Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival needs your help!

Dear friends and fans,

Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival has been running for the past 17 years and it has played an integral part in preserving and promoting folk, bluegrass, and American old-time music in Ireland.

Over the years we have been able to gradually increase the calibre of our acts, present new acts for the Irish audience, and grow the festival’s offering, while maintaining the original format and ticket prices.

We have proven to be a large contributor to the local economy and have offered platforms to local, national, and international acts.

The growing cost of running the festival has proven to be challenging, and for the first time ever, we are looking for your help and support to ensure the future and continuous growth of the quality of the festival.

We would really appreciate anything you can afford to donate, so we can continue to showcase the best of folk, bluegrass, and old-time music, and of course, so we can welcome you all back to our beautiful little town on the west coast of Ireland!

Thanks in advance,

Uri and team

To donate, click the link below:
CanYouHelpWestportFolk&BluegrassFestival?

or scan the QR code:

More photos, from the Earl Scruggs Music Festival via the BGS

The staff of the Bluegrass Situation (BGS) online magazine present, under the title 'See photos from the Earl Scruggs Music Festival at the Tryon International Equestrian Center', a load of excellent shots by several photographers, taken at last weekend's Earl Scruggs Music Festival in Mill Spring, NC. The many artists shown include Tony Trischka (right), supreme player, composer, teacher, and communicator on all things banjo and bluegrass, whom many here will remember from his performances and workshops at the Johnny Keenan Banjo Festivals in Longford. He organised for the festival an Earl Scruggs Revue Tribute Band. The photo above is by Greg Heisler. Next year's Earl Scruggs Music Festival is scheduled for 30 Aug.-1 Sept. 2024.

© Richard Hawkins

Special C. to kick off IBMA WOB 2023

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) announce that this year's IBMA World Of Bluegrass in Raleigh, NC, will open on Tuesday 26 September ('Sept 27' in the image above is a typo) with a Kickoff Party hosted by our old friends the Special Consensus, who have since 1995 visited Ireland more than any other bluegrass band in the world. The IBMA press release states:

Join Special Consensus, along with some special guests, for a special kickoff event at IBMA World of Bluegrass on Tuesday, September 26th at the Lincoln Theatre. Special Consensus has received six IBMA awards, as well as two GRAMMY nominations. We all know Special C likes to make things fun, so don’t miss this party as a great start to the week of music. And who knows, it might even be someone’s birthday!

© Richard Hawkins

A bluegrass journey: Woodbine 2002-2023

Woodbine's original lineup (l-r: Tony, Mel, Paddy, Liam)
Dunmore East, 2002

BIB editor's note: Woodbine played their final official gig a week ago at this year's Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival. Many thanks to Tony O'Brien for this chronicle of a band that has been at the heart of bluegrass in Ireland for twenty-one years.

The bluegrass journey of Woodbine began in 2002 when the lineup of Tony O'Brien, Liam Wright, Mel Corry, and Paddy Chanders played Athy, Dunmore East, amd Omagh bluegrass festivals. Mel was only ever in for the three fests and Paddy was in college, so by 2003 Nicola O'Brien was introduced on bass and vocals. The band recorded an album as a trio in ’04 and Paddy returned on mandolin.

Woodbine built up a very loyal fan base over the next four years. Their second album was recorded in 2007 and included a couple of original songs written by Tony. By 2008 Paddy was involved in different genres of music and it was decided to change the lineup with longtime friend Richard Hawkins coming in on banjo to replace Paddy. Richard retired from the band in 2017 and was replaced by Martin Cooney. After COVID, from 2021 the core of the band was back to Tony, Liam, and Nicola with various guests joining for gigs. The band recorded a third album in 2009 that included a banjo breakdown, ’Smokin’ Woodbine’, written by Richard.

Woodbine have played all the Irish bluegrass and bluegrass-related festivals, plus gigs in every corner of Ireland over the years. They were invited to play a special St Patrick’s day concert in Stormont in 2009, and played live on Ryan Tubridy’s RTE radio programme and Marty Whelan’s radio programme on Lyric FM.

The band have had the honour of many guests joining them on stage for some gigs:

• Various instruments: Clem O'Brien
• Mandolin: Gerry Madden, John Denby, Joe Meehan, Jan Michielsen, Darren Lawrence, Tom Corbett, Roger Green, Sean McKerr, Tom Mindte, Skip Gorman
• Banjo: Tom Hanway, John Brunschwyler, Evan Lyons, James Henry, Hugh McLean
• Dobro: Johnny Gleeson, P.J. Power, Colin Henry, Tom Poole
• Fiddle: Dessie Crerand, Charlie Arkins, George Kaye, Brian Thurber
• Bass: Beth Lawrence

It's been a great pleasure to share the stage with you all, thank you. Woodbine have had a wonderful journey and a big thank you goes to all our families, our many friends, festival and gig promoters for making it all possible.

