Fit a Ferretti!

Tom Hanway (banjo) with Silvio Ferretti (right) and other Red Wine members, Clancy's Bar, Athy 2007 (photo: Aran Sheehan)

Silvio Ferretti of Red Wine (I) is not just a great banjo-player, in bluegrass and clawhammer style, and one of the most enjoyable writers in English on bluegrass music - he's also an expert luthier, making top-quality guitars, banjos, and banjo bridges under his Scorpion brand.

Thanks for a report on Scorpion bridges from Tom Hanway, who bought a custom 3/4" bridge direct from Silvio, has used it on his Stelling Whitestar and SwallowTail, and has warmly endorsed it in a review on Banjo Hangout as

the best bridge I have ever used, great for bluegrass and for snappy Irish playing. It's an elegant looking bridge as well. It's the 'Leonardo' of bridge designs, for sure.

Read the full text of Tom's review here.

American tunesmith and band tour Ireland in May

The Jack Grace Band from New York City tours Ireland from 1 May to 10 May, kicking off their run of original American country music at the Kilkenny Rhythm & Roots Festival.

The honkytonk band with 5-string banjo is touring to promote Jack’s newest recording of all-original music, Drinking songs for lovers, featuring the band and such legends as Earl Poole Ball, Johnny Cash’s piano player for 25 years, and John Sebastian, composer of numerous hits with the Lovin’ Spoonful.

The tour is as follows:

1 May Kilkenny Rhythm & Roots, Langton’s, 21:30
2 May Kilkenny Rhythm & Roots, Morrison’s, 16:00
2 May Kilkenny Rhythm & Roots, Breathnach’s, 22:00
3 May Kilkenny Rhythm & Roots, Syd Harkins, 21:00
5 May The Thatch, 20:00, Rahan, Co. Offaly
7 May Barry’s Public House, 21:00, Sligo, Co. Sligo
8 May The Stillery, 20:00, Longford, Co. Longford
9 May Colfer’s Pub, 20:00, Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford.

Jack Grace’s musical inspirations include Doc Watson, Bill Monroe, The Band, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Neil Young, Tom Waits, the Louvin Brothers, Django Reinhardt, Thelonius Monk, Sam Peckinpaugh, Charlie Parker, Frank Zappa, Bob Wills, and whiskey.

The Waterford News & Star writes: 'From New York, Jack Grace is one of the great characters of country music. A singer-songwriter, guitarist and banjo-picker, Jack was like the Pied Piper. Everywhere he went, looking for all the world like a cowboy from an old western movie, the fans followed.'

The New York Times says about Jack Grace: 'His prized possession is a 1947 Gibson acoustic guitar, autographed by his heroes, the country star Merle Haggard and the bluegrass legend Doc Watson. He is rarely spotted without his weather-beaten cowboy hat and rugged boots. He has been known to praise whiskey and tall glasses of beer. Make no mistake: Jack Grace is an old-fashioned country musician.' – Kevin Canfield

The Village Voice writes: 'NYC someday will brag about its great legends of country music, that's right we said country, and among those names will be the engaging, hardworking, witty, and schmoozin' and boozin' Grace.'

Jack Grace, aka the 'Martini Cowboy', sings and plays guitar. Joining him on tour are his wife Daria Grace on bass and lead and harmony vocals, Tom Hanway on lap steel guitar, 5-string banjo and vocals, and Jason Bowman on drums and vocals.

For more information about Jack Grace, please visit him at his website.

MEDIA CONTACT: Tom Hanway
Mobile: +353 (0) 87-610-1712
Telephone: +353 (0) 43-46340

Cajun night at the Village, 7 May: EXTRA

Thanks to Mark O'Mahony of Prison Love for the news that Vera van Heeringen (left, at a Flatville Aces show) will be playing with Dirk Powell and Joel Savoy at the Village, Wexford St., Dublin, on 7 May, together with Prison Love themselves.

Vera (guitar, mandolin, fiddle, vocals) and Jock Tydesley are prominent on the UK old-time and Cajun music scene, as a duo and in other bands such as Sugar Moon, the Flatville Aces, and the New Rope String Band.

The New Rope String Band (also on MySpace) continue the tradition of the Old Rope String Band, who played at the Cork Folk Festival some years ago and are probably the funniest band your editor has seen on any stage. The NRSB should be considered by any event organiser over here - after their show, some of the audience will certainly say: 'That's not bluegrass!' The rest will be laughing too much to say anything.

Tupelo at Kilkenny Rhythm & Roots Festival

Thanks to Kevin Duffy, fiddler with Tupelo, who reports:

With the Kilkenny Rhythm & Roots Festival rapidly approaching, the Tupelo lads have well and truly started their preparations for what will be a great weekend of music with no doubt plenty of craic. We are playing in Lanigan's on Friday night, Langton's and Egan's on Saturday/night, and Biddy Early's and Anna Conda on Sunday/night respectively; that's a lot of gigging and we intend on making the most of every minute. We have plenty promo material to give out at every venue and are hoping to make a name for ourselves for our first roots festival. Here's a link to our times.

Jerry Harmon tops the bill at the 2nd Kilcar Folk, Blues and Bluegrass Festival, 1-3 May

Just received: thanks to Sean Ó Beirne of Kilcar, Co. Donegal, for this information:

Jerry Harmon is a native of the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. He started his musical career in his teens. Among his early influences were Flatt and Scruggs, Hank Williams, and Ray Price. After years of local and regional performing, his first big break came in 1998 when he was invited to appear at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. He has shared festival stages with some of the biggest names in bluegrass and country music including Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, Earl Scruggs, Dolly Parton, and Marty Stuart. He has toured throughout the USA, Canada, and Europe.

