Vintage bluegrass and old-time magazines on offer, FREE

William Duddy of Belfast is looking to pass on a batch of seventy vintage American music magazines which came his way via C. Paul Lyttle (organiser of the Moniaive Michaelmas Bluegrass Festival) a couple of years ago. The three folders (above}, which comprise editions of Pickin', Muleskinner News, and Old Time Music - mostly from the 1970s - have made fascinating reading on many a rainy lockdown evening and William is offering to travel a reasonable distance for a rendezvous handover (free gratis) to anyone who might be interested.

If you are interested, please e-mail the BIB editor.

Henhouse Prowlers (USA) interviewed on Bluegrass Today

Fans of Chicago's Henhouse Prowlers who know them from their previous appearances in Ireland may be interested in the Bluegrass Today feature on the band by Lee Zimmerman, who interviews Jon Goldfine (bass) and Ben Wright (banjo).

Members of other bands should also be interested in the details of the band's attitude and approach to performing for people of different cultures, as they regularly do in their role of bluegrass ambassadors. The feature also includes three videos.

© Richard Hawkins

Long Way Home launch their 'Garden Concert Series'

Owen Schinkel and Kylie Kay Anderson together form the bluegrass-and-roots-music duo Long Way Home (also on Facebook). Their set in the Kanturk Arts Festival earlier this month (see the BIB for 1 May) was warmly received. Thanks to Owen and Kylie for this news of their latest initiative:

It looks like there is some light at the end of the tunnel here in the ROI in regards to the Covid restrictions. We welcome all the good news with open arms. It looks like the latest updates from the government are giving us all some hope in regards to live music and other cultural events.

We, Long Way Home, have been brainstorming for some time about what to do this summer and how to be able to play live music again in some way or fashion. From observation we've learned that outdoors and small scale are the way forward. With a focus on keeping everybody safe, healthy, and happy, we've come up with something. We are excited to see what is allowed outdoors and are introducing the Long Way Home 'Garden Concert Series'. We've created a special page on our website to explain what these concerts are, see: https://longwayhomeduo.com/gardenconcerts/.

Till the time when live music returns to indoor settings, the outdoor concerts will be at least something to bridge the gap and enjoy live music and the good weather together once again. We've worked up a ton of new music during the several lockdowns and have written a fair share of new music which we love to share. Feel free to share this and spread the word and if people have any questions or are interested, they can reach us at info@longwayhomeduo.com or call 089 613 3917.

© Richard Hawkins

The Earl Scruggs banjo songbook (*UPDATES*)

Early last month the BIB relayed the news that John Lawless had put on Bluegrass Today about The Earl Scruggs banjo songbook: selected banjo tab accurately transcribed for over 80 tunes, details for which are shown on the website of the publishers, Hal Leonard.

John Lawless, as well as co-founding the original Bluegrass Blog and co-directing Bluegrass Today, is a banjo-player and founder of Acutab Publications. In April he wrote: 'This is a book that every banjo player will want to own, and could become the ultimate reference point for students and historians of the music of the one and only Earl Scruggs.' He has now confirmed this on Bluegrass Today:

We can recommend The Earl Scruggs banjo songbook unreservedly as a career-wide overview of the great man’s music. It is available for $29.95 from Hal Leonard online, and from retailers everywhere who specialize in acoustic or bluegrass music. Don’t be without a copy.

Update: When this post was first published earlier today, Amazon.co.uk was showing the book as available in paperback for £10.66, reduced from a RRP of £21.24, but not deliverable to Dublin. Now (6.00 p.m.) the price appears as £19.99, and the book is predicted to be in stock by 1 July, with free delivery by 15 July.

The low price offered earlier on Amazon may have led some to suspect a connection with reports we have heard (but can't confirm) of an early issue of the book that was withdrawn because of faults in the published transcriptions. This no longer seems likely. The May 2021 Banjo News Letter says only that 'unexpected delays' put publication back from February to May.

Update 10 June: The book has now been reviewed in the June 2021 issue of Banjo News Letter by Bob Piekiel, who confirms that some early-issued copies had defects which are now corrected. He concludes: 'Every Scruggs fan needs a copy of this book.'

