Wheatland Music Festival

Wheatland Music Festival
Genre	Traditional arts and music
Date(s)	Second weekend in September
Frequency	Annual
Location(s)	Remus, Michigan
Inaugurated	1974
Website
Wheatlandmusic.org Facebook page

The Wheatland Music Festival is a music and arts festival organized by the Wheatland Music Organization, a non-profit organization specializing in the preservation and presentation of traditional arts and music. Each year, the organization holds its annual festival during the second weekend in September in Remus, Michigan.

The first Wheatland Music Festival was held August 24, 1974.

History

In the early seventies a small group of Mt. Pleasant Food Co-Op members and local musicians were staging free concerts and benefits around Big Rapids and Mt. Pleasant. Common sites were city parks and public halls. Proceeds enabled the food co-op to pay rent and utilities, barely. Meanwhile some of us were learning the rudiments for organizing indoor and outdoor musical events. There seemed to be just enough help to organize two concerts a month during the summer.

There were only a couple weekend festivals around Mid-Michigan at the time, one in Midland and the Stringbean Memorial in Charlotte. Dick Tarrier told us about the Stringbean Memorial, and the Pine River Valley Boys led us to the festival in Charlotte. There is one bearded fiddler from Remus who will never forget sitting around a campfire at Charlotte with some older bluegrass fiddlers playing, "Listen to the Mockingbird." It is impossible to bottle and sell a jam session, but there are ways to stimulate such foolishness.

Gradually we tried to stir up some interest around Remus to attempt a one-day event and test the waters. Most people laughed at such notions and others were fearful or suspicious as to just what was going on. But the key to our motivation was feeling that enough people would attend a local festival that probably would not attend any of the more popular southern festivals. Mecosta County is not known for its farmers leaving home during the harvest season to travel to a fiddler's convention in West Virginia. So we thought a local old-time music festival would be welcomed.

The secret was getting enough help to make it happen. We also needed a suitable site, entertainment, electricity, a stage, a sound system, refreshments, first-aid, permits and volunteers. With a core group less than a dozen, and the help of a tractor and brush-hog, the wheels were in motion for the First Wheatland Bluegrass Festival as a benefit for the Mt. Pleasant Food Co-Op, August 24, 1974.

The Rhode family offered their farm, located four miles east of Remus on M-20. June Rhodes' utility room became festival headquarters, her backyard was the backstage area, and her sister-in-law's yard across the road was the parking lot. The flatbed trailers were in place along with the first-aid tent, a sound system, and a hotdog stand. Everything was planned to work and we gave it our best effort.

Several hundred people attended the First Wheatland Festival and it did go quite well. Perhaps the single most important attendee was the local postmaster. Before the first festival was even over he had already offered the use of his farm for the next year. The one improvement he could offer was a hayfield instead of corn stubble and dirt. All in all he knew just what the festival idea needed.

Who was that postmaster? And why would he want hundreds of strangers sleeping across his 160-acre backyard? What would his wife have to say about this? Mark and Gladys Wernette were contemplating taking a big step towards an uncertain future. But like their parents, Mecosta County's Alsatian pioneers, Mark and Gladys were committed to what they thought was their civic responsibility and offered to lend a hand.

By 1975 Wheatland was born. Elections were held and the board of directors was established. Many of the first directors are still active in the organization. This can be attributed to their faith in each other and their commitment to community service.

Timeline

1970s

1974

• 1st Wheatland Music Festival (one-day event on Aug 24th)

1975

• Board of Directors Established (May 13)
• Articles of Incorporation filed as "Wheatland Music Organization" (May 29)
• Festival moved to Wernette Farm

1976

• Wheatland Music Festival becomes a 2 day event
• Information tent was born: rented from the Beal City Knights of Colombus

1977

• Wheatland Bylaws are ratified/amended
• Non-Profit Status is awarded
• 1st Wheatlan Music Festival album is produced
• 1st WMO Reunion is held at Central Michigan University

1978

• 1st "Main Stage" is built

1979

• "Our Front Porch" radio show is developed
• Costabella Cloggers make 1st appearance at Wheatland Music Festival
• Public Transportation 1st used at Wheatland Music Festival