What some of his fellow performers say about Jerry Harmon:

'If it is possible to have a lot of talent in too many areas, then Jerry is guilty. He is a great writer, his voice is unique and he is a great guitarist. He is extremely creative and the best storyteller I have ever heard' – Ed Hensley, former member of the Gatlin Brothers Band
'Jerry is just about right on when it comes to picking, writing, singing and all around entertaining' – Ricky Skaggs
'Jerry is as good a picker and performing songwriter as I have had the privilege of sharing a stage with' – Doc Watson

Jerry Harmon will start his latest European tour with a performance at the Kilcar Folk, Blues and Bluegrass Festival on Saturday night, 2 May, in the Parish Hall at a concert commencing at 8.00 p.m. Jerry will be sharing the stage on Saturday night with two of Co. Donegal's finest musicians; accordion and harmonica player Tom Byrne and fiddle player Martin McGinley. Tom and Martin will not only play Irish traditional music for which they are famous, but will demonstrate their versatility by also playing blues and bluegrass music. The audience are also in for another treat as newly formed group Sásta, featuring Keith Sherry and Louise Price, make their local debut at this concert.

The Kilcar Folk, Blues and Bluegrass Festival commences with a free open-air concert on Friday evening at 8.00 p.m. featuring the Hunky McCoys Blues Band. Sunday night’s concert at 8.00 p.m. takes place in Áislann Chill Chartha.

Joe Val's mandolin for sale

The Gibson F-5 Lloyd Loar mandolin #72207 (26 Feb. 1923), with which Joe Val performed and recorded exclusively from c.1970 till his death in 1985, is for sale. Restoration and repair work has been done by New England luthier/repairman Kenneth Miller (1972), and by David Harvey (2006) at the Gibson Showcase in Nashville, TN. It comes with the original rectangular case (which has the original Gibson sales tag and key), pre-restoration original parts, and documentation. Photos can be seen here. Since 1986 #72207 has been in the care of, and exclusively played by, Kevin Lynch. For price and further details of this historic instrument, serious buyers should contact Kevin, who will deliver it by hand if at all possible. Contact Kevin Lynch [in the Netherlands] tel: (0)172 411676 e-mail

Woodbine gigs in Durrow this summer

Woodbine at the 2008 Athy festival (photo: Carl Mark O'Neill)

Following their appearance at a charity show in the town on 18 April, Woodbine will be playing three shows during the summer at Bob's Bar, Durrow, Co. Laois: on 3 May, 26 July, and 13 September. Each show will run from 4.00 to 7.00 p.m.

If you enter Durrow on the N8 from the north, Bob's Bar is on the right, beside the river, just before you reach the Square.

Banjo Hangout: festival news

Thanks to Tom Hanway for the news that the Banjo Hangout has just issued an e-newsletter (accessible if you sign up to receive it) with details of bluegrass festivals and banjo camps in the US this summer, including links to the event websites.

Heading the list is an event already in the BIB calendar: the IBMM's ROMP (River of Music Party) at Owensboro, KY, a month from now. Also listed are events in California, Massachussetts, Michigan, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The Acoustic Music Camp at Dallas, TX (6-8 Aug. 2009) has a particularly high-powered set of teachers.

In addition, the Banjo Hangout is opening the festival season with a sale: 20% off its very nice range of T-shirts and caps. Check out its sister sites, the Fiddle Hangout, Reso Hangout, and Flatpicker Hangout, as well.

The Thompson Brothers

Two weeks ago, on the strength of a glance at the band website, the BIB announced: 'The Low Country Boys, Ireland's only bluegrass gospel band, based in the Ards Peninsula, Co. Down, are back in action after suspending full-band operations during 2008...'

Thanks to Mark Thompson for the news that he and his brother Graeme Thompson have been playing since late 2008 as the Thompson Brothers in traditional close-harmony brother duet style with mandolin and guitar. Their blog gives their performance schedule, photos, videos, and other news, with a solid historical outline of the 'brother duet' style and a list of the best brother duets (with links). The latest post lists hymns and songs recently added to their repertoire. An album's worth of free downloads is scheduled for release this spring, with packaged CDs available at cost price.

Gibson Young and Ivan McFerran continue to operate as the Low Country Boys with banjo, guitar, and electric bass.

Berklee in Dublin: personal notes

Matt Glaser (photo by John Fitzgerald)

Following our original post on the Dublin mission by Berklee College of Music of Boston, Mass., pioneering institution for education in jazz and other contemporary music, we called in last week at DIT, Rathmines, at the kind invitation of Nick Balkin, publicist for Berklee.

We were brought into the improvisation seminars being conducted by the two most bluegrass-oriented of the Berklee faculty members: Matt Glaser and John McGann. Players of a wide range of instruments were taking active part, the atmosphere in both groups was highly positive and stimulating, and your editor regretted only having left his banjo at home (though he is not, frankly, in the target age-bracket for the Berklee project).

The same atmosphere continued through the evening symposium in which all the Berklee faculty members - whose openness, accessibility, and communicativeness were as impressive as their musicianship - outlined their own musical backgrounds and careers, and presented individual angles on the main theme of improvisational music: one of Matt Glaser's musical examples was a recording of Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper playing 'The old Brown County barn'.

The best idea of the evening can be gained from Nick Balkin's blog entry. The BIB thanks everyone we met; many young Irish musicians should benefit from this welcome contact with Berklee.