© Richard Hawkins

Danny Burns: new EP Hurricane

The Bonfire Music Group in Nashville, TN, announce that Danny Burns (right), raised in Co. Donegal, is releasing a new EP, Hurricane, featuring collaborations with Sarah Jarosz, Aubrie Sellers, Dan Tyminski, Jerry Douglas, Steve Earle, Tim O’Brien, and Sam Bush.

The six tracks include his first single with Bonfire, 'Many moons ago', issued last September. All tracks can be heard and bought on BandCamp. The Bonfire blurb-writer clearly has no grasp of how history fits together, but we'll let that pass.

© Richard Hawkins

Nora Brown on Deering Live TONIGHT

Deering Banjos announce that Nora Brown will be interviewed on Deering Live tonight (Thurs. 27 May) at 11.00 p.m. (Irish time). Deering add:

Nora is only 15 years old but she is an old soul who plays old-time banjo with an incredible feel. Nora started learning music at the age of 6, specializing in old-time and traditional banjo music. She plays with a level of confidence rarely found in most adults, all the while weaving together stories of music history into her performances to create a beautifully rich tapestry for the listener. She has played at numerous venues and festivals on the East Coast and has been featured on NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts and TED Talks.

The BIB strongly recommends anyone who loves old-time banjo playing to make hearing Nora Brown a priority. She is also on Facebook and a good deal of her music is on YouTube.

© Richard Hawkins

Sessions - living, dead, or undecided?

The BIB editor writes:

Five days ago (21 May) the BIB received a message in the form of a comment on the post 'Tullamore session well under way', which was published on the blog on 12 Feb. last year, about the launch a fortnight earlier of the new bluegrass session hosted by Dave Hawkins and Hubert Murray in Eugene Kelly's Lounge, Convent Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly. The message, from Eibhlin (no further details), read:

That session in Eugene Kelly's sounds like a good thing. Do you have plans to restart the session once things open up, or even outside ones for the summer? I'm a mandolin player, just relocated and looking forward to playing.

We replied (also in the form of a comment): 'The BIB is consulting the organisers of the session and will announce any information about future sessions as soon as we have it.'

We should be equally glad to hear of plans for the future from the organisers of any other sessions that have been regularly held in the past, and of course also from anyone intending to set up a new session.

Tommy Edwards, 20 July 1945-22 May 2021 (update)

The BIB learns with regret of the death of Tommy Edwards of North Carolina on Saturday (22 May) from pancreatic cancer. Attenders at the Omagh festivals will remember his band, the Bluegrass Experience, playing at Omagh earlier this century, and in addition Tommy - who could play guitar, banjo, bass, fiddle, and mandolin, as well as being singer and songwriter - gave instrument workshop tuition. He would also warmly recommend visiting North Carolina, which is certainly good advice.

PineCone, the Piedmont Council for Traditional Music, have posted a tribute on their Facebook, with a fine video of Tommy and Andrew Marlin performing Tommy's composition 'I'll be ready when it's time to go' with guitar and mandolin. More details are in Richard Thompson's feature on Bluegrass Today.

Update 25 May: See also a major feature by Sandy Hatley, 'Tommy Edwards - the best friend that bluegrass could ever have', on Bluegrass Today.

© Richard Hawkins

World Fiddle Day

Today (22 May) is World Fiddle Day. No one in this island more completely embodied bluegrass, old-time, and Scottish and Irish traditional fiddling than Geordie McAdam (1938-2021), so a picture of him seems the most appropriate way of marking the day.

© Richard Hawkins

Ken Perlman class postponed from 24 May to 14 June

Ken Perlman (USA), master of 'melodic clawhammer' banjo, announces that his online live instructional banjo workshop previously scheduled for Mon. 24 May has been POSTPONED to Monday 14 June. The class deals with 'Triplets & grace notes in clawhammer: how to obtain them & use them in tunes'. Full details of times are given at the link for buying tickets ($25.00 per person). All the clawhammer clinics Ken has given are available as videos for $25 each. More information is on his website.

