East of Monroe (USA) in Ireland, 7-14 Apr. 2018

East of Monroe: (l-r) Jackie Frost, Gary Alan Ferguson, Billy Budd,
Wally Hughes, Lisa Kay Howard, Terry Wittenberg

Lisa Kay Howard (mandolin) and Wally Hughes (fiddle, dobro) were both on tour over here in April this year as 'Round Hill', accompanying singer Brooksie Wells. Both are members of the highly regarded Virginia-based band East of Monroe; and Lisa Kay sends the good news that East of Monroe will be coming to Ireland early next April (2018) for a tour of selected venues. The full lineup includes Gary Alan Ferguson (lead guitar), who was here in 2014 as musical partner to Gary Gene Ferguson on his tenth tour of Ireland. Confirmed dates are:

Sat. 7th Apr.: Moy River B&B, Cloonacool, Co. Sligo
Sun. 8th: The Red Room, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone
Mon. 9th-Wed. 11th: Off (sightseeing)
Thurs. 12th: Matt Molloy's, Bridge St., Westport, Co. Mayo, 8.00 p.m.
Fri. 13th: St John’s Theatre, Listowel, Co. Kerry
Sat. 14th: Blackrock National Hurling Club ('The Rockies'), Cork city

Full information on the band is on their website and Facebook. Lisa Kay now presents her 'The old home place' show on Bell Buckle Radio out of Bell Buckle, TN.

Update 1 Aug.: Note the confirmed date for Thursday 12 April, added since this post was first published.

Mick Daly on Music Network tour, 12-29 Sept. 2017

The latest Music Network e-newsletter includes lists of openings for musicians and a calendar of events for the next two months, which includes a tour by Cathy Jordan (voice, bodhrán, bones), Jarlath Henderson (uilleann pipes, whistle, voice), and Mick 'Black Dog' Daly (guitar, 5-string banjo, voice) of Cork; the banjo shown above is a 5-string, with (we believe) a frailing scoop.

Details on the artists - together with full tour details, venue contact numbers, online booking facilities, and links to audio and video recordings - can be found here. The tour will not be in any sense a bluegrass or old-time event. Mick Daly, though, is one of the pioneers of playing both genres in this country. His career in music is outlined and illustrated in a 36-minute interview on the YouTube channel of Crowley's Music in their 'The measure of Cork' series. Mick's time as a member of the Sackville String Band comes up at about minute 22. His 1874 S.S. Stewart banjo is also seen and heard.

Confirmed dates for the tour are:

Tues. 12th: The Sugar Club, Dublin 2, 8.00 p.m.
Wed. 13th: glór, Ennis, Co. Clare, 8.00 p.m.
Thurs. 14th: Roscommon Arts Centre, Roscommon town, 8.00 p.m.
Fri. 15th: Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, 8.00 p.m.
Sun. 17th: Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, 8.00 p.m.
Tues. 19th: Station House Theatre, Clifden, Co. Galway, 10.00 p.m.
Wed. 20th: Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, 8.00 p.m.
Thurs. 21st: Garter Lane Theatre, Waterford city, 8.00 p.m.
Fri. 22nd: Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow, 8.00 p.m.
Fri. 29th: Triskel Christchurch, Cork city, 8.00 p.m.

2nd Bluegrass Camp Ireland THIS COMING WEEKEND

Headfort School, the magnificent location for Bluegrass Camp Ireland

Thanks to Simon Humphries, co-organiser with T.J. Screene of Bluegrass Camp Ireland (also on Facebook), for a reminder that the 2nd Bluegrass Camp Ireland is this coming weekend (Fri. 28-Sun. 30 July). The instructors - who include members of the Sweet Olive String Band (USA), now touring in Ireland) - are:

• Mike Kirwin: Guitar/ Bass/ Voice
• Pat Flory: Guitar
• Jeff Burke: Mandolin
• Bill Forster: 5-string Banjo
• Paddy Kiernan: 5-string Banjo
• Luke Coffey: 5-string Banjo
• Kieran Towers: Fiddle
• Hubert Murray: Guitar/ Voice

Food by 'The Edible Flower'
Venue by courtesy of the Earl of Bective
Friday 28 July: Arrive 1.00 p.m.

See also the BIB for 6 July. The BIB applauds this unique event, Ireland's equivalent to the acclaimed Sore Fingers Summer Schools in England.

Niall Toner brings the Flying Column to Doolin

Saturday's announcement about the Doolin Craft Beer and Roots Festival (25-7 Aug.) mentioned that the bluegrass flag would be held high by Niall Toner (photo).

Niall sends word that at Doolin he and the band will be billed as 'Niall Toner & the Flying Column', a label he uses when the full, formal Niall Toner Band is not appearing. The complete NTB lineup (as shown in the header photo of their Facebook) consists of Niall (guitar), Dick Gladney (bass), Johnny Gleeson (dobro), Richie Foley (mandolin), and Paddy Kiernan (banjo). For the Doolin weekend Richie and Paddy are unavailable because of other engagements, so Gerry Madden of Waterford city - one of the most experienced bluegrass mandolinists in Ireland - will be stepping in to make up the 'Flying Column'.

