APRIL 7-12
2025
Greenleaf State Park
Braggs, Oklahoma
presented by the greenleaf old time music association
with support from the oklahoma arts council, national endowment for the arts and many gracious donors
About
We are a group of musicians who love Old Time American fiddle and dance tunes; arguably amongst the oldest of American music. We have formed the Greenleaf Old Time Music Association (GLOTMA.org) in Oklahoma, to introduce and foster the love of playing this music to the younger generation, thus keeping it alive for all to enjoy for many years to come in this region of the country.
By creating this festival, we seek to create a welcoming environment for people to gather together, make new friends, jam and trade tunes. This is a laid-back environment by design. We have no formal stages or rigid schedules. We place a high priority on jams whether planned or spontaneous (organic), in any size of group from two to a dozen or more. Jamming with others helps form the bond of a music in common for people who may have nothing else in common. Whether you have been playing your whole life, or just learning, there is always opportunity to learn a new tune, a new technique or a new instrument in the old-time genre.
We bring in internationally known artists to teach workshops in the craft of playing old time music. Unlike many other workshops that teach you just one tune, our workshops give you the tools, hands-on practice, and understanding to play many tunes either by yourself or with others. Besides the workshops, our artists will also be “on the ground” playing right beside you in impromptu jams. Some workshops offered include old time backup guitar, fiddle chording, and old time banjo. Attend any or all, and workshops are FREE!
As an added bonus, yes, of course, our guest artists will provide a concert “in the round” in the evening around supper time.
Yes! this is a free festival! Anyone is welcome!
Will you help share this great experience?
join our mailing list
For regular communication on the festival, please join our Facebook page.
Not on Facebook? Please provide your email address:
info@glotma.org
Featured
2025 artist lineup
Adam hurt & Beth Williams Hartness
Prize-winning musicians Adam Hurt and Beth Williams Hartness perform duets of traditional music from the Appalachian south and elsewhere with clawhammer banjo, fiddle, fingerstyle guitar, and vocals. Their engaging program will appeal to players and fans of old-time music as well as those who may be getting their very first taste of this captivating genre.
Deemed a “banjo virtuoso” by the Washington Post, Adam Hurt has fused several traditional old-time idioms to create his own elegantly innovative clawhammer banjo style, having been introduced to the instrument at age eleven in his native Minnesota. A respected performer and teacher of traditional music, Adam has played at the Kennedy Center and conducted banjo workshops at many venues around the country and abroad. Since moving south in 2002, Adam has placed in or won most of the major old-time banjo competitions, and he has claimed several state banjo and fiddle championships. Adam’s music can be heard on multiple recordings.
Raised on a tobacco farm in Caswell County, North Carolina, Beth Williams Hartness began singing and taught herself to play the guitar at the age of twelve, influenced by her mother’s passion for early 1960s folk music. Beth was first introduced to old-time music in the 1980s while living in Charlotte, North Carolina, and during this time she was a founding member of the Charlotte Folk Music Society, serving as vice president and festival organizer. Beth has been a member of numerous award-winning string bands, and she has won ribbons of her own in competitions for back-up guitar. Her playing is featured on several recordings. Visit Adam’s website
Erynn Marshall and Carl Jones
Erynn Marshall and Carl Jones are old-time musicians and inspired tunesmiths from Hillsville, Virginia. They are married – in life and music. They sing southern song-duets and play powerful fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo tunes. Erynn spent many years learning from older fiddlers and singers in the Virginias, Kentucky and North Carolina. Carl toured and recorded with Norman Blake and his song, Last Time on the Road was featured on the grammy-award winning album “Unleashed” by the Nashville Bluegrass Band. They have won many awards for their playing and performed in Canada, Europe, Australia and China. They have 17 recordings between them including the Old-Time Sweethearts project (produced by Marshall/Eddy) featuring 12 old-time music couples from across the US. Visit their website
Erynn Marshall is an old-time fiddler who lives in Hillsville, Virginia and is known internationally for her traditional music. She learned the nuances of Appalachian old-time fiddling from visiting elder, southern fiddlers and through her love of archival recordings. Erynn was the first woman to win 1st place fiddle at Clifftop (The Appalachian Stringband Festival) among other awards and is featured in the 2023 exhibit, “Women of Old-Time Music,” at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum (Bristol, VA). Erynn and husband Carl Jones have toured and taught at music camps across North America, Europe, China and Australia. Erynn has numerous recordings, is featured in five films, three books, and is coordinator for Swannanoa Old-Time & Dance Week (NC).