Above right: John McGann (MySpace)

Tin Box Company gigs at Leitrim and Knocklyon

The Tin Box Company of Dublin will continue their successful series of Bluegrass Weekends every other weekend into the summer, from this coming weekend (25-6 April). They will play on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon at the Leitrim Marina Hotel in lovely Leitrim Village on the following dates:

Apr. 25 & 26; May 9 & 10; May 23 & 24; June 6 & 7; June 20 & 21; July 4 & 5; July 18 & 19. Admission is free, and musicians, singers, and friends of bluegrass will always be made welcome.

The same applies to the TBC's regular bluegrass session in Delaney's Knocklyon Inn, Knocklyon Road, Dublin 16 (a nice warm, friendly pub with plenty of parking space) every Thursday at 9.00 p.m.; all are welcome, so come along and join in the fun.

Powell & Savoy + Prison Love in Dublin, 7 May: update

Thanks to Mark O'Mahony of Prison Love for news of a great double-header show coming soon in The Village, 26 Wexford Street, Dublin 2 (next to Whelans).

On 7 May Dirk Powell and Joel Savoy (on their way to play at the Baltimore Fiddle Fair in Co. Cork) will bring old-time and Cajun music at their deepest and liveliest levels to the Village, together with Prison Love themselves. Here's Mark's release:

Fresh from touring with Joan Baez and recording with the Raconteurs, Louisiana’s youngest old-timer, Dirk Powell, brings the bayou to Dublin city for one night only at The Village. His vibrance and creative energy crosses many boundaries but he’s always grounded in the rural traditions of his Appalachian heritage. He brings with him another heavyweight of the Louisiana music tradition, 2007 Cajun French Fiddler of the Year, Joel Savoy [above]. Dirk describes him as 'a serious player and force in the Louisiana music world... with a real deep Louisiana feel.'

Dublin’s Prison Love will kick off the night, reuniting with their good buddy Dirk, to continue with their tuition of old-time and Cajun music with the man who has taught them so much. Their driving rhythm, sweet melodies, and soaring harmonies result in the finest musical moonshine this side of the Rock Island line.

'Dirk’s got great subtlety, tremendous feel, and he’s very loose and very modern, in the best sense of the word.' (T-Bone Burnett)

'Hearing Dirk play the fiddle on the set of Cold Mountain, I felt as if my work as an actor had already been done for me.' (Jude Law)

'Now that's the kind of fiddlin' I like, right there...' (Loretta Lynn)

'Proof that the circle remains unbroken...' (Washington Post)

'Prison Love trade in high-octane bluegrass with just the right tincture of trouser-hitchin' country. Their sizzling songs set the bar high from the get-go.' (Siobhan Long, Irish Times)


Prison Love: not using the exercise yard for its intended purpose

BIB editor's note: When this news was first posted on 17 April, Betse Ellis (right) of the Wilders was expected to be at the gig as well; instead, she will on that night be in Belfast with the Foghorn Duo, and all these musicians will be taking part in the Baltimore Fiddle Fair next day.

Little Ass Birds

Thanks to Charleen Hurtubise, singer and mandolinist with the Dublin-based Little Ass Birds old-time string band, for this release on the Birds and their shows in the near future:

From old Carter classics to their own original songs, drawn from the musical wells of mountain music and gospel revivals, Little Ass Birds sing in the old-time style around one microphone. Their sound evokes an atmosphere of simpler days where generations of hard-working men and women passed their time on front porches or around campfires, singing songs of life's harsh realities, survival, hope, and songs of better days to come. Haunting harmonies and uplifting melodies mingle in a stirring concoction of spirited old-time and country music.

Little Ass Birds are on the lookout for a fiddle player to complete their old-time sound. Their upcoming gigs include an appearance at the Moonshine Sessions in M.B. Slatterys on 7 May, and then at the Cobblestone as opening support for Huck Notari, an original string band from Portland, Oregon, on 23 May, and again at the Cobblestone on 12 June. Anyone interested should come along and have a listen and a chat – or give us a shout at our MySpace site.

Films on Folkstreams.net

Thanks to Jan Michielsen of 4 Wheel Drive for telling us of the Folkstreams.net website, 'a national preserve of documentary films about American roots cultures'. The full list includes Alan Lomax films on Appalachian and Cajun culture, John Paulson's Banjo spirits (footage of Stephen Wade and the late great Don Stover), and many others on blues, fiddling, ballad singing, Sacred Harp singing, and a wide range of topics as well as music.

Banjo lessons in Dublin

Paddy Kiernan (above, centre), former banjo-player for senior Dublin bluegrass band Fair City Grass, is available to give 5-string banjo lessons at his home in Portobello, just off the South Circular Road.

Paddy is a very accomplished player, especially in the advanced melodic styles, and has a comprehensive knowledge of the 5-string. Anyone in need of bluegrass banjo lessons should contact him by e-mail or on 086-1023093.

Update 21 Apr.: We initially thought Paddy's was the playing heard on the Fair City Grass MySpace site. Thanks to Enda Donnelly for this correction:

The banjo player on all tracks on our MySpace site was Conor Daly & in fairness to him there goes the credit. They were recorded in August 2005 at a studio in Dublin. The 12 tracks was a project I organised & produced for promotional purposes. The double-bass player was Andreas Nolan, a friend of mine of other genre. Unfortunately some time after that Conor left Ireland to go overseas. The 'Blackberry Blossom' track was a home studio project with Jody Smith in jazz style, of which he is highly qualified.