'Wayfaring Stranger with Phil Cunningham' back on BBC2 NI TV

Phil Cunningham at the Ulster American Folk Park

The BIB editor writes:

Apologies for not taking in before now that the BBC2 NI TV three-part series 'Wayfaring Stranger with Phil Cunningham', first shown in April this year, is now being re-broadcast: the first hour-long instalment, dealing with the movement of music from Scotland to Ireland, was shown tonight at 7.00 p.m. The following two instalments (containing a wealth of American music and including some familiar faces and places from the bluegrass scene on this island) will presumably be shown next Monday and the Monday following.

[Update 28 July: Red faces here at the editorial desk: the three episodes were in fact broadcast on successive nights (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) - as a glance at Radio Times would have shown me - instead of weekly as at their first showing.]

The series is a 'Below the Radar' production for BBC Northern Ireland in conjunction with Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund, and a part of BBC Northern Ireland’s 'Keepin’ ’er Country' programming across radio and television.

Lauderdale and Chapman at the NCH, 30 July 2017

The National Concert Hall in Dublin sends a reminder that Jim Lauderdale and Bethe Nielsen Chapman will be in concert together there on Sunday 30 July at 8.00 p.m. Full details, together with performance videos and online booking facilities, are on the NCH's website and also on its e-newsletter.

Arklow Roots Music presents Cup O' Joe, 3 Aug. 2017

Thanks to Brendan O'Regan, singer/ songwriter and organiser of Arklow Roots Music, for this press release:

Arklow Roots Music is glad to announce a concert with the band Cup O' Joe for Thurs. 3 Aug., 8.30 p.m. Cup O' Joe are a Northern Ireland folk band combining great musicianship with a wide variety of material. They perform an original and energetic mix of bluegrass and gypsy jazz, have one full album to their credit, and have recently released an EP, Bluebirds. This summer they are playing a range of festivals so it's a great opportunity to see them live in Arklow.
Venue - The Midway, Main St., Arklow, Co. Wicklow. Tickets €10.

Cup O' Joe's website includes info, news, performance videos, and some telling words of approval from a range of sources. The news is also on the Arklow Roots Music Facebook.

Sweet Olive String Band (USA) in Ireland 25 July-5 Aug. 2017

Thanks to the inexhaustible John Nyhan for this further good news,

... following on a great tour by the Petersen Family Bluegrass Band, the Berea College Bluegrass Ensemble, and Jeff and Tristan Scroggins, which culminated at the wonderful Ardara Bluegrass Festival. The Festival also featured Lorraine Jordan and the Garrett Newton Band, Woodbine, and a host of pickers, too many to mention. Congratulations to Pat McGill for putting on this great festival. Long may it continue.

A special word of thanks to the audiences who attended the concerts and festival. Without your support these shows and festivals would not happen.

We can now look forward to the Sweet Olive String Band* from Louisiana, USA, who will be playing in Ireland from Tuesday next (25 July) to Saturday (5 August). They play old-time country and bluegrass. The band features Pat Flory (mandolin, guitar, vocals), an iconic figure in bluegrass in Louisiana; Mike Kirwin (bass, guitar, vocals); and Jeff Burke (of the Jeff & Vida Band; mandolin, guitar, banjo, vocals). They will be joined on some shows by Tim Rogers on fiddle and Bill Forster on banjo.

'The Sweet Olive String Band create music that hearkens back to the authentic sound of the early Grand Ole Opry days, that conjures up the music of the pioneers like Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and Hank Williams.'

Here are their tour dates.

July 2017
Tues. 25th: Matt Molloy's Bar, Westport, Co. Mayo; tel. 087 757 0958
Thurs. 27th: Albert Lynch's Bar, Mallow, Co. Cork, 7.00 p.m. (as part of Mallow Arts Festival); tel. 087 792 1771
Fri. 28th-Sun. 30th: Bluegrass Camp Ireland, Headfort School, Kells, Co. Meath; tel. 087 411 0931
Mon. 31st: Sweet Olive String Band (USA), Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork, 8.15 p.m.; tel. 087 792 1771

August 2017
Wed. 2nd: St John's Theatre, Listowel, Co. Kerry, 8.00 p.m.; tel. 068 22566
Fri. 4th: Market House, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare, 9.00 p.m.; tel. 087 688 1650
Sat. 5th: Maldron Hotel, John Redmond St., Shandon, Cork, 8.00 p.m., support by Woodbine (part of Mother Jones Festival); tel. 087 792 1771

Enquiries on all of the above - tel. 087 792 1771 or e-mail.

*BIB editor's note: The touring lineup of the Sweet Olive String Band (as given above) differs slightly from the lineup shown on the band's website.

Doolin Craft Beer & Roots Festival, 25-27 Aug. 2017

Thanks to Electric Cave Production for this announcement:

The Electric Cave Production - the team behind the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival - are delighted to, once again, join forces with one of the country's best roots festivals: Doolin Craft Beer and Roots Festival, 25-27 August.

Over the past three years, we sent some of the country's finest bluegrass and roots acts to the festival's main stage. This year, the bluegrass flag will be raised high by none other than Niall Toner.

Other acts that might be known to the blog readers are Erdini from Donegal that played the Westport Festival in 2016, and Corner Boy who rocked McGing's pub in Westport this year. We are also delighted to introduce a fine roots outfit from Dublin, The Big Muddy.

