Custom choral risers stacked in a Christmas tree shape were built in 1988 for Aberdeen’s first Living Christmas Tree performance. Singers have been caroling from the 20-foot structure strewn with garland and colored lights ever since. Chad Coppess took these photos at the December 1st performance. Coppess is the senior photographer at the South Dakota Department of Tourism. To view more of his work, visit www.dakotagraph.com.
Editor’s Note: This story is revised from the January/February 2003 issue of South Dakota Magazine. To order a copy or to subscribe, call 800-456-5117.
Poker Alice had been dead for 19 years when Nick Schwebach was born. But when Schwebach and three friends were trolling for a name for their new band in the early 1980s, they resurrected her.
Why Poker Alice?”I’m sorry,” guitarist Schwebach said.”I don’t have a good answer for that. We knew about as much about Alice then as anybody who goes to Deadwood and looks at the postcards — that cigar and that squatty face.”
“The name was Newt’s idea,” Schwebach said.”We were throwing around names, some of them not printable, and not coming up with anything, when all of a sudden Newt said,”Poker Alice!” When Avon’s Brenda Fennema sang with the band in its early days, some people thought she was Alice.
Gary”Newt” Knutson died in the early 1990s, and a couple of other originals, drummer Tom Voss and bass player”Smilin’ Jack” Carlson moved on. Various other well-known musicians played with the band over the years, but in recent memory, the regulars have been Schwebach, fiddler Owen DeJong, bass player Larry Rohrer, drummer Al Remund and guitarist/organist Denny”Crazy Legs” Jensen.
In the beginning, the Clay County group played mostly country; two decades later, the band is known not only for virtuosity, but for its vast range of songs.”The band has been a revolutionary process,” Schwebach said.”It’s a great, eclectic mix. If people want a country band, we can be a country band. If they want blues or rockabilly, we can do that. I think I could safely say that over the years we’ve played more than 300 different songs. Our last gig we played three songs we’d never played together before. You get those songs in your reptilian brain, and every now and then they resurface. I can just look at the boys and say ‘it’s one-four-five with a two somewhere in there,’ and that’s about all it takes. Everybody kind of thinks on the same wave length.”
Poker Alice plays somewhere almost every weekend. Some people plan their weddings to be sure Alice can come. A favorite venue is for the hometown crowd at Carey’s in Vermillion. Owen, Nick and Larry also play classic folk and country as The Public Domain Tune Band.
“Poker Alice was an astute businesswoman, and she liked to have a good time,” Schwebach said.”I think she’d love the Poker Alice band.”
Editor’s Note: This story is revised from the September/October 1989 issue of South Dakota Magazine. To subscribe, call 800-456-5117.
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| John Nordlie has built pipe organs for several South Dakota churches, including First United Methodist in Sioux Falls. |
Making music is John Nordlie’s passion. But he doesn’t do it by hanging out in nightclubs or performing before the thousand eyes of a concert audience. His is a solitary, quiet talent. He builds pipe organs. Utilizing good tools, fine woods and a love for music, he and his staff create organs and Craftsman-style furniture in their Sioux Falls shop.
Pipe organs can be traced back as a musical instrument to 800 AD, when an organ was given as a gift by the king of Byzantium to Charlemagne’s father, King Pepin. Benedictine monks incorporated the sound into their liturgical celebrations and by the late Middle Ages, organs were common in European churches.
That venerable tradition is on the minds of the Nordlie organ builders as they go about their craft in northeast Sioux Falls. “We do think about the fact that we are building something that is not disposable. If treated right, a pipe organ should last for several hundred years. We have done restoration work on some organs in South Dakota that are nearly a century old,” said Mr. Nordlie.
The Nordlie name has been associated with quality craftsmanship for three generations in Sioux Falls. John’s grandfather, a Norwegian immigrant living in St. Paul, came to Sioux Falls in 1913 to work with Jordan Millwork on the forms for the main columns of St. Joseph Cathedral. Following completion of the cathedral, he stayed in the city and started his own millworking company. His son Donald joined him in the trade, but did not encourage his children, including John, to spend time in the shop with the power tools. “He wanted his sons to go and get an education and see what the rest of the world was like before we went into his business,” recalled John.
That explains why Sioux Falls has not just another cabinet maker, although they are cherished in South Dakota’s work-with-your-hands culture, but instead a traditional maker of pipe organs, one of only a few in the nation.
