Edmonson Voice Special Feature, Darren Doyle, story:
When you talk about listening to blues music, most conversations tend to lean toward B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, or Eric Clapton, but for music fans that know the name Joe Bonamassa, they are constantly entertained and wowed at the blues giant's incredible music and ability. Over the course of his career, which started at age 12 when he opened for B.B. King, Bonamassa has earned three Grammy nominations and with the release of his latest studio album "Blues Deluxe, Vol. 2," which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart, it marked Joe's 27th #1 debut. That is more #1 debuts than any other artist on the Billboard Blues Chart. He also has recorded 15 studio albums, with 11 of them reaching the #1 spot. Bonamassa also has one of the most extensive vintage guitar and amplifier collections in the entire world. It has been most recently said he has over 600 guitars and more than 100 amps. He regularly plays them at home and on the road. They are regular features of his popular social media accounts, which are funny, down-to-earth, and entertaining in their own rights. In preparation for his 19-date US Spring Tour, which is bringing him up and down the east coast and kicks off in Louisville on February 19th at the Louisville Palace, we were fortunate enough to have a phone call and interview with Joe himself.
DD: What do you do before a tour and how do you prepare for each one?
JB: We start rehearsals next week, and especially at the beginning, you try to figure out what songs you want to put in, anything new, old, you know, otherwise. Generally, you look at it from when did we play the market the last time? It is a different opener, a different closer, but you know, luckily with a spreadsheet, you can look those things up. That's kind of what you do beforehand, you just make sure you're not playing the same show. Joe said over his 35-year playing career he's probably done around 30-40 shows in Kentucky, with several in the Louisville and Lexington area. DD: When talking about your band, and for this tour, what's the process of putting that together, and what's it like touring with these folks? JB: I'm very lucky to have a crack band and they can do anything, you know. They speak all the languages, and that's a big thing. Since my catalog is pretty vast, from straight blues to progressive rock, the fact they can speak all the languages is important. DD: Your guitar collection is probably the best in the world and when you talk about guitars and amps, what goes into selecting the gear that you take on tour? You obviously have plenty from which to choose. JB: Well, there's two rigs. We have to leap frog a lot of times, gear-wise. All the guitars are vintage. The thing is, for me, you need a couple of Strats, a couple of Telecasters, a couple of Les Pauls, a couple of 335s, and you can get it done, you know what I mean? That's important because people come to see the shows because they want to see a real sunburst Les Paul, and they ARE real sunburst Les Pauls.
DD: I've noticed your pedal board isn't as extensive as a lot of guys out there playing; yours seems very simple. What can we expect to see on your board out here on the tour?
JB: This is a multi-amp rig, so basically, it's a Cry Baby Wah-Wah pedal, it's a booster, and a delay. That's it. Maybe a Leslie, I have a Leslie. DD: In terms of your extensive guitar and amp collection, which you said a lot of times that the gear finds you, instead of you finding the gear, what do you look for when adding to that collection? JB: What I'm looking for, and my collection is so vast, it's gotta be something I can play live, you know, immediately--or, a unicorn. Meaning, that it's so rare that you could collect three lifetimes and never see one. And that comes to me more than you think. DD: I've heard you say multiple times that you're not really a singer, but as a trained singer myself, I can tell you that's not accurate. Your pitch and control is phenomenal. You obviously take care of your fingers but what do you do on the road to take care of your voice? A Joe Bonamassa concert is not the same without the voice. JB. It is not the same, and I sing more than I play. You know, singing is the hardest thing you do every day when you're on the road. It just is. But also, you have to learn how to sing. There's not a lot of singers that can sing their whole careers and not know, fundamentally, what they're doing. Because the muscle changes, your body changes, everything changes over the years, and what you can do when you're 22, you can't do when your 42. I learned how to sing when I was about 30 when I went into heavy training, and I sing higher now than when I was 22, because I learned how to use it. DD: Do you avoid certain foods and weather? How about allergies and things like that, or do you just grin a bear it? JB: You gotta try and stay healthy. Obviously a head cold is a major, major problem. But just on a daily basis, if you're feeling good, you just want to use the technique and channel the head voice. You don't have to push as hard people think. DD: To someone that's not familiar with Joe Bonamassa's music, what would you tell them to get them to come out to the Louisville show or this tour? JB: I mean, I been doing this for so long, if you know, you know. That's