Secondly, here’s what we have coming up:

On Thursday November 20 at 7 p.m. Mama's will be hosting our monthly “Honoring Our Elders” series where local historian Jon Hammond interviews an Elder from our area. This month he will be interviewing Lucille Girado Hicks who is one of the last fluent speakers of the Kawaiisu language and primary teacher of the Nuooah language. She was born and raised in the mountains of Kern Country. She will be discussing the Nuooah language and culture and telling traditional stories in the Nuooah language which Jon will translate for us.

The Pat Strong Trio + 1 will be playing at Mama's at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 21. These local ladies will be performing traditional and original folk tunes.

Mama's is very excited to have John Batdorf playing on November 22 at 7 p.m.. Tickets are $12 presale and $15 at the door. John Batdorf and Mark Rodney were a very successful acoustic rock band signed onto Atlantic records back in the seventies. They opened for such greats as America, Dan Fogelberg, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Fleetwood Mac, The Doobie Brothers and John Prine, just to name a few. John has also sung on recordings by Rod Stewart, Motley Crue, The Jefferson Starship, Berlin, Dwight Yoakum, David Lee Roth and The London Choir Boys. He has recently recorded a new CD with James Lee Stanley ("All Wood And Stones,” a highly original take on early Rolling Stones songs, done acoustically with tight harmonies). Come on down for a great show!

Christine Rosander, jazz singer and more, will be performing at Mama's on Sunday November 23 at 6 p.m.. Tickets are $8 presale and $10 at the door. From the first fiery note to the last whispery phrase, Christine Rosander’s sultry voice grabs hold and doesn’t let go, stirring up yearning and desire long after a song has ended. Christine's strong and sexy style blends playful to poignant influences including the emotion of Rickie Lee Jones, the folk voice of Joni Mitchell, the sophisticated blues of Nina Simone, the storytelling panache of Billie Holiday, the rock-jazz feeling of Donald Fagan, the country pop attitude of the Dixie Chicks, and powerful songwriting influences such as the Beatles, CSNY, Bread, and many more. Each becomes undeniably her own.

On Friday November 28 “Lost Hills” (Archie Logsdon), Kern River Valley poet and songwriter whose music evokes the Southern Sierra region he loves, will again be entertaining audiences at Mama Hillybean's at 7 p.m..

On Saturday November 29 at 7 p.m. we will be having a tribute concert for our dear friend and fellow musician Betty Casey, who passed away in October. Betty was one of those incredible musicians who put her heart and soul into every note that she sang. She had a voice like an old country star and lyrics that would make you weep. We will be celebrating Betty's life and music with a broad array of musicians from the community playing rock, country, folk and more. Please come join us for a night of remembering Betty.

On the first Monday of each month, literary enthusiasts gather at 6:30 p.m to discuss a Nobel Literature prizewinning book and share their impressions, questions, history and interpretations. On Monday December 1, the book being discussed will be “Death in Venice” by Thomass Mann. Please read and join, or if you don't have time to read but would like to join the group and listen in, or suggest future selections, please come by.

Mama Hillybean’s is now open on Sunday’s from 9 to 5! We also have new winter hours: Mondays through Thursdays, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturdays 7 a.m. to 10 p.m..

Jam Night is on Mondays at 7 p.m., hosted by various musicians in the community. Come jam or just listen! Also on Mondays is Art Night. Bring your own materials and collaborate or just do your own thing. We are open to all media.

Every Tuesday at 5 p.m. is Writer’s Workshop. Come prepared with pen and paper, creativity and an open mind. At 7 p.m. is Writer’s Read: spoken word, poetry, creative non-fiction, short stories, songwriting, plays, storytelling and more. Every Wednesday now starting at 6 p.m. is Open Mic Night. Come share your music, poetry, comedy and more…or just listen and enjoy.

Renee lived in Pennsylvania prior to coming to Bakersfield with her parents at age 12. Renee eventually moved back to the Midwest where she married and raised her children until their recent move back to Kern County. Renee has taken employment in her parents’ carpet store in Bakersfield, but decided it was worth the drive from Tehachapi to Bakersfield just to be able to live here.

The whole family is so amazed and happy with the acceptance and friendliness they have found here. Renee said the town they moved from was a small town, with two gas stations, a library, and one pizza shop; now that is small! However, Renee says she has met more nice people in Tehachapi, in just a few weeks, than she met in all the time she lived in that small town in the Midwest. Yes, that’s Tehachapi for you!

Welcome to this new family. We are sure your opinion of Tehachapi will remain positive, as this is a fabulous place in which to live!

Lori McKenzie, her fiancé, Robert, and her daughters, Sarah, 19 and Christina, 13

Cooking and horses, she owns 5 horses, 3 dogs and a bird, are also right up at the top in Lori’s skills or expertise. Her friends tell her she could also become known as the “Culinary Cowgirl”.