© Richard Hawkins

Kristy Cox makes her mark in the US

Kristy Cox (right), who toured Ireland with her Australian band two years ago - the pandemic prevented the mygrassisblue.com team from bringing her back last year or this year - has joined the artists roster of Billy Blue Records, which already handles some of the biggest names in the bluegrass business. John Lawless on Bluegrass Today reports that she became a US citizen in October 2020 and is now a Nashville resident, where in addition to music she operates the Thirsty Boomerang refreshment and catering service. Award-winning songwriter Jerry Salley of Billy Blue Records considers Kristy

... truly one of the hardest working women I have ever been associated with in the music business. [...] her incredible vocal talent is only matched by her ambition and drive to get things done! [...] She is exactly the kind of artist and person that we want to become a member of this label family.

© Richard Hawkins

JigJam live online concert, 22 May 2021

JigJam, originators of I-Grass, announce that they will be giving a live online one-hour concert this coming Saturday (22 May) at 9.00 p.m. Irish time. Tickets ($15) can be bought on Eventbrite. The band promise new material and exciting announcements!

© Richard Hawkins

The Bluegrass Standard, May 2021

The May 2021 issue of Keith Barncastle's Bluegrass Standard magazine can be read here. The contents include a feature (pp 8, 10) by Susan Marquez on the Petersens (photo), who were touring here last in August 2019, their fourth time in Ireland, thanks to John Nyhan. An article on Butch Robins by Kara Martinez Bachman on pp 28-31 reveals that Butch may be releasing an album of accessible banjo music, and that the Davis Banjo Company is releasing its Butch Robins model, replicating his 1930 RB-4 Gibson Mastertone. For more detail on this instrument (including photos), see this feature on Bluegrass Today, published exactly a year ago today.

© Richard Hawkins

'Bluegrass and religion' - your views are invited

Thanks to John Lawless on Bluegrass Today for news of an interesting project originating on this side of the Atlantic - 'Bluegrass and religion', subtitled 'An investigation into the meaning of bluegrass songs'.

Peter Ward (right) is professor of practical theology at Durham University in northern England. He is also mandolin player in the band Assembly Lane, and in view of the place of gospel music in bluegrass, he has set up the project to explore how, and to what extent, the songs are significant for players and listeners. 'Bluegrass and religion' includes a survey providing audio recordings, full texts, and background history to half a dozen familiar songs and one instrumental, each of which is accompanied by questions about what the piece means to you. The background history is well worth reading - for instance, the texts include the original words of 'Will the circle be unbroken?' by the English hymnist Ada R. Habershon. The views of all bluegrass people - of any religion or none - are welcome. All comments received and used in the research will be anonymous.

The Bluegrass Today feature includes a video (also on YouTube) of Assembly Lane performing 'Don't you hear Jerusalem mourn?' with four-part harmony, followed by the tune 'Sandy boys'. Recommended!

© Richard Hawkins

Bruce Molsky on Deering Live, 20 May, 11.00 p.m.

Deering Banjos announce that Bruce Molsky, who toured Ireland all too briefly with his Mountain Drifters in November 2017, will be interviewed tomorrow night (Thursday 20 May) on Deering Live. Deering point out that 'he is equally strong on both the banjo and the fiddle'; he is also an accomplished and sensitive fingerstyle guitarist, as shown in his playing of 'Sail away ladies'. The interview will be streamed live at 11.00 p.m. and can be watched on YouTube.

© Richard Hawkins

1972 old-time festival photos in the BS

The Bitter Southerner online magazine published yesterday (18 May) 'West Virginia, 1972, revisited', an account by the author Jay Steele of his mother Amy (1949-98) and in particular of the box of photos she had taken in the 1970s, which he only discovered after her death.

BIB readers will be specially interested in the eleven photos published in the article, which were taken at the Morris Family Old-Time Music Festival in Ivydale, WV, in 1972. This was one of several festivals hosted by the Morris Brothers, David and John, who were inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame (WVMHoF) in 2018. A six-minute video vignette, including clips from the 1972 festival, is in their WVNHoF induction text; more can be seen on YouTube. Dwight Diller, who played with them in the early 1970s, described them as 'powerhouses. Incredible'.

The photo heading the article (reproduced above) shows Lee Hammons, who was then in his late eighties. Dwight Diller met him in 1969, when he had just resumed playing after an interval of forty-six years; but, as Diller later said, 'He hadn't played any and he was immedately playing well.'

