by Miriam Lucero with Gary Clemmons • photography by Michael Lucero G
ary Clemmons, thank you for inviting Horse & Agriculture Magazine, LLC to the Greater Arizona Country Western Swing Music Association (GACWSMA) Hall of Fame Awards! We enjoyed watching and hearing incredible musicians display their craft! The room was filled with talented musicians, and artists. Would you share with our readers a brief history of GACWSMA? When did you become a Mem-
ber and President of GACWSMA? I was first acquainted with GACMA in early 2002 while working a daily DJ shift at KNOT Country Radio in Prescott. In 2005 I served a term on their board of directors while enjoying their Jam, dance, and meetings at the Quailwood facility close to Dewey. I learned then the 501c3 had been laying the ground work since 1994.
Gary, how does one become a Member of GACWSMA? Where do all the Members meet, date, and time? Would you share about the open Jam? The organization meets every 2’nd Sunday of the month at 9360 E. Manzanita Cir. In Prescott Valley (12:00-4:00pm). Known too many as the CASA building. It is a city owned facility equipped with a kitchen for the Pot Luck, Stage for the Band, and comfortable amenities for the traditional Country Music and Dance folks in the area. The annual dues for membership is only $24.00 starting in 2019. That’s just $2.00 per show. You do not need to be a member to attend any function, but it may cost a couple extra dollars if you’re not. Can’t beat that while supporting so many great causes as well. One cause is the Hall of Fame display now being housed at the famous Chuck Wagon Dinner Show 1880’s town of the Blazi’n M Ranch in Cottonwood. It’s an open Jam Session that one signs up on the chalk board and gets 2 songs with the house band. Or bring your own band and use the back line gear and PA to play through.
GACWSMA gives back to the community! Gary, would you share with our Members, how GACWSMA is working with schools to teach a new generation of students Country/ Western Music? The WS printed above in the middle of all those letters stood for “Western Swing”. Not only was the name to long for the filings at the Corporation Commission it seemed to instill a stigma only Swing Music was played. The board and our statutory agent Beve Cole has since removed those two words, and now we are the Greater Arizona Country Music Assc. And Hall of Fame at
www.gacwsma.com . Changing the URL for our website is not done yet. If one may be interested in passing on the tradition of Country music visit the website and browse the pages for the Jr. Pickers Program. It is very interesting and quite the task getting the Statewide schools involved in sponsoring the program. This type of activity is the back
16 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2018 I HORSE & AG MAGAZINE
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