The festival is taking place in the lovely Doolin Hotel and it is always a fantastic event. For full stage times, check this link. Eagle-eyed readers might spot the name DJ Dodgy, who is the alter ego of Uri Kohen, producer of the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, who will wear his Reggae hat for a special guest appearance at the event.

Well worth the trip to the west. See you there!

Limerick woman to give IBMA Keynote speech

The International Bluegrass Music Association announces that Rhiannon Giddens will be the Keynote speaker at this year's World Of Bluegrass (WOB) in Raleigh, NC. Almost exactly two months later (25 November) she is scheduled (as reported on the BIB of 3 May) to perform at Vicar Street, Dublin.

Last year she was awarded the 2016 Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Bluegrass and Banjo. The IBMA press release, with more details on WOB, can be read here; a Bluegrass Today feature is here. And 'Past is present', a fine feature on Rhiannon Giddens by Gayle Wald, appeared five months ago on the Oxford American online magazine. Married to Irish musician Michael Laffan, she has a home in Limerick.

The Cabin Session, Dundrum, Dublin, 27 July 2017

Gerry Fitzpatrick, organiser of the Cabin Sessions series, 'Acoustic Music at its Finest', announces the Session for this month:

Glad to let you know we'll be back on Thursday 27 July with another great lineup. Guests are Elga Fox (singer/ songwriter), Vicky Sargeant (contemporary), and Clarence Winter (Americana).

The Sessions are held on the last Thursday of every month at Uncle Tom's Cabin in Dundrum, south Dublin (not far from Dundrum Luas station, in the city direction). Shows run from 9.30 to 11.30 p.m. and admission is FREE. If you or someone you know would like to perform at the Cabin Sessions, let Gerry know by e-mail. The Sessions are particularly interested in featuring local musicians and singers.

The BIB apologises for publishing this post at first with the date shown as 28 July instead of 27 July.

Woodbine at Ardara

Tony O'Brien writes on Woodbine's Facebook:

What a great w/end we had in Ardara just gone by. With almost an all-American lineup it was down to us to represent Irish bluegrass and we hope we didn't let anyone down with our performance at the Sun. night concert when we shared the stage with Lorraine Jordan & the Garrett Newton Band and Jeff Scroggins. A big thank you to Mel Corry & Des Crerand for joining us over the w/end. Congrats to Pat McGill for a wonderful 10th festival and thanks for having Woodbine play all 10. Looking forward to 2018.

The photo above, showing (l-r) Mel Corry, Liam Wright, Nicola O'Brien Kennedy, Des Crerand (partly hidden) and Tony, dates from 2016, though the lineup is the same as for this year's Woodbine set. Photos from the 2017 festival are awaited.

More photos are on the Garrett Newton Band Facebook.

Ardara 2017 - a young persons' time

Thanks to Colin Henry for this report on last weekend's Ardara festival and the evocative photo above, of which he modestly says: 'Not a a great quality photo but this sums it up - Evan and James at the late-night session.'

I have always enjoyed Ardara Bluegrass Festival since its inception. The music is always good, the jam sessions are the stuff of legend, and the hospitality is mighty. This year was no exception and indeed, with the presence of three American bands in the form of the Peterson Family from Branson, Missouri, the Berea College band, and Lorraine Jordan with the Garrett Newton Band, and in addition to all that Jeff Scroggins and his son Tristan, this was maybe the best festival so far. The town was buzzing and the concert was a full house and then some. The quality of the American musicians and singers is a model for all bluegrass players here in Ireland. My own favorite of the bands was the Peterson Family, but it was a close call as all were exceptional.

A special mention for Jeff Scroggins and Tristan. Both are no strangers to Ireland and their performance at Ardara was brilliant and mesmerising. It didn't stop there, however, as they both joined every jam session going, created their own and literally played to dawn. Never mind that I am a dobro player, I learned a lot from both father and son.

My abiding memory overall is that this was a young persons' year. The youth of the Peterson family, the youth of the Berea College, the youth of Garrett Newton, the youth of Tristan Scroggins. To top it all off we had young Evan Lyons from Tipperary and my son James. They all played in a monster session on Saturday night after the concert in the Beehive. I couldn't resist joining them, but youthful stamina and musical excellence meant that I quietly retired at 3.00 a.m. and left them to it. I think the bluegrass torch has been well and truly passed to a new generation, both across the pond and here in Ireland... it looks to me like it is in good hands. A special big thanks to Pat Magill for keeping the torch lit!

Update: A feature on the weekend has just appeared on Bluegrass Today, including more photos and a quotation from Sean McKerr, who appears in one of them.

Lineup announced for Dublin Blues, Roots, & Brass Festival (4-6 Aug. 2017)

Following on from the BIB post of 2 July, Whelan's of Dublin have announced the lineup for the 4th Dublin Blues, Roots, & Brass Festival, a three-day event over the August bank holiday weekend (4-6 Aug.) on the three stages of Whelan's in Wexford St., Dublin 2. As shown on the festival website, they include Dublin's own Dublin Bluegrass Collective (aka Bluestack Mountain Boys) and Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra from Oslo, Norway, with all six regular bluegrass instruments plus accordion and the strong lead vocals of Rebekka Nilsson. Both these bands appear on Friday 4 Aug.

The festival is supported by Fáilte Ireland, O'Hara's Irish craft brewery, and IMRO. Admission (7.00 p.m. to closing time) is free.