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| John Nordlie and his craftsmen created this organ for First United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls. |
Taking his father’s advice, John enrolled at Augustana College and studied business. He already had a passing interest in pipe organs in 1971 when, on the way to class one day, he came across A. Eugene Doutt of Watertown, who had been hired by the college to move an organ from one building to another. “I stopped and started asking him questions … so many questions, I guess, that he couldn’t get his work done and he said, ‘Why don’t you help me move this and we can talk while we work.’ “
John replied that he was on his way to class. Mr. Doutt said, “Well, I guess you better go to class, then.”
As John recalled, he missed class that day. But he gained a career.
In January of 1972, he took an independent study interim under Mr. Doutt, assisting him in the assembly of an organ for Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Aberdeen. While Mr. Doutt had not built organs “from scratch,” he had a talent for repairing them and he could order parts, assemble and voice a new instrument.
A trip to Europe further fueled Nordlie’s ambitions. While seeing and hearing the instruments of Holland, Germany and Denmark, he decided he wanted to be an organ builder and learned that the next step was to gain an apprenticeship.
The Augie senior visited Boston, Mass., where traditional pipe organs were once again being built by several shops. Fritz Noack, a German trained master organ builder, offered him a job and after graduation Nordlie headed east. “Fritz Noack knew exactly what I wanted to do, which was to come back to South Dakota and set up my own shop, so he saw that I moved from position to position in the shop. I built every part that could go into the organ, from the keyboard to the cabinets.” The veteran Noack provided his young South Dakota pupil special training in pipe-making and pipe-voicing, areas which separate average organs from exceptional instruments.
After two years of apprenticeship, Mr. Noack had enough faith in his Midwestern organ builder that he sent him back to home territory to install an organ at Gustavus Adolfus College in St. Peter, Minn. While John was there, Rev. Richard Collman from Appleton, Minn., called and asked for information on having an organ built for his church. He had heard of John through a mutual friend, none other than A. Eugene Doutt.
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| Nordlie and his sister Beth MacDonald show some of the mission-style furniture manufactured by their other project, Shortridge Co. Ltd. |
John visited with the Appleton minister, and apparently Rev. Collman was impressed by the know-how of the young man. He finally asked what it would cost if John were to build his organ for him. John quoted a figure of about $20,000, with about 25 percent needed in advance.
John returned to Massachusetts and thought little else about the discussion, until the mail arrived days later with a check for the 25 percent down. There was not even a contract to sign. “I wrote up a contract and sent it to them, and I told Fritz I was quitting to go to Sioux Falls and build an organ for a church — in my dad’s wood shop.”
That was 1977. He made enough on the first job to buy an inexpensive new car and some materials and tools for the next order, which was not long in coming. Gradually, he added staff. The Nordlie craftsmen specialize in building encased “tracker” pipe organs — meaning the actions of the organist’s fingers and feet cause air to flow through the pipes through direct mechanical linkages called trackers. No electrical wires or electronic valves control the wind. The direct contact between the fingers and the pipes makes the organ more sensitive and responsive. Notes on an electronic instrument “are either on or off and cannot convey the complete artistry of a sensitive musician,” said John.
Most Nordlie organs contain some pipes made of wood, usually flutes, and a variety of flues and reeds built of tin or lead alloys. Woodwork is usually of hard woods, often stained and finished with tung oil. The hand-turned stop knobs and naturals of the keyboards are of ebony and the sharp keys are of satinwood, plated with cowbone. Black walnut is often used on the keydesk, keycheeks, pedal sharps and carved pipeshades of the organs.
The combination of materials and craftsmanship results in a creation that is as beautiful to the eye as it is pleasing to the ear. John acknowledges that both the appearance and the sound attracted him to the challenge of building tracker organs. He gained an appreciation for fine woodworking from his father. “And I had an interest in music. The mechanics of the organ intrigued me. I think it can be one of the most satisfying instruments to listen to if it is the right instrument and the right organist.”
I feel bittersweet about my evening plans. I get to see my favorite South Dakota band, We All Have Hooks for Hands, perform at the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux Falls. But here’s the sad part — it’s their final performance.
