She was in attendance with her husband, Terry Baucom, and sent us this report.

“Terry was an instructor, along with Tom Adams, Mike Scott, Jim Rollins and Bill Emerson. Josh Goforth worked with the old time players on clawhammer and Tom McKinney was on hand for banjo set-up. There were over 50 participants this year.

A Faculty Concert was held on Friday evening, where I was honored to join the instructors as bass player and tenor singer, as Tom Adams played guitar and sang lead and Terry baritone. That was a lot of fun and was followed by a big jam session with the students. On Saturday night, Bill Emerson & The Sweet Dixie Band performed.”

The event must have gone well, as event producer Rod Johnston has already made plans to do it again in November, 2010.

We’ve heard from many readers since then asking how she is doing, and we are happy to share that she is doing fine, and continuing to make progress in her struggles to recover. Lynn suffered her stroke 3 days after what was expected to be a routine knee replacement procedure (due to a blood clot), leaving her with a substantial reduction in facility on her right side, and a frustrating aphasia that restricts her ability to communicate verbally.

As we spoke today, Lynn’s language issues were apparent, but she takes it all in stride with good humor and an enduring spirit. Marshall, her husband and former musical partner, joined us in the conversation, and would pop in to help whenever Lynn was unable to complete a thought or find the word she was after.

She has been working with a speech therapist, and is making progress in dealing with her aphasia.

“I found a teacher in DC, Darlene Williamson – I can write a letter now. She works with stroke survivors, and has all the knowledge.

My talking is not exactly right, but I’m good. I’m a strong woman.”

Marshall explained how Williamson came into their life…

“Darlene has been working with Lynn for a while, and it’s a very positive thing. The two of them have become great friends. Darlene is one of many angels that have come into her life.

Our friend Esther Meckler (from Connecticut) found Darlene for us. Esther is the head of SpayUSA, and we became friends through Lynn’s association with ASPCA and her animal welfare activities.

About 3 years ago Esther was visiting DC, and we met her for dinner and talked about Lynn’s aphasia. Within a day or two after that, Esther had done the one thing that had never occurred to me to do – get on the Internet and Google aphasia – and she found this place about an hour from where we live called the Stroke Comeback Center, Darlene’s practice.”

I think I first heard Lynn Morris in the mid-1970s when she was the banjo picker and vocalist with the City Limits Bluegrass Band, based in Denver, CO where she was in college. She made quite a splash as a banjo picker – at a time when female pickers were much rarer than today – winning first place at the prestigious National Bluegrass Banjo Championship in Winfield, KS in both 1974 and 1981.

She and Marshall soon appeared together in a Pennsylvania-based group called Whetstone Run. Though they had met previously and jammed together, this was the first time they had worked regularly together.

“Lynn and I met in my home town, Austin, TX, in the spring of ‘82. She was in the midst of talking about joining Whetstone Run. When she took the job, and moved to Pennsylvania, we kept in touch, and when the bass player gave his notice, Lynn told them that I was the guy for the bass job. They, solely on her recommendation, offered me the job, and I packed up and moved to PA.”

They had a good run in the ’80s, even making a TV appearance on The Nashville Network (now CMT) for their popular Fire On The Mountain program in November of 1983. Lee Olsen (now with Keith Case & Associates) was on mandolin, and Mike Gorrell (now with Northwest Territory) was on guitar. Lynn played both banjo and guitar.

The Lynn Morris Band debuted in 1988, and over the years utilized the talents of such noted musicians as Tom Adams, Rob Ickes, David McLaughlin, Ron Stewart and Jesse Brock. Lynn would play either guitar or banjo, as her personnel dictated, and Marshall always held down the bass duties. She and Marshall were married in 1989.

During this time, she also recorded a clawhammer banjo video for The Murphy Method, now available on DVD. The Lynn Morris Band continued to be a top draw at festivals and concerts – also winning awards for their stellar recordings – until her stroke in 2003.

Lynn said that she is able to get out again, and is currently running sound on shows for Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie. She isn’t quite ready to return to performing, however.

“I don’t sing – I can, but I don’t want to yet. Almost ready – just not yet.

My left hand is great – right hand is not good. Banjo playing is slow, slow, slow…

I can’t write either – letters are hard now. I know everything fine, but I can’t bring them out.”

She also expressed affection for the many folks who encourage her return to the stage, and is grateful for their support.

“I love these people… I had a stroke, but I’m living, and every day (God… thank you so much for every day!) I am thankful for them all.”

