Musicians gather for workshop at Slocum Hall

Twenty budding and experienced music artists from across southern Idaho came together at historic Slocum Hall for a two-day vocal workshop over a recent weekend where they dug into improving their own stage performances. 

 Led by Honi Deaton of Boise-based Honi Deaton and Dreamgrass, the Finding Your Own Voice workshop took participants into topics including pitch control, stage presence, overcoming insecurities and fear, breath support, song interpretation, and, with many of the students performing at least semi-professionally, time to discuss and share their experiences with the group.

 Deaton was joined by her husband and Dreamgrass band mate Jeff Deaton, and workshop coordinator Gary Eller, who shared performance tips with students while Honi completed one-on-one sessions with individual participants. 

 With a musical background from childhood, Honi’s family located to Idaho when she was 15. Offered a music scholarship to the College of Idaho, she passed on it to pursue her interest in bluegrass, joining and touring with the music ensemble The Grasshoppers for seven years.

 After their marriage, the Deatons relocated to Georgia, and formed the band Dream. She’s performed internationally on some of the biggest stages including “The Grand Ole Opry.” She has also released five commercially produced projects, the latest being on the Grammy Ballot and she also provided the soundtrack for the movie entitled “Stuck in the Past.” 

 The couple returned to the Gem State to focus on and raise their family, with Honi taking a break from touring for a brief time.

 While in town, the Deatons performed a concert on May 20, at Bee Tree Folk School on East Idaho Street in downtown Weiser. Along with the Deatons, Dreamgrass regular band members include six-time National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest Grand Champion Katrina Nicolayeff on fiddle, Josh Brooks on banjo, and Ladd Johnston on guitar.

 Eller sings and plays banjo and guitar, and is a member of at least two Treasure Valley bands, Chicken Dinner Road, and Wilder. 

 Chicken Dinner Road is a progressive bluegrass band and has developed a unique sound rooted in bluegrass, gospel, blues, old country and rock and roll. Wilder performs pre-1970s bluegrass and early country music.

 Among other interests, Eller and friends, who dub themselves as the Banjo Calamities, have been instrumental in refurbishing Slocum Hall’s second and third story overnight-stay accommodations. He also pioneered what has become the annual Banjo Contest, which is held the weekend leading into Weiser’s third full week of June National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest and Festival.

 The 2022 Banjo Contest is set for June 18 and 19 at Hooker Hall, right next door to Slocum Hall. Registration for the contest may be completed online at www.fiddlecontest.org.