We didn’t know what we were in for when we set out for a stylized photo shoot in one of the areas most iconic places, Bodie State Historic Park. But we should have know better then to expect decently comfortable weather at Bodie this time of year. Because it was f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g. Freezing.
Bodie 601, Minaret Photography, Nicki from Alpenglow Bridal and Event Styling & myself set out to capture some photos of one of the Eastern Sierra’s best bluegrass(ish) bands.
What is bluegrass(ish) music you might wonder?
Well as the tale goes, Bodie 601’s name stems from a true, although cruel and dark tale of a miner and a casino man who went to duke it out one cold and snowy night when the miner found out that the casino man was having an affair with his beloved.
The miner taps the shoulder of the casino man and asks him to step outside. Before existing through those iconic swinging doors, they both deposit hefty wads of tobacco in the spittoon. They push on through the double-hingers, and to the miners great misfortune, he must have skipped the day in miner’s 101 when they covered the “never let the man you’re about to duel walk behind you” rule. Because, as you may be anticipating, the casino man pulled out his gat and popped a cap – unfortunately, right in the back of the miner man’s head.
The story continues, apparently the miner man was actually was a really nice guy and had a lot of outlaw miner friends who had his back. Little did the casino man know he was messing with the family, the wrong family. The miners friends united and with out too many more details, they commenced a man-hunt that had the exact ending that they were looking for – a lynching. It was a lynching on a similar cold and snowy night, in the exact same location the miner man met his maker.
As the casino man’s body hung, a note was tacked onto his cold body, threatening anyone who dare take the body down. The note was signed by the miners loyal friends who weren’t going to sit around an wait for the law, but decided to take matter of justice into their own hands, the vigilante outlaws, Bodie 601.
Now // that’s an awfully gory story for such a cheery, fun, energetic looking group, right? Well back to that bluegrass(ish) thing, Bodie 601 doesn’t play by the rules. They do what they want, when they want to. And they don’t take no gruff from no one. They are going to play their music just how they like it and they don’t give a rats tookus if it doesn’t fit your agenda
Well, it’s a good thing for all of us common folk, that Bodie 601’s non conformist ways have yielded them a beautiful blend of genres that can only be described as “bluegrass(ish).”
True to the name sake, these folks are like family and they will treat your like part of theirs, just come give them a listen, put on your dancing shoes and prepare your ears for some knee-slappin’ good music.
Oh yeah, one last thing. Just don’t cross them or they will cut you.