Lori has also been very involved in Search and Rescue and Mounted Assistance, when she was living in Trabuco Canyon. Lori is a very vibrant, go-getter, full of energy and enthusiasm. Lori, we welcome you and your family as a great addition to our town, and wish you much success!

Shawna Woods

Shawna’s true love is working as a Certified Coach as girls Head Track Coach at Lancaster High School. Shawna has that forever, fresh, cute, young look for which most of us women would give an eyetooth. On her first day as Head Coach at Lancaster, some of the girls on the team thought she was just one of “the girls”, and began to “test” her ability as a track runner, until they found out she was their coach! The girls were very embarrassed when the boy’s Head Couch came up and called out to Shawna, “Hey coach, how ya doing?” The girls have since become very attached to Shawna and found out that although she is petite, she has a lot of gusto, and packs quite a spirit for their team. Welcome to Tehachapi, Shawna. We’re looking forward to maybe someday getting you involved in our track efforts here.

Thank You Kingston Trio

When “Tom Dooley” by the Kingston Trio burst from our radios in October 1958, my sister dusted off her plastic ukulele and figured out the chords. I gathered up my life’s savings of $18.00 and bought a pea-green, concert-size Stella guitar from Studio City Music near our home. It wasn’t hard to transfer the ukulele chords onto the guitar.

I bought every Kingston Trio album the day it came out, along with the songbooks. They made 10 records in four years, and had five at once on Billboard’s Top Ten list. Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds and Dave Guard became my teen idols. When John Stewart replaced Dave Guard I was devastated at first, but grew to appreciate his songwriting and banjo virtuosity. I never missed a Hollywood Bowl appearance by the Trio.

I still have the records and the songbooks, but the little Stella was traded up for something bigger and better. The Martin I have now is my fifth guitar. (I wish I still had that Stella, however, for old times’ sake.) For the next five years I spent hours holed up in my room learning not only songs from The Kingston Trio, but from others such as Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, The Limelighters, The Weavers, Ian and Sylvia, Judy Collins, and Peter, Paul and Mary.

My story isn’t unique. The Kingston Trio didn’t just popularize our folk music, but our folk instruments, as well. They made it look easy to play and sing and harmonize. Sales of guitars and banjos boomed, and the rich heritage of our acoustic musical traditions was rediscovered, preserved and expanded at a time when it could so easily have been forgotten in the emergence and excitement of new forms of rock music.

It’s been 51 years since “Tom Dooley” topped the pop music charts, and the Kingston Trio is still performing, although with different members. The group was honored last month with the Best of the West award at the Folk Alliance FAR-West Regional Conference, held in Phoenix. Bob Shane, the “Scotch and Soda” man, was there, along with present Trio members Bill Zorn and George Grove.

Of the early Kingston Trio members, only Shane remains. Dave Guard passed away in 1991, and Nick Reynolds and John Stewart both this year. Over the years, the lineup has also included Bob Haworth, Roger Gambill, Pat Horine and Jim Conner. The third member today, along with Zorn and Grove, is Rick Daugherty.

In a question and answer workshop at the conference, Bill Zorn talked about how difficult it was to capture Bob Shane’s rhythm guitar style. It was Shane’s Hawaiian-Calypso style of playing, he said, that was the driving beat of the Kingston Trio sound and gave it such life. It was also the joy in the music and the fun of being together that reached out and grabbed us at the conference in the same way it did when we first heard “Tom Dooley.” After the workshop, I was able to ask Bob Shane for something I have wanted for 50 years – his autograph!

So when you play your bluegrass or country CDs, watch our local acoustic musicians play around town, attend the fiddle contest, or catch a visiting singer-songwriter performance at Mama Hillybean’s, give a nod to the trio of college boys in striped shirts who got us all singing and playing so many years ago.

SUMMIT SINGERS

By Corinne Stone

We’ve put away the Halloween jack-o-lanterns, and we’re planning our Thanksgiving Day feast. And while we’re planning that day of celebration, we’re also beginning to think ahead to the joyful Christmas holidays that quickly follow.

The Summit Singers will help get you ready for Christmas with a warm and wonderful Christmas concert on Saturday evening, December 6. Following past custom, the performance will be held at the First Baptist Church at 1049 South Curry, followed by complimentary homemade desserts.

Many local supporters of the Summit Singers tell us that this concert actually “kicks off” their holiday season. With so many things to do, and the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping and activities, it’s wonderful to have a traditional night of glorious music and relaxation to look forward to.

As always, director Chick Gamble has selected a virtual “palette” of colorful and exciting holiday music, complete with many familiar and beloved pieces, as well as some that may be new to your ear! But whatever your preferences, there will definitely be something to please everyone.

Tickets will be available soon from Summit Singer members and at the following local businesses: Apple Shed, Books & Crannies, Mountain Music, Tehachapi Art Center, and Tehachapi Furniture.

Because of the popularity of the Christmas program, you are urged to purchase your tickets early! Call Corinne at 661-822-3836 with any questions.