Mike Parker: My single-item ‘bucket list’
The Petersen Bluegrass Band consists of (l-r) Matt, Julianne, Emmett Franz, Karen, Ellen, Jon, and Katie. Submitted by Mike Parker.
Until recently, I have never had a “bucket list,” that list of things a person has not done but wishes to do before dying. I have written, taught, expounded texts from the Bible, and played music with some excellent musicians. My life has been satisfying.
My greatest satisfaction stems from my family. Next month, Sandra and I will be married for 50 years. We have four wonderful children who have grown up to take their place as responsible and hard-working citizens of their communities.
Perhaps the most gratifying experiences I have had involve interacting with my grandchildren. Each of them has enriched my life. They inspired me so much that I produced an entire book of my columns about their antics titled “Sprinkling Stardust: The Delights of Grandchildren.”
I have never wished to climb Mount Everest or to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef, or to descend in a diving bell into the Marianas Trench. I did want to visit County Cork, Ireland, the homeland of some of my ancestors. Now, at my age, I rarely want to leave the house.
But a year or so ago, while I was poking around on YouTube, I came across a group of young people singing “Gone to Carolina in My Mind,” a James Taylor song. I clicked for the video to start and was mesmerized. Then I watched the group’s cover of John Denver's “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
The group performing these songs is The Petersen Bluegrass Band. They make their home in Branson, MO. These young people began learning to play bluegrass music as children. Their father, Jon Petersen, took his family to a bluegrass festival in Gettysburg, PA. He was struck by how families were bonding over the music.
He wanted to create a bond like that for his family. The first step was sending his oldest daughter Katie to a fiddle boot camp at the festive. He also bought his second oldest daughter Ellen a banjo. Jon Petersen’s desire to create a close bond in his family stemmed from being a military family. They constantly moved as Jon, an officer in the Air Force, was reassigned. In the end, his hope for a bonding experience worked far better than he ever dreamed.
In addition to Katie on fiddle and Ellen on banjo, the family also features Matt on guitar and Julianne on mandolin. Their mother, Karen, plays the bass fiddle, and close friend and honorary family member Emmett Franz plays dobro for the group. Each demonstrates excellent musical craft, and their vocal harmonies are tight.
I most enjoy their obvious joy in performing together. They show genuine faith as they sing gospel songs. Their album “Homesick for a Country” is on my iPhone. I listen to this album more than I care to admit. I also have their Christmas album and their latest, “Live Sessions No. 4.”
The Petersens regularly play in Branson at the Little Opry House, but they also tour in the United States and Europe. They have performed in Ireland on several occasions. Many of Katie's fiddle tunes seem to have a distinctively Irish flavor.
Now, back to my bucket list. My list has only one item. I want to travel to Branson to see the Petersens perform live – at least once. If I enjoy their music so much on YouTube and on my iPhone, I cannot imagine the joy I would experience seeing them in person.
By the way – check them out. Their music might be the lift you need during the dreariness of winter.
Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.