1980s

1980

• Day-long textile arts workshops held at Wheatland in March
• 6 Albums are now on Wheatland's Record Label
• 1st Grant was received to host a Community Education Program in October

1981

• 1st WMO Newsletter is established

1982

• WMO purchases their 1st computer
• WCMU Begins taping the music festival

1983 Land purchase: WMO puts $100 down on Gunnison Property

• WMO Sponsors 1st Music Conference
• WMO Begins Old Time Country dances in Mt. Pleasant

1984

• "Our Front Porch" radio show is offeered to National Public Radio
• Land Contract signed to purchase 20 acres from Mark and Gladys Wernette

1985

• Wheatland Cabin is built
• Kids Hill Playhouse is built

1986

• More work done at Kids Hill: 5 picnic tables built along with a wood framed swing and fenced in area for sheep

1987

• A recycling program is introduced at Wheatland
• Wheatscouts program for children begins at Wheatland
• WMO monthly Jamboreed begin at Wheatland

1988

• "Third Stage" Dance Pavilion is built
• WMO added "Inc." to its name
• WMO Logo Trademarked/Patented
• Teen Dance at the Festival is established

1989

• Elyce Fishman Scholarship established
• 1st Wheatland Dance Camp is held over Memorial Day Weekend (May 26–28)
• WMO collaborates with MSU to produce "Michigan In Song" Michigan performers cassettes
• WMO Presented with "Ambassador's Award" by Mecosta County Chamber of Commerce

1990s

1990

• 140 Acres purchased from Mark and Gladys Wernette
• WMO Board develops revised mission statement, bylaws and organizational goals
• WMO Copyright registration process begins
• The Gladys Wernette Classroom Building is built

1991

• Kitchen Building is built
• Wheatland Memberships begin
• Mark and Gladys Wernette celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary

1992

• Information Building is built
• Electricity became available at all work stations and lighting is added to the campgrounds
• Orientation Workshops begin for campground volunteers
• "Peace Train" added to Kids Hill

1998

• Original "Main Stage" is moved to Kids Hill
• The structure now known as "Main Stage" is built

2000s

2001

• The Hospitatlity Building known as the "Post Office" is built in honor of Mark Wernette

Performers By Year

1970's

1974

• Bean Town Valley Ramblers
• Easy Pickins
• Kentucky Grass
• Roy McGinnis and the Sunnysiders
• Pine River Valley Boys
• Tennessee Valley Boys

1975

• GLA Grass
• Kathy Ann and the Sounds of the South
• Kentucky Grass
• Pine River Valley Boys
• RFD Boys
• Stillhouse String Band
• Don Stover and the White Oak Mountain Boys
• Sunset Express
• Williams Family

1976

• Cabbage Crik
• Easy Pickins
• Highwoods String Band
• Pine River Valley Boys
• Mike Seeger
• Stillhouse String Band
• Sweet Corn
• Williams Family

1977

• Bluegrass Extention
• Bluegrass Reunion
• Cabbage Crik
• Alice Gerrard
• Hot Mud Family
• McLain Family
• Red Clay Ramblers
• Jean Ritchie
• Mike Seeger
• Service
• Sounds of the South
• Williams Family

1978

• Patrick Couton
• Kitty Donohoe
• Fall City Ramblers
• Flat Pickers Local No. 169
• Green Grass Cloggers
• Highwoods String Band
• Hot Mud Family
• Lost World String Band
• Joel Mabus
• Wade Mainer
• Martin, Bogan and Armstrong
• New Pine River Valley Boys
• Quackgrass
• Quality Quinn
• Red Clay Ramblers
• Sinclair Bros.
• Swamp Cats
• Jay Ungar and Lynn Hardy
• Vice Versa
• Williams Family

1979

• Backwoods String Band
• Costabella Cloggers
• Patrick Couton
• Dekalb
• Dutch Cove String Band
• Green Grass Cloggers
• Gypsy Gypo String Band
• Henrie Brothers
• Hot Mud Family
• Lost World String Band
• Joel Mabus
• Port City Bluegrass Boys
• Quackgrass
• Red Clay Ramblers
• Reel World String Band
• Jean Ritchie
• Roustabout String Band
• Tracy and Eloise Schwarz
• Mike Seeger and Alice Gerrard
• Sinclair Bros.
• Carl Story
• Williams Family with Jay Round