© Richard Hawkins

Trailer video for 10 String Symphony tour

The 'digital tour' organised by Music Network for 10 String Symphony (see the BIB for 22 April) is due to start a week from today (Wed. 26 May), and will run till 11 June. All the dates, together with the venues taking part in the tour, are shown on the BIB calendar, as well as here.

10 String Symphony consists of Rachel Baiman and Christian Sedelmayer, who would have toured Ireland last spring but for the pandemic. A 50-second trailer, recorded at the Station Inn, Nashville, is on YouTube and can be seen below. Tickets for the 10 String Symphony shows are €10 each, and can be bought here or through the links shown for local concert venues. The illustrated programme notes are shown here.



© Richard Hawkins

Jim Peva (update)

The BIB learns with regret of the death two weeks ago of James Richard 'Jim' Peva of Indiana, two days short of his 93rd birthday. His place in bluegrass music history, especially his thirty-five-year friendship with Bill Monroe, is shown in Richard Thompson's feature on Bluegrass Today, which includes a seven-minute video Mr Peva recorded ten years ago for the Journey Indiana channel. In the video, he talks about how Monroe came to be practically part of his family, and gives a brief tour of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Hall of Fame at Bean Blossom, Indiana - where visitors from Japan outnumber those from any other country outside the USA. His passing will be deeply felt by those members of the Irish bluegrass community who have visited Bean Blossom festivals.

Update 14 June: A special camping-out weekend to commemorate Jim Peva will be held on 18-20 June at the Bill Monroe Music Park and Campground, Morgantown, Indiana. Camp sites should be booked.

© Richard Hawkins

We Banjo 3's 'Light of Summer', 24 June 2021

Galway's We Banjo 3, originators of 'Celtgrass', announce that they will be hosting their 'Light of Summer' event on 24 June 2021 to celebrate the reopening of the world after lockdown. Loyalty Early Bird tickets will be available till 11.59 p.m. EST on 21 June, and exclusive merchandise bundles including limited-edition goodies can be bought at prices from $22.50 to $69.00. Full details are on the band's website.

We Banjo 3 were interviewed on Deering Live last Thursday (13 May). Among the events they will be playing in the USA later this year is the ROMP (River Of Music Party), presented by the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum on 15-18 September.

© Richard Hawkins

'The sign-painter's song' from the McKernans

Thanks once again to Joe McKernan (right) and his family in New South Wales, Australia, whose 'browngrass' music has featured several times on the BIB in the past. Joe sends this link to his article 'Ghost signs: must everything fade?', published last week (12 May) on 'Voices', the blog of the Bruderhof religious community.

Over the last twenty-seven years Joe and his family have made thousands of hand-carved signs and refurbished others, and have seen many old signs deteriorate, some to the point of becoming 'ghost signs'. From this experience, Joe's son Donal has written 'The sign-painter's song' on the theme of impermanence, and has recorded it with his wife Cornelia on YouTube. The accompaniment here is on melodeon and fiddle, but a bluegrass treatment would be completely in keeping - no musical genre outdoes bluegrass in singing of people and things that are no longer where or what they used to be. Warmly recommended, especially for bluegrass bands that perform gospel songs.

A 'ghost sign' on an Ohio barn

© Richard Hawkins

Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival teams up with Station Inn, Nashville, TN!

Thanks to Uri Kohen and his organising team at Westport, Co. Mayo, for this foretaste of this year's Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, which will be streamed live on 11-13 June on the TV channel of the USA's premier venue for live bluegrass music!

Fifteen years ago, in a small town on the west coast of Ireland, a boutique festival of folk and bluegrass music was born. What started then as a small three-gig event is now considered to be one of the leading events on the Irish bluegrass calendar, drawing musicians and music fans alike from all over the world.

This year, in an exciting new venture, the festival committee is extremely excited and proud to announce a new partnership with the famous Station Inn in Nashville, Tennessee. This year’s festival offering will be streamed online via Station Inn TV and will feature one of the best acts in the world of bluegrass, the Grammy-nominated Po’ Ramblin’ Boys [above]; 'At a time when most people feel constantly distracted by technology and barraged by the news, authenticity and straightforward honesty are paramount. There’s something about the music of the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys that cuts right through the noise of the world and speaks plainly to the soul.'

