The Need to Capture More Today for Tomorrow
By Bob Cherry
Cybergrass
The Steam Powered Preservation Society (SPPS) does a wonderful job with their preservation of music project. While they continue to sort out and prepare the Tut Taylor Tapes, they are also building an array of “Partners” that will be essential down the road. The partners are the ones who add color to this amazing project. They are the artists that explore both the traditional and stretch the boundaries of the music.
First of all, the SPPS isn’t just a collection of tapes made in some garage (and trust me, there are a LOT of great tapes made in a lot of garages by a lot of great musicians!) but rather, the collections represent diversity in a broad range of roots music including the heart and soul of bluegrass as well as the fringes and pretty much everything in between. This is the real value of the society and the task they have laid out before themselves.
Tut Taylor’s Tapes are undoubtedly the core but there is a whole lot more. And, the society still need even more partners today. The SPPS catalog is still growing in terms of artists, their music and the wonderful collection of styles.
Sure, Tut captured Bill Monroe and did a lot with the Blakes as well as his many other friends including John Hartford, Clarence White, J.D. Crowe, Vassar Clements, and a world of other bluegrass legends but, he captured something more. He captured the heart and soul of the music being played not for show but, rather, for pleasure.
What the SPPS has done is to open ones eyes to even more jewels. Within the archives of the SPPS are early Monroe and Del McCoury, the Osborne Brothers, Bill Harrell & The Virginians with Lester Flatt & The Nashville Grass, and even Jimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys plus James Monroe & The Midnight Ramblers performing live. Captured at Bean Blossom, the Buckhorn Mountain and other festivals, are the sounds of names and voices and music that are no longer with us. The founders and players that made the music we love alive. Their heart and soul is still alive because of the efforts of The SPPS.
The list of SPPS partner artists is growing but, it needs to grow fuller as well as faster. While there are many artists covering a broad range of acoustic and roots music, the picture is far from complete. We have many of today’s newer artists like the Infamous Stringdusters, the Steep Canyon Rangers and Boulder Acoustic Society joining the ranks. They are joining a roster that includes legends in the music. Names like the John Hartford, Jimmy Martin, James Monroe, The Country Gentlemen, The Seldom Scene, Shenandoah Cutups, Hot Rize, Mike Compton and David Long performing legendary Bill Monroe tunes as well as their own.
A whole generation of music is here but, there are a few voids. There are years without a presence. There is some outstanding music that hasn’t been captured. There is a world of our music that seriously needs to be captured and preserved for future generations.
2008 saw a breath of fresh air run through bluegrass music. We heard new music performed in new ways that brought new life to bluegrass. From the SteelDrivers who put the blues back into bluegrass, the Dixie Bee-Liners who reflect the Crooked Road to Dailey & Vincent who cleaned house during the IBMA’s International Bluegrass Music Awards to many other voices. 2008 will be remembered and those that cast the wind need to be captured as well. It is hoped that more artists will come forward and contribute some of their art to this magnificent museum we call the Steam Powered Preservation Society.
