familiar
with
processes
-- helping
reduce
Dottie's
workload.
Thanks to
Jim for
volunteering!
"I
have
been a
part
of
PRFMS
for
more
than
five
years,
and
it's
been a
steady
road
of
friendships
for
me.
Folk
and
Old
Time
Country
is the
perfect
fit.
When
asked
to
help
with
the
web
site,
I did
not
hesitate
in
saying
yes.
"My
career had
required
me to be
computer
savvy. I
recently
retired
from
Peoples
Gas with
40 years
of
service.
My new
adventure
is
learning
to drive a
semi-truck
--
something
I have
always
wanted to
try. So
learning
trucker
songs fits
right
in!"
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Gene
Autry
--
Man
of
many
talents.
"They
seem
to
like
what
I
do,
so
I'll
keep
on
doing
it
as
long
as
they
want."
By
Andy
Malkewicz
 Orvus
Grover
Autry
lived
a
long,
clean
life,
to
the
age
of
91
(Sep
29,1907-Oct
2,1998).
He
is
the
only
person
to
have
5
stars
on
the
Hollywood
walk
of
fame
in:
Radio;
Recording;
Motion
Pictures;
Television;
and
Live
Theatre
Performance.
In
his
lifetime
he
was
a
successful
singer,
songwriter,
performer,
actor,
radio
personality,
producer, entrepreneur/businessman,
and
husband.
I
must
admit,
the
more
I
read,
the
more
conflicting
stories
I
got
about
some
of
the
details,
so,
here
is
what
I
could
garner.
A
sometimes
preacher's
son,
Orvus
was
born
in
Texas,
and
raised
in
Oklahoma.
While
in
high
school,
he
worked
on
his
father's
ranch.
He
left
school
in
1925
to
help
support
his
family.
He
worked
as
a
laborer,
and
then
a
telegrapher
for
a
railroad.
As
a
telegrapher,
he
would
play
guitar
and
sing
during
the
slow
hours,
when
little
was
happening
(which
later
got
him
fired).
According
to
a
popular
story
which
didn't
appear
until
after
his
death,
one
night
humorist
Will
Rogers
came
in,
heard
him
singing,
and
recommended
that
he
sing
professionally.
He
saved
his
money,
traveled
to
New
York
in
the
fall
of
1928,
auditioned,
and
was
rejected
by
the
Victor
Talking
Machine
Company
since
they
had
recently
signed
two
similar
acts.
He
was
given
a
letter
of
introduction,
and
advice
to
sing
on
the
radio
for
a
few
years,
which
he
did.
A
recording
contract
.
.
.
followed
by
640
songs!
In 1929,
he signed
with
Columbia
records,
worked on
the
National
Barn Dance
for 4
years and
there met
future
recording
partner
Smiley
Burnette.
His
recording
career
started
rolling,
where he
sang
various
genres of
country,
blues, pop
-- and
more or
less
settled on
western
cowboy
music.
His first
hit was a
duet of
"That Silver
Haired Daddy
of Mine"
which Gene
and duet
partner
Jimmy Long
co-wrote in
1932. In his
career, he
recorded 640
songs, of
which he
wrote or
co-wrote
over 200 of
them, and
sold over
100 million
copies. He
had the
first
million-selling
record with
"Golden
Haired
Daddy...",
but RIAA
didn't start
certifying
gold until
1958 (that
award goes
to Perry
Como's
"Catch a
Falling
Star").
Movies,
radio,
concert
entertainer
.
.
.
In 1935,
Gene &
Smiley
debuted in
their
first
film, "In
Old Santa
Fe". He
became top
ten money
making
western
star from
1937 to
1942, and
was second
after that
to Roy
Rogers.
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Gene
Autry
and
Roy
Rogers
were
top
western
stars
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All told,
Autry
appeared
or starred
in 93
movies. He
had a
radio show
continuously
from 1940
to 1956.
Autry
loved to
perform,
and became
the
ironman of
showmanship
doing 2
shows a
day, 7
days a
week, for
65 to 85
days at a
stretch.
And he was
so
popular,
his shows
were
usually
sold
out. He
was the
first
performer
to sell
out
Madison
Square
Garden. He
was
popular
with kids
too, and
created
his ten
cowboy
codes,
with rules
like:
"Never
shoot
first;
keep your
word; tell
the
truth,"
and so
on.
Gene
was
quite
the
patriot
too.
He
carried
patriotic
messages
often
on his
radio
show.
When
he
enlisted
into
the
air
force,
he was
sworn
in on
his
radio
show.
He had
a
private
pilot's
license,
earned
his
flight
officer
wings,
flew
dangerous
supply
routes
often,
and
then
finished
off
his
tour
as a
USO
entertainer.
TV
star
and
producer
.
.
.
and
business
entrepreneur.
Autry
became
the
first
major
star
to
self-produce
a TV
show,
and
did 91
episodes
of
"The
Gene
Autry
Show".
