It has been a busy month since I was last able to update you on what has been happening with The Wintons. Here are a few highlights of our late winter and early spring happenings:
Our CD Release Concert at Leatherby's in early March was so much fun! We were so thankful to see so many new faces, friendly faces, and have such a fantastic turnout. We were overwhelmed with the number of friends who came out to support us, including special out-of-town friends who came to be with us, and one who completely surprised us by driving up from several hours away! We love you guys, thank you so much for your love and support!
In mid-February the boys competed in our local CSOTFA amateur fiddle and picking competition. On fiddle, Cody placed 3rd and Jesse 6th, and in picking Jesse took 1st (on mandolin) in the open category and Cody 2nd (on banjo) in the junior category. During one of the breaks in-between competition, the boys were asked to play with a few other musicians. Melissa Lincoln of Shades of Blue and Tom Spence, a well-respected music teacher and active member of our local fiddle association (and most recently our stand-in upright bass player until I'm able to play again down the road) were amazing in their musical talent. It was a lot of fun for the boys, and the audience seemed to enjoy the music. We'll be opening for Shades of Blue at the Manton School bluegrass fundraiser on May 1st. Check our schedule for more information.
The last weekend in February the guys were able to head to the Bay Area to attend a Blue Highway concert. This top-notch bluegrass/gospel band had the 2008 IBMA song of the year, Through the Window of a Train, which we chose to perform on our recently-released CD. Their 2003 release on Rounder Records, Wondrous Love, happens to be one of our very favorite bluegrass albums. The highlight of the day for Cody was a very small (six-to-one) workshop with top-notch dobro guitarist Rob Ickes. Besides the wonderful training on his newly-acquired instrument, Cody really enjoyed getting to know Rob as a down-to-earth, kind and helpful person. Cody's dobro was having some technical problems, and Rob took it on himself after he got home from California to contact the manufacturer and get Cody the help he needed to get it playing properly. Despite the breakdown of our car at the concert (and subsequent rescue by friends Rich and Debra Ferguson of the Christian Bluegrass Association who took the guys in for the night and another dear friend who made the four-hour one-way trip the next day to pick them up and bring home our car on his trailer) it turned out to be a fabulous weekend of bluegrass! Thanks so much Rob, Rich and Debra, and Duane. We truly appreciate all the help you gave us that weekend!
In my last post I announced that the guys had been asked to open for Newfound Road. It was such an honor and privelege to be asked, and it was certainly a wonderful experience. Newfound Road generously gave the guys about 25 minutes to play before they came on.
Here is our friend Grant Garland, who brought out Newfound Road and asked us to open, along with Randy, Cody, Jesse and Tom and the guys from Newfound Road. It was a lot of fun to meet them, have dinner together, and talk bluegrass. :o) The guys in the band let Cody and Jesse try out their top-notch instruments. Wow!
Another exciting event was the California State Fiddle and Picking Championships. Prior to finding out the date of this year's contest, we had already committed to play at an event on the same date and were so happy to do so, but it meant the boys missed the fiddle competition this year. Fortunately, they were able to finish the concert, race home and change, and head off to Oroville, arriving with about 10 minutes to spare prior to the beginning of the picking rounds. Much to our delight and surprise, Jesse placed 1st (on mandolin) and Cody 3rd (on banjo) in the 17 and under picking category! This category is comprised of all pickers; mandolin, guitar and banjo. Their good friend Brad Williams, guitar picker extraordinaire placed 2nd in-between them. The boys have a great desire to head to Kansas in September to compete in the National Picking Championships. There is an entire day committed to each instrument, so they'd be competing against other young people from all over the nation on their individual instruments who share their love of picking. We're in the process of praying and talking about whether or not we could make a trip of that distance at that time of the year.
We are so thankful for the continuing opportunities to minister through music that keep arising, including the special honor of being asked (once again by our friend, Grant Garland) to open for one of our very favorite bluegrass groups, The Kenny and Amanda Smith Band, at Cowboy Sunday in Orland on May 3rd. At the end of April, we are looking forward to giving a benefit concert for the LifeLight Pregnancy Help Center of Redding, CA, and also playing for KVIP's Spring Listener Appreciation and Banquet. We'll round out that same week playing at Anderson Cottonwood Neighborhood Church's Spring Fellowship. See our schedule for more information on any of the upcoming events, or feel free to e-mail us.
We've also been asked to play at the renown Father's Day Festival in Grass Valley this summer and count it a privelege and an honor to be playing there, as well as at the Northern California Bluegrass Society's Good Old-Fashioned Bluegrass Festival coming up in Hollister, CA in August.
Randy and the boys are also looking forward to attending a IIIrd Tyme Out concert this Friday in celebration of Randy's birthday that day. Our friend Jim French is bringing them to Weaverville, just an hour east of Redding; if you're interested in finding out information about the concert, e-mail us at thewintons@juno.com and we'll get you in touch with Jim. Don't miss out on these wonderful opportunities to see fabulous award-winning IBMA musicians who are being brought to us right here in northern California! Also, be sure and check our calendar regularly as we are adding to it often, and check our blog for some recent additions. I'm hoping to add a small Amazon store full of our favorite bluegrass albums, as we're often asked for recommendations.
May the Lord bless you as we move into spring, and may you and your family have a joyous celebration of Easter this Sunday.
Blessings,
Philippians 4:8