Two major summer events at Naul

Colette at the Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin, reports:

A couple of events for the blog -

Friday 26 June: The Wilders [left]

Renowned as the 'hillbilly hurricane', The Wilders in full, unstoppable flight are firmly established as Edinburgh Fringe favourites after three sell-out runs at the Famous Spiegeltent. The Kansas City, Missouri, four-piece are back to thrill capacity crowds again following sell-out shows everywhere. Playing storming roots-of-country and old-time with a pure essence of early rockabilly, they deliver a blistering fiddle /banjo /guitar /dobro /slap bass hoedown.
Doors open 7.30 p.m. Performance 8.30 p.m. Adm. €16.

Monday 20 July: Bluegrass Patriots [right]
Doors open 7.30 p.m. Performance 8.30 p.m. Adm. €16

BIB editor's note: The home page on the Patriots' website mentions their whole tour in Ireland, beginning with the Athy festival (9-12 July), and says:

The band will celebrate 30 years of performances in October 2009, and no one has been more receptive of their music than the warm, friendly and musically talented people of Ireland!

Photos from the Patriots' 2003 and 2006 trips to Ireland can also be seen on their website.

Baltimore Fiddle Fair, 7-10 May 2009

The Baltimore Fiddle Fair poster (left) can now be downloaded from the Fair's website, where you can also get season tickets to cover the whole event.

The BIB indicated two weeks ago what this year's Fair would bring for the old-time music and Cajun fan; note that the Foghorn Trio will consist of Caleb Klauder and Stephen 'Sammy' Lind with Nadine Landry on bass; she was in Ireland last autumn playing bass with Hungry Hill (Canada) on their many shows here.

Other acts on the programme with a link to old-time and bluegrass include Laura Cortese (right), who among other things has played bass for Uncle Earl; and Any Old Time from Cork, with Matt Cranitch (fiddle), Mick Daly (guitar, vocals) - both past or present members of the Lee Valley String Band - and Dave Hennessy (melodeon).

Major milestone for old-time musicians

Thanks to FOAOTMAD for forwarding this link on a major policy development in old-time music which may (or may not) make life easier for a lot of people.

It's from the Bluegrass Intelligencer, so keep some salt to hand.

Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival lineup announced

Blue Highway: Shawn Lane (mandolin), Wayne Taylor (bass), Jason Burleson (banjo), Rob Ickes (dobro), Tim Stafford (guitar)

The Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival is proud to announce the lineup for the 8th annual event, 24-27 September 2009, in Longford:

Steve Earle
Blue Highway
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
Leroy Troy
Carter Brothers
Niall Toner Band
Ross Nickerson
Rough Deal String Band
Gerry (Banjo) O'Connor
Lunasa
Eleanor Shanley
Enda Scahill / Leon Hunt
Tom Cussen
... and more TBC

There will be nightly concerts, masterclass workshops, street & pub sessions & jams, recitals, and outdoor concerts. Tickets and weekend passes are now on sale at TicketMaster or through the Festival website. Further information: 087-281-7825 (international: +353-87-281-7825)

BIB editor's note: Links to all artists' websites will be found on the Festival site; we'll just remark that in Blue Highway the Festival has one of the strongest and most respected contemporary bluegrass bands, who are celebrating their fifteenth year together. Rob Ickes has won the IBMA Dobro Player of the Year award ten times. Here's a recent news item concerning their guitarist, Tim Stafford.

Ruth Dillon and Tom Hanway in Fethard TONIGHT!

Ruth Dillon and Tom Hanway (photo: Denise Hanway)

Singer-songwriter Ruth Dillon (vocals/guitar) and Tom Hanway (vocals/5-string banjo/guitar/lap steel) play original and contemporary bluegrass tonight at McCarthy’s Bar, Fethard, Co. Tipperary, Friday 17 April. Ruth will showcase songs from her first two CDs, Woken and Silent thief, and Tom will contribute selections from Tom Hanway & Blue Horizon and Tom Hanway & Vassar Clements: the Badbelly project. Admission is €12. Doors open at 9.00 p.m.

For more details on Ruth and Tom, see the BIB post of 28 March. Tom is starting up a new festival later this year in New York City.

Ruth and Tom are penning original songs and instrumentals for a new bluegrass band, the Molly Hicks, also featuring Bernie O’Mahony. Ruth, Bernie, and Tom are a harmony tour de force, with each taking turns singing lead and harmony in the American bluegrass tradition.

Audie Blaylock & Redline in Europe, July 2009: UPDATE

The good news is that Audie Blaylock & Redline, one of your editor's favourite bands, will tour in Europe in early July.

The bad news is that the band will only be playing a handful of dates in the Netherlands and Norway. More details are on the European Bluegrass Blog.

Update 16 April:

Thanks to Lorraine Short, of the Artist Management division of PrimeTyme Solutions, for the news that Audie Blaylock & Redline may be able to come to Ireland between 11 July and 25 July if dates are available. Contact Lorraine by e-mail or 'phone (+1-919-345-4437), or contact Audie Blaylock directly by e-mail or 'phone (+1-260-615-1736).

Canadian band launch 'Bluegrass Concert Series' in Tallaght

The Paperboys, from Vancouver, Canada

From RUA RED, the South Dublin Arts Centre in Tallaght, Dublin 24:

RUA RED is pleased to announce the launch of its Bluegrass Concert Series for 2009. Four acts will play in the centre’s intimate performance space as part of the series, which will run bi-monthly from May.

The Paperboys will be the first band to play, at 7.30 p.m. on Saturday 2 May. Their music, which is described as ‘Guinness with a tequila chaser’, has impressed audiences worldwide and earned them a number of awards and nominations. Their concert at RUA RED will also mark the start of their own tour of Ireland and the UK.