From all in Woodbine, thanks for creating great memories.

The heart of Woodbine (l-r): Liam, Nicola, Tony

© Tony O'Brien

Yonder Boys (USA/AUS/CHL) back in Ireland, 8-24 Sept. 2023

The Yonder Boys (USA/AUS/CHL), who were part of the 2022 Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival and toured for a week in Ireland in January this year, will be back at the end of next week to play at the Séamus Ennis Arts Centre, Naul. Co. Dublin, on Friday 8 Sept. as the first show in a tour lasting to 24 Sept. The full schedule, as it appears on their website, is as follows:

• Fri. 8th Sept.: Séamus Ennis Arts Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin
• Sat. 9th: Monroe's, Galway city
• Sun. 10th: Mullarkey's, Clifden, Co. Galway
• Wed. 13th: The Sunflower, Belfast
• Fri. 15th: Bennigan's, Derry city
• Sat. 16th: Balor Arts Centre, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal
• Sun. 17th: The Red Room, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone
• Thurs. 21st-Sun. 24th: Clonakilty Guitar Festival, Clonakilty, Co. Cork

© Richard Hawkins

Kody Norris Show (USA) on the air this weekend

Thanks to Jeremy Westby of 2911 Media for the news that the Kody Norris Show (whose headlining the bluegrass section of this year's Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival is just one part of the roll they're on) can be heard for four successive days this weekend, beginning today (Fri. 25 Aug.) on SiriusXM Bluegrass Junction Channel 77 radio, with emphasis on their latest album Rhinestone revival.

For many more details, including the band's tour schedule till the beginning of December, photos, and a video, conxult the 2911 Media press release, In early November the Kody Norris Show is scheduled to play on three days at the Mountaingrass festival in Australia.

© Richard Hawkins

Programme for next week's 28th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival (25-27 Aug. 2023)

Thanks to Mick Daly, director of the Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival at Dunmore East, Co. Waterford, for these images from the Festival flyer for next week's event (25-27 Aug.), the 28th in the series since its foundation in 1995 when (thanks to the recommendation of Gerry Madden) Colorado's splendid Bluegrass Patriots were topping the bill - a great way to launch a festival.

Above is the schedule for the three days, showing that the Boxcar Preachers, the US headline act, will be on stage for a substantial part of the weekend. Below is a display of the Festival's sponsors from Dunmore East itself and from Waterford city, whose support has made the Festival possible.

© Richard Hawkins

Report and photos from Bluegrass in La Roche 2023

Last week (Wed. 2nd-Sun. 6th) the Bluegrass in La Roche festival - the largest bluegrass festival in Europe - took place at La Roche-sur-Foron, Haute Savoie, France, on the edge of the French Alps. A comprehensive report on all five days of the festival has been contributed to Bluegrass Today by Michael Luchtan, an American resident in Barcelona, who last year contributed to BT a warmly approving report on the 2022 Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival. The La Roche report is accompanied by twenty-three excellent photos by Elliot Siff, including shots of (among other familiar names) the Special Consensus, the Henhouse Prowlers, and the Truffle Valley Boys.

© Richard Hawkins

I Draw Slow at Whelan's, Dublin, Sat. 12 Aug. 2023

Whelan's of Wexford St., Dublin 2, announce the start of their Trad & Folk Festival Free Weekender, covering tonight (Thurs. 10 Aug.) and the two following nights. Of special interest to BIB readers is the fact that the headliners on Saturday night (12 Aug.) will be Dublin's own I Draw Slow, who have taken their spirited brand of neo-old-time-string-band music to the USA with great success in repeated tours. Whelan's announce: 'FREE ENTRY before 10.30 p.m. on Friday & Saturday – No need for a ticket – Walk-ins welcome. Strictly over 18s; I.D. may be required.'

© Richard Hawkins

Water Tower (USA) and the Caleb & Reeb Country Band (USA) in Ireland, Aug.-Sept. 2023

Thanks to Electric Cave Production and Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival for this special press release:

From America to Ireland - music to brighten up your summer

Greetings!

As the Irish summer brought us nothing but rain, we are looking forward to bring a bit of sunshine to our Irish fans and followers.

The Electric Cave Production and Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival are delighted to announce two tours of superb American bands this August and September.

