Some kids participated in soccer or chess clubs in elementary school, but Ryan Shupe spent his free time recording albums and touring.  Ryan’s father, Ted, formed the PeeWee Pickers youth band in 1979, inspired by his son’s fiddling talent. As a member of the PeeWee Pickers, Ryan toured Eur ope and even played before President Ronald Reagan gave an address to the Utah Republican Party in 1982 during a picnic in Hooper. The band was so prominent in Utah’s bluegrass scene that Shupe, now the frontman of Ogden band Ryan Shupe the RubberBand, is still recognized as a PeeWee Picker. “When I got introduced to (Grammy-winning musician Alison Krauss), … she was like, ‘Ryan Shupe from the Peewee Pickers. I know you guys!’” he said. The PeeWee Pickers was far from the only band Ted organized or mentored. His fingerprints are all over Utah’s bluegrass scene, even in Wallsburg, where the 12th annual TedFest music festival will be held Friday through Sunday in his honor. Ted died in October in West Valley City at the age of 86. This year’s festival will continue, organized by Ryan. Ted began TedFest in 2014 to celebrate all genres of roots music: Americana, folk, bluegrass, gospel and more.  “(One year,) we had a Uyghur fellow who was an incredible flamenco guitarist. Every year, we’ve had this Latin band … There are bagpipes sometimes, and rock,” said Jamis Johnson, Ted’s bandmate in swing ensemble Swing Creek. “But it’s all based on acoustic music.” TedFest, Johnson said, is a way to show that genres that have fallen out of the mainstream are still alive and well. “I just went recently to the Gallivan Center where Hot House West (Swing Orchestra) was playing. …. There were hundreds of dancers, and I would say they seemed like they were all in their 20s,” Johnson said. “This is an older form of music that’s being rediscovered by kids.” TedFest is an annual acoustic and roots music festival in Wallsburg. Credit: Photo courtesy of Ryan Shupe At this year’s TedFest, each of the roughly 20 performing bands will share some thoughts about Ted during their sets. Johnson remembered Ted as gregarious, even when dealing with the countless issues that can arise as a touring musician. “(One time,) Ted was driving up to a gig in Park City, and the bass fell off the roof of his car. Somebody picked up the pieces, and Ted had his bass rebuilt,” Johnson said. “It sounded like hell, but he still played that bass all the way up to the end.” Ted first learned upright bass as a kid so he could play in his mother’s dance band, Merle Shupe and the Star Dusters. Johnson described Ted’s mother as “a real force.”  Two weeks before she died, Merle visited Johnson’s home. Johnson played “All of Me” on the piano, and, although she couldn’t even walk up the stairs by herself, Merle insisted on getting up when she heard his playing. “She said, ‘Ted! Ted! Get me up. This guy, he thinks he can play “All of Me.”’ So Ted took her over to the piano, and she sat there and she played ‘All of Me,’ just banging it out,” Johnson said. Like his mother, Ted was also a musical force of nature. Every day, he would wake his children two hours before school so they’d have time to practice their instruments. Jamis Johnson, left, and Ted Shupe, right, perform together at the TedFest Music Festival in Wallsburg. Credit: Anita Crane, photo courtesy of Jamis Johnson “I wonder, would I be (a professional musician) without my dad? Probably not,” Ryan said.  He added, “When (the PeeWee Pickers) got older, then he started another kid band for my other siblings. And then, he did that again for another band and another band and another band.” About 35 musicians Ted mentored attended his funeral.  “He really liked finding these young musicians and putting them into an ensemble and teaching them how to play and getting them out and playing shows,” Ryan said. Ryan said Ted’s passion stemmed from wanting to share the “gift of music” with his children and other young people. Now, TedFest carries on that mission — and ensures its namesake will be forever remembered. “Down the road, people will say, ‘What is this TedFest?’” Ryan said. “It’s started by the guy that they dubbed the father of Utah bluegrass music.” See the full lineup at tedfestmusic.com. Tickets benefit Vibrant America, the nonprofit Ted founded to preserve folk and roots music. The post TedFest in Wallsburg to honor ‘father of Utah bluegrass’ appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less