'There is a large and enthusiastic audience for bluegrass music', says centre director Karen Phillips. 'We hope that we can make this a regular part of our programming, bringing both established and emerging artists to South Dublin.'

RUA RED’s 70-seater performance space offers a unique chance to experience some of the world’s finest bluegrass acts in an intimate venue. The next concert in the series will be with bluesy guitarist Brooks Williams on Saturday 18 July.

Tickets for the Paperboys are €12 and on sale now through RUA RED’s box office (e-mail; +353 (0)1 451 5860) and online via the website. For more information please contact Carolyn Jones: +353 (0)1 451 5860; e-mail.

BIB editor's note: Don't expect the Paperboys to be in any meaningful sense a bluegrass band. Although they played in the Park at last year's Omagh festival, their website and MySpace site make it quite clear that they are not and don't claim to be. Using brass, drums, percussion, flute, piano, and jarana as well as guitars, banjo, fiddle, and bass, they are a folk-rock band who draw on a wide range of musical influences, including Celtic music and bluegrass. Some of their material would work well with a bluegrass treatment.

Their own schedule shows the following dates in Ireland, all with a start time of 8.00 p.m. From 9 May they play a further eight dates in England.

2 May: Rua Red Theatre, Tallaght, Dublin 24
3 May: The Danny Boy Festival, Limavady, Co. Londonderry
5 May: The Errigle Inn, Belfast
6 May: The Bronte Arts Centre, Rathfriland, Co. Down
7 May: The Bronte Arts Centre, Rathfriland, Co. Down

Tupelo in Slattery's, Rathmines, 17 Apr. 2009

Kevin Duffy of Tupelo reports:

We are playing for free in Slattery's in Rathmines, Dublin, this Friday night (17 April). We are also on Country Mix 106.8fm on the Stevie Bulger Show from 2.00 to 3.00 p.m.

Last week we picked twelve out of the twenty-one tracks we recorded that day and got them mastered, so we're in the process of packaging up an album now and hope to take some more pics this Saturday.

4 Wheel Drive: latest news

4 Wheel Drive at Westport 2008: Jan Michielsen, Joost van Es, Alfred Bonk, Uri Kohen (festival organiser), Jurgen Biller, Ulli Sieker

Jan Michielsen, guitarist with 4 Wheel Drive - who have appeared since 2001 at the Athy, Dunmore East, Omagh, and Westport festivals and will be at Athy again this year - sends good wishes and news for all the band's fans and friends in Ireland.

Ulli Sieker, who was with the band at Westport last year, is now the regular mandolinist for 4WD, in place of Edu Grin. Ulli is also a member of the long established Looping Brothers band in Germany. The Looping Brothers can be seen in action on Jan's YouTube channel, together with footage of 4WD in their theatre show 'Somewhere between', the Blue Grass Boogiemen, and Dutch singer Jolanda Peters ('a woman who really knows how to sing them country songs', in Jan's opinion).

Some of Jan's videos shot at last year's Westport festival can also be seen on the festival's MySpace site.

A new all-woman band in Dublin?

Cara Holmes is looking for 5-string banjo lessons in the Dublin area (or within a reasonable distance). Cara adds:

I'm also hoping to put together an all-female bluegrass/folk band, so if you could keep an eye out for interested people it would be very much appreciated.

A lot of talented women musicians seem to be emerging at present; so anyone who would be interested in the project should contact Cara by e-mail.

Annapolis Bluegrass Coalition back in Ireland, Sept. 2009

Annapolis Bluegrass Coalition: Bob Tice, Sue Tice, Dan Kimball, Roger Green, Jim Duvall

Roger Green is bringing the Annapolis Bluegrass Coalition (USA) back to Ireland this September for the fifth or sixth time. Those who relish the sound of a five-piece band, with the solidity that comes from a long time of playing together, can look forward to a cheerful autumn. Dates confirmed at present are:

17 Sept. Crane Bar, Galway, Co. Galway
18-20 Sept. Clifden Community Arts Week, Clifden, Co. Galway
24 Sept. Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh, Co. Cork
25 Sept. Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, Co. Wicklow
26 Sept. Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise, Co. Laois

In addition to a busy schedule for the band, Roger runs a weekly radio show, 'Bluegrassorama' at 4.00-5.30 p.m. on Tuesdays (repeated on Saturdays at 10.00-11.30 p.m. by popular demand) on WRYR-LP 97.5 FM, a community radio station in Sherwood, Maryland. The show is available on the internet at the WRYR website.

To subscribe to the ABC newsletter, contact the band by e-mail.

Another Duck Baker concert: Castlebar, 20 Apr. 2009

Thanks to Ron Beemster, organiser of the Duck Baker (USA) fingerstyle-guitar workshop and concert in Sligo on 18-19 April, for the news that Duck Baker will be playing a further concert in the Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, on Monday 20 April. Like the Sligo concert, the Castlebar show will begin at 8.00 p.m., with tickets at €15, or €12 for concessions.

European bluegrass in the mainstream US media

Bluegrass in Europe is the subject matter of 'Bluegrass thrives, far from home', a major article published yesterday (9 April) in the New York Times and International Herald Tribune. The author is Ruth Ellen Gruber, whose Sauerkraut Cowboys blog also makes available today the full text.

