The Great American Brass Band Festival

2007 Festival Articles

June 7, 2007

Brass Band bash, golf becoming a tradition

By LARRY VAUGHT
larry@amnews.com

Richie Lyons, right, and his wife, Teresa will be hosting a Brass Band Bash & Golf Scramble for the 10th straight year on Friday. (Clay Jackson photo)

Richie Lyons isn't exactly sure how the Brass Band Bash & Golf Scramble started.

This is not an official part of the Great American Brass Band Festival that starts today. Instead, it's more a gathering of friends during the festival.

"It used to be that Friday night was slow during the festival," said Lyons. "We had friends coming in from out of town and we wanted a way to kick off the weekend before the Brass Band Festival got going on Saturday."

That's how the golf scramble started 10 years ago. Danville's Damon Stewart will be playing in the event for the 10th straight year on Friday when the players tee off at Danville Country Club.

"It just kind of grew into a scramble," Lyons said. "I think we had 12 teams last year. We've had as many as 18 teams. Sometimes it might not be but 10. It just depends."

The scramble is primarily local players. However, former Danvillian Brent Smith comes from Louisville most years to play and Lyons expects Ken Tirrell, who moved to Florida several years ago, back again.

Lyons furnishes prizes, including many with a Brass Band theme, for everything from the top team to the longest drive to longest putt to closest to the pin.

Wide variety of golfers

"I kind of stress fairness to everybody when they are putting together their teams. We don't want anybody to bring four scratch golfers," Lyons said.

Lyons plays golf only occasionally. However, he says the winning score normally will be 12 or 13 under par.

"We have had local golfers such as Mike Pittman, Brian Chafin and Mike Lafavers play, and they are all good players," Lyons said. "We have some guys who can really anchor a team and then some guys like me who hardly ever play. I haven't played yet this year and normally I won't play more than five times a year. It's a wide variety of golfers, including some with 30 handicaps.

"This year Kenny Young is bringing (former Boyle County golfer) Clay Carter. He brings a young gun to anchor his team each year. But the idea is to have fun and (Danville Country Club professional) John Mesplay takes care of us pretty well."

The golf scramble isn't the end of the fun. The Bash offers friends a chance to relax on Friday night.

Lyons says his wife, Teresa, "loves to entertain and likes an excuse to have a party." Normally many players from the golf scramble come to the Lyons' house to spend time together.

Bash is laid back

Since T.J. Lyons and Elizabeth Lyons are involved in numerous sports, Lyons and his wife often have conflicts with their activities before the Bash.

"A lot of times we sprint back from the ballpark to our guests. The kids like to go to the balloon race, and that can impact the turnout at the party," Lyons said. "Now that the Gallery Hop has started downtown on Friday nights. We might just have to move the starting time for the Bash back a little bit even though we are expecting another good turnout."

Lyons says the Bash is "pretty laid-back" and is more like a reunion than a party.

"We try to get people to dance, but that doesn't work out very well. It is mainly just people having a good time and naturally we talk a lot about sports because we are all big sports fans," Lyons said.

Some years Lyons has T-shirts made for the Bash & Golf Scramble.

Since this is the 10th anniversary, he's heard from friends that they are expecting another T-shirt this weekend.

"We don't do shirts every year. But since some people have been giving me a hard time about not having one for the 10th year, I have been working on that," Lyons said. "Brass Band weekend is so much fun for all of us. It's great for the kids, too.

"We just wanted to start it earlier and now even though there are more things to do in conjunction with the festival, we still just enjoy getting together and doing what we have been. It's kind of become our Brass Band tradition."

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