Lynn Morris is a rare gem who will be long-remembered should her musical contributions all be behind her, but what a treat it would be to hear from her again.

We’ve heard from many readers since then asking how she is doing, and we are happy to share that she is doing fine, and continuing to make progress in her struggles to recover. Lynn suffered her stroke 3 days after what was expected to be a routine knee replacement procedure (due to a blood clot), leaving her with a substantial reduction in facility on her right side, and a frustrating aphasia that restricts her ability to communicate verbally.

As we spoke today, Lynn’s language issues were apparent, but she takes it all in stride with good humor and an enduring spirit. Marshall, her husband and former musical partner, joined us in the conversation, and would pop in to help whenever Lynn was unable to complete a thought or find the word she was after.

She has been working with a speech therapist, and is making progress in dealing with her aphasia.

“I found a teacher in DC, Darlene Williamson – I can write a letter now. She works with stroke survivors, and has all the knowledge.

My talking is not exactly right, but I’m good. I’m a strong woman.”

Marshall explained how Williamson came into their life…

“Darlene has been working with Lynn for a while, and it’s a very positive thing. The two of them have become great friends. Darlene is one of many angels that have come into her life.

Our friend Esther Meckler (from Connecticut) found Darlene for us. Esther is the head of SpayUSA, and we became friends through Lynn’s association with ASPCA and her animal welfare activities.

About 3 years ago Esther was visiting DC, and we met her for dinner and talked about Lynn’s aphasia. Within a day or two after that, Esther had done the one thing that had never occurred to me to do – get on the Internet and Google aphasia – and she found this place about an hour from where we live called the Stroke Comeback Center, Darlene’s practice.”

I think I first heard Lynn Morris in the mid-1970s when she was the banjo picker and vocalist with the City Limits Bluegrass Band, based in Denver, CO where she was in college. She made quite a splash as a banjo picker – at a time when female pickers were much rarer than today – winning first place at the prestigious National Bluegrass Banjo Championship in Winfield, KS in both 1974 and 1981.

She and Marshall soon appeared together in a Pennsylvania-based group called Whetstone Run. Though they had met previously and jammed together, this was the first time they had worked regularly together.

“Lynn and I met in my home town, Austin, TX, in the spring of ‘82. She was in the midst of talking about joining Whetstone Run. When she took the job, and moved to Pennsylvania, we kept in touch, and when the bass player gave his notice, Lynn told them that I was the guy for the bass job. They, solely on her recommendation, offered me the job, and I packed up and moved to PA.”

They had a good run in the ’80s, even making a TV appearance on The Nashville Network (now CMT) for their popular Fire On The Mountain program in November of 1983. Lee Olsen (now with Keith Case & Associates) was on mandolin, and Mike Gorrell (now with Northwest Territory) was on guitar. Lynn played both banjo and guitar.

The Lynn Morris Band debuted in 1988, and over the years utilized the talents of such noted musicians as Tom Adams, Rob Ickes, David McLaughlin, Ron Stewart and Jesse Brock. Lynn would play either guitar or banjo, as her personnel dictated, and Marshall always held down the bass duties. She and Marshall were married in 1989.

During this time, she also recorded a clawhammer banjo video for The Murphy Method, now available on DVD. The Lynn Morris Band continued to be a top draw at festivals and concerts – also winning awards for their stellar recordings – until her stroke in 2003.

Lynn said that she is able to get out again, and is currently running sound on shows for Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie. She isn’t quite ready to return to performing, however.

“I don’t sing – I can, but I don’t want to yet. Almost ready – just not yet.

My left hand is great – right hand is not good.  Banjo playing is slow, slow, slow…

I can’t write either – letters are hard now. I know everything fine, but I can’t bring them out.”

She also expressed affection for the many folks who encourage her return to the stage, and is grateful for their support.

“I love these people… I had a stroke, but I’m living, and every day (God… thank you so much for every day!) I am thankful for them all.”

Lynn Morris is a rare gem who will be long-remembered should her musical contributions all be behind her, but what a treat it would be to hear from her again.

And he tells us that guitarist John Miller is joining the group as of August 1. John was most recently a member of Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice, where he played mandolin and sang tenor. Bill says that the whole band is thrilled to have John join them, and that Wayne Lanham will now assume most of the lead male vocals in the band.

Bill and John have performed and recorded together several times in the recent past, and Miller jumped at the chance to work with Emerson again.

