CD bargains from California: update

Tricopolis Records in California are offering bargains from their extensive stock of CDs, at prices ranging from $5.00 to $13.50. Artists include Del McCoury, Laurie Lewis, Chris Jones, Doyle Lawson, Ralph Stanley, Larry Cordle, Nickel Creek, Tim O'Brien, Chris Thile, Red Smiley, and many more. The minimum order is $15.00.

As well as CDs, Tricopolis stock high-quality instruments (e.g. Reinhardt-style guitars), accessories, and instructional material, so their site is well worth a visit.

NEW: Tricopolis announce that advance tickets sales for the Huck Finn Jubilee will end on 4 June 2006, so visit this link and save some money! After 4 June they will only be available at the gate... visit the Jubilee website for more information. The folks at Tricopolis also invite anyone attending the Jubilee to visit the Tricopolis Records booth.

Sid Griffin: book and broadcast

Sid Griffin of the Coal Porters band (UK; played at the Dunmore East festival a couple of years ago and went on to showcase at IBMA in 2004) has a new book out: Bluegrass guitar: know the players, play the music. The chapters are on such pickers as Doc Watson, Clarence White, and Bryan Sutton; also included are guitar tabs and a CD to play along to. For more info, see this link.

Sid has also written the script for 'Will the circle be unbroken? - the Carter Family story', narrated by Dolly Parton, which will be broadcast on Tuesday 23 May at 8:30 p.m. (London time) on BBC Radio Two. Sid adds: 'You can hear the programme on your computer easily if you go to the BBC website. And if you miss the show you can hear it later if you click on "Listen now".'

Dublin gigs in the coming week

Hurricane of Prison Love reports: 'Howdy Folks. Catch Prison Love in the Cobblestone this Tuesday (23 May) before they take Holland by stealth! 8 p.m. door; only €5 cover. Cobblestone bar, top of Smithfield Square, 77 King St., Dublin 7. Be good.'

BIB editor's note: 'Holland' refers to PL's appearance in the EBMA's European World of Bluegrass Festival at Voorthuizen on 25-7 May, and other venues around the Netherlands. Carmel Sheerin & the Ravens will be high up on the bill at Voorthuizen. For full details see the EBMA website.


Fair City Grass's 6th Anniversary gig kicks off in Mother Reilly's, Rathmines, Wed. 24 May, 9:30 p.m. Enda Donnelly says: 'It will be an open mike session for bluegrass musicians. Hope you'll be able to join us; should be a fun night! Light refreshments served.'

The legendary Ramblin'Jack Elliott will be playing at Whelan's in Dublin on Thursday 25 May.

And by the special request of the management, the Hog's Rose Bluegrass Band will be represented by Paul MacEvoy, Richard Hawkins, and Cathal Cusack in an informal, all-acoustic evening at the Glenside, Churchtown, on Saturday 20 May from 9.30 p.m. on.

For all other events, see the BIB calendar.

The Fretboard Journal

Thanks to Cathal Cusack for a look at The Fretboard Journal: a magazine for musical instrument players, collectors, and builders. The handsome, modest website says: '96 pages per issue, on archival quality paper stock/ Fretboard Journal is published 4 times a year, full color throughout/ In-depth articles, interviews with players, builders and music legends/ Never-before-seen photography and illustrations/ Fretboard Journal contains limited advertising/ Reviews, photo essays and more'; and that's exactly what you get, to very high standards of production, design, and content indeed. Highly recommended. It's published in the USA, where the price of $34.00 a year is a real bargain. For full details and subscription rates, see the TFJ website.

Double trouble for the Sick & Indigent Song Club, 18 May

Gerry Fitzpatrick reports:

On Thursday 18 May the Sick & Indigent Song Club can be heard live on the Pat Kenny Radio Show, RTE Radio One, 10.00-12.00. Later that evening they will perform in the Back Room, Cobblestone Inn, Smithfield, Dublin, at 9.30 p.m.

The Sick & Indigent Song Club are Gary Fitzpatrick (vocals, guitar, accordion), Angie McLaughlin (vocals, ukulele, guitar), Shane McGrath (vocal, guitar, mandolin), Gerry Fitzpatrick (dobro), Sheila Sullivan (fiddle), and Christian Volkmann (harmonica, bass).

