Hard 2 Git Bluegrass Band

Probability

2011-04-19T07:38:00.001-07:00

I’m sure glad there’s a doctor in the Hard 2 Git house!

Today is a special day for me and Doc Stuart and I’m sitting here wondering about probability.

OK, I know that you’re really lost now. Here’s the thing…

Today is the birthday of Doctor Stuart’s dad (if my note is right). AND…today was my dad’s birthday!

Now, what is the probability that two men born on the same day, both fathered sons who became banjo pickers?!

Humm…?

-Boyd

Don't Miss a Single H2G Concert!

2011-03-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

As you probably know, you can never predict what’s going to happen at a Hard 2 Git concert! Over the past few years, audiences have been surprised by the unexpected appearances of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, The H2G Promotional Executive (who actually ate a H2G CD!), Luther and Smooth, and The Papa Murphy String Band. This weekend was no exception! If you weren’t at the Lake Bonham Hoedown in Bonham Texas, you missed it! The band had just performed three bluegrass favorites and before the next song was introduced, the sound of a banjo could be heard playing the famous melody from the movie, Deliverance. Sam Bolton was caught speechless! James Martin swallowed his joke! Oh, I know what you’re going to say! “Hey, I saw Hard 2 Git recently and they played Dueling Banjos using the banjo and dobro.” Wrong, couch potato! Don’t you know you shouldn’t miss a single show?! This time, the banjo breaking silence was NOT Doc Stuart’s! “There were TWO banjo pickers on stage?”, you ask? Yep! And the two had a real knock-down, drag-out!

The fight started out slow, but quickly got out of hand!

Feet were stomping…

Fists and fingers were flying…

There were lefts…

There were rights…

Punches to the heads…

Punches below the resonators…

High strums…

Low strums…

String pulling…

Claw-hammering…

and all kinds of under-handed picking!

Strange melodies were heard during the ruckus…

”Yankee Doodle Dandy”…”The Entertainer”…”Jingle Bells”…chromatic scales…twisting tuners…reverse runs…

The Hoedown folks were on the edge of their seats…

The dust finally settled after the last double-shave-and-a-haircut. The crowd roared!

What banjo picker would dare climb on stage and duel with Doc Stuart?! Did he come out of it alive?!

Well, you just should have been there!

FBC Waco Valentine Banquet

2010-02-19T08:55:00.001-08:00

It was six in the morning and still in darkness as the white pickup and trailer rolled to a stop in front of our house. Anna and I were standing in the driveway waiting with a bass fiddle, mandolin and our clothes anticipating a great day of friends, food and bluegrass music. Sam and Reva were in their traveling positions in the truck with fresh donuts on the dash. As we pulled away we wondered about Stuart who was in Grapeland and Boyd and Debbie who had gone ahead to spend the night somewhere between Dallas and Waco. We were on our way to the First Baptist Church in Waco where our former pastor and friend Dr. Randall Perry had invited the Hard 2 Git Bluegrass Band to perform for their senior adult valentine banquet. Dr. Randall is the father of Jonathan Perry who was with the H2G band during its first five years.

As we rolled on toward Dallas the sky was clear and we discussed how we must have missed the fog that had been predicted by the weather people on television and on the computers. As the first hint of daylight became evident in the eastern sky and we were into in to our favorite time to travel, eating donuts, drinking coffee and cokes and having a good time in general we noticed something like fog setting in. We should have known those weather men don’t miss and by the time we passed over the high rise overpass just this side of Dallas we could hardly see the front of our truck. Sam kept peddling, Reva kept praying and Anna and I were just glad to be alive and going somewhere. Before long we found ourselves traveling down interstate 35 with the sun shining and wondering if we were nearly there.

As we exited on 4^th street with instructions to travel down frontage road to 6^th street and turn right we made contact with Boyd and Debbie. They were in the area and had made contact with Stuart. Stuart had played the night before in Trinity with Tammy Huff and Highway 19. He was on the way and would be there soon. As we pulled up to the fellowship hall building and was removing the cones that was holding our parking place for the truck and trailer we were getting a call from Dr. Perry, checking on our whereabouts. As he came out the door to greet us it was so good to see our good friend again as we eagerly anticipated the arrival of his wife Debbie, son Jonathan and wife Lindsey, daughter Emily and husband Jeremy and their sons Hogan and Miller. It was to be not unlike a family reunion as they have become like a family to the Hard 2 Git members. We soon had our sound system in place and were amazed at the size of the room . all the tables, chairs, and people filing in as they came from the church service that Sunday morning. It was considered a sell out for there was hardly an empty chair.

