Earl Scruggs: updates

The BIB editor reports:

Obituaries of Earl Scruggs in the UK press have not yet added anything to the best American reports. The Daily Telegraph obituary, from today's print edition, can be seen online. The Guardian online obituary has the advantage of a magnificent embedded video from the 1971 Camp Springs Bluegrass Festival, which can be seen direct on YouTube.

In the video, Earl Scruggs - looking young and fit at 47 - leads a jam on 'Foggy Mountain Breakdown' with banjo-players from the other bands taking part in the festival, including Sonny Osborne, Bill Emerson, J.D. Crowe, Don Stover, and Alan Munde. Also visible are the late Carlton Haney, Jimmy Martin, and Charlie Waller. Don't, on any account, miss the look on Sonny Osborne's face when Earl winds up the jam by going into the high break.

PS: Thanks to Bluegrass on the Tube for this list, with links, of videos under Earl's name. He can also be seen in several videos under the names of other members of the Flatt & Scruggs band.

Update 31 Mar.: Tributes to Earl from the distinguished roster of teachers at the ArtistWorks Academy of Bluegrass can be read here.

Earl Scruggs, 6 Jan. 1924–28 Mar. 2012

Earl Eugene Scruggs, the Father of Bluegrass Banjo, died yesterday, almost three months past his 88th birthday. A memorial service will be held on Sunday 1 April at 2.00 p.m. in the Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN. Visitation will be held from 3.00 to 7.00 p.m. on Friday 30 March and Saturday 31 March at Spring Hill Funeral Home, 5110 Gallatin Pike, Nashville. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum or to the Earl Scruggs Center, which is under construction in Earl's home town, Shelby, NC.

Tributes and personal reminiscences from fellow musicians are appearing on Bluegrass Today. Kevin Lynch has written a fine obituary for the European Bluegrass Blog, where you can find links to other published notices of Earl's death and accounts of his life and achievements; don't miss the Nashville Tennessean photo gallery. Colin Henry writes from Belfast:

I think if I had to cite who was the most influential musician in all my years of playing (i.e. who had the most effect on me) it would not be a dobro player, it would be Earl Scruggs. I was completely taken when I heard him for the first time and to this day I still love his playing. They always describe his playing as like a machine gun; what I hear is a melodic flow of notes like a river whitewater, powerful and mesmerising, every note crystal clear. No one plays Scruggs style like the man who created it.

The photos on this post (credit: johnnykeenan.com) were taken at the 3rd Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival in Longford in 2004, where Earl performed in his first European trip for decades. He is shown below with his wife, Louise, to whom he attributed his success, and with festival organisers Kathy Casey and Chris Keenan.

BIB editor's note: Would bluegrass music exist if it had not been for Earl Scruggs? My answer is yes ('bluegrass music' cannot, for me, be separated from the man who is the reason for its having that name). Would it be the same? Just as emphatically, no. It's not hard to imagine a parallel universe in which Don Reno was rejected for the US Army in 1943 and became the first banjo player in three-finger Carolina style in Bill Monroe's band; but with every respect to Reno's greatness, I believe things turned out for the best in this universe. Earl's playing, in which clarity, coherence, and authority were combined with a buoyant inventiveness that sprang from delight, was the best start that bluegrass banjo could have had.

Fiddle CD sale at Compass: 40% off

Good news for fiddlers: Alison Brown's Compass Records is offering a 40% discount on CDs from its catalogue that feature the fiddle.

Compass has a large catalogue of 'Celtic' music, and this is reflected in the offer; but the full list of the CDs on sale includes albums by such bluegrass- and old-time-related artists as Andrea Zonn, Bruce Molsky, Darol Anger, and Fiddlers 4. See the latest Compass e-bulletin here.

Update 29 Mar.: But that was yesterday... today's Compass discount is off CDs featuring the guitar, for which the relevant link is here.

Update 31 Mar.: There is now a similar discount on singer/songwriter CDs.

The Tin Box Company: Thursdays at Knocklyon

The Tin Box Company play every Thursday night in Delaney's in Knocklyon, just off the Firhouse Road (R114) in south-west Dublin, from 8.00 to 11.00. This has been listed in the 'Weekly sessions' section of the BIB calendar up to now.

The Tin Box Company have asked us to make it clear to readers that the Thursday 'session' is not a jam, but a regular gig by the band, using sound equipment. Pickers are always welcome to take part as featured performers, backed by the TBC. Nonetheless, the responsibility for keeping the bluegrass music coming throughout the evening remains with the band.

Bill Monroe and 'The week in politics'

The Monroe home place before restoration - a parallel with the state of Irish politics? (photo: Lilly Pavlak)

Thanks to Enda Donnelly of Fair City Grass, who reports:

Last night as I was sitting down to watch 'The week in politics', the background music being played was none other than Bill Monroe's 'Lonesome Moonlight Waltz'. Although nice to hear, one would have wished to hear it played in a different context, rather than the Mahon tribunal.

The version played was (to the best of my knowledge) a Kenny Baker rendition, as no credits were shown.

The programme can be seen on RTE Player till 15 April.

Bluegrass in Ulster in the coming week

Thanks to Dangem Bluegrass for news of bluegrass activities in Ulster. First of all, the monthly Dangem Bluegrass Get-Together; pickers and enthusiasts generally are invited to bring along banjos, guitars, mandolins, fiddles, dobros, and bass, or just come along and enjoy the proceedings on Saturday 31 March 2012 from 9.30-10.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon at the Lagan Valley Island, Island Civic Centre, Lisburn, Co. Antrim BT27 4RL. The schedule will be as usual: 9.30-10.00 warmup; 10.30-11.00 split up for banjo beginners class (taken by Howard Walker for a per person cost of £5.00 for the half-hour); 11.00-12.00, all join in the singalong and jam session.

