Grover Mollineaux Interview

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=260 BGCOLOR="#262626" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The MOGS Interviews"><U><IMG SRC="528c75f0.jpg" border=0 width="199" height="95" ALT="The MOGS Interviews" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id78.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Act Of Congress Interview"><U><B>Act Of Congress</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Elvin Bishop Interview"><U><B>Elvin Bishop</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ronnie Baker Brooks Interview"><U><B>Ronnie Baker Brooks</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Andre Bush Interview"><U><B>Andre Bush</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id76.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Alexis Cole Interview"><U><B>Alexis Cole</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Don Conoscenti Interview"><U><B>Don Conoscenti</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id57.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Shemekia Copeland Interview"><U><B>Shemekia Copeland</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id61.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Brigitte DeMeyer Interview"><U><B>Brigitte DeMeyer</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Enid Farber Interview"><U><B>Enid Farber</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id79.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Damon Farmer Interview"><U><B>Damon Farmer</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kevin Johnson Interview"><U><B>Kevin Johnson</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id49.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Anthony May Interview"><U><B>Anthony May</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michael McKinley Interview"><U><B>Michael McKinley</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Grover Mollineaux</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id65.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nick Evans Mowery Interview"><U><B>Nick Evans Mowery</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id99.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jacqui Naylor Interview"><U><B>Jacqui Naylor</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id58.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Adam Nussbaum Interview"><U><B>Adam Nussbaum</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id64.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chris Pelletiere Interview"><U><B>Chris Pelletiere</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id71.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Roy Rogers Interview"><U><B>Roy Rogers</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id60.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Peter Sklaroff Interview"><U><B>Peter Sklaroff</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id62.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sabrina Underwood Interview"><U><B>Sabrina Underwood</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id68.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rachel Z Interview"><U><B>Rachel Z</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm#comments" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The MOGS Interviews"><U><B>Contact</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div>  <A NAME="damon_farmer"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><A HREF="http://www.mogswebsite.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.mogswebsite.com/"><U><B><IMG SRC="529e9200.jpg" border=0 width="233" height="32" ALT="mogswebsite.com" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> <B>* MOLLINEAUX / </B><B>MOUNTAIN STAR</B><B> -  </B><A HREF="id101.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grover Mollineaux Interview Photos 1"><U><B>PHOTO GALLERY</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#262626" FACE="Arial" ><B>Grover Mollineaux</B></FONT> - Musician/Singer/Songwriter/Luthier</div> <div> <B>Traditional Folk Historian and Collector of Traditional Folk Music</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="4ee6c660.jpg" border=0 width="364" height="358" ALT="Grover Mollineaux" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="4ef82660.jpg" border=0 width="386" height="358" ALT="Grover Mollineaux" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Photography by Mark D McKinley</div> <bR> <div> (March 2014) - Grover Mollineaux is a soft spoken man that invites a sense of calm when he enters a room. He is a songwriter, singer, musician, a collector of traditional folk music and lives in Lexington, Kentucky. The sound of his finger style guitar playing accompanies his warm vocals - each note from the fretboard resonates from a Mountain Star guitar handcrafted by the performer. Grover Mollineaux's craftsmanship as a luthier is much like his approach to playing music ... he puts a sense of calm and refined purpose into each instrument he builds.