Truman Dishman

When and how did you first become interested in oldtime music? I recall at about age 5or6 my dad his brother and uncle mac playing music. Dad played claw hammer banjo and picked guitar his brother played guitar and uncle mac fiddle. I remember Dad picking wildwood flower in a C chord I didnt know that then.

2. How long have you been playing oldtime music?

About 40-42 years my wife Faye bought my first guitar ordered it from sears not long after we were married so I could learn to play when we would go visit her family on weekends. Her sisters husband had a guitar from sears and his sisters husband played mandlin also from sears and a cousin had a k bass. I was on my way learning 3 chords a short time later I bought a used mandlin and started learning 3 chords adding notes that was the sound i was looking for.

When we would take the kids camping & vacation Faye would say are you taking that ol mandlin again.Now she says dont forget the mandlin you might need it.

3. What are your musical influences? Listening to WSM grand ol opry saturday nights on a battry radio and a wire di pole antenna when i was small. I was raised in the cumberland mountains overton county livingston TN. About 110 miles NE of nashville.I was influenced by lots of people. to name a few Flatt & Scrugs 15 minute martha white on radio at 600 am and 30 minute TV show on channel 4 on saturday 600pm.

Around 1960or so I saw flatt & Scrugs, Bill Monroe on stage it cost 50 cents. Carter & ralph Stanley, Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, Paul Williams playing mandlin Jimmy martin. Roy Accuf & smokey mtn boys, Merl Haggard, Carl Story, Last but least Doyl the man Lawson.

4. Does anyone in your family play music? Our oldest son Allen plays dobro. Our youngest son plays guitar and accomplished vocilist and song leader in his seinor year of high school he was # 11 in NW, TN. coral music competion.

5. What kinds of times and places have you played music in your life? To name a few the the gibson masterpiece theatre opry mills in Donelson. TN. ozark folk lor society Mountain View, AR, Jimmy Driftwood theater Mountain View, AR. Mountain View gospel opry. 1984 or 85 the Dan Rudy benifit an arts and craft show first time on stage. Music valley bluegrass, fiddle banjo two guitars bass , mandlin and 4 vocals we played together about 6 years when we lived in Hermitage,TN. Moved to Dyersburg . Played with cane ridge for about 5 years, possom river 10 years, West TN bluegrass gospel 8 years and shade tree pickers about 3 years.

6. What else do you do besides play music?

Amature radio operator have a general class licens. I have talked to stations around the world also made voice contact with space shuttle. and also sending and receiving code on a streight telegraph code key and a inverted V, copper wire di pole for a antenna . Like to work in the yard.

7. What makes this kind of music "good" to you? Being able to share it with others and pass it on . The interesting thing about this music to some it talks about life from beginning to end and beond.

8. Why did you choose to play this kind of music?

I think this kind of music just grows on you.

Thanks Jeff . Hope this will do i"m not the best at E mail.