Making music in Ivanhoe

By AMANDA EVANS/Correspondent

Everyone comes for the music. 

On any given Friday night, the streets of Ivanhoe are filled with the twang of a banjo, a line or two from an Earl Scruggs tune and an organ reverberation that rivals even the most rehearsed church. 

“Music, music, music,” said Bill Coleman, a World War II veteran who drives 125 miles from Eden, N.C., every Friday to join in the fun.  “I’ll miss one once in a while,” he admitted, claiming he doesn’t much like to drive in the winter snow.  The almost 85-year-old—“12 days older than Ralph Stanley,” he pointed out—said as long as his car runs and the money’s in the bank, he’s there.  He often comes up to events in Fries or other bluegrass jams in the area and heard about Ivanhoe some time ago—he couldn’t quite remember how.    

 “We hope our music is unique,” said Hazel Dilley, “not just a jam, not just bluegrass.”

“We get a little of all of it,” said regular attendee Bonnie Walke, “bluegrass, old-time, western, gospel—There’s a little something for everybody.”

Anyone is invited to come and bring whatever instrument he might play, whether it be an egg shaker, a kazoo, or hands, and join in. 

“It’s mostly just a bunch of country boys,” Walke said.  “That’s where you find your good music.”

The regular musicians have stage names, mostly determined on a case-by-case basis by Charlie Blair, who organizes the event each week.  There’s no science or method to coming up with the handles, Blair said, it’s just whatever fancy strikes him or what kind of music they usually play—Kent “Hank Snow” Vaughan, Roger “Chubbywise” Weatherman and Luther “Willie Nelson” Hardin, who made his debut performance this past Friday night. 

He played Johnny Cash, but Blair thought he might make a good Willie Nelson.  So that was that.  Luther “Willie Nelson” Hardin. 

 “These guys can flat-out pick,” said Kent Vaughan, who trades in his Wythe County Sheriff’s uniform for blue jeans and a microphone on Friday nights. “We just get together and have a big ol’ time.” 

Although they’ve been hosting the music jam in the old post office for the past year or so, the hoedown has been happening for a couple decades.  Longtime Ivanhoe resident and retired teacher Al Pope started the get-togethers about 20 years ago in his own backyard. 

A favorite local music legend, Gussy Ingo drew crowds from all over the area who came just to hear him play. 

“All you had to do was open the house and get Gussy there,” Pope said nostalgically.  “We miss him.” 

A few years ago, Ingo died and with his passing, the Ivan Hoe Down died down a little, too. 

It was at the encouragement and work of Blair that the plucky sound of a Gibson guitar began serenading the streets of Ivanhoe once again. 

“It takes a lot of talent and energy to keep something like this going,” Pope said, dubbing Blair a “musician extraordinaire.” 

“Charlie can play every instrument he picks up,” Dilley said, a fact everyone else in the room confirmed, even before he rapped on the snare drum, played the hymn “Lighthouse” on the organ and picked a bluegrass song or two on the guitar.

“Oh, I just scratch a few notes now and then,” Blair grinned, shrugging his shoulders before moving on to adjust the microphones for and announcing the next musician.  Every musician on this stage, as Blair puts it, is “world famous.”

They haven’t missed a Friday night since getting the gig back together last December.   Throughout the year, Blair has made repairs to the building—a fresh coat of paint, a new roof and a hand-built stage, which has held as few as 21 people and packed in as many as 67. 

There’s no drinking, no cussing and no smoking allowed, although a little chewing tobacco might make its way in every now and again.

There’s no cover charge, but a big pickle jar sitting on an end table collects a few donations, if goers are so moved.  And if they stay long enough to hear each night’s closing hymn, “How Great Thou Art,” then they just might be.  

“Then sings my soul…”