The article leads off with the concert in Prague in early March by Lilly Drumeva of Bulgaria, and goes on to outline main features of the European bluegrass scene: notably the vigorous Czech scene, epitomised by the performance by Druha Trava (shown above) in Prague for President Obama on 5 April; the recent European Bluegrass Summit meeting in Bühl, Germany; and the programme of events in the forthcoming European World of Bluegrass (EWOB), with its flagship event, the EWOB Festival in the Netherlands. Other major European bluegrass festivals during the year are also noted.

The article's publication is also welcomed in the Bluegrass Blog, from which this photo of Druha Trava is reproduced.

Buffalo Gals for Phil Murphy Weekend, 24-7 July 2009

Thanks to FOAOTMAD for the news that the lineup for the 16th Phil Murphy Weekend (24-27 July), at Colfer's, Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford, will include the Buffalo Gals (UK). The band have previously played over here at the Dunmore East International Bluegrass Festival and the Wexford Hooves & Grooves Festival, and Kate Lissauer (above, centre; fiddle, banjo, vocals) has been on the concert stage at the Omagh festival as a solo performer.

Bryan Clark and Becky Schlegel

Thanks to Martha Moore of so much Moore Media (USA) for news and information on two contemporary bluegrass artists, who may be touring in Europe before long:

Bryan Clark (left), raised in Texas and resident in Nashville, has just released his sixth album: Gossip, inspiration & slander, a double disc combining acoustic and electric music. As a student of jazz guitar in California, he discovered the music of Ricky Skaggs. His 'underground' bluegrass trio Honeywagon (2002-6) recorded several Rolling Stones numbers, and their Green day, blue grass CD stayed on the Billboard charts for ninety weeks.

Bryan now teaches jazz harmony, composition, history of American song, and arranging at Belmont University, Nashville, and has had considerable success as a composer and performer. His lead singing and fine guitar work in a bluegrass setting can be seen and heard in eight videos on his website.

Becky Schlegel (right), raised in South Dakota, has appeared several times on IBMA World of Bluegrass songwriter showcases and on Garrison Keillor's 'Prairie Home Companion' show, has released three acclaimed CDs, and is in the studio working on a new one. She has had high praise both as a writer and a singer, and can be heard both on her website and on MySpace.

Bluegrass on Easter Day in Athy, Co. Kildare

Tony O'Brien of the Athy Bluegrass Music Association reports:

Woodbine will play in the first of Clancy's Acoustic Sessions at Athy, Co. Kildare, on Easter Sunday, 12 April, from 5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. This is a new acoustic music venue, and Clancy's are also the new sponsors of the Athy Bluegrass Festival 2009 (9-12 July).

Woodbine will also be playing at Lennon's, Durrow, Co. Laois, on Saturday 18 Apr. at 21:00, and will be back at Clancy's on Friday 15 May at 21:00 in a special show to launch the run-up to this year's Athy festival. Videos on their MySpace site now include one of the band playing 'Lonesome road blues' at Colfer's, Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford, on 31 January. Clancy's is at 12 Leinster Street, Athy, Co. Kildare (on the left as you enter the town centre from the Dublin direction); 'phone 059-8631964.

Second show in Westport series

Sara and Hubie MacEvilly

Uri Kohen of Electric Cave Productions, organiser of the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, reports:

On Saturday 18 April we will stage the second gig in our festival promotion gigs. This time we will present the unique show of the MacEvillys. Sarah and Hubie will be joined on stage by John Flatley on bass and Rob Thornburgh on fiddle. Together they will play their special sound of bluegrass.

The show will be at Geraghty's Pub, the Octagon, Westport, Co. Mayo. The Festival will be held at Westport on 26-8 June. NB: the Festival MySpace site now has some new videos taken at last year's festival.


Uri also sends these pictures taken during a visit by Pete Seeger to Israel in 1964; above, Uri's father introduces him to the audience. Pete Seeger's ninetieth birthday will be celebrated on 3 May 2009.

Photos by courtesy of Uri Kohen

Kimmie Rhodes tour in Britain & Ireland

Folk-country singer-songwriter Kimmie Rhodes (USA) is playing thirteen dates in Britain and Ireland in the near future. The dates in Ireland, which wind up the tour, are

Thurs. 7th May Ardhowen Theatre, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh
Fri. 8th Market Place Theatre, Armagh city
Sat. 9th Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin
Wed. 13th Bronte Music Club, Rathfriland, Co. Down
Thurs. 14th Black Box (Real Music Club), Belfast

She has recorded duets with Waylon Jennings, Townes Van Zandt, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris and Beth Nielsen. The UK magazine Maverick says: 'Those who admire talented creative singer-songwriters should check tour dates and make every possible effort to attend one of Kimmie’s shows.'

Tumbleweed Love Sessions, Sat. 11 Apr. 2009

Conor Farrelly of the Dublin-based Prairie Dawgs reports:

The Tumbleweed Love Sessions present another great night of quality music in the Cobblestone this Saturday, 11 April @ 9.00 p.m.

What are the Tumbleweed Love Sessions? A night of great live music hosted by the Prairie Dawgs. The Dawgs play every month along with two other roots acts. The TLS crew & the Praire Dawgs are absolutely commited to putting on a quality live show & take great care in getting quality acts every month.

This month the TLS crew proudly presents sweet harmonies & beautiful old-time sounds of Little Ass Birds & the Americana Indie rock of Herm as well as the kick-ass nine-piece country live show from Prairie Dawgs - all for €8.

The end of the night inevitably descends into a proper hoedown with all three acts vying for space on stage for a final sing out! A great rousing night to surely lift the blues!! ... say hello if you come along!

