HOMEGROWN MUSIC...AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS!

Image Gallery Marc Bristol and other Washington State grassroots musicians wail away an a gut-bucket, washboard, and jug (the axe is a gay) For Marc s original homegrown Mum,- column-which featured gutbucket, washboard, jug, kazoo, musical saw. and spoons ''makin"" and playin instructions?see MOTHER NO 50. Inset shows gutbucket ""notch and bevel ''details.

by MARC BRISTOL

And that's what this column is all about. Down-home music that you can make ... and the instruments (which, in some cases, you can also make!) to play that music on.

We may also publish some songs, discuss music as a potential home business, run discographies, bibliographies, and/or include whatever other do-it-yourself music topics you'd like to see.

The important thing is that this is a new column. If you like it, write to me and let me know. If you have some ideas for this feature, let me know that. I'm open to any suggestions or information you care to contribute. I'll even try to answer your questions about down-home music ... but-both for the benefit of all MOTHER's readers and to ease my correspondence load-I'll deal with those questions, whenever possible, here in this column ... rather than in personal letters. address your correspondence for this column and this column only-to Marc Bristol, 31722 N.E. 180th Place, Duvall, Wash. 98019.

If you happen to be up in my neck of the woods this Memorial Day weekend, be sure to drop by Seattle, Washington and catch the Northwest Regional Folk-life Festival. This four-day musical extravaganza will feature fiddlers, folk singers, string bands, traditional Indian dancers, and more! I can just about guarantee that anyone who's able to attend will have a strummin' and pickin' whale of a time!

Of course, not many of you musicmakin' MOTHER readers are likely to be in my specific corner of the U.S. on that particular weekend ... but-then again-our Northwest get-together will hardly be this year's only musical gathering. Lucky for all of us, more than a thousand fine festivals will be held- all over North America-in '79. So the chances are good that at least one of these foot-stompin' hootenannies will be taking place just a guitar pick's throw away from you!

And, if you can locate a festival within range of your vehicle and budget, do make it a point to get there. Such shindigs will include everything from flat-picking championships to autoharp workshops, are generally held out in the fresh air, and often even feature "open microphone" times ... when anyone (and that might mean you) can get up and play a tune! Nine times out of ten, though, the planned activities-no matter how great they may be-end up taking a back seat to the spontaneous showside jam sessions that are typical of large musical "happenings".