He
also
produced
"Annie
Oakley,"
"Range
Rider,"
"Buffalo
Bill
Jr,"
"Adventures
of
Champion,"
and
the
first
39
episodes
of
"Death
Valley
Days."
In
1942
Gene
purchased
his
first
rodeo
stock,
and a
year
later
became
a
partner
in a
large
rodeo
stock
company,
acquiring
more
and
better
stock.
In
1956
he
became
sole
owner,
and
moved
the
company
to a
24,000
acre
ranch
in
Colorado
--
becoming
the
major
supplier
in the
west
for
championship
rodeos.
In
1953
he
bought
a 110
acre
ranch
in
California,
and
renamed
it
Melody
Ranch.
He
sold
off 98
acres,
and
kept
the
rest
to
create
movie
sets,
where
his
own
productions,
"High
Noon".
"Gunsmoke",
and
others
were
filmed.
After
a
large
fire,
the
ranch
was
used
to
film
some
"Combat"
episodes.
Might
as
well
own
a
baseball
team,
too
.
.
.
In
the
1950s,
he was
part
owner
of a
minor
league
baseball
team.
In
1960,
he
pursued
broadcast
rights
to a
new LA
baseball
team.
The
league
persuaded
him to
become
owner
in
1961
of the
Los
Angeles
Angels.
In
1995
and
1996
he
sold
most
of it
to the
Disney
Corporation,
and
they
acquired
the
rest
after
his
death.
Gene
and
Jimmy
Long
had
known
each
other
from
their
railroad
work,
and
they
were
both
musicians.
"My
Alabama
Home",
Gene's
first
recording
(1929
for
Victor
records)
was
written
by
Jimmy.
In
1932
he
visited
Jimmy,
and
met
his
niece,
Ina
Spivey.
He
became
a
regular
visitor
after
that,
and
married
her on
April
1 of
that
year.
Since
it was
April
fool's
day
people
thought
it was
a
joke.
They
stood
together
through
the
years,
had no
children,
and
after
48
years
of
marriage,
she
died
on May
19,
1980.
His
second
wife,
Jackie,
had
worked
her
way up
the
ladder
at
Gene's
bank
to
Vice
President.
Their
paths
crossed
at the
bank
over
the
years.
In
December
of
1980,
he met
her at
a
gala,
invited
her to
a New
Year
's Eve
party,
and
married
in
July,
1981.
After
Gene's
death,
she
served
on
many
of his
organizations,
including
the
Major
League
Baseball
Executive
Council,
Oversight
Committee,
and
the
board
of
directors.
So,
Gene
Autry
had
a
great
life.
Here
are
a
few
last
bits
of
info
and
quotes
about
and
by
Gene:
-
He
once
tried
to
open
a
restaurant
in
Chicago.
The
Mafia
wanted
their
cut.
Autry
refused.
They
burned
it
down.
He
gave
up
on
that
idea.
-
His
first
cousins,
twice
removed,
are
actors
Randy
and
Dennis
Quaid.
-
"My
movies
were
always
clean.
Parents
didn't
need
a
babysitter.
For
50¢
they
could
send
their
kids
to
see
my
pictures
and
know
they
would
be
entertained
wholesomely."
And
last,
-
"I'm
not
a
good
actor,
a
good
rider,
or
a
particularly
good
singer,
but
they
seem
to
like
what
I
do,
so
I'll
keep
on
doing
it
as
long
as
they
want."
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We get letters . .
.
We get
letters . .
.
sometimes.
We don't
often get
letters
(emails,
actually),
but when we
do, we print
'em! Thanks
to our
readers for
your
comments
about the
previous
issue.
The
(January)
QN was
really
enjoyable
reading.
Especially
the
articles
about
Stephen
and
Connie!
I've known
Stephen
for a
while but
didn't
have any
idea of
his
musical
experience.
Fun and
interesting
info to
know.
-
Jen
Shilt
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Hanging
on
by
a
string
.
.
.
How
often
should
you
change
guitar
strings?
When
do
you
change
strings
on
your
guitar? Or
mandolin,
banjo
or
ukulele?
Well,
there's
no
right
answer.
For
some
folks,
it's
once
a
month
--
or
more
frequently
if
they're
performing
a
lot.
For
others,
it
may
be
once
a
year.
According
to
an
article
in
the
January//February
issue
of Acoustic
Guitar,
there
are
many
factors
that
determine
the
useful
life
of
a
string,
including
the
player's
style,
frequency
of
use,
and
"sweat
chemistry."
The
article's
author
says
he
changes
strings
if
they
have
any
"visible
grime
or
gunk"
accumulated
on
them,
usually
visible
on
the
underside
of
the
string.
Or,
if
the
wound
strings
have
any
dents
or
wear
spots
over
the
frets.
It
can
also
depend
on
the
desired
sound:
-
Some
players
crave
the
bright,
vibrant
response
of
a
fresh
set
of
strings.