the thing. We've had pretty good success over the year. To sell 9 million records in different genres is hard to do. So, you know, for me, if you know, you know and if you don't, you don't. DD: What's it like touring with Joe Bonamassa? Is everyone on the same bus? Does everyone do their own thing? JB: No, there are four buses, three semi-trucks and 32 people. So...it's involved. DD: I'm looking forward to the Louisville show and I'll be in the orchestra pit taking photos for the first portion of the show. Maybe you can hit me in the head with a pick or something and I'll try to get some photos of that. JB: I'll try. I'll try to have some good aim. Stay connected to the Voice to read the full concert review of the February 19th show in Louisville. We'll have all the details, in addition our own photos. To purchase tickets for the Louisville show on February 19th, click here
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Located at 980 Oklahoma Rd, Bee Spring, KY 42207. Click here for the complete listing with pricing and photos! Two new species of ancient sharks identified through ongoing research at Mammoth Cave National Park MAMMOTH CAVE, KY. – Two new-to-science species of ctenacanth shark fossils have been discovered through the ongoing Paleontological Resources Inventory (PRI) at Mammoth Cave National Park. The two sharks, Troglocladodus trimblei and Glikmanius careforum, were identified by fossils collected from Mammoth Cave in Kentucky and northern Alabama. “Every new discovery at Mammoth Cave is possible due to collaborations,” said Superintendent Barclay Trimble. “Our park team is honored to work alongside the National Park Service Paleontology Program and now the University of Alabama Geological Sciences Department whose coordinated efforts have made this latest announcement possible.” Troglocladodus trimblei is a new genus and species of shark that was identified through adult and juvenile teeth found within the St. Louis and Ste. Genevieve Formations of Mammoth Cave and the Bangor Formation in Alabama. The genus name means the “Cave Cladodus” or “Cave Branching Tooth”. It was named in honor of park superintendent Barclay Trimble who found the very first specimen, a single tooth, on an early PRI trip in 2019. The Troglocladodus is estimated to have reached about 10-12 feet in length or about the size of an oceanic white tip shark. The second shark, Glikmanius careforum, is a new species of Glikmanius that pushes the origins of this ctenacanth back over 50 million years earlier than expected. It was identified primarily from teeth in the St. Louis, Ste. Geneveive, and Haney Formations at Mammoth Cave and the Hartselle and Bangor Formations of Alabama, but a partial set of jaws and gills of a young Glikmanius was also found at Mammoth Cave. This set of cartilage fossil was the first of its kind for this genus of ctenacanth shark. The species was named in honor of the Cave Research Foundation (CRF) who not only support research at Mammoth Cave, but whose members also discovered the Glikmanius jaws. Glikmanius careforum is estimated to have reached 10-12 feet in length or about the size of a Lemon Shark. Its jaw shape suggests it had a short head with a powerful bite for hunting smaller sharks, bony fish, and squid-like orthocones. The two sharks identified would have hunted the ancient near-shore habitats that covered Kentucky and Alabama over 325 million years ago. The area was once an ancient seaway that connected what is now eastern North America, Europe, and northern Africa, but would later disappear as the super continent Pangea formed. The PRI began in November 2019 when ancient shark specialist John-Paul (JP) Hodnett of the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission began to work with the NPS Paleontology Program to identify the park’s shark fossils. At least 70 species of ancient fish have been identified at Mammoth Cave from over 25 caves and cave passages that have been surveyed. For a detailed overview of the Mammoth Cave National Park PRI, visit Sharks in the dark: Paleontological resource inventory reveals multiple successive Mississippian Subperiod cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes) assemblages within Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. EC DRONE CLUB!
Edmonson County Public Library and the EC 4-H have partnered to bring you this special monthly program for ages 9-14 years old! A few things to note:
Sign up through this link: https://forms.gle/Jkm7gujGAEPUCAVJ6 ECPL would like to ask our patrons and community to take a few minutes to complete our 2024 Patron Survey which will close Friday, January 26th. This survey helps us see where we can improve and what new services are needed or desired by our community. Each individual that submits a survey to us will be entered to win a $25 Gift Card. Stay tuned toward the end of this month for announcements concerning our gift card winners, new programming announcements, new services, and new materials. We thank you for your love, patience and continued support, and as always, we are excited to better serve you in 2024! Our survey can be accessed on our Facebook, Instagram, or website. You can also simply click or copy this link: https://forms.gle/KuJhF233W6sKh6fJ6 paid advertisement
Pig Diner is under new ownership and they are featuring buffets on Saturday and Sunday.