The monthly Belfast Bluegrass session will be held on Tuesday 3 April from 8.30 p.m., as usual in the Errigle Inn, 312-320 Ormeau Road, Belfast BT7 2GE; tel. 028 9064 1410, e-mail.

Finally: the many fans of the Down and Out Bluegrass Band (left) can catch them on the last show in the current series of 'Santer', to be broadcast this coming Wednesday (28 March) at 7.30 p.m. on BBC2 Northern Ireland. Read the whole Dangem e-newsletter.

Berea Bluegrass All Stars: on tour in Ireland 26 May-6 June 2012

Thanks to John Nyhan and Deirdre Sheehan for this photo and identifications of the Berea Bluegrass All Stars (from Berea, Kentucky, a cultural hub of the Appalachian region):

Back row (l–r): Al White (fiddle, banjo, vocals), John Bradley (bass), Donovan Cain (guitar, vocals), Kate Morgan (guitar, vocals)
Front row (l–r): Debora Payne (fiddle, vocals), Ashley Long (vocals), Ryan Blevins (mandolin, banjo, vocals)

The Berea Bluegrass All Stars have been described as 'A Vocal Powerhouse'. More about them appears on the BIB on 27 Feb., together with the dates for their tour in Ireland from 26 May to 6 June 2012, which are also on the BIB calendar page.

An old myth laid to rest

Where did the idea come from that bluegrass bands have to stand still and look solemn? As a necessary corrective to this, as a counter to Monday blues, and as a favour to yourself, look at this clip of Flatt & Scruggs & the Foggy Mountain Boys, with 'Uncle Josh' Graves and 'Cousin Jake' Tullock duetting on 'Hand me down my walking cane.'

Tim Eriksen in Dublin: further news

Following the BIB's item two days ago on the forthcoming appearances of Tim Eriksen in Dublin and Cork during the first week in April, the Sacred Harp Dublin group announces:

We are delighted to announce that we will be having a singing school with Tim Eriksen on 3 April, 7.00-9.00 p.m., in the Franciscan Friary on Merchant's Quay. Tim is an acclaimed musician, composer, and ethnomusicologist who has taught hundreds of hour- to week-long workshops and seminars in shape-note harmony singing, American music history, ballad singing, and instrumental accompaniment at festivals, universities, museums, and arts centers, including the Smithsonian Institution, Harvard University, the Society for Ethnomusicology Convention, Colours of Ostrava Festival (Czech Republic), Camp Fasola (Anniston, AL), and the Early Music Festival in Jaroslaw, Poland.

This will be a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Sacred Harp music from a very experienced singer and teacher, see attached poster for details. We hope you will join us!

Dublin Sacred Harp also issues this introduction:

Learn to sing shape-note music from the Sacred Harp tunebook in a workshop taught by one of the most acclaimed singing instructors, whose students have ranged from inner-city kindergarteners to Nicole Kidman and Jude Law in the film Cold Mountain. The Sacred Harp tunebook, first published in 1844 in Georgia, is at the heart of one of America’s most vital homegrown musical practices. Within its pages 'Amazing Grace' meets the toe-tapping 'fuging tunes' of early New England, all harmonised for four-part social singing and written in a unique and practical notation system. This workshop, addressed to absolute beginners and more experienced singers alike, begins with the basics of the human voice and group singing and includes an introduction to reading shape-note music, notes on important aspects of traditional practice, and lots of full-on singing. No prior experience required.

Special C., special offer

A good opportunity for those who can make quick decisions: Compass Records announce that the new album Scratch Gravel Road by Ireland's favourite regularly-visiting US band, the Special Consensus, is due for release next Tuesday (27 Mar.), and is available at a special pre-release price of $11.99 (regular price $15). This offer extends only up to and including Monday 26 Mar. For details, read the Compass e-newsletter; for more about the band, read the Special C. page on the Compass website, where you can also hear audio samples of the new album.

NB: Homespun, the daddy of bluegrass (and other) instructional tapes and DVDs, reminds us that the Homespun March sale has only a week to run. Visit the Homespun website and check the current offers.

Tim Eriksen in Ireland, 3-5 Apr. 2012

The Cork Sacred Harp website announces that 'hardcore Americana' singer and musician Tim Eriksen (USA) will be in Ireland early next month as part of a brief tour in these islands, and notes:

Tim is the founder of the Western Massachusetts Sacred Harp convention (currently the largest SH convention in the world) and has been very influential in the tradition’s modern proliferation. He lectures on the history of Sacred Harp in universities in the US and, over the years, has taught a great many people about its techniques. Notably, he was Anthony Minghella’s on-set music consultant during the filming of US civil war film Cold Mountain and also led the wonderful Sacred Harp singing sessions found on its soundtrack.

He will be leading a shape-note singing school in Dublin at 7.00 p.m. on Tuesday 3 April in the Franciscan Friary on Merchant's Quay. The following night (Wed. 4 Apr.) at 8.00 p.m. he will be performing at the Triskel Arts Centre in Cork with Woven Skull, presented by Plugd Records. And on Thursday 5 April he will be giving a singing school in Cork at 7.00 p.m. in Camden Palace, during the regular Cork Sacred Harp weekly sing. More details are on his tour schedule, and audio samples of his music are on his website.

Broken Strings at the Red Room, Cookstown, 25 Mar. 2012

Thanks to Sharon Loughrin in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, who sends:

... just a quick one to let you know that the Broken String Band [above] are playing in the Red Room this coming Sunday night (25 Mar.). It's short notice, but we already have quite a few people definitely coming (they're a very well known and popular band locally). It's always good to see new faces all the same, so if there's anyone not already on our text/email/facebook list who would like to come, they are welcome to get in touch via the contact details on Facebook - The Red Room, Cookstown - to book a seat.