“Bill is truly a hero of mine and I am lucky enough to consider him a friend. Bill has done a lot for our music and wants to keep making records and play good Timing. I’m excited about the opportunity of playing with him and making some new music in the studio.”

Bill Emerson and Sweet Dixie have nearly completed a new CD which includes John on guitar. It is scheduled for release in early 2010.

As always, they have a crackerjack staff of banjo instructors on tap, and Evans was especially pleased to note that this year Bill Emerson will make his NashCamp Banjo faculty debut. Joining Emerson will be host Sonny Osborne, Alan Munde, Tom Adams, Charlie Cushman, Ned Luberecki, Bill Evans and Frank Neat.

This will be their 9th year holding this event which Evans tells us is as oriented towards having fun as it is serious banjo instruction.

You can see all the details about the 2009 NashCamp Banjo Retreat online.

Cliff has been a fixture on the DC-area bluegrass scene since the late 1960s, and toured nationally with Bill Emerson and later with his own group, The New Shades Of Grass. He has the notorious distinction of being the man who introduced Fox On The Run to the bluegrass repertoire when he and Bill Emerson first recorded it in 1969.

Waldron has been in ill health this past few years, and his kidney was severely damaged during a catheterization procedure last year. He has been on dialysis since and it is hoped that the transplant will offer him greater freedom and an opportunity to recover fully.

He will be hospitalized until mid-May, but get well wishes and words of encouragement can be sent to:

For anyone who did not catch the article in ‘04 – especially those who do not recognize the name of this important voice in the development of contemporary bluegrass – this fine piece by Steve Romanoski is worth a few minutes of your time.

Steve has written for Bluegrass Music News since 1977 and also has had articles published in Bluegrass Music Profiles, Sing Out, Acoustic Guitar, The Chicago Sun-Times, Bluegrass Now, and Fiddler. He is a songwriter as well, and teaches private music lessons in the Chicago area.

His Waldron article is based on an interview he did with Cliff, and it includes some insights into what has become one of the most popular bluegrass songs ever recorded – one with which many performers have a love/hate relationship.

Over the years, the punchy rhythmic introduction to “Fox On The Run” has become a virtual call to arms in the bluegrass community, And, while the tune will be forever linked to the classic Country Gentlemen ensemble of the early 1970s, another Washington DC based band was responsible for the song’s introduction to bluegrass. That band was simply called Emerson & Waldron.

Both Cliff Waldron and Bill Emerson were immersed in the progressive leanings of the northern Virginia bluegrass scene and actively brought material from different genres for the band to play. Waldron remembers how “Fox On The Run” was introduced to the world of bluegrass, “Bill was the first one to hear it,” he says, “and he played it for me and wondered if we could work it out. I was up for doing new material at this time and thought that we could give it a try. I had done Stanley’s and Flatt & Scruggs songs. I wasn’t sick of them, but I was tired of doing it myself. I wanted to do on my own; something that I could put a name to it myself instead of doing somebody else’s stuff all the time.” And Cliff found true inspiration from the realization that “he’d (Emerson) heard this song and thought that we could do something with it.” Little did either player know that this song, originally performed by the English rock band Manfred Mann, would become an anthem of the ages in bluegrass music.

You can read the full article at DCBU.org or on the SPBGMA web site.

An audio sample from Emerson & Waldron’s original recording of Fox On The Run can be heard on Cliff’s web site.

We reported just two months ago that Tom was launching a new endeavor, Diamond Joe, with banjoist Chris Warner but that group has now disbanded. Tom says that the recordings the band has already made will be incorcorated into an upcoming Chris Warner release on Patuxent Records, and they will continue to track with Chris for this project.

You can find the tour schedule for The Sweet Dixie Band on their MySpace page.

Wayne is in Nashville this week at the IBMA leadership class, and says his plans are to get more involved with bluegrass music. And getting more involved he is.

He has a new CD out titled Dear Mom. He just recorded an interview with Kyle Cantrell for XM Radio, which I’m told may air next Tuesday. And he’s found a new musical home.

I am playing with Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie Band. We’ve played a few gigs and will be hitting the festival circuit this year. Our schedule can be viewed at Myspace.com/waynetaylor.

The guys in Country Current are going to miss Wayne’s presence for sure. I spoke to Frank Solivan II, who plays mandolin and fiddle in the band, and he shared his thoughts on Wayne’s departure from the band.