Water Tower are no stranger for Irish music fans, but this will be their first ever Irish tour in this current lineup. The band will come to our shores to play the great Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival before embarking on a tour all over the island (24 August–2 September).

Around the same time, Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms will bring their superb six-piece country band to Ireland for the very first time. Caleb and Reeb are better known as 2/4 of the Foghorn Stringband and from their duo performances, but this country band is as good as acoustic country music gets (30 August-6 September).

Get tickets for their gigs well in advance directly from the venues.

BIB editor's note: the online tour schedule of Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms includes links for booking tickets and location maps. All shows in these tours are now shown on the BIB calendar.

© Richard Hawkins

2nd Trafaria Bluegrass Festival in Portugal, 8-10 Sept. 2023

Thanks to Andre Lentilhas, organiser of the successful Trafaria Bluegrass festival in 2022, for news of this year's event:

After last year's success, we returned to the 2nd edition of the TRAFARIA BLUEGRASS - Festival by the River, in Trafaria, Portugal. This festival, the only one of its kind to be held in Portugal, aims to develop bluegrass music.

It will take place between September 8 and 10, 2023, in the streets of Trafaria, Almada, and is completely FREE. Throughout these three days, in addition to the concerts on various stages, there will be a set of activities in parallel such as masterclasses, music workshops given by the invited artists (open to all interested parties with the aim of exchanging knowledge, in a more private environment with the possibility of meeting and playing with them), spontaneous musical jam sessions between with local musicians and guest artists, workshops, tours, guided tours of Trafaria, street animations, and local gastronomy.

As the schedule (above right) shows, the lineup includes Chris Luquette's East Coast Bluegrass Band (USA), the Milkeaters (CZ), the Long John Brothers (CH), Mad Meadows (D), Long Way Home (USA/NL), and Portugal's own Stonebones & Bad Spaghetti + Chris Smith. Long Way Home will be familiar to Irish fans from the active part they played on the scene here during the pandemic years, when they were based in Cork.

Andre points out that support is still needed to cover the festival budget, and a GoFundMe campaign has been set up for those who wish to donate.

© Richard Hawkins

The Common Good - for Dunmore East 2023

As an introduction to their appearancez at the coming Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival (25-27 Aug.), thanks to Richie Foley of Youghal for this descriptive review of The Common Good, written by Niall Toner after they played at this year's Kilkenny Roots Festival:

The Common Good are a recently formed six-piece band consisting of top-notch musicians and singers from Counties Cork and Waterford, with a unique approach to a wide range of covers and originals, a great mix of vocals and instrumentals, and a wonderful fun approach to their live performance. The main focus is on a twinning of mandolin, played by Richie Foley, and acoustic guitar played by Ted Farrell, which gives a 'folksy' sound, but there's nothing twee here, as their complex and exciting solos are backed up by an ensemble that can truly rock. This solid rhythm is provided by Barry Lawlor on bass and the youthful Paddy Moloney on (very) solid drums. Kieran Ahern plays rhythm guitar and sings, and Karl Prendergast is superb on keyboards and vocals. With three great singers, and a very high standard of musicianship all round, all combined with great humour, The Common Good epitomises truly what a great band should be.

Even the relatively obscure instrumentals, like those by Bela Fleck and Cory Wong, or the more well-known piece from Horslips, were delivered in a truly entertaining way, with one vocal highlight being a cover of Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby's 'The way it is'.

This is a combination of guys whose common aim is to entertain, and that they certainly did to a full house at the Left Bank as part of Kilkenny Roots 2023. Highly recommended for every occasion!

Niall Toner. May 2023

Fog Holler (USA): end of their tour in Europe

Kianna Mott-Smith, manager of Fog Holler from Portland, OR (who played at this year's Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival), concludes her chronicle of the band's two-month tour in Europe with the fifth instalment, an account on Bluegrass Today of their final shows in Belgium and the Netherlands, ending with the Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival (23-25 June) and the beginning of the journey home. It's a rewarding description of what was clearly a rewarding experience, and includes two videos from their Rotterdam sets.

© Richard Hawkins

Two Time Polka: gigs 23 July-6 Aug. 2023

Ray Barron of Two Time Polka sends news of the band's forthcoming gigs:

Sun. 23rd July: Emo, Co. Laois; Fleadh Stage, 8.15 p.m.; see festival website for tickets (part of Forest Fest)

Fri. 28th: Greyhound Bar, Kilkee, Co. Clare, 9.30 p.m., adm. free

Sat. 29th: Blue Haven Bar, Kