Old-Time & Gee's Bend 2025
At Old Time & Gee’s Bend, quilters, painters, and blacksmiths pursue their work in an encouraging atmosphere while music students fully immerse themselves in Old-Time classes, their days and nights filled with instruction from master musicians and jam sessions. This year, we’re excited to have Sami Braman returning to teach a new Fiddle III class, as well as Kay Justice returning for Guitar and Harmony Singing. We are also excited for the return of painting workshops with Howard Rains.
Afternoon mini classes give all participants a chance to take part in learning something totally new. Guests are also welcome to spend their free time exploring the beautiful nature that surrounds Camp McDowell. At night, all attendees are invited to a concert led by our talented instructors, with an occasional square dance, too! Lodging for this event will be in Bethany Village. Participants will have the option to stay in a Parsley Commons lodge room or a dorm-style cabin. All lodging options include refreshments on opening night and nine meals throughout the weekend starting with Thursday supper and ending with Sunday lunch.
Registration Opens June 2025.
Workshop Offerings:
- Banjo I - Charlie Hunter-Cook
- Banjo II - Allison DeGroot
- Fiddle I - Alice Gerrard
- Fiddle II - Tricia Spencer
- Fiddle III - Sami Braman
- Repertoire - David Bragger & Susan Platz
- Guitar & Harmony Singing - Kay Justice & Kathy Hinkle
- Gee’s Bend Quilting - Mary Ann Pettway & China Pettway
- Ceramics - Brian Cooley
- Painting - Howard Rains
- Goat Milk Soap Making - Laura Spencer
- Blacksmithing - Quinn McKay
PRICING
MUSIC Tuition: $255 | CRAFT Tuition: $280
* additional $25.00 supply fee for blacksmithing paid to instructor upon arrival
LODGING & MEALS
- Lodge Room & Meals for One Person for Three Nights: $450
- Lodge Room & Meals for Two People for Three Nights: $600
- Cabin Bunk Bed & Meals for One Person for Three Nights: $170
- Commuter Fee & Meals for One P e r s o n : $ 8 0
Banjo I with Charlie Hunter-Cook
Banjo 1 is for beginning clawhammer players looking for a friendly, collaborative environment to build confidence and competence. As we learn tunes in a range of tunings, we'll strengthen our foundation and explore the wide variety of right- & left-hand techniques we can deploy to add color and texture to our playing - drop thumbs, double drones, Galax rolls, slides, "chucks", and more. We'll share and discuss strategies for jamming and picking up new tunes, with special emphasis on demystifying the not-so-dark art of learning by ear. And we'll devote time to listening - to recordings, to each other, to ourselves - and sharing the old-time music that inspires and excites us.
This class is designed for players who are comfortable with the basic clawhammer stroke and know at least a few tunes at a moderate tempo.
Charlie Hunter-Cook is a lifelong musician and former Alabama state banjo and fiddle champion. He has been a member of several Birmingham-area stringbands, including Flying Jenny, The Yahoos, and The Whistlebees.
Banjo II with Allison DeGroot
More on this workshop and instructor coming soon.
Fiddle I with Alice Gerrard
More on this workshop and instructor coming soon.
Fiddle II with Tricia Spencer
Seconding First: Understanding the Fiddle Through the Use of Two-Finger Chord Shapes: Tricia will teach her approach to old time fiddle built upon the shortcuts her grandma, Iona Spencer showed her when she was young. These are things every fiddler should know but maybe haven’t picked up along the way. This chord-based approach teaches seconding first and then how to find fiddle tunes in the chord shapes. Tricia will also teach some of her bowing techniques and how they generally apply to fiddle tunes. All levels.
Tricia Spencer is a Kansas fiddler who grew up on her family’s farm learning the tradition of old-time fiddling knee to knee from her grandpa, Vernon Spencer. Tricia is known for her unique approach to seconding on the fiddle and is a multi-instrumentalist, teacher, artist, composer, and author of the book, “the Fiddle Garden,”
Fiddle III with Sami Braman
In our advanced fiddle class, we'll learn a few tunes and focus on bowing/rhythmic articulation as well as tone production. We will practice leading tunes with confidence and actively listening in a jam/stringband setting.
Sami Braman (she/her) has been playing the fiddle since she was 6 years old, coming up amid the music festivals and jamming communities of the Pacific Northwest’s vibrant traditional Old-Time music scene. At 8 she and her long-time musical buddies Leo Shannon and Riley Calcagno formed The Onlies, which plays at festivals and gigs around the country and whose traditional Old Time sound they further refined in 2016 with the addition of acclaimed folk musician Vivian Leva. They won the Clifftop Traditional Band contest in 2017, and again with John Herrmann and Meredith McIntosh as The Ruglifters in 2019. Sami is a buoyant, intuitive, and versatile fiddler who values deep understanding of the stories behind the tunes and seeks inspiration from historically marginalized artists. She now teaches and performs across the U.S. and abroad, primarily with The Onlies and Willie Watson. In her tune-writing, Sami melds creativity with tradition, producing a number of old-time tunes which have made their way into festival sessions across the country. In her teaching, she brings positive engagement and a high standard that encourages and challenges students. Sami recently moved to Nashville, TN, to pursue music full-time. To all her projects Sami brings joyful energy, a driving bow, and an abiding love for the traditional music community which formed her.
