The final curtain fell on the 12-year run of The Mountain Music & Medicine Show on Saturday, October 5, 2013, at Dahlonega’s Holly Theater.
Incomprehensible to people who take themselves too seriously, the Mountain Music & Medicine Show was simply good, clean fun. You could bring a date, your kids or your mother and never once wince at what you heard or saw. There’s nothing else like it.
The usual suspects performed happily screwy skits and told jokes so old that we knew them by heart … and we laughed so hard we spilled our popcorn.
The musicians were entirely different from one another but they all fit in perfectly.
We loved the ballads sung by Tom & Juli Theobald. They have achieved considerable fame and have quite a following at Dahlonega’s Crimson Moon music venue and dandy food eatery.
The Buzzard Mountain Boys fiddled around and made us laugh, even though we felt a bit guilty for not acting all sad that this was the last time we’d enjoy the Mountain Music & Medicine Show.
That’s the point of the MM&MS. Once a month, after we had our fill of dealing with crooks, creeps, bosses, bill collectors and kids/parents, we might have walked in all grumpy and skronked, but we tapped our toes and began singing happily in no time.
One of the best bands I’ve heard in a long time — Curly Maple from Athens, GA — played for us. No offense intended, it’s easier to find bandits in the witness protection program than to find Curly Maple online.
Don’t quote me, but I think the fiddler is David Blackmon and his wife, Noel, is the singer. Chris Enghauser zipped along on the upright bass and Christian Lopez played all sorts of instruments.
One thing is for sure, Noel could be the poster child for all things Celtic, if you ask me. Her eyes twinkled like an indoor aurora borealis and her dimples should be cloned for future generations. Best of all, her singing was glorious.
Unlike many groups of talented musicians who play together, Curly Maple makes music together. There’s a big difference. They’re in tune with their instruments and one another. You can’t tell where their string band songs and instrumentals will take you … but you’ll want to sashay right along with them.
Click Here for a YouTube Sample
Perennial producer “Jedge” J. Melvin Hawkins, magic elixir peddler Henry “Doc” Johnson, the crew and MM&MS performers healed us of what ailed us … for 12 years.
Cheaper and more fun than any other kind of medicine known to man.
Doc Johnson kept the show rolling, as he has for the 40 years he’s been performing. He is a master of his craft. Thankfully, he is teaching new generations his trade at Piedmont College. There’s no word on whether he shares any magic elixir with them.
The Mountain Music & Medicine Show went out on top, leaving the audience wanting for more.
We might even get a bit more. There are rumors of a reunion at the Holly Theatre next year to help raise funds for our favorite venue.
The Mountain Music & Medicine Show was aired on WNGU in Dahlonega and statewide on Georgia Public Broadcasting’s radio network for a number of years, but being there live was better. As usual, the evening closed with everyone swaying and singing “I’ll Fly Away.” This time, however, we sang the words with new meaning and sincerity.
If you see aging hippies wandering aimlessly around the square in Dahlonega some Saturday evening calling, “Doc! Doc? Where are you, Doc? I need your elixir of joy!” please do not call the police.
Just whisper a kind word and go on your way. Nothing can be done for them … until the Mountain Music & Medicine Show comes back to Dahlonega.
Click Here for the Holly Theatre
Old Doc Johnson took it as hard as the rest of us. But we’ll survive … until our stash of magic elixir runs out.
Thanks, Robert!