Skillet Lickers Revival

Skillet Lickers Revival: Jim MacArdle (guitar), Mick Dunne (mandolin), Dick McGarry (banjo); photo by courtesy of Jim MacArdle. Jim reports on the scene in Drogheda, Co. Louth:

Having started off our weekly 'Strictly Bluegrass' gig on Wednesdays in Sarsfield's Pub, Cord Road, we have decided to call ourselves 'Skillet Lickers Revival', and we will continue in Sarsfield's for the foreseeable future (I will keep you informed). On Wednesday next we will be joined by double-bass player Darren Rooney. Our repertoire is based on early string band music right up to first generation bluegrass, and with our new name we have added the 'Hawkins Rag' to our repertoire (those Riley Puckett out-of-time runs take a bit of practice).

BIB editor's note: On behalf of the family, we acknowledge this tribute to Ted Hawkins, who played mandolin with Gid Tanner's Skillet Lickers. Ted's recording of 'Hawkins Rag' can be heard on the 4-CD compilation Serenade in the mountains.