1st Annual Lloyd Loar’s Hometown Bluegrass Festival

1^st Annual Lloyd Loar’s Hometown Bluegrass Festival

to be held at

Marigold Meadows

1212 N. Cedar Street

Lewistown, IL 61542

Tel: 641-344-8284

wholeheartedlife1@gmail.com

Why Lloyd Loar?

Lloyd Loar's parents moved to Lewistown, IL in 1889 when Lloyd was three years old.  Lloyd attended Lewistown High School from 1899 to 1903 and began performing in local music programs.  Loar went on to study harmony, music theory, orchestration and piano. 

Loar's earliest claim to fame, as a performer,

was for his proficiency on the mandolin, violin and the musical saw.

According to various documents*, Loar returned to his hometown later in life and established an Acoustical Research Laboratory.

Loar & Bluegrass Music

While Bill Monroe may have been “The Father of Bluegrass", the sound we associate with Monroe’s mandolin came from Lloyd Loar.

As acoustical engineer and instrument designer for Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Co., Loar designed the 1923 Gibson F-5 model which was Monroe’s trademark instrument.

Loar’s design and development of the “Master Model” instruments revolutionized the tenor banjo of its day and laid the foundation for Earl Scruggs and Bluegrass music, 20 years later.

Loar at his work bench holding the 10-string mando-viola.

Loar's Legacy Lives On

Loar’s contributions to string musical instruments rank among other musical geniuses such as Antonius Stradivari, Orville Gibson, Leo Fender and Christian F. Martin.

Today an original Loar mandolin is valued at $175,000 to $200,000 — a true sign of appreciation for the work of this master designer. The result of his years of research and passion for his craft is a legacy of durable instruments and designs that have truly stood the test of time.   - Gibson.com

As one of the most fabled names in American instrument making history, we want to dedicate a Bluegrass festival to the memory of Lloyd Allayre Loar.  Please join as we continue to make Bluegrass Music history in his hometown!           

Lloyd Loar's Hometown Bluegrass Festival will be held annually,

the last full weekend in June, having a main focus on promoting scholarships for young Bluegrass Musicians.

1^st Annual Lloyd Loar’s Hometown Bluegrass Festival

June 28-30, 2013,

Gates open Friday noon & close Sunday noon:

* Friday-Stage Show 7 pm

* Saturday-Open Stage-?am/pm

(contingent upon number of bands)

Stage Shows - 1pm/7pm

* Sunday - Gospel jam 9AM

* Bluegrass jamming all weekend.

*Workshops

* Primitive camping (No service).

* Shows rain or shine.

* Free will donation.

* Bring lawn chairs & umbrellas.

* No drugs or alcoholic beverages.

* All pets must be on a leash, but not allowed in food or stage area.

* No electric instruments, please.

* Generators off at 10PM.

* Not responsible for accidents/theft.

DIRECTIONS (once to Lewistown):

* Take 12th Ave. East off of Main.

* Continue curving South as it turns into Broadway.

* Take Marshall St. East across tracks.

* Turn North onto N. Cedar St.- Continue onto gravel.

* Follow signs entering into Marigold meadows

Whole-Heartedly,

Art & Marcia Jones and

Gary & Bonnie Jaeckle

Note:

·          Photos courtesy of Roger H. Siminoff, reproduction rights reserved.  Unless otherwise noted, all Lloyd Loar information reproduced by permission, www.siminoff.net.

·          *Illinois Census 1920 & 1930

·          *Letterhead for Lloyd Loar Acoustical Research Laboratory, Lewistown, IL dated 1931

P.S.  Please feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder or to read past articles at: http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/.  You may also contact me at:

             Bonnie Jaeckle

             In Search of the Whole-Hearted Life

             Diagonal Progress

             505 Jefferson St.

             Diagonal, IA 50845