As we made ready to eat we were told that Dr. Perry had prepared the meat for the banquet. That piece of information excited us for we had memories of eating his cooking on the smoker at our church and at his home in the past. He is a pro at cooking and the meal was just as we expected. ( Slap Yo Mama ) It was so much fun to see Debbie and all again and it reminded us of all the H2G shows they attended through the years. It brought back so many good memories.

During our performance that day we invited Jonathan to come up and do a couple of songs with us. He did The Red Clay Halo and The Orphan Boy and it was just like old times. Boyd and Stuart were firing on all cylinders, Anna was striking on the Bass and Sam and Reva were singing like canaries. The people were a great audience and expressed their approval with a standing ovation and wanted another song. It was a special time for H2G and we became friends of the people of First Baptist Waco right there. We parted with more CD’s than we had in some time and it is good to know that someone in the Waco area might be listening to our music as I write this message.

After much visiting and many hugs we departed and as we traveled along in three different vehicles we were wondering how we were blessed with such good friends and how lucky we were to be able to do what we do with our music. When we approached Greenville on the way home someone suggested that we stop, not just to eat again but to share all the good things we had experienced and it was decided by all that God is Great.

James Martin

Recording Bluegrass Music

2009-11-11T09:27:00.001-08:00

Here’s a great tip! I used to carry a battery powered cassette recorder to festivals and music conventions. I also had to carry spare batteries and a bag of blank cassette tapes to capture all of the music I heard. Man, was this a hassle! Modern technology to the rescue! Nowadays, you can buy a small digital recorder that will fit in your shirt pocket, run on one AAA battery, and record HOURS of music. Recording time varies with mode (high vs. low quality), (stereo vs. monophonic), and the amount of memory in the device. The WS-321 is spec’ed to record 277 hours of voice and up to 70 hours of high quality stereo music!

The picture above shows an Olympus WS-321M digital recorder. All of the H2G band members own one of these recorders and we use them to record our rehearsals, bluegrass shows, music we want to learn, silly jokes, and more! You can even slow down music and learn how to play all of those hot licks Dr. Anderson plays on his banjo! This recorder will plug right into a USB port on your computer and you can transfer all of its music files to your computer for listening to, editing, emailing, or burning to CDs. It also doubles as a portable MP3 player and you can load it full of music to enjoy. Just plug earphones into it or connect it to your car radio’s AUX IN jack (if it has one). It has a built-in speaker, but the volume is low and the bass response suffers. (The full frequency range of the recorder is available through headphones and patching into your car or home stereo system.)

To learn more about this nifty digital recorder/player, click on this link-> http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1309 . You can find these types of recorders at stores like Office Max, Frys, and many other electronics dealers.

Boyd

October Update

2009-10-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

Well, it’s been over a month since we’ve blogged about anything. Maybe that’s because we’ve been too busy making music! If you’ve looked at our website every now and then, you’ve noticed that we’ve had five shows since our last blog. Here’s a little bit about those.

H2G was at the Lake Bonham Hoedown on September 26^th. We always have a great time at Joan and Lee Kelton’s place. I (Boyd) get to play banjo with Joan and her band…and I can always use a little practice on the “five”! Glen Clark (mandolin) and I always have fun with humorous stories and jokes. Joan always insists that I do the “Hee Haw Pickin & Grinnin” bit. Other regulars in Joan’s band are Mickey Workman (guitar), Bill Ogden (bass), Jack Marshall (fiddle), and Randy Kiester (dobro).

On October 2^nd, H2G played at the Red River Valley Fair and Exposition. The temperature was pretty cool that evening, but our fans hung around for the show. Musician’s fingers don’t always work very good in cold weather, but the stage lights helped warm us up a bit. On these last two shows (Lake Bonham and the fair) H2G had two very special guests. If you haven’t been to a H2G show lately, you really need to come hear “Luther and Smoothie” play the blues!

The very next day, H2G played for the Powderly United Methodist Church at their camp near Pat Mayse lake. The church had a BBQ dinner that was probably the best we’ve ever eaten! If you ever need an event catered, you really need to find out who cooked that mouth watering BBQ! Speaking of eating, H2G really likes to do that. You MIGHT even catch us at the Roxton Café on Wednesday nights! We sure enjoy visiting with you folks in public!

