Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
Master musicians converge on Marlinton the last week of June each year to teach eager students how to play bluegrass and old-time music on banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and upright bass at the annual Allegheny Echoes. There are also masters who teach a vocal class and creative writing.
But there’s more to Echoes than just learning. There are new friendships blooming and people finding their passion for the music that has been passed down for generations.
Students spend the week focused on their lessons and creativity as they prepare for the student showcase concert which takes place on Thursday.
The concert was held in the Pocahontas County Opera House and featured an incredible lineup of talent.
Several students in Kirk Judd’s creative writing class read poems they wrote during the week. One of those poets, Sabrina Hamons, is the great-granddaughter of Sherman Hamons, patriarch of the Hamons Family. Hamons read her poem, “Nine Hour Drive.”
Also reciting poetry were: Irie Beaver, “Sites to See;” Irelyn Sams, “Grandfather’s Tree;” Hailey Fitzgerald, “Never Really Alone;” Luella Mansheim, “My Mom and Me;” Logan Nixon, “Where Are They;” and Debbie McCain, “Heartfelt Compassion.”
Dennis Bills took to the mic to share his story of how Allegheny Echoes changed his life. He attended the first Echoes 29 years ago because he wanted to learn to play fiddle. He was in Dave Bing’s intermediate class and from that moment, his passion was sparked.
Bills has returned to Allegheny Echoes every year since and although he admits he’s not a master fiddler, he loves to learn new songs and take his talents back home to Charleston and share them with friends.
When the musicians took the stage, there may have been some nerves, but once they started playing, they all melted away. The students were deep in concentration and smiling as the crowd cheered them on and clapped along to the tunes.
Familiar tunes like “Boil Them Cabbage Down,” performed on banjo by the late Dwight Diller’s grandson, Brayden Diller; and “Foggy Mountain Special,” were joined by lesser-known songs and even a Van Morrison tune.
Emcee for the evening, Pete Kosky, who also taught the beginning old-time banjo class, said Allegheny Echoes awarded 44 scholarships for this year’s event and continues to accept donations to keep the scholarships going.
For more information on Allegheny Echoes, visit alleghenyechoes.com