Carl Jones is an American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Born in Macon, Georgia, Carl presently lives in Hillsville, Virginia. He studied music near Muscle Shoals, Alabama and was influenced by seeing Roy Orbison, Steve Goodman, and Mac Macanally record there. Carl is widely respected for his instrumental talents and original songs about the joys and tribulations of day-to-day life in the South. Carl’s songs have been recorded by The Nashville Bluegrass Band, Kate Campbell, Rickie Simpkins with Tony Rice, and others. His song Last Time On The Road was on the grammy-award-winning album Unleased by the Nashville Bluegrass Band. In the 1980’s he played mandolin with James Bryan, Norman and Nancy Blake as part of the Rising Fawn String Ensemble. Today he tours the world with his wife, fiddler Erynn Marshall. Carl is known for his fine musicianship, charismatic teaching, sense of humor, and powerful songwriting. He has recorded on a couple dozen recordings including his original songs CD “Traveling Star” and Norman Blake’s “Original Underground Music of the Mysterious South.”
BONUS ADDITION!
THe lost keys
An old-time fiddling family band from Lawrence, KS.
Visit The Lost Keys facebook page
OFFICE HOURS by spencer & rains
See the whiteboards for times and signup on Friday. There will be a fee for this, as these are more individual lessons.
individual instruction with derrick doty
There will be a fee for this, as these are more individual lessons.
Artist workshops vs Ad hoc events
We have scheduled events involving our paid artists. For these, we like to keep a firm schedule.
Jamming is the first priority, so we would hate to make such a schedule that you have to stop a good jam in order to go do some event. Thus, we leave “ad hoc” events for more planning on the fly, with the whiteboards. We will even have a volunteer “runner” to make sure all the white boards are kept up to date with the same info.
In past years, it has worked well for “ad hoc” or pop up events to occur. For this, we have white boards positioned around the campgrounds. If you want to lead an ad hoc event you can put it on the white boards.
The reunion center is available, as well as the main tent, pavilion and a few 10×10 tents scattered around.
Some events that are already planned are:
One on one time with an instructor
Mandolin Orchestra (practice)
Irish Jam (this year a 10×10 tent will be dedicated to the Irish Jam)
Flatfoot with Steve Green
Hammer Dulcimer
Shape Note Singing
Fiddling in alternate keys
We will post more as we hear about them!
saturday April 5, 2025
EARLIEST ARRIVAL FOR FESTIVAL RESERVED CAMPING
Let the jamming begin! (Gary “Red” Stout will go fishing)
If you are coming before Tuesday, April 8, 2025, you will need to coordinate with us to have your campite reserved and paid for.
sunday April 6, 2025
More early arrivals
Let the jamming CONTINUE!
If you are coming before Tuesday, April 8, 2025, you will need to coordinate with us to have your campite reserved and paid for.
MONDAY April 7, 2025
MANY PEOPLE ARE ARRIVING
Big tent, 10×10 jamming tents, PLYDYE PAVILION & announcement white boards will be set up will be set up.
Cabin holders can move in (some exceptions).
If you are coming before Tuesday, April 8, 2025, you will need to coordinate with us to have your campite reserved and paid for.