Hooks for Hands had been playing for six years when I finally saw them live at the Orpheum last year. It was a CD release event filled with balloons, colored lights, confetti, and even a leaf blower. Oh, and the music was good, too. Brothers Isaac and Eli Show, and their core members Tim Evenson, Brent Hardie, Dave Lethcoe, Tory Stolen, Logan Borchardt and Tony Helland played their folk pop hearts out with several special guests. They ended with Eli belting out a spirited rendition of the Jackson 5’s”I Want You Back,” which you can hear at this link. The sound quality is terrible, but it captures their enthusiasm. Hooks for Hands threw a party and we were all invited.
The Sioux Falls band started as a recording project for Isaac and Eli, but it grew to include two drummers, three guitars, horns, keyboards, and the occasional tambourine or violin. They’ve clearly been having a lot of fun but have achieved modest success, as well. After signing with Minneapolis label Afternoon Records, their music was used on MTV shows”16 and Pregnant” and”Teen Mom,” and on Fuel TVs”Vans Surfer Competition.”
I talked with Isaac yesterday about the break-up. The main reason is Eli is moving to New York to finish a master’s degree in art at Syracuse University. Evenson has also moved to Minneapolis and Borchardt is moving to Portland, Ore.”We might come out with one last album, which would be the rest of the material that we haven’t released yet,” Isaac says. And though he will miss being in Hooks, he already has a new project called Later Babes, an amalgam of DJs, mixers and musicians.”Later Babes is fun, but it’s not quite the same as being in a big rock band.”
For tonight’s show, tickets are $15 at the door and show starts at 7:00 p.m. The opener is Night Moves from Minneapolis. Isaac says,”Balloons and confetti are a must, and hopefully some other surprises as well.”
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| Bernie Hunhoff photographed Kevin Locke in 2000 at the Micheaux Festival in Gregory. |
Rural churches in our corner of South Dakota sometimes struggle to survive. One of their worries is how congregations can serve young people.
I think of Kevin Locke whenever someone mentions youth and religion. There would never be an empty pew in any congregation that could offer a smidgen of his magnetism and his message of hope.
Locke is a Lakota Sioux hoop dancer, musician and storyteller who was raised at Wakpala, a small place south of Mobridge on the Standing Rock Reservation. In our travels, we’ve had several opportunities to watch him perform. I’d watch and listen every Sunday morning if I could.
He travels far from South Dakota to spread his gospel of peace and reconciliation — he has been to 70 countries — but the message is deeply rooted here on the Great Plains. Selections in his most recent album, Earth Gift, are old songs that he hopes to preserve.”Buffalo Said To Me” is a song from Brave Buffalo, who lived on Standing Rock many years ago.”Muskrat” is from Everett Kapayou, a Meskwaki from Iowa.
Locke plays the songs on a big cedarwood flute. Some think he may be the only living musician who is carrying on the traditional music.
He also uses handfuls of hoops — red, black, white and yellow — to perform intricate and athletic dances that leave every audience spellbound with interest and wonderment. The four colors are significant to the Lakota culture. They represent the four human races, four directions, four seasons and four winds. Years ago, Locke told one of our writers that God wants us to reach out for unity and light.”We are all branches of the great human family,” he said.”We can soar like the eagles, give off fragrance like the flowers.”
But he said we can only realize our beauty and potential if we set aside divisions, distrust, prejudices and fear of one another.
The boy from Wakpala has become a man of peace, a missionary for human harmony. He once thought that he would study law, but a Lakota elder taught him the sacred hoop dance when he was young and he felt a calling. He has now been performing and teaching for over 30 years.
One of the things he likes about the hoop dance is that everyone gathers in a circle. There is no back row or back pew, unlike all the churches we attend.”Everybody has a front row,” says Locke. We must work to strengthen ourselves, links in a mighty circling chain, to overcome violence, addictions, racism and hate.”
Lofty notions, to be sure. But maybe that’s what young people are wanting as they sit in the back pews of too many churches today.
Musicians came from all over the United States to perform at the 4th annual South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association induction ceremony on April 21st. The event was held at the Ramkota Exhibit Hall in Sioux Falls.
Inductees were The Bleach Boys, Chevelles, DJ and the Cats, Gemini 6, Gordon Bird & the Sting Rays/Original Sting Rays, Jay-Bee & the Kats, John McCormick & Something New, Kenny Miller, Scotty Lee & the Stingrays, Gestures, Dee Jay & the Runaways., David J Law, Ray Ford and KISD, Curt Powell, the Vivian Dance Hall, and Island Park Ballroom of Milltown.
