Pastense

Bluegrass & Old Tyme Music

Pastense is a five-piece bluegrass and old time music group from Topeka, Kansas. Members include Penny Uhl, playing guitar and singing lead and harmony vocals; Jolleen Thorpe playing guitar and singing lead and harmony vocals; Diane Gillenwater playing fiddle; Steve Ladner playing mandolin and Don Anderson on the upright bass.

Penny and Jolleen started singing together in the early 80's, mostly for their own enjoyment. They joined the Old Time Fiddlers, Pickers & Singers in Rossville, Ks., and in 1994 placed first in the duet contest at the Osawatomie State Championships. They also placed first in the Ensemble Folk Singing category at the Lawrence State Fiddling Championship in 1994 and again in 1997.

Don and Steve have been together in a musical group since the early 70's. They joined Penny and Jolleen early in 1994, after meeting them at a local bluegrass club jam. By March of '94 the group played its first job and has been performing together since that time.

Diane joined the band in July of '95. She has been playing the violin/fiddle since she was ten years old. She performed with the Topeka Civic Symphony, many musicals, and has a degree in violin performance from Washburn University, Topeka, Ks. Diane has a background in classical music but a heart in bluegrass and country music. She has placed several times in the Kansas State Fiddle Championships in Lawrence.

In the time the group has been together, they have played festivals at Turney and Smithville in Missouri and in Clinton, Kansas at the Clinton Lake Festival. They have also made numerous appearances at local coffee shops in Topeka and were named the "official" band of the Oregon Trail tours at Serenata Farms in Big Springs, Ks. Other performances include a pre-warm-up act for Alison Krauss's performance at the Performing Arts Center in Topeka; St. Mary's, "Arts In the Park"; The Muscular Dystrophy, Labor Day Telethon; Glenn's Opry in Tonganoxie, Ks.; WIBW's TV show, "Take Five"; Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo. and numerous other private parties. They also provided the musical accompaniment for Washburn University's presentation of Woody Guthrie's American Song. In April of 1996 the group recorded its first album entitled Simple Ways and is available at all Pastense performances.

Pastense plays a variety of new and old bluegrass and gospel music plus some old time country favorites. Many of their songs were adapted from albums by Emmy Lou Harris and Alison Krauss, with a few from greats like Kitty Wells, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and Patsy Montana. The group also performs some original material written by Penny and Jolleen.

In addition to the duet harmony of Penny and Jolleen, Steve performs some cowboy poetry, Don tells some really tall tales, and Diane provides some "old favorite" fiddle tunes.

4/23/99