The Believers: It's a Live Thing

Front Porch Magazine
December 2011 

The Believers

“It’s a Live Thing”

By A.E. Bayne

Rain spritzes First Friday revelers outside The Recreation Center, the soft lights and promises of chili dogs, beer, and bluegrass music drawing more than a few of them into the cozy interior.  Once inside, the sound check in front of the wide picture window invites them to sit a spell.  An amp squeals until one of the guys behind the microphones quells it and quips from amidst the cacophony of guitar, banjo, and bass, “Hey Bud, your ears aren’t bleeding, are they?”

Bud Griffis belly-laughs, then continues relating his history of The Believers, “At one time I played with four different bands, any time I had a chance I would play.  I love to play.”  An understatement, considering he’s been playing anything with strings for close to sixty years,  and in that time penning and recording a wide array of gospel tunes, more than a few of which the band intersperses with the traditional bluegrass and folk-tinged rock songs on their playlist.  

 Stephen Hu and Andre Eglevsky wander over to add their pieces to Griffis’ puzzling timeline, for Griffis is puzzled.  He’s been playing so long that his bands run together like Mississippi mud.  As for inception, he recollects it to be sometime around 1962. 

Hu guffaws, “1962!  I wasn’t even born that long ago.”

“You got your six upside down,” Eglevsky teases.

Griffis chuckles and shrugs as Hu shares what banjo-picker Lowell Sale calls “the genetic DNA of the band.”  He reflects on a night at the tail end of the 1990’s when he and Sale fatefully journeyed to Mr. B’s in North Stafford.  Mr. B picked banjo and would open his shop in the evenings to fellow musicians.   It was there Griffis approached Hu and Sale about jamming regularly.   The group gradually tightened up, began playing open mics at The Rec Center, and eventually picked up the versatile Eglevsky on double bass.   The guys proudly ascertain that they have only missed three Fridays in the seven years since they were asked to be the First Friday house band at The Rec Center.   

As Hu finishes fitting facts together, the guys erupt into greetings for fiddle-legend and honorary Believer, Jimmy Delozier.  Delozier, a well-known bluegrass recording artist, has been playing music his entire life; and since Griffis and Delozier have known each other since they were knee high to a pig’s eye, they have been riffing off each other for nearly as long. 

As with any creatively talented group, one might wonder whether egos ever rub the wrong way, but Eglevsky assures this is not the case, “Each of us brings something to the band, and that‘s one of the reasons I think it really works well.  Stephen knows music, and what he and Lowell choose to sing is influential.  Bud and Jimmy are walking histories of music; they’ve been playing since before our parents were born!  Lowell is a comedic front guy, one of the best soloists up on stage, and just overall talented.  There are no hidden agendas; it’s about having fun and being out on First Fridays. ”

Hu concurs, “There is no clash of egos; no one is trying to control the band.  Bud wrote the original numbers that we do, all the gospel numbers.  Lowell and I choose a wide range of material; much of it is traditional bluegrass, but a lot of times we’ll take the rock genre and play it as bluegrass, anything with a folksy feel, we bluegrass-ize them.”

Sale motions to the guys from the floor and Hu takes front mic, calling, “Welcome everyone, we’re The Believers.”   Delozier’s fiddle runs scales up one ear and down the other, while Griffis’ mandolin courses through the veins and Eglevsky’s bass matches the heart.  Sale’s banjo chugs, a merry locomotive driving the song, as Hu harmonizes with him adding guitar melody and crying, “I’m on my long journey home.”

A.E. Bayne is a teacher and writer who has lived and worked in Fredericksburg for thirteen years.  

Lynda Allen: Trusting the Words

Front Porch Magazine
November 2011

At times life shifts suddenly and leaves us so precariously balanced that we are forced to find new ways to grasp reality.  It was under such circumstances that Lynda Allen penned her first lines of poetry in March of 2003.  While she had previously written well-received screenplays and documentaries, Allen was not moved to write verse until she faced a prolonged period of malaise following September 11, 2001.  Like many, she carried what she describes as a feeling of collective sorrow for the victims, their families, and the world community left struggling with the events of that day.  Coupled with transitions that she faced in her own life, this intricate confluence inspired her to find catharsis through poetry.  

