BY DANI TIETZ
dani@mahometnews.com
Mahomet, Ill. – Sharing a love or talent is oftentimes something parents want to do with their children.
Mahomet resident Keith Rushing raised his three daughters by sharing his love for the guitar by playing it in their home while also encouraging them to try new things, which he also did as an adult, by picking up new instruments to try himself.
Aside from the guitar, Keith also plays the fiddle, mandolin, harmonica and banjo.
“He always says he’s just trying to find one that he’s good at, when in reality he’s good at all of them, but continues to show the importance of being humble,” Keith’s daughter, Kaitlin Lonergan, said.
The string instruments lend themselves to bluegrass music, which Keith fell in love with around the same time he fell in love with his wife, Patti, who grew up in New Orleans, but whose family is from Virginia.
The girls, Kaitlin, Megan (Baird) and Kelly (Prather), followed in their father’s footsteps, expanding their musical talents throughout high school and college by participating in various choral groups and variety shows. The family would often perform together at the Mahomet United Methodist Church’s annual Nine Gal Tavern dinner show.
As many children do, the girls went their separate ways during college. Keith joined the Middletown String Band, performing at events throughout Champaign County.
But once Kaitlin and Megan returned to their homes in East Central Illinois, Keith encouraged them to perform alongside him.
When members of the Middletown String Band moved in 2013, the family’s long-time friend Don Willi suggested that he and Keith join up with Megan and Kaitlin to form the Wildwood String Band.
Drawing from familiar songs their parents played, Wildwood comes from “Wildwood Flower” by the Carter Family.
Kaitlin’s husband, Brian, who is the Chorus Director at Mahomet-Seymour Junior High School, also joined the band.
Brian is “also the tallest in the family. So dad saw the opportunity for a stand-up bass player!” Kaitlin said.
Willi passed away in 2016. but the four other members decided to carry on.
“Each of us has been involved in music outside of the family, but the band became a place where we could practice, try new things, and just have fun with the music without any pressure,” Kaitlin said. “We push each other, but when you’re playing with people you love, there’s no such thing as failure.”
In their creative space where they can blend their bluegrass influences with tight harmonies, the Wildwood String Band is able to take anything from doo-wop to Led Zeppelin to Carter Family to Doc Watson, and make it unique.
“We feel lucky to have something to do together,” Kaitlin said.
Wildwood will finish out its summer performances with four shows in East Central Illinois over the next few months.
They will continue the Mahomet Public Library’s Music at the Library series by performing on Sunday, July 14 at 6 p.m. Ice cream, sponsored by the Friends of the Mahomet Library, will be served by members of the Library Board of Trustees.
Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets as seating will be limited.
“We are all from Mahomet or currently living in Mahomet, so we’re excited to be playing at the library!” Kaitlin said.
Wildwood is also scheduled to perform at Larson Park in Urbana from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on July 24, the Mansfield Homecoming from 4 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 17 and from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Great Pumpkin Patch in Arthur on Sept. 15.
