second part of an interview

TMJ: What are some of the things that have grown out of working on this blog, and your efforts to do benefit/ fundraisers, and promote live local music?

STUCK: Through Righteous Babe records (being on a mailing list) I was contacted about setting up some kind of show for Anais Mitchell as she was touring through this area. That was fun to be involved in making those arrangements. She played here in Parkersburg last fall, at the Front Row. She is a wonderful songwriter/ performer / musician, and a really fascinating person. Please check out her my space or web site. I will be following her career now for sure. I'd like to think if she was doing some touring through this part of the country she would consider another show locally. It might be Athens, or something, though.
Jason Wilber, who is from Bloomington Indiana, and a great singer/ songwriter, but who also happens to be John Prine's accompanying guitar player, got connected through his website and e-mail. I have been purchasing all his CD's as they come out, and enjoying his music all along, as well as being an obvious fan through John's concerts. We communicated about pursuing a Mid OHio Valley area show, and I connected him with Todd Burge, and a gig in Marietta was arranged. We hosted him the following night in Parkersburg at our coffee house setting. So we got to spend a couple days hosting him here, he is a gracious and sharp guy; we'll fondly remember that visit, and hope to keep catching him when we can.
Through the Anais Mitchell show, I connected with a songwriter from the southern part of the state, Kathleen Coffee, and she came up and did a show; we also encouraged her to enter a songwriter invitational in Marietta, and she won that event! She is coming back to Parkersburg in October. I saw the other day on her website that she is entering the Peace Corps, so that's an exciting adventure for her, but we will miss her in the Appalachian music scene while she is adventuring!
Some of the tribute shows I've organized have led to some musicians "spreading their wings"- a local rockabilly band, 1313, got some of their first exposure doing our Johnny Cash tributes- the Cash Bash we call them. And Stone Road first "played out" in a version of their current crew at a Neil YOung tribute a couple of years ago. Jonny Nutter has stretched his music-ship (particularly his singing and solo acoustic work) at many of the tribute/ benefits over the past few years.

TMJ: What's your hopes for the future with this music "promoting?"

STUCK: I'd just like to keep doing some of these small scale, low "risk" benefits, tributes, shows. I love giving people a chance to perform to new audiences, get out there and play. But I'd also like to (at least try) to do something on a little bigger scale at some point. I've made some attempts to bring someone like Todd Snider to the area, when he is playing somewhere near here before or after. I'm sort of stumped now, without really knowing the venue I'd be looking at. Just challenges to work out. I value steady, small efforts, rather than big, bold ventures, I guess.

TMJ: What's next?

STUCK: Well, the show July 31st. The Weedhawks will be here, thanks to Nick Barry for brainstorming that idea with me. This is a little different, because its bringing someone in, rather than relying on local musicians for the tributes. I just wanted to try that. Nick and Todd are so rooted and deep on the local music scene, so I hope we get some turnout on that basis. I know I'LL enjoy it, and that keeps me going. There are risks- being a Thursday night, stuff like that.
That same night, earlier, I'm experimenting with a little children's show- based around the theme of Woody Guthrie's children's songs, but really anything goes. Don Howerton will be playing along with Nick and the Weedhawks. Don has been a mainstay of the tribute shows, and he and Cynthia are such "kindred spirits" music-loving wise; we exchange a lot of enthusiastic updates and upcoming new show announcements. With their three new kids, they recently adopted, and their more limited chance to get out for music, I "creatively" gave them an opportunity to combine things! I don't know what kind of turnout will be, we've mostly invited people word of mouth who have young kids, to really focus on this. After all, these are shows supporting a children's service non profit organization!
Don Baker is doing a coffee house Saturday August 23rd here at St. Mary's Ave. Don played at the JOhn PRine tributes right from the beginning, and I have followed him at some songwriter events ever since.
In the fall, somewhere, somehow, I'll have the 6th annual John Prine birthday tribute, and the 3rd annual Neil YOung birthday tribute. October and November. I need to seek out a venue for these.
Just last night, we came up with a concept, we'll be pursuing: as part of our Neighborhood Day, September 20, we might try to have a parking lot music show.
Kathleen Coffee is coming back to do a show on October 18th.
I still was hoping to plug a The Band tribute show in here somewhere, but that might need to carry over to 2009. I wanted to either try to recreate the Last Waltz soundtrack/ concert, or work off of Music from the Big Pink, and the work with Dylan on the Basement Tapes.

TMJ: More ideas than you can manage!

STUCK: Yeah.........