The Shepherds Ford Records & Productions Newsletter
August 2008

Welcome to the third edition of the Shepherds Ford Newsletter. Here's the news and whatnots for August 2008:

Watermelon Park Fest 2008
Earlybird Tickets Ending Soon! Save $20! Get 'em now!

Yesiree, folks. Don't say we didn't warn ye. Earlybird Weekend Ticket Prices will go from $50 on August 31st to $70 on September 1st. We highly encourage you to get your'n here at this link: TICKET LINK!

Earlybird Tickets also available at these fine outlets:

The Guitar Studio: Winchester, VA; JV Music: Berryville, VA; Melodee Music: Leesburg, VA; Drum N Strum: Warrenton, VA; Ellsworth Music: Charles Town, WV; Ellsworth Music: Shepherdstown, WV; Watermelon Park Campground Store: Berryville, VA.

A Shout out to our Sponsors!
Show 'em some love:

Big thanks to all the Sponsors supporting Watermelon Park Fest this year. Hats off to you all!

Weber Mandolins is sponsoring the 1st Prize for the Mandolin Pickin' Contest.

Fairbuilt Guitar Company is sponsoring the 1st Prize for the Guitar Pickin' Contest.

WildWood Landscape Design and Construction of Purcellville, VA is sponsoring Magraw Gap.

Sunspot Productions is once again be sponsoring the Dance/Workshop Tent.

Mountain Media Systems, LLC is sponsor of the Kids Tent and Activities.

Clarke County Properties is once again sponsor the Community Jam Tent.

The Mosby Heritage Area Association is sponsor of the Green Tent.

Wood Lohr is sponsor of the Backstage Hospitality Tent.

There's still time to get your name on the list. CLICK HERE to see how.

Fairbuilt Contest Guitar - All Done!

The Fairbuilt contest guitar for 2008 is a slope shouldered dreadnaught with curly maple back and sides, 5 piece curly maple and padauk neck, padauk fingerborad, peghead overlay, bridge, and binding. The top is Sitka spruce from Alaska. All of the wood for this guitar was either domestically cut or salvaged from a local woodshop that had no use for the small pieces. It has open back grover gold tuners and a bone nut and saddle.

Visit Marty at www.fairbuilt.com for all of your instrument repair and purchase needs.

Thursday, August 28th, 2008
The Woodshedders @ The Blue Moon Cafe, Shepherdstown, WV

Every other Thursday, The Woodshedders do their Old-Time and Acoustic Jazz thing at The Blue Moon Cafe, a funky little joint with good food, beer, art, and people on the corner of High and Princess in Shepherdstown, WV. Fun starts at 9:30, but if you want to eat, show up a little earlier.

Friday, August 29th, 2008
Shepherds Ford House Concert : Keel Brothers!

A very special evening of entertainment featuring the Keel Brothers - $15. Open to the public by reservation only. Reserve tickets by emailing furnacemountain@yahoo.com, or calling 540-955-3946

The KEEL BROTHERS consider that their music is deeply rooted in their father Jim Keel’s generation and his musical tastes, drawing on selections from the earliest Stanley Brothers, Hank Williams, Doc and Merle Watson, Classic Country Gentlemen, fiddle tunes and flatpicking guitar tunes and old ballads that were always a part of the weekly “jam sessions” of the Keels’ large circle of Bluegrass picker-friends. It was Larry’s older brother Gary (older by 12 years) who taught him to play the guitar at age 7, and bought him his first instrument. The “Keel Brothers” project is the long overdue glimpse into the fantastic family energy that launched young Larry into virtuoso playing by the age of 17.

Saturday, August 30th, 2008
The Woodshedders at The Bluemont Concert Series in Fredericksburg, VA.
7:30 p.m. Saturday evening at the Maury Stadium in downtown historic Fredericksburg, VA

Requested admission: $5 per person, $4 Bluemont Friends & Seniors, $2 kids under 12.
There are no advance ticket sales; tickets available at concert.

Directions:
Maury Stadium is at Kenmore and Hanover Streets, Fredericksburg:

* From I-95, take exit 130A, Route 3 East;
* Follow Route 3 East, moving to the far left lane as convenient, to 6th traffic light, Route 3 Business (William Street) (c. 1 mile);
* Turn left onto Rt 3 Business/William Street and proceed approximately 4 blocks past the University of Mary Washington to Kenmore Avenue at bottom of hill (look for Bluemont Concert sign.);
* Turn right on Kenmore Avenue and proceed one block to Hanover Street. Maury Stadium is on the left at the corner of Kenmore and Hanover Streets.

We're Still Looking for a Few Good Peeps

Sign-up to be a part of the Watermelon Park Fest Volunteer Team. Basically, help us out for a few hours, get a free weekend ticket. Its fun and you'll meet some real nice folks. Get in touch with Volunteer Coordinator Tara Ward to get on the list at tnoelle@gmail.com.

New Workshop Announced for Watermelon Park Fest
Bluegrass Slow Jam:

Let's Pick! Join Mike Ward in a jam session for players of all ages and skill levels, but especially geared toward beginners. We'll pick on several 2-3 chord songs with simple chords (G,C,D,A) played at a moderate pace and discuss common bluegrass song structures as well as some of the unwritten "rules" of bluegrass jamming.

Sound fun. Complete workshop, dance, and activity schedules coming soon!

Buy Great Music and Support Watermelon Park Fest
New Titles Available

Purchasing CDs from the Shepherds Ford Productions Online Records Store also directly supports the perpetuity of Watermelon Park Fest. New titles this month include The Speakeasy Boys and Frank Poindexter's "Its The Music" featuring Tony Rice, Larry Rice, Wyatt Rice, Sammy Shelor, Rickie Simpkins, and Greg Luck. More titles coming soon!

CLICK HERE to visit the online store-o-matic.