Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
#860932 08/27/25 02:41 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,692
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,692
Jerry, my good friend, better known as Wolf to his friends would have been 70 years old today.

I will fill in parts of the storyline later as comments are posted. Essentially, Wolf was a musician who played guitar and mandolin. He was a much better mandolin player and loved all kinds of music but really loved bluegrass. He bought 17 acres of land in the Fancy Gap, Virginia hills and eventually built a house in the side of the hill overlooking the creek.
He hosted a bluegrass music festival on his birthday weekend every year.

In the video, as the song ends and the fiddle comes back in, that's me, my wife, and Wolf back in better days. Wolf introduced me to my wife.

Enjoy the pictures and the music. Many of the people in these photos have gone on to the great Beano Festival in the sky. That must be one heck of a party going on.

I'll post more anecdotes later.

Wolf


You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Guitarhacker #860936 08/27/25 03:43 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,898
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,898
Enjoyed your video, Herb! Looks like a good time was had by all at those festivals! And yeah, many of my old bandmates from the 70s, 80s, and 90s have gone to the great gig in the sky too, part of getting older I guess.

Great song, would like to hear more about it.

Guitarhacker #860943 08/27/25 05:18 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,604
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,604
Herb,

Such a touching song and video...

Bob

BlueAttitude #860951 08/27/25 10:24 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,692
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,692
Originally Posted by BlueAttitude
Enjoyed your video, Herb! Looks like a good time was had by all at those festivals! And yeah, many of my old bandmates from the 70s, 80s, and 90s have gone to the great gig in the sky too, part of getting older I guess.

Great song, would like to hear more about it.


Thanks.... I don't have the details on the tracks but I think aside from possibly an acoustic guitar track, everything was BB.

I met Wolf at a bluegrass festival that our band was hired to host. 3 days of banjos and fiddles. Wolf was there and introduced himself and hung with us the whole weekend. He started following the band around the state. It was in his home town of Wilson NC where he was a regular at the gigs. He introduced me to my future wife at that venue. It was after the band broke up that he ended up moving to the VA hills and bought the property. He started the Beano festival. It was named from a band that he was in at some point before he met us. In the video.... there's a few pics from the very first festival. I was there. I'm wearing a light blue shirt and facing away from the camera. There was no stage.... just set up in the corner of the field. He eventually had a covered stage and a covered pavilion built for the festivities. We camped out each year for quite a few of the early years. Once we had kids, it became harder to get there.... I think we might have made two or three during the years with kids. Wolf was diagnosed with cancer and long story short.... had to sell the property and move back closer to family. One of the forces behind helping organize the festivals, secured a couple of different places in the flatlands of Nash county where I'm currently living. It just wasn't the same as in the hills. No freezing creek to have to bathe in, no isolation from the neighbors, and way more mosquitos and gnats. The very last one was held at one of the old time supporters home. Nothing lasts forever.

More stories to come


You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
rsdean #860952 08/27/25 10:25 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,692
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,692
Originally Posted by rsdean
Herb,

Such a touching song and video...

Bob

Thanks Bob.... everyone that met Wolf immediately liked him. He was that kind of guy.


You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Guitarhacker #860954 08/27/25 11:29 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 2,757
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 2,757
When I read "Wolf", I think of Winston Wolf!

I think you posted this video a year or three ago, but I liked it even better this time around.
Seems everyone had a lot of fun, despite all the mandolins grin

Beautiful memories are the best ones!

Guitarhacker #860956 08/27/25 12:56 PM
User Showcase
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,297
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,297
Herb, cool tribute to a friend and to all the friends who will pass through our lives. Heck, we're ALL just passing through. Quite a video collage, too. One day we'll all be back together for sure...


DC Ron
BiaB Audiophile
Presonus Studio One
ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM
Presonus Faderport 16
Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
Guitarhacker #860968 08/27/25 03:55 PM
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,136
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,136
Herb, what a great tribute to an old friend and fellow musician.
Everything is perfect. Loved the pictures. It looked like you all were having a fantastic time.
Yes we are at the age where we are losing our friends. It is sad isn't it.
Loved the song.


I'm in a fitness protection program. I'm been hiding from exercise.

64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
Guitarhacker #860969 08/27/25 05:08 PM
User Showcase
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,989
PG Music Staff
Offline
PG Music Staff
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,989
This is a lovely tribute that I am sure they would deeply appreciate. Based on the photos in the video it looks like you guys had a lot of amazing memories together, and that's what matters most. Beautiful work. smile


Cheers,
Ember
Guitarhacker #860980 08/27/25 11:04 PM
User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2025
Posts: 230
Apprentice
Offline
Apprentice
Joined: Aug 2025
Posts: 230
A lovely respectful tribute to your dear friend. Excellent.

Guitarhacker #860991 08/28/25 02:37 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,369
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,369
Really enjoyed this, so smooth, genuine, and a great tribute to a friend.


Windows 11, Intel Core i5-8600T 2.3Ghz, 16 gig ram, BIAB 2025 MegaPak, SampleTank 4, Keystation49 Kybd, Neewer NW-800 mic
Guitarhacker #860993 08/28/25 02:40 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,633
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 8,633
Herb,

I'll make this short: Ya did a super job on this tribute to your friend. Excellent in all respects.

