JANUARY 5, 2022 www.wintertexantimes.com 14 WINTER TEXAN TIMES We Love Our Winter Texans! Thank you for making us your home away from home • Nightly, Weekly, and Monthly Rates Available • Fully Equipped Kitchens • Free Wi-Fi • Outdoor Pool • Small Pet Welcome (with fee) • Guest Laundry Service Walking Distance to the La PlazaMall and several restaurants. For Reservations 956-668-7829 www.mcallen-studio6.com 700 Savannah Ave. McAllen, TX Lock In Your Rates For This Winter - Now! $1000.00 * * Minimum stay of 31 days mo. Winter Texan Weekly Specials (W/Tax) $275.31 Queen Bed • $315.58 2 Full Size Beds PLEASE MENTION AD FOR SPECIAL! From the Cheap Seats Bringing that Bluegrass back Bob Price had a lot of friends who played bluegrass music and he enjoyed listening to them. He wasn’t involved musically and didn’t play any instruments, but he wished he could take part. At the time, however, he could only listen, do some toe tapping and foot stomping to the rhythm of the beat – and just admire it. One morning he woke up and his perspective changed, literally overnight. “I looked in the mirror and said, ‘You never know until you try,’” he said. “So, I bought a cheap guitar, and someone showed me a few chords. Then I bought a banjo shortly after that and a guy showed me a few things and it took off.” And for 40 years, the now-Valley resident with a summer home in the Colorado mountains and a home near Howling Trails Golf Course has been strumming and plucking away just like he did Monday at Bentsen Palm RV Park. Each Wednesday from 9-11 a.m. Price and a few other Bluegrass souls will comprise the stage band at Bentsen Palm, providing the background for anyone who wants to sing a bluegrass song, or anybody who wants to share their instrumental skills for those in attendance. Recently the jam consisted of songs such as “Long Black Train,” “When You Go Walking After Midnight, (not the Patsy Cline version),” “Ridin’ My Thumb Through Mexico,” “Black Mountain Rag,” and others. When the Winter Texan season kicked off this year, the park held only a variety jam on Fridays. Recently, however, after persistent searching and looking to bring bluegrass back, activity director Marcie Swenson said she received a call from someone who, like her, wanted to bring the 1940s-style music back. “Ever since, we’ve had a pretty good turnout for it and I hear bluegrass is struggling in a lot of the parks,” said Swenson, who’s been activity director at the park for 12 years. “Maybe it’s the starting time that’s holding some people, but we have a talented group. “All these guys played in a band or as a hobby or part time. They’re very talented.” Joining Price on the stage band included Larry Peterson on the fiddle, Carol Bishop on the guitar, Gary Andis on the bass and Jean Luc Leroux, from East Caledonia, on the mandolin – a special instrument when it comes to bluegrass music. “Under the weather” on this day was the group leader was dobro player Mike Stadler. “The originator of bluegrass music, Bill Monroe, played the mandolin in the ‘30s but classic bluegrass was recognized when Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt got together.” Flatt, who formed the Foggy Mountain Boys, had been a member of Monroe’s Bluegrass Band. Now, Swenson said, she’d like to see Bluegrass jams make their comeback. She clearly has the talent with the stage band, which has been playing together – in parts or as a whole – for the past six to eight years. Price, however, has been playing with Peterson, the fiddle player, for as many as 15 years. Price said they also do a jam at Lamplighter RV Park on Thursdays.
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