Interview with Herb Applin, October 13, 2007

Partial Transcript: Hi, my name is Dick Bowden and I'm from the state of Maine. A longtime Bluegrass fan and Bluegrass picker around New England.

Segment Synopsis: Herb Applin is introduced. He discusses the history of country music in the Boston area in the 1940s. He describes his mother and father, his siblings, and says that he was the only person in the family with an interest in music.

Keywords: 1938; 1940s; Boston (Mass.); Brothers; Family; Fathers; Hayloft Jamboree (Radio program); Lilly Brothers & Don Stover (Artist); Lilly Brothers (Artist); Lilly Brothers and Don Stover (Artist); Mothers; Nova Scotia; Sisters; WCOP (Radio station); Watertown (Mass.)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Country music.; Families.; Radio programs.; Radio stations.

Partial Transcript: And, uh, you've already mentioned that, uh, in the 1940s when you were a young fellow there was a lot of country music on the radio.

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks about beginning to play music during his childhood in the school orchestra. He talks about what inspired him to choose a stringed instrument. He talks about taking lessons and focusing on classical music before hearing Bluegrass music and becoming "irrevocably hooked" on that style.

Keywords: Benny Martin (Artist); Boston (Mass.); Bragg, Nelson; Classical music; Drums; Emcees; Everett Lilly (Artist); Flatt & Scruggs (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Friends; Grand Ole Opry (Radio program); Hayloft Jamboree (Radio program); Inspiration; Learning to play; Lessons; Lilly Brothers & Don Stover (Artist); Lilly Brothers (Artist); Lilly Brothers and Don Stover (Artist); Lilly, Everett (Artist); Martin, Benny (Artist); Milo (Me.); Milo, Maine; Musical styles; Nelson Bragg; Nursery schools; Orchestras; Playing music; Pop music; Records; Schools; Sound; Stringed instruments; Symphony Hall; Techniques; Violins; WCOP (Radio station)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Country music.; Music--Instruction and study.; Musical ability in children.; Musical instruments.; Radio programs.; Radio stations.

Partial Transcript: Well, so, uh, we've established you were, uh, learning to play the violin, you heard the Lilly Brothers on WCOP...

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks about when he began to play Bluegrass music himself. He talks about meeting Joe Val and beginning to practice and play as a duo. He talks about the Bluegrass and folk music scenes when he was in college. He talks about switching instruments based on the needs of the band.

Keywords: 1950s; Banjo players; Banjo-mandolin; Banjos; Berkshire Mountain Boys (Artist); Bill Keith (Artist); Bluegrass fans; Boston (Mass.); Club 47; College campuses; Concerts; Duets; Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Fiddles; Fletcher, Phil (Artist); Folk music; Folk music scene; Friends; Gigs; Guitar players; Guitars; High schools; Jim Rooney (Artist); Joe Val (Artist); Keith, Bill (Artist); Learning to play; Lilly Brothers & Don Stover (Artist); Lilly Brothers (Artist); Lilly Brothers and Don Stover (Artist); Mandolin players; Mandolins; Phil Fletcher (Artist); Playing music; Rooney, Jim (Artist); Shows; Singing; University of Maine; Val, Joe (Artist); Wife; Wives

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Country music.; Music--Instruction and study.; Music--Performance.; Musical ability in children.; Musical instruments.; Musical performance; Practicing (Music)

Partial Transcript: Um, one thing that, one thing that happened: uh, in 1958, Everett Lilly left Bea and Don Stover...

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks about some of the bands and musicians that influenced him, including Flatt & Scruggs, The Lilly Brothers & Don Stover, and Bill Monroe, among others.

Keywords: Anthony, Chubby (Artist); Bea Lilly (Artist); Bill Monroe (Artist); Chubby Anthony (Artist); Everett Lilly (Artist); Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Fiddles; Flatt & Scruggs (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Friends; Influences; Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Joe Val (Artist); Lilly Brothers & Don Stover (Artist); Lilly Brothers (Artist); Lilly Brothers and Don Stover (Artist); Lilly, Bea (Artist); Lilly, Everett (Artist); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Musical styles; Osborne Brothers (Artist); Records; Sound; Style; Val, Joe (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Instruction and study.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Practicing (Music)

Partial Transcript: Very good. If, if you would mention, uh, what else was going on in the, uh, Boston, uh, music scene in the late 1950s?

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks about the popularity of Bluegrass music in Boston and the New England area during his early career. He talks about various musicians in the area, as well as the Hayloft Jamboree and Hillbilly Ranch.

