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Outsider Artists: Musicians Explore Their Roots at Radford University

http://www.radford.edu/content/radfordcore/home/news/calendar.html/a_night_of_roots_mus/66197E47-7DD5-467A-96E3-61604CEFC362

There’s a sound some musicians have that comes from deep inside, but falls outside formal artistic boundaries.  They do their own thing, their own way. They do their own thing, their own way. They’re known as “Outsider Artists,” and their work can be challenging, disturbing and fascinating.   

Here’s how an art teacher once put it in a book called The Art Spirit: “…When the artist is alive in any person. Whatever his line of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing (and I love this word) creature. He becomes interesting to other people, he disturbs, upsets, enlightens and he opens ways for a better understanding.  Where those who are not artists are trying to close the book, he opens it; shows there are still more pages possible.”

Credit http://www.radford.edu/content/cvpa/home/news/Releases/java-gaither.html
AJ Gaither

That’s Radford University Art Professor, Richard Bay reading a quote from artist and teacher Robert Henri in the 1920s.  It’s a good explanation of why Bay wants to create a roots music festival at Radford.

“I use the word roots because to me, roots is outsider, home grown, you know, untrained.”

Perhaps not formally trained, but possessed of a seemingly innate ability to play music. Some have been helped along by mentors, people they heard on the radio, family or friends who got them started. Wayne Frye is with the Java Brothers, a Bluegrass Band.

“I’m self-taught. My mother taught me 3 chords on the guitar and after that I taught myself. – And it’s to take nothing away from people who are trained musicians, but I feel like I’ve been giving a gift that I’ve been able to sit down with Aunts and uncles… and actually play this music/ it’s just something naturally that’s come about…. Yeah I am proud of that and it’s made the music for me a whole lot more fun to do."

The Java Brothers will be the opening act next week at Radford University for a A.J. Gaither, a one man band from Kansas City, a down home do-it-your-self-er, who makes his own instruments and sets his own style.

Gaither left a day job 5 years ago to pursue music full time. Now even though he misses the steady paycheck – he’s got a fundraiser going to buy a new van to tour in since his old one died--he still doesn’t see his gig as actual ‘work’ - not when you compare it to the hard work of others he writes about. 

Credit The Java Brothers Facebook Page
The Java Brothers performing at the Floyd Country Store

“I wrote it about the train yard because I was up early going to work one day and they were there already working hours and hours ahead of me and I think it just made me realize, you know, those guys are working a lot harder than me. I need to step up what I’m doing.”

Gaither’s work can be dark, intense, it’s not G rated, not hemmed in, again Richard Bay.

“And that’s the thing with AJ. If people come their minds are going to get opened.  Yes the irreverence is there Yes the fun is there. Yes the excitement is there.   A guy beating on a pedal on a piece of plywood for drums, cymbals, a kazoo, a harmonica and then these crazy cigar box instruments, but he has found his own soul and his life.”

Gaither is headlining a show called a Night of Roots Music at the Performance Hall in the Covington Center at Radford University.

A Night of Roots Music with The Java Brothers and Special Guest A.J. Gaither’s “Homemade – One-Man Band starts at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 31 at the Performance Hall in the Covington Center at Radford University. Admission is free with the donation of nonperishable food items to benefit the New River Valley food banks.

For more information, click here, contact Richard Bay at rjbay@radford.edu or call 540-831-2508.

Robbie Harris is based in Blacksburg, covering the New River Valley and southwestern Virginia.
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