Old-fashioned music weekend

I realize some readers might be sick of seeing me go on and on about banjos and fiddles and traditional music, but I can't help but spread the word about this largely forgotten facet of our cultural heritage.

I spent the weekend at an old-time music gathering in Massachusetts, where about 300 people from around the country got together to play and hear music from the deepest reaches of the American songbag. Nobody at this event was paid to perform — everyone was there to play and sing for the sheer enjoyment of the music and the camaraderie.

The music mostly consisted of traditional fiddle tunes — many with colorful names such as "Indian Ate the Woodchuck" or "Shove that Pig's Foot a Little Further in the Fire" — but there also was a wealth of ballad-singing, blues and gospel.

Personally, I can't get enough of it. Here's a little video montage to give you a sense of what the weekend was like: 

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