Wayne Taylor has been and is an inspiration as a musician, boss, and especially as a friend. Personally he has been there for me and my wife Leah from our start with the Navy Band. From helping us move two times and helping me install drywall in my new house to personal dilemmas. I’ve been able to count on his professionalism, honesty, and good natured attitude for almost 5 years without as much as a hiccup.

His retirement ceremony last Friday not only honored his service to our country, but his commitment to family, friends and coworkers. The masses that gathered was proof of this. Many people came to honor him… from childhood friends and his Father’s best friend to local musician, friends and family. The room was charged with emotion and the golf ball in Wayne’s throat was apparent. It was evident that everyone loves Wayne. He received a number of awards, letters of appreciation, and mementos from prominent figures in our military and the President. A number of people got up and honored his accomplishments. The legacy and shoes to fill that he’ll leave behind is immeasurable. I’m sure his fine character will carry him far in the civilian world and his musicianship and vocal ability will impart emotion just as it always has. He’ll be missed and thought of fondly.

~Frank

We wish Wayne all the best in his future endeavors, and we encourage you to take the opportunity to see him this summer at a festival near you.

Country Standard Time has a wide ranging interview with Bill published on their web site, where he discusses Charlie Waller, Jimmy Martin, his return to touring and recording and his new band and CD.

A few choice tidbits…

Recalling that Fourth of July 50 years ago when he and Charlie Waller brought the Country Gentlemen into being, he admits they were just doing what they needed to do at the time.

“We never thought we’d amount to that much, we just wanted to play music and make a little money, have some fun. We never thought we would ever get a recording contract and become the group that the Country Gentlemen became. I was just glad to play with somebody who could play guitar as well as Charlie Waller and somebody who was as great a singer as he was. I certainly benefited from that, and I hope he benefited from me being around, especially in the later years, and Charlie Waller is certainly one of the greatest lead singers of all time as far as bluegrass music goes.”

Emerson also notes that his former US Navy band mate Wayne Taylor will soon be a part of The Sweet Dixie Band.

“(Wayne’s) gonna be full time with me starting at the end of April when he retires…I’m not gonna start hittin’ it heavy until 2008. I’ve got some other people lined up, plus the thing we did in Nashville, the (IBMA) Rebel showcase was almost like a variety show. We had a lot of the people that were on this project with me, and we’re gonna try to maintain that concept.”

Read the the full piece by John Lupton online.

He is featured with Tony Trischka on Tony’s Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular, and also took part in the Stelling Banjo Anthology CD.

In what is great news for his many fan (like me), Bill will release his third CD for Rebel Records on October 9, his first as a solo artist in more than ten years. Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie Band represents something as a departure, showcasing Bill as a band leader with his own group for the first time.

Bill credits Tony Trischka’s urging as a primary reason to embark on this new project.

“Tony’s encouragement was a one reason why I decided to record Bill Emerson and The Sweet Dixie Band. While I have recorded many albums with groups like The Country Gentlemen, instrumentals projects and duos like Emerson and Goble, I had never done an album with a band of my own, so this is a new beginning for me.”

The Sweet Dixie Band is made up primarily of members of Country Current, the US Navy country/bluegrass band which Bill led for 20 years while he was in the service. Wayne Taylor is on guitar and vocals, Joe Wheatley on bass and vocals, Pat White on fiddle and vocals, and Frank Solivan II on guitar, mandolin and vocals, with Bill on banjo and Con Burch on vocals.

In addition to his core band, the new CD features guest appearances from Paul Williams, Tony Rice, Randy Waller, Mark Newton, Andy Ball, Scott Linton, Brad Corbin, Gary Ferguson, Darren Beachley and Pete Goble. Bill says that The Sweet Dixie Band will perform live as a unit, with a CD release concert scheduled at the Strasburg Theater in Strasburg, Virginia on November 10.

He is especially proud to introduce his lead vocalist, who may not be familiar to a lot of bluegrass fans.

“Con is a piano and voice teacher from Fort Valley VA, and I think anyone who hears her sing will agree that she is a special talent. She also wrote two songs on the album.”

A single from the CD, Sweet Dixie Girl, has just been released to radio so you may be hearing it soon on your favorite over-the-air on online program.

Bill shares his thoughts about stage presence in his brief (1 minute) audio presentation. Find it at BluegrassCountry.org, where you can listen to each of their Musicians Tips segments. A new segment is added each week, with bluegrass music professionals sharing their wisdom and experience.

Emerson has a new CD due out next month, Bill Emerson & The Sweet Dixie Band, which will feature Bill with his new group, and guest appearances from Paul Williams and Randy Waller.