More recently, H2G played even more gospel music at The Cowboy Church’s Camp Meeting last Friday night in Reno. Once again the weather was kinda on the cool side, but the camp fires and fellowship was definitely warm! I can’t begin to mention all of the old friends I got to see that night…well, maybe I can…William and Pat Rogers, Wade White, Mike and Doris Merritt, Jack Nelson, Duane and Jan Hamil… That WAS just a beginning! There were many others. Speaking of Mike and Doris, they just recently got married! Congratulations to them! Mike, a great bass player, has been preaching at the Cowboy Crossing Church near Hugo and Doris is a wonderful singer. I first met Doris several years ago when she was the music minister at FBC Hugo. Mike delivered a great message for the camp meeting. You should’ve been there!

And last, but not least, H2G put on their own bluegrass show at the fairgrounds last Saturday night. The attendance was slightly low, but there were so many other things going on in Paris that day. The annual Pumpkin Festival probably kept a lot of folks busy. The band, “Highway 19”, started the show off with some great singing by Tammy Huff. Tammy was accompanied by Stuart Anderson on banjo, and Kelly Connell on bass. You REALLY missed some fine music if you weren’t there to hear these three work together! Afterwards, H2G did their thang and was once again visited by Luther and Smoothie. (I really don’t know if it’s Smoothie or Smoothy! I’ll have to ask him next time he shows up…and you never know when that’ll be.) Thanks to everyone who came out for our show, and especially for the food and snacks you brought! We hope to see each and every one of you again soon! Be sure to check out our website for upcoming shows. –H2G

Mountain View - Friday/Saturday

2009-09-15T06:53:00.000-07:00

Friday evening, after shopping downtown, some of us went to eat ribs at Bar None BBQ. While we were looking at the menu, I could hear a Hard 2 Git CD playing on the sound system! Did they see us coming?! After dinner we gathered on the porch to do some more picking and singing.

Saturday morning the whole crew met for breakfast at the Folk Center restaurant, or “The Skillet” as some call it. Sam sure has a lot of fans in Mountain View! The waitress at the rib place had asked us Friday night where Sam was. Then, at the Folk Center, a waitress there gave Sam special treatment by replacing his cold pancakes with fresh ones. Sam mentioned something about his cold syrup and she came back shortly with a cup of hot pancake syrup! After leaving the “Skillet”, Tammy, Stuart, Boyd and Debbie made a stop by the old rock amphitheatre where a wedding had just taken place. I think the rain had dampened the ceremony a bit.

Back in town, we wondered around until we couldn’t stand it any longer… Tammy, Stuart, Boyd and Andy Nichols went back for instruments and soon they were picking under a shade tree down town. Before long, all of Hard 2 Git and a pretty big crowd filled the yard. We finally broke up in time to make our dinner engagement at Country Time restaurant, which was also a surprise birthday party for Debbie Nichols and Abby Hayes. After dinner we returned to the town courthouse yard and listened to the Nichols family put on an excellent show. Stuart and Boyd joined the Nichol’s for a few songs before they concluded and then Hard 2 Git took the grassy stage. There was a LARGE crowd gathered to hear both groups. We all went back to the cabins afterward and…I don’t remember for sure, but...we probably played more music!

(Thanks to Debbie Hudgens for helping me remember all of these details! -Boyd)

To be continued…

Mountain View - Labor Day Weekend, 2009

2009-09-14T13:31:00.001-07:00

Hello bluegrass lovers! Hard 2 Git spent the Labor Day weekend in Mountain View Arkansas this year. We arrived in three different automobiles at different times of the day. Some are early birds, some are not! Maybe we’ll “git” a bus someday and travel together. That way, those of us who tend to sleep later could climb in a bunk and let the early birds do the driving. Once again, it rained while we were there. Sam says it never rained while Hard 2 Git was in Mountain View until Debbie and I started going with the group. Friday evening we were sitting on the cabin porch and lightning struck in the downtown area about 500 yards from us. In a few minutes we heard sirens headed towards town. Reva said we should put the instruments up and take cover, but we continued to pick and sing anyway. The Hard 2 Git band wasn’t the only Paris folks in Mountain View that weekend. Others joining us were Tammy Huff, Jim and Sandy Lassiter, Ruth and Byron Dennis, Danny and Donna Taylor, Betty Sisson, Kay and Ronald Hays, Abbie Hayes, Brittany Birch, Marilyn and Norris Bolton, Tony and Leslie Cunningham, Jeff and RaeJean Bolton, Joshua Bolton, Arthur and Dorothy Brown, Arthur’s brother and his wife, and Arthur’s sister and her husband.