-
Others
prefer
the
broken-in
warmth
and
balance
of
an
older
set.
Editor's
note: I
change
mine
when
the
bottom
one
or
two
wound
strings
start
to
sound
muffled
or
"dead." Or... when
I
look
at
the
calendar
and
realize, wow, it's
been how many months?!!
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Artists
we've
lost
due
to
coronavirus
. .
.
On
March
11, we
passed
the
one-year
mark
since
the
coronavirus
officially
became
a
national
pandemic
in
this
country.
Of the
astounding
toll
of
people
who
have
died,
here
are
some
of the
musicians
and
songwriters
we've
lost
due to
complications
of
COVID-19.
Tommy
DeVito -
Founding
member
of the
Four
Seasons.
Joe
Diffie -
Country
singer.
Anne
Feeney -
Folksinger
and
activist.
Trini
Lopez -
Singer,
actor.
Sterling
Magee -
Blues
musician.
Ellis
Marsalis -
New
Orleans
jazz
patriarch.
Charlie
Pride -
Country
music
superstar.
John
Prine -
Revered
folksinger
and a
"songwriter's
songwriter."
Phil
Spector -
Legendary
"Wall of
Sound"
producer
(and
convicted
murderer).
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 His
smooth
voice
and
cross-over
appeal
brought
Jimmie
Rodgers
a
string
of
hits
in
the
1950s
and
'60s.
He
died
January
18,
at
age
87.
His
first
record
--
and
biggest
hit
--
was
"Honeycomb"
in
1957. Later,
he
had
additional
success
with "Oh-Oh,
I'm
Falling
In
Love
Again,"
and his
up-tempo
version
of
"Kisses
Sweeter
Than
Wine," a
folk
song
that
had
been
a
hit
for
the
Weavers.
His
success
was
sidelined
by
a
brutal
incident
in
1967,
when
he
was
pulled
over
by
an
off-duty
Los
Angeles
police
officer
who
beat
him
severely.
The
incident
was
controversial
and
ended
up
in
court.
It
was
eventually
settled
in
Rodger's
favor
with
a
$200,000
settlement.
Rodgers
later
settled
into
a
comfortable
niche
as
a
performer
and
producer
in
Branson,
MO,
where
he
had
his
own
theater
for
several
years
before
retiring
to
California
in
2002.
Rodgers
was
born
in
Washington
in
1933.
He
started
out
singing
in
church
and
school
groups.
After
graduating
from
high
school,
he
briefly
attended
college,
but
left
to
enlist
in
the
Air
Force,
serving
in
Korea
during
the
Korean
War.
He
recalled
one
particular
evening
near
Christmas
1953:
"I
bought
a
beat-up
old
guitar
from
a
guy
for
$10
and
started
playing
and
singing
one
night
and
all
the
guys
joined
in.
We
were
sitting
on
the
floor
with
only
candles
for
light,
and
these
tough
soldiers
had
tears
running
down
their
cheeks.
I
realized
if
my
music
could
have
that
effect,
that's
what
I
wanted
to
do
with
my
life."
Back
in
the
States,
Rodgers
started
performing
in
a
Nashville
nightclub
for
$10
a
night
and
free
drinks.
In
1957
he
traveled
to
New
York
to
perform
on
a
TV
talent
show
and
auditioned
for
Roulette
Records,
singing
"Honeycomb."
He
went
to
a
studio
to
record
what
he
thought
would
be
a
demo.
"They
brought
in
four
players
and
three
singers
and
we
recorded
it
in
about
two
hours
--
no
charts,
no
music,"
he
said.
A
week
or
two
later,
he
was
surprised
to
hear
it
on
the
radio,
and
it
eventually
went
to
the
top
of
the
Billboard
pop
and
R&B
charts.
As
a
founding
member
of
The
Supremes,
Mary
Wilson
was
part
of
the
most
successful
Motown
act
of
the
1960s
and
best-selling
female
group
in
U.S
chart
history.
She
died
February
8,
at
age
76.
Wilson
was
born
in
1944,
in
Mississippi.
Her
parents
soon
moved
to
Chicago,
and
at
age
three
she
arrived
in
Detroit.
It
was
there
she
became
friends
with
Florence
Ballard,
and
later
met
Diana
Ross.
Wilson
and
Ballard
sang
backing
vocals
behind
Ross.
Following
the
departures
of
original
members
Ballard
and
Ross, Wilson
remained
with
the
group
until
it
disbanded
in
1977.
In
1986,
Wilson
became
a New
York
Times best-selling
author with
the
release
of
her
first
autobiography, Dreamgirl:
My
Life
as
a
Supreme,
and
later
for
the
autobiography Supreme
Faith:
Someday
We'll
Be
Together.
Continuing
a
successful
career
as
a
concert
performer
in Las
Vegas,
Wilson
also
worked
in
activism,
fighting
to
pass Truth
in
Music
Advertising bills
and
donating
to
various
charities.
