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Musicians from Six Counties to Perform Saturday
Musicians from six Southern Virginia counties will donate their talents to benefit the renovation of the Fort Mitchell and Keysville Depots at the second annual Evening of Railroad Music and Songs, on August 18.
The outdoor musical variety show takes place at Green Cove Farm, located 11 miles southeast of Keysville, and nine miles north of Chase City, starting a 1 p.m. and concluding after dark.
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The Buckingham Ling Bar Gang, slated to perform on August 18 at the Evening of Railroad Music and Songs, sponsored by the Friends of the Fort Mitchell and Keysville Depots, Inc, was formed in 1990 following a reunion of former railroad employees organized by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and the Virginia Folklife Program. Press coverage of the reunion sparked interest in the railroad work songs and the Lining Bar Gang was soon organized under the direction of Charles W. White of Buckingham.
The “Gang” demonstrates how railroad tracks were aligned, the final act in track maintenance, prior to the introduction of mechanized equipment in the 1950s and 60s. One group member serves as the caller, offering a two line rhyme in a strong clear voice to synchronize the movements of the other workers who each had to heave his iron bar at the same moment in order to move the enormous weight into place.
Many of the calls are humorous, such as “I’ve got a gal that’s long and tall; sleeps in the kitchen with her feet in the hall” or refer to the backbreaking work “Cap’n, cap’n, can’t you see, linin’ this track is killin’ po’ me.”
During the past 17 years, the group has performed at railroad history events in 12 states, from California to Connecticut and down to Georgia. The original “gang” had 20 members and seven remain. The three performers at the Railroad Music and Songs event, Ashbury Laury, Charles Leftwitch, and Warren Henderson, are re-enactors who are too young to have done this work on the railroad, but all are over 70. CDs of the Buckingham Lining Bar gang will be on sale August 18 at the second annual Evening of Railroad Music and Songs, at Green Cove Farm, 1607 Newcomb Bridge Road, 11 miles southeast of Keysville and 8 miles northwest of Chase City, The event begins at 1 p.m. and concludes after dark. The Lining Bar Gang is scheduled to perform after the 4 p.m. intermission.
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This year’s event includes a rare appearance by the Buckingham Lining Bar Gang who will demonstrate how railroad track maintenance crews used the rhythm of call and response work songs to synchronize their work. The Ling Bar Gang will perform classic railroad “chants” as they lay rails on ties in front of the stage, according to P.K. Pettus, a spokesman for the sponsors, the Friends of the Fort Mitchell and Keysville Depots, Inc..
The first Evening of Railroad Music and Songs last year drew a larger than expected audience and long line up of volunteer musicians, so the hours were have extended, Pettus said. The gate opens at noon, music starts at 1 p.m.
During a musical intermission at 4 p.m., the Southside Tractor Club and other antique tractor exhibitors will parade through the grounds for a tractor “sound off and show off.” The concluding performance is a two and a half hour concert by Backstreet Band from Danville. starting at 7 p.m.
For many guests, Green Cove Farm itself is the star of this show,” P.K. Pettus said. Guests at the event can enjoy fishing, with rods and bait provided, in several of the farm’s many ponds, treks to the trestle where the railroad crosses a tree lined stream, and hayrides across the rolling pastures, lined by miles of white board fence.
Children can take turns riding the “little train” driven by “engineer” Pop Bailey, who manages Green Cove Farm for its owner W.T. Rutledge. Pettus noted that Rutledge has chosen to protect Green Cove Farm through a conservation easement.
All day exhibits will include plans for the renovations of the two Depots and the new regional Tobacco Heritage Trail as well as an extensive collection of cruise in cars.
Picnic foods, including fried chicken, corn on the cob, funnel cakes, fried oreos, hamburgers and more, will be on sale. Admission is $10 per person, children 12 and under free, or $40 per car. Antique tractor and cruise in car exhibitors and musicians registered in advance are admitted fee. No pets or alcohol allowed.
Proceeds from admission and food sales will benefit the renovations of the Fort Mitchell and Keysville Depots, Inc.
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Concert by Backstreet Band to conclude Railroad Music Event.
A two and a half hour concert by Backstreet Band will conclude the second annual Evening of Railroad Music and Songs on Saturday, August 18, sponsored by the Friends of the Fort Mitchell and Keysville Depots, Inc.