Boyd

To be continued…

Wikipedia

2009-08-31T06:47:00.000-07:00

When I was a child, I remember sitting in my grandparent’s living room looking through their set of encyclopedia. I was fascinated that I could find information on so many subjects that interested me. (I did this when I wasn’t listening to Grandaddy’s bluegrass albums!) We didn’t have encyclopedia in our own home until several years later. “What does this have to do with Hard 2 Git?”, you might ask. Well, after having a great time this past Sunday playing gospel bluegrass with the rest of the band at First Baptist Church in Detroit, I was thinking about “bluegrass” on my way to work this morning. I couldn’t remember exactly why this form of music I love so much was called “bluegrass”. So, I thought…when I get to work, I’ll look it up on Wikipedia! Sure enough…the answer was there…along with a lot more interesting reading.

If you’ve never used Wikipedia, The Free (online) Encyclopedia, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/ and look up something! (Find the search box in the left-hand column and start typing in something. It may quickly auto-complete the word you’re typing and suggest what you’re possibly looking for. If so, just click on the subject you want. If not, just type something and click the SEARCH button.) You can probably even look up some of your favorite bluegrass musicians and read about them. You may even want to read about Wikipedia itself! You’ll find out that it’s content is continuously being updated and added to by people just like us. (That’s a scary thought!)

Here’s a link that will take you directly to the article I’m reading-> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluegrass_music . When you see words or phrases that are highlighted in the articles, click on them and you will be transported directly to the wiki article for that subject. After reading about THAT subject, click you browser's "back" arrow or button to return to your original article. You can literally get lost and spend hours learning with Wikipedia.

If you’ve never used Wikipedia, I hope you’ll find a greater fascination with it than I did with that set of old encyclopedia my grandparents had!

Boyd

Bluegrass in Hugo

2009-08-04T06:04:00.000-07:00

When I first started playing banjo in…1970…I think..., my only experience with bluegrass music was listening to it on 33 RPM records, 8-track, and cassette tapes. I don’t think there was very much bluegrass on the radio then. Oh, you might hear Foggy Mountain Breakdown or Dueling Banjos (1972) on the Ft. Worth station, WBAP. I’ll bet there was some bluegrass played on local radio stations in Paris and Bonham, but I don’t remember listening to that much radio in my high school days.

My first exposure to real, live bluegrass music probably came somewhere around 1975. I had previously bounced around north Texas with J.T. Bryan, Joe Julian and Ross Whit, attending Texas Fiddle contests in different cities. I enrolled at Paris Junior College after I graduated from high school in 1975. There, I met Bennie Tschoerner, who taught several of my electronics classes. I think Bennie was the one who first took me to Salt Creek Park in Hugo Oklahoma. Bennie had heard “Little” Jimmy Hendley play banjo at Bill Grant’s festival in Hugo and thought, “If that little kid can play banjo, surely I can too.” So, Bennie bought an Alvarez banjo…that eventually became mine…after Bennie gave up on banjo pickin’!

The Hugo Bluegrass Festival at Salt Creek Park, as I always heard, was “the biggest festival west of the Mississippi”. I have never attended any other festival in the states surrounding Texas that was as big as Bill Grant’s. Bill’s festival always started on the first Wednesday in August and went through Sunday. Many attendees would set up camp in Salt Creek Park as much as a week before the festival officially started. And Bill had some of the biggest bluegrass bands in the country. I seem to remember the likes of Lester Flat, Bill Monroe, Rick Skaggs, Mac Wiseman and many more being there over the years.

Bennie and I usually hung out at a camp not too far from the “foot of the hill”, that was set up every year by the same group of guys. I’m not sure I can remember everyone’s name that was usually there. I know that Stuart Anderson and Steve Annis was there…a fellow they called “Five String”, and some others. We mostly sat around the camp jamming and sharing new licks we had learned, but we would often go walking through the woods, stopping to jam with other groups of musicians. Of course, we kept a close eye on the official schedule and would go back up the hill to see our favorite performers.