1980s

1980

• Backwoods String Band
• Tony Barrand
• Costabella Cloggers
• Hazel Dickins
• Fiction Brothers
• Fiddle Puppets
• Henrie Brothers
• Si Kahn
• Lost World String Band
• Michael, McCreesh, and Campbell
• Quackgrass
• Reel World String Band
• Jim Ringer and Mary Caslin
• Roustabouts
• Sweet Corn
• John Turner
• Whetstone Run
• Robin and Linda Williams

1981

• Bosom Buddies
• Wilma Lee Cooper and the Clinch Mountain Clan
• Dance All Night
• De Dannan
• Rick and Maureen Del Grosso
• Fiction Brothers
• Fiddle Puppets
• Henrie Brothers
• Hot Mud Family
• Ken Bloom
• Mulligan Dancers
• Na Cabar Feidh
• Percy Danforth
• Red Clay Ramblers
• Sally Rogers
• Dick Tarrier
• John Turner and the Fiddletree Band
• Whetstone Run
• Williams Family

1982

• Blue Velvet
• Boreal String Band
• Dan Brandon, Rex and Letha Raymond
• Bryan Bowers
• Costabella Cloggers
• De Dannan
• Fiddle Puppets
• Hotfoot Quintet
• Hot Mud Family
• Lost World String Band
• Mulligan Dancers
• New Pairie Ramblers
• Northland College Voyageurs
• Utah Phillips
• Riders In The Sky
• Sally Rogers
• Dick Tarrier
• Will White and Paul Gifford
• Robin and Linda Williams

1983

• Beausoleil
• Sandy Bradley and The Small Wonder String Band
• Major Contay and the Canebrake Rattlers
• Costabella Cloggers
• Jean Denny
• Robert Dodson
• Double Decker String Band
• Fiddle Puppets
• Foot Loose
• Day and Kay Gordon
• Henrie Brothers
• Hot Mud Family
• Lost World String Band
• Joel Mabus
• Na Cabar Feidh
• Reel Union
• Sally Rogers
• Claudia Schmidt
• Mike Seeger
• Dick Tarrier

1984

• O.J. Anderson
• Beausoleil
• Ken Bloom
• Canebrake Rattlers
• Costabella Cloggers
• Double Decker String Band
• Dave and Kay Gordon
• Hot Rize
• Iowa Rose and Riff Raff
• Ira Bernstein
• Si Kahn
• Kinvara
• Red Clay Ramblers
• Red Hot Peppers
• Claudia Schmidt
• Shuffle Creek Dancers
• Sweet Honey in the Rock
• Dick Tarrier
• Trapezoid

1985

• O.J. Anderson
• Dewey Balfa
• Ira Bernstein
• Costabella Cloggers
• Critton Hollow String Band
• Percy Danforth
• Sheila Dailey
• The Dixie Hummingbirds
• Doug dillard Band
• Eclectricity
• Fiddle Puppets
• Cathy Fink
• Friends of Fiddlers Green
• The Horse Flies
• Hot Rize
• Iowa Ros
• Ray Kamalay
• Joel Mabus
• Malone, Carroll, Keane and O'Connell
• Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers
• Rugcutters
• Dick Tarrier

1986

• Ira Bernstein
• Ken Bloom
• Bob Brozman and Brownie McGhee
• The Dixie Hummingbirds
• Lost World String Band
• Reel World String Band
• Riders In The Sky
• Peter Madcat Ruth
• Savoy-Doucet
• Howard "Sandman" Sims
• Skylark
• Rosalie Sorrels
• Pete Sutherland
• Dick Tarrier
• Uncles and the Footnotes
• Robin and Linda Williams

1987

• Chicken Chokers
• Lotus Dickey and Bob Lucas
• Kitty Donohoe
• Fairfield Four
• Fiddle Puppets
• Folktellers
• Green Grass Cloggers
• The Horse Flies
• Denny Jones, Paul Kovac, and Clear Fork
• Kentucky Warblers
• Red Clay Ramblers
• Peter Madcat Ruth
• Johnny Shines, Peter Ostroushko and the Mando Boys
• Volo Bogtrotters

