Molasses Creek's Woodsongs Adventure . . .and we announce the winner of the Ocracoke visit!

Bigum TV Stars!

Hello there dear friends,

We know that you are itching to find out if you were the winner of the week's stay on Ocracoke!  (No? . . . Ah well, I guess we will just put it at the end of the newsletter then . . .).  Now back to our news.

 Normally around Thanksgiving time Molasses Creek is having a little bit of a break, but this year we had a very busy November.  The second weekend of the month we traveled to the small town of Belhaven, NC for the opening of a fabulous new gallery and restaurant called the Spoon River Artwork and Market. 

Inside the Spoon River Artwork & Market

 The next day our hosts took us to their family flower farm, the Terra Ceia Farms.  This business was established in 1943 by Leendert Van Staalduinen, an emigrant from Holland.  Today the farm has 250 acres dedicated to cut flowers and a nursery.  Read more about their fascinating history at www.terraceiafarms.com. Thanks so much to Teresa, Mark and Jennifer for the warm hospitality!  If you are traveling through eastern NC, make sure to plan a stop at the Spoon River for an incredible culinary experience!

Bulb selection at the Terra Ceia Farm Shop

 On Saturday night we performed for a private event at the North Carolina Estuarium in Washington, NC.  On our way to the performance we had a few hours to stop by the Goose Creek State Park for a hike. 

 

AH! IT'S BLACKBEARD'S HEAD! . . no wait a minute!  Hey!

Lou and Marcy reliving the Hair Band days

A visit to the Coffee Caboose in Washington, NC

And we thought there were big crabs in Lake Mattamaskeet!

Alternative Energy at work at the NC Estuarium

After the evening's performance we hoofed it to Burlington for an overnight with family.

On Sunday morning we rendezvoused with Gerald and loaded up the van for an eight hour trip to Lexington, KY, home of the Woodsongs Radio Show.  Along the way we stopped at the Tamarack Center in West Virgina.  If you are traveling along I-77, then a stop in at this place is a must.  West Virginia has gathered together the work of 500 juried artisans from across the state . . .potters, glass blowers, blacksmiths, weavers, basket makers, woodworkers, musicians . . . there are even workshops where you can observe the artists in action.

 Sunday night, the band arrived in safe and sound at the home of Brian Wade, a longtime friend of Marcy Brenner.  We tucked into bed and sprung out early to journey to the studio of WKYT CBS to film a vinette to promote the evening's Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour show. 

When are they letting Fiddler Dave out of jail? OH! This is the TV Station!

Setting up.

And now a word from our sponsor, Dapper Dan!

By 4 PM in the afternoon we had arrived at the Kentucky Theater, in Lexington where volunteers were scurrying about setting up for the radio show.  Molasses Creek met the other band Caravan of Thieves (incredible group . . . check em out at www.caravanofthieves.com) and show host, Michael Jonathan who walked us through the evening's gameplan.

 

The biggest surprise was when John Lennon accidentally walked into Gary's dressing room!

 

Our little magic corner of the stage.

NASA . . .we have liftoff!

Although Woodsongs is performed in front of a live audience of 200-300, the main audience are the millions of listeners who have their ears to the radio across the country.  The show aired live on the web and will broadcast in about two months out to 500 radio stations and in about 90 million households through radio and public television.  After the show, we hung out with Michael at a local restaurant, swapping stories and hearing about his childhood growing up next door to this crazy banjo player (Pete Seeger).

On Tuesday and Wednesday we caravaned back to Ocracoke, arriving just in time for Thanksgiving oysters and the Ocrafolk Festival Thanksgiving Fundraising Concert (raised $3197 this year!). 

December is in full swing now, and we have already run through the Ocracoke Community Christmas Concert, Wassailing at the Ocracoke Preservation Society, and Library Cookie Swap.  

"Davu Doris, Davu Doris, Welcome Welcome Christmas Cheer!"

Xmas at the Ocracoke Preservation Society

We have also been hard at work in the studio on our 13th Molasses Creek album.

GET THAT AWAY FROM HIM!! WHO GAVE FIDDLER DAVE THE BIG MIKE??!!!

"Is this the party to whom I'm speaking?" (Marse auditions for the role of the operator)

(I can't believe I'm trying to be a serious musician around these people)

Upcoming Performances

Hope that you folks will come on out to First Night Williamsburg (Monday, December 31).  Molasses Creek will be stationed this year along side our friends in the The Company Store at the Williamsburg United Methodist Church, New Fellowship Hall.  The Company Store will play at 6, 8 & 10 PM and Molasses Creek at 7, 9, & 11 PM.  Visitors to First Night buy a button pass that will get them in to any of the 40+ performances held throughout the town. 

In January, we will be at the Americana Stage in Morganton, NC (Saturday, January 12), at the Rooster's Wife in Aberdeen, NC (Sunday, January 13), and in concert with the Outer Banks Forum for the Lively Arts in Kill Devil Hills (Saturday, January 26).

Holiday order specials these next two weeks!

Order $30 or more from the Molasses Creek store and receive free shipping through the end of next week (Friday, December 18).  All orders will be send out First Class USPS (with Highway 12 compromised in Hatteras that is as fast as it goes!). Visit the Molasses Creek store at www.molassescreek.com/store.cfm.

Drumroll please!

And now, the moment you have been waiting for, sort of.  The winner of our email drawing for 2012 for a week's stay on Ocracoke Island was from Brooklyn, NY.  We have a classified email address and are waiting to hear a response from them.  We'll update this post when we have confirmed the winner is a a real human being!

Love you folks . . . see ya on down the road!
Gary, Fiddler Dave, Marcy, Lou & Gerald