For resonator guitar players

One of the people your editor was glad to have met in Nashville in March is Howard L. Parker, business manager of Beard Guitars. (If you want to know more about the company than is on the website, the March 2005 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine carried a good illustrated interview with Paul Beard by Lisa Kay Howard. Nice picture of Paul's cat, too.)

As well as making beautiful and innovative instruments, Beard Guitars make almost all their own parts. Howard told me they also supply parts to other companies and do special set-up jobs on the Gold Tone licensed versions of Beard instruments.

Colin Henry of Belfast comments: 'The dobro world is perforce a small one - I have known (in cyberspace terms) Howard for nearly ten years. He is in charge of the first and best resophonic guitar list on the internet. His site and list is a must for all resophonic lap-style players. The list has most of the reso players that there are across the globe. It also has well known luthiers and such greats as Mike Auldridge and Phil Leadbetter and Rob Ickes's mother, I think. The information on it for players or builders is invaluable. Howard runs a great ship, and though I have never met him in the real world he comes across as a good guy.'

Contact Howard by post - Howard L. Parker, PO Box 314, Clarksburg, Maryland 20871, USA - or via this link.

Carmel Sheerin & the Ravens soar in Shetland

Tom Hanway reports:

27 April - 1 May – Carmel and the lads played eight shows – no two the same – at the 26th Shetland Folk Festival. The band played songs from Runaway and tried out fresh material that they plan to record in Nashville this fall. The audience feedback was tremendous and gave the band new energy and focus for the future. A songwriting partnership and new friendships were forged: Tim O’Brien joined the band for their last show – just on fiddle – kicking off Bill Monroe’s 'Uncle Pen' and staying up for the entire set. The crowd went absolutely bonkers and cut a hole in the rug down to the bare wood. The Ravens were shown a cracking good time by the lovely, lovely people of Shetland, who, by the way, run an impeccably organised, super-fan-friendly festival. Carmel and the band sold a flock of CDs, signed autographs, made radio and TV appearances, and even found time for a wee bit of sight-seeing and a band photo session. Shetland Folk was a real eye-opener, and on the ferry back to Aberdeen, Tim O’Brien and Danny Sheerin sat down, clung to their chairs and whiskeys, and wrote a song on stormy high seas. Carmel sang her heart out and smiled for Ireland. Meanwhile, at least one member of the band drank for Ireland and got *banjo'd*, but managed not to fall overboard (or get pushed). The Ravens will bring in their Shetland experience when they record their second album with producer Bil VornDick in Nashville, one week prior to their IBMA World of Bluegrass appearance, as EBMA’s #1 European Bluegrass Band. Tim O’Brien will be joining the band in the recording studio to sing on 'The only way to never hurt', composed 2 May 2006 (Tim O’Brien/Danny Sheerin). Carmel and all the Ravens thank the Shetland Folk Festival organisers, their hosts, Neville and Maureen Davis, the friendly volunteers, and all the people of Shetland for making them feel so welcome and at home. The Shetland Folk Festival did the Ravens proud. It was a big, big honour.

Carmel Sheerin & the Ravens

Athy Festival launch party, Smuggler's Inn, 27 April: report

Niall Toner reports:

Ireland's longest-running bluegrass festival hit the headlines once again when the 2006 Athy Bluegrass Music Festival event was officially launched at Smuggler's Inn in Athy on Thursday night, 27 April, with a show that included music from Woodbine, the Niall Toner Band, Frankie Lane, and Paul McEvoy. There was a superb turn-out, showing great support from far and wide, and also in attendance was this year's new sponsor, Albert Dunne, the local Suzuki dealer. The Press were also in there in droves, and there were many photos taken and interviews recorded. The gathering was addressed by Tony O'Brien, who unveiled the full line-up for this year's event, including the Bluegrass Patriots, Four Wheel Drive, NTB, Woodbine, the Kevin and Geraldine Gill Band, Dark Road, the Rough Deal String Band, Tennessee Hob, Acoustic Grass, and Hog's Rose Bluegrass Band. It was also interesting to hear bluegrass music being performed in the venue where it all started! As always, the food, the music and the hospitality were of the highest order, and everyone is looking forward to Athy, 13-16 July.

For further information, see the Athy Bluegrass Music Association website.