Time Jumpers. Best way to KY

Chris Sattler · From: Hunter Valley, Australia

Well, I've purchased the ticket for the Time jumpers in Lancaster KY on Friday 19 Sept. I have gone to great lengths to get there but I'm not there yet. I have to drive from Washington DC on the wrong side of the road. I am allowing 2 days with a stop somewhere in the middle. I have my wife and an eleven year old neither of which showed any desire to see the best swing band in the world. Oh well what can I tell you?

I hope someone with a little local knowledge can give me the best scenic route and maybe some sights to see along the way. From my research I can see a few different ways I could go but I don't know about the lay of the land. I'd like to drive some mountains and have a beer in a little backwoods bar somewhere. Sounds like fun.

Anyone else going to this show in Lancaster?

Jerry Van Hoose · From: Wears Valley, Tennessee

Hello Chris, first & foremost, Billy Coopers Music has everything steel guitar related and is a "must visit". It's located only about 1 hr. outside of DC. It will be in the general direction your heading anyway, beautiful countryside, historical civil war battlefields there too. Afterward, take I-64 west all the way to Lexington, KY, I-75 south to Richmond, KY, then RT 52 west over to Lancaster. It's approx. a 600 mile drive. You'll cross many beautiful mountains along the way while passing through Virginia, West Virginia & Kentucky. My personal advice from a safety standpoint, stay out of the local backwoods bars.
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Jay Jessup · From: Charlottesville, VA, USA

As a resident of Central VA, I ought to caution you that Billy's shop is a bit out of the way for the direction you are headed however, if you want to see a ton of steel stuff and meet some nice people it may be worth the detour?
If scenic drives are what you are after there are many routes to get you there but they all will take you across the Blue Ridge, Appalachian, WVa and Kentucky mountains then on to the rolling countyside of the Bluegrass state and for my nickel there aren't many prettier places in the world.
I would hope some of the WVa area steelers here would chime in with 'not to miss' roads or watering holes you might want to check out.
The main reason I wanted to chime in on this thread is that you will not regret the effort you made to listen to The Time Jumpers brand of music once you get there. I had no idea the they were playing outside of Nashville but caught them at the Paramount Theatre here in Charlottesville VA about a month or so ago. Just a great group of musicians playing some great tunes really well and coming across to the audience as just a bunch of good guys and gals enjoying themselves playing music. Everyone should make an effort to hear PF and the boys in action if they are anywhere near any of their performance dates!!

Jerry Van Hoose · From: Wears Valley, Tennessee

I've traveled from DC to I-64 many, many, times, passing by Billy & Wanda Cooper's, then on to I-64 to Kentucky. Sure, it isn't a direct route but not any further and definitely more scenic. I don't have a map directly in front of me but from DC, it's I-95 south to Fredericksburg, route 3 towards Culpepper, route 20 towards Orange, Billy Coopers on left. Then, continue on route 20 towards Gordonsville, route 15 south on to I-64. Then, west I-64 to Kentucky! As a side note without wanting to get too personal, we've driven from Ky. to Billy and Wanda's, picked them up after hours and continued to Fredericksburg to have dinner at Bob Evans and return....not that far away.
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Jay Jessup · From: Charlottesville, VA, USA

Jerry,
Living here it feels like I am going south east if I choose to leave DC via 95 but you got my curiosity up so I did look at a map and you are right it's at least sort of heading in the right direction to go that way and in order to wind up south of Lexington Ky you really do have to wind up on 64 at some point anyway so Chris if the family can put up with it do drive through the Civil War battlefield areas on the way to I-64 and a stop a Billy Coopers is always good, I never get tired of looking at the classic early pedal steels he has hanging on the wall.
My main word of caution to you Chris is to be very selective about the time you choose to leave the DC area no matter which way you choose, I-95, I-66 or 270/70 can all get really choked up, sometimes for no reason at all!! Try to keep your departure time between 10am and 2PM (or after 7pm) for best results.
Good Luck and have fun.