Geoff Stelling speaks

In the 'Banjo' section of the links in the BIB's right-hand sidebar, the first link is to Bud Bennett's 'Banjo Masters video series', which in the last couple of years has included interviews with Butch Robins, Sammy Shelor, Jens Kruger and others with a special place in banjo history. The heading (above) shows a Stelling banjo, and the latest interview in the series consists of two hours of Geoff Stelling talking about his lifetime of involvement with banjos - including of course his invention of the 'wedge-fit' tone ring/ pot/ flange combination, the first major development away from the Gibson Mastertone formula. Indispensable for learning what goes into a Stelling banjo.

In the second hour he talks about the people who've made them; the different Stelling models; the importance of banjo setup; Alan Munde and other players who have endorsed Stellings; the present state of the market; and more. At 74, he has no plans to quit making banjos.

EBMA newsletter, July 2017

The European Bluegrass Music Association (EBMA) has issued the fourth of its new monthly e-newsletters.

The main feature is a well illustrated transcript of a 1974 interview with Bill Monroe by Wim Bloemendaal, Dutch radio producer, music connoisseur, collector, teacher, editor, and journalist. A link to an audio recording of the interview is included.

The newsletter continues with gig lists and event calendars for EBMA-affiliated artists and festivals, including Cup O' Joe and Bluegrass Camp Ireland. You can arrange to receive the newsletter by contacting the EBMA board, without having to be an EBMA member.

Jim Lauderdale goes Underground in Sept. 2017

Jim Lauderdale (photo) performed at Triskel Christchurch arts centre in Cork city on Friday (14 July); any comments by BIB readers who saw the show will be welcome.

The BIB briefly hinted at Jim's solid and extensive bluegrass credentials on 8 June. He will be ending his current European tour in concert with Beth Nielsen Chapman on Sunday 30 July at the National Concert Hall, Dublin 2.

On 9 September he will be leading the Jim Lauderdale Bluegrass Band at one of the most unique venues in the States: Bluegrass Underground in the historic Cumberland Caverns, 333 feet (101.5 metres) below McMinnville, TN. As it happens, this will be a fortnight after Maura O'Connell plays there. More on coming shows at Bluegrass Underground can be read here.

Ardara - the first contribution

Following on from the last BIB post, the BIB editor writes:

The first photos to arrive from the 10th Ardara Bluegrass Festival come from Bluegrass Today (where the link given for the festival leads to the web page that says it will take place on 18-20 August) - nine photos taken by Lorraine Jordan herself, and including a nice view of the Garrett Newton Band (USA) playing in the Beehive at Ardara.

10th Ardara Bluegrass Festival

The BIB editor writes:

The 10th Ardara Bluegrass Festival is already under way tonight in Ardara, Co. Donegal, and will continue through the weekend with what I believe is an unprecedented number of American bands for an event of this size in Ireland, as well as Woodbine (and others?).

I greatly regret that I won't be there, but any accounts and photos of bluegrass activity in Ardara during the festival will be welcome on the BIB.

Dutch dobroist wins US music scholarship

Owen Schinkel (Share America photo: Loletta Lita Grant)

Owen Schinkel, a young dobroist from Meppen, a small village in the eastern Netherlands, has just been awarded the 2017 Pearl and Floyd Franks Scholarship by the Share America Foundation, Inc. The $1,250 award, given to students excelling in the Appalachian musical arts, helps to support him at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), which has a long established Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music programme in its Appalachian Studies department.

Owen came to the US in January this year and is now resident in Johnson City, TN. Mountain music changed his life at the age of 16, when he found a video of Jerry Douglas and Dan Tyminski playing ‘The boy who wouldn’t hoe corn’ on the Transatlantic Sessions, and fell in love with the dobro sound. He enrolled in ETSU with the dual aims of becoming a master on his instrument and building up a network of contacts to increase the popularity of the music overseas. ETSU encourages students to form bands, and he's already a member of three bands in college and another outside.

'Encouraging the future of youth is the focus of what we do and our name "Share America" has never been more appropriate as we help a young man bring Appalachia with him when he completes his education and returns to Europe,' said Share America chairman Gary Knowles.

Wookalily's Kickstarter deadline approaches

Three weeks ago Wookalily announced the recording of their second album, produced by Julie McLarnon at Analogue Catalogue Recording Studios (see the BIB for 22 June).

The band are largely financing the album themselves, but need their fans' support to reach the target of £4,000. Support can be pledged through a Kickstarter campaign or by pre-ordering the album. All money pledged will be used for the expenses of recording, producing, distributing, and marketing the album. Wookalily now announce that the deadline is only one week away:

If we don't reach our target we don't get anything and our new album might never see the light of day. It's your chance to buy some unique products and/or receive our album before the official release date. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT! Visit our website for more info on how to support this project!

IBMA's Wide Open Bluegrass - 17 amazing reasons to be there

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) announces that the programme for this year's Wide Open Bluegrass (successor to FanFest) in Raleigh, NC, includes several 'extraordinary one-time collaborations and musical experiences you truly can't find anywhere else'. For instance:

• The Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Steve Martin - a live performance to launch their new CD, The long-awaited album.
• A tribute to the Country Gentlemen by Jerry Douglas and Sam Bush with Charlie Cushman, Mark Schatz, and Jon Randall.

