When it comes to our local music scene, the Pioneer Valley has a deep and rich history that covers just about every musical genre imaginable. If you are interested in diving into the area’s musical past and perhaps have a favorite artist you’d love to learn more about, Edward Hines, a musician, historian, and teacher from Wendell, has designed a course that would be perfect for you.

The course is called “History of Valley Rockers,” and it is sponsored by the One Room Schoolhouse program of the Wendell Historical Society. It will be held every Wednesday night from June 12 to July 17 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m at the Wendell Free Library. The class is open to people age 14 and older.

The course’s aim is to deepen our understanding of the artists who have enriched our lives. You’ll be an active participant in this journey, researching a specific group or artist who has left a mark on the local music scene. You’ll then build a PowerPoint presentation to share with the group. Whether you choose a favorite artist or one from a list that Hines has curated, the only criteria is that they must have started making music before 2010, and of course, they must be local.

From there, students will be guided in their research of Valley music, which will utilize photographs, interviews, newspaper articles, audio and video recordings, and more. The next step is to learn how to build a PowerPoint presentation. (Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop or tablet, if possible.)

The class will wrap up with students presenting their PowerPoint presentations to the group, which will be open to the public. All projects will then be considered for inclusion in the Wendell Historical Society’s archives.

The idea for History of Valley Rockers came from Hines’s many years as a music teacher, working musician, and local historian.

“I taught elementary school music (Wendell, Sunderland, Erving, Rowe) from 1988-2015, and history was always an important part of my lessons,” he said in a recent email. “During that time, I had a band called Anatolia, which played traditional Turkish and Arabic music, from 1994-2005, and [we] released several albums.”

Since retiring, Hines has been heavily involved in preserving Wendell’s history. In April 2023, he established the Wendell Historical Society. Before the town had an official historical society, Hines created a website to commemorate the 200th birthday of his home, the Wendell Parsonage. The website also featured information and artifacts related to the town’s history.

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“Part of our mission is to offer history-related enrichment classes. Thus, the One Room Schoolhouse Program is a synthesis of all my experiences. And the History of Valley Rockers is an idea I’ve had for a long time,” he said. “Back in the early 1970s I played folk-rock locally with Michael Napolillo and Steven Schoenberg (NSH). Tommy Snyder played with us for a while as well. We came close to landing a recording contract several times, but it was never meant to be. The History of Valley Rockers class is partly based on my own 50 year musical journey.”

While his work with the historical society keeps him extremely busy, Hines continues on his musical journey.

“If I can find the space, I’ll release a new album sometime later this year, a collection of traditional and original American folk songs performed on Middle Eastern instruments,” Hines said. “I’ve performed several of them locally and so far, folks seem to like the sound. But I need a 36-hour day!”

Enrollment for the History of Valley Rockers is open now, but is limited. You can secure your spot in this fun and informative class at wendellhistoricalsociety.org.

The historic 1794 Meetinghouse in New Salem is a haven for music enthusiasts, thanks to its diverse summer music series. This iconic venue, renowned for its exceptional acoustics and picturesque setting, hosts a range of musical genres every season, including classical, jazz, folk, pop, rock, and world music.

Now in its 31st year, the series will launch on Saturday, June 8, with a show by string band Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem. This renowned group, led by Arbo on fiddle and vocals, is known for their lush harmonies, impeccable musicianship, and strong song choices. They will treat the crowd to a diverse set list including bluegrass, old gospel, uptempo blues rock, and more. The series will wrap up on September 21 with a show by the roots band, the Deep River Ramblers, an exciting band known for their uplifting performances.

Quabbin Valley Pro Musica, a chorus open to singers of all ages, genders, and musical backgrounds, will present a choral music program at the meetinghouse on Sunday, June 9, at 4 p.m. Since 1993, the group has been the resident chorus of the 1794 Meetinghouse, fostering a welcoming and inclusive musical community in New Salem.

This concert, titled “A Handful of Cheer,” will feature bright and uplifting songs from several traditions.

Other artists will be on hand throughout the summer, including folk musician Richard Chase (June 15), classical musicians Jung-Yi Alice Hsieh Daugherty with Ilya Kazantsev (June 23), rocker Christine Ohlman (July 13), folk band Magpie (July 20), singer-songwriter Leah Kunkel (July 21), folk musicians Tracy Grammer and Jim Henry (July 27), jazz singer Samirah Evans (Sept. 7), pianist Stephen Schoenberg (Sept. 8), arch guitarist Peter Blanchette and violinist Charlotte Malin (Sept. 15).

Please note that there are a couple of special shows in the series. The Aug. 31 performance featuring singer-songwriter John Gorka will occur at the Orange Town Hall, not the Meetinghouse. The folk band Mad Agnes will be performing on Sept. 14 during the afternoon of New Salem’s Old Home Day.

For more information, including times of shows and to purchase tickets visit: https://1794meetinghouse.org.

I came across a Facebook posting by an individual who had recently moved to the area and wanted to know if there are any Grateful Dead cover bands in the area. Numerous people reassured him that that he had moved to the right place.

Yes, there are many Grateful Dead tribute bands in this area. Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield even hosts a Dead Night on the third Thursday of every month.

On Saturday, June 1, at 8 p.m., Hawks & Reed is presenting Brown Eyed Women, an all-female group whose members are from various parts of the country and perform the music of the Grateful Dead with their own twist. They are thought to be the only all-female Dead tribute band working today.

Gail Hegeman of Greenfield, who drums for the Dead Collective and She Said, will join the band for this show to create the Dead’s double drum sound.

“I met their drummer Denise Parent at one of their New England tour gigs a few years ago. I ran up to her after the show and told her I was also a drummer in a dead tribute band, Dead Collective,” said Hegeman about her connection to the band. “She and I were excited to connect because there are very few women in the scene as performers! Since then we’ve developed a friendship and have performed together on stage one other time. I’m so excited to sit in with Brown Eyed Women for the night!”

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 day of show, and are available at hawksandreed.com.

Sheryl Hunter is a freelance writer who resides in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national publications. She can be reached at Soundslocal@yahoo.com.