Jerry Van Hoose · From: Wears Valley, Tennessee

Jay, I've always thought that your area of the country was among some of the most beautiful and scenic in the eastern U.S. Also, I was always interested in the historical nature of the nearby battlefields. The beautiful rolling fields in and around Gordonsville and Orange, VA, then in less than an hour you're crossing the mountains, sometimes above the clouds along I-64 west. Whenever I was an engineer and instructor for CSX, I would detour through there on my way to meetings at the Federal Railroad Administration in DC. (you're absolutely correct regarding the traffic & time frame leaving DC) Then, years later after I retired, I made numerous trips there to Billy & Wanda Cooper's store. I remember that Billy & Wanda always had an ample supply of new and pre-owned guitars in stock as well as amps, both Peavey & Evans, and any type of accessories, volume pedals, George L cables & plugs, strings, etc. I too, remember the vintage steels on the walls, especially the #1 Emmons.
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Gary Lee Gimble · From: Fredericksburg, VA.

Cue up 103.5 FM, on the 8's are traffic updates...
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Chris Sattler · From: Hunter Valley, Australia

Thanks to Jerry and Jay for your input. Billy coopers is a must.
Now I've got an extra day up my sleeve . Day one leave nyc and overnight in Charlottville VA after"accidentally " finding Billy Coopers. Day two drive to Beckley WV. Day three to Lancaster where the Time Jumpers await.

Sshould i skirt around WAshington or is it easier to go straight through. I'm guessing it will be about lunchtime.

General question: how does one get backstage ????
Is it even possible ? I'd love to talk to Joe Spivy and I guess if Mr Franklin is there well I guess I could have a yarn to him as well.

This is getting more exciting the closer it gets
Chris

George Seymour · From: Notown, Vermont, USA

Chris Sattler · From: Hunter Valley, Australia

Well I went to the Time Jumpers last Friday evening. I paid for a good seat in about row 5. The theatre itself is very old and had been closed for 50 years but it has been refurbished very well along with new dressing rooms.

I couldn't believe how good these guys were. Apart from Paul Franklin the standout player for me would have to be the bass fiddle player. He was all over it playing very tastefully. They were very amusing too. I know they have had years to practice some of their lines but some were obviously just ad libbed.

They take turns at singing. Vince Gill Absolutely gave an amazing rendition of "Six pack to go" but nobody wanted to follow him with a song. They did an instrumental instead. I knew Vince Gill was a good singer but I had no idea just how good he is.

I made an effort to meet Paul Franklin after the show and I did. However I got the brush off after 30 seconds. Oh well. All in all it was just a wonderful evening of just fabulous music and you all are so so lucky to have these people at your doorstep.

Next stop the Opry on Tuesday next with Charlie Daniels, brad Paisley and others.

Kevin Raymer · From: Chalybeate, Kentucky, USA

There's a pretty good rendition of 6 pack to go on you tube in one of the lil Walter amp exhibitions..

Brent Mason is with them there.

Pretty hot.
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Zum / Knaggs / Breedlove
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Chris Sattler · From: Hunter Valley, Australia

I forgot to mention that I called into Orange WA to Billy Coopers. Thanks Jerry and Jay for putting me onto that. I had a good inside laugh when he told me he gets a lot of Australians in his shop and I was the second he'd had this year. Good stuff!!!!
What a nice feller and a great shop. Wanda was especially nice.

I had driven directly from New York and I said to Wanda naively "Am i in the south yet?" She said in a broad southern accent, which I'll never forget it, "Oh Honey, can't ya'll tell yet".

Kevin Raymer · From: Chalybeate, Kentucky, USA

That was probably " caintcha tell yit ??"

Smile

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Kevin Raymer
Zum / Knaggs / Breedlove
Fractal Audio

Chris Sattler · From: Hunter Valley, Australia

Oh Yes, Kevin. It was. It was exactly like that. I think the South is just brilliant. I am in Nashville tonight and as I've told a few people today: "in my opinion the best thing to ever come out of New York City is the road to the South". We all had a little chuckle but the sentiment is real. Too fast, too busy, too nuts, too crazy. I like NYC in small doses but give me the South. It is actually very much like Australia with the laid back feel. I am very, very, much right at home here.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

The best thing out of New York is I-81
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