Ortonville- The southern Ozark village of Mountain View, Ark. and Ortonville, Mi. differ vastly both culturally and demographically. Yet, the north-south disparity of the small rural communities may soon have a musical connection if a local family has its way.
Starting in April through the warm summer evenings the small Ozark Mountain town reverberates with the impromptu gatherings of musicians offering traditional hill music, folk music even bluegrass and gospel. Such jams which feature banjos, dulcimers, guitars and fiddles are played in a variety of locations in town, which may be mirrored in Ortonville.
‘We spent about 10 days in Mountain View,? said Margaret Heller, a local resident who made a recent proposal to the Ortonville Village Council regarding the gatherings. ‘We would like to invite musicians to play on sidewalks or near the fountain in town. No costs, no stages, just jamming in the business district.?
Hellers? motivation for the proposal, stems from a trip to visit her parents, Bill and Pat Pierce, who retired to Hot Spring, Ark.
During the visit, the Hellers traveled to Mountain View about four hours away where Margaret’s two sons, Toby, 11, and Lukas, 13, joined the locals in the music shows and pickin? barns throughout the town.
Both Toby and Lukas had begun learning musical instruments a few years earlier and have continued to practice their art. Lukas learned the guitar, while Toby played the classical violin, then changed to the faster paced bluegrass style.
‘It was easier to play fast than the slow classical music,? said Toby.
The change in music selection was impressed upon them durng the Arkansas jams.
‘The locals in Mountain View kept asking for, ‘that Yankee kid from Michigan,?? said Heller. ‘People were coming to watch Toby fiddle.?
Lukas also joined the act and has learned flat-picking and finger plucking on the guitar, attributes of the bluegrass style music.
Following the death of Margaret’s parents in a tragic auto accident in 2002, the Ortonville family had no reason to make the return trip to Arkansas.
‘My folks loved to hear the kids play and since it’s a long trip to Arkansas, we hope to start such musical gathering here in Ortonville,? said Heller.
So, at 7 p.m., April 24, 2004 at the Ortonville Old Town Hall, the first of a new summertime tradition will be held.
Sponsored by the Ortonville Historical Society, the Hotgrass Band will perform at the Folks with Shades of Blue music program on what hopes to be many ‘Friendly Folks Jammin? Fridays.?
‘We hope to provide an opportunity of learning by bringing experienced and amateur musicians together,? said Heller.