QuarterNotes - WINTER

Plank Road Folk Music Society

Winter - January 2026 www.plankroad.org

In This Issue

Holiday Sing-around . . . Lots of photos! Were you there?
Looking back at 2025 . . . Our 40th Anniversary, new workshops, Fox Valley and more!
Barn Dance season . . . It's time — mark your calendar!
Remembering . . . Steve Cropper, Jimmy Cliff
Music Trivia . . . Andy's quiz is back for the new year!
And more!

Plank Road Events

Please join us for our in-person get togethers — co-sponsored with Two Way Street Coffee House.

Sing-Around

1st & 3rd Saturday. | 2:00 - 4:00 pm

Vocal instrumental jam and sing-along with songbooks and leader.

Country & Western Sing-Around

4th Saturday. | 2:00 - 4:00pm

Sing along with your favorite C&W songs. Songbooks provided.

Song Circle -- BYOS!

2nd Tuesday. | 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Bring Your Own Song! A monthly opportunity for folks to perform original or cover songs for each other, within a song circle.

Plank Road String Band Practice

2nd Sat. | 2:00 - 4:00 pm

First Church of Lombard

630-620-0688

An old-time string band practice for intermediate/advanced players, from September to April.

Old-time Barn Dance

February 7 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Be sure to check the Plank Road and Two Way Street websites and Facebook pages for details.

President's Message

Winter 2026

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope everyone has a healthy and happy year!

Plank Road has a lot of momentum going into the year, with a great schedule of sessions and special events. Also, our terrific Board of Directors is intact for 2026, and I am beginning my 18th year as President.

We have a new format for our events calendar; if you haven’t seen it, log in and check it out.

Our talented Plank Road string band continues to flourish and are very active. Our barn dance season begins on Saturday, February 7.

The interest and attendance in our Saturday “sing-arounds” is strong and we continue to attract new participants. Our song books are full of great songs and we are always on the lookout for good ones to add. We try to keep in mind Plank Road’s mission statement, “preserve and promote old time music and dance…” What I mean is, the songs that we add to our books are not current tunes, but more from our favorites, like Dylan, Prine, some nice Beatles songs and a couple of Eagles. So our members tend to be more “mature” than the original Plank Road founders. I fit right in.

In 2026, we will be featuring 6 barn dances, 4 music workshops and hopefully a lively party at the Lombard log cabin. Hope to see you there.

Bob O'Hanlon

President

Welcome New Member

Burt Brown!

We're pleased to announce folks who recently joined Plank Road

Folk Music Society . . .

Thanks for your support . . . it's all about the music and the camaraderie!

George Mattson leads annual holiday sing-around.

Music of the holidays filled the 2WS Coffee House on December 20. It was our annual holiday event, with lively singing and instrumental accompaniment — including mandolins, dulcimer, banjo, bass, and plenty of guitars! As always, our leader George Mattson provided the songbooks, and several people brought holiday treats to share!

Here’s a gallery of photos of the sing-around.

(Were you there?)

Looking back . . . 2025 in review.

2025 was a big year for Plank Road! The highlight was our big 40th Anniversary party on June 14. But there was much more, with our usual folk and country/western sing-arounds, song circles, barn dances and string band events — plus our participation at the Fox Valley Folk Music Festival.

Our relationship with Two Way Street is as strong as ever, as we helped each other with workshops and a new 2WS music series.

Let’s take a look back . . .

40th Anniversary Celebration

After several months of planning and lots of hard work by many dedicated people, it all came together on June 14 with music, food, tributes, happy reunions and memories for an enthusiastic and appreciative crowd.

“On we go.”

Mark Dvorak’s

‘thank you’ for 40 years.

Two days after our 40th Anniversary celebration, Mark Dvorak posted

this message:

“A deep bow and a tip of the hat to the Plank Road Folk Music Society board and volunteers, to the community that has sustained this music and artistry and to the Two Way Street Coffee House for putting on a remarkable, touching, and wonderful 40th anniversary gathering on June 14.

Tonight, forty years feels like a pretty long haul. Grateful for the music and grateful to have been a part of it all. On we go. Apparently tears along with laughter, are required. Cheers!”

Friends we lost

in 2025:

Doris Ireland

John Allan

Allan Shaw

5th Saturday Workshops

Two Way Street, with support from Plank Road, continued a series of workshops occurring in months with a fifth Saturday.

2025’s workshops featured 5-string banjo with Ken Perlman,

bluegrass guitar with

Chris Walz, and vocal harmony with Bobcat Opossum. The final workshop of the year with Lil Rev was cancelled due to the snowstorm that hit the Midwest — and has been rescheduled for May 30.

