~ Carry On is a free, 30-minute YouTube Live program that explores traditional music and the people who make it presented by the Northeast Ohio Musical Heritage Assn. Carolina the last weekend of September 2015. Country Current (above), the premier country and bluegrass group of the U.S. Navy. ! It was on Facebook before I even knew it. One of those is Aynsley Porchak. While we both thought the other was nice, it wasnt love at first sight. After touring with New Zealand singer Tex Morton, described by Trenwith as a hypnotist, whip-cracker, and sharpshooter, the band linked up with Slim Dusty, a legendary Australian country singer as popular Down Under, Trenwith says, as Johnny Cash was in the States. Home-schooled by her mother Jan, a retired high school English and physical education teacher, Porchak had been looking for a college where she could continue learning traditional music. After graduation she would like to use her degrees to write and further scholarship in the field of American traditional music. She also has great success in the competitive world of fiddling. Basically, my goals are to be a blessing to others, to get as good as I possibly been graduated for three years, trying to find a program I wanted. While playing local bars and restaurants like the Chuckey Trading Company, Chesney earned his Mass Communications degree from ETSU in 1990. I was an only child and a homeschooled student, so I had my qualms about coming to All three are alumni of ETSUs Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies Program. Pittsburgh-rolling hills, winding hig East Tennessee State University graduate student Aynsley Porchak recently pulled off a huge feat when she won the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championship. The Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music Studies program at East Tennessee State University has announced the hiring of two touring professionals in the bluegrass world to positions on their faculty. Meet The Band. Nearby a bass fiddle vibrates the floor. top U.S. fiddle championship the previous four years, twice placing as high as sixth, Id been looking for. said, My name is Dan Boner, and Im director of the Bluegrass, Old Time and Country He could play all the instruments and showed me a lot on the fiddle, such as rhythmic bowing styles.. Bluegrass Pride and Celtic Pride bands, and has had opportunities to share the stage Chat email or call (480)-624-2500. seafood place and this man came up to our table, saying, Excuse me, I hope you In fact, the fiddle player did not even intend to compete in the 2017 Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championship due to time constraints. His image is repeated several times in a Brooks Gym hallway photo mural, near those of the Stanley Brothers, the Carter Family, and Bonnie Lou and Buster, a duo that played live on Johnson Citys WJHL-TV in the 1960s. Ive tried dabbling in other instruments, like mandolin, but I keep coming back to the fiddle because its my true love. The Future of the Past. Woodstock, Ontario, native Aynsley Porchak is a perfect example of this very heart and soul. Porchak, who has bachelors degrees in both Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Studies and English from ETSU, plus a masters in Appalachian Studies, feels humbled to join the faculty at her alma mater. But that wasn't all. The future holds many possibilities for Aynsley. Music program at East Tennessee State University. My jaw dropped, because Id already There must be an immense sense of pride to win for both her home town in Canada and her college community here in Johnson City. Oh, and shes also the current Grand Master Fiddle Champion, having won the 44th annual contest last fall a contest she did not think she was going to attend. Championship. I told him that I had no idea he even liked me and he protested but I sat by you all the time and I always tried to talk to you! Well, James told me that he would like to pursue a serious relationship with me and I said that I would have to pray about it and that I would have to talk to the band about it. Big Stone Gap, Virginia, native Tyler Hughes, a 2015 ETSU alumnus, divides his time among playing in the Empty Bottle String Band, calling square dances throughout the region, and teaching banjo and dance at Mountain Empire Community College in his hometown. For this video performance She had been playing fiddle since age nine, after her parents took her to a concert by Canadian fiddler Natalie McMaster. urged her to compete while she was there. Porchaks love of the fiddle really began, though, when she was three. Aynsley is also an experienced contest fiddler. Old Time and Country Music Studies in ETSUs Department of Appalachian Studies. Courses in Celtic music at ETSU are taught by Jane MacMorran, a former U.S. National Scottish Fiddling Champion. In the 1960s, with the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band, Colleen Trenwith helped introduce bluegrass to New Zealand. There are similar themeslove, acceptance, and rejection.. Takes the music extremely traditional Bluegrass . Porchak finished her bachelor of arts degree with a double major in Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Studies and English and immediately began work on a master of arts in Appalachian Studies. Colleen Trenwith and the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band became household names in New Zealand. 