Today, with two published collections, Rest in the Knowing and Illumine, Allen finds great comfort and affinity with the form.  She admits that her poems are spiritual and emotive, evolving as they do from a place of healing and renewal.   She says, “My poems are not from the head; rather they are straight from the heart. I’ve learned through the process that it’s the way they are meant to speak to people because that’s how they come to me.  I watch as they touch people during readings, speaking to them in a variety of personal ways.  No matter what, it’s always a reaction from the heart.”

When asked about her process, Allen considers, “I’m a good listener.  When the words come through me they come all at once, so I have to create space and time to write.”

Allen describes her collections as being very much about her personal journey.  Rest in the Knowing focuses on a time of transformation in all aspects of her life. As she describes it, the selections move from joy to darkness through seven segments, from clarity to cloudiness and back to clarity again.  “It was very much a challenge and a learning process for me, the most important piece being to trust my own heart and guidance,” she explains. 

While similar in that it reflects Allen’s personal experiences, Illumine plays additionally with the concepts of spirituality and light.  “It’s about knowing the certainty of the light within me and being comfortable with that part of myself.  The spiritual journey that is represented in Illumine is more deeply rooted than it was in the first book.”

At its core, Allen believes poetry to be one of the last forms of free expression.  She says that because there are myriad structured forms today, holding fast to this last free space for creativity is pivotal to our sense of well-being.  In regard to her own poems, Allen ponders, “Trusting the words is the most important piece, because they know their way better than I do.  When I force them, the poems end up as something I wouldn’t publish.  Fortunately, I am now able to discern when I’m pushing the words.  I’ve come to terms with the fact that they will find a life of their own in the world, and I have confidence that they will find the people that will relate to them.”

Bound
By Lynda Allen

Grief and joy walk hand in hand.
He weeps of endings,
She sings of beginnings.
His cries bring the night,
Her melody wakes the dawn.

One, they walk the land,
Bringers of both dew and frost.
Ever circling,
Ever in the spiral
That leads one back to the other.

He greets her always with relief,
for she reminds him there is a day beyond this day;
She with sadness,
For the taste of joy soon to be lost.

Still they rejoice in each other,
Hands clasped tightly
Grief and joy bound.

 Order Lynda Allen’s collections at www.peace-evolutions.com , or visit her personal blog at  http://conversationswithmysoul.blogspot.com.

A.E. Bayne is a teacher and writer who has lived and worked in Fredericksburg for thirteen years.  

A Lift in the Room

Front Porch Magazine
October 2011

Ashleigh Chevalier was preparing to perform in Fredericksburg’s annual Christmas parade last fall, and in the spirit of the season she envisioned a group of female vocalists lifting each other in support and friendship.  The realization that there was more to music than getting on stage and performing gnawed at her, and she realized how easy it was for musicians to lose sight of that and fixate on their own successes.  Today she explains, “It is difficult to put yourself in front of people in a competitive industry. The best way to deal with that anxiety is to kill it with kindness, love and support.”

Karen Young concurs, “Those of us with years of industry experience should help beginners gain more exposure and confidence. We’re all artistic women, which adds to our insecurities.  We brightened at the opportunity to engender creativity within the safety of a group of female friends, certainly for empowerment, but most of all for camaraderie.”

A recent addition to Singin’ Ladies, Lisa Wyland describes the benefits of engaging with women who have industry experience, “Though I have been a singer for many years, I just recently started writing songs and playing my guitar.  The ladies have never criticized my efforts.  Someone will pipe in with, ‘hey, this is nice’ or ‘this would sound good here.’ I had the creative energy before, but Singin’ Ladies has given that energy an outlet.”

“It’s kind of a mixed bag of expectations,” muses Kathy Douberly.  “I think everyone takes a different approach to it; some think we’re going to do great things, while others simply enjoy the cooperation and learning each other’s songs. Ultimately, we all love to sing.”

The ladies’ mainstay is their monthly showcase at Bryan Highland’s 909 Saloon.  Chevalier emphasizes that these have allowed the women to hone their talents, and she credits Bethany (Wolfe) Cleveland for taking the first step as a headliner, “During rehearsals we generally jam and wing our way through covers, but on the night of Bethany’s acoustic showcase we performed her original music.  We spontaneously took turns chiming in with her and you could feel the lift in the room when we unintentionally harmonized with one another.  We all went to tears.   The awe grew in the room that night, and it continues to grow with each show.” 

Laura Shepherd shares her own experience with showcasing, “The first time I sang with three of the ladies backing me it was so beautiful I forgot the words to my own song.”

