Kaufman Kamp 2006
by Steve Kaufman

How did the Steve Kaufman's Flatpicking Camp evolve into the Gold Award Winning Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Kamp?

We (Donna and I) started out in 1994 discussing and planning the first Flatpicking Camp to be held on Maryville College Campus in 1996. We didn't know what to expect but my workshop weekends were selling out so I knew I could communicate with the flatpicking world and see the interest. We had six teachers the first year: David Grier, Pat Flynn, Curtis Burch, Robin Kessinger, Jack Lawrence and me. We had an overwhelming reaction with 186 students coming in. The second year we had six instructors as well but the attendance was way down to 132 or so. The third year we introduced the Mandolin Camp and by the fourth year the camp was then called a Kamp with a "K" by the Internet folks. Ever other year we added another instrument so that now we host a two-week event with Flatpicking, Fingerpicking, Dobro®, Old Time Banjo, Fiddle and Bass and the second week we host Flatpicking, Bluegrass Banjo and Mandolin. We have had some of the world's greatest instructors along with the world's most eager students.

Here are Week One's instructors

Front row Left to Right: Wayne Erbsen, Rolly Brown, Jack Lawrence, Missy Raines, Cathy Fink
Second Row L - R: Mary Flower, Larry Cohen, Bobby Hicks, Laura Boosinger, Marcy Marxer
Third Row L-R: Chris Newman, TJ Wheeler, Bruce Molsky, Stacy Phillips, Jim Hurst, Steve K, Casey Henry
Fourth Row: Curtis Burch, John Moore, Steve Kilby, Adam Granger, Mark Cosgrove


And they were teaching about 250 students



And Week Two's instructors:


Front row Left to Right: Roland White, Rolly Brown, Murphy Henry, Janet Davis, Sherry Marshall
Second Row Outside L-R: Jimmy Davis and Steve K
Third Row L-R: Casey Henry, Bill Keith, Emory Lester, Trisha Gagnon, John Reischman
Fourth Row L-R: Jim Nunnally, Carlo Aonzo, Steve Kilby, Beppe Gambetta, Alan Bibey, Butch Baldassari
Fifth Row L-R: Dick Daniel, Jeff Jenkins, JP Cormier, Jens Kruger, Robin Kessinger, Dan Crary

Unbelievable talent! And they taught about 450 students during Week Two. We since added afternoon vocal classes, master classes, focused panel discussions, Bass Class, Lap Dulcimer classes, Guitar for Dummies classes and much more. We also have a Band Scramble on Saturday each week as a Kamp Orchestra, shown here being conducted by Carlo Aonzo.

This past year we began something new. A Kamp Konvention Center in which we had some of our premier sponsors displaying their latest goods including Mel Bay Publications, Marty Lanham Guitars, Weber Mandolins, Finecases.com, Collings Guitars, and Circa Guitars. More booths being added in 2007.

Donna and I love to host this event and will try to go for another 10 years and see what happens. It is always growing and improving and we feel it is the best Kamp of its kind in the world and may even be the largest.

We hope to see you there in June. Next year's dates are June 10-17 and June 17-24, 2007. You can register at www.flatpik.com or call 800-FLATPIK in North America or 865-982-3808 outside the US and Canada.

We look forward to seeing you in Maryville, Tennessee- 17 miles south of Knoxville.
Bye for now,
Steve Kaufman
www.flatpik.com
www.palacetheater.com
www.acoustic-kamp.com