The bands all were formed in the late ’50s to late ’60s with members reuniting to play one more gig. Photos by Ron Nelson of Spectrum Photography in Lake Preston.
Editor’s Note: This story is revised from the July/August 2002 issue of South Dakota Magazine. To order a copy or to subscribe, call 800-456-5117.
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| Spearfish singer Larry Bell and the Continentals played the Pavilion before finding success in Denver. |
Early rock ‘n’ roll”was a whole new thing,” said Gary Mule Deer.”It was about being defiant, and of course parents hated it.”
Growing up in Spearfish, Mule Deer experienced big-name recording stars up close and loud, and they changed him forever. From about 1957 until 1964, Friday night meant rock ‘n’ roll dances in the city park Pavilion, dances that drew prime acts: the Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chubby Checker, Buddy Holly’s Crickets, the Ronettes, Seals and Croft and the Ventures.
When Waylon Jennings died, he was recalled almost exclusively as a country act. But there are those in Spearfish who remember him coming to town as part of the Crickets. Glen Campbell became a country icon, but first he rocked the Pavilion as part of the Champs, who hit number one in the national pop charts with”Tequila,” and who also claimed Seals and Croft as members.
“I never could dance, but I sat on the rail listening to some of the most remarkable performers of the time,” said Larry Bell.”And I talked with any of them who would take the time, because they were living the life I wanted. Conway Twitty had a big, big rock ‘n’ roll hit, ‘It’s Only Make Believe,’ and I asked him one night at the Pavilion about the pop music business. He was frank, told me it was full of people who’d screw you any way they could, so he was getting out and going country, which is exactly what he did.” Indeed, Twitty went on to record more than 50 number one country hits.
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| Spearfish’s Larry Bell in 2002, years after his musical debut at the Pavilion. |
Bell never learned to dance, but he did form a rock ‘n’ roll act similar to that of his Pavilion idols, despite Twitty’s warning. Larry Bell and the Continentals played the Pavilion, and later went on to considerable success as a Denver band. Bell also worked on the road for the Everly Brothers, who told him they remembered their Spearfish gigs.
“It seemed like they all remembered Spearfish,” said Mule Deer, whose own Los Angeles-based music career often reunited him with Pavilion performers.”That’s because they’d try to get into town a day early to see Mount Rushmore, and the Black Hills made Spearfish memorable.”
Of course, the musicians themselves made Fridays memorable for their fans. Mule Deer has never forgotten Jerry Lee Lewis playing Spearfish as”Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” dominated the airwaves. Mule Deer and a friend sat outside the Pavilion listening to that song on the radio, then turned the radio off to listen to Lewis playing it live.
Spearfish fans stood respectfully still for the Ventures’ instrumental numbers, and Jerry Lee Lewis said he envied that. But Spearfish responded to Lewis’s music by dancing with all the energy it could muster.
Jerry Sternad of Spearfish booked the rock ‘n’ roll acts. The American Legion post, which was the responsible for the Pavilion and needed to make money there, contracted with him.”How did he do it? I don’t know,” marveled Bell.”But Sternad got people right at the peak of their careers.”
Performers arrived by car — typically”two Cadillacs and a U-Haul,” Mule Deer said. Fans drove in too, from all over the Black Hills and beyond, probably 1,000 to 1,500 on good nights, and maybe 2,000 for the biggest acts. Admission was a couple bucks, but not everyone tried to get in the wood-frame Pavilion. Big screened windows made the music audible for blocks, and lots of couples preferred staying in their parked cars and…well, listening.
It’s hard to beat the creekside city park’s summertime ambiance, with the piney scent of Spearfish Canyon on the wind; it’s those kinds of nights most often recalled decades later. But there were dances in the dead of winter, too.”It took a long time to heat that big building up,” Mule Deer said,”But eventually all the bodies would do it.”
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| Spearfish musician and teacher Lyle Berry played with a Black Hills group called Lyle, Doug and Paul. |
Things sometimes heated up in other ways too, recalled Lyle Berry. He moved to Spearfish as a high school sophomore in 1956. While rock ‘n’ roll hits of years ago are often presented today as tame souvenirs of a more innocent time, in fact there was nothing intended to be tame or innocent about them.”Those dances were known as the place to go to get close to trouble,” Berry recalled.”They weren’t for young kids. Mostly it was a crowd already out of high school.”