Also on the lineup are Chatham County Line (who have many fans in Ireland from previous tours); Molly Tuttle (whose younger brothers Michael and Sullivan will be in Ireland for a week from this coming Saturday, with their mother Maureen - see the BIB for 2 July); and the Bluegrass 45 from Japan, who are now celebrating 50 years together with the same personnel, and 45 years since they made a big impact with their first appearances in the USA (see the July 2017 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine).

The full schedule for Wide Open Bluegrass (29-30 Sept.) can be seen here, and a YouTube video playlist of the artists taking part is here.

Red Hat Acoustic Music Club at Naas, Fri. 14 July

Thanks to Paul and Anne McEvoy, organisers of the Red Hat Acoustic Music Club, for the news that the Club's next meeting will be held this coming Friday (14 July).

The Red Hat meets on the second Friday of every month at the Harbour Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare. Music starts around 8.30 p.m.; a donation of €3.00 covers coffee/ tea and sandwiches at the interval.

Woodbine Bluegrass Jamboree 2017 - a great success

Photo from the Jamboree Facebook

Thanks to Des Butler for this report on last weekend's Woodbine Bluegrass Jamboree, and for all the photos appearing below. No one is likely to disagree with Des's opening sentence:

Well, I feel that having returned from the second Woodbine Bluegrass Jamboree in Athy it was a great success.

L-r: Taylor Bailey, Evan Lyons, Amy Lyons

The proceedings opened on the first night with a set performed by Amy & Evan Lyons and Taylor Bailey: there is no end to these young people's talent.

Colonel Bullshot Rides Again, with Liam Wright on bass

Their set was followed by Colonel Bullshot Rides Again who are always a pleasure to see and hear, especially their very talented fiddle player. The official part of the evening was rounded off by the ever enjoyable Woodbine themselves, accompanied by P.J. Power on dobro [see photo at top].

The second evening saw Clem O'Brien make a very welcome return to the stage after a year's rest. Clem's high lonesome sound entertained us with some old classics and some great flat-picking of some of his own compositions.

Having heard the Watery Hill Boys many times in the past, their performance here on Saturday night as the next band to take to the stage was in my opinion their best, playing some great bluegrass and old-timey numbers that never fail to entertain.

The official part of the evening again was rounded off by Woodbine, accompanied by the very talented Colin Henry on Dobro.

Friday after-concert jam: Johnny Brady (centre) supported by Taylor Bailey and Amy Lyons (barely visible), Eamonn of Della Belle, Evan Lyons, and James and Colin Henry

Each evening saw practically all musicians, both playing at or attending the Jamboree, taking part in what was a very enjoyable jamming session.

Saturday after-concert jam: (l-r) Liam Wright, James and Colin Henry,
Donal Black, BIB editor, Jim MacArdle

Jam in Dunne's: (clockwise l-r) BIB editor, Johnny Gleeson (partly hidden), Paul McEvoy, Paddy Fortune, Simon Humphries, Evan Lyons, Colin Henry, James Henry, Amy Lyons

There was also an excellent jamming session in Dunne's Bar from 2 o'clock till 6.00 on Saturday afternoon, with Johnny Gleeson, Richard Hawkins, Colin Henry and his very talented banjo-playing son, and several of the other musicians taking part. The entire official lineup for the Jamboree and all the jamming musicians were all home-grown Irish bluegrass talent.

Looking forward to next year's Woodbine Bluegrass Jamboree - long may it continue.

BIB editor's note: The Saturday afternoon jam may have been a historical milestone: in Colin Henry's experience, there has been no previous jam in Ireland where the first two arrivals were both reso-guitar players (himself and Johnny Gleeson). And, of course, I don't qualify as 'home-grown talent'.

Two Time Polka: additional July gigs

Following the news on the BIB post of 20 June, Ray Barron of Two Time Polka reports two dates to be added to the band's July schedule, both of which by coincidence are in Wexford. The schedule for the rest of July should therefore now read:

Sat. 15th: Wild Atlantic Barn Dance, Community Centre, Ballinspittle, Co. Cork. Adm. €10. Start 9.30 p.m. For tickets, contact 087 6287556
Sun. 16th: Centenary Stores, Charlotte St., Wexford town. Adm. free. Start 3.30 p.m. Tel. 053 9122303

Fri. 21st: O'Drisceoils Bar, Cape Clear Island, Co. Cork. Adm. free. Start 10.30 p.m.
Sat. 22nd: The Blue Haven, Pearse St., Kinsale, Co. Cork. Adm. free. Start 10.00 p.m. Tel. 021 4772209

Sun. 30th: Phil Murphy Weekend, Colfers Bar, Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford. Adm. €5. Start 3.00 p.m. Tel. 051 561159

Jim Lauderdale in Cork this coming Friday

Following the BIB post of 8 June, Roger Ryan of the Country Music Association of Ireland sends a reminder that multi-Grammy-award-winning American country, bluegrass, and Americana singer/ songwriter Jim Lauderdale (photo) will perform at Triskel Christchurch arts centre in Cork city this coming Friday (14 July). His 29th album, London Southern, was released on 30 June. Roger adds:

Jim hosts a weekly TV show called 'Music City Roots' from the Factory in Franklin, TN, and will visit Cork as part of his current European tour. The Americana legend turned 60 in April this year.

