BGCS Newsletter Vol. II #14, November 12, 2019
Bluegrass Country Soul Now Lives at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum
Greetings!
When we began this project to restore the sole surviving 35mm print of Bluegrass Country Soul and to donate an archival copy to the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, it always seemed like a far off goal. Then all of a sudden, it was the end of October and we were heading to Owensboro, KY. After all our work, planning, raising funds, interviewing, writing a book, etc., the actual ceremony at the Terry Woodward Theatre in the museum on November 2 seemed to just fly by.
BGCS Presentation Ceremony at the bluegrass museum
Chris Joslin accepts a copy of Bluegrass Country Soul from Albert Ihde prior to
screening the restored movie in the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum's
Terry Woodward Theatre. Also pictured from left to right: Robert Henninger,
Bob Leonard and Ellen Pasternack.
Fortunately, Adam Paris, a local photographer, captured the evening in a series of wonderful photos, several of which we share with you in this newsletter.
 
Albert, who produced and directed the film, describes his feelings this way: “It’s difficult to put into words the multitude of emotions that colored every moment of that incredible evening. Imagine meeting someone you once worked with decades ago, who you’ve never forgotten, but have been away from in a different part of the country. Now, imagine meeting dozens of these folks all at one time, and you’ll begin to understand what this event felt like.”

Click on any photo in this newsletter to learn more. 
The Ohio River as seen from the third floor of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum
The buffet table with the Ohio River in the background.
Diners at the reception enjoy at Southern BBQ dinner.
Artists, filmmakers, and their friends and family, enjoy a delicious dinner from Moonlite Bar B Q.
Before the screening, bluegrass artists and their guests had time for a reception and BBQ dinner on the third floor of the museum, with a great view of the Ohio River. Enlarged frames from the film were hung around the room.
Jody Logan and Darby Drake-Viola in front of a photo of Jody's dad, fiddler Benjamin "Tex" Logan
The Emerson Family & Cody Johnson
The Emerson family from left to right: Sherry, Mike, Lola, Bill (The Country Gentlemen), Cody Johnson
(current owner of Blue Grass Park, where BGCS was filmed) and Billy Emerson
Bobby Osborne chats with Ronnie Reno
Bobby Osborne chats with Ronnie Reno, both of The Osborne Brothers.
Melody Armstrong snaps a photo of Bill Emerson and Eddie Hoyle
Melody Armstrong snaps a photo of Bill Emerson
(The Country Gentlemen) and Eddie Hoyle (Blackwell & Collins).
Bobby Osborne catches up with Jody Logan
Bobby Osborne catches up with Jody Logan.
Ellen introduces herself to Barbara Martin Stevens (Jimmy Martin's widow)
Ellen introduces herself to Barbara Martin Stephens, Jimmy Martin's widow. Bill Emerson
and Alan Munde (Jimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys) are seen in the background.
Akira Otsuka Bluegrass 45 chats with Jody Logan
Akira Otsuka (Bluegrass 45) chats with Jody Logan.
Albert enjoyed a reunion with his filmmaking partners, Rob Henninger and Bob Leonard. When they were in their twenties, they formed the Washington Film Group to document the sights and sounds of a bluegrass festival. Carlton Haney helped by telling his performers, “If you don’t sign a release, you won’t be in the movie.” In return, the filmmakers agreed to set aside a percentage of the film profits for a bluegrass museum on his festival property. Unfortunately, box office revenue for a bluegrass movie in the early 70s was low, and Carlton’s dream for that building never materialized.
Bob Leonard Albert Ihde and Robert Henninger in front of the bluegrass museum
The three members of The Washington Film Group: Bob Leonard, Albert Ihde and Robert Henninger
Before the screening, Albert told the audience, “In 1998, Carlton was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and now, this donation of our 48-year-old film to the museum shows how Carlton’s dream has come true, and his part of the story has come full circle.”
Ellen and Albert during introductory remarks on stage
Ellen and Albert during
introductory remarks
The premiere of the
restored movie begins!
When the end credits rolled, there was enthusiastic, appreciative applause. All of the people who joined our crowdfunding campaign early on had their names listed on that huge screen.
 
Phase One of our project is now complete, and we are well into Phase Two. What’s next?
 
We have a few more video interviews to do, which we’ll be telling you about in upcoming BGCS Newsletters. At the same time, we continue to search for additional funding from people who have a love of bluegrass and the capacity for investing. And we will continue to promote our crowdfunding campaign. Thanks, again, to all our sponsors. This could not have happened without your help and patience. And a very special thanks to all those generous bluegrass artists who continue to support our efforts to widen the reach of bluegrass music for generations to come.
 
As the audience entered the theatre, they passed a poster on which we listed all those in whose name the donation was being made: everyone who performed at Carlton Haney’s 1971 Labor Day festival, the team of filmmakers who worked on the original production, and everyone who has been helping on this Golden Anniversary, Legacy Edition restoration. It’s an impressive group of fantastic, talented, and generous collaborators.
the lobby sign naming participants the 1971 filmmaking crew and the 2019 restoration crew
The sign posted outside the Terry Woodard Theatre listing all the artists, filmmakers,
and members of the restoration team for Bluegrass Country Soul.
Click on the photo to see a readable version of the poster.
Please pass along our web address to everyone you know who loves bluegrass music:
© Copyright 2019 Bluegrass Country Soul