As well as partnering with this iconic venue in the home of bluegrass, the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival is also partnering with other venues in Ireland to produce this year’s unique collaborative online festival. Given the travel restrictions in place at the time of recording, the team at the renowned live music venue, the White Horse in Ballincollig, Co. Cork, kindly agreed to host the recording of the Cork-based musicians, the Brendan Butler Trio [above] and The Grits and Gravy String Band [below]. The festival has also been working with partners in Northern Ireland to produce a special tribute to Mel Corry, one of the leading figures in the Irish bluegrass scene, who sadly passed away in the last year.

Speaking ahead of the weekend, festival founder, chairman, and producer Uri Kohen said; 'Although we had very much hoped to be welcoming all our artists and supporters to beautiful Westport in person, and although the idea of an online festival did not initially appeal to us, we are however now in a really exciting position with our festival and we believe that the virtual festival this year will in fact work to our advantage, allowing us to partner with other venues, both in Ireland and in the US, to engage with artists who may otherwise be unavailable to attend our festival, and also allowing us to reach an international audience we would have struggled to reach otherwise, and thus developing our audience for future festivals. We can’t wait to show off our beautiful town and the best of Irish talent to a worldwide stage.'

The festival will kick off on Friday 11 June, with Westport’s very own old-time band, The Clew Bay Critters [above]. The local musicians will lead the way and set a welcoming tone for a superb weekend of music. Following the Critters, fans will be treated to a very special, all-female lineup of up-and-coming star Lorraine Nash from Kerry, whose debut EP, Wildflower, was received with much critical acclaim, and who has recently signed with FIFA Records.

Lorraine Nash

The Raines

Pauline Scanlon, Noriana Kennedy, Nicola Joyce

Following Nash on stage will be Galway-based The Raines, a folk band consisting of musicians Yvonne Tiernan, Ruth Dillon, and Juliana Erkkonen. Originally formed after a meeting on Inis Oírr island off the west coast, there was instant chemistry between the band members with a mix of stunning vocal harmonies, rhythmic strings, honest lyrics, and a bit of unexpected Americana added to the mix. And finally, for the finale of the Friday night concert, for the first time on stage together as a trio, a feast of harmonies will be performed by Pauline Scanlon, Noriana Kennedy, and Nicola Joyce.

The Rocky Top String Band

Saturday night features four bluegrass acts from four different venues. Opening the show, live from the White Horse in Ballincollig will be Grits & Gravy String Band, back to Westport for the town’s own band, The Rocky Top String Band, who have performed at every festival since its inception. The special tribute to Mel Corry will follow with the Ten-Hens, and lastly, it’s over to the Station Inn in Nashville to finish the night with The Po' Ramblin' Boys.

The Sunday night folk lineup will feature some of Ireland’s finest singer-songwriters - Ger O’Donnell, David Hope, Darragh O’Dea, and John Blek – which will no doubt be a lovely mellow wind-down to finish off the weekend.

Ger O'Donnell

Darragh O'Dea

David Hope

John Blek

All concerts will be broadcast live on Station Inn TV on the weekend of the festival, 11-13 June 2021. Admission to each concert is €10 / $10. Tickets and program details will be available via the festival’s Facebook page and website.

26th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival LIVE, 28-29 Aug. 2021

Thanks to Mick Daly, head organiser of the Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival in Co. Waterford, for welcome news of the return of one of our established festivals, LIVE:

Pilgrim St [above], Mules & Men [below], the Backyard Band, and the Mons Wheeler Band have been confirmed to play the 26th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival, which will run on 28-29 August 2021. This is subject to live music being back by August.

It will be a smaller event than usual. Final details will be available as soon as the Minister of Arts gives the green light, and will abide with conditions that are requested.

© Richard Hawkins

World Fiddle Day, 22 May 2021

The BIB sends a reminder that World Fiddle Day will be held this year on Saturday 22 May. Above all, it's inclusive, welcoming all styles of fiddle music from all cultures. Players of the other bluegrass and old-time instruments can be part of it, too, by picking a few fiddle tunes, even without a fiddler being present.