TUESDAY April 8, 2025
GUEST ARTISTS ARRIVE (Adam & Beth, Erynn & Carl)
The majority of festival campers arrive.
weds April 9, 2025 - workshops and planned events begin
8:30 am-Main Tent: Jamming – How to hop on the moving train/how to lead your own jam – Glen Schmidt
10:00 am-Main Tent : Mandolin – Mandomazing! – Carl Jones
1:00 pm-Main Tent: Understanding the Structure of Old Time Tunes – Adam Hurt & Beth Hartness
2:30 pm-Main Tent: Old Time Singing with Guitar – Carl Jones
6:00 pm – Meal at Hoot Owl Pavilion in Gobbler Ridge (donations)
7:00 pm-Main Tent: Round Peak Guided Jam – Adam Hurt & Beth Hartness
Thursday April 10, 2025
8:30 am-Main Tent: Jamming – How to hop on the moving train/how to lead your own jam – Glen Schmidt
10:00 am-Main Tent : Melodious Morning G Jam – Erynn Marshall/Carl Jones
10:00 am- Yoga (in the reunion center down by the marina store)
1:00 pm-Main Tent: Guitar – Common Chord Families – Beth Hartness
2:30 pm-Main Tent: Southern Old Time Fiddle – Erynn Marshall
7:00 pm-Square Dance (in the reunion center down by the marina store) – Pat Danscen Caller
Friday April 11, 2025
8:30 am-Main Tent – Southern Old Time Fiddle II – Erynn Marshall
10:00 am-Main Tent- Slow Jam – Adam Hurt & Beth Hartness
10:00 am-Yoga (in the reunion center down by the marina store)
1:00 pm-Main Tent-Clawhammer Banjo – Repertoire and Technique – Adam Hurt
2:30 pm-Main Tent-Old Time Guitar Backup for Songs and Tunes – Carl Jones
4:00 pm – Flatfoot Workshop with Steve Green (in the reunion center down by the marina store)
4:00 pm-PLYDYE PAVILION– Sound Workshop-Enjoy Playing With Live Sound – Robert Rosenberg
6:00 pm- PLYDYE PAVILION-Door Prize Drawings
We will draw names and give away half of the door prizes, except for the grand prizes, which will be Sat night. Buy your tickets early!!! Must be present to win!
6:30 pm-PLYDYE PAVILION– Performances – Mandolin Orchestra/Adam Hurt & Beth Hartness
SATURDAY April 12, 2025
8:30 am-Main Tent-The Legacy of Bob Holt and Ozark Square Dancing – Mike Fraser
10:00 am-Main Tent-Kid’s Workshop – Gretchen Priest-May
10:00 am PLYDYE PAVILION Group Fiddle Therapy: Come with Your Questions – Tricia Spencer and Howard Rains
1:00 pm-Main Tent- Old Time Fiddle Repetoire – Adam Hurt
2:30 pm-Main Tent-WV Fiddling: The Life and Music of Melvin Wine – Erynn Marshall
6:00 pm- PLYDYE PAVILION-Door Prize Drawings
We will draw names and give away the rest of the door prizes and grand prizes. Must be present to win! (except door grand prizes).
6:30pm Performances – Lost Keys/Erynn Marshall & Carl Jones
greenleaf old time music festival 2025 apparel!
Online ordering is closed. We will have a few extra shirts at the fest.
why don't we charge for the festival?
What's the catch??
Yes, we know….you are wondering this, as are many others. Well, it is simple, really; we have some very committed people who already see what we have been able to do, such as the jams we hold and the methods we go about to pass the music on. They all embrace that there need to be no barriers to anyone to come and find out about old time music in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas and other surrounding states in the central US. They also saw last year how great it was to meet new people, and start new friendships in music. So they donated money to help us out.
We also want to enjoy the fest and not be employed by a fest. In other words, none of our volunteers want to stand at a gate and enforce wrist bands and things like that. We just want to meet YOU, play tunes with YOU and learn from our musical guests and enjoy the one thing together that certainly holds us in common; music. Start charging for the fest, and things get a lot more complicated.
BTW, to be fully transparent, our annual budget is around $12,000.
Now, having said all that…maybe down the road we have to charge, but for now…it is free. For anyone and everyone. No strings attached!
So if there is a catch, it IS that:
(1) We have to charge for camping. We have a contract with the State of Oklahoma, and we pay them for sites whether we fill them or not. That is the risk we take, so our camping fees have to cover that contract.
This also means that camping fees are non-refundable.
(2) We nicely ask you for donations, if you so choose. The more we get, the more we can add.