She
was
inducted,
along
with
Ross
and
Ballard,
into
the Rock
and
Roll
Hall
of
Fame in
1988.
Longtime
drummer
for
Waylon
Jennings,
Richie
Albright,
died
February
9,
at
age
81. He
helped
form
the
distinct
"outlaw"
sound
and
was
known
as
the
"right-hand
man
to
Waylon
Jennings."
The
feeling
was
mutual.
In
fact
Jennings
named
his
son
Waylon
Albright
Jennings
(aka
"Shooter"
Jennings).
Born
in
Oklahoma
and
raised
in
Arizona,
Albright
joined
Jennings'
band,
The
Waylors,
in
1964,
and
relocated
to
Nashville
in
1966
after
Jennings
signed
with
RCA
Records.
Albright
was
considered
a
musical consigliere
to
Jennings,
performing
on
songs
vital
to the
1970s
outlaw
country
genre.
He
played
drums
on
many
Jennings
albums,
including
the
collection
of
Billy
Joe
Shaver
songs, "Honky
Tonk
Heroes." (See
January
QuarterNotes
for
more
about
Billy
Joe
Shaver.)
Albright encouraged
Jennings
to
adopt rock
&
roll
principles,
and
his
drumming
helped
shape
rock-tinged
outlaw
songs
that
still
influence
songwriters
today.
He
said,
"I
was
just
there
for
the
ride,
man."
Tony
Rice
was
considered
by
many
as one
of
the
greatest
acoustic
guitar
players
of
all
time,
yet
was
virtually
unknown
outside
bluegrass
music.
He
was
a
singer,
composer
and
rhythm
player, but
it
was
his
guitar
solos
on his
storied
Martin
D-28 that
caused
him
to
be
idolized
by
bluegrass
and
acoustic
music
fans.
Rice
died
in
December,
2020
at
the
age
of
69.
A
key
early
influence
was
guitarist
Clarence
White,
a
country
and
bluegrass
star
who
crossed
over
into
rock
in
the
late
1960s
as
a
member
of
the
Byrds.
White
was
just
29
when
he
was
struck
and
killed
by
a
car
in
1973.
Among
the
possessions
left
behind
was
a
1935
Martin
D-28
guitar
--
which
Rice
purchased
for
$550.
Born
in
Virginia
in
1951,
his
family
moved
to
Los
Angeles
where
Rice
got
into
bluegrass.
At
the
age
of
19,
he
moved
east
to
play
professionally,
eventually
joining
banjo
player
J.D.
Crowe.
In
1975,
they
released
the
landmark
album, J.D.
Crowe
and
the
New
South.
Its
progressive
sounds
marked
a
dramatic
shift
in
bluegrass.
During
this
period
Rice
first
heard
the
music
of
mandolinist David
Grisman,
who
was
pushing
boundaries
even
further.
Rice
joined
the
Grisman
Quintet
in
San
Francisco
and
later,
with
jazz
guitarist
John
Carlini,
released River
Suite
for
Two
Guitars, considered
one
of
the
most
beautiful
guitar
duo
albums
ever
recorded.
Health
problems
left
him
unable
to
sing
onstage,
and
tennis
elbow
limited
his
playing.
His
last
live
guitar
performance
was
in
2013,
when
he
was
inducted
into
the
International
Bluegrass
Music
Hall
of
Fame.
Ricky
Skaggs
called
him
"the
single
most
influential
acoustic
guitar
player
in
the
last
50
years."
Legendary
producer,
musician,
songwriter
--
and
murderer
--
Phil
Spector,
known
for
the
"Wall
of
Sound,"
died
January
16,
in
prison
after
contracting
COVID-19.
He
was
81.
Spector
is
regarded
as
one
of
the
most
influential
--
and
eccentric
--
figures
in
pop
music
history. He
began
his
career
at
the
age
of
17
as
co-founder,
guitarist,
and
vocalist
of the
Teddy
Bears,
penning
their
number-one
single,
"To
Know
Him
Is
to
Love
Him."
In
1960,
he
co-founded Philles
Records,
and
at
the
age
of
21
became
the
youngest
ever
U.S.
label
owner.
Throughout
the
1960s,
he
wrote,
co-wrote,
or
produced
records
for
acts
such
as the
Ronettes, the
Crystals,
and Ike
&
Tina
Turner
--
and
many
other
groups,
including
a
folk-rock
collaboration
with
the
Modern
Folk
Quartet.
Spector
developed
the "Wall
of
Sound,"
a
music
production
formula
he
described
as "a Wagnerian approach
to
rock
&
roll,
little
symphonies
for
the
kids." Some
of
his
chart-toppers
included
"You've
Lost
That
Lovin'
Feelin'"
(the
Righteous
Brothers),
"The
Long
and
Winding
Road"
(The
Beatles),
and
"My
Sweet
Lord"
(George
Harrison).
In
the
early
1970s,
Spector
produced the
Beatles'
album Let
It
Be and
several
solo
records
by
John
Lennon and George
Harrison.
