So right now I'm in bed with my iPad and it's pouring raining outside ! Great time for a blog eh! Last week was some beautiful weather and I managed to interview 2 important Musicians . Kay Justice of Wytheville, Va. Whom I have had the pleasure to get to know at the local jams here and running into her at some great jams outside of Wytheville too, such as Steve Kelbys Christmas jam. Kay has a beautiful mountain voice and has studied extensively the Carter sisters style. She has also sung with many of her mountain sisters that are from the same style and era. Women such as Hazel Dickens , Alice Gerand and Ginny Hawkins have all been her musical companions and are all well renowned for their rich southern voices and Carteri style playing. Kay , and her partner Joyce, are both lovers of Dashounfs and Kay brought her beloved Bentley to her portrait session at the Reed Creek Farm , here in Wytheville. Kay was such a pleasure to spend time with and such an honor to get to know her better .
I also had a chance to interview young Liam Purcell last week and he arrived with his entire family , who drove all the way from North Carolina to the Reed Creek Farm. It was great to meet his parents , William and Janet and his little brother, Kenyon. Liam plays about every instrument , but ne brought his mandolin, banjo and fiddle to the session. My favorite place to take pictures is the hay loft, at the farm ,as the light is just perfect late in the day and the background is dark and rustic .
Liam is a very charming chap and he was fun to direct and joke with , as we tried different portrait ideas. I had an idea of him juggling his instruments and we did shoot all the elements for this, which will take me some time to create in Photoshop, but I love a challenge and he loved the idea !
Liam said his father suggested music lessons, when he was six ,and that it did not come easily for him at first and that it took a years for him to start catching on. He said that adding more instruments actually increased his understanding of how music works ,and that opened the door for him to learn more easily and feel more passionate about being a musician , which is his main goal in life , to continue and focus on making this his living and his life. Best wishes Liam!
Liam is a very charming chap and he was fun to direct and joke with , as we tried different portrait ideas. I had an idea of him juggling his instruments and we did shoot all the elements for this, which will take me some time to create in Photoshop, but I love a challenge and he loved the idea !
Liam said his father suggested music lessons, when he was six ,and that it did not come easily for him at first and that it took a years for him to start catching on. He said that adding more instruments actually increased his understanding of how music works ,and that opened the door for him to learn more easily and feel more passionate about being a musician , which is his main goal in life , to continue and focus on making this his living and his life. Best wishes Liam!