Keywords: Boston (Mass.); Busby, Buzz (Artist); Buzz Busby (Artist); Clement, Jack (Artist); Everett Lilly (Artist); Hayloft Jamboree (Radio program); Hillbilly Ranch (Venue); Jack Clement (Artist); Lilly Brothers & Don Stover (Artist); Lilly Brothers (Artist); Lilly Brothers and Don Stover (Artist); Lilly, Everett (Artist); New England; Popularity; Reputations; Rock 'n' roll; Rock music; Salary; Scotty Stoneman (Artist); Stoneman, Scotty (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Instruction and study.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Practicing (Music); Radio programs.

Partial Transcript: Well, so we've established that you got to, uh, start playing music with this, with this gang of early Bluegrassers in the Boston area.

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks more about his musical influences, focusing primarily on the Louvin Brothers. He talks about his six year military service in the Reserves after finishing college. He talks briefly about seeing shows at Sunset Park, including Flatt & Scruggs.

Keywords: Army Reserves; Banjo players; Banjos; Blue Sky Boys (Artist); Bluegrass fans; Boston (Mass.); Charlie Louvin (Artist); Concerts; Duets; Flatt & Scruggs (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Gigs; Guitar players; Guitars; Ira Louvin (Artist); Joe Val (Artist); Louvin Brothers (Artist); Louvin, Charlie (Artist); Louvin, Ira (Artist); Mandolin players; Mandolins; Military service; Monroe Brothers (Artist); National Guard; Reserve forces; Shows; Songs; Sunset Park; University of Maine; Val, Joe (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Instruction and study.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Practicing (Music)

Partial Transcript: Well, I know you want to, uh, talk about the, the days in the early sixties when, when you and Joe were starting to circle around...

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks about continuing to play as a duet with Joe Val into the 1960s. He talks about the formation of The Old Time Bluegrass Singers and the founding members of the band.

Keywords: 1960s; Banjo players; Banjos; Bob French (Artist); Charles River Valley Boys (Artist); Coffeehouses; Concerts; Duets; Early sixties; Everett Alan Lilly (Artist); French, Bob (Artist); Gigs; Joe Val (Artist); Lilly, Everett Alan (Artist); Mandolin players; Mandolins; Musical styles; Shows; Sound; Style; The Old Time Bluegrass Singers (Artist); Traditional; Traditional music; Val, Joe (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Uh, Herb, also in the, in the 1960s you, you mentioned that you and Joe were doing some duets...

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks about some of his first recording experience: the album "Bluegrass Livin' on the Mountain" with Bill Keith and Jim Rooney. He talks about the instruments used in that recording and the other musicians involved.

Keywords: Albums; Bill Keith (Artist); Bluegrass Livin' on the Mountain (Album); Boston (Mass.); Breaks, musical; Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Guitar players; Guitars; Herb Hoovin (Artist); Hoovin, Herb (Artist); Jim Rooney (Artist); Jimmy Martin (Artist); Joe Val (Artist); Keith, Bill (Artist); Martin, Jimmy (Artist); Muleskinner Blues (Song); Musical styles; Pedal steel guitars; Rooney, Jim (Artist); Singers; Singing; Sound; Style; Val, Joe (Artist); Washtub bass

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well let's talk a little bit about how in the, in the late sixties you had mentioned that you and Joe and Bob French were beginning to get together.

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks about the differences in styles between generations of Bluegrass musicians and discusses his preference for the traditional style. He talks about finding the fourth member for The Old Time Bluegrass Singers, Bobby Tidwell. He talks about playing one of Carlton Haney's shows. He talks about renaming the band to Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys and recording the first Bluegrass album for Rounder Records.

Keywords: Albums; Band members; Bass players; Bassists; Bluegrass fans; Bob French (Artist); Bobby Tidwell (Artist); Carlton Haney; Coming on Strong (Song); Driven; French, Bob (Artist); Generations; Haney, Carlton; Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys (Artist); Joe Val (Artist); Joe Val and the New England Bluegrass Boys (Artist); Musical styles; Rounder Records; Schedules; Songs; Sound; Style; The Old Time Bluegrass Singers (Artist); Tidwell, Bobby (Artist); Traditional music; Traditional style; Travel; Val, Joe (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: So in that second album there was already a transition going on and I know you came out of that...

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks about joining Don Stover & the White Oak Mountain Boys and recording the album "My Blue Ridge Memories."

Keywords: Albums; Bluegrass festivals; Concerts; Dave Dillon (Artist); Dillon, Dave (Artist); Don Stover & the White Oak Mountain Boys (Artist); Don Stover (Artist); Don Stover and the White Oak Mountain Boys (Artist); Gigs; My Blue Ridge Memories (Album); Personality; Shows; Stover, Don (Artist); Transitions

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well, I know in the 1980s you also formed your own band and toured

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks about forming his own band, the Berkshire Mountain Boys. He talks about the band members and their album, "Just Fought Tonight."

