Old Time Music in New Form
“Still On the Hill” performs in the Rokokosaal of the Heimatmuseum Guenzburg

From CountryHome : Das Online Country Music Magazin Freier Fachjournalistem (Germany, 2004)

Translated by Hannelore Hevesy

A special and unique delight was presented by the US duo Still On The Hill on Sunday afternoon, and the historic Rokokosaal concert hall was an unusual but dignified environment for their music. The duo consists of Donna Henschell and Kelly Mullohan from the Ozark Mountains of the state of Arkansas. “Old Time Music” represents a genre of folk music which was popular in the 1920's in the U.S. and which formed the basis for the later style of country music. In fact, the old style is still a living fountain of inspiration for the music world.

Still On The Hill is definitely representative of that tradition, utilizing the instruments from older times with Donna on the fiddle and Kelly playing the guitar, banjo and mandolin. But that's not all, for they not only draw from the repertoire of the past but have expanded it with the inclusion of their own songs. Their songs are about people from their home and surroundings, about simple people, about missed children's games and midlife crises, all described musically. Current events such as the presidential election in the U.S., environmental concerns, as well as the problems of minority groups are critically sung about but not to the extent that the pair would be categorized as protest singer-songwriters. But they surely do look like the hippies of an earlier era. They write music to poems by American Indians, African-Americans, Eskimos and the white “Beatniks” of the 60's, sending a message that they are aware of the concerns of the present time and that Old Time Music is not a pastime to escape the concerns of the world. All the while they give a highly energetic performance: Donna with her fiddle flits about the stage like a whirlwind and accompanies the songs with animated gestures and movements while Kelly changes his instrument from song to song. There was never a moment of boredom. Their playing is of a very high level, they are masters of their instruments, and can really sing, too. It was a pity that Donna had a cold and had to conserve her voice. They also provide explanatory introductions when it seems important and they connect easily with the audience.

There were about 50 people in attendance at the invitation of the Country & Western Friends Koetz e.V. Among them, many new faces who enjoyed the performance, applauded, and hopefully will come again to the “Country Christmas” presented by the Country Friends on December 11 at 8 p.m. in the Schuetzenheim Leipheim with the group Backroad & Friends.

(Original German article here)