But
following
work
with Leonard
Cohen, Dion
DiMucci,
and
the Ramones,
he
remained
largely
inactive,
dealing
with
personal
struggles.
In
2009,
after
spending
three
decades
in
semi-retirement, he
was
convicted
for
the 2003
murder of
actress Lana
Clarkson and
sentenced
to
19-years-to-life
in
prison.
|
Don't
forget
to check
out
these
great
collections!
Volumes 1 and
2 of the
reissued folk
music albums
from 1995 are
now available
in digital
format. Down the
Old Plank
Road features
a group of
Plank Road
performers
singing and
playing some
great old
songs. You'll
recognize many
of these
musicians --
George
Mattson, Mark
Dvorak, Cathy
Jones, Dave
Humphreys and
more.
Professionally
recorded,
these albums
were
originally
released on
cassette
tape, and
have now
been
digitally
remastered
for pristine
sound -- and
are easily
accessible
on many
popular
streaming
services.
Here are
some
links:
|
Let's
hope we
can hear
some
live
music
soon!
|
It's Spring! The
dark days of winter
(and 2020) are
behind us. But
unfortunately, we're
still in a pandemic,
and the future of
in-person music is
still pending.
Let us not forget
our friends and
favorite venues when
once again we can
safely enjoy live
music.
-
Two Way Street
Coffee House
-
Maple Street
Chapel Folk
Concerts
-
Acoustic
Renaissance
Concerts
-
Acorn
Coffeehouse
-
Tobias Music
Concerts
-
Old Town School
Of Folk
Music
-
Friends of Lisle
Library
Concerts
-
The Brashler
Barn
Stay safe, mask
up, get
vaccinated.
|
|
|
Bob O'Hanlon -
President
(630) 702-0150
Bill Lemos -
VP,
Secretary
Connie Lawlor -
Treasurer
2021 Board
Members
-
Dave
Humphreys
-
Kristen
Fuller
-
Jennifer
Shilt
-
Jim
Gilroy
-
Dottie Lee -
Technical
Support
|
|
|
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.")
|
|
|
|
|
President's
Message
April
2021
Here
we
are,
spring
is
slowly
arriving,
and
with
it,
our
hopes
of
better
times
ahead.
Plank
Road
is
looking
forward
to
a
year
of
beautiful
music
and
a
gradual
return
to
our
in
person
gatherings.
As
I
write
this,
we
are
in
an
uncertain
position,
and
still
believe
in
"safety
first",
but
keeping
our
options
open.
As
I
talk
with
various
Plank
Road
members,
it
seems
almost
everyone
has
had
their
Covid
shots,
or
have
them
scheduled,
so
we
will
take
that
into
consideration.
The
First
United
Congregational
Church
in
Downers
Grove,
where
Two
Way
Street
Coffee
House
is
located,
will
also
have
a
large
influence
on
our
scheduled
activities
going
forward.
So,
stay
tuned
and
check
our
website
for
any
updates.
In
the
meantime,
we
will
continue
our
virtual
sessions,
which
gives
us
a
way
to
see
each
other
and
play
music.
Our
January
31
virtual
log
cabin
annual
meeting
was
a
success.
The
George
Mattson
Trio
was
terrific,
as
usual,
and
we
had
a
nice
turnout.
We
have
had
a
good
response
to
our
annual
membership
program.
Thanks
for
sticking
with
us
through
the
pandemic,
and
trusting
us
to
restart
our
regular
program
of
activities
as
soon
as
it
is
safely
possible.
I
hope
you
are
all
healthy
and
that
I
can
see
you
sometime
soon.
Bob
O'Hanlon
President
|
|
Ken & Pat
Lagerstrom
|
From
concerts
at The
Old
Quarter
to
today's
virtual
Plank
Road
sing-arounds,
there's
a lot
of
history...
Ken
and
Pat
Lagerstrom
have
lived
it
since
the
beginning.
They
rarely
miss a
Saturday
sing-around...
You see
them at
the
country/western
sessions...
And
every
Log
Cabin
party.
They
may very
well be
Plank
Road's
longest
active
members.
We're
talking of
course
about Ken
and Pat
Lagerstrom,
two of our
most loyal
and
reliable
supporters.
We
contacted
them, and
their
daughters
Jill and
Katie, to
find out a
little
more:
How
it all
began
. .
.
We asked
Ken how he
first
became
interesting
in folk
music. "It
happened
during the
great folk
scare of
the
sixties,
during the
height of
the
Kingston
Trio,"
says
Ken. "Pat
and I were
studying
at North
Park
College at
the
time."
Pat
recalls
students
gathering
in the
lounge on
Saturday
nights to
listen to
the
"Midnight
Special"
on the
radio.
"Our first
date was a
Tom Paxton
concert at
Orchestra
Hall,"
says Pat.
"We
enjoyed
going to
lots of
folk clubs
like the
Earl of
Old Town
and
Holsteins."