16 years old, I went to Weiser, Idaho, for the National Old Time Fiddlers Contest, Spicher, and they took him to lunch. Aynsley began playing fiddle at the age of 9. Music took over my life, remembers Colleen Trenwith, now a member of the ETSU faculty. In 2008, ETSU opened its own recording laboratory. As a student at East Tennessee State University, I am very aware of the soundscape that surrounds my place in the Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies program. However, I soon discovered my love for American styles of fiddling, and when I was I started my BLUE degree at ETSU with the goal of someday being able to make an impact through teaching in higher education, so this is truly a dream come true for me. This fund has been established to assist the Hensley family of Flag Pond, Tennessee in their husband's and father's medical bills. She confesses to having a passion for boots. The year that film came out, 2000, ETSU alumnus Kenny Chesney had already released a Greatest Hits album, on his way to country music superstardom. as well as Bobby Hicks, whom she has long admired. Aynsley Porchak began playing fiddle at the age of 9. I love the diversity [of ETSU], we have so many awesome teachers here, its a blessing, said Porchak. Im passionate about teaching, and would love to teach at the university But the program had its beginning back in 1982 when Dartmouth-educated mandolin player Jack Tottle first started teaching courses in the music of the region through the universitys Center for Appalachian Studies and Services. Aynsley is also an experienced contest fiddler. Kenny Chesney (seated) during his student days at ETSU. After all, we've got some of the best bands in the business making plans to be with us next month and what's not to love about that! Just to even go to the Opry has been a dream I wake up in the morning and write on the trip to the venue. Left to right: Henry Johns, Danny Stewart, and Haley Stiltner. All rights reserved. From a little girl, my teachers always talked about competition, said Porchak. So did the divine right of kings. They handed me the record Flatt and Scruggs at Carnegie Hall! and told me to learn every fiddle part on it, she recalls. a university, Aynsley said. He earned a degree in Vocal Music Education at ETSU before the university started awarding degrees in Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Studies. 3739 Balboa St. #5090San Francisco, CA 94121-2605(844) BLU-GRASS(844-258-4727), CBA EventsCalendarFeature ArchiveBluegrass Breakdown. Aynsleys parents In 2018, Aynsley joined the . Its power seems inescapable. Monroe did two 15-minute sets, and we played in one of his sets. about bluegrass. Originally a western swing tune for the steel guitar called The But I was set at ease immediately, and I love the campus Near her home in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, there was a classical program and a jazz program but no bluegrass. In memory of NC banjo player Hoyt Herbert who passed on this day in 2019. Lots of cool memories, and good prospects for the future. In order to further hone her craft, Aynsley enrolled in East Tennessee State Universitys Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies degree program in 2013. Aynsley Porchak wins Canadian Grand Masters. Aynsley was taken to see influential Cape Breton fiddler Natalie McMaster. Playing via Spotify Playing via YouTube. Porchak has been playing the fiddle since she was 9 years old. Porchaks goal is to teach her passion of music, and share the love bluegrass with all people. Natalie and her music, so when I was 9 years old, I started taking fiddle lessons. Valentines Day has us thinking about all the great love stories in Bluegrass: Kenny & Amanda Smith, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Paul & Kelsi Harrigill, Little Roy and Mike Terryyou get the drift. porchak@mail.etsu.edu; Majors & Minors Cost Estimate Request Info Visit Apply Give. Madly, crazy in love withBLUEGRASS!! She also looks forward to the Boner says the equipment, much of it obtained through grant funding, is remarkable. Several courses make use of the lab, including a capstone class that requires students to prepare a four-song demo. a little outdated, and I would love to be able to use my English to write more about The group formed as a spin-off of the band Carolina Blue. It gives me a chance to be where the music is happening. But bluegrass courses and private instruction quickly changed that. However, when I arrived, I found that I was still able to musically interact with the other students, even though we lived hundreds of miles apart. During the spring semester of 2019, there were 35 student bands, operating under the auspices of what is now the Department of Appalachian Studies. We were the resident band for a program called Country Touch, based on early Grand Ole Opry television shows.. Two years later, she returned to Nashville and won the U.S. Grand Masters Fiddle Championship. Aynsley Porchak In this thesis, I demonstrate how analysis through literary criticism can provide a commentary on Appalachian song. Despite busy weekends touring to places like Branson, Missouri; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; and Nashvilles famed Station Inn, Porchaks academic work continues. Porchak explained just how unexpected the award was. In 2018, Aynsley joined the SPBGMA award-winning band Carolina Blue, and performed with them for four years before becoming one of the founding members of The Tennessee Bluegrass Band in 2021. He is proud to see his cousins, Carl and J.P. Sauceman and their Green Valley Boys, pictured on the mural in Brooks Gym. ), doctor of nursing practice (DNP) and doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees on successful . 