There was always a supply of liquor in the parked cars, and Spearfish boys thought of the events as prime opportunities for meeting out-of-town girls. Not infrequently those girls came to Spearfish with possessive boyfriends. Booze and jealousy combined to trigger some nasty fights, a few of which are remembered even now in details which elicit winces. Quick fights of passion usually happened in the Pavilion parking lot. Big ones involving pairs of expert fighters or long scores to settle were moved a couple miles out of town, away from police interruption, after the music.
Berry, who went on to teach high school 31 years in Spearfish and Lead, marveled at how different life was for Black Hills kids then.
“I didn’t have much money, and neither did anyone else I knew,” he said.”It cost just a few dollars to get into the Pavilion, but you’d have to watch your money during the week to make sure you had enough on Friday. Of course, it was the only place to see that kind of entertainment, so it was really something to look forward to.”
Berry was yet another Pavilion kid who grew up to perform both solo and duet acts in Black Hills bars and supper clubs of the 1970s, and as part of a group called Lyle, Doug and Paul. Seeing one of his peers, Larry Bell, succeed on the Pavilion stage made it seem possible Lyle could play, too.
“Those dances were known as the place to go to get close to trouble.”
Friday night dances at the Pavilion, built in the 1920s, were popular long before rock ‘n’ roll. Buddy Meredith and his KOTA Cowboys played there, as did nationally-known and local big bands. Wilber Tretheway from Lead, who later would be credited with saving the Pavilion, led a much-loved big band. Another Lead man, Henry Phillips, brought the Henry Phillips and the Ambassadors band to the Pavilion regularly for ten years in the 1940s and 1950s.
Bob Phillips sometimes carried his father’s drums in and out of the building.”Spearfish really turned out for dad’s dances,” Bob said, just as it did for rock ‘n’ roll. Cowboy and big band dances continued after rock ‘n’ roll continued to share the spotlight.
Just as Spearfish appreciated local country and big band groups, it got behind rock ‘n’ rollers with local or regional connections. Both Mule Deer and Bell said Myron Lee and the Caddies of Sioux Falls were hugely popular in Spearfish.”Myron Lee was a great saxophone man,” Bell said.”At least in our area, he really introduced the sax.”
Like Bell, Mule Deer eventually made it onto the Pavilion stage.”I mentioned how the musicians remembered Spearfish because of the Black Hills,” he said with a grin.”Well, maybe they also remembered because there was always a kid bugging them to sing with them. Me.”
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| After a Los Angeles music career, Gary Mule Deer once again lives in Spearfish, home of the hall of his youthful dreams. |
The kid had talent. He learned guitar by picking his way through Johnny Cash and Crickets numbers. One night after Buddy Holly had died in an Iowa plane crash, the Crickets called Mule Deer up to perform”Summertime Blues” and”Mule Skinner Blues” with them. Mule Deer became friends with the Crickets and the Everly Brothers, both of whom played Spearfish often. He also formed a bond with the Ventures, partly because he ran Spearfish’s Vita movie theater.
“My dad bought the Vita and had me running it in 1963,” Mule Deer said.”The Ventures loved movies, so after their Pavilion shows I’d run a special showing of whatever we had playing, just for them. I’d pay the projectionist a little extra, and we’d even have concessions. It became a Spearfish ritual for them.”
Mule Deer’s rock ‘n’ roll friends encouraged him to polish his music, and before long, he had his own band, the Vaqueros, opening Pavilion shows. By 1965, Mule Deer’s career made Los Angeles his official residence, although more nights than not he was on the road. From time to time Mule Deer crossed paths with Pavilion alumni. When he and Jerry Lee Lewis played Lake Tahoe, Lewis began calling him”Spearfish” in honor of that association. The Ventures, never forgetting the movies and popcorn, set Mule Deer and his California band up with a line of guitars.
Back in Spearfish, the Pavilion turned quiet. After the Beatles toured America in 1964 and 1965, promoters saw the biggest rock ‘n’ roll acts had potential for filling not just dance halls, but arenas and stadiums. Spearfish dances got smaller and smaller, and more modern venues took shape in the area. Within a few years, the Pavilion was more likely to host a Boy Scout jamboree on a Friday night than big-name entertainment.