Ken's
first
guitar
. . .
a
piano
for
Pat .
. .
and
then
came
the
kids.
"I bought
my first
guitar
during
college,"
says
Ken. "Pat
plays the
piano --
her first
was a
Stark
Cabinet
Grand that
she
started
playing in
third
grade." Pat
continued
to play in
church,
and today
a
Wurlitzer
console
currently
stands in
the
Lagerstrom
household.
And did
their
musical
interests
carry over
to their
two
daughters?
Jill was
first,
according
to Ken.
"She
bought a
classical
guitar at
a yard
sale when
she was in
fifth
grade."
But that
was just
the
beginning,
says
Katie.
"Later, my
father
bought us
Sigma's
from
Tobias
music for
Christmas.
Now, Jill
and I both
play
Martins."
Katie
later
added an
acoustic
Fender,
and went
electric
with a
Lake
Placid
Blue
Stratocaster.
|
|
|
Good
times
at
a
Plank
Road
sing-around!
|
Saturday
night
concerts.
Way back
in the
day, Ken
and Pat
learned
about the
folk
concerts
at the Old
Quarter
(the
precursor
to Plank
Road) from
flyers
on lamp
posts in
downtown
Brookfield. They
found the
venue --
the Old
School
Hall at
St.
Barbara's,
a building
that stood
in what is
now the
parking
lot of the
new Parish
Center.
Ken
remembers
that
concert.
"Mark
Dvorak
sang train
songs for
the first
set, Don
Buedel
sang
murder
ballads
for the
second
set, while
Lisa Lilly
tended to
concessions."
That
established
a pattern
for the
Lagerstroms
for years
to come.
"Our whole
family
attended
the
Saturday
Night
concerts
regularly,"
says
Pat.
The
concerts
continued
in various
churches
until Dave
Reynolds
opened the
Old
Quarter
Coffee
House in
an old
storefront,
a mere 3
blocks
from the
Lagerstrom
household
-- "which
was
convenient
for after
parties,"
says
Ken. "Later
we
listened
at Sokol
Hall where
Jill and
Katie
helped
with
concessions."
Ken
recalls
being the
emcee at
an open
mic
session at
the Old
Quarter
Coffee
House. "It
was quite
an honor,"
he says,
but it
didn't
start off
well.
"I
introduced
the first
act, and
nothing
happened,"
says Ken.
The first
performer
was
nowhere to
be
seen. "Turned
out she
was in the
bathroom." Cathy
Jones was
the second
performer,
Ken
recalls,
but he
failed to
see
her. "I
introduced
her, but
she was
leaning
down to
get her
instrument
out -- and
from the
stage I
couldn't
see her
either!"
"Here
are
a
couple
of
photos
of
Dad
from
the
Oak
Park
Farmers Market
jam
on
Saturday
mornings.
Believe it
or
not,
he
would
go
to
that
jam
in
the
morning,
wolf
down
some
lunch
and
then
go
to
the
Plank
Road
jam
in
the
afternoon!"
- Jill
Plank
Road
campouts
with
the
family.
Ken and
Pat say
they loved
participating
in the
Plank Road
Campouts. "We'd
hitch the
pop-up
camper to
the
station
wagon and
head to
Yorkville,
or White
Pines --
family dog
in
tow.
We shared
songs
around the
campfire
into the
night and
started
the day
with a
feast of
pancakes."
"In
fact,"
says Ken,
"the last
pancake
I've eaten
in a
campground
was a
cornmeal
pancake
made by
Len
Clark."
There
were
occasional
problems
while
camping,
"such as
when Dave
Martin's
kid got
locked in
the
outhouse,
or when
the local
grocery
store only
had turkey
burgers
for the
campfire,"
says Ken,
"but we
always
came
together
to solve
them."
Festivals,
concerts,
sing-arounds
. .
.
Ken
recalled
how the
whole
family
participated
in "Bound
for
Glory," a
tribute to
Woody
Guthrie at
Kiwanis
Park in
Brookfield. "Katie
played the
violin and
I sang and
played the
guitar for
'Put Your
Finger in
the Air.'
Jill
and Pat
sang and
read for
the play
as
well."
Throughout
the 1980s
the venues
changed
locations.
"I helped
move the
stage from
one
concert
location
to my
garage for
storage,"
says
Ken. "It's
a wonder
that the
roof of my
1970s-era
Pontiac
station
wagon
never
caved
in!"
"In the
early
1980s we
caravaned
into the
city to
listen
to our
friends
Ron
Simpson,
Roscoe
Champ
and Don
Buedel
play
songs
for "The
Flea
Market"
live on
WBEZ.
Don
introduced
them,
autoharp
in hand,
and
said 'This
is how
we do
it in
Brookfield.' But
their
set was
cut
short
when
(professional
folksinger
and
featured
performer)
J.T.
Stanley
showed
up."
