Oh play me some mountain music, like Grandma and Grandpa used to play . . .
With its eclectic mix of retail shops, services, and International cuisine, Ninth Street is many things to many people. On a recent Thursday afternoon, it offered one more delight – street music. Nestled along the sidewalk at the alley between Art Craft Framing and Regulator Bookstore, Doug Broyles and Rick Farkas were strumming “mountain music” on their fiddle and banjo respectively. They are part of the Starlight String Band, whose other members include guitarist Cary Moskovitz and mandolin player Michael Bonsignore. They are often accompanied by clogger Jan Gittelman, Rick’s wife. This day, they were also joined by Rick’s dog Lila. Although Gary and his guitar had been with them earlier, he had left to go to his “real job.” Likewise, Michael and Jan were absent due to their “real jobs.”
The ensemble has played together four or five years. In earlier incarnations of their 15 years together, Doug and Rick have been known as “The Warm Jammies,” “Axis of Weasels,” “The Excess of Weasels,” and various other names we thought best not to print. They bill themselves as playing “Old-time fiddle tunes and songs of the Appalachians.” Similar to “mountain” music, the themes of the “traditional” music they play often centers around women, animals, food, and geographical features: Squirrels Heads & Gravy, Push the Pig’s Foot, Growling Old Man – Grumbling Old Woman. More popularly known tunes include Soldier’s Joy and Yellow Rose of Texas. The Starlight String Band sometimes accompanies the clogging group, Cane Creek Cloggers. They play at
multiple venues near and far, including: Shakori Hills Spring and Fall Festivals, the Eno River 4th of July Festival, Earth Day in downtown Durham, out-of-town festivals and fiddle contests, weddings, christenings, dances, and fundraisers.
Why were they playing on a sidewalk in Durham where it appears that Lila fared better than they did (“greetings” from every passing canine and a dog biscuit vs. about $3.27 in the fiddle case)? “It was a nice day and we just felt like it. We play together every week, in Hillsborough, Durham, or any Farmer’s Market. It’s a lot more fun to play in public where people can enjoy our music and we can create a very nice atmosphere. Earlier, a little girl was dancing to our music. That wouldn’t happen if we played at home.”
And 9th Street was all the nicer that afternoon for their music. Listen
You can contact Starlite String Band at 919-732-5949 or bang_n_saw@yahoo.com.
Listen to the Starlite String Band as they play for the Cane Creek Cloggers.
Watch the Cane Creek Cloggers in action.
This article was written by Kim Batson and originally published in The Landist News February 28, 2009 issue. Email kbatson@landist.com for reprint permission. To buy, sell, or lease real estate, go to landistads.com.
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