Bluegrass workshops at Moniaive, 13 June 2015 - with Cup O' Joe

Thanks to C. Paul 'Dobroman' Lyttle, organiser of the Moniaive Michaelmas Bluegrass Festival in south-west Scotland and regular attender at Omagh festivals, for the news that summer bluegrass instrument workshops will be held in Moniaive on Saturday 13 June 2015.

Instrumental tuition will be offered on beginner and intermediate guitar, mixed-ability bluegrass banjo, dobro, double bass, mandolin, and fiddle from 11.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., when there will be a free pot-luck hot meal. Total cost is £25 for the day; places can be booked by 'phoning Paul or Anja (numbers on the MMBF website). The workshops will be held at the Glencairn Memorial Institute, Chapel St., Moniaive.

And yes, there is a more direct Irish connection: Cup O' Joe (Benjamin, Reuben, and Tabitha Agnew) will be teaching at the workshops and will also play a two-set concert in the Craigdarroch Arms Hotel that evening (8.00-10.00 p.m.).

Cup O'Joe announce on their Facebook page that they will be performing at 8.00 p.m. on Friday 15 May at this year's European World of Bluegrass Festival in the Netherlands, with guest fiddler Max Silverstein (USA). JigJam from Tullamore will be on the EWOB stage at 5.00 p.m. the following day.

And finally: Paul's record show 'Criffel Creek' is now broadcasting on Alive Radio every Sunday from 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon, with the best of bluegrass, Americana, roots, and gospel music. A link to the current playlist is on the Moniaive festival website.