"We
experienced
civic
pride"
when
several
members
played
at the
Taste of
Brookfield,
says
Ken.
"Don,
Paul
Klonowski
and Mark
Dvorak
performed
as well
as
others.
I
remember
one
year,
Ron,
Jeremy
and Joel
Simpson
played
"Riders
in the
Sky" on
a
flatbed
truck
stage."
We
asked
Ken if
there
were
any
artists
that
inspired
him
over
the
years.
He
mentioned
four:
Andrew
Calhoun
- Singer,
songwriter,
music
historian,
"very
genuine."
Roberts
and
Barrand
- Folk
musicians,
traditional
English
ballads
and sea
shanties.
Art
Thieme
- Folksinger,
storyteller,
humorist.
Si
Kahn
- Singer,
songwriter,
labor
activist.
Favorite
memory?
"Perhaps
the most
favorite
memory is
when a
bunch of
us
participated
in
Brookfield's
Fourth Of
July
Parade as
the
"K-Zoo"
band.
Kazoos
were
handed out
and Jill
marched
with her
banjo. We
got so
tired,
rehearsing
in the
morning
before the
parade
started,
that we
barely
made it
through
the
parade. We
played
"When the
Saints Go
Marching
In" about
a thousand
times that
day."
It's
about
the
people
. .
.
When
asked what
he
appreciates
most about
Plank
Road,
going all
the way
back to
The Old
Quarter,
Ken
unequivocally
sums it up
in four
words: "All
the good
people."
He goes
on to add,
"After
retirement,
it was
great to
be able to
start in
on the
sing-arounds
again.
Just about
every
Saturday
afternoon,
now on
Zoom, they
are a
great
get-together,
just like
they've
always
been."
|
Memories
from
daughter
Jill
.
.
.
I
remember
my dad
playing
guitar
and
singing
as
some
of my
earliest
memories.
He
played
a lot
of
Steve
Goodman
songs
including
"This
Hotel
Room"
and
John
Prine
songs
like
"Clocks
and
Spoons."
We
used
to run
around
and
sing
the
words
to
"Three
Legged
Man"
by
Shel
Silverstein
and
"You
Done
Stomped
On My
Heart."
One
of his
hobbies
was to
tape
the
Midnight
Special
(at
first
on 8
tracks!)
and
label
the
tapes
with
the
names
of the
songs.
We
always
had a
really
fun
time
listening
to the
Midnight
Special
on New
Years
Eve --
my
sister
Katie
and I
had a
riot
with
all of
the
funny
songs
they
played
like
"The
Eggplant
that
Ate
Chicago"
and we
played
the
tapes
over
and
over
again.
I
think
my
family
went
to the
second
Old
Quarter
night
back
at St.
Barb's
in
Brookfield.
I
think
I was
in the
fifth
grade,
around
1982,
but I
could
be
wrong.
My mom
was
trying
to
limit
our
sugar
intake
and
bribed
us
with a
pop
for
going
along.
Little
did
I
know
it
would
change
my
life!
The
rest
is
history
-- we
fell
into
the
most
fun
and
inclusive
group
you
can
imagine.
A lot
has
changed
over
the
years
but
the
core
values
of the
PRFMS
have
really
stayed
the
same
--
fun,
inclusiveness
and
community
through
music.
Moreover,
everyone
was
always
very
kind
to us
kids
and
involved
us a
lot. I
think
that's
one
reason
we
stuck
with
it for
so
many
years.
I'm
so
glad
we are
still
a part
of it.
And
I'm so
glad
my dad
got us
there
to
begin
with.
-
Jill
Lagerstrom
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Annual
Meeting
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Plank
Road
Annual
Meeting
. .
. it
was
a
"virtual"
success!
Another
pandemic-related
challenge
. . .
another
successful
solution! Since
an
in-person
Annual
Meeting
at the
Log
Cabin in
Lombard
wasn't
possible
this
year,
the
Plank
Road
board
decided
to go
virtual.
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All
photos
in
this
article
are
computer
screen
images.
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There
were
initial
concerns
that
attendance
might be
low
because,
for the
first
time, it
would be
online,
via
Zoom. No
problem! On
Sunday
afternoon,
January
31,
approximately
32
people
logged
in to
watch
the
George
Mattson
Trio
kick off
the
event --
and we
were
treated
to a
great
30-minute
concert.
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The
Mattson
Trio,
featuring
George,
Michael
Hazdra,
and Joel
Simpson
filling
in
for
Tommy
Re.
|
Following
the
concert,
president
Bob
O'Hanlon
said a
few
words
about
the
"state
of the
organization,"
reporting
that
Plank
Road is
healthy,
both
financially
and in
number
of
members
-- and
that he
and all
current
board
members
have
agreed
to serve
another
year.
Bob
thanked
Stephen
Davis
for his
years of
service,
and
introduced
Connie
Lawlor
as our
new
treasurer.
Then we
got down
to
business
with an
hour-and-a-half
sing-around,
led by
George.