May: International Bluegrass Music Month

International Bluegrass Music Month originated as an idea with Bob Wolff in the USA, was taken up by the IBMA in 1987, and was first celebrated in May 1988. The full story is given by Richard F. Thompson in a feature which appeared a year ago on the original Bluegrass Blog; he has just published a similar account in the spring 2009 issue of British Bluegrass News.

Read the full story here. As May is only three weeks away now, it's worth running through Richard's checklist of some of the things that can be done to promote bluegrass during the month:

* Get your friends and association members to put bumper stickers on their cars.
* Wear a bluegrass button during May. Remember: buttons and bumper stickers stimulate conversation.
* Get a shopping center to sponsor a performance (Pick-In) at the mall.
* Get a local agricultural product supplier, bank or other business to sponsor a Pick-In.
* Get your local radio station or music store to sponsor a Pick-In.
* Get your region’s bluegrass promoters to complete their festival and concert flyers early and arrange to have them set up attractively on a table at the Pick-In.
* Get volunteers to staff the flyer table, collect addresses, and meet and greet as bluegrass ambassadors.
* Get a local store or service establishment to provide some product or service you could give away at a free drawing during the Pick-In, thus giving people incentive to give their addresses.

Ten years after the first International Bluegrass Music Month, the concept took effect in Europe with the first 'European World of Bluegrass' (EWOB) - conceived as a network of events, focused on the EWOB Festival but capable of including every kind of bluegrass activity throughout Europe during May.

Your event (session, concert, broadcast, festival, product launch, or whatever) can be publicised as a part of the European World of Bluegrass 2009 in the annual EWOB Guide and on the EWOB Festival website. Contact Rienk Janssen, the EBMA's EWOB coordinator, by e-mail. See also the European Bluegrass Blog.

Carmel Sheerin & the Ravens in concert, 9 April

Carmel Sheerin & the Ravens are continuing their nationwide tour of their second album, Here with you, and will be appearing in the Longford Arms Hotel on Thursday 9 April. Here with you was produced by multi-Grammy-winning Nashville producer Bil VornDick, who also signed them to a publishing deal. The band were fortunate enough to cross paths with Bil a couple of years back, and invited him to holiday in Ireland and give his input into their first album, Runaway.

Bil was so impressed by the unique sound of Carmel Sheerin & the Ravens that he not only gave his input, but decided to produce & master the album. 'Very rarely do you get a chance to work with a family band of three brothers and a sister, as the lead vocalist. There is something about family bands and their harmony that can raise the hairs on the back of your neck. They have the European flair in their music that is so appealing,' said VornDick.

Since then the band have gone from strength to strength, have formed a strong bond & friendship with Bil, and have been over to American numerous times in the past three years. This is a night not to be missed & an opportunity to hear one of Europe's finest bluegrass bands perform. Tickets can be purchased in the Longford Arms or reserved by phoning 087 4152301.

Check the Longford Arms website for special overnight offers for the concert night.

CMAI Calendar, Apr.-Oct. 2009

Roger Ryan of the Country Music Association of Ireland reports:

We've had a busy start to the year here in Ireland. This is a list of country music events for the period April to Oct '09.

The Country Gentlemen - 1972

Thanks to living legend of the mandolin Jimmy Gaudreau (USA), who appeared at the Omagh festival a few years ago, for this link to a slide show of photographs taken by Fred Robbins at the Second Annual Country Gentlemen festival, held at Indian Ranch, Webster, Massachusetts, in 1972. The Gents at that time were Charlie Waller, Bill Emerson, Doyle Lawson, and Bill Yates. Jimmy Gaudreau (a former Gentleman himself) was there as a member of II Generation.

Also to be seen are Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys (with Keith Whitley), Mac Wiseman, James Monroe & the Midnight Ramblers, Peter Rowan, J.D. Crowe & the New South (Tony Rice on guitar), New Grass Revival, the McLain Family, Joe Val, Don Stover, the Bluegrass 45 (we think) from Japan, and a large dog.

Fred Robbins's website holds a great deal of other material of bluegrass archival interest, including many photos from a recent tour of the Martin guitar factory.

A resource for fiddlers...

... who probably know about it already; but your editor didn't, though his fiddling son did. Mel Bay Publications, who have made a massive contribution to printed and audio instruction material for bluegrass, old-time, and related music genres, have been publishing FiddleSessionsTM every other month since June 2003.

It's a web magazine, exploring various facets of fiddle music and featuring articles by composers, teachers, or performers. Users can learn about the featured authors' publications, background, or performance/workshop schedule, and free printable music samples are included.

The editor is Stacy Phillips (left; aka the Archduke of the Dobro), whose many publications include The Phillips collection of traditional American fiddle tunes and The complete country fiddler. Whatever your connection with the fiddle, there should be plenty to learn from here.

Old-time galaxy at Baltimore Fiddle Fair

Betse Ellis

Old-time enthusiasts can look forward to a treat at this year's Fiddle Fair in Baltimore, Co. Cork. Declan McCarthy says on the Fair website:

On Friday [8 May] we have a mind-blowing array of old-time and Cajun musicians from all over the States. One of our all time favourite groups is the Foghorn String Band and we're delighted to have Sammy and Caleb back again this year with some very special guests.

Joining the Foghorn Trio will be the amazing fiddler from the Wilders, Betse Ellis. And then the incredible multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell, accompanied by Joel Savoy from Louisiana, will bring us the music of the Cajuns. Make sure to bring your dancing shoes.

All events at the Fair will take place in Baltimore itself. The Lind-Klauder-Ellis trio will also be playing at the Cathedral Quarter Festival in Belfast.