Old-Time Repertoire with David Bragger and Susan Platz
David and Susan are excited to present some of their favorite tunes from Appalachia to Arizona in this old-time string band class! Having taught together in the UCLA Old-Time String Band class for nearly a decade, David and Susan have an exciting and effective approach for teaching tunes and covering a lot of ground within a short time. Tunes will be taught by ear and presented with phrase-by-phrase instruction as needed. All fiddle bowing will be clearly demonstrated, and they will also address rhythm and technique for banjo and guitar. Bring your phones or recording devices -- David and Susan will record a concise recap of each tune with notes, bowing, and chords so that you’ll have everything you need to remember the tune later! Join us for some fun tune-catching in an exciting stringband experience!
Traditional fiddler and banjoist David Bragger has become a ubiquitous figure in traditional American folk music. He is a musician, documentarian, UCLA ensemble director, 78rpm record collector, musical festival director and co-founder of the independent folk label Tiki Parlour Recordings. Having learned the “old-time” art of fiddling directly from two generations of traditional masters, David has been passing down these archaic musical secrets and sounds to fiddlers and banjo players worldwide. His critically-acclaimed debut CD Big Fancy instantly put him on the traditional music map and paved the way for his groundbreaking sophomore release. In 2018, he and fiddler Susan Platz released the very first American old-time fiddle duet CD ever recorded: King’s Lament–Old-Time Fiddle Duets. David has also recorded and performed with artists as diverse as Brad Leftwich & Linda Higginbotham, Hog-eyed Man, Rafe Stefanini, Bad Religion, Social Distortion, Paula Poundstone, Greg Graffin, and also provided the banjo and fiddle solos for the western feature film "Gone Are The Days." David has also produced, directed and recorded over 30 CDs and video projects for Tiki Parlour Recordings.
Susan Platz, originally from Illinois, has been singing and playing the violin all her life. She holds a degree in music from Lawrence University, and became a permanent member of the old-time band Sausage Grinder after years of studying fiddle with David Bragger in Los Angeles. Her bowing rhythms and harmonies fit hand in glove with David's fiddle and banjo. Susan serves as the Director’s Assistant in the UCLA Old-Time String Band Ensemble, and is a two-time winner of the Santa Barbara Old Time Fiddlers’ Contest. She is also a powerful singer and has taught old-time yodeling workshops at festivals around the country. Susan and David collaborated to release the first-ever old-time fiddle duet album, King’s Lament. Having forged a powerhouse old-time duo with David, she has been invited to teach and perform fiddle duets across the US and abroad. When she’s not playing music, Susan is a pediatric occupational therapist and has been serving children with special needs and their families for over 7 years.
Guitar & Harmony Singing with Kay Justice assisted by Kathy Hinkle
Singing with the guitar is an intermediate level class with emphasis on guitar techniques used to accompany singing. Lyric sheets will be provided, chord choices will be discussed. Right hand techniques will be demonstrated and taught. Students should be able to play chords in the keys of C,G,A, D, E.
Kay Justice has been playing guitar and singing since the mid 1960's. She is entirely self taught on guitar and enjoys sharing her own approach to playing. She has taught for many years at various camps and retreats and is know for her patient, fun approach to teaching.
Musician and long-time friend of the folk school, Kathy Hinkle, will join Kay to assist with harmony singing. Kathy is a member of the Herb Trotman Band and an active member of the Birmingham Friends of Old-Time Music and Dance. She is a founding member of the Alabama Folk School and served for many years on our advisory board. She brings a joyful, kind presence to our workshops whether leading or learning.
Ceramics with Brian Cooley of Rabbit Fish Ceramics
Rabbit Fish Studio is a small-batch ceramics, printing and painting operation that embraces imperfection, oddness, and flights of imagination. Laura and Brian, owners of Rabbit Fish Studio, believe everyday objects should be fun and interesting, and that having a personal connection to unique items helps us value and care for the things we do have. A couple effort, Brian throws most of our forms on a wheel, and Laura adds design details through the hand carving sgraffito method. Rabbit Fish was started in 2019 in response to people asking, “Can I buy that cup?” and has been growing ever since. As a small batch operation, each piece is unique and hand made, and no two are alike. Invented by Laura and Brian, the Rabbit-Fish blends realities and exists in the liminal space of imagination, in between becoming and reality where anything is possible. The imaginary Rabbit-Fish logo is a pleasantly off-kilter, mischievous symbol of good luck; it’s something we aim to live up to and hope you will too.
