Last week we told you about the premature death of Keishi Shikata.

Earlier today I received a touching tribute from renowned mandolin player Mike Compton, a friend of Shikata’s for 30 years.….

“I knew Keishi since the late 1970’s. He was always cheerful and complimentary, though he did understand the art of pulling one’s leg. I always had the feeling that he was a good businessman due to the many things he was involved in. I used to tease him about being an old bachelor and being too fat to get married, at which point he would be sure to mention how fat we both were. Keishi was more boisterous than most Japanese people I’ve met. He seemed to have acquired a less-reserved American character about him.

I was in Japan the last couple years around Xmas working for Kaz Inaba. Both times, who would I run into but Keishi. We laughed and said that we both live in Nashville, but had to go to Japan to see each other. One night Keishi rode the bullet train for two hours to see us play, only to find out that he had the wrong date. He had to ride the two hour trip back without seeing us. He sounded very frustrated on the phone, but I got the impression that he was ready to do it again if he thought he could catch up with us.

Knowing Keishi is gone is a little unsettling because he has been part of my circle of friends for the last 30 years. I miss him already.”

On the evening of September 8, 2007, downtown Owensboro Kentucky will be ringing with the sounds of bluegrass mandolin played in the traditional style of Bill Monroe. The International Bluegrass Music Museum is hosting their annual Monroe-style Mandolin Camp, and September 8th is the faculty concert.

Faculty at this year’s event include Frank Wakefield (Greenbriar Boys), Mike Compton (Nashville Bluegrass Band), Roland White (Kentucky Colonels, Blue Grass Boys), Skip Gorman (Rabbit in a Log) and David Long (Little Country Giants). These mandolin experts will be joined for the evening by former Blue Grass Boy guitar player and lead singer, Tom Ewing.

The concert will take place at The Owensboro Symphony Academy, just steps from the IBMM. Tickets for the show can be purchased for $20 at the door, or by calling 888-692-2656.

We failed to mention this when it was announced recently, but in case any readers don’t know about it, here it is.

The International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, KY is moving forward with plans for it’s second Monroe-Style Mandolin Camp. The museum held this camp last year and it was quite successful.

This year the dates for the camp are September 7-9, 2007.

The focus, of course, is the mandolin style of Bill Monroe. Accordingly, the museum is bringing in some of the best authorities on Monroe’s mandolin playing around. Instructors include: Frank Wakefield, Mike Compton, Roland White, Skip Gorman and David Long.

These prestigious yet accessible ambassadors of Monroe-sytle mandolin will present classes and workshops examining issues related to the development and execution of Monroe’s mandolin style, songwriting, musical influences, and other “Billisms.” Topics include specific eras in the evolution of Monroe’s style, right hand technique, and the blues, fiddle, and church music that helped to shape Monroe’s musical expression.

In addition to the instructional aspects of the camps, the faculty will perform a concert on September 8th with special guest Tom Ewing. Tom Ewing is a former Bluegrass Boy and will play guitar and sing. Tickets for the concert are available for $15 at the door, but Camp registrants get premium seats as part of the registration package.

Registration cost is $500 and includes all classes, mid-day meals each day, 2 nights of hotel rooms, the concert, a group picture and a road trip to Rosine, KY.

Registration is limited to 45 individuals on a first come first serve basis. To make your reservations call the museum at 1-888-692-2656 or visit bluegrass-museum.org.

Noted bluegrass mandolinist Mike Compton has two new videos up on YouTube. Both are simple productions, and feature Mike playing through a fiddle tune.

The first has Mike playing a somewhat obscure Bill Monroe tune, Frog On A Lilly Pad. It is one that Monroe wrote later in life, and though it was played a bit in the 80s, never reached the popularity of some of his other great tunes, a good many of which are jam session standards.

The other video is Mike playing Jenny Lynn, an old time tune that became associated with Monroe as well, through it being mentioned in the lyrics for Uncle Pen, and for being included as the outro for the song when he recorded and performed it.

Mandolinists interested in Mike’s distinctive style, or anyone who likes good mandolin playing, will certainly enjoy giving these clips a look see.