GreenLeaf Old Time Music Association (GLOTMA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your donations are tax deductible.
We are fully funded for the 2025 artists, but there are a few more things we would love to add if we have a bit more money.
If you would like to donate, you can Venmo to @GLOTMA or Paypal to donate@glotma.org or if you want to send a check or cash then simply email to the same address
(3) We ask everyone to put their best foot forward and help, if not financially, then by helping others, encouraging new players, keeping jams “open”, and taking the time to build a great environment for all.
CAMPING
Greenleaf Old Time Music Association works together with Greenleaf DIY LLC to obtain a contract for all of the campgrounds for both the old time music in Deer Run as well as the Bluegrass music on Gobbler Ridge. We pay one price for all of these amenities, which also allows us to set guidelines in the individual campgrounds. For example, quiet time enforced by the park is waived. General park rules such as animals on leashes, no golf carts on road and drug/alcohol usage are still enforced by the park.
Campsites are assigned by the festival.
If you are part of the bluegrass event in Gobbler Ridge, then you are in the wrong place.
Please see Greenleaf DIY or email diymusicfoundation2023@gmail.com (yes the 2023 is correct in the address)
-Cell Service is rather unpredictable in the festival campground area. If you go up to the park office you get good cell service and also the park office has wifi that works in the parking lot. There is also a cell repeater set up near the main tent.
-Generators are not allowed. All of the RV sites have 20A, 30A and some have 20/30/50A plugs.
-No “quiet time” is enforced in the festival camp areas.
-For a quieter experience in an RV, farther from the main festival site, the Cypress Row or Eagle’s Nest campground is suggested.
-Dogs are welcome with the usual rules; keep them on a leash and please clean up after them.
Note that if you prefer more isolated tent camping away from the festival site, there are many sites. In this case, book through the travelok.com site We suggest the “trailhead” tent ground to the south and west of Deer Run (across the road).
Take a look at the map below and have a location in mind.
Returning festival goers have been given the option to claim the previous year’s site.
As folks commit, this map is updated.
Camping fees have not changed for 2025:
Tents and anything on wheels and not an RV consuming resources in rough camping are $17/night.
Those sleeping in your car or under a table will be charged for a tent.
Formal RV Sites in Deer Run and Playside are full, as we offer the same site to returning festival goers and it is rare that anyone gives up their site.
Eagle’s Nest is nearby. We have added 30A and some 50A hookups to Eagle’s Nest. These are excellent sites and easily within walking distance of the main campground.
You also have the option of some sites in Cypress Row:
Five nights required, April 8-12, 2025
Deer Run: $175 for five days
Playside, Cyprus Row and Eagle’s Nest: $150 for five days
People returning from 2024 get first rights to claim last year’s RV spot.
Note that if you book a prime RV site and then leave early or no-show, you lose the right to claim the same spot for next year.
Someone else who will use the site the entire time obviously will appreciate that site more.
There are some that have expressed an interest in arriving earlier. We will coordinate all early arrivals, April 5-7. It is imperative that we know ASAP so we can assign the extra days though the Parks where you don’t have to move on 4/7.
Many of us will arrive on Monday April 7 and immediately start jamming!
CAMPING FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE
Venmo @DIYMusicFoundation2023 (yes we know it says 2023..that is correct)
CashApp is currently not working.
PayPal: we prefer not to use due to high transaction fees (3.5-4%)
DIY Music Foundation
3225 S. Norwood Ave, Suite 200
Tulsa, OK 74135
For additional questions email camp@glotma.org
food and provisions
Festival goers are encouraged to plan ahead with some provisions for meals.
There is a café in the park at the lake marina that is open from 9-7 serving breakfast (eggs, bacon, pancakes, toast, etc.), and lunch and dinner (burgers, hot dogs, fries, etc.). If there are customers at closing, the café will stay open later than 7:00 pm.
The marina also has a store that carries many supplies and camping needs, including ice and firewood. Store hours are 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Charcoal grills and picnic tables are situated throughout the campgrounds for your convenience.