</div> <bR> <div> Upon hearing the songs of the Beatles during his youth, Mollineaux was inspired to learn how to play the guitar. From that point forward music has been an essential part of his life. </div> <bR> <div> I visited Grover at his home on a chilly Sunday afternoon in March to discuss his music. During our conversation in his workshop, Mollineaux asserted an enthusiasm steeped in knowledge and experiences as he shared his passion for traditional folk music - a genre that will never fade away thanks to folks like Mollineaux, McGuinn and others. Such artists realize the importance of sharing the songs and stories of traditional music with younger generations. </div> <bR> <div> I've had the opportunity to see Grover Mollineaux perform many times through the years. Mollineaux's stage repertoire ranges from originals to time-tested traditional folk tunes that tell a story. He's been known to add a few long-established blues arrangements into the mix as well. </div> <bR> <div> Augmenting his prowess as a performer, Mollineaux shares a wealth of traditional folk music history and stories of song origins with his audiences. His complete bio can be found on his website @ <A HREF="http://www.groversmusic.com/" TARGET="_blank" TITLE="http://www.groversmusic.com/"><U>www.grovermusic.com</U></A></div> <bR> <div>        - Mark D McKinley     [mogswebsite.com]</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> lu·thi·er - <I>noun</I>. 1. a maker of stringed instruments such as violins or guitars.</div> <div> Word Origin - late 19th century: from French, from luth 'lute'.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The Interview</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="4e817b80.jpg" border=0 width="791" height="184" ALT="Grover Mollineaux - Performance" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Photography by Mark D McKinley</div> <bR> <div> <B>mogswebsite.com:</B>  Share an endearing experience that occurred while growing up outside of New York City on the Island.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mollineaux:</B>  When I was 15 years old, I had the opportunity to travel to Europe with a teacher and 5 other students. We traveled through England, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark for a month and half, camping and making our own meals. Back then you could see Europe on $5.00 a day. It was also the longest I went without sleeping in a bed. </div> <bR> <div> <B>mogsw</B><B>ebsite.com:</B>  In conversation you mentioned that your move to a small town in southeast Ohio was a defining moment for you.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mollineaux:</B>  Besides getting a college education, I also wanted to experience small town life. I wanted to be as far as I could get from NYC, but still be just a day’s drive. So I ended up in New Concord, Ohio, the hometown of astronaut John Glenn. While there, someone had told me about a music club that met every other Sunday at an old church in the town of Otsego, Ohio. So I drove up to Otsego and which was not town, but just a crossroads in the middle of nowhere and a lone old church building that was home to the “White Eyes Music Club”. This was in the early 70’s and the building didn’t even have indoor plumbing or running water, but musicians from around the area would come to play and jam. This was my first authentic traditional music experience. Here I was, a long haired New Yorker, transplanted into another world. The folks there were very kind to me and I kept on returning until I graduated. It was those afternoon at White Eyes that got me focused on traditional music. I remember searching the school library for folk song anthologies and beginning to integrate traditional music into my performances. The first traditional songs I performed were “I am a Pilgrim” and “Jesse James”. </div> <bR> <div> <B>mogswebs</B><B>ite.com:</B>  What promoted your move to Kentucky ... specifically, Lexington, KY?</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mollineaux:</B>  A job change brought us to Bowling Green, Kentucky 26 years ago and then a job change brought us to Lexington 17 years ago. </div> <bR> <div> <B>mogswebsite.com:</B>  Explain simplicity in music as defined through performance.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mollineaux:</B>  The simplest form of performance is voice, and then comes voice and an instrument. I’ve always felt the best combination is guitar and voice. It’s not overpowering, i.e. piano and voice, and blends better with the voice then a banjo or mandolin. The dulcimer is simple but limited in its scope to accompany the voice. James Taylor proved that just the voice and guitar can be a powerful combination. His song “Fire and Rain” is the perfect example. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="4ed17b80.jpg" border=0 width="791" height="184" ALT="Grover Mollineaux - Performance" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Photography by Mark D McKinley</div> <bR> <div> <B>mogswebsite.com:</B>  Explain for younger artists, the importance of traditional music.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mollineaux:</B>  Traditional music is the root of all music; it’s the beginning of the musical thread. There is some element of traditional music in every music form. Sometimes the thread is more noticeable. Take for instance the song “House of the Rising Sun” made popular by the British group “The Animals”. They modified the melody and words of the traditional song “Rising Sun Blues”. Most people today believe the song was written by The Animals, the song was first recorded back in the 1930’s and a Kentucky girl, Georgia Turner, is credited, by folklorist Alan Lomax, for the words. </div> <bR> <div> <B>mogswebsite.com:</B>  What song do you enjoy performing the most?</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mollineaux:</B>  My favorite original song will always be “Kentucky Quarter Moon”. My favorite cover song is “City of New Orleans” although, “Mr. Bojangles” and “Carolina on my Mind” are right there too. </div> <bR> <div> <B>mogswebsite.com:</B>  What prompted your Mountain Star guitar business?