Emily Barker ascertains that this spontaneity remains a highlight of the group.  “One of the first events we did was Christmas caroling in front of Virginia Wine Experience,” says Barker.  “We were winging it, and people stopped to listen and ask about the group. Here comes a girl who joins in and starts singing with us.  I thought she must be a local singer, but she was just inspired.”  

In addition to supporting each other, Singin’ Ladies of the ‘Burg set altruistic sights toward the future.  Douberly hopes to extend the group’s musical reach to people who are unable to attend the showcases, such as those in elderly care facilities or confined to their homes.  A live Christmas album is also in development for sale later this year.  Proceeds from both projects will be donated to charity.

The Singin’ Ladies of the ‘Burg will play their next showcase featuring Emily Barker on Friday, October 28, 2011, at 909 Saloon on Caroline Street.  For complete bios and more information, visit them here:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Singin-Ladies-of-the-burg/261134307237540?sk=wall

Wordpress: http://singinladies.wordpress.com/the-singin-ladies-are/

A.E. Bayne is a teacher and writer who has lived and worked in Fredericksburg for thirteen years. 

Finding Center: Meditation Community of Fredericksburg Offers a Balanced Perspective

Front Porch Magazine
September 2011

Eight years ago, John McLaughlin approached Todd Drake with an inspired plan.  Energized by a recent visit to Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village Monastery in France, McLaughlin proposed a meditation community, a sangha, in Fredericksburg.  The meditation group with which Drake had been involved had recently dissolved, and he was keen on starting fresh with the enthusiastic and explorative McLaughlin.  Ever the passionate intellectual, Drake organized a routine centered on the philosophy of Insight Meditation, a branch focusing on mindful thought, speech, and action.   With the addition of Bill Brooks, a disciplined and diligent meditation practitioner, and Leigh D’Lugos, who specializes in guided meditation, the equanimous group took on coherence.  Imbued with knowledge and experiences from numerous retreats and years of study, the facilitators complement each other in their personal devotion to the practice of meditation and its benefits.  They motivate participants to return week after week to connect within an open-minded community and to deepen their own practices.

Brooks ponders, “I think a lot of people are overwhelmed by the idea of meditation because they think it’s something they have to do for hours or many times a day.”

“Lotus position,” McLaughlin interjects with a grin.

“And they can’t think!” Drake laughs heartily. 

“Right, there are a lot of misconceptions about it.  In terms of accessibility, if you’ve got five minutes, sit and be silent for those five minutes and hold the awareness as best you can. Ten minutes in traffic? Use it to practice. Over time the benefits become apparent,” Brooks explains.

Drake nods, “For people who want to explore the benefits of meditation, this is a place where they can learn to do that.  They don’t have to worry about being something extraordinary; they can just relax and learn the practice.  Meditating within the sangha strengthens your own practice, deepening your concentration.”

“It’s one thing to sit on your cushion and meditate by yourself; the sangha provides support wherein we share the trials and tribulations of the practice. It is affirming in terms of personal progress,” shares Brooks.

With opportunities to practice sitting meditation each Thursday evening, Mindful Listening on alternating Thursdays, and Mindful Recovery for those managing addiction on Friday nights, Meditation Community of Fredericksburg offers a flexible and accessible schedule to the wider populous.   The group’s facilitators are devoted to developing a community of practitioners, and their vision for greater communication and connectedness extends far beyond the sangha. 

“I had begun to feel like I was moving through life with a machete,” explains the pragmatic D’Lugos, “knocking down goals in front of me and always reaching for the next thing.  I was missing the present and I was mentally exhausted.  I wanted to learn to live more in the moment, and others can too.”

“We have a personal practice that we find very beneficial, and we have shared that within this sangha for eight years; so the impetus for Meditation Community of Fredericksburg was to make it an organization with more of a public face,” expounds Brooks.

“It is important to all of us that our groups remain secular.  The practice should not be viewed as religious or philosophical, rather as a practical tool that is open to people of all faiths,” continues McLaughlin, “There’s so much suffering out there; I see it every day.  We know that this practice can relieve peoples’ suffering.  With Meditation Community of Fredericksburg, we are offering people a place to have significant conversations about trust, forgiveness, and loving kindness.”  

Ultimately, Drake finds the truth, “We live in a very chaotic world, one that needs more balance, and that balance has to come from within each one of us.”

Find more information about Mediation Community of Fredericksburg at www.meditatefred.com.