Sharon adds that the Red Room has a really busy summer of house concerts ahead, so look out for more news from Cookstown.

Woody Pines in Ireland, 24-8 Apr. 2012

Thanks to FOAOTMAD for the news that the band Woody Pines, based in Asheville, North Carolina, will be touring in these islands from 12 April to 13 May, and will be playing the following dates in Ireland:

Tues. 24th: The Red Room, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone
Wed. 25th: The Atlantic Bar, Main St., Portrush, Co. Antrim
Thurs. 26th: Raheen House Hotel, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary (Clonmel World Music series)
Fri. 27th: The Glens Centre, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim
Sat. 28th: Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin

The UK's Maverick magazine describes the band as performing an 'intoxicating blend of rural and urban stringband, country blues, ragtime, and jug band music'.

I Draw Slow go way down South, 23-4 Mar. 2012

Thanks to Dave Holden, who reports that I Draw Slow will be down south this weekend, playing on Friday 23 March in the Carnegie Arts Centre in Kenmare. Co. Kerry, and on Saturday 24 March in the Pavilion, located just off Patrick St. in the centre of Cork city.

Brock McGuire Band in Clonmel, 30 Mar. 2012

Thanks to Valerie Lyons for this news, which comes aptly after our St Patrick's weekend posts:

The wonderful Brock McGuire Band [above], hot on the trail of success from their latest album Green Grass Blue Grass, will perform in the wonderful setting of Old St Mary's Church in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, on Friday 30 March at 8.00 p.m. The concert 'Hallelujah to Trad' will also feature special guests Louise Morrissey, who will enrapture the audience with some specially selected gospel and folk songs, and also Morrissey & Daniels, who will open proceedings with a unique blend of old-style American country.

'Hallelujah to Trad', staged in this intimate setting, will be a delight to lovers of Irish traditional and bluegrass music. Tickets at Premier Music, Clonmel.

For beginners in bluegrass banjo, fiddle, and bass, 24 Mar. 2012

Thanks to Dangem Bluegrass for this news:

Learn to play the banjo, fiddle, upright double bass, bluegrass style
This Saturday, 24 March 2012

This class is targeted at beginners; we will give you advice on purchasing the correct instruments, how to start, and basic playing lessons. If you live in or around Belfast, or can make your way to the venue, we will be glad to see you. Contact the Spectrum Centre for costs, etc.

*Tutors are*
Ruth Miller *Fiddle*
Howard Walker *5-string Banjo*
Roy Brown *Upright bass *

This will run from 1.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m. Saturday 24 March 2012. Any accomplished players whom would like to come along and help out or just jam - you are welcome! The details of the Spectrum Centre are below; it is on the right as you come up the Shankill from the City side.

Spectrum Centre
331 Shankill Rd, Belfast BT13 3AA
028 9050 4555

Read the full Dangem e-newsletter here.

Westport 2012 announces full lineup and schedule

Thanks to Uri Kohen at Westport, Co. Mayo, for a press release giving full details - lineup, schedule, and more - of this year's Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival (29 June-1 July 2012), headlined by one of the UK's most highly regarded and entertaining bluegrass bands, the Thunderbridge Bluegrass Boys (above).

Photos of all the dozen bands taking part over the weekend can be seen on the band photo page of the Festival's Facebook, which from now on will serve as the event's main news channel on the web. For further information, contact Uri Kohen on +353 (0)87 757 0958 or by e-mail.

Why did St Patrick not play 'Foggy Mountain breakdown'?

Thanks to Colin Henry (left), who opens this subject for discussion:

Our editor’s recent St Patrick’s Day interview with Chris Stuart on Bluegrass Today got me thinking about the relationship of Irish traditional music and Irish bluegrass music. One sentence by our editor struck a chord: 'it is not usual to hear the two [trad & bluegrass] played at the same event.' Well, the chord struck must have been a seventh, because it led me on to thinking of one regret I have, which is that there is not more of a crossover/collaboration with Irish trad, particularly at sessions. The similarities between the two musical genres are obvious. Bluegrass has one or more of its roots in Irish trad, as is well documented. Both have the fiddle, guitar, and mandolin as standard instruments. The banjo is there too, albeit one is a four and one a five. Many tunes are common to both ('Red-haired boy'/'Jolly beggarman'). Why then do we not manage to play together much more often?

There are, I think a number of reasons for this, and I might look at some of these in another post; but one of the possible causes of the problem is that bluegrass players cannot/do not play trad well, and vice versa (with some limited and gifted exceptions); and so when you have both genres represented in (say) a session, each tends to play their own tunes, with the other not really able to participate. The instrument and the skill needed to play it in a particular style are an important factor in this. Both styles require a very high degree of ability to play well and thus a great deal of practice in that genre is required, leaving very little time to gain a skill in the other. I can speak with authority only in my own chosen instrument; so on a dobro, for instance, Irish music does not fall as naturally as on, say, a fiddle. To play jigs and reels on a dobro is a difficult thing to do well, and in the main each tune needs to be worked out rather than played on the fly. All of this takes a lot of practice time, which is not readily available after honing my skills on 'Fireball Mail' et al.

My experience is that bluegrass musicians like trad and trad musicians like bluegrass, so it’s not a rejection of the other’s music. It must therefore be something else and playing skill may be a major factor. Just a thought, and maybe food for some further thoughts. Comments welcome.

BIB editor's note: Please do comment, but note that because of the 'moderating' process mentioned at the head of the BIB, your comment won't appear at once. It has been received, so there is no need to resend it.