Keywords: Albums; Bea Lilly (Artist); Berkshire Mountain Boys (Artist); Dave Dillon (Artist); Dillon, Dave (Artist); Joe Val (Artist); Just Fought Tonight (Album); Lilly, Bea (Artist); Paul Silvias (Artist); Roger Williams (Artist); Silvias, Paul (Artist); Val, Joe (Artist); Williams, Roger (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well, uh, just want to circle back a little bit.

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks about how he continued to play as a duet with Joe Val throughout their separate work with various bands. He talks about why they did not end up touring Europe, despite being invited. He talks about their duet arrangements.

Keywords: Albums; Appearances; Arrangements; Coffeehouses; Day jobs; Duets; Europe; Everett Alan Lilly (Artist); Joe Val (Artist); Lead; Lilly, Everett Alan (Artist); Radio programs; Radio shows; Tenor; Touring; Tours; Val & Applin (Artist); Val and Applin (Artist); Val, Joe (Artist); Yodeling

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Records.

Partial Transcript: Well, let me, uh, just ask, uh, one more question about this period when, uh, you began to have the Berkshire Mountain Boys.

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks more about switching instruments based on the needs of the band he was playing with at the time. He talks about playing fiddle, mandolin, and guitar at various times.

Keywords: Albums; Bea Lilly (Artist); Berkshire Mountain Boys (Artist); Dave Dillon (Artist); Dillon, Dave (Artist); Everett Lilly (Artist); Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Fiddles; Guitar players; Guitars; Lilly, Bea (Artist); Lilly, Everett (Artist); Mac McHale & the Old-Time Radio Gang (Artist); Mac McHale and the Old-Time Radio Gang (Artist); Mandolin players; Mandolins; Practice

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Instruction and study.; Musical instruments.; Practicing (Music); Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well, Herb let's, uh, let's try and hit on a couple of good stories.

Segment Synopsis: Applin tells a story about sitting in for Everett Lilly and Scott Stoneman when they were playing at Hillbilly Ranch. He talks about musicians' nicknames. He talks about his disappointment that the Lilly Brothers never "made it big" and talks about their struggles in the music industry.

Keywords: "Jesse James"; "The Colonel"; Bars; Bluegrass festivals; Boston (Mass.); Careers; Concerts; Death; Demand; Don Stover (Artist); Everett Lilly (Artist); Family; Famous; Festival circuit; Filling in; Finances; Gigs; Hillbilly Ranch (Venue); Lilly Brothers & Don Stover (Artist); Lilly Brothers (Artist); Lilly Brothers and Don Stover (Artist); Lilly, Everett (Artist); Mandolin players; Mandolins; Nicknames; Poverty; Quitting; Scotty Stoneman (Artist); Shows; Stoneman, Scotty (Artist); Stover, Don (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical instruments.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Well, Herb, let's, let's talk just a little bit about, uh, uh, your retirement and your family now.

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks about retiring from his day job as an accountant. He describes his family, including his wife, children, and grandchildren. He describes some of his instruments, including his fiddle and mandolin. He talks about some of the crafters who make instruments.

Keywords: Accounting; Bill Monroe (Artist); Building; Careers; Children; Daughters; Day jobs; Everett Lilly (Artist); F.O. Stanley; Family; Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Fiddles; Gibson F4 mandolins; Grandchildren; Handmade; Lilly, Everett (Artist); Mandolin players; Mandolins; Monroe, Bill (Artist); Playing music; Professions; Retirement; Round-holed mandolins; Stanley, F.O.; The Old Time Bluegrass Singers (Artist); Violins; Wife; Wives; Woodworking

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Families.; Music--Performance.; Musical instrument makers.; Musical instruments.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Herb, let's, uh, let's, uh, kind of summarize a little bit.

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks about the differences in Bluegrass during his early days and now and discusses the current focus on the guitar as a solo instrument.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Blending; Future; Guitar players; Guitars; Harmony; Musical styles; Solo instruments; Sound; Style; Traditional music; Traditional style; Working together

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical instruments.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Well that's probably a good place to, uh, to close and, uh--just with one final question, Herb.

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks about his legacy being the friendships he made in the Bluegrass industry. He briefly mentions how he met his wife.

