Inishowen Guitar Festival, 28-30 Sept. 2012

The 3rd Inishowen Guitar Festival is announced on its website for 28-30 Sept. 2012, with an outline of the programme and the names of artists taking part. Further details are awaited, but it can be assumed that the festival will focus on McGrory's in Culdaff, Co. Donegal.

In this year's lineup, the artist most relevant to bluegrass fans is Muriel Anderson (USA), who - though she is best known for playing classical guitar or even (as in the photo above by Chuck Winans) harp-guitar - knows and loves bluegrass and old-time music. In 1989 she became the first woman to win the National Finger Style Guitar Championship at the prestigious Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas.

Moreover, the spirit in her playing is the kind your editor likes. Here's a YouTube video of her imitating the instruments of a bluegrass band on a medley of 'Old Joe Clark', 'Angeline the baker', and 'Foggy Mountain breakdown', with a little bit of 'Lonesome road blues' at the end.