Boxwell Music, Part VI

We’re going to wrap up our exploration of Boxwell musicians by ending pretty close to the modern day. This week is a little different than the other weeks in that it is a song that brings us this week’s entry. And the song? “Carl Call the Crab” from 2011.

The song (available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V_aKED2Sj4) emerged from a running joke at camp. Mike DeGuira, the Crab office manager, would often call Reservation Director Carl Adkins on camp radio telling Carl to call the Crab over his cell phone. A group of Camp Craig musicians found the idea that Carl would be called told on the radio to call on the phone so amusing, they wrote a song about it, with each line relating to some sort of inside joke about camp life.

The group has gone by several names, includes Crunch and Camp Craig Band, the Bloodworth Borthers, and Cole Slaw. Whatever the name, they could play more than the one song. With guitars, a banjo, a mandolin, and a bass, the acoustic tradition carried on with songs like “Boiling Cabbage Down,” “Fire on the Mountain,” “Shady Grove,” and “Seven Spanish Angels.” The group Consisted (originally) of Crunch (Ryan Crowder), Cameron Grady, Nick Driscoll, and Luke Boruff. The group still exists today, but the line up has changed quite a few times.

The image here is a from a reunion of sorts in 2017. Pictured are (L-R) Luke Boruff, Cameron Grady, Ryan “Crunch” Crowder, Calvin Alcorn, Carl Adkins, and Thomas Stroud; Mike Deguira is sitting up front.

From Left to Right: Luke Boruff, Cameron Grady, Ryan “Crunch” Crowder, Calvin Alcorn, Carl Adkins, and Thomas Stroud; Mike Deguira is sitting up front.

Boxwell Music, Part V

If you’re going to discuss musicians at Boxwell Reservation, you have to spend some time at Stahlman at the turn of the century. For a few years, roughly 1998 to 2001, there were a group of staff there who found music as a common bond and they played!

There were several players at Stahlman tading ideas and teaching each other little tricks. Among the many were Roman Reese, Cory Younts, Charlie Pitcock, Patrick Davis, Brian Barnes, Brian Rappold, Carl Hofstrum, Trip Arnold, and Clay Miller. They played an assortment of instruments, including banjo and mandolin, and regularly entertained at the Stahlman Friday Night Campfire and the Sunday Night joint campfire.

In terms of types of music, not surprisingly, it was a combination of folk, bluegrass, and some really old school stuff–like jug band music! “Stealin'” was a regular performance and the Beatles’ “Rocky Raccoon” often showed up as well. And musically, the guys were solid. Most of the list above even joined together and recorded an album: The Damn Ol’ Tennessee Boys.

The image here is the part of what would be come the Damn Ol’ Tennessee Boys. On the back row (L-R): Cory Younts, Trip Arnold, Patrick Davis, and Charlie Pitcock. On the front row (L-R): Brian Rappold, Brian Barnes, and Clay Miller.

2001 Stahlman Music Crew. On the back row (L-R): Cory Younts, Trip Arnold, Patrick Davis, and Charlie Pitcock. On the front row (L-R): Brian Rappold, Brian Barnes, and Clay Miller.

Boxwell Music, Part IV

We continue our look at Boxwell musicians, continuing to move forward with Old Hickory Lake. With a history of almost 60 years at this one location, there are undoubtedly quite a few musical acts. However, after the Hooten-nannies, we have no documentation for anyone throughout the next two decades! We’re sure they exist, but we have no photos of them to share.

So, the next musical entourage we do have evidence for comes in 1997. That summer was the first for Ron Turpin as Reservation Director and we wanted regular joint campfires, not just a joint campfire at July 4th as had become the custom. Thus, every week, there was a Sunday night campfire in camp and a Friday night campfire at the Amphitheatre. It was this joint campfire we see this week’s musicians.

There are four people on the stage here. Three of them are from Parnell, one is from the reservation staff. Left to Right are Ben Houser (guitar, front), Jason Bradford (guitar, front), Bo Collier (drum, back), and Red Kirby (harmonica, front). The four played two songs at the joint campfire that summer: the Grateful Dead’s “I Know You Rider” and a mash-up of “Amazing Grace” with the Eagle’s “Peaceful, Easy Feeling.” The group existed this one summer and were no more.

As for the image, it is still from a short film Jason Bradford created, entitled “Boxwell Reservation.” It has never (and probably wont’) seen the warm glow of a general audience, but it captures life at Boxwell from a Parnell staff member’s perspective in the mid-1990s.

Left to Right: Ben Houser (guitar), Jason Bradford (guitar), Bo Collier (drum), and Red Kirby (harmonica).