This Saturday's buffet features all you can eat wings, pasta, and pizza. Click the ad below to visit their Facebook Page. On December 23rd, at our home in Pig, the fuse box caught fire. We had smoke detectors in every room so we caught it fast, and we all made it out okay with damage being electrical and smoke. I would like to thank the community for the outpouring of support. The Chalybeate Fire Department for arriving so fast and staying as long as they did. The Edmonson County Family Resource Center and Santa's Helping Hands for their help, South Edmonson Elementary with the large box of food, and The American Red Cross for the hotel rooms. Thank you too all who donated to our go fund me account. The outpouring of help warmed our hearts and we are so grateful. Again thank you! Jami Kidd-Holman, Isabella Holman, Annabel Holman Video: Music Still Important Part of Life: Inside Look at Edmonson Voice Founder's Recording Studio1/4/2024 Darren Doyle, story and photos: I was hesitant to write this article because some might perceive it as boastful, but several friends have asked me about doing this for several years. And the fact is, if I came across someone else in Edmonson County with the same experience and opportunities, I would definitely want to do an article on them. So, reluctantly, I'm writing this for human interest sake. Coming from a musical family tree, making, sharing, and enjoying music has always been a very central part of my life. Both my Dad and my Mom's sides of the family were (and still are) filled with talented people that passed that enjoyment down to me. My baby brother, Dustin, is the most well known musician in our family, as he sings lead for one of southern gospel's top male quartets, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. His travels have taken him all over the world. I showed a gift for music at an early age, growing up with a Dad that played guitar, just like his Dad did. My parents sang together and both sides of the family shared music with others, whether it was in church, in the living room, or around the family piano. My office is not your typical one. In the back corner of my recording and production studio sits my desk along all the other items my lovely wife Debbie, won't allow in the house. Most offices are decorated with accolades, framed photos of acclaimed people, or boring framed prints from Home Interior. Not here. The first thing you'll see is a portion of my guitar collection that I've worked on throughout my entire life. Several of them have been passed down from the aforementioned family; most at average value but all with special places in my life. I've got a few framed photos, mostly of my wife and kids, along with a few work related things, but it's mostly an eclectic collection of things only nerds have. There are many folks that I work with through the Edmonson Voice that don't know about my musical background. I was certainly never a celebrity, but music gave me opportunities that most people don't get. Right out of high school, I began singing with a regional gospel quartet called The Crossmen, from Morgantown, KY. This of course, came after I sang with my parents and family in different combinations in church throughout my childhood years. The Crossmen was a crucial point in my life that set the tone going forward. While in the group, in addition to making some of my greatest friends, I was blessed to perform 13 different times on the Grand Ol' Opry in Nashville, TN, where I met some of the greatest artists in country music history. We shared the stage with Porter Waggoner, Grandpa Jones, and Hank Snow, just to name a few. When folks come to visit me for a meeting at my office for the first time, they normally take a second look at the wall of guitars and then they ask me the dumbest question in the world: "Do you play guitar?" I always answer with, "No, I just collect them but I'm thinking about taking lessons," and then I never mention it again. And somehow, people believe that answer every. single. time. After The Crossmen was my first professional gig where I traveled with the late Jeff Stice, another Edmonson County native, in Perfect Heart. Even though this southern gospel quartet peaked before my arrival, it allowed me to travel the rest of the country while earning a paycheck doing so. The hectic touring schedule of 250 concerts per year was enough to prove to me that I needed to stay closer to home, so after a few years I changed gears again and started an alternative country/americana band with some local buddies, called Dry Land Fish. It was fun while it lasted, but as a naive kid from Edmonson County, I quickly learned that lifestyle wasn't for me so I stopped touring altogether and began focusing on recording music. I did that for several years until the industry changed with YouTube and social media. Those platforms allowed artists to be discovered without the need for studio-produced demos and albums, and the small mom and pop recording studios began to fade away, along with mine. However, during that time period, I learned that if I didn't have to hire a bunch of musicians to play on recordings, and do those jobs myself, I didn't have to pay all that labor, and keep it for myself. Those years are when I really concentrated on becoming a better musician and learning how to produce and play on recording sessions. It was common for me to produce entire albums with me playing all the live instruments, including guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, and a few other