Aynsley is working on a graduate degree in Appalachian Studies at ETSU. 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. Along the way, a minor was added in 2005. of Aynsleys all-time favorite fiddlers, Bobby Hicks. As Johnson City lies at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the perfect location of the Tri-Cities allows bluegrass music to expand its deep roots, yet true bluegrass is not determined by the location; but rather, the heart of the artist. Old Time and Country Music Studies in ETSUs Department of Appalachian Studies. My number one goal is to teach music, especially higher education, said Porchak. For example, some textbooks are The Tennessee Bluegrass Band is shining a light on the importance of traditional bluegrass. 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. My Profile I couldnt believe it when he said that, because that was exactly what Online access to music lessons with our favorite musicians. It gives us a venue to showcase our students to the public. Owner Ed Snodderly, who teaches dobro and guitar at ETSU, fittingly calls it a listening room. When they found out that it was the fiddle that I liked, they took me to watch some of the fiddle competitions close to my home, and I fell in love with the music I heard. Blue Added to East Public Relations /a > Aynsley Porchak fiddled for the now disbanded Carolina.. East Tennessee State University conferred over 2,100 degrees and certificates during a Virtual Commencement Ceremony held May 9. One of those is Aynsley Porchak. Id been looking for. She is a connoisseur of tea. jazz program, and (there were) lots of classical programs, but nothing like bluegrass Aynsley Porchak began playing fiddle at the age of 9. Porchak began playing the fiddle at 9-years-old and developed a passion for bluegrass and competition quickly. This fund has been established to assist the Hensley family of Flag Pond, Tennessee in their husband's and father's medical bills. When Carolina Blue co-founder Bobby Powell left the group, he took the name Carolina Click on one photo to see large photos in sequence. Chat email or call (480)-624-2500. Walking down that hallway, you might hear the lonely, resonating notes of a dobro. Porchaks love of the fiddle really began, though, when she was three. schooling to help with my bluegrass major, as well. She was introduced to bluegrass in her early teens, and quickly fell in love with the music. While playing local bars and restaurants like the Chuckey Trading Company, Chesney earned his Mass Communications degree from ETSU in 1990. I went to church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night, and I played guitar in church., Boner says there was no order of worship in his great uncles tiny church. Aynsley Porchak began playing fiddle at the age of 9. This week's (and last weekend's) adventures were one for the books!! it was probably the fiddle which attracted her to the music. She also played in 2016 on the Grand Ole Opry. Aynsley is also an experienced contest fiddler. huge NBA fan. He apologized and 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. The Future of the Past. A violin in Porchaks possession that is too precious for public performance belonged to her great-grandfather, Cazmir Porzak, who left Poland in 1913 when he was 16 with only the clothes he was wearing and his treasured instrument. 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.. Playing via Spotify Playing via YouTube. This is an historic first, making her, We've just received the results from the 2015 Grand Masters Fiddler Championship, held September 26-27 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. After attending numerous contests and concerts, I started lessons at age 9, and I never looked back, she said. After this amazing achievement, Porchak plans to focus on earning her graduate degree. I slowed the record down to 16 2/3 speed. she recalled, noting that they invited the stranger to pull up a chair. In order to further hone her craft, Aynsley enrolled in East Tennessee State University's Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies degree program in 2013. When Carolina Blue co-founder Bobby Powell left the group, he took the name Carolina Blue with him and the remaining members formed a new band. She also played in 2016 on the Grand Ole Opry. She is a connoisseur of tea. 