</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mollineaux:</B>  I always wanted to make a guitar and after years of repairing and restoring instruments I decided it was time to make a guitar. After completing my first guitar, I realized that I couldn’t stop there and proceeded to make another. At that point I knew this was going to be an endless stream of guitars and possibly other instruments, so I came up with a brand name versus just naming them after myself. </div> <bR> <div> <B>mogswebsite.com:</B>  What is the relevance of the name, Mountain Star?</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mollineaux:</B>  My music company is Mountain Road Music, named after a song I wrote in the 70’s and still play today. I have always been fascinated by vintage instruments and liked the simplicity of the pearl star inlayed in the headstock, which was common in instruments made 100 years ago.</div> <bR> <div> <B>mogswebsite.com:</B>  What sets Mountain Star Guitars apart from other brands?</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mollineaux:</B>  My guitars are assembled by hand and finished by hand. The finish is hand rubbed varnish versus a sprayed lacquer. The wood is able to vibrate more freely versus having a lacquer eggshell encasing the guitar. The guitars are setup over a period of weeks, allowing the wood to move and adjust to the string tension. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="4ec17b80.jpg" border=0 width="791" height="184" ALT="Grover Mollineaux - Luthier" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Photography by Mark D McKinley</div> <bR> <div> <B>mogswebsite.com:</B>  Full color is the preferred standard in modern day photography. I consider black and white photography as relevant today as it was way back when. Sharp black and white images provide a unique focus of attention. For my next question, I'll align rock and pop music with color photography and the genre of folk singer songwriter with black and white photography. How might the latter two art forms parallel one another?</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mollineaux:</B>  Black and white photography is the beginning, the root to all photography and folk/traditional music is the beginning, the root to all music. </div> <bR> <div> <B>mogswebsite.com:</B>  I'm going to mention a place and ask you to transport me there via your personal interpretation of that place and time - Greenwich Village.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mollineaux:</B>  Old buildings, narrow streets, old brick/stone pavement, street level shops with walk up $30 a month apartments above. The rumble of the subway underground, small cafes, street singers, Washington Square Park filled with folksingers. Quiet during the day, busy at night. </div> <bR> <div> <B>mogswebsite.com:</B>  [If it were possible] is there any aspect of your life that you would have done differently?</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mollineaux:</B>  I would have taken piano lessons from my grandmother. </div> <bR> <div> <B>mogswebsite.com:</B>  What do you consider the ideal retreat for rest and relaxation?</div> <bR> <div> <B>Mollineaux:</B>  The beach or the mountains. To look out over the ocean or the mountains tends to put life in perspective. Our troubles are small; it’s a big beautiful world. </div> <bR> <div> (C) 2014 mogswebsite.com</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="#damon_farmer" TITLE="Grover Mollineaux Interview"><U><B>TOP OF PAGE</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Grover Mollineaux Website:</B><B> </B><A HREF="http://www.groversmusic.com/" TARGET="_blank" TITLE="http://www.groversmusic.com/"><U><B>GROVERSMUSIC.COM</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Interview Photo Gallery </B><B> </B><A HREF="id101.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grover Mollineaux Interview Photos 1"><U><B>MOLLINEAUX - MOUNTAIN STAR GUITARS</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>MOGS INTERVIEWS SPONSORED BY</B></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.mogswebsite.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.mogswebsite.com/"><U><B><IMG SRC="529e9200.jpg" border=0 width="233" height="32" ALT="mogswebsite.com" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://mogswebsite.com/id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://mogswebsite.com/id3.htm"><U><B>COMPREHENSIVE INDEX</B></U></A><B>    </B><A HREF="http://mogswebsite.com/id8.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://mogswebsite.com/id8.htm"><U><B>CONTACT</B></U></A><B>    </B><A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/Mark4.Ram/MainGraphicsArea/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.tripod.com/Mark4.Ram/Main"><U><B>GRAPHICS</B></U></A><B>    </B><A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/Mark4.Ram/MOGSPart2/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://members.tripod.com/Mark4.Ram/MOGS"><U><B>PHOTO GALLERY</B></U></A><B>    </B><A HREF="http://mogswebsite.com/id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://mogswebsite.com/id30.htm"><U><B>QUOTES</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Website Design by Mark McKinley       Logos (C) 1999-2018 </B><A HREF="http://www.mogswebsite.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.mogswebsite.com"><U><B>www.mogswebsite.com</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>