St Patrick's day: the morning after

Here to make you feel better are a few hairs of the wolfhound that bit you - the one with the big teeth and a haircut like Red Allen had in 1958.

As promised, John Lawless has published Chris Stuart's 'Green Yodel #21', part 2 on Bluegrass Today - a lively and incisive interview with Dublin's Ronnie Norton, photographer, radio presenter, commentator, and graduate of the IBMA Leadership Bluegrass programme (of which Ronnie has many good things to say).

Also on Bluegrass Today, Niall Toner has written as a special contributor 'Bluegrass: an Irish perspective', combining an account of his own journey in music, a look at the scene here, and more. There's also a video clip of an interview with Niall, Clem O'Brien, and Dick Gladney from MUZU.TV.

Separately altogether, Hope River Entertainment in the US have issued a special announcement on their blog to mark the fact that Niall is now #1 on the AirPlay Direct Global Indicator Charts, hitting the all-time record of most radio downloads on the Bluegrass/Folk chart. There are also details for a free CD giveaway for Niall's latest album release, Onwards and upwards, which you can enter via Niall's website; the offer opened yesterday and will end on 13 April. Two radio shows by Niall are also available for download on AirPlay Direct. Read the full details here.

PS: The chairman of AirPlay Direct, Robert Weingartz, writes:

It has been truly amazing to watch how the global radio community has responded to Niall and his music. Niall has the fastest rising bluegrass album in the history of AirPlay Direct, and currently has the #1 bluegrass album of all time on AirPlay Direct.

Ireland features on Bluegrass Today for St Patrick's day

Thanks to Chris Stuart (left), Ireland and, specifically, bluegrass activity in Ireland are receiving substantial coverage on Bluegrass Today this weekend, to mark St Patrick's day.

Chris enlisted your editor to answer some questions about the scene over here, as an episode in his 'Blue Yodel' series. The result was published yesterday as 'Green Yodel #21 – Sláinte! (Part 1)'. Part 2 is due to appear today, contributed by Ronnie Norton of Dublin, a graduate of the IBMA Leadership Bluegrass 2012 class; and there will be a separate post on Niall Toner, who among his many other achievements is the only Irish bluegrass artist so far to make a significant impact on AirPlay Direct and sign up with a leading American bluegrass record label. Read their views on Bluegrass Today; and thanks again, Chris!

'St Patrick's day in the morning': Southern Welfare on RTÉ Radio 1

Thanks to Ray O'Brien, who reports:

Southern Welfare will be playing live on RTÉ Radio 1 tomorrow morning, St Patrick's day, live from Waterford city. Tune in from 10.00 a.m.

Southern Welfare would like to wish everyone a very happy Saint Patrick's day.

Blue Cedar Project at Cork Opera House, 10 Mar.

Blue Cedar Project report from Co. Meath on their appearance last Saturday at the Cork Opera House, supporting 'Friends in Low Places: the ultimate Garth Brooks experience':

The crowd were in good spirits, and lively; it’s always difficult to go on a stage and perform anything other than the crowd are expecting, especially before a top class band like 'Friends in Low Places' but with a few ice breakers and good bluegrass songs we were made feel right at home, we didn’t want to leave. Thanks Cork!

Read more on the Blue Cedar Project website.

The fiddlers of Flatt & Scruggs

The BIB editor reports:

John Lawless's AcuTab has just released a new instructional DVD by Ron Stewart, which should be invaluable to anyone out there playing or learning bluegrass fiddle, and at the least of great interest to others. It seems safe to say this on the strength of Stewart's past achievements, the description given in the blurb, and the 4:48 min. video preview on the AcuTab website.

The fiddlers of Flatt & Scruggs analyses the playing of six fiddlers - Jim Shumate, Benny Sims, Howdy Forrester, Benny Martin, Chubby Wise, and Paul Warren - who laid the foundations of bluegrass fiddle style, not least through their work while playing with this immensely influential band. The playing of Fiddlin' Arthur Smith (1898-1971), who influenced all of them, is also studied. As Stewart says, his own learning process as a fiddler included months of studying and playing along with their recordings - trying to get not just the notes but the tone and the phrasing, and to figure out why they played what they did when they did.

Ron Stewart has won IBMA Instrumental Performer of the Year awards on both fiddle and banjo, and is a much-sought-after session musician and guest artist on others' recordings. This DVD reveals not just what went into creating the essence of bluegrass fiddling; it also shows something of the mindset that goes into the making of a leading bluegrass musician.

Tin Box Company paint the grass green, 17 Mar. 2012

Thanks to Martin Kavanagh (above, with mandolin) for the news that the Tin Box Company will be playing two separate shows on St Patrick's day (Sat. 17 Mar.): the first, from 2.00 to 5.00 p.m., at the Spawell, Wellington Lane, Templeogue, Dublin 6 (just off the N81 before you reach the M50 going out of town). Then they'll move about a kilometre south-west to Delaney's in Knocklyon, just off the Firhouse Road (R114), where they will be playing from 8.00 to 11.00.

So by the end of the evening the band should be well warmed up - except that in our experience they start the proceedings warmed up and gain momentum from then on. They can be seen and heard in Delaney's at their regular gig every Thursday night from 8.00 to 11.00 p.m.

The Tao of bluegrass: a portrait of Peter Rowan needs help

Thanks to Sven who reports that support is needed for a documentary film on Peter Rowan, made by South 40 films in the San Francisco area of the USA, and entitled The Tao of bluegrass: a portrait of Peter Rowan.

Full details can be found on the South 40 website, and donations can be made through the Kickstarter project. The film has been seven years in the making, and Christine Funk, director and producer of the film, has included much live and archive footage of this major and pivotal bluegrass figure (who last performed in Ireland at the Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival last autumn), together with interviews with many other musicians. A trailer for the film can be seen on both the South 40 and the Kickstarter websites.