Heritage Matinee Series

Two Way Street Coffee House introduced the Heritage Matinee Series in 2025, with select Sunday afternoon concerts. There is no admission to the concerts, but free-will donations are collected to help support 2WS’s operation and programming.

The concerts featured Mark Dvorak and Ashley & Simpson, with different local artists each concert — including Plank Road’s George Mattson Trio and Sons of the Prairie.

Old-Time Barn Dances

Plank Road’s String Band had a busy year with five Barn Dances in the 2024-2025 season — plus several other gigs.

Fox Valley Folk Music Festival

Two days of folk concerts, storytelling, workshops and lots of jamming — it was all happening at the 49th Annual Fox Valley Folk Music & Storytelling Festival over Labor Day weekend.

Plank Road was well-represented, both at stage presentations each morning, and later at the Plank Road tent, where many folks stopped by to visit and do some jamming.

Local Venues

Two Way Street Coffee House — Friday Night Concert Series.

Doors open at 7:30pm and concerts start at 8pm. You can also view concerts online — more information on Two Way Street Coffee House or Facebook.

Maple Street Concerts.

Enjoy live concerts at Maple Street Chapel in downtown Lombard. Please check the Maple Street website for concert listings.

Other venues . . .

- Acoustic Renaissance Concerts

- Old Town School Of Folk Music

- Tobias Music Concerts

5th Saturday Guitar Workshop — Jan. 31

To kick off the new year, Two Way Street Coffee House, in partnership with Plank Road, is pleased to present a guitar workshop with Jim Bizer on January 31, from 11am-1pm. This event will be in-person only and will be limited to 25 in-person attendees.

Join Jim as he shares some simple techniques and ideas to spice up your playing. The guitar is an amazing instrument, capable of so many things – melody, harmony, chords, counterpoint, percussion – just to name a few. We’ll explore bits of these things and how to use them to add a little “quirk” to your guitar playing.

Book now! Registration deadline is January 26.

Barn Dance Season is here!

Enjoy a fun-filled evening of old-time string band music and dancing, as Cheryl Joyal calls squares, reels, waltzes and more!

Saturday, February 7

7-9 PM, Doors open at 6:30

Mark your calendar for upcoming barn dances: March 21, April 25, May 9

Co-sponsored by Plank Road and Two Way Street Coffee House.

Click here for more details!

Remembering the

musicians we lost in 2025:

* Peter Yarrow * Garth Hudson

* Jesse Colin Young

* Roberta Flack * Sam Moore

* Marianne Faithfull

* Brian Wilson * Tracy Schwarz

* Sly Stone * Connie Francis

* Sonny Curtis * Jimmy Cliff

* Steve Cropper

Plank Road entertains shoppers at church Holiday Bazaar

Plank Road Folk Music Society was proud to provide holiday music at the 2nd Annual Holiday Bazaar on November 8. The event was held at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Downers Grove.

Singers and instrumentalists included George Mattson, Bob O’Hanlon, Cathy Jones, Bethany DeHann, Betsy Anderson, Jim Gilroy and Bill Lemos. They performed in the Two Way Street Coffee House, which was open to shoppers, providing snacks and beverages— in addition to two hours of popular holiday songs!

The event included many local artisans and crafters, providing holiday shoppers with unique gift ideas. According to event coordinator Jan Brooks, “Proceeds benefit our Little Free Pantry which offers clothing and non-perishable foods to our area homeless and food-insecure.”

George Mattson Trio

gmtrio.com

Mark Dvorak

markdvorak.com

Cathy Jones

cbjmando@gmail.com

Remembering . . .

Steve Cropper

Guitarist and songwriter Steve Cropper died December 3, at age 84. In an era when many rock guitarists seemed to think success went to the fastest and flashiest, Cropper showed generations of younger players the virtues of economy and conciseness.

He demonstrated in his early recordings with singers such as Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett, how “a single chord, struck with exquisite timing, could say as much as the longest, loudest solo.”

He also enjoyed success as a songwriter, co-writing “In the Midnight Hour” for Picket,

“Knock on Wood” for Eddie Floyd, and “Soul Man” for Sam & Dave.

His biggest hit was “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay,” co-written with Otis Redding. It was recorded a few days before Redding died in a plane crash in Madison WI in 1967. Released within a month of his death, it went straight to the top of the charts.

In 1980 he was featured in The Blues Brothers alongside John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.

Born on a farm in Missouri, Cropper was a country music fan. At age 9 his family moved to Memphis where he became interested in the blues and R&B, and at 14 he acquired his first guitar. In high school he formed a band called the Royal Spades with his long-time friend and bass player Donald “Duck” Dunn.