Alan


BIAB 2024 Ultra Plus-all StylePaks*Win11*32GB DDR5*Rhyzen 9745x*AT 2035 Mic*Peavey Nashville 112 Amp*Ibanez ART120* Acoustic/Electric/Washburn D200S Acoustic*Stromberg Monterey Jazz Guitar

Loops: https://aldavidmusic.wixsite.com/bestmusicloops

Guitarhacker #860995 08/28/25 02:51 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 804
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 804
Hi Herb,

What a rich, full sound and a lovely tribute. I love the backstory...what you shared and what is evident from the photos; thanks for sharing it. Wolf sure was a colorful guy!

Guitarhacker #861011 08/28/25 04:01 AM
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,692
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,692
Thanks everyone for the comments.

Some additional info.... Wolf was cremated when he passed. He had sold his property and the house he and Suzi had built into the side of the hill overlooking the meadow and creek. The new owners who I believe were friends with Wolf, graciously allowed the going away party and the scattering of his ashes in the creek.

The framed portrait you see in several of the pictures was being presented to his wife Suzi. One of the people who attended the Beano Festival was a very talented artist and had painted it from a photo. They made 100 numbered copies with #1 going to Suzi. The rest were sold as a fundraiser for Suzi to help with the cost of everything that was going on with doctors, treatment, and final expenses.

At the very last Beano Festival, they had door prizes and I was fortunate to have my ticket called on one of the drawings. The prize was one of those numbered paintings. It hangs in my studio front and center about the monitor.

Beanos up! All throughout the entire weekend of the festival, folks could be heard occasionally yelling "Beanos Up!". Whatever you were drinking, you were challenged to take a drink together.


You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Guitarhacker #861106 08/29/25 08:14 AM
User Showcase
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 4,833
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 4,833
Hi, Herb. I watched the vid and heard this one a few days ago. Watched again now just before reading all of this. No need to comment on how good this song is. You wrote it, you play it --'nuff said. Man, i am glad to hear about these good times, Herb. We also had a friend who had a large farm where he had Bluegrass festivals every year. He also contracted cancer and had to give it up. My son's neckname for many is Beano.
Never met Wolf, of course, but you made me love him and miss the hell out of him, Herb. Glad you and your wife had the pleasure and made something special out of it. I was wondering about that money jar (at around 1:04). Now I suppose I have the answer.


Enjoy whatever happens!
marty

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@babumusic51
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/marty-straub
Band in a Box, Reaper, Cakewalk, Ozone 12, EZDrummer
Guitarhacker #861111 08/29/25 09:27 AM
User Showcase
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 2,025
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 2,025
Excellent tribute.


Some favourite Waoist Adages:
#1: Play on the Way.
#13: Ask not for whom the flower blooms, it blooms for you.
#58: Bring consciousness to it.
#63: On the road to effortlessness, effort must be made.
#92: Be Love Now, the rest will come on its own.
BabuMusic #861119 08/29/25 12:08 PM
User Showcase
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,692
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,692
Originally Posted by BabuMusic
Hi, Herb. I watched the vid and heard this one a few days ago. Watched again now just before reading all of this. No need to comment on how good this song is. You wrote it, you play it --'nuff said. Man, i am glad to hear about these good times, Herb. We also had a friend who had a large farm where he had Bluegrass festivals every year. He also contracted cancer and had to give it up. My son's neckname for many is Beano.
Never met Wolf, of course, but you made me love him and miss the hell out of him, Herb. Glad you and your wife had the pleasure and made something special out of it. I was wondering about that money jar (at around 1:04). Now I suppose I have the answer.
Thanks for the really nice comments. I think you meant 1:40. That was Wolf's wife Suzi and Ricky. Another good friend of ours. Ricky passed away several years ago as well. Sepsis from some other medical issues.

That was a gate charge to get in. Wolf put on a big feed on Saturday night. In addition to all the music there was generally a feast of some sort. Could be anything from a brisket to a whole hog on the grill or in the ground and fixings. There were several porta potties onsite that were kept clean and serviced. That fee helped offset the costs of the event.

I remember a couple of fundraisers for one or more of our friends through the years.


You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.

ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.

PG Music News
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!

Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!

We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!

There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.

When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.

Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.

Happy New Year!

Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.

Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!

Season's Greetings!

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!

The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.

Team PG

Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window

In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.

Watch the video.

You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!

Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe

This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.

Watch the video.

You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!

Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®

With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!

These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!

This Free Bonus PAK includes:

  • The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK: -For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
  • MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
  • Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
  • Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
  • Playable RealTracks Set 5
  • RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
  • SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
  • Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)

Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:


  • 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
  • FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
  • MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
  • Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
  • Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
  • RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
  • SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)

Learn more about the Bonus PAKs for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!

Video: New User Interface (GUI)

Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!

Watch the video.

You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics85,514
Posts792,807
Members39,905
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
Newest Members
erikweri, sdxrcyfthyjv, Rachel31, Joel Stoner, madyasho
39,907 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 182
DC Ron 120
jpettit 98
Noel96 81
rsdean 66
Today's Birthdays
HighDezert, steelman61
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5