By the mid-1980s the building had fallen into disrepair, and might have been lost, except that former big band leader Wilbur Tretheway had moved to town and become mayor. He dubbed himself”the begging mayor” because he was prepared to plead for labor and materials to save the building. He succeeded, and today the Pavilion, more sturdy and comfortable than ever, bears the late Tretheway’s name.
No historical marker relates the fact that rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Famers once strutted across the tiny stage. Gary Mule Deer, Larry Bell and Lyle Berry — the Spearfish kids who found rock ‘n’ roll life more than a fleeting fantasy — all live in Spearfish again, though Mule Deer is proof you need to be careful what you wish for. The guy who wanted to travel still spends many nights on the road performing.
But for a few weeks each year he’s home in the Hills, close to the big white building where so much began.
South Dakota Magazine and the Chicago Tribune have almost nothing in common. The Tribune is owned by billionaire Sam Zell. It was in bankruptcy a few years ago. It is the eighth largest newspaper in the USA. The Trib once owned the Chicago Cubs but not any longer.
South Dakota Magazine is owned by a thousandaire. We aren’t rich but neither are we in bankruptcy. We are the largest magazine in South Dakota. Several of our staffers are Cubs fans.
And here’s another difference. Public Policy Polling recently published a poll that shows how Americans like or dislike the 50 states. The best-liked states in order are Hawaii, Colorado, Tennessee and, naturally, South Dakota. Sadly, Illinois ranked 47th.
So the Chicago Tribune editors cranked up their poison press and trashed South Dakota. They concluded, “With no ill will to South Dakota, we have to ask. Seriously?”
The Chicago editors said they could understand Hawaii’s high ranking because of its beaches. They appreciated Colorado because of its mountains. And even Tennessee, they granted, had a music culture. But South Dakota? “Seriously?”
Obviously, they’ve never been to South Dakota — Land of about 5,000 natural lakes and some of the most amazing and diverse rivers and reservoirs in the world. And we’ve got mountains, we just humbly call them “the Hills.” As for music, I’ve seen and heard quite a few of those Nashville folks here in the state. One of our state’s greatest singer/songwriters was Kyle Evans, a Wessington Springs cowboy who spent some time in Nashville but was too homesick to stay. When he got home he wrote a song that goes like this:
I’m in heaven on a horse on the
Wild open prairies of Dakota
Where life sings me a melody and
My heart sings in harmony
My troubles never been so few before.
Yes, we’ve got a pretty amazing country music community of our own. The Poker Alice Band is my personal favorite. Tomorrow night I’m going to Mac’s Pub in Volin to hear Mike McDonald sing some ballads. Mike is a retired South Dakota postmaster and an amazing singer. A few years ago, the Old Courthouse Museum in Sioux Falls brought an Irish band to South Dakota for St. Paddy’s Day and they asked Mike to do the warm-up. He sang his Irish heart out and the crowd went wild. I think many of them thought he was the main act. I never felt so sorry for anyone as I did for the poor Irishmen who had to follow Mike that night. Unlike beaches and mountains, good music is everywhere. Some great musicians just don’t have agents.
So unlike the Chicagoans, we’re not shocked that South Dakota ranked fourth. Americans are smart people. I’m a little surprised that Illinois ranked 47th because I don’t see anything wrong with the Land of Lincoln. Certainly the Cubs have taught the state some humility. And, hey, not everybody can be fourth.
Jim Hagen, South Dakota’s Secretary of Tourism, also took umbrage with the Chicago Tribune editorial and sent the newspaper a properly humble but corrective letter that you might also find interesting.
See you at the beach. Or the Hills. Or at Mac’s.
Music has been connecting people since a caveman made a flute some 50,000 years ago. Small towns in South Dakota are using the power of music to strengthen community ties.
In the 1990s the small town of Peever in northeast South Dakota badly needed to replace their community center. The old hall held only 70 people and was falling apart. But Peever is not a wealthy town. The streets are gravel, the buildings worn and most of the citizens are retired or wage-earners.
But Peever’s people know how to sing and strum the guitar, so monthly jamborees were held to raise money. “I’d say per capita Roberts County has more musicians than most any place in the country,” Don Backman, a retired dairy farmer told us awhile back. The musicians donated their time and a freewill donation was taken at the door. “We just asked people to give what they wanted,” Backman said. “If they were really short, they could take a little out.” Despite the generous spirit of the jam organizers, they had enough money for a new hall within a few years.
