The Wandering Druid

(Unfortunely this Gathering got canceled)Pan Pagan Gathering, Seal Rock, OR, October 24-26

I will be running a workshop at this mini Pagan gathering.

Americana, a American Bardic Tradition?

This workshop will be on the rich storytelling root music of this land that has blended together to become known as Americana. We will trace Americana back to the Scots-Irish who brought their music to the Appalachian Mountains, the music of the slaves and the other immigrants who shared their music. We will look at Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass that was born out of the Kentucky Mountains. We will travel the musical mountains to look at the works of Doc Watson, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, right up to the Grateful Dead. We will look at the explosive revival of mountain music and storytelling after Jerry Garcia's death and the Festie movement. We will look closely at the storytelling & myth making tradition (American Folklore) that has evolved and how it relates to todays Pagan community and how we can solidify it into a American Bardic tradition, rich with it's own history. We will also look a little at the rich modern Pagan Folk music coming out of the British Isles and what we can learn from it. Bring your stories, instruments, notebooks and pens. We don't have to try to sound like Irish, Scottish or Welsh music to be Bards. We have our own rich storytelling music. We have Americana.

Bio:
Joseph "Gypsy" Villalobos has been a practicing Pagan for 28 years and a practicing Druid for 25 (member of ADF last 8) of them. 5 years prior to converting to Paganism, Joseph heard and fell in love with the great Bards of Jethro Tull. A year after finding the Goddess he went to his first Grateful Dead show, and his love of storytelling, myth making music begun, with over 10 years of being on tour following the Dead. Joseph managed the band Woven for a short period in the late 90's and later was a local Promoter in Portland, OR. His best friend and guitarist of Twisted Whistle (formerly of Woven/Folkrum), Matthew "Guitar Matt" Franzen, 12 years ago turned him onto Bluegrass. This began Joseph journey into the roots of American music. Joseph currently resides in Portland, OR where he is going to school to become a Master Herbalist. When not working at music festivals, he can be found at a Twisted Whistle show or out in the woods or on the river learning to play his Mandolin or wildcrafting herbs.