The show starts at 8.00 p.m. on 14 July; tickets (€23.50) can be booked online or from 021 4272022. This is the first show of the European tour, which includes nine dates in Britain, one in the Netherlands, and a final show on Sunday 30 July at the National Concert Hall, Dublin 2, with Beth Nielsen Chapman.

Ken Perlman: news, summer 2017

Following the news in February, melodic clawhammer banjo and fingerstyle guitar master Ken Perlman (also on Facebook) sends his latest e-newsletter for the third quarter of 2017, with news of some major events later in the year.

Ken's forthcoming solo banjo CD, largely consisting of tunes he collected on Prince Edward Island, is expected out in the next few months; the working title is Down East barn dance. He has also just signed with Mel Bay to do a new tab/instruction book, Old-time Appalachian fiddle tunes for clawhammer banjo, with note-for-note settings of over 100 tunes and a chapter on old-time backup, in the style he developed while touring with the late Alan Jabbour.

On 3 August Ken will be in the 'Masters showcase' at the 28th Appalachian String Band Music Festival ('Clifftop') in West Virginia. These showcases are designed to present 'the legends who have dedicated their lives to the preservation and presentation of old-time music'. More details, plus news of publications and recordings, are on his website.

Remembering Vinny

Thanks to Danny Slevin of Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, for the news that mass will be celebrated on Sunday 23 July at 10.30 a.m. in St Camillus Nursing Centre, Killucan, Co. Westmeath, to mark four years since the unexpected death of the irreplaceable Vinny Baker (left).

Danny headed the organising team for the very successful tribute concert held in 2014 in Vinny's memory, in his home town of Mullingar. The proceeds from the concert were used to develop a Garden of Tranquillity at the Nursing Centre, where Vinny had played many times for elderly residents. See the BIB for 27 July 2013, and many later posts.

Dale Ann Bradley: new album

When Dale Ann Bradley (USA) comes over to headline this year's 26th Bluegrass Festival (1-3 Sept.) at the Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, her new Pinecastle album, Dale Ann Bradley, should be available - it is scheduled for release on 18 August. The Bluegrass Today report says that apart from guest artists such as Vince Gill, the recording

was made primarily with her touring band: Mike Sumner on banjo, Tim Dishman on bass, Scotty Powers on mandolin, Matt Leadbetter on reso-guitar, and Bradley on guitar.

At present the BIB is not aware whether this is the band that will be with her at Omagh. BIB readers will remember Tim Dishman as bass player with the Special Consensus on one of their earlier tours of Ireland. The lineup of acts for each day of the festival can now be seen on the Folk Park website.

FOAOTMAD wants old-time reviewers - and material for review

FOAOTMAD, the UK organisation promoting American old-time music and dance, announces on its news blog that reviewers of CDs, DVDs, and books relating to old-time music are wanted for FOAOTMAD's Old Time News magazine. A sample page of the latest issue is given, which incidentally shows how well the magazine is produced. That issue contained twenty reviews, and Paul Bennett of FOAOTMAD adds:

I’d like to encourage everyone to get the word out to any old-time musicians you know that we would love to receive any new CDs, books, etc. for review. If you know of anyone, or if you see a good band at a festival, please do recommend that they consider the Old Time News as an outlet for having their work reviewed.

The Danberrys available for bookings in June 2018

Loudon Temple of the UK's Brookfield Knights agency reports that the Danberrys (Dorothy Daniel and Ben DeBerry), based in Nashville, are about to complete a very successful first tour of Britain.

Their latest album, Give and receive, was released a year ago and received two Independent Music Award nominations for Best Americana Album and Best Country Song ('Let me ride'), and one win for Best Bluegrass Song ('Long song').

A return trip in June 2018 is already being planned, and venue operators and event organisers are invited to contact the agency with suggested dates. Read the whole announcement here.

Viper Central (CAN) back in Ireland, 9 Aug.-3 Sept. 2017

Geraint and Deb Jones of G Promo PR (UK) announce that the acclaimed bluegrass/ old-time/ country band Viper Central from Vancouver, Canada, will be touring in Britain and Ireland from 2 August to 3 September 2017 in support of their new album The spirit of God & madness, which is due for release on 4 August in CD and download formats. In fact, apart from two engagements in Scotland at the beginning of the tour, the band will spend over three weeks in Ireland, taking in three of the four provinces.

The touring band will consist of Kathleen Nisbet (vocals, fiddle), Steve Charles (vocals, guitars, banjo), Patrick Metzger (vocals, bass), Tim Tweedale* (vocals, steel guitars), and Chris Suen* (banjo, vocals) [*=on select dates only]. Viper Central is established as a fine bluegrass band with a gift for exploring Métis music, country, rockabilly, western swing, and old-time without losing their footing. The new album is their boldest project to date, with Kathleen Nisbet's songs celebrating figures from the past, and such guest artists as John Reischman on mandolin. ‘The Mission’ can be seen and heard on YouTube, where there are also plenty of videos of them at the Red Room and Westport on previous tours.

