Uncle Dave Macon Days

July 12-14

Another week another festival. 

The 36^th annual Uncle Dave Macon Days Festival was held in Murfreesboro TN.  Two years ago the festival overflowed its banks and was moved from the town square to Cannonsburgh Village.  Cannonsburgh Village is a historical preservation park which houses vintage 1800 buildings collected from the surrounding community.  Simply touring the village is amazing as the history of the area seeps into your soul.  Now you layer on throngs of festival goers, jamming musicians, vendors, exhibitors, and a music competition … well, you have something for everyone!

For me there were many highlights: recording on a 1906 wax cylinder, entering two competitions, knowing some of the contestants, singing on the porch, touring the village, talking to the organizers.  OK, let me break some of this down for you.

Martin Fisher observing the wax cylinder during a recording session.

Recording 1906 style

One exhibit was by Martin Fisher, manager of the Center for Popular Music of Middle Tennessee State University.  Martin and his mother demonstrated a 1906 was recording device and a 1907 player.  Martin graciously gave us a tour of the machines explaining their operation and history.  Then we were invited to record a cylinder. 
 

Martin and Mom

What an experience!  We sang and played into the megaphones as the recording was made on the wax cylinder.  Then a few minutes later the cylinder was placed in the player, the player cranked, and out comes the sound.  Pretty amazing. 

Critical listening to the recording through "ear phones"

Sidewalk music

On one porch I found a group playing country and bluegrass who asked me to sing a song or two.  My response, “Sure, how about Red Wing?”  This went well as everyone knows Red Wing and one woman harmonized on the chorus… like many tunes people know the chorus but not the verse.  When asked for a second tune I thought Liza Jane might be safe but it quickly became apparent that we had different versions.  Not to be thwarted, we all continued to the end with me singing one version and the band members with two other versions.  As with all good jam bands we started and ended together and kept a steady rhythm.  The audience thought we were great as they smiled, tapped their feet, and applauded loudly.  Now that is street music!

Read the my experience of competing at the Uncle Dave Macon Days Festival.
Another blog entry.