Watercolor Painting with Howard Rains
Watercolor for the Untrained Artist: In this class, we will be painting in watercolor, focusing on drawing, composition, and overall conception. We will also learn about other artists. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never painted or if you’ve been painting your whole life. We will approach making art from a non-academic perspective.
Howard Rains is an artist, fiddler, and multiinstrumentalist from Texas, now living in Kansas, who comes from a family rich in music and art. Howard plays rare, old tunes learned from friends, family, mentors, and old recordings. As much known for his painting as his fiddling, Howard paints mostly in watercolor, works in collage, and is also the lead artist and graphic designer for Tiki Parlour Recordings in Los Angeles.
Goat Milk Soap Making with Laura Spencer
In this fun and educational class, you’ll begin by making “melt-and-pour” goat milk soap. You’ll then move on to the more involved method of creating cold process goat milk soap, as well as a small bottle of goat milk lotion. We’ll also incorporate an artistic flair as you’ll each create your own felted soap, and rolled beeswax candles. Each participant will leave with a small lotion, several candles, felted soap, and at least 10 bars of soap for sharing!
Laura owns and operates a family farm and homestead in Marion Junction, Alabama. Simply Making It offers goat's milk soap, skincare products, beeswax candles, and more. Laura crafted her first batch of soap in 2010. What started as a simple next step in her family's effort to become more sustainable, slowly grew beyond family and beyond soap, into a small business that continues today. Every product is handmade using natural ingredients, including milk from Laura's goats, herbs from her garden, and pure essential oils.
Blacksmithing with Quinn McKay
Students will get to make their own belt, hand-cut from a double shoulder hide and forge a set of uniquely styled belt buckles using a variety of forging techniques.
Quinn McKay’s creative energies are rooted in a love of Architecture from an early age, blended with a deep connection to nature. Elements of his designs are inspired by the natural forms around and apart of us as well as the clean lines which we surround ourselves with. Throughout much of his work, the use of nature’s proportions are present. Attending the American College of the Building Arts in Charleston, SC solidified Quinn’s love of forging metal. He celebrates the material in his practice by preserving the natural displacement when forged, leaving the evidence of each manipulation of the material. Acting with this sense of preservation is his homage to the tradition of forging. Through his time spent at ACBA, Quinn explored many different styles within his ironwork taking the most influence from Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts movement. Quinn has experience working in multiple metal shops, most recently Iron Horse Metalworks in Birmingham, AL.
Gee's Bend Quilting Retreat with Mary Ann Pettway and China Pettway
This Gee’s Bend quilting retreat at the Alabama Folk School provides a rare opportunity for quilters to sew alongside two of Alabama's famed Gee's Bend Quilters. China Pettway and Mary Ann Pettway are available to assist with hand and machine-stitching, and share tips for creating in the style of the Gee's Bend tradition. While everyone works, they sing gospel style spirituals and tell stories from their lives in the community of Boykin, Alabama. Quilters bring works in progress or fabric scraps to start something new and enjoy plenty of time to focus on their own projects in the community of fellow quilters.
Mary Ann Pettway is the manager of the Gee's Bend Quilters Collective. She made her first quilt for the collective in the summer of 2005. The seventh of 12 children, Mary Ann Pettway was born and raised in Gee's Bend. After graduating high school in 1975, Mary Ann took college bookkeeping and accounting classes before working in a sewing factory for 20 years. Pettway is one of the lead singers of the Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church and began quilting again after hearing about the trips the quilters of the community went on. "Before I started back to quilting, I was with (friend) Sabrina's grandmother Arlonzia a lot and heard about these trips they would go on (to other cities through The Quilts of Gee's Bend traveling exhibition.) So I told her, "I'm tired of hearing how good of a time y'all are having. I want to start having a good time too." So she told me, "well then start quilting!" And Mary Ann is, thankfully, still quilting today.
In addition to being a famed quilter, China Pettway is one of Gee's Bend's leading gospel singers. Singing is her beloved hobby. She is one of the few Boykin locals who attended college and returned to live in the community. Now a home healthcare provider, Pettway enjoys working with the elderly. "I love my patients and I think they are the most sweet and beautiful people you can meet." China was taught to quilt by her mother, Leola, at the young age of eleven. "We had to quilt until ten at night. Then, she would let us stop and get to bed. That was every evening except Saturday and Sunday. I made my first quilt, it was a 'Star.' And I still have it,” she says. She and Mary Ann began teaching at the Alabama Folk School fifteen years ago.