I remember spending a lot of time visiting the vendors that were always there. It was better than any music stores in Fannin and Lamar counties. You could find all kinds of bluegrass instruments, records and tapes. There was also plenty of places to buy food and drink.

I always looked forward to going to this festival each year, but it was awful hot in August. I remember strapping my banjo to the sissy bar of my 1979 Yamaha motorcycle and driving from Greenville to Hugo in the later years. When the festival was over and I returned home, I could still hear music ringing in my ears for at least a day or two…literally!!! I don’t remember the last year I attended the festival before it shut down. Debbie and I married in 1984 and we both attended at least one or two festivals after that. I was pretty much wrapped up in the Country Music scene during the 80’s and didn’t go to Salt Creek anymore.

Steve Annis has been converting some old photos to digital format recently. Here is one he sent yesterday. See more of the pictures on my website, http://www.banjoboyd.com/ , in the PHOTO GALLERY. Maybe some of my fellow Hard 2 Git band members will blog more about the great times at Salt Creek Park. Ah, the memories!

Boyd

Mr. Bill Grant's Bluegrass Festival - Hugo, OK

2009-08-03T06:26:00.000-07:00

The bluegrass festival in the first week of Aug. in Hugo Ok. had it's on personality among festivals, a capsule of good people brought together by the love of old time music. It must have been around the year 1980 when my dad Hub and I started out on an early Saturday morning toward Hugo not knowing exactly where Grant's Bluegrass Festival was or how the bluegrass style of music would change our lives. We found not only the festival grounds but a large group of people that came to be some of our best life long friends. People that care more about the people on the old rustic stage at Hugo than the people on the big stages around the world. We sat there and saw people like Joe Stuart sing the Eastern Gate. Emmitt Suliivan, Josh Graves and many bluegrass entertainers let the sounds of those acoustic instruments ring up the hill through the trees in Salt Creek Park with vocal harmonies like I had never heard. As I sat there overwhelmed by the music and the friendly people I decided that if I had a dream it would be to be to play that music and it would be special if I could do it right there on that very stage. The following morning I called my brother and dad and had them meet me at the local music store and we all bought bluegrass instruments. From there the festival at Hugo became our home on the first week of August for many years to come. We would take our camper on or around July 4th and each weekend we would be there to jam with the people as they brought their campers in up until the festival started. My wife Anna and I have memories of so many good people that we could hardly wait to see each year. As I think about it, all of the members of The Hard 2 Git Bluegrass Band have the Hugo festival as a common link. Sam and Reva were there camping with us through the whole thing. We met Stuart there and became good friends as we jammed together each year. When we needed a banjo player for Hard 2 Git, I called Stuart just from that past friendship. He has been with the band from day one. Boyd won the banjo contest in the late seventies, which was a great accomplishment.

People came from all over the world to compete in the instrument and band contests at Hugo. Can you believe that our dobro player is one of the best banjo players in the world. What does that say about our banjo player? As time and experience went by, we formed our own bluegrass band Simply Gospel, which was made up of my brother Danny Martin, James Roberts, Van Barton, Joe Worley and myself. James Roberts wife, Linda, joined the band in the later years. Mr. Bill Grant booked us on the Hugo festival in 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991. The Hard 2 Git Bluegrass Band played the festival in its last year around 2005. Salt Creek Park holds a special place in the memories of all of us who were able to be a part of those times, where friends were made for a lifetime through the love of bluegrass music. James Martin

Early Days at Bill Grant's Salt Creek Park Festival

2009-07-31T03:54:00.001-07:00

Early Days at Bill Grant's Salt Creek Park Festival

2009-07-31T03:54:00.000-07:00

At the request of Boyd Hudgens, I will describe some of the early days at the Hugo, Oklahoma Bluegrass festival that was held at Bill Grant's Salt Creek Park the first week of August each year. The official festival dates were from the first Wednesday of August to the following Sunday. I believe the festival ran each year from about 1969 until 2004.

My brother, Wayne, had been going to the festival for several years with a friend of ours, Hal Parker. Hal loved the music and is really responsible for getting us both to go. I was in graduate school (1971-73) when he first urged me to take off and go to Hugo, but I resisted. I attended for the first time in 1974 after I had been working at East Texas State University in Commerce for a year. Wayne and I drove up on Saturday morning and sat in the rain all day and listened to every band. There was mud everywhere and, in spite of the rain, an enthusiastic crowd. We drove back to my apartment in Commerce late Saturday night. I was already hooked and we drove back to the festival on Sunday.

