If you’re a Durango local, it’s likely you’ve met Carol Clark.
Maybe you met her in the early days of Durango Farmers Market, the now Saturday morning summer staple she started 20 years ago as a Fort Lewis College project in Dennis Lum’s Community Practicum course. Or perhaps you’ve bellied up to the bar at TOAST, her mobile bar for hire; or most recently, maybe she’s served you at The Union Social House, a bar and communal space on north Main Avenue.
Clark’s never been one to shy away from a fundraiser on the organizational end, and Saturday, there’s a fundraiser for her, as she awaits a stem-cell transplant to help her battle multiple sclerosis.
Most of Durango won’t shy away from a fundraiser either, especially if it’s a full-day affair with multiple bands, including sets from Stillhouse Junkies’ bass player Cody Tinnin, Jenn Rawling, La La Bones, Bluegrouse, Six-Dollar String Band, Dead String Band and The Crags.
Many of these bands have kicked around Durango’s music scene for years, save for Dead String Band. Its members, however, have kicked around Durango’s music scene, as members’ past bands include The Clods, Lawn Chair Kings, Jack Ten High and Outta Hand String Band. They’ve come together via Clark’s love of The Grateful Dead, pulling off bluegrass-based versions of tunes from the Grateful Dead catalog.
“This is an opportunity to do a Grateful Dead tribute set,” said Jess Wilton, Dead String Band mandolin player. “Carol’s a Deadhead from way back, and we thought it would be fun to jam. We did a similar thing with The Clods, a couple shows of just Dead music, bluegrass instrumentation style and it was real popular, and we thought it would be a cool thing to do for Carol’s event.”
The Grateful Dead’s history is rich in American music history, its members well versed in traditional folk, early 20th century blues, jazz and bluegrass. Jerry Garcia himself would have likely turned his back on rock ’n’ roll had he gotten his wish to be one of Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys. The Dead String Band are lovers of this type of music, as most of the band grew up digging on The Grateful Dead and their musical history.
“The Dead were a huge inspiration to me. I love the structure of their songs – the chords kind of meander off in different directions, they throw curve balls with it. It led me into bluegrass and old time,” said guitar player Tony Holmquist. “I really enjoy looking into their versions and figuring out American music history. The song ‘Cold Rain and Snow’ is from a banjo player named Obray Ramsey, and Garcia used that version and turned it into a rock ’n’ roll thing. I saw it as a way to study some of the music a bit more.”
There are still scores of bands that continue to play Grateful Dead music and putting their own spins on tunes the Dead put their spin on; it’s a rich part of American music history and a vital part of an Americana canon.
“I think there are so many different elements that are involved in what the Grateful Dead music catalog is,” Wilton said. “Like all the folk music, some of the stuff that we’re going to be playing is old traditional folk songs that have been used by the Grateful Dead over the years and have become Dead standards. I would say it’s such a big thing that it is sort of its own genre.”
Saturday’s fundraiser will also include a silent auction with more than 50 items, with all proceeds going to Clark’s medical expenses.
Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager. Reach him at liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.
If you go
What:
Cody Tinnin, Jenn Rawling, La La Bones, Bluegrouse, Six Dollar String Band, Dead String Band and The Crags play a benefit for local Carol Clark.
When:
2 p.m. Saturday.
Where:
The Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.
Tickets:
$25.
More information:
Visit
.