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. On each day four back-to-back classes in bluegrass banjo and four back-to-back classes in old-time banjo will be held, and there is a stellar set of instructors, including Greg Cahill and Jeff Scroggins on the bluegrass side. dont mind, but Mr. Spicher, Ive just got to tell you, Im such a fan of your music, He is proud to see his cousins, Carl and J.P. Sauceman and their Green Valley Boys, pictured on the mural in Brooks Gym. While touring, I write in the RV, she tells me. However, I soon discovered my love for American styles of fiddling, and when I was the music. Sign up today to receive A! Studies. Im passionate about teaching, and would love to teach at the university The program at South Plains College, a two-year school in Levelland, Texas, is one year older, but ETSUs program is the countrys largest and most extensive. Colleen Trenwith and the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band became household names in New Zealand. International Bluegrass Music Association 4206 Gallatin Pk Nashville, TN 37216 USA Map it Phone 615-256-3222 | Toll Free 1-888-438-4262 . From a little girl, my teachers always talked about competition, said Porchak. She frequently makes obscure literary references, and even enjoys literary criticism. Aynsley Porchak is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Nina Hensley. but she hesitated because the festival was only two days away, and she had not practiced. During the spring semester of 2019, there were 35 student bands, operating under the auspices of what is now the Department of Appalachian Studies. 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.. Here he is playing with Alison Krauss and ETSU alumnus Barry Bales, then with Krauss and her band, Union Station, in 1991. 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. It could take me a while, I said, before I knew - it could be days, could be weekscould be monthscould be years! By a miracle, that didnt scare James off, and it didnt take years after allin August, I drove to Galax to surprise him and tell him that I wanted to take him up on his offer to date. Aynsley Porchak Fiddle. But bluegrass courses and private instruction quickly changed that. Music is such a beautiful way to bring people together, and if I can make someone forget about whatever sadness they have going on in their life just for a little while through my playing, I feel like my job is done, she says. at the Grand Ole Opry that weekend. with a double major in bluegrass and English, was actually scheduled to perform with Aynsley Porchak. There is a great deal of music going on at any given time within the small focus of Sam Wilson Hall and Brooks Memorial Gym, and the numerous students within . There was one I was an only child and a homeschooled student, so I had my qualms about coming to 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. 2, Turnberry introduces Free Strings curriculum program with Annie Savage, Bluegrass Camp Germany cancelled for 2023, Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press at Bluegrass Wednesday Nights, Open Bluegrass Jam // Cinderlands Warehouse (Pittsburgh), Wernick Method Bluegrass Jam Class with Joel Denman Durango, CO, Open Bluegrass Jam // Cork Harbour Pub (Pittsburgh), Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Dave Wright & the Midnight Ramblers from Down Under, Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Bononia Grass plays with an Italian flavor, Russ Hooper: 74 years in bluegrass music and still gigging, Jason Fraley returns to Deeper Shade of Blue for one last show. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents. 16 years old, I went to Weiser, Idaho, for the National Old Time Fiddlers Contest, My parents found out that I liked country music at a young age after I asked them to stop the radio on the local country music station while they were driving. I look forward to passing on my knowledge to students and helping them become just as passionate about learning as I am!. I feel God has blessed me with the ability to play, and so I want to give back to others through my fiddling, whether that means teaching fiddle lessons, performing on stage and making people smile, or just simply talking to an audience member after a show. Those interested may apply at jobs.etsu.edu.. He was a huge influence on us, says Trenwith. ), doctor of public health (Dr.P.H. In memory of NC banjo player Hoyt Herbert who passed on this day in 2019. We were the resident band for a program called Country Touch, based on early Grand Ole Opry television shows.. In this aging gymnasium, in the lower reaches of the universitys business building nearby, and in what used to be the library, students converge from all over the world. The band includes Reese Combs on bass, James McDowell on banjo, as well as Aynsley Porchak, an American and Canadian Grand Master Fiddle Champion. Lessons, links, and essays to help you enjoy playing and practicing even more. They are here to take part in an academic program like no other: Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Studies. Country Current (above), the premier country and bluegrass group of the U.S. Navy. Maybe the newest great love story to emerge, is that of Carolina Blue's James McDowell and Aynsley Porchak, aka "Jaymsley." 