odds and ends. After a completed album, folks would always ask me, "how do you play all the instruments on a recording?" And I would always reply, "one at a time." If I could play them all at once I probably wouldn't be in the news business, but it's actually very simple. I just chart out everything on paper so I can see where everything is supposed to go, and then I simply record one instrument at a time. Of course, I make plenty of mistakes and have to do multiple takes, but technology has come so far in making music and it's very easy to correct those mistakes. I stopped recording music full time in 2014, just before I started the Edmonson Voice. While that keeps me very busy these days, I still love and appreciate all kinds of good music. A few years ago, I reunited with some of my old Crossmen buddies and formed a new gospel quartet, just to scratch an itch every now and again. You can find United Quartet here and there, but we stay pretty close to home and only sing a few times a year, and that's plenty for a bunch of old guys with jobs, families, and other responsibilities. So, in case you're wondering how one guy can produce an entire song by himself, it's still a fairly simple process; it's one thing at a time. The YouTube video above shows you just how I do it from start to finish. The song is called "One Man Band," and it's a simple instrumental tune where I play all the instruments. I'm not interested in making money off of music and I've certainly grown past the phase of wanting to be a famous musician. I still get to record for all the Edmonson Voice production work, specifically when it comes to creating soundtracks to commercials and video production for WildcatsLive. Honestly, I just love picking up an instrument and making a few decent sounds or humming a tune. It's a great way to relieve some stress or just to take a little break in between phone calls or publishing content. Hopefully, this will shed a little light on all the stuff you'll see as you walk through the studio to my office, but when folks ask me "do you play guitar?" I'm still going to reply with "no, I just collect them, but I'm thinking about taking some lessons." Darren Doyle, story and photos: If you haven't already noticed, one of Brownsville's most notable buildings is undergoing a facelift with a brand new mural, thanks to a couple of local organizations. The Edmonson County Arts Guild and the Edmonson County Tourism Commission have teamed up to contract a well known regional artist, Casey Page, from Cardinal House Studios, for the mural that features Edmonson County highlights. The location is the law office of Gary Logsdon, formerly the old Western Auto building, which has been a staple of the Brownsville Square for decades. According to Vanessa Ulm, Tourism Commission Director, the local Arts Guild reached out to Tourism with the idea of some sort of mural. After several discussions and brainstorming sessions, the decision was made to hire Mr. Page for the project. "The two groups collaborated on locations and potential ideas, but then the Art Guild mentioned that they would like to bring in Casey Page, a local muralist, who has done tons of murals of varying degrees in surrounding cities and counties," Ulm said. "Tourism invited the Arts Guild to a tourism meeting, along with Casey Page, to discuss ideas and cost. At that point, we knew that we would like to split the mural cost amongst the two groups." And the cost isn't just spare change. The project total is $10,000. The Tourism Commission posted a rendering of the mural back to the Facebook Page in November, which was met with mixed reactions. Most everyone was in favor of a mural but the color scheme didn't go over with many social media users. Many comments suggested more blues and greens to reflect the river/lake scenario, instead of the reds and yellows, which many claimed looked more like the southwest and not Edmonson County. "The design materialized by Casey Page after initial discussions with both the Art Guild and Tourism Commission on what encompasses our county," Ulm said. "We did not want to do a specific scene, but rather celebrate our county’s natural landscape and highlight the a few of our key offerings--paddling the Green and Nolin Rivers Blueway, KY’s first and only National Water Trail, horseback riding, etc.-- We wanted to do a classic vintage postcard aesthetic like you see on the vintage national park postcards. A few minor changes were recently made late in the process to accommodate some of the suggestions made by the public." Mrs. Phyllis Miller, member of the Edmonson County Arts Guild and retired arts teacher at ECHS, said the Guild is currently raising money for their portion of the cost through fundraising and donations. "We are pleased with what we raised in December but we need about $2,000 for what we owe," she said. "Any donations would be greatly appreciated, as we are still planning events to raise money." Other murals from Casey Page: Ulm said those minor changes were adding more blues and greens as well as featuring Dismal Rock. She said they were fortunate that Page was able to accommodate the changes since he hadn't progressed too far at the time of the change requests.
You can donate to the Edmonson County Arts Guild through Venmo @ecartsguild by clicking here. The mural is expected to be complete by the end of this week, weather permitting. Rain and temperatures at freezing or below would obviously hinder that. Rodger & Darnell Saling recently celebrated 50 years of marriage.