In 1961 the Royal Spades expanded their lineup and became the Mar-Keys, and began recording at legendary Stax Records — eventually becoming the studio’s house rhythm section, with Cropper as the creative A&R man.

The four members of the band — two black and two white musicians — would become known as Booker T and the MGs. Their first big hit happened by accident. They recorded a slow blues song as the A-side of their first 45rpm single. For the B-side, they improvised a simple blues tune they called “Green Onions.” DJs loved the B-side and “Green Onions” became one of the biggest instrumental hits of the 1960s — a sound which became a “manifesto” for a new kind of rhythm section.

Cropper eventually left Stax and started his own studio in Memphis. In 1975 he relocated to Los Angeles, where he produced and appeared on many albums, before moving in 1988 to Nashville, which remained his home until his death.

He worked with many musicians including Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Etta James, John Prine, Jeff Beck, Levon Helm, John Lennon, Rod Stewart, Dolly Parton, Mavis Staples, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Roy Orbison and many more.

Cropper was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the MGs in 1992, and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020. He was nominated for 7 Grammy Awards and won two, for “Dock of the Bay” in 1968 and for “Cruisin’,” from the MGs’ final album in 1994.

Jimmy Cliff

Jamaican musician and actor, Jimmy Cliff, who helped propel reggae into the international spotlight, died November 24. He was 81 years old.

He was known for many hits, especially “The Harder They Come,” which was the title track in the 1972 crime film of the same name, in which he also starred. "That movie really had a tremendous effect on bringing the Jamaican world, music and culture to the forefront," according to Chris Blackwell, the executive producer of the film.

Born James Chambers in 1944, Cliff grew up in a rural village in Jamaica, and began singing in school and in church. His father hoped his son would study medicine — but after being exposed to American music from New Orleans and Florida, teenaged James moved to Kingston to pursue an artistic career, and adopted the stage name Jimmy Cliff.

His first major hit in Jamaica, "Hurricane Hattie," referenced a 1961 storm that wreaked havoc in the Caribbean. In 1964, Cliff was selected to perform at the World's Fair in New York City as a representative for the island. The following year, British producer Chris Blackwell signed Cliff to his label, Island Records, and persuaded him to move to England.

Though he initially struggled to find his footing with audiences abroad, Cliff eventually earned critical and commercial success with music that sometimes addressed war, tragedy and social issues, but was often infused with a hopeful outlook. He was briefly a member of the Rastafari movement before converting to Islam. In a 2013 interview he said he had a "universal outlook on life" and did not align himself with any particular movement or religion, adding, “now I believe in science."

Cliff continued to perform and record for decades, collaborating with artists including Elvis Costello, Annie Lennox and Wyclef Jean. In 1986 Cliff won a Grammy Award for best reggae recording for his album Cliff Hanger.

In 2010, he became the second reggae artist, after Bob Marley, to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Two years later, Cliff reintroduced himself — and reggae — to the world with his album Rebirth, which won a Grammy for best reggae album in 2013.

“Where words fail

music speaks.”

Tobias Music

www.tobiasmusic.com

WDCB Folk Festival

Thanks to our loyal supporters!

Music Trivia

Andy's Music Trivia Quiz

Welcome to another round of Music Trivia. Sorry I missed last issue – medical problems. But the answers to July’s quiz are included, along with the new January quiz.

Bill Mathews and Fred Spanuello, both had some great answers and input. Thanks!

Answers to July 2025 Quiz:

Q1. Who inspired Bobby Darin to write "Splish Splash"?

A1. While visiting with disc jockey, Murray the K, Murray's mother called telling Murray he should write a song with that title. Bobby heard his mother's suggestion, and while Murray was out of the room for a few minutes, Bobby sat at Murray's piano, and worked out the song.

Q2. NAME THAT TUNE! – What song begins with the words "Deep Down In Louisiana, Down"?

A2. Chuck Berry wrote and recorded "Johnny B Goode" in 1958, peaking at #2 on BBR&B and #8 on the BB100. Thanks Bill Mathews for the following. This song is on a record on the Voyager, 15 billion miles from earth.

Q3. NAME THAT TUNE! - What song begins with the words "I keep a close watch on"? Who sang the hit?

A3. "I Walk the Line" (in our CW book) was written and released by Johnny Cash in 1956, went to #1 BBCW, and #17 BB100. Thanks again Bill, this song was written as a love song to his wife Vivien Liberto.

Q4. What Connie Francis song was written by Neil Sedaka & when?