Confirmed dates on the schedule are:

Wed. 9th-Thurs. 10th: The Red Room, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone
Fri. 11th: Seamus Ennis Arts Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin, with Ulaid & Duke Special 7.30 p.m. OUTSIDE
Sat. 12th: Bronte Music Club, Rathfriland, Co. Down
Sun. 13th: Enler Delta Blues Club, Comber Rec F.C., Comber, Co. Down
Tues. 15th: Groucho’s, Richhill, Co. Armagh
Wed. 16th: The Weigh Inn, Omagh, Co. Tyrone
Thurs. 17th: Ballyholme Yacht Club, Open House Festival, Bangor, Co. Down
Fri. 18th: The White Horse, Ballincollig, Co. Cork
Sun. 20th: Levis Corner House, Ballydehob, Co. Cork
Tues. 22nd-Wed. 23rd: Thomas D’Arcy McGee Summer School, Carlingford, Co. Louth
Fri. 25th: Colfer's Pub, Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford
Sat. 26th:-Sun. 27th: Guinness International Bluegrass Festival, Dunmore East, Co. Waterford
Wed. 30th: Balor Arts Centre, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal
Thurs. 31st-Sun. 3rd: Bluegrass Music Festival, Ulster American Folk Park, Castletown, Omagh, Co. Tyrone

Viper Central is also on Facebook and Twitter. For further information, interview, session or guest list requests, please contact Geraint or Deb Jones at G Promo PR by 'phone (+44 (0) 1584 873211; mobile + 44 (0) 7855 724798) or e-mail.

2nd Bluegrass Camp Ireland, 28-30 July 2017

Simon Humphries and T.J. Screene organised a highly successful first Bluegrass Camp Ireland in July 2016, so the BIB is delighted to have this message from them:

We're pleased to announce the second Bluegrass Camp Ireland at Headfort School near Kells on the 28th to 30th July 2017.

Headfort School is a gorgeous old Georgian pile set on a couple of hundred acres of parkland, about 3 km from Kells, Co. Meath, 70-odd km from Dublin. It has restored a few of its great rooms to their original splendour, with fabulous views over the rear sculpted gardens. This is a place of real beauty and majesty, especially with a pint of Guinness on a sunny evening on the rear steps. There are beds for everyone (it operates as a boarding school), mostly in dormitories, but there are also a few private rooms available.

It's a residential weekend for musicians who wish to refine their skills, be inspired, and learn from the best. We have eight professional musicians offering in-depth classes in guitar, 5-string banjo, mandolin, fiddle, double bass, and singing/ songwriting. They are from the US, UK, and the best available from Ireland.

• Pat Flory (US) Guitar
• Mike Kirwin (US) Guitar/ Double Bass/Voice
• Jeff Burke (US) Mandolin
• Bill Forster (UK) 5-string Banjo
• Luke Coffey (Ire) 5-string Banjo
• Paddy Kiernan (Ire) 5-string Banjo
• Kieran Towers (UK) Fiddle
• Hubert Murray (Ire) Songwriting/ Voice/

The three days will be structured around classes, seminars, and more informal picking sessions (jams), with evening stage shows, fabulous food, and a bar. The philosophy of the weekend is around playing ​with other musicians. We welcome beginners, intermediate, and red-hot 'pickers'. When there is nothing structured going on, there is always music happening, and we aim to make it as welcoming as possible for everyone to play, to jam, no matter their level. We try and create an informal and fun environment. Playing goes on till early morning - yes, get lots of sleep before you come down! We take under-18s if they're accompanied by an adult, but generally we cater for adults.

Ballymaloe-trained foodies Erin and Jo of 'The Edible Flower' dish up terrific breakfasts, lunches, and three-course dinners in the dining halls downstairs - decent wine is available.

In conclusion, it's a unique event in the Irish music scene. It's for musicians (or those wishing to become musicians) only. It's bluegrass music, but the skills honed in bluegrass are of course transferable. It's in a gorgeous place. You meet some great people. We have some of the best bluegrass musicians around - you'll get to play and hang out with them. There is a great friendly atmosphere. It's a ton of fun. You leave inspired to be a better player. Come on down to Bluegrass Camp Ireland 28-30 July at Headfort School. Check it out at www.bluegrass.ie and on Facebook.

Even more US talent at Ardara festival

The BIB has already drawn attention to the wealth of US talent that will be at this year's Ardara Bluegrass Festival (14-16 July) in Co. Donegal. It now appears that Ardara will be hosting as many US bands as one would expect of a much larger event.

This entry on the Facebook of the Garrett Newton Band (shared on the Facebook of Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road) announces:

Please join us in our excitement over the upcoming Ireland Tour with Lorraine Jordan. What a great opportunity to play music in this beautiful country! We will share lots of pictures and keep you all up to date on our adventures :)

The dates shown are 14-17 July, so it looks as if the Ardara festival will be the only opportunity of seeing and hearing these two North Carolina bands. Dates for the other bands taking part are on the BIB calendar.

Fleck and Corea at the NCH, Mon. 10 July 2017

A reminder from the National Concert Hall in Dublin that this coming Monday (10 July) two legendary musicians, Chick Corea (jazz keyboardist, composer, and bandleader) and Béla Fleck, will be playing in concert together there from 8.00 p.m.

*

The BIB mentioned on 15 June that Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn will host this year's IBMA awards show. The IBMA's July 2017 newsletter adds the news that the show’s theme this year will be 'The bluegrass songbook' - not an actual book, but the body of music shared by bluegrass pickers around the world. The show's musical interludes will illustrate this interconnectedness.

