Town becomes bluegrass hot spot
CASHMERE, Wash. – No one imagined in 2001 that the little coffeehouse in the back of a church would become the region’s most popular venue for nationally known bluegrass performers.
The Cashmere Community Coffeehouse celebrated its eighth anniversary Jan. 31, and Riverside Center – the coffeehouse’s home for the past five years – was packed to hear two of the nation’s best bluegrass flatpick guitar players. Dan Crary joined Dale Adkins, one of the Northwest’s best contemporary acoustic guitarists, for two hours of tunes that spanned the history of bluegrass guitar music.
“Where did all you folks come from? I didn’t know there were this many bluegrass fans up here,” said Crary, of Placerville, Calif., to the nearly 300-member audience.
An enthusiastic and loyal audience, an attractive hall with a great sound system and a dedicated team of volunteers are behind the success of the monthly show schedule, said Marie Vecchio, president of the coffeehouse board of directors.
“Everyone does their part,” said Vecchio, a bluegrass fiddler. The board reads like members of a local band: Chuck and Candace Egner, who own a recording studio; Tom Caudill, a Cashmere banjo player; Jerry Samples, a Wenatchee dobro player and guitar maker; and Joanie Sittman, whose husband, Cliff, is a Leavenworth mandolin player.
The coffeehouse began in 2001 when Cashmere newcomer Joyce Fikkan decided Cashmere needed some weekend family entertainment.
“I wanted to get the church involved in something for the whole community, and I wanted something for me to do,” said Fikkan. She invited The Bailey Family, a local bluegrass band, for the first pass-the-hat performance in the community hall in the back of St. James Episcopal Church.
“It was immediately a hit, but it was that first Frontline show that put us on the map,” said Fikkan, referring to the rising-star bluegrass band led by Oregon guitarist Adkins and Twisp singer Leah Larson.
“Word got out and back to Nashville that we have a great venue here,” said Chuck Egner.
“Now, they call us,” said Vecchio. “It’s unbelievable.”