A sum of $19,000 needs to be raised for funding by Kickstarter, of which $17,681 (87%) has already been pledged. However, the deadline for funding is now only a week away (21 Mar. 2012). In return for a $25 donation the donor receives a digital download of the film (and thanks by name on the South 40 website), and there is an increasing scale of rewards for larger donations. Full details are on Kickstarter.

The BIB regrets that a Taoist-themed image of Peter Rowan was not available; we hope that the 'Blue Buddha' image is acceptable.

Springtime Bluegrass Festival in Spells, Ballaghaderreen: 30 Mar.-1 Apr. 2012

The annual Springtime Bluegrass Festival will be held in Spells, Pound St., Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon, from Friday 30 March to Sunday 1 April 2012, featuring three bands: Gone To Grass, from Galway (Friday, 9.00 p.m.); Woodbine, from Athy (Saturday, 9.00 p.m.); and Colonel Bullshot Rides Again, from Westport (Sunday, 6.00 p.m.). There will also be an open pickin' session on Saturday from 6.00 p.m.

All musicians are welcome; no cover charge over the weekend. Enquiries: 094 9860144; Facebook.

IBMA Leadership Bluegrass 2012 graduates

Ronnie Norton of Dublin is on the extreme left of this photo (by Stephanie Taylor) of the graduates of the 2012 IBMA Leadership Bluegrass class. Ronnie was the only member of this year's class from outside the USA. The names of all class members, together with further details, can be seen here and on the IBMA website.

Hotel reservations can now be made for IBMA's World of Bluegrass 2012; details are here.

Prison Love and the Larkfield Four in Dublin, 15 Mar. 2012

Thanks to Mark 'Marko' O'Mahony for a reminder:

A taste of home for touring Americans... a hoedown of healing for all of St Patrick's flock this 15th March... Call it what you will but on this 15 March at the Grand Social, Prison Love will play bluegrass, old-time, and cajun music until their fingers bleed. Expect fast-paced fiddle and banjo tunes with driving bass, flat-pickin' guitar, and vocal harmonies that'll bring tears to your eyes...

Supporting on the night, Dublin's new sensation in a cappella gospel, the Larkfield Four [right].

'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)

Videos: Prison Love; Larkfield Four

When: Thursday 15 March from 8.30 p.m.
Where: The Grand Social, Ha’penny Bridge, Dublin 1
How Much: €10 on the door

See you there...

Bluegrass banjo classes and Slow Jams in Dublin, Mar.-Apr. 2012

Good news from Paddy Kiernan (left): the ten-week 'Introduction to 5-string banjo' course that he teaches at Walton's New School of Music on George's St., Dublin 2, will begin again in April. Full details here.

Paddy also sends a reminder that the next monthly Bluegrass Slow Jam will be held this Friday (16 Mar.), from 6.30 to 8.00 p.m., in the School. All the information and repertoire can be found on the Jam's web page. Dates for the jam for the next few months can also be found on the BIB calendar.

St Patrick's weekend: bluegrass in Coleraine, Dundalk, and Dunadry

Thanks to Dangem Bluegrass for their latest newsletter, giving news of several further bluegrass events in the north of Ireland on St Patrick's weekend.

First, on Friday night (16 Mar.) the Down and Out Bluegrass Band (who have recently refurbished their website) will take part in a concert at An Tain Theatre, Dundalk, Co. Louth, along with musicians in other genres - 'all good stuff', starting at 8.00 p.m., and thereafter at a session in the Castle Bar, Dundalk. On Sat. 17 Mar. they will be kicking off the St Patrick’s celebrations at a free concert in the town square, Dundalk, at 2.00 p.m.

An hour later at Dunadry, Co. Antrim, the St Patrick's session at Ellie Mays, 252 Belfast Rd, will kick off at 3.00 p.m. with the usual suspects present.

Finally, on St Patrick's night Coleraine Borough Council presents Ulster's premier band for old-time and bluegrass music, the Broken String Bluegrass Band (see photo above), who will be playing a special concert at the Riverside Theatre, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, at 8.00 p.m., as part of the St Patrick's Week Community Festival. Read all the details here.

David Hope at Westport, 10 Mar. 2012

Uri Kohen reports from Westport, Co. Mayo:

As reported before, the Electric Cave Production found a new home in McGing's pub in Westport. After four very successful gigs by which we 'tested the water', we officially started the revival of our Unfinished Music Series. There was no more suitable artist than David Hope, the most celebrated artist of the Cave.

This time he decided to show his more 'rocky' side, backed with a three-piece band of bass, drums, and guitar. The full house welcomed David with open arms. Although there was a more punchy sound, David kept true to the tradition of folk and roots music with his original songs, cleverly planted among classic covers of the likes of Johnny Cash, Neil Young, and others.

The show proved once again that there is a hunger in Westport for quality roots and acoustic music, and the Electric Cave are promising to fill this hunger. Many more gigs are lined up to pave the road for the jewel in the crown - the 2012 Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival. The Festival is now in an advanced state to become one of the main folk and bluegrass events of this summer. We are looking forward to seeing all music fans making their way to Westport for the event.

See you in McGing's all year around and at the festival in June!

Uri adds: 'In the picture you can see the legendary Tom 'T-Bone' Lyons, one of the west's most paramount bluegrass musicians, taking the role of a bass player.'

