Christmas show at the Brown County Inn in 2004. photo by Cindy Steele
Kip May photo
played music with him learned by example about grace and style and working together.”
A seasoned musician when he relocated to Bloomington from New York with Lauren Robert in the mid-1980s, Klug had played with numerous bands, including Mojo Hand, George Jones Tribute Band, and the Kookamongas, among others. But his lasting claim to fame began with his creation of seven CDs about Brown County’ s historical and contemporary characters. Originally inspired by storyteller Steve Miller, Klug took local lore and ran with it, crafting memorable legends with his clever lyrics and impeccable music.
Our Brown County historian Bill Weaver wrote,“ Brown County has had plenty of willing historians— from Weston Goodspeed to Frank Hohenberger, Ray Mathis, Ernie Pyle, Dillon Bustin, Fred King, Dorothy Bailey and a dozen more. Yet none of these has celebrated the lore and legend of Brown County quite the way that Slats Klug has with his series of CDs.” Originally from West Virginia, Klug related easily to the hill country and characters of Brown County, Indiana.“ I like being near, but not from, Brown County,” he said.“ By having a certain stranger’ s point of view, I get the best of both worlds.” Klug not only embraced local characters but instinctively knew how they would be represented most authentically by different musicians’ voices.
It’ s easy to think that he effortlessly chose the right words for every mood. But his talent and skill evolved with time. Slats began writing early in his life and never stopped. He always had a notebook close at hand to write observances and inspirations. His childhood friend, Bob Davis, remembered rooming with him one summer at Hobart College in Geneva, New York.“ Our other roommate and I
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Nov./ Dec. 2021 • Our Brown County 17