1988

• Ralph Blizard and The New Southern Ramblers
• Greg Brown
• Chicken Chokers
• Les Danseurs de la Rivière-Rouge
• Fiddle Puppets
• Johnny Gimble
• David Holt
• Heartbeats
• Iowa Rose
• Laketown Buskers
• Nashville Bluegrass Band
• LaVaughan Robinson
• Terrance Simien and The Mallet Playboys
• Song Sisters
• The Tannahill Weavers
• Dick Tarrier
• Volo Bogtrotters

1989

• Ira Bernstein
• Ralph Blizard and The New Southern Ramblers
• Delton Broussard and The Lawtell Playboys
• Cephas and Wiggins
• Fiddle Puppets
• Henrie Brothers
• Johnny Gimble
• Howard Levy
• Laurie Lewis and Grant Street
• Joel Mabus
• Memphis Beck and the Red Hots
• Millie Ortego
• Song Sisters
• Sukay
• Wildcats
• Robin and Linda Williams

1990s

1990

• Birmingham Sunlights
• Ralph Blizard and The New Southern Ramblers
• Kevin Burke, James Kelly, and Gerry O'Beirne
• Critton Hollow String Band
• Drummers and Dancers
• Henrie Brothers
• David Holt
• Santiago Jimenez, Jr.
• Laurie Lewis and Grant Street
• North Carolina Blues Revue
• Maura O'Connell
• Rhythm In Shoes
• Saginaw Ojibwe Singers
• Dick Siegel
• Song Sisters
• Volo Bogtrotters

1991

• Howard Armstrong and Ray Kamalay
• Mac Benford and His Woodshed Allstars
• Bone Tones
• Cobb Brothers
• Drummers and Dancers
• Fiddle Puppets
• Holmes Brothers
• Alison Krauss and Union Station
• Lost World String Band
• Tim and Mollie O'Brien
• Old Time Missouri Fiddlers
• Robin Petrie and Danny Carnahan
• Ranch Romance
• Saginaw Ojibwe Singers
• Dick Siegel

1992

• Ira Bernstein
• Bone Tones
• Bryan Bowers
• Cephas and Wiggins
• Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer
• Ginny Hawker and Kay Justice
• Hoosier Humdingers
• Tim and Mollie O'Brien
• Tim O'Brien and the O'Boys
• Old time Missouri Fiddlers and Dancers
• Pashami Dancers
• Porkypines
• Red Mule String Band

1993

• Ira Bernstein
• Bone Tones
• Critton Hollow String Band>
• Dry Branch Fire Squad >
• Feltliners
• Fiddle Puppets with Rodney Sutton
• Heartbeats
• Lonesome River Band
• Joel Mabus
• Peter Ostroushko and Dean Magraw
• Utah Phillips
• Red Mule String Band
• Peter Madcat Ruth and Shari Kane
• Reunited Gospel Echoes
• Sally Rogers and Claudia Schmidt
• Trian
• Volo Bogtrotters
• Robin and Linda Williams with Jim Watson and Kevin Maul

1994

• Kitty Donohoe
• Gospel Warriors
• Indian Creek Delta Boys
• Jive At Five
• John Hartford
• Kapelye
• Lonesome River Band
• Poodles
• Rhythm In Shoes
• Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys
• Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin
• Thundering Cannonballs
• Claude "Fiddler" Williams

1995

• Amaryllis
• Critton Hollow String Band
• Del McCoury Band
• Footworks
• Jive At Five
• Si Kahn
• Los Bandits
• Kate MacKenzie
• Tim and Mollie O'Brien and the O'Boys
• Open House
• Raisin Pickers
• Renegades
• Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys
• Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women
• Samite
• Second Opinion

1996

• Mac Benford and His Woodshed Allstars
• Benoit Bourque and Gaston Bernard
• Ira Bernstein
• Bing Brothers
• Burns Sisters
• Johnny Gimble and Texas Swing
• Laurie Lewis and Grant Street
• Raisin Pickers and Crows Feet
• Red Mules
• Rhythm In Shoes
• Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas
• Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women
• Dick Siegel
• Pop Wagner and Glenn Ohrlin

