Pictures! April 2005

April 2... Saturday night we sang for the Cabarrus County Law Enforcers Benefit. Once again we enjoyed all the top-notch Southern Gospel singing. Promoter Earlene Hicks invited us back for another concert this September. Before the concert we made our ritual trip to China Grove for some BBQ and a ride on the concrete pigs. This was our first Concert after the birth of Noah Cockman!

April 2, 2005

Cabarrus County Law Enforcers Association Benefit

Kannapolis, NC

Singing for the Law Enforcers

Me with Earlene Hicks

Billy and Ben have some BBQ with Matthew Cross.

The Butter Pats

John Wishon of The Wishons.

Billy with Robert and Kendall Poe.

April 3... April 3rd was Rebecca Knupp Day at Mount Hebron Wesleyan Church in Old Fort, NC. As as special surprise for Rebecca, the church and community were honoring her life of service. In addition to being a great citizen, Rebecca is Jennifer Cockman's grandmother! She was honored with U.S. and N.C. flags that had been flown for a day over the Sate Capitol in her honor. She was also honored by the presence of much of her family, and many old friends. The oldest was our Grandma Cockman. Grandpa Cockman was the preacher at Mount Hebron when Rebecca's husband, Clifford Knupp, was just seven years old! Grandma is 94, and has lots of great memories of her time there. Jennifer and I met fifteen years ago, when Mount Hebron was celebrating Clifford Knupp Day, and Grandpa Cockman was invited to preach. He brought his grandkids along to sing, and the rest is history!

April 3, 2005

Rebecca Knupp Day at Mt. Hebron Wesleyan Church

Old Fort, NC

Mamma, Lydia and Arwen with Grandma Cockman and Mammaw Knupp.

The Knupp family - click for names!

The Knupps at dinner.

Aubrey Riley with Erin and Wanda Knupp. Second row: Mamma with Grandma Cockman

Arwen and Lorien wrote a special song for Mammaw Knupp.

Rebecca is awarded a flag that was flown for a day over the North Carolina Capitol in her honor.

April 9... Saturday's singing at Friendship United Methodist Church benefited the Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry (ECCCM). ECCCM is a ministry that distributes free food and clothing, provides emergency assistance with rent, utilities, oil/kerosene and pharmace, oversees the local Head Start Program and offers adult basic educations classes in partnership with Catawba Valley Community College. ECCCM is currently raising capital for a new facility. Friendship Methodist provided hotdog and dessert supper. We were joined by the Flowers Family and Fireproof. Fireproof is Ben's part-time band of local friends, and they have just recorded a CD together.

April 9, 2005

ECCCM Benefit at Friendship UMC

Newton, NC

Fireproof

The Flowers Family

ECCCM Executive director Rev. Tony E. Bunton

April 16... We joined up with our friend Joe Biggerstaff and Bifferstaff Bluegrass for a concert to benefit the Banoak PTO. Joe is the Principal, and also plays a pretty mean guitar. The whole band couldn't make it due to work-related absences, so Ben and I filled in! Afterwards, the Cockman Family gave a concert. Thanks to Alan Brown, who came along to run the sound system!

Banoak Elementary School 2004

April 16, 2005

Banoak Elementary School

Vale, NC

Ben and I round out Biggerstaff Bluegrass.

Biggerstaff Bluegrass warms up.

Billy tries out a new tune.

April 30... The Spring Forward Festival was nearly rained out, and the Cockmans cancelled because of a bad AM thunderstorm. Since I was already in town, I called our friends the Flowers Family from nearby Mt. Holly, and they were there in half an hour -- just in time for the sun to come out! I played the guitar behind Alana's banjo, Hannah's fiddle, and Dillon's mandolin. Friend and sound engineer Anthony Scruggs backed us up on the electric bass.

April 30, 2005

Spring Forward Festival

Belmont, NC

Spring Forward Festival at Stowe Memorial Park in Belmont

Me and Arwen with the Flowers Family: Alana, Hannah and Dillon

Anthony Scruggs hides his sound system under a big blue tarp.