For additional provisions, the town of Gore is only 8 miles away. You will find Harp’s grocery store to be a well stocked grocery store with a hardware, clothing and bait shop section.
Gore is a small town, but has a few restaurants. Clickable links are provided where possible.
- Gambino’s Pizza (in Gore) is a franchise restaurant and has pizza, pasta, sandwiches and salads (call, delivery to Greenleaf may be possible)
- El Lago Mexican Grill (in Gore)
- Jimbo’s American Restaurant (in Gore) Breakfast, lunch, supper
- Sonic Drive In (in Gore) fast food burgers, chicken, malts & shakes
- Nearby Braggs has an excellent malt shop right on Highway 10.
- Muskogee is a quick 30 minutes away and offers a wide variety of restaurants.
Where to find us
resources
You can get many opinions of what constitutes “Old Time” music so a few brief words about that. Most of the Old Time jams in this part of the country consider the tunes and styles of music played in the 200+ years or so leading up to 1939 to constitute “Old Time”. It is NOT played in the style of bluegrass music (made popular by Bill Monroe in the 1930’s) although some tunes are shared between the two genres.
Every style of music has unique jam etiquette. What is considered polite may vary from one old time jam to another though it is always a good idea to show up on time, have your instrument in tune with other players, be mindful that the same tune might be played differently by different old time gatherings so listen before playing. The tunes are almost always instrumental only, without vocals, and acoustic instruments only without amplification. Most groups are very welcoming and patient. Use an online search engine to learn more about old time jam etiquette online if that helps you feel more comfortable to approach a new jam group.
Here are some open jam opportunities (updated January 2023):
1. Green Country Old Tyme & Contra music jam meets the first and third Thursday of each month in Collinsville OK at the Silver Dollar Café. This group has a page on Facebook by this name that you can join for reminders of upcoming jams or changes in schedule or location.
Some online resources you can check out include:
We keep a collection of tunes that we play in the Tulsa area at www.glotma.org/tunes
A list of those tunes by key is on a Google sheets found here
These two resources are highly reliable, excellent sources of tunes:
TaterJoes – A Collection of Old-Time Fiddle Transcriptions, Banjo Tabs, Recordings, Etc. http://www.taterjoes.com/
Penn State Univ – Old Time Fiddle Tunes: https://www.mne.psu.edu/
Other Sources:
Jere Canote Old Time Guitar Tab & Recordings:
Library of Congress – Fiddle Tunes https://www.loc.gov/item/
North Atlantic Tune List (lots of MP3 downloads): https://natunelist.net/
https://oldtimetikiparlour.
https://dla.acaweb.org/
https://www.slippery-hill.com
Documentary films: www.folkstreams.net
Archive of early and old country music: https://
LEGAL DISCLAIMER FOR THE GREENLEAF OLD TIME MUSIC ASSOC/FESTIVAL
Whereas the Greenleaf Old Time Music Association (a.k.a. GLOTMA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit limited liability corporation in accordance with the state of Oklahoma:
- No one person or group of persons directly or indirectly part of GLOTMA has any financial gain or interest or ownership in GLOTMA.
- No one person or group of persons are in themselves singularly GLOTMA, rather only the Greenleaf Old Time Music Association, LLC as an entity.
As this is a free festival, in a public state park in Oklahoma, with all campsites and facilities under the control of the state of Oklahoma, attendees or participants of the Greenleaf Old Time Music festival have paid no financial obligation to GLOTMA in order to participate, and are simply camped or attending with a larger group of people. Thus, GLOTMA owes no obligation to any one individual who has simply come to attend.
Campsite assignment/costs are part of an agreement with Greenleaf DIY LLC and the State of Oklahoma and are not considered to be payment to be part of the festival. Clearly, this event has been advertised as free with no strings attached.
If individuals participate at or attend the festival, whether camping onsite or not camping onsite, by their gratis participation in a public place, they do not hold GLOTMA accountable for any liability. They shall consider themselves as guests of the State of Oklahoma, Greenleaf State Park, and abide by any laws, regulations, guidelines and information supplied by the State of Oklahoma or www.travelok.com
Or..in a few words…not responsible for accidents!
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