I had just gotten an Alvarez banjo the Christmas before and was really working hard to learn to play it. I remember listening intently to the banjo players at the festival. Of all the banjo players we heard that weekend, I remember thinking that Alan Munde, Little Roy Lewis, and Sonny Osborne were the best. After all these years, my opinion has not changed.

I became aware of the "parking lot pickin'" when we left the festival on Saturday night. There was a small group of pickers under a covered place near where we had parked our car. I was astonished at how well they played and how much fun they were having. I learned everything I could during the next year so I could participate at the 1975 festival.

At the 1975 festival, I took a tent with me and went alone to the park to camp. I don't recall which day I went, but I'm sure it was before the festival officially started. I found a place to camp at the bottom of the hill and put up my tent. The first person I met was a picker named Ivan Burton. We didn't introduce ourselves, but he gave me a card that had his name on it. Underneath he had written "5-String," indicating what he played. I immediately began calling
him 5-String and still do. He was a friendly, interesting and helpful person and we became good friends.

The atmosphere of the festival was strong enough to immediately put you in another world. I have been to many festivals over the years and have never encountered one that was so exciting and joyful. Perhaps 5-String and others around our camp helped a lot. But I think there were just many ingredients that were magically combined at that time. People were still influenced by the hootenannies of the 1960's, the sixties themselves, and the Bonnie and Clyde (Foggy Mountain Breakdown) and Deliverance (Dueling Banjos) movies. There were many young people so eager to learn to play. They didn't mind traveling long distances, living in a tent for a week, and getting to know complete strangers to swap licks.

We played and laughed and watched contests and bands all week. I'm sure we didn't eat well or sleep well, and we probably didn't smell too well either. But we were so happy. We made friends with the Kriehn family from Bryan, Texas. I remember Doyle Marshall from Arkansas being there also. On Sunday morning 5-String prepared to leave. He and I talked about how we would meet in the same spot for the next festival.

At the 1976 festival, I am sure I arrived on the Sunday or Monday before it started. The Kriehns, 5-String and several of the others who had camped nearby were in the same places. A community had started to grow that would continue for quite a few more years. I moved to Norman, Oklahoma in 1977 to attend the University of Oklahoma. While in the area I met Steve Annis, a fine mandolin and guitar player. He joined our Hugo camping group in 1978 or 1979.

I had met Boyd Hudgens and Gary Moreland at a fiddle contest in Jefferson, Texas at some point. I'm sure I was encouraging him to come to the Hugo festival. We had started playing at his house in Honey Grove about once per week. Since I always learned how to play a little better by watching him, I knew I wanted him around. I also thought that no one should miss the enjoyment that was so plentiful at Hugo.

I don't recall the first year that Boyd came to our camp site. But through him, I met Kelly and Janice Connell, Joe Smith, and probably lots of other fine pickers. I must have also met Boyd's wife, Debbie, there but I can't recall doing so. Much later, I met James and Anna Martin, Danny Martin, James and Linda Roberts, and the members of Simply Gospel.

The Hugo Festival was most influential in my life. This is partly true because of the people I met there and how much I learned from and enjoyed them. The festival was also a powerful motivator because I wanted to be able to play well and to have a large body of songs that I could play. All year long I would anticipate and prepare for that week. Of course I had to (and did) maintain other parts of my life, but the first week of August was always close to my attention. I would study and practice to be able to enjoy that week to the fullest. There is a lesson of life in all this. In most things a person does, the harder you work, the more fun you have.

Even though the Salt Creek Park festival is no more, the connections formed there continue to shape a significant part of my life. I am lucky enough to get to play with Boyd (and Debbie), James and Anna, Sam and Reva Bolton in the Hard2Git Bluegrass Band. We have such good fun. I likely wouldn't know these people if I had not sat through that rainy 1974 festival.