Soon the Glacial Lakes towns of Revillo, South Shore and Roslyn started similar events to raise money. South Shore donated jamboree earnings to the Salvation Army after the organization helped their town following a wind storm. Revillo raised enough for a new community center. And in the 1990s South Shore hosted country music concerts to restore Punished Woman’s Lake.
Peever, after 16 years, stopped their jamborees in the spring of 2010, but Wilmot picked up where they left off and began the Whetstone Jamboree. Several of the Peever musicians show up to carry on the tradition. Edean Landmark was a favorite musician at Peever and now his daughter, Wendy Landmark, is a regular at the jamboree circuit, including the new one in Wilmot. “What’s fun about it is that it is a family show and the strong community involvement. People come from miles away to enjoy our local musicians. There is a lot of local talent.” Wendy grew up singing country music in Peever, but now sings the blues with the Watertown band “The Bluezz’l Do.”
A typical jamboree starts with a featured band. After the band plays a few numbers, it turns into a house band and performers take turns doing two songs each. Young, old, experienced and inexperienced musicians are all welcome to take the stage
“I like the opportunity it gives young people to get that feel for performing in front of an audience as well as with a backup band,” says Cheryl Rondeau-Basset, an organizer of the Whetstone Jamboree.”I hope it encourages young people to be interested in music. Music is something you can enjoy all your life.”
Musicians interested in performing should arrive 30 minutes early to sign up. The audience is treated to coffee, snacks, door prizes and a few jokes from the announcer.
The same spirit of sharing music and bringing people together inspired similar gatherings in two small Black Hills towns. Weekly bluegrass jams in Rochford and Rockerville are laid back rituals with no admission fees. Any musician can join, but only with an acoustic instrument.
“They just enjoy each other, teach each other and share each others’ music,” says Betsy Harn, owner of the Moonshine Gulch Saloon in Rochford.
In southeast South Dakota, Doug and Judi Sharples have transformed Gayville’s old grocery store into a little Branson. The Saturday night entertainers — which often include the popular Poker Alice Band and the McNeills from Springfield — especially focus on old time, folk and country music.
Roslyn: First full weekend of the month on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Roslyn Creamery Company.
Revillo: Third Sunday of the month. Community Center.
South Shore: Fourth Saturday of the month. Community Center.
Wilmot (Whetstone Jamboree): Second Saturday of January, April, July, October and December in 2012. Community Center.
Rochford: Every Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m., Moonshine Gulch Saloon.
Rockerville: Bluegrass jam every Thursday at 7 p.m., Gaslight Saloon.
By Chad Coppess
If you enjoy live music performances, making photographs of concerts can be a lot of fun. Bright flashing light shows, lots of motion and spectacular stage presentations seem like they were made for photography.
Whether it’s local bands playing in the city park or big name acts at the huge arenas, concert shooting can be challenging and fun.
Outdoor daytime events generally have much more even lighting, so the creativity in photography comes from choosing angles to shoot and watching for interesting expressions and poses. Not surprisingly, musicians seem to be good at expressions and poses.
Indoor and night time shows are a study in contrasty lighting and being ready for the unexpected. I usually have my camera set to automatic aperture and realize as the stage lights change quickly I am going to end up with a lot of shots that are not exposed properly. Shoot and shoot more! Not worrying about the bad shots and continuing to look for great ones is the way to go.
Some concerts specify that camera flashes are not allowed, so you’ll have to go without. In most cases that’s okay with me because a flash can wash out the dramatic effects of the stage lights anyway.
I realize that I usually have a press pass for better access than the typical concert-goer has, but it’s still possible to shoot good photos from the audience area. Look for angles where you can take photos without people’s heads and hands in the way. If you are able, move to different spots throughout the show to get a variety of shots.
Getting to know bands and artists is easier than ever these days through social media. Contacting the artists you’d like to photograph and letting them know who you are and that you are working to make them look good will go a long ways toward access. Over the years I’ve come to know several musicians as friends just by taking their photo and showing them later.
Some concerts will not allow professional style cameras, however those kinds of restrictions are beginning to disappear as more and more people are taking high-quality photos and video with their cell phones. Many bands encourage fans to post photos to their websites or Facebook pages.
More of my concert photography can be found at my blog Chad’s Concert Pix.
Chad Coppess is the senior photographer at the South Dakota Department of Tourism. He lives in Pierre with his wife, Lisa. To view more of his work, visit www.dakotagraph.com.