1997

• Bone Tones
• Continental Divide
• Ramblin' Jack Elliott
• Footworks
• Freight Hoppers
• Johnny Gimble
• Jive At Five
• Los Bandits
• Larry Penn
• Rhythm Rats
• Paul Rishell and Anne Raines
• Schryer Triplets
• Solas
• Rosalie Sorrels
• Gillian Welch and David Rawlings

1998

• Ira Bernstein
• Ralph Blizard and the New Southern Ramblers
• Continental Divide
• Critton Hollow String Band
• De Dannan
• The Dixie Hummingbirds
• Iowa Rose
• Jive At Five
• Joel Mabus
• Tim and Mollie O'Brien with Jerry Douglas
• Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys
• Rhythm In Shoes
• Sally Rogers
• Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women
• Samite
• Robin and Linda Williams and their Fine Group

1999

• Los Bandits
• Barton and Sweeney
• Blues Swingers
• Lee Benoit and the Bayou Stompers
• Cephas and Wiggins
• Guy clark
• The Dixie Hummingbirds
• Footworks
• Freight Hoppers
• Hillbilly Idol
• Improbabillies
• Patty Larkin
• Claire Lynch

2000s

2000

• Howard Armstrong Trio
• Lee Benoit and the Bayou Stompers
• Ira Bernstein and Company
• Blue Highway
• Blues Swingersv
• Guy Davis
• Fat City String Band
• Hillbilly Idol
• Lynn Morris Band
• Tim O'Brien and The Crossing
• Los Pleneros de la 21
• Claudia Schmidt
• Tongue and Groove
• Volo Bogtrotters

2001

• Balfa Toujours
• Barachois
• Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys
• Blue Highway
• Calvin Cooke Sacred Steel Ensemble
• Chief O'Neill's House Band
• Guy Clark
• Stacey Earle
• Footworks
• John Hammond, Jr.
• Ill-Mo Boys
• Tom, Brad, and Alice
• The Whites

2002

• Aztec
• Eric Bibb
• Norman and Nancy Blake
• Clayfoot Strutters
• Geno Delafose
• Rachael Davis
• Johnny Gimble and the Hot Club of Cowtown
• Buddy and Julie Miller
• Millish
• Melvin Mosley and The Spirit of Memphis
• Mountain Heart
• Rhythm In Shoes
• April Verch

2003

• Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys
• Charivari
• The Dixie Hummingbirds
• Donna the Buffalo
• Door Nails
• Grasshoppah
• Josh Graves and Kenny Baker
• Jive At Five
• The Mammals
• Tim O'Brien
• Ramble Shoe
• Red Clay Ramblers
• Rhythm In Shoes
• Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women
• Dick Siegel
• Chris Smither
• Rodney Sutton
• Blake Travis
• Vishten

2004

• Campbell Brothers
• Footworks
• Whit Hill and The Postcards
• King Wilkie
• Louisiana Red
• The Mammals
• Mollie O'Brien and Jive At Five
• Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys
• Darrell Scott
• Solas
• Dale Watson and His Lone Stars
• The Wilders
• Robin and Linda Williams and their Fine Group

2005

• Charivari
• Hillbilly Idol
• Robert Jones
• King Wilkie
• Laurie Lewis
• Maria Muldaur and Her Red Hot Bluesiana Band
• Pierce Pettis
• Red Stick Ramblers
• Rhythm In Shoes
• The Rockinghams
• Steppin' In It
• Le Vent du Nord
• The Wilders

2006

• Seth Bernard and Daisy May
• Ira Bernstein and Riley Baugus
• The Biddies
• Calvin Cooke
• Detour
• The Duhks
• Foghorn Stringband
• Freshwater
• Grada
• Green Grass Cloggers
• Whit Hill and The Postcards
• Hurry The Jug
• Jay and Molly and Their Family Band
• Jive At Five
• Randy Kohrs and The Lites
• Lafayette Rhythm Devils
• Los Bandits
• Pat Madden
• Mamadou Diabate Ensemble
• Michigan Songwriters in the Round
• Mountain Town Moonshiners
• Tim O'Brien
• Sally Potter
• The Ragbirds
• Rootstand

External links

• Wheatland Music Organization