Museum explores traditional country music

Published 2:00 pm Tuesday, November 5, 2019

WALLA WALLA, Wash. — A program featuring everything from Appalachian Mountains tunes and old gospel songs to cowboy western and honky-tonk hits will liven things up at Fort Walla Walla Museum.

Jimmye Turner and Glenn Morrison, along with five of their band member friends, will share traditional country songs from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. The musicians will bring out a variety of instruments, including banjo, dulcimer, autoharp, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, metal and wooden steel guitars, harmonica and standup bass. Those joining Turner and Morrison to sing and tap their toes are Carrie Hendrix, Kate Hockersmith, Bruce DeLeonard, Trudy Ostby, and special guest Jo Shay.

“Exploring the Roots of Country Music” is Thursday, Nov. 7 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 755 Myra Road, Walla Walla. The doors open at 6:15 p.m. General admission is $10, or $7 for museum members. Light refreshments will be served.

Groups the musicians represent include The RyeGrass String Band, The Jasper Mountain Band, and Grandma and the Boys. As musical historians, Turner and Morrison, along with their tuned-in friends, strive to preserve and share the older songs with younger players and folks interested in traditional American music. In addition, they often mix and match and can be found jamming together with other local musicians at regional sessions.

During the winter schedule, the museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors/students, $4 for kids ages 6-12 and free for those under 6. For more information, call 509-525-7703 or visit www.fwwm.org.