2023 Arts Alliance Mountain Empire. In order to further hone her craft, Aynsley enrolled in East Tennessee State Universitys Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies degree program in 2013. Aynsley began playing fiddle at the age of 9. Fiddle Click here for full pdf versions of the 2022-23 print edition. High-res versions are in Flickr. They are here to take part in an academic program like no other: Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Studies. Logout, The Tennessee Bluegrass Band, surely one of the most highly anticipated young bands in our music of late, is already dealing with personnel changes. Eubanks, who holds a masters degree in Jazz Studies fromWebster University in St. Louis, MO, says that it is an honor to join such a stellar team. Aynsley Porchak began playing fiddle at the age of 9. She is also an experienced contest fiddler, winning the Grand Master Fiddler Championship in 2015 in Nashville, and in 2017 the Canadian Grand Master Fiddle Champion, making her the first person to win both competitions.Visit https://neomha.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/CarryOn_ResourceGuide_Episode-6_AynsleyPorchak.pdf for a resource guide to accompany this program. She was introduced to bluegrass through the music of Kenny Baker and Bobby Hicks, and quickly fell in l. Thanks to Ken Perlman for the news that the American Banjo Camp (of which he and Peter Langston are co-directors) will take place online by Zoom on 11 and 12 September 2021. He was a huge influence on us, says Trenwith. She was introduced to bluegrass in her early teens, and quickly fell in love with the music. In fact, it is the achievements of musicians like Aynsley Porchak that can promote a spark with aspiring musicians. But it was good ear training, listening to what people were singing and trying to match it on guitar.. Some have built on those projects by adding more songs and putting out records., According to Blue Highways Tim Stafford, This program is helping ETSU take the worldwide lead in educational leadership in the field of contemporary music studies.. Aynsley Porchak. I don't think there's anything wrong with pullin pop into the genre with covers like this. On most any good-weather day, under shade trees and atop brick walls, student-led jam sessions provide free entertainment on the Johnson City campus. Website design and development by Camellia Digital Agency. The appointment is for one academic year and is renewable. All rights reserved. ), doctor of audiology (Au.D. This year's judges for the competition are Aynsley Porchak, Brad Riley, and Justin Branum. We asked them to share a bit about how they got their start and we hope you enjoy their "love story" as much as we do. The thought of their daughter playing the Opry certainly never crossed Aynsleys parents Madly, crazy in love withBLUEGRASS!! . Through Bill Monroe, Seeger arranged to have the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band play on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in 1971. Read Aynsley Porchak's bio and find out more about Aynsley Porchak's songs, albums, and chart history. I grew up hearing loud preaching and attending homecomings and Saturday night singings, Boner says. Playback options Let me start off by saying that the differences in driving from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Euclid, Ohio are almost polar opposites. So close to the university, we have this amazing place where so many influential musicians have played, says Porchak. She gave up her job as a teacher to go on the road, introducing bluegrass music to New Zealand. Still, though, Trenwith felt she needed more knowledge. She also keeps busy with sessions work recording for other musicians. The Meadors are married. I texted Daniel right afterward with a picture of me holding the plaque, saying, Get recommendations for other artists you'll love. Im so excited and honored to be a part of a program I have admired so much since I became aware of it, and the brilliant graduates that have come through it, to join the ranks of successful professionals in the roots music world, not to mention the world class faculty. Find a band near you or share your band info with the world! In the video below, East Tennessee State University senior bluegrass and English major Following an invitation that the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) extended to its members that they share a memory from "75 years of bluegrass," we thought that we would collect a few to share with you. "We met for the first time when I auditioned for Carolina Blue in December two years ago. He continued It taught me that I could foster the music of our region not only for employment but also to work for change and to educate a new generation about the historical and cultural significance of Appalachian music.. level. Her friends joke that she pays rent at the library. Aynsley Porchak began playing fiddle at the age of 9. 2022, Lincoln Mash (guitar) and Tyler Griffith (bass) joined the band. We played a Slim Dusty song and, for an encore, a Mac Wiseman song.. He first learned to play guitar in one of four Freewill Baptist churches in the Bridgeton, New Jersey, area. Since they were here last, they have enjoyed three IBMA nominations and earlier this month, won four SPBGMA Awards for Entertainers of the Year, Bluegrass Band of the Year (overall), Vocal Group of the Year, and Album of the Year for I Hear Bluegrass Calling Me. Not only did it come true, but Porchak quickly proved her tremendous musical talent by winning both the American and Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championships. Aynsley Porchak. And from an impromptu jam session comes the high harmony of twin fiddles. Notoriety for the ETSU bluegrass program began building as bands were invited to perform at the Smithsonian National Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C., and for a Christmas party at NATO Headquarters. ", 2023 East Public Relations | www.EastPublicRelations.com. Then between first and second sets of music, I write again. loves it. 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