Rosine Autumn Jam

(flyer by my daughter Kenlee using Canva)

Once again, one of my kids does what I can’t. Oh, well, yeah, I can make a flyer. Don’t get me wrong.

Give me a piece of white paper, some markers, tape, scissors, glue, etc., and I can whip one up lickety-split. Old school!

I could even work one up using Microsoft Word. But again—old school!

No, today’s apps/software offer so much more creativity. Take Canva, for example. This is technology that I can appreciate even if I can’t use it.

I know someone is bound to point out that I could do it if I just tried it. Well, I did try it, and, no, I couldn’t do it.

What I will admit is this—if someone sat me down and gave me, say, an hour of instruction, I believe I could learn it.

Whereas the younger generation, they don’t need much, if any, instruction. It’s second nature to them. They jump right in and figure it out for themselves.

Just like I remember jumping into a Brother word processor in 1990-91 and figuring it out.

($1500–if only I had saved mine! )

Believe it or not, there is a Bluegrass connection to that old Brother word processor I eventually ditched for a real computer long ago.

See in 1993 I was still using it. That’s the year I woke up at 3am one morning with the idea for an entire full length play about the Monroe Homeplace. My wife Stephanie and I were living in Morgantown at the time.

I recall feverishly finding a Steno pad and a pen and going to the kitchen to sketch out the Acts and Scenes and a page full of notes.

I don’t remember if it was the very next day that I started typing the play’s text into that Brother word processor or not. But it wasn’t long.

So the first draft of The Old Homeplace was written on a piece of technology that served as a quick transition between typewriters and computers.

If I had known Bill Monroe would pass away in 1996, I would have worked urgently to finish the play so I could present it to him. But as fate would have it, I didn’t complete it until ‘98.

By the time the first act appeared in Monroe Country: Volume One in 2005, it had gone through probably two dozen drafts. Even more drafts for Acts Two and Three when they completed the play in Volume Two in ‘08—when Kenlee was still just ten years old.

Now here she is a grown, 26-year-old woman, showing her daddy a thing or two about technology. She happens to be a good writer, too. Wonderfully creative!

As you can see from the Rosine Autumn Jam flyer she created, we’ll have three bands this year—one more than last year.

I’m proud to say I’ve added The Country Beavers Band, probably the longest running band around our neck of the woods. Yes, correct me if I’m wrong. But seriously, just how many years have they been going strong?

The Jam is free, of course; however, if someone wanted to make a donation, it wouldn’t be shunned. These bands will be paid for their time and talent.

Last year I received small donations from Judge Executive David Johnston, 5th District Magistrate Larry Morphew, and Ohio County Tourism Director Jody Flener.

This year I’ll need more funds to pay the extra band. Anyone with ideas for raising or finding sources of funding, come see me or contact me right away. Please!

I wish to start adding unique activities to Rosine Autumn Jam each year as well. I’m considering a washer pitching tournament this year if I can find enough nail kegs, though I’m open to other ideas.

(pic sent by cousin Mike Autry showing keg dimensions)

If you are wondering what I had in mind when I started this event last year, go visit McHenry SummerFest this year June 21. They started small and have grown into a full day of all kinds of events, including a car show.

I think that would be the coolest! A car show in the Bill Monroe Museum parking lot!

That reminds me of another subject—Mr. Monroe’s old Cadillac from the 50’s still sitting in my parents’ barn. Yeah, the one experts have declared unrestorable.

A dream come true would be to one day see that car, or at least some part of it, restored and on display in a Rosine Autumn Jam car show.

If Rosine area folks come together on this, I’m sure we can build something to be proud of.

While we’re at it, let’s go ahead and start praying for good weather this year. Last year our second and last band Tailgate had barely begun their set when a storm put an end to the event.

I snapped the following photo when the rain had just begun. What came very shortly after was a deluge. I mean a gully washer! Thunder and lightning included!

Let’s hope Tailgate makes it through their set this year because they are an awesome band.

My band Rough Cut will lead off this year at 5pm, followed by The Country Beavers Band at 6:00. Tailgate will start at 7:30 and finish up at 9:00.

Concessions will be available again this year. Also, “again this year” a guitar will be given away free to one lucky attendee. Can’t win it if you aren’t there, though, so start making plans for October 4, 5-9:00pm.

Let’s jam! Rosine style!