fwd: From John Dopyera

[Howard Parker]

Forwarded from the RESOGUIT list, with permission.

I have not been able to keep up with the great flow of entries on =
RESOGUIT lately so I was very appreciative that John Vanco at the Erie =
Art Museum forwarded me the recent RESOGUIT items discussing a U.S. =
Resofest. Sounds like a great idea! Before receiving them, I was in the =
process of preparing a "trial balloon" invitation to put on RESOGUIT and =
to mail out to others about a get-together at our place this July. =
Perhaps what I'm proposing could also serve as a planning event for the =
2001 U.S. Resofest suggested by Rick Mifflin. Anyway, let me know if you =
have interest or reactions. That invitation follows:

During the past several years, my wife Margaret and I have spent many =
enjoyable times with resonator instrument enthusiasts at IBMA, Folk =
Alliance, DOBROFEST-TRNAVA and other festivals, at various museum =
exhibits which featured Dad's work and during travels in this country =
and abroad. We are retired academics; we are not musicians. We continue =
to be in awe of the skill and enthusiasm of performers and luthiers who =
build and play acoustic-stringed instruments that house a spun or =
stamped aluminum resonator under a shiny, round cover plate.=20

Since the name given to many of these instruments by Dad and his =
brothers has been co-opted and not possible to use legally without =
corporate permission, resonator guitar, resonator ukulele and resonator =
mandolin have been substituted, as you know, for names originally used. =
I also now personally refer to those who build resonator instruments, =
perform with resonator instruments and/or otherwise make resonator =
instruments a significant part of their lives, as RESONATEURS. Perhaps =
this nom de plume is a bit artsy fartsy, but in the absence of another =
generic term it will, for me, have to do, until a better one comes =
along. (TIFKAD strikes me as a wee bit inelegant as does TIFKADer.)

Anyway, to the point of this note. During the past several years =
numerous individuals have suggested that a gathering of resonator =
instrument enthusiasts - RESONATEURS - might be a lot of fun and =
possibly useful for face-to-face networking as well. We have a large =
home and some acreage in a very rural part of northwestern Pennsylvania. =
We are considering having an extended "open house" or a "gathering" - if =
you will - in our home during this upcoming summer. Dad's birthday was =
July 6th, and the two weekends during July 1 - 9 include the 4th of July =
four-day weekend.=20

We wonder: Does such a gathering make sense; should such an opportunity =
be made available? Is the timing July 1-9 feasible? If you participated =
would you feel comfortable sharing costs for food and other minor =
expenses? What other questions and issues should be considered in =
planning such an event? Would you attend and participate in such an =
event?

The basic questions are -- should we try to bring about such a gathering =
and if so, what do we have to do to make it happen?

Margaret and I are currently away from our Pennsylvania home. Our =
current address is: John and Margaret Dopyera, PO Box 8159, Myrtle =
Beach, SC 29578. We will look for your responses on RESOGUIT or contact =
us directly. We will return home in early April. Our home address is: RD =
1, Box 148E, Grand Valley, PA 16420. Home phone is (814) 436 - 7798. Or =
we can also always be reached directly at any time through our e-mail =
address: mlay@tbscc.com

Let us know what you think.

John E Dopyera



------------------
Howard Parker
www.resoguit.com
ListOwner RESOGUIT

[Mike D]

John, how nice to hear from you. Such a gathering is a wonderful idea. I have always called myself a Resophile but I like your name also. It is great that the Dopyera name and "cause" is being carried on. Resonators are truly addictive and every guitar I build I have to resist the impulse to make it a resonator (I failed in my resistance the last time)

[Ted Smith]

Count us in John

Ted

[mikey]

I'm in Hawaii, but oddly enough I'll be in NY in July....I'll be there,
Aloha,
Mike

[Joe E]

I maybe in NY those first two weeks of July!

If I am, count me in too.