Sara Grey and Kieron Means in Ireland, 8-16 Sept. 2012

Thanks to FOAOTMAD for the news that UK-based old-time musicians Sara Grey and Kieron Means will be touring Ireland in the first half of September this year. The dates currently on their schedule are as follows:

Sat. 8th Sept.: J.J. Harlow's, the Square, Roscommon town
Sun. 9th: Mannions' Pub, Balla, Co. Mayo
Mon. 10th: Mick Murphy's Pub, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare
Tues. 11th: TBA
Wed. 12th: Carnegie Arts Centre, Shelbourne St., Kenmare, Co. Kerry
Thurs. 13th: St John's Theatre, the Square, Listowel, Co. Kerry
Fri. 14th: Markethouse Tavern, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare
Sat. 15th: Belfast and District Set Dancing and Traditional Music Society: daytime workshop 10.30 a.m.-4.30 p.m.; evening concert TBC; Crescent Arts Centre, 2-4 University Road, Belfast BT7 1NH
Sun. 16th: Belfast and District Set Dancing and Traditional Music Society: morning workshop, Crescent Arts Centre, 2-4 University Road, Belfast BT7 1NH
Sun. 16th: (evening) Gleeson's Bar, Westgate, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary

More details, including venue website links and contact data, can be seen on Sara's own website.

Wookalily host Hillsborough session, St Patrick's day

Thanks to Adele Ingram of Wookalily, who writes:

Hey peeps!

We hope you can join us at the Hillside in Hillsborough, Co. Down, on 17 March from 3.00 to 6.00 p.m. We'll be hosting a session with our special guest singer, Nina Armstrong, and our new singer Meghan might even make an appearance. If you can play, then bring an instrument; if you can sing, then bring yourself. If you can't do either, then just bring your ears and plenty of money for beer.

What colour will the grass be in your world on St Patrick's day? Yeehaw!!!

Adele, Meghan, Rohan, Ruth, Sharon and Siobhan
Wookalily

Southern Welfare in 2012

Thanks to Ray O'Brien (on right above, with Tony Wall, banjo), for news of one of Ireland's most active bluegrass bands:

So another festival season is nearly upon us and Southern Welfare are back on the road again with a new and exciting lineup. Firstly we would like to make welcome a new edition to the band for 2012 in John Denby; John is a very accomplished mandolin player and brings a new dimension of playing to the band, and we are very happy he has decided to join us.

Tony takes a solo

After a very successful 2011 the band are back again with their hard-driving bluegrass sound. They have many gigs and festivals lined up, starting with the Kilkenny Roots Festival on Sunday 6 May in Bollards bar in Kilkenny city; then it's on to the 1st International Tramore Bluegrass Festival in our home county of Waterford, which is set to be a great weekend full of bluegrass fun and frolics. The band will also be making their second appearance at the acclaimed Athy Bluegrass Festival in early July, playing alongside one of Europe's top bluegrass bands, 4 Wheel Drive, which will be the highlight of our year. There are more festivals to follow throughout the year including the very successful Mohill and Dunmore East Bluegrass Festivals, both happening in August, and also the 4th Bruff Bluegrass Festival.

So it's set to be a cracking summer of bluegrass in Ireland; and I'm sure we will be adding more dates over the coming weeks and months, so keep an eye on the BIB calendar for more dates with Southern Welfare.

Until we see you all, keep on pickin' - for info or booking, contact Ray on +353 (0) 851386710, e-mail us, or visit us online.

Ray Wall singing lead; all the above photos were taken at the 2011 Mohill Bluegrass Festival

The Curtis Blackwell Bluegrass Band

Many thanks to Susan Nation of the Curtis Blackwell Bluegrass Band, who sends this message on the configuration of Curtis's band that will be touring Ireland in June:

The band is excited about the tour and so looking forward to seeing some of your lovely country and meeting the bluegrass community over there! If you click the link, it will take you directly to the page on the band's website that gives the tour band's lineup... all stellar musicians who look forward to entertaining the bluegrass music lovers of Ireland!

Above: the band we shall see in June (l-r) - Chuck Nation (fiddle), Jim Pankey (banjo), Curtis Blackwell (guitar), Susan Nation (bass).

Bluegrass legend to tour Ireland, 13-25 June 2012

Thanks to Nigel Martyn, whose Old Flattop agency has arranged or is arranging tours by notable artists, the most imminent being Gretchen Peters (see the BIB for 4 Mar.), whose tour begins today, and David Browne Murray, an award-winning young Belfast guitarist. Check Nigel's website for further details.

Undoubtedly the hottest Old Flattop news for BIB readers is the tour in June by the Curtis Blackwell Bluegrass Band (USA; above), a solid traditional bluegrass band with impeccable credentials. Curtis followed Peter Rowan as guitar player with Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys, and is a member of the Atlanta Country & Bluegrass Music Hall Of Fame. He has led a band since his late teens. In 2010 he was ranked as a Bluegrass Legend by the International Bluegrass Music Museum (IBMM). Dates scheduled for the Curtis Blackwell Bluegrass Band are:

Wed. 13th June: Black Box, Belfast, 028 90 244400
Thurs. 14th: Barry's, Grange, Co. Sligo, 071 917 3111
Fri. 15th: The Crane Bar, Galway city, 091 587419
Sat. 16th: Áras Éanna, Inis Óirr, Aran Islands, 099 75150
Sun. 17th: Colfer's Pub, Carrig on Bannow, Co. Wexford, 051 561159
Mon. 18th: Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork, 087 792 1771
Tues. 19th: (day off)
Wed. 20th: St John's Theatre, Listowel, Co. Kerry, 068 22566
Thurs. 21st: Mill Bar, Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare, 086 846 4509
Fri. 22nd: Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, Co. Wicklow, 01 272 4030
Sat. 23rd: Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin, 01 802 0898
Sun. 24th: Roe Valley Arts Centre, Limavady, Co. Londonderry, 028 777 60650

[This list has been updated as of 14 May 2012 and is now complete]

NB: the Curtis Blackwell Bluegrass Band has a different lineup from 'Curtis Blackwell & the Dixie Bluegrass Boys', the regular title of Curtis's band in the US, which was used when this post first appeared on the BIB. Thanks to Nigel for making this clear.