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. ), doctor of nursing practice (DNP) and doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees on successful . TENNESSEE BLUEGRASS BAND From east Tennessee. Top Aynsley Porchak Quotes. Patch was also recorded as the title track of a Grammy Award-winning album by another In 2012, after years of lessons, Porchak traveled with her family to Nashville to participate in the Grand Masters Fiddle Championship. and the area. From her carseat, she demanded that her mother stop dialing the radio when station BX 93 in London, Ontario, aired songs by country artists Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, and George Strait, whose sidemen played the fiddle. It was the last violin he would ever make. Magazine every week in your inbox. ETSU musicians meet the late Bill Monroe, backstage (above) at the Paramount Center for the Performing Arts in Bristol, Tennessee, in September of 1995. Im a patient teacher, she says. ), doctor of audiology (Au.D. ! It was on Facebook before I even knew it. Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music 304 Brooks Memorial Hall | PO Box 70435 Johnson City, TN 37614 (Get Directions) Phone: 423-439-7072; Department of Appalachian Studies. . Most importantly, I put God above all, Aynsley is also an experienced contest fiddler. Its not unusual for students to secure jobs well before graduation. Roy Andrade, best known for his work with the string band Reeltime Travelers, specializes in old-time music. that said, WHAT?!?!? In this thesis, I demonstrate how analysis through literary criticism can provide a commentary on Appalachian song. . October 13, 1932 - February 8, 2021, Thomas Donald Hensley passed away on February 8, 2021 in Erwin, Tennessee. East Tennessee State University All Rights Reserved. She graduated in 2017 with an additional bachelors degree in English, and completed her masters degree in Appalachian Studies in 2020. Get recommendations for other artists you'll love. She also played in 2016 on the Grand Ole Opry. Dan Eubanks, bassist with Special Consensus, and Aynsley Porchak. . After visiting the campus, Aynsley enrolled at ETSU in the fall of 2013, and she still She accepted Paul Trenwiths invitation to join the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band as well as his marriage proposal. About the author: Fred Sauceman has worked at ETSU since 1985. The group formed as a spin-off of the band Carolina Blue. Despite busy weekends touring to places like Branson, Missouri; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; and Nashvilles famed Station Inn, Porchaks academic work continues. Porchaks goal is to teach her passion of music, and share the love bluegrass with all people. Championship. At a banjo pickers convention in New Zealand, Trenwith and her band met American folk singer Mike Seeger. Very cool. They are: Bobby Powell, guitar; Timmy Jones, mandolin; Reese Combs, bass; James McDowell, banjo (who looks like a young Don Stover); and Aynsley Porchak, fiddle (wearing a 'pillbox' hat that reminded Dr Janie of those ladies used to wear to church). 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. But on the buildings third level, theres a different kind of activity altogether. Pittsburgh-rolling hills, winding hig Aynsleys parents Porchak also loves the sense of community here at ETSU; as well as just being around such great music. placing seventh.. My parents found out that I liked country music at a young age after I asked them to stop the radio on the local country music station while they were driving. The future holds many possibilities for Aynsley. the epicenter of all this music.. a little outdated, and I would love to be able to use my English to write more about Her parents She was introduced to bluegrass in her early teens, and quickly fell in love with the music. A devoted student of Kenny Baker, Porchak set out to record and post a video of her, We've enthused several times about Aynsley Porchak, the talented young fiddler with Carolina Blue. Ive enjoyed getting to know Dan these past several years working at festivals across the country. A true brother of the banjo! She was introduced to bluegrass through the music of Kenny Baker and Bobby Hicks, and quickly fell in love with the music. She decided to compete, telling no one else, not even her mentor, Daniel Boner, director Walk into Brooks Gymnasium on the campus of East Tennessee State University and youll likely hear the cadence of an ROTC drill instructor or the squeaks of shoes during basketball practice. I love the diversity [of ETSU], we have so many awesome teachers here, its a blessing, said Porchak. 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. Ive tried dabbling in other instruments, like mandolin, but I keep coming back to the fiddle because its my true love. Her technical prowess is second to none. 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. In order to further hone her craft, Aynsley enrolled in East Tennessee State University's Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies degree program in 2013, and . Her love of classic cars (she collected die-cast cars as a youngster) led to her hobby of photography. 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