The World Fiddle Day website gives more details and advice about the Day, which originated in 2012 with two Donegal men: fiddler Caoimhin Mac Aoidh and designer Alan Reid.

© Richard Hawkins

John Hickman, 7 Oct. 1942-11 May 2021

The BIB learns with regret of the death on Tuesday of John Hickman, one of the most respected players and teachers of the 5-string banjo among his generation. As mentioned at the end of Tom Adams's 2009 profile of him for Banjo News Letter (BNL), he was in 1974 the first player interviewed for BNL, and he was also one of those featured and interviewed in depth by Tony Trischka and Pete Wernick in their Masters of the 5-string banjo (1988; reissued 2000).

More details, together with photos, a tribute from his former pupil Ron Block, and a recording from his solo album, are in John Lawless's feature on Bluegrass Today. The BIB strongly recommends the photo in this feature taken by Jim Dirden in 2000.

© Richard Hawkins

We Banjo 3 on Deering Live, 13 May 2021, 8.00 p.m.

Deering Banjos announce that Galway's We Banjo 3, originators of 'Celtgrass', will be interviewed on Deering Live tomorrow (Thurs. 13 May) at 8.00 p.m. - the first time that a full band has appeared on Deering Live. The interview can also be seen on YouTube.

We Banjo 3 first played in the USA in 2012 and have since become 'fast-rising touring darlings in the country that two of the members now call home', with an established foothold in Nashville. In Deering's words, they

continually push musical boundaries while maintaining an unwavering devotion to the essential audience experience. WB3 seamlessly converge the shared and varied traditions of Americana, bluegrass, and Celtic music with pop-sensible songcraft to create a truly unique and gratifying signature sound.

© Richard Hawkins

Arklow Roots Music presents Rebecca Loebe (USA), Niall Toner & Andrea Booth, and Ellie Gowers (UK) online, 28 May 2021

Thanks to Brendan O'Regan, organiser of Arklow Roots Music, for news of another online gig which he is presenting live on Zoom from 8.00 p.m. on Friday 28 May. Brendan writes:

This time guests include Niall Toner (with Andrea Booth), along with Rebecca Loebe (Texas) and Ellie Gowers (UK). People need to e-mail arklowrootsmusic@gmail.com to book a place. Donation basis. Info on request. Here's the Facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/519530749206951/.

*

Thanks also to Niall Toner himself for this link to the official video of the latest single by himself and Andrea Booth, 'Never too old for love' (see the BIB for 2 May), which was released last Friday. The song was written by Niall and Andrea, and the video was filmed, directed, and edited by Fiaz Farrelly. Here it is:

Update 13 May: You can also see the video in John Lawless's report on Bluegrass Today.

© Richard Hawkins

Adeline: something to look forward to

The BIB editor writes:

Thanks to No Depression online magazine for the news that Adeline - 'a weird and funky old-time album' - is in preparation, supported by a Kickstarter campaign.

Out of the five musicians taking part, the four Canadians have previously toured in Ireland: Chris Coole (banjo) and John Showman (fiddle) of the Lonesome Ace Stringband (see photo), who were last here in early 2019; Sam Allison (bass and bass harp) of Sheesham, Lotus, and Son, who were here in April 2018; and Adrian Gross (mandolin) of the Slocan Ramblers, who toured here in late 2017 and late 2019. The remaining member is Mark Kilianski (guitar) of the Boston-based US duo Golden Shoals.

The variety of music chosen and the energy that developed during the sessions are described on Kickstarter, where the band announce: 'If this project doesn't get funded, we risk not being able to turn it into a CD and get some music that we're very proud of out into the world!' They need not worry: the target was €2,883 by 5 June, and over twice that much has already been pledged with more than three weeks left to go, which says a good deal about what can be expected from musicians of this calibre. Brief samples can be heard on videos (with text commentary) on Kickstarter and the bands' Facebook pages.

