Traditional Musicians from the Great Lakes

My Bloomington Years, 1978 to 1986 (and before)

A partial list of fieldwork projects and friendly encounters

Years Project Artists Areas Styles
1976-77 oral history of music and dance around Hoagland & Fort Wayne Herman Fox; Francis Geels, Carl Bischoff Fort Wayne & Decatur old-time
1978 Lizard in the Spring concert Al Purcell Detroit Irish
1978-80 Tyler-Mahaffee Farewell Gathering
(see also My Friends)
Helen Gross & Ray Shepherd; Paul Gifford & Wm. T. White; Bob Hubbach Saline, Michigan old-time
1978 home visit Herman Fox & Hugh Sowers Fort Wayne old-time fiddle
1980 home visit Jimmie Campbell Dolan, Indiana old-time fiddle
1979-80 Traditional Music in Indiana, Indiana Arts Council grant see Indiana Hoedown Indiana various
1980-86 Indiana Fiddlers Gathering see Battle Ground below Battle Ground, Indiana various
1981 IU Folklore Fieldwork class in Dubois County see see Southern Indiana below Dubois County, Indiana German
1981 Assisting on IAC Indiana Folklife Project see Southern Indiana below Southern & Northeastern Indiana, various
1982 home visit Ervin Williams Oxford, Indiana old-time fiddle
1984 interview at Battle Ground Gabe Ward Arcadia, Indiana
on career with Hoosier Hot Shots
200 Lark Productions Concerts
(see also Here & There World)
Frank Gillis
Yank Rachell
Bogan & Armstrong
Bloomington
Indianapolis
Chicago & Detroit
jazz
blues
black stringband
1983 Fieldwork survey of Central Illinois for the Tarble Arts Center, Eastern Illinois University see Eastern Illinois below Decatur & Danville, Illinois various
1983-90 dissertation research: dances
Hoagland Oktoberfest, Hoagland Hayloft Reunion &c.
see dissertation below Indiana old-time, German
1983-90 dissertation research: interviews see dissertation below Indiana old-time, German
1986-87 Ethnic Dance Music in Northern Indiana , Indiana Arts Council grant see Ethnic Project Fort Wayne, South Bend, Calumet Region various

Long friendships

Years Artist Hometown Instrument Style / Ethnicity
1981-89 Lotus Dickey Paoli, Indiana fiddle old-time
1981-99 Les Raber Hastings, Michigan fiddle old-time
1977-2004 Francis Geels Decatur, Indiana fiddle old-time
1976- Paul Gifford Ferndale & Flint, Michigan fiddle, hammered dulcimer old-time, collecting

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Southern Indiana-Summer of 1981


Artist Hometown Instrument Style / Ethnicity
7/16/1981 Millard Barger Paragon fiddle old-time
7/17/1981 Ken Smelser & Mousey Wininger Paoli fiddle; piano old-time
7/23/1981 James & Barbara Atkinson Indianapolis, fiddle; piano old-time; ragtime
8/5/1981 Gus's Gang Huntingburg sax &c. popular; German
8/9/1981 Everett "Smoky" Morgan Birdseye fiddle old-time
8/10/1981 Powell Cummings & Ken Smelser Paoli fiddle old-time
8/12/1981 Satkamp Family Band Huntingburg dance band Country; German
8/15/1981 Walter & Brian Seitz Dubois fiddle, banjo country
8/15/1981 Herb Wenning Portersville fiddle old-time; German
8/15/1981 Herb Wenning; Janet Wenning; & c. Haysville fiddle fiddle contest
8/15/1981 Louise and the Country Gentlemen Haysville, dance band Country; German
9/??/1981 Walter Zuercher Berne accordion Swiss
9/26/1981 Harold Haug Ferdinand, fiddle old-time; German
9/26/1981 Joe Witzberger & the Rhythmaires Ferdinand, mandolin, dance band old-time; German
11/27/1981 Ken Smelser Paoli, IN fiddle old-time

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Eastern Illinois University Fieldwork Survey - 1983

Years Artist Hometown Instrument Style / Ethnicity
7/16/1983 Bill Rutherford; Glenn Abbott LaPlace calling; fiddle & electric guitar square dance;
7/17/1983 St. Johns Missionary Baptist Church Decatur piano & vocal ritual; choir
7/18/1983 Mervin "Skeet" Evans & Kenny Williams w/ Arlin Dietz Decatur guitar & vocal, fiddle old time songs
1983 Mervin 'Skeet' Evans w/ Linda Dust Shelbyville guitar & vocal ballads; folksongs
1983 Robert Valentine; Jim Smith Monticello fiddle
1983 Cecil Polley Witt, fiddle
1983 Archie Smothers Pana fiddle
1983 Charles Keele Westville fiddle
1983 Ray Fisher[?]
vocal ballads & folksongs
9/10/1983 St. Johns Missionary Baptist Church choir Decatur piano & vocal ritual; choir
1983 Cecil Polley; Arlin Dietz; Archie Smothers; & c.
fiddle

EIU Followup Survey - 1991-92

Years Artist Hometown Instrument Style / Ethnicity
11/24/91 Jim Hoiles Greenville fiddle
12/14/91 Illinois Fiddlers Association Shelbeyville fiddle
2/7/92 Johnny Barnhart Sorrento fiddle
2/10/92 Tom McElroy Tower Hill fiddle
2/10/92 Ernest Ringo Shelbeyville fiddle

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Indiana Fiddlers Gathering at Battle Ground

Year Artist Hometown Instrument Style / Ethnicity
1980 Herman Fox; Liz Carroll & Jimmie Keane, Jr. Fort Wayne, Indiana; Chicago concertina; fiddle, & accordion German; Irish
1981 Lotus Dickey & Friends; Harold Zimmerman, Les Raber & Bud Pierce, Hector Phillips Indiana, Ohio, Michigan fiddle &c. old-time
1982 Lotus Dickey & Friends; Julian Cramer & Bob Lucas; Johnny McGreevy, Kevin Henry & Eleanor Neary Paoli & Martinsburg, Indiana; Chicago fiddle; mandolin; flute & piano old-time; ragtime; Irish
1983 Lotus Dickey & Friends; Eveyln Lange Perry; National Barn Dance Reunion Paoli & Lebanon, Indiana; Chicago fiddle &c. old-time; hillbilly
1984 Lotus Dickey & Friends; Gabe Ward; National Barn Dance Reunion Paoli, Indiana; Chicago fiddle &c. old-time; hillbilly
1985 Lotus Dickey & Friends; Rocky Stone Paoli, Indiana fiddle &c. old-time
1986 Lotus Dickey & Friends; Paoli, Indiana fiddle &c. old-time

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Dissertation Research - 1983-88

Years Artist Hometown Event Type
9/18/1983 Maumee Valley Polka Band; Sound of the Sorgenbrecher Napoleon, Ohio; Detroit (event in Hoagland ) Hoagland Oktoberfest polka, square dance
10/9/1983 Maumee Valley Polka Band Napoleon, Ohio (event outside of Hoagland) Grape Festival at Quixote Hills polka, square dance
9/20/1985 Bavarian Brass Defiance, Ohio (event in Hoagland) Hoagland Oktoberfest polka, square dance
9/21/1985 The Echoes; Maumee Valley Polka Band Warren, Michigan; Napoleon, Ohio (event in Hoagland) Hoagland Oktoberfest polka, square dance
9/22/1985 Sound of the Sorgenbrecher; Bavarian Brass Detroit; Defiance, Ohio (event in Hoagland) Hoagland Oktoberfest polka, square dance
1985 Adventure Music Fort Wayne, Indiana (event outside of Hoagland) Hoagland Hayloft Reunion square dance
200
Mefford Scott &c. Raleigh, Indiana round & square dance
1986 Bob & Helene Hegerfeld Hoagland, IN interview dancers
1986 Delmer Franke Monroeville, IN interview dancer
1987 Allen & Evelyn Felt Fort Wayne, IN interview dancers
1987 Art Sharpenberg Hoagland, IN interview dancer
1988 Al Vachon Fort Wayne, IN interview caller
1988 Betty Bullerman Hoagland, IN interview promoter
1988 Lou Boerger Hoagland, IN interview promoter
1988 Edward & Dorothy Franke Monroeville, IN interview dancers
1988 Elmer Grotrian Hoagland, IN interview dancer
1988 Estina Veit Monroeville, IN interview dancer, musician
1988 Orville Hoffman Monroeville, IN interview dancer
1988 Marvin Scheumann Monroeville, IN interview dancer, musician
1988 Amos Kline New Haven, IN interview promoter
1988 Norvin 'Snorty' Bultemeier Decatur, IN interview promoter