The Danville based band has played beach music, rhythm and blues, soul and rock and roll at venues throughout Virginia and the Carolinas for more than 15 years. Current band members, pictured above, are (standing, from left) Mike Brown, drums and vocals; Bill Brown, bass and vocals; Phil Boyd, keyboard and vocals and (kneeling, from left) Brian Parks, vocals, sax, harp and guitar; and Tom Mathewson, sax and viocals. Band members have opened for national acts including the Beach Boys, HanWilliams Jr., the Embers, Chairman of the Board, KC and the Sunshine Band, Black Oak Arkansas, Confederate Railroad, and the Kentucky Headhunters.
The August 18 event takes place at Green Cove Farm, 1607, Newcomb Bridge Road, 11 miles southeast of Keysville and 8 miles north of Chase City. Backstreet Band will play starting at 7 p.m. For more information about Backstreet Banc, visit the website, www.backstreetband.net.
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The schedule on stage is subject to change, but at press time musical performers, in the approximate order of appearance, include: Mount Mitchell Church Male Chorus with Frank Watson, Edward Watson, Jimmy Stewart, Floyd Burton, Frank Watson II, Jerry Bacon and Charles Roberts; Gloryland Quartet, with Dennis and Ann Bailey, Ray and Edith Gryder, Wimpy Creedle, and Ben Lipscomb; soloist John Cook; Bluegrass Country Partners, with Bill Joyner, Julian Bailey, Ronnie Burroughs, Charlie Bradner and Hank Lankford; Shiloh Gospel Choir, with Marvin Harris, Nell Harris, Curtis Harris, Arlene Dailey, Vencentia Williams, Angela Elam, Hazel Lacks, Mary Green, Ezie Elam, Stephanie Hurt, Annie Craighead, Sandra Craighead, Novella Saunders, Audrey Robertson and Lorna Brown, followed by intermission at approximately 4:00 p.m. to allow the antique tractor “sound off and show off.”
The music resumes following intermission with Heartland, including Don and Gloria Adams, Will Wallace, Kent Scruggs, and Ronnie Burroughs; Buckingham Lining Bar Gang with Ashbury Laury, Charlie Leftwitch, and Warren Henderson; soloist Brittany Pasciutta; True Praise, with Marvin Harris, Terrry Orr, Bobby Mcclure, Tracy Mcclure, Vencentia Williams, Melvin Williams, and Leonard Elam; the Nutbush Bullets, with Ronnie Newcomb, Kyle Ramsey, Durwood Ramsey, Tommy Boswell, Bo Newcomb and Brian Parks; Acoustic Bay, with Ronnie Newcomb, Bo Newcomb, W.A. Newcomb, Cindy Rickman and Tommy Boswell.
The final event is a two and a half hour concert by Backstreet Band, a popular band based in Danville that has played beach music, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll at venues throughout Virginia and the Carolinas for more than 15 years. For more information, see their website at www.backstreetnband.net.
For more information about the Evening of Railroad Music and Songs or to register as a musical performer, antique tractor or cruise in car exhibitor, call Barbara Morris, 434-372-0082, Harvey Hudson 434-372-0736, or P.K. Pettus at 434-390-2632.
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Visiting Dr. Marable’s Office at Green Cove Farm.
The second annual Evening of Railroad Music and Songs will take place again this year at Green Cove Farm, south of Fort Mitchell, 11 miles southeast of Keysville and 8 miles north of Chase City.
Since last year’s event, Dr. Marable’s office was relocated and added to the collection of historic buildings at Green Cove Farm.
Inspecting Dr. Marable’s offce are, sitting, from left, Kiara Robletto, Mary-Laurel Parks, and Luke Gee, and standing, from left, Tilly Pasterson, Eva Grace Gee, and Audrey Gee. , and added to the collection of historic outbuildings, at Green Cove Farm. Kiara and Tilly live in Keysville, Mary Laurel lives in Fort Mitchell and Luke, Eva Grace and Audrey live at Rehoboth.
The Evening of Railroad Music and Songs features a variety show of talented musicians, pond fishing with bait and poles provided, hayrides around the farm, treks to the trestle and rides on the “little train.” It starts at 1 p.m. and concludes at dark. Admission is $10 per person, children 12 and under free, or $40 per car.
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Click on depot images to see full scale version. Click on Celebration Site for detailed directions.
"Who are the Friends? Why Save the Depots?"
Friends of the Fort Mitchell and Keysville Depots, Inc Phone 434-390-2632 • P.O. Box 4, Keysville, VA 23947
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