Sacred Harp in Dublin, 9-10 Mar. 2012

The BIB editor reports:

While attending the inspirational old-time show last night at the Stag's Head (announced on the BIB last week), I had the further pleasure of meeting members of the Sacred Harp of Dublin group. Their weekly meetings began on 17 Feb. and are held in Exchange Dublin, on Exchange St., Temple Bar, Dublin 2, from 7.00 to 9.00 p.m. - with the exception of last Friday, which came immediately before the Second Ireland Sacred Harp Convention in Cork city. The series resumes tonight, and there will also be a Sacred Harp singing workshop tomorrow (Saturday 10 Mar.) at the Franciscan Friary, 4 Merchant's Quay, Dublin, from 11.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

If you're on Facebook, there is a Sacred Harp of Dublin Facebook group, and you can contact the group by e-mail.

Della Belle in Mohill, St Patrick's day 2012

Thanks to Tommy Kelleher, chief organiser of the Mohill Bluegrass Festival in Co. Leitrim, who writes:

We’re having Della Belle playing on the Rig in Main St., Mohill, on St Patrick's day and later in O’Brian's Bar as a build-up to the Mohill Bluegrass Festival, set for 10-12 August 2012.

Their Facebook page describes the band:

Della Belle, together since October 2011, delivering their own brand of alt.country/ bluegrass/ folk featuring guitar, banjo/ mandolin/ harmonica, and bass. Taking role of guitar player, singer/songwriter Lorraine lays solid vocals for the band. Tony on 5-string banjo with his unique clawhammer style and mandolin playing, and Eamonn on bass providing the rhythmic bedrock for the band.

Jam in Ashland City

Thanks again to Roger Ryan, who contributed to the BIB post of 5 Mar. his memory of the hospitality of Ferrell and Elaine Stowe towards the twenty-five Irish visitors who called on them last autumn. Roger now sends the above picture of the jam that was laid on at the Stowe home in Ashland City to entertain the visitors. Ferrell Stowe (dobro) is on the left; other musicians include Jackie Miller of Cedar Hill (fiddle) and Mike Scott (banjo).

New Special C. CD - and more

It's nice to get good news of some of the Irish bluegrass music scene's best friends in the USA: so thanks to Emily Amos of Compass Records for the news that the label is releasing Scratch Gravel Road, the latest CD by the Special Consensus. The album is due for release on 27 Mar.; the band are already touring in support of it and will continue the tour into the summer. Full details of the record, with contents, authorship, and guest artists, are on Compass's e-press release.

Special C. founder and leader Greg Cahill received an IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award last year, and one of the many reasons was that he has spent decades introducing thousands of young people to bluegrass music through school programmes. He will consequently be one of two speakers in an IBMA webinar on 'How to present and book bluegrass programs at schools'. Full details are in this IBMA news bulletin.

Update 8 Mar.: Compass, which has a large catalogue of high-quality Celtic music, is holding a St Patrick's Day sale, giving 25% off all their Celtic CDs and DVDs, including the recent Green grass, blue grass by the Brock McGuire Band with such distinguished guests as Ricky Skaggs. Take a closer look at the red banner at the top of the image on the left; you can see it more clearly here.

20th Baltimore Fiddle Fair, 9-13 May 2012

Thanks to Declan McCarthy, organiser of the Baltimore Fiddle Fair in Co. Cork, for this news on the Fair as it reaches a major milestone:

The remarkable festival that is the Baltimore Fiddle Fair celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and it promises to be a very special birthday party. From humble beginnings in 1992 this unique festival has grown a little in size and a lot in stature and is now a key fixture on Irish and international music calendars. To celebrate this landmark edition they have invited back some of their favourite acts from the past 20 years to showcase the wonderfully varied and eclectic music that is the heart of this festival. The result is a programme that is simply astonishing...

The full schedule is on the Fair's website; artists of special interest to BIB readers include Tim O’Brien, Frankie Lane & Dermie Diamond, Any Old Time, Cleek Schrey & Nic Gareiss, and the Friday evening concert stars, Old Time greats the Foghorn Stringband (above left) with special guest Dirk Powell (above right). Declan's release continues:

These intimate concerts will be held in unique venues across Baltimore, from garden amphitheatres to ancient castles to cosy marquees, and all in one of the most stunning festival settings on the planet. As a special, anniversary treat, the festival will kick off a day early on Wednesday 9th May and will run until Sunday 13th. The 20th Baltimore Fiddle Fair will also include a host of additional events including top-class workshops, film screenings, art exhibitions, and a plethora of great sessions in and around the village.

For many musicians and music lovers, the annual pilgrimage to the Baltimore Fiddle Fair is the musical highlight of the year. And this very special edition promises to be the best yet.

Tickets for the Fair are now on sale online.

Mike Scott in Israel and Europe, summer 2012

Rural Rhythm Records (USA) announce that multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, etc. Mike Scott will be touring abroad in the early and mid summer of 2012: first in Israel (2-8 May) and two months later in Europe (9-23 July), when he will be a featured performer with Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa. His itinerary for the European tour, mostly in Norway but also including two days in the Netherlands and the Guildtown Bluegrass Festival in Scotland, is on the European Bluegrass Blog.

Thanks to Roger Ryan of the Country Music Association of Ireland for this memory:

I met Mike in Nashville last November. He was just one of the many guests that Ferrell Stowe lined up for us at his home in Ashland City to play for us. We had a group of 25 and Ferrell and his wife Elaine not only laid on entertainment but they fed us as well. It was the highlight of the tour for all of us.