Keywords: Bob Denincourt (Artist); Bob Fraker (Artist); Bonnie Scott; Conventions; Denincourt, Bob (Artist); Don Stover (Artist); Fraker, Bob (Artist); Fraker, Lillian (Artist); Friendships; Hillbilly Ranch (Venue); International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA); Legacies; Legacy; Lillian Fraker (Artist); Margaret Scott; Married; McGill, Terry (Artist); New England; Scott, Bonnie; Scott, Margaret; Stover, Don (Artist); Terry McGill (Artist); The Old Time Bluegrass Singers (Artist); Wife; Wives

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass musicians; Families.; Marriage

Partial Transcript: Herb, I'd like to ask you about the people you're playing Bluegrass music with now.

Segment Synopsis: Applin talks more about his current band, The Old Time Bluegrass Singers, and the band's current members.

Keywords: Bob Fraker (Artist); Bowden, Dick (Artist); Dick Bowden (Artist); Fraker, Bob (Artist); Fraker, Lillian (Artist); Lillian Fraker (Artist); Talent; The Old Time Bluegrass Singers (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Herb, another question that has come up: uh, a lot of folks sometimes are a bit skeptical or doubtful...

Segment Synopsis: Applin discusses why he believes "Yankees" or Northerners can play the sentimental Bluegrass songs. He also talks about playing "fun" songs, and his unique twist on the song "Take My Ring From Your Finger."

Keywords: "Yankees"; Fun songs; Influences; Joe Val (Artist); Louvin Brothers (Artist); Lyrics; Melodramatic; Northerners; Sad songs; Sentimental; Singing; Songs; Southern; Take My Ring From Your Finger (Song); Tragic songs; Val, Joe (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Okay, which instrument is this now?

Segment Synopsis: Applin shows off his fiddle, mandolins, and guitar, explaining the history of each instrument.

Keywords: 1879; 1914; 1940; Blending; F.O. Stanley; Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Fiddles; Gibson F4 mandolins; Guitar players; Guitars; Mandolin players; Mandolins; Martin D28; Sound; Stanley, F.O.; Style; Woodworking

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Instruction and study.; Musical instruments.

Partial Transcript: Alright, who we got here, Herb?

Segment Synopsis: Applin shows off some photos of various Bluegrass musicians, naming each person in the photographs.

Keywords: Bea Lilly (Artist); Berkshire Mountain Boys (Artist); Bill Hall (Artist); Bill Sage (Artist); Bob French (Artist); Bobby Tidwell (Artist); Bowden, Dick (Artist); Butch Deforge (Artist); Dave Dillon (Artist); Dearborn, Howard (Artist); Deforge, Butch (Artist); Dick Bowden (Artist); Dillon, Dave (Artist); Don Stover (Artist); Everett Lilly (Artist); French, Bob (Artist); Hall, Bill (Artist); Heathwood, Tom (Artist); Herb Hoovin (Artist); Hillbilly Ranch (Venue); Hoovin, Herb (Artist); Howard Dearborn (Artist); Joe Val (Artist); John Paganoni (Artist); Leon Poindexter (Artist); Lilly Brothers & Don Stover (Artist); Lilly Brothers (Artist); Lilly Brothers and Don Stover (Artist); Lilly, Bea (Artist); Lilly, Everett (Artist); Paganoni, John (Artist); Photographs; Photos; Poindexter, Leon (Artist); Sage, Bill (Artist); Stover, Don (Artist); The Old Time Bluegrass Singers (Artist); Tidwell, Bobby (Artist); Tom Heathwood (Artist); Val, Joe (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Alright, what's this recording?

Segment Synopsis: Applin shows off some of the albums he recorded and names the other musicians pictured on the albums. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Albums; Art Stamper (Artist); Berkshire Mountain Boys (Artist); Bill Hall (Artist); Bill Keith (Artist); Bluegrass Livin' on the Mountain (Album); Bob French (Artist); Bobby Tidwell (Artist); Dave Dillon (Artist); Dearborn, Howard (Artist); Dillon, Dave (Artist); Don Stover (Artist); French, Bob (Artist); Gray, Tom (Artist); Hall, Bill (Artist); Herb Hoovin (Artist); Hoovin, Herb (Artist); Howard Dearborn (Artist); Jim Rooney (Artist); Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys (Artist); Joe Val (Artist); Keith, Bill (Artist); Mac McHale & the Old-Time Radio Gang (Artist); Mac McHale and the Old-Time Radio Gang (Artist); My Blue Ridge Memories (Album); One Morning in May (Album); One Morning in May (Song); Quartets; Rector, Red (Artist); Red Rector (Artist); Rooney, Jim (Artist); Rounder Records; Stamper, Art (Artist); Stover, Don (Artist); The Old Time Bluegrass Singers (Artist); Tidwell, Bobby (Artist); Tom Gray (Artist); Val, Joe (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing