Two new films on WV musicians
Gerald Milnes is the reigning 2006 WV Filmmaker of the Year - Ray Schmitt was the WV Filmmaker of the Year i n 2004. They are friends, working on “The Texture of Life-The Tusing Sisters of Branch Mountain” together. Recently both of them have released marvelous new films about two of our state’s thousands of first-class musicians, Junior Holstein and Wayne Stawderman. I recently watched the two films back to back, making a new program for an evening of film on these experienced artists.
“Fiddlin’ Wayne Stawderman” is about a native of Mathias whose mother is a Mathias, the namesake of the town. He has been entertaining people for more than 50 years, “loving every minute of it.” He is shown playing fiddle tunes at the Lost River Museum and with his popular current band, The Trout Pond Pickers, playing in the Trout Pond Store. His band mate and long time friend Ralph Hill comments on how likable Wayne is, and how much people have loved to hear his music. Never have I seen a film about a happier musician than this one.
In comparison to Wayne is the subject of Milnes’ most poignant film to date, “The Music of Heaven.” William Sherman “Junior” Holstein was raised by his grandparents and has never married. Luckily, he has found friends with in-laws who dearly love his music. Unlike Strawderman, though, he has had a difficult time living in his world on the Coal River. He describes how to make moonshine and talks about his life on the Coal River. The title tune is a soulful instrumental that relates to Junior’s fixation on his life after death. At the end of the film we learn that he has stopped playing music, and believes that the devil lives in his chimney.
I will be giving my preview copies to Kevin Carpenter, president of the West Virginia Filmmakers Film Festival in Sutton. Hopefully both films will be shown in October at the festival.
Hopefully at some time the WV Music Hall of Fame can show these two recent films. They are planning a film night in October, showing films about Charleston native George Crumb who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in November. On the same program is Jacob Young’s film about “The Amazing Delores” who like Junior lived a tortured life, passing away several years ago at an early age.
Both filmmakers are also excellent musicians, showing a deep sympathy with their subjects. Congrats to both Milnes and Schmitt - may they make another hundred films about WV’s many amazing musicians and other artists.