Feet wanted

The BIB editor stresses:

No, not 'Hands wanted' (though there are times when an extra pair of hands on the BIB would be useful). The neighbouring island seems to be swarming with clogging teams, Appalachian dance troupes, and individual flatfooters, but we have yet to hear of anyone active in this field anywhere in Ireland, except for visiting artists.

We take heart, of a sort, from the pleasant surprise of discovering - but not till the end of last year - the vibrant Sacred Harp Singers of Cork. If there is anyone around practising traditional American steps, and especially any group doing so, we'd be glad to know of them. In particular, if anyone is flatfooting, clogging, or buckdancing in the south Dublin area, who would like to do so to live old-time music - drop us an e-mail. But news of anything of the kind, anywhere in this island, will be welcome.

The Watery Hill Boys on video

Thanks to Dónal Black of the Watery Hill Boys of Drogheda for this link to a video, shot by George Karellas, of the band doing 'N.R.A. blues', a song dating from the Great Depression era, in Tí Chairbre (Carberry's Pub), Drogheda.

More details of the song, and its author, are on the WHB Facebook page, where it is also possible (with an up-to-date Adobe Flash player) to view the video, together with video footage from their Red Room show in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, last month - see the BIB for 21 Feb.

Kilkenny Roots 2012: tickets now on sale

The organisers of the Kilkenny Roots Festival announce that tickets are now on sale for the 2012 event (4-7 May). Online booking is recommended as the easiest option, but booking by 'phone and in person at the Festival box office is also possible. Full details can be read in the latest Festival e-newsletter.

Irish bluegrassers in Brittany for St Patrick's weekend

Thanks to Aran Sheehan for the news that a 'unique rendezvous with BanjoMania' will be held near Plouaret, Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany, in north-west France, over the St Patrick's Day weekend (16-18 Mar. 2012).

The YES WEEKEND! (organised by the Compagnie Papier Théâtre) will include concerts, a masterclass, and a Ciné-Repas at the Vieux-Marché near Lannion. The masterclass will be given by French 5-string maestro Gilles Rézard and Tom Hanway (USA; Longford resident since 2003). For more info, see the poster image (click for a larger view) or contact the Compagnie Papier Théâtre.

There will be a bluegrass evening on Friday 16 Mar. at Korong, Glomel (22), including the duo of Gilles Rézard and Jacques Titley (who has played often in Ireland with his Jacques Danielle's String Band) and the trio from Ireland of Tom Hanway (banjo), Aran Sheehan (mandolin), and Hugh Taggart (guitar). A final concert of Irish bluegrass will be held on Sunday 18 Mar. at the Sabots Rouges, Gueméné/Scorff (56).

Gretchen Peters in Ireland, 9-15 Mar. 2012

Thanks to Tom Stapleton in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, for this news:

We are delighted to welcome Grammy nominee Gretchen Peters to Damer Court Hotel, Roscrea. Sat. next (10 Mar.) 9.00 p.m. Tickets €15 at reception; to reserve, please call 0505 23300 or call/text 087 2238040.

Tom Stapleton
Mountheaton
Roscrea, Co. Tipperary
Mobile +353) (0)872238040; land line +353 (0)505 21647; Skype tomstapleton

Gretchen Peters (USA) is at present on a tour of the UK and western Europe which will finish a month from now. Her dates in Ireland are as follows; more details, including venue contact data, are on her tour schedule.

Fri. 9th: Kelly's, Bridge St., Galway city
Sat. 10th: Damer Court Hotel, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary
Mon. 12th: Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork
Tues. 13th: Whelan's, Dublin 2
Wed. 14th: Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre, Limavady, Co. Londonderry
Thurs. 15th: Errigle Inn, Belfast

Again, not a bluegrass artist. However, at one level alone Gretchen Peters is worth the attention of anyone who sings with an instrument. During her songs her guitar work is not just formulaic accompaniment: what the guitar and the voice are doing make up a musical whole. This is not as widely done as it might be.

European Bluegrass Festival Directory 2012/13

The European Bluegrass Music Association (EBMA) has just published the European Bluegrass Festival Directory 2012/13 - the first comprehensive listing of festivals in Europe featuring bluegrass music - as an ancillary service of the EBMA Festival Network (EFN). The thirteen founding members of the EFN include the Appalachian & Bluegrass Music Festival at Omagh and the Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival at Tullamore.

All EBMA members and subscribers to the EBMA magazine Bluegrass Europe will receive a copy of the directory, which will also be available at no cost at festivals that belong to the EFN. The EBMA sends this advice to all bluegrass festival-goers:

Don't be shy or lazy! Travel, take your family, enjoy the countries, the people and the music, pick up some language skills, support or sponsor these festivals... and encourage the promoters not to give up!

Joe Thompson, 1918-2012

Thanks again to Bill Whelan for news of the recent death of Joe Thompson of North Carolina, veteran fiddler of the black old-time string-band tradition, and mentor of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, who have spearheaded the revival of that tradition. Bill says: 'I was lucky enough to spend a week with him many years back - a real honour.'

Joseph Aquilla 'Joe' Thompson, born 9 Dec. 1918, died of pneumonia on 20 Feb. 2012. Numerous tributes on the internet include those from the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the About.com.Blues website, quoting Dom Flemons of the Chocolate Drops.

Joe Thompson recorded the album Family tradition (Rounder 2161), released in 1999; samples can be heard here and on Amazon. He can be seen and heard with the Chocolate Drops (in the trio configuration that visited Ireland four years ago) in this YouTube video, and also recorded with them this album.