A4. Neil & his writing partner Howard Greenfield wrote a number of hits for Connie. "Stupid Cupid" went to #14 in Aug 1958. "Fallin" (my favorite) went to #30 in Oct 1958. "Frankie", went to #9 in May 1959. "Where the Boys Are", went to #4 in Jul 1961.

Q5. Jim Stafford (“Spiders & Snakes,” “My Girl Bill”) appeared on the Amateur Hour. When, at what age, and what song did he play?

A5. My original answer was, at age 20, in 1964, he played "Yankee Doodle", & "Dixie" simultaneously. However responses had other answers, and I could no longer find my original answer anywhere. I could only find (similar to responses) that he played a classical guitar in 1962 at the age of 18.

Q6. The Colpix label had some top 40 hits with “Hey Girl” (Freddie Scott), “My Dad” (Paul Petersen), “Goodbye Cruel World,” “Conscience” and “Her Royal Majesty” (James Darren), and more. They changed the label name and went to several top 10 releases when what group was signed?

A6. They changed the name to Colgems in 1966 when they signed the Monkees since they were part of Screen-Gems. Michael & Davy had already signed with Colpix prior to the Monkees.

Q7. Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich wrote many hits including "DoWah Diddy Diddy", "Hanky Panky", and others. Jeff & Ellie had some success of their own as a group. What was the group name, and name two (or more) of their songs?

A7. They were called the Raindrops. "The Kind of Boy You Can't Forget" went to #17, and "What a Guy" went to #42.

Q8. What was the 1st record to go to #1 on both the American and English charts?

A8. Vera Lynn was known as the "Sweetheart of the Force" during WW2, and recorded "Auf Weiderseh'n Sweetheart" several times in England. In 1952, it went to # 1 in America (9 wks), and made the 1st UK charts in England. "Here In My Heart "by Al Martino also went to #1 Nov 1952 in both countries. "Auf Wiedersehen" didn't make UK #1 until 1955.

Q9. NAME THAT TUNE! – What song ends with the words "Baby, you're the ginchiest".

A9. Throughout the 1959 song Connie Stevens is singing the song title "Kookie Kookie lend me your comb. At the end Ed Byrnes compliments her with "Baby, you're the ginchiest. The song peaked at #4 on the BB100.

NEW! January 2026 Trivia Quiz:

Q1. During the British invasion, British groups looked for Brill Building songs they liked that never became a hit. Manfred Mann found "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", and the Searchers found "Needles and Pins". Who sang the earlier non-hit versions of these songs?

Q2. Who wrote “I'm Into Something Good”? Who sang the first release and when?

TRIVIA SNIPPET:

Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich vs. Phil Spector.

Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich were quite successful writing songs for Phil Spector, and also produced groups/songs, of which Phil would often take writing credit.

Phil would sometimes hold back songs that he thought would not chart high enough. He felt this way about "Chapel of Love", which he had Darlene Love & the Crystals record, but decided to hold back. Jeff & Ellie asked him if he was going to release the song, but he was indecisive and did not answer. After Jeff and Ellie's release by the Dixie Cups reached #1, an enraged Spector vowed never to work with them again (They were too busy writing hits anyway).

Phil Spector continued to make enemies. The Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" went to #1, and Phil took partial writing credit. He had promised Greenwich & Barry the next Righteous Brothers song, but used a Goffin/King song instead. He also created discontent between Bill Medley & Bobby Hatfield, by suddenly featuring Bill as the lead singer. Bill & Bobby left Spector for MGM, took the Mann/Weil "Soul & Inspiration" to #1 with Medley producing the song.

Q3. NAME THAT TUNE! - What song begins with the words " Sleep my child let peace attend"?

Q4. NAME THAT TUNE! – What song begins with the words "I'm Gonna Raise a Fuss"?

Q5. What was Don Gibson's 1st BBCW release? Which of his other #1 BBCW songs was recorded before this?

Q6. What future WLS DJ was part of the Clear Lake Iowa Buddy Holly show?

Q7. Who was Mary O'Brien, and what was her 1st big US hit, and her 1st big solo US hit?

TRIVIA SNIPPET:

Folk Rock.

The Searchers are credited for inadvertently creating the folk-rock sound used by the Byrds and others. Their intro on "Needles and Pins" (written by Sonny Bono & Jack Nitzsche) was done by using two 6-string guitars. The engineer accidently left the echo switch on, approximating the sound of a 12-string. It was the 1st big hit with that sound, which led to the new convention of 12-sting guitars. They then had to buy a 12-string just to keep up with the competition.

Everyone is invited to respond with answers. Send them to AndyM @

pictq@yahoo.com