Rodney McElrea - a lifelong friend

A week ago the BIB carried the news of the death on 25 June of the irreplaceable Rodney McElrea (right). We are grateful to Tony Friel - record collector, radio presenter, and friend of Rodney for forty-seven years - for sharing these memories.

In the early part of the summer of 1970 I received a knock on my front door. It was about 7.15 in the evening. When I went to answer the knock, I found a well dressed man with a big smile across his face and a warm handshake. 'My name is Rodney McElrea', he said, 'and I hear that you are very interested in Country & Western music.' (That's what they called country music back then.)

'Yes', I said - with some surprise, as I had not told anyone about my hobby. 'How did you hear about me?' I asked. Well, he said that some of his friends who I happened to know as well told him, and that some record shop owners had mentioned my name a few times, and he thought that he would contact me.

I brought him into the house and went to my modest little record room that I had at that time. My wife of ten months brought us in some coffee, and we talked for about two hours non-stop about country music. I had only about 450 or 500 LPs at the time. Rodney took great interest to see what I had collected and was surprised that I had a lot of bluegrass albums there as well. Any artist that he did not know about or hear before, he would ask me to tell him about them and play some track of whatever album caught his attention. I must admit my knowledge was down to whatever information I could get from album liner notes, as there were no books on country music to mention. Opry, a new country magazine, was just starting to make the rounds around this time - I still have the original issues somewhere. I was then asked to visit his new house in Omagh, where he had just moved to from his native Newtownstewart.

As the years passed Rodney and I became very close indeed. We would on our weekends travel to Belfast to visit the many record shops that were there at that time. Once a month we would head to Dublin to do the same, such was our interest. We would call with all the record collectors that we knew, sometimes getting records from them that we wanted.

Around 1974 Rodney slowed down a little as he had met a lovely girl called Ruth Little. Ruth took up much of Rodney's time, and our collecting outings became non-existing. We still kept in touch, but by this time we were able to get our records from dealers that sprung up all over England and Europe. After Rodney and Ruth married, I did not see him as often as we used to, but we still were in touch with each other.

He asked me to go to America with him a few times, but my simple wage at that time did not allow me to do so. Rodney came back from the USA fully charged with exciting news of artists he had met on his travels, and this filled me with envy. He told me about meeting Dorsey Dixon, Bill & Earl Bolick (Blue Sky Boys), Roy Acuff, Hank Snow, Kitty Wells, and the family of the great Charlie Poole.

Rodney came back one time and told me that he was going to erect a headstone to Charlie Poole as he was disgusted that the family did not bother to place a marker on Charlie's grave. Rodney went about the task of collecting money from readers on the bi-monthly booklet that he and Charles Newman were running at the time, called Country News & Views. These little booklets are now collectors' items. They collected enough to buy and erect a marker for Charlie. If you ever see a picture of this headstone, look closely and you will see the name of Rodney McElrea on it. I would slag him for years, telling him that he will be the only man I know that will have his name on two different headstones. He would laugh at this.

As the years rolled past so fast and took its toll on all of us, I could see Rodney's health fading somewhat. He would sit in his kitchen surrounded by books and CDs. He always had visitors any time I called. Then the family rang me one day to tell me that Rodney had taken a stroke and he was in hospital. I never forget when I went to his ward, I could see a great change on him. He came out of that a little after four months, moving from one place to another.

The last week of his life, I could not get anyone at all despite my ringing every phone number that I had connected to the McElrea family. Finally his son Richard contacted me to say that his dad was in hospital and was not doing good. His wife Ruth then rang me to ask me to come and see him. That was the last time I saw my lifelong friend alive. He passed away the next day, Sunday 25 June.

I have lost a big part of my life when Rodney went, and I am thankful that we were part of each other's lives for so long and never had a cross word between us in all that time. I learned so much from him, and he said he learned from me as well. I suppose we were two of a kind. He would listen to my radio shows and tell me where I was going wrong, or who I should have played. I always knew in my heart that he was listening in, so I had to be on my guard all the time.

I will miss him every day. Rest easy. my friend, as I am sure that you are up there in heaven giving A.P. Carter and Hank Williams some interesting news from down below.

4th Dublin Blues Roots & Brass Festival, 4-6 Aug. 2017 - launch party TOMORROW (6 July)

Whelan's of Dublin announce that this Thursday (6 July) the launch party will be held for the 4th Dublin Blues Roots & Brass Festival, a three-day event over the August bank holiday weekend (4-6 Aug.) on the three stages of Whelan's in Wexford St., Dublin 2.

The three acts taking part in the launch include Beef Supreme, a seven-piece 'folkabilly acoustic rock' band from Carlow, who include Irish roots music and bluegrass in their influences and guitars, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and bass in their instrumentation along with bouzouki, melodica, harmonica, and percussion.

The complete lineup of the festival's thirty-five acts will be announced on Monday 17 July. Twenty-four are shown at present on the festival website, including Dublin's own Dublin Bluegrass Collective (aka Bluestack Mountain Boys) and Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra from Oslo, Norway, with all six regular bluegrass instruments plus accordion and the strong lead vocals of Rebekka Nilsson.

The festival is supported by Fáilte Ireland, O'Hara's Irish craft brewery, and IMRO. Admission (7.00 p.m. to closing time) is free.