Fingerstyle guitar workshop weekend: Co. Sligo, 18-19 Apr.

Duck Baker

Thanks to Sandy Holland of Blacklion, Co. Cavan, and Richard Hurst of the Ulster American Folk Park for this news:

The 2nd Annual Fingerstyle Guitar Workshop Weekend will be held on 18 and 19 April 2009 in Raughley, north Co. Sligo, from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. both days. This is a two-day intensive workshop, geared towards improving the existing skills of fingerstyle guitarists. The tutor for this event will be Mr Duck Baker (USA), a legend in the world of fingerstyle guitar. The cost of the workshop weekend is €90 per person.

The workshop weekend is this year grant-aided by Sligo County Council, under the 2008 Arts Grant Scheme. For more information contact Ron on (071) 9163669 or by e-mail.

[Update 7 April: the workshop weekend is now completely booked.]

In conjunction with this workshop Duck Baker will be playing a concert in the Factory Performance Space, Lower Quay Street, Sligo, on Sunday 19 April, starting at 8.00 p.m. Tickets cost €15, or €12 for concessions. Duck Baker plays fingerstyle guitar: blues, jazz, ragtime, swing and Celtic music. Booking and information (071) 9170431.

Duck Baker has released twenty solo albums since 1976, has appeared on many others, and has had ten books of guitar music published. Full details can be seen on his website and his music can be sampled on his MySpace site. Sing Out! magazine described him in 2005 as 'quite simply... the premier American fingerstyle guitarist'.

Greg Cahill on touring in Europe

Greg Cahill, leader of the Special Consensus and current president of IBMA and chairman of the IBMA board, has contributed to the spring 2009 issue of British Bluegrass News a major article on touring in Europe, based chiefly on his experience in bringing the Special Consensus to Britain and Ireland many times since the 1990s. By kind permission of British Bluegrass News, the article has been reproduced on the original Bluegrass Blog.

CD and venue launch at Bunclody, 3 Apr. 2009

Niall and Keith Sewell: 'Can't take the country from the boys'

A reminder of the Niall Toner Band gig at the Chantry, Bunclody, Co. Wexford, with special guest Keith Sewell from Nashville, on Friday 3 April. Tickets are available from the Chantry at €15 each, or on the door on the night at €20. Doors 7.30 p.m.; showtime 8.30 p.m. Niall reports:

It's the official launch for NTB3 in the south-east, and CDs will be available on the night. Keith will also have CDs for sale.

Keith Sewell is a singer, outstanding instrumentalist, record producer, and songwriter (he's collaborated with Niall on several songs), who is in Ireland with the Lyle Lovett band. The Chantry, on the riverward side of Market Square, Bunclody, is a fine old building - a former Methodist chapel, now serving as a restaurant and coffee house - which is being launched as a new venue for live music in this part of Ireland.

Tupelo at Kearney's, Dublin, Fri. 3 Apr.

Tupelo (l-r: Damien MacMahon, bass; Kevin Duffy, fiddle; James Cramer, banjo; Tim Condron, saxophone; Paul Murray, guitar)

Thanks to Kevin Duffy of Tupelo for the news that the band will be playing in Peadar Kearney's bar, Dame Street, Dublin 2 (near the Olympia Theatre) at about 10.00 p.m. on Friday 3 April, and admission is free.

Kevin also reports that recording is now complete, and tracks are being remastered. Tupelo now have a website, a MySpace site, and several YouTube videos, where the band's work can be sampled.

'Roots of country rhythm guitar'

The April 2009 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine, now in the shops, includes a major feature by Scott Nygard, 'The roots of country rhythm guitar', which examines the techniques that were laid down in the 1920s and 1930s and still form the foundation of bluegrass rhythm playing. The styles of Maybelle Carter, Jimmie Rodgers, and Roy Harvey (guitar player with Charlie Poole's North Carolina Ramblers) are explained with examples in notation and tab.

On the magazine's website, you can also see the article with the addition of a section on Riley Puckett, whose off-the-wall sense of rhythm and unpredictable bass runs made him the 'wild man of old-time music'. Scott Nygaard also demonstrates some of the print examples online in a video instruction session. Whether you see this in print or on screen (and we recommend both), it's well worth learning from.

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Among other good things, the April 2009 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine has two major articles, both by Larry Nager: one on Ricky Skaggs (the cover story), which is a good overview of his whole career as well as his current activities and quotes at length from the man himself; and one on Dave Harvey, fine mandolinist, repair man, and luthier, who is now head of the Gibson company's mandolin division. Another article, by Nathan D. Gibson, features Al Hawkes of Maine, who around 1950 was singing on radio with his longtime friend Alton Myers, as the earliest interracial act in hillbilly music.

Green shoots

The April 2009 newsletter from the Colorado Case Company contains a lot of good things, beginning with a cautiously hopeful sighting of green shoots in the economic situation.

Their featured artist/luthier for this month is Bill Evans (left), who has visited Ireland twice (too briefly) with Megan Lynch. And among other things, there's a bonus: a link to the text of an address given by Karl Paulnack, director of the music division at the Boston Conservatory, on the subject of what music is for.

Quote of the month

Bluegrass music scares me. The people who perform it scare me. The brain-traumatising, nerve-shredding effect it has upon me, should I accidentally chance upon it on the radio, scares me. With the exception of Lyle Lovett...

Writer in the Radio Times (UK), 28 March-3 April 2009, p. 136

Our comment: this person must not be allowed to hear Bill Monroe's 1959 recording of 'Stoney Lonesome' without the presence of a full medical team and a helicopter.