“Really, all I want to do is play”: Joe Pickett reflects on the impact of folk music

At 9 years old, Joe Pickett received a gift from his father that has continued to influence him for the past four decades.

That small, stringed instrument created a lasting bond with his family and has led to a lifetime of judging, observing, teaching, competing and playing.

Pickett finished second Sunday in the mandolin competition during the Kansas State Fiddling and Picking Championships in Lawrence.

Now, decades and many awards later, including his first win at 11 years old, playing the mandolin is second nature.

“Music, for me, is really a way for myself to relax,” Pickett said. “It helps me express creativity, and it’s how I feel best connected to other people. It’s a break from technology. When I play every week, it’s always a highlight.”

Pickett teaches physics and biology at the high school but said he loves incorporating music into his classes. In his physics class, he included a project where students designed and built a ukulele.

He also sponsors a strings club at the high school where students practice playing guitars, violins, mandolins and other string instruments.

Outside of the classroom, he’s taught mandolin at the Americana Music Academy since 2006 on weekends. 

Pickett said competitions like the Kansas State Fiddling and Picking Championships are important beyond just the excitement of winning. Every year when he comes to the championship — whether as a judge, contestant or audience member — he said participation, especially by younger people, is essential.

“Really, all I want to do is play,” Pickett said. “Because even if you’re not winning, you still want a lot of people to be interested. I want there to be a lot of participation, and I love to see younger people playing and string music alive.”

This competition means much more to the folk music community than just a cash prize, said Max Paley, coordinator of the Kansas State Fiddling and Picking Championships.

“Of course, by definition, it’s a contest and there are winners, but I think of it more like a family reunion,” Paley said. “The folk community goes to the same events and the same concerts and we get to know each other through that. A lot of us know each other well.”

Over the years, Pickett experimented with dozens of styles of string music including Django jazz, choro, samba, jazz and most recently Dawg style music, which is a blend of bluegrass, country, folk and jazz.

Pickett has also played with a number of groups beginning with Calhoun County, his family’s band, and his current band the Breezedale Quartet, where he is able to explore different styles.

Pickett said he was inspired to learn different styles of music by David “Dawg” Grisman, his musical idol.

“I grew up listening to Grisman,” Pickett said. “He’s one who plays a lot of different styles, and he was the first thing to get me to broaden my horizons in terms of styles. So much of what we do is modeled after him because he started picking the instrument.”

Pickett said string music is generational and many players pass down their love for it to their children. He said he hopes there is another generation of players down the line.

His daughter, Josie, recently began listening to more acoustic music and plans on attending the National Flat-Picking Championship in Winfield, Kansas, with her father this year and said she is excited.

“I think music is my dad’s greatest love,” she said. “I’ve only been to two concerts, so I’m excited that I get to share his love of music and experience this with him.”

Reach reporter Jenna Barackman at [email protected].