Sure, we
may have
missed
the food
and
camaraderie
of being
together
in the
Log
Cabin,
but we
make
adjustments
as
needed.
It's
what we
do! And
special
thanks
to
Ron Leaneagh for
coordinating
this and
all
of our
Zoom
sessions.
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With a Little
Help From our
Friends!
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Andy's
Music
Trivia
Quiz
Thanks
for your
responses.
If you
have any
trivia
to
contribute,
please
do. Fred
Spanuello
and Bill
Matthews
both got
3
answers
correct.
Answers
to
previous
Quiz:
A1. What
top
10
Gerry
&
the
Pacemakers
song
was
released
in
1946,
and
by
whom?
My
intended
answer
of
"Don't
Let
the
Sun
Catch
You
Crying,"
written
by
Joe
Greene,
and
released
by
Louis
Jordan
in
1946
is
wrong.
They
are
NOT
the
same
song;
just
the
same
title.
A
more
correct
answer
is
"You'll
Never
Walk
Alone,"
introduced
on
stage
by
Christine
Johnson
in
1945
in
the
role
of
Nettie
Fowler
in
the
original
Broadway
production
of Carousel.
Thank
you
Fred
S.
for
such
a
great
answer.
A2. Why
did
Al
Dexter
write
"Pistol
Packin
Mama?"
Al
wrote
the
song
in
1942,
released
it
in
1943,
and
sold
3
million
singles
in
22
months,
becoming
one
of
the
3
top
hits
of
World
War
2. He
owned
a
tavern
in
Texas
during
the
violent,
turbulent
oilfield
days.
The
idea
came
when
a
gun-toting
woman
chased
her
husband's
girlfriend
(Al's
waitress)
through
a
barbed
wire
fence.
He
wondered
how
you
would
talk
to
a
woman
with
a
gun,
and
came
up
with
"Lay
That
Pistol
Down
Babe."
A3. What
famous
TV
personality
hosted
on
Dick
Biondi's
WLS
Guest
Teen
DJ?
In
1963,
Biondi
hosted
the
Saturday
night
show
where
he
would
interview
the
guest,
and
allow
him
or
her
to
introduce
a
song
or
two.
Pat
Sajak
was
born
in
1946,
and
so
he
was
16
or
17
years
old
at
the
time.
A4. What
song
did
Burl
Ives
sing
that
got
him
thrown
in
jail,
and
where?
The
song,
"Foggy,
Foggy
Dew,"
was
considered
indecent
at
the
time,
and
in
Mona,
Utah
he
was
put
in
jail
for
singing
it.
Early
versions
of
the
song
refer
to
the
lady's
fear
of
the
"bugaboo"
(a
ghost),
and
tells
of
how
a
young
man
seduces
his
master's
daughter
with
the
help
of
a
friend
disguised
as
a
ghost.
"Bugaboo"
changed
to
"foggy
dew,"
which
refers
to
"coarse,
rank
marsh
grass,"
and
"dew"
represents
virginity
or
chastity.
NEW
Trivia
Quiz:
Q1.
What
is
a
clavioline?
Q2. What
#1
pop
tunes
featured
a
clavioline?
Q3. Who
did
Elvis
refer
to
as
"the
Dalton
Gang?"
Q4. Western
songs
refer
to
dogies
fairly
often.
What
are
they,
and
how
did
the
term
come
about?
Q5. What
do
Beatles
songs,
"And
I
Love
Her,"
"Yesterday,"
and
"I'm
Looking
Through
You,"
have
in
common?
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 will be
available at many
Plank Road events
-- once the
pandemic is over
-- 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 Summer
2021 issue,
the deadline
is June
10,
2021
-
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 us at:
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A Special Thanks
to our Membership
Contributors!!
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Sustaining
Member
-
John J. Allan
-
John Oldershaw
Supporting
Members ($50
- $199)
-
Dan and Mary
Anderson
-
Bill and Mary
Boylan
-
Bob Cordova
-
Vicki and Rich
Ingle
-
Doris Ireland
-
Tony and Ann
Janacek
-
Ken and Pat
Lagerstrom
-
Mike and
Celeste Lake
-
Connie and
Bill Lemos
-
Andrew
Malkewicz
-
Chuck and
Susan Maltese
-
Bill and
Sandhya
Matthews
-
Marianne
Mohrhussen and
Mark
Dvorak
-
Gregg and
Betty Ann
Morton
-
Bud and Mary
Jane O'Connor
-
John Pratapas
-
Jennifer Shilt
-
Carol and Fred
Spanuello
-
Gary and Kathy
Steffenson
NOTE:
Some memberships are
still outstanding, so
this list may not be
complete.
New Members
-
Dan Kalkbrenner
and Shari Smagatz
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.
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QuarterNotes
Contributors
|
Bill Lemos -
Editor
Bob
O'Hanlon
Andy
Malkewicz
The Lagerstrom
Family
Jim
Scalone
|
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