The couple was united in marriage on December 21, 1973. To their union, they were blessed with 3 children, Shawn Saling, Robin Saling, & Scott Saling; 10 grandchildren; Sam, Tyler, McKenzie, Cole, Kaylee, Jack, Jacob, Austin, Blake, & Noah; and one great-grandchild, Audrey. The couple resides in Bee Spring & plans to celebrate at home with family. Edmonson Voice Report:
Darrell and Marcia Cassady will celebrate 50 years of marriage on December 29, 2023. The couple was married on December 29, 1973 in Louisville, KY. They are both retired from the Edmonson County School system, where they collectively served for 57 years. The Cassadys have 5 children and 14 grandchildren with one more on the way. They both remain devoted to their churches and enjoy traveling and attending their grandchildren's activities. They plan to celebrate with a private family gathering. The couple resides in the Chalybeate community. Bid deadline is January 5, 2024. By: David Embrey, CES Agent for Agriculture & Natural Resources/4-H Youth Development Education Per regulations under Kentucky Revised Statute 65A.030, The Edmonson County Extension District Board is required to have an audit engagement of District Board Funds every four years. The period of the audit is July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023. If interested in performing the audit, we invite you to submit a bid. We ask that all bids submitted be a flat rate billing and not a bid calculated at an hourly rate, and that any bid submitted be for "all expenses" including travel. Winning bidder must be aware that they are to adhere to the following: 1. Audit must be completed by April 8, 2024 2. All materials reviewed must remain on site. Copies/scans can be made by auditor for 10 cents per printed page. Bids may be submitted to the address listed below: Edmonson County Extension Service 116 Mohawk Street Brownsville, KY 42210 All bids should be submitted by January 5, 2023. For more information, contact the Edmonson County Extension Office at 116 Mohawk Street, Brownsville, KY or call 270-597-3628. Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND KENTUCKY COUNTIES, COOPERATING. paid advertisement
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Edmonson Voice Report:
Got Christmas Spirit? You could be named the winner of the 2023 Edmonson County Tourism Merry and Bright Christmas Decor Contest: Check out the details below: -Remember to make your decorating post public so we can find it and include the hashtag #merryandbrightecky -Enter by December 15th: -Two Categories: Business or Residential The winning resident of our #merryandbrightecky Christmas 2023 Decor Contest will receive a trophy along with a $50 gift certificate* from the winning business! Just hashtag #merryandbrightecky and make your FB POST PUBLIC so we can find it! Enter by Friday, December 15th. *If the nature of the business isn’t conducive to a gift certificate a substitution will be provided. CLICK HERE TO ENTER ON THE Edmonson County Tourism Commission Facebook Page! MAMMOTH CAVE, KY - Mammoth Cave National Park will host a special viewing of the Geminids Meteor Shower on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. CST. The Geminids Meteor Shower is a favorite amongst stargazers and is known for its bright and fast meteors which can be spotted at almost 50 an hour. This family-friendly event is free and open to everyone, from seasoned astronomers to first-time star gazers.
In addition to watching the meteor shower, stargazers will be able to view distant planets and nebulae through telescopes. Expert rangers and astronomy enthusiasts will be on hand to explain observations and share insights about the night sky. Participants should meet in the bus loop of the visitor center, and dress warmly. It is recommended to bring blankets or chairs for a more comfortable viewing experience. Mammoth Cave National Park is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association. The park’s exceptional environment is perfect for viewing dazzling night sky displays all year long. For more information about the event, please visit our website or contact us at 270-758-2180. Darren Doyle, story: Those of us from the Atari generation remember all the hits: Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Combat and more, along with the sensation of quickly leaning right or left to get the joystick to do more than it should. However, there were a few games that required switching out the joystick for a different controller, which was the paddle. Paddle games included Circus Atari and Demons to Diamonds, among many others, but the most popular were Breakout and then the new and improved Super Breakout. I recently discovered that through Google, Breakout can be played right on your phone, and it's really easy to access.
While your typical gamer may not be blown away by anything here, for me, it was a nice trip back to the 80s where my family and I enjoyed lots of fun times. To access the game on a smart phone, follow these steps:
From a phone, you simply use your finger to swipe the paddle at the bottom. It can be a little challenging placing your finger in the right spot so that you can see both the ball and the paddle. Additionally, before the comments roll in like "what does this have to do with Edmonson County?" or "this isn't news," just relax. This is one of Google's Easter eggs that I discovered this morning that I thought some may enjoy. I leave you with a bad Atari joke: What do you get when you play too much Atari? The burning asteroids. |
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