© Richard Hawkins

Ken Perlman's final two banjo clinics before Sept. 2021 (UPDATE)

Ken Perlman (USA), master of 'melodic clawhammer' banjo, sends a reminder of the last two of this season of online live instructional banjo workshops on Zoom. The class on Monday 10 May is on 'Classic bluegrass fiddle tunes, played note-for note in clawhammer style' (note 'bluegrass', not 'old-time'), and on Mon. 24 May he will be teaching 'Triplets & grace notes in clawhammer: how to obtain them & use them in tunes'. Full details of times are given at the links for buying tickets ($25.00 per class). All the clawhammer clinics Ken has given are available as videos for $25 each. More information is on his website.

Ken also draws attention to this year's Midwest Banjo Camp online, which will be held on 4-6 June 2021. The twenty-eight distinguished instructors include several fine pickers who have played in Ireland; and while the classes are mainly in bluegrass and old-time banjo, tuition is also given in tenor banjo, guitar (flat- and finger-picked), fiddle, dobro, and mandolin.

Update: The final class in this present season has been POSTPONED from 24 May to Monday 14 June.

© Richard Hawkins

Southern Grass at Omagh 2008

Following on yesterday's post relating to Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass, thanks to Des Butler for these fine photos of the band during their powerful performances at the 2008 Omagh bluegrass festival. Bobby Lundy can be seen playing banjo; in Michael Berick's interview in the Bluegrass Situation, Paisley describes how Lundy retired from the band for a period, and returned to it as bass player because that was what was needed. Danny is quoted as saying:

I call him my utility man of bluegrass, like he could play any position on a baseball team — he’s that talented. Because he has known me for so long, he knows what I am going to do on a guitar. He knows what I am going to do singing. He can walk me right into the singing with his bass...

© Richard Hawkins

Reviews and instruction from the Benedicts

The BIB mentioned on St Valentine's day that Tabitha (Agnew) Benedict of Co. Armagh, well known on the bluegrass scene here as banjo player, guitarist, and singer of Cup O' Joe, Midnight Skyracer, and the Foreign Landers, had become an accredited reviewer for Bluegrass Today.

Her latest contribution to Bluegrass Today is a substantial, meticulous, informative review of the new album Back to the Ozarks by the 17-year-old Lillyanne McCool, an award-winning old-time banjo player who also picks bluegrass. The new album can be sampled from a player embodied in the review as well as on Apple Music.

Meanwhile Tabitha's husband David Benedict gives video mandolin lessons on the YouTube channel of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine. The latest, on getting the right-hand feel for putting swing into a tune, is eleven minutes long and can be watched here.

© Richard Hawkins

For Danny Paisley fans

Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass (USA) were memorable headliners at the Omagh festival in 2008 - some fans in Ireland may inded have become hooked back in 1995 when Danny's father Bob brought the band to Athy. Fans of any vintage may be glad to know that Michael Berick contributed today an article to the Bluegrass Situation online magazine: 'Danny Paisley & Southern Grass find a family blend on "Bluegrass troubadour"'. Bluegrass troubadour, released earlier this year, is their first album on Pinecastle Records. The interview communicates a lot about Danny's music and personality. Five videos are incorporated, some of them of songs on the new album.

Update: See the BIB of 6 May for two fine photos of the band at the 2008 Omagh festival, taken by Des Butler.

© Richard Hawkins

Bonaparte and his retreat (update)

The BIB editor writes:

Today is the bicentenary of the death of Napoleon Bonaparte. To deal with his vast historical significance would be outside the BIB's remit; but to mark the occasion, here are links to a few of the most notable performances of the tune 'Bonaparte's retreat' by American traditional musicians.

In 1937 William Hamilton 'Bill' Stepp of Kentucky recorded this version, which was adapted by Aaron Copland as part of the music for the ballet 'Rodeo'. Also in 1937, Luther Strong of Kentucky recorded this version. And Thomas Jefferson 'Tommy' Jarrell of North Carolina played it this way.

Many other versions of the tune, some under different titles (or different tunes under the same title) can be heard on YouTube. See also the Traditional Tune Archive, and the comments posted below.

© Richard Hawkins

New EP from the Foreign Landers out 10 May 2021

Thanks to John Lawless on Bluegrass Today for the news that the Foreign Landers will release a six-track EP entitled Put all your troubles away next Monday (10 May). They already released the first track, a cover of the Gordon Lightfoot song 'I'm not sayin'', as a single earlier this year, and on Bluegrass Today you can hear another track, 'Finn's rescue', about their dog Finn, a South Carolina spaniel/ terrier cross. Some of the other songs that they recorded on the EP can also be heard on their YouTube channel. The Foreign Landers are David and Tabitha Benedict.