Stuart Anderson

Mountain View Arkansas - Memorial Day Weekend, 2009

2009-07-22T11:10:00.001-07:00

The Hard 2 Git Bluegrass Band departed for Mountain View Arkansas on Friday morning of the Memorial Day Weekend and all arrived just in time to meet our friends and head for Bar None Bar-B-Q. There was twenty-some-odd in our group that included friends from Memphis Tennessee, Sulpur Springs Texas, Fordyce Arkansas, Jackson Tennessee, Grapeland Texas, Commerce Texas and Paris Texas. After eating the wonderful ribs that are worth driving there for, we proceeded to our cabin where we played music half the night. From there we enjoyed three days of jam sessions where H2G was joined by The Nichols family, Comer "Moon" Mullins, Dave Staples, Jennifer Eggers, Tammy Huff, Tiffany Turner, Kevin Wright, Chief Starr, Glenda Starr, Jim and Sandy Lassiter, Kay and Ronald Hays, Abby Hays, Brittany Birch, and many other friends and family. It was a weekend that will be remembered by all and was very special for all the members of the Hard 2 Git Band. We have posted some of the 93+ pictures taken by Boyd's wife, Debbie, on the photo page and will post more in the future.

Chrystal Opry and FBC Paris Birthday Banquet - April 24-25, 2009

2009-07-22T11:09:00.001-07:00

Since we posted after the Pickton show, things have been busy for the Hard 2 Git Bluegrass Band. We did the last performance of a two day Gospel Show that included six bands at the Chrystal Opry House in Tom Bean Texas on a Friday night. They had a good crowd at Tom Bean and it is always a good place to play or hear good music. The next night we played for the birthday banquet at the First Baptist Church in Paris. The family life center was absolutely full of people, food and good music. We really had a good time that evening.

Pickton Bluegrass Show - April 18, 2009

2009-07-22T11:05:00.001-07:00

We are moving some of the old “news” from our website to our blog page for archival purposes. Here is the oldest of those articles…

The Hard 2 Git Bluegrass Band had a very successful show at Pickton Texas in that we had a large crowd of bluegrass music lovers and fun was had by all. Our good friends Hwy 19 did a great job in their set and everyone liked them. The Herzog Family started the show off with hard driving bluegrass and Gospel music. They were great and we enjoyed meeting them for the first time. J D and Diane Sively, our photographer Orville ( Deep Woods ) Todd, June Brewer and an old friend Chief Star were all there. The Pickton Bluegrass Show is put on by Floyd and Carol Favors. They are such good people and do a fine job with that show. The sound was provided by Studio 222 from Sulphur Springs Texas. They had a Lady doing the sound and she did a wonderful job. It was a real treat to perform on such a professional system. We want to thank the Favors for having us and we hope to be invited back some day. Thanks to all who were there and were so nice to us. -Hard 2 Git

Good Time at the Musicfest

2009-06-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

We in the Hard 2 Git Bluegrass Band had a great time at the Red River Valley Musicfest and want to thank all of you that came to hear us perform. Those that put this event on worked so hard and did a tremendous job of making everything run so smooth. The crowd was huge and everybody seemed to enjoy the awesome music from all the bands and performers. Hard 2 Git would like to thank those who worked so hard to make this a special event and for making us a part of it.
Thanks to Wade White and Monty O'Neal for your long hard day of
producing such great sound for all. H2G

Blackwater Woods

2009-06-15T06:41:00.000-07:00

In the picture is Krista, Marta and Lindsay of Blackwater Woods as they perform during the Red River Valley Musicfest. Be sure to attend one of their upcoming shows for great songs and super three part harmony. You can check their schedule of upcoming shows at blackwaterwoods.com . We in the Hard 2 Git Bluegrass band hope to have them on one of our shows in the near future.

H2G Table

2009-06-09T06:46:00.000-07:00

Summer time is getting here fast and now is the time to get your Hard 2 Git T-Shirt which comes in various colors such as Blue, Sand, Dark Green, Light Green, Khaki, and Black. We have Small, Medium, Large, 1x, and 2x. We also have Hard 2 Git caps. These shirts and caps are $10 each and you can get yours by calling the number on our website CONTACT page or send us an email. We will make arrangements to get these to you. These shirts and caps are very comfortable and fun to wear but most of all they make you hard 2 git!

Welcome!

2009-06-04T13:29:00.000-07:00

We would like to welcome you to our blog site. Check back here frequently because we'll be posting stories of people, places, and pickin'. You may even see a picture of yourself here!

Don't forget to start your world wide web ventures by visiting http://www.hard2git.com/ . We will continue to post the latest news briefs on our homepage there. Stories on this blog site may get a little too long for the home page of our normal website.

Once again, "welcome", from James, Anna, Sam, Reva, Stuart, Boyd, and Debbie!