© Richard Hawkins

Baltimore Fiddle Fair, 13-16 May 2021: tickets now on sale

The organisers of the Baltimore Fiddle Fair in Baltimore, Co. Cork, announce that tickets are now on sale for their 2021 festival on 13-16 May, their third online event since the pandemic began. Concerts this year will be recorded in Baltimore Castle. Most artists on the 2021 programme will be new to Baltimore; extra events including fun festival-survival videos and a Fiddle Fair Quiz on Zoom; and ticket buyers will be able to submit questions as part of the 'Artists Q&A Sessions'.

Irish music dominates this year's programme, but an international dimension is given by a special concert filmed before a live audience on board the nineteenth-century schooner the James Craig, docked at the Australian Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia.

© Richard Hawkins

Festivals on the Continent

The Kito Events Foundation, organisers of the big Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival in the Netherlands, announce that they have been obliged to postpone the tenth festival to 24-26 June 2022. Guido de Groot, head of the team, says:

Last year we had to postpone the 10-year anniversary to this year. We had hoped until the very last minute that we could celebrate this momentous occasion in 2021, but circumstances dictated otherwise. Considering these circumstances, we cannot guarantee our visitors the same quality and experience that we are accustomed to delivering. We will, however, not give up that easily! The ‘Oude Noorden’ will try and substitute the experience to the best of its ability and it will feature as the stage for the Bluegrass Festival 2021 from the 25th to the 27th of June!

The Kito Events Foundation will accordingly provide on those dates a programme of online events, and will issue a limited edition CD/LP of the best recordings from the past nine years at Rotterdam, which will only be available during that weekend.

Meanwhile, the organisers of Banjo Jamboree at Čáslav in the Czech Republic - the oldest bluegrass festival in Europe - announce:

Dear bluegrass friends,
We still hope the Banjo Jamboree festival WILL take place on June 18-19, 2021. We are working on it, but the covid-19 situation in the Czech Republic is bad at the moment, it keeps changing though. Please check this website for updates. Stay safe, looking forward to seeing you in the summer!

© Richard Hawkins

Niall Toner and Andrea Booth release 'Never too old for love', 7 May 2021

Thanks to Niall Toner for this press release on his latest recording, in collaboration with Andrea Booth:

Niall Toner - singer, songwriter, familiar voice as presenter of RTE Radio 1’s much loved 'Roots Freeway', and enthusiastic/ loyal exponent of Irish bluegrass with his ever-popular Niall Toner Band - has joined forces with singer/ songwriter Andrea Booth to produce a drop-dead-brilliant single, with 'Never too old for love'. Featuring skilful and creative playing by long-term NTB members Johnny Gleeson on dobro, Richie Foley on mandolin, and the amazing Brendan Carthy on drums, this is authentic and unpretentious roots-inspired, happy music at its best. A duet that swings, featuring the voices of Andrea and Niall against an acoustic tapestry that ranks with the very best.

Both Toner and Booth might well be described as being of mature years, but it's that very quality that has inspired this up-tempo, western-swing-style song of hope and positivity for those of us who are as they say, 'over 21'! Age, after all, is only a number, and if one of the advantages of being of a certain vintage is that one can be inspired to write songs such as this, then HAPPY DAYS! Also, worth remembering that a % of the money generated by sales and downloads will be donated to Age Action Ireland! Nobody gets any younger!

'Never too old for love' is just one of the original songs composed by Toner and Booth which will be featured on an upcoming full-length album due for release in late 2021. Meanwhile, the single is available on CD and on all digital formats, and the video will be soon available on YouTube.

The new single is scheduled for release this coming Friday (7 May), and will be sent out to radio during the week. Full credits are shown on the CD sleeve (top right; click to enlarge). Niall adds:

We recorded two different versions of this song. One version, which is being pitched to radio in these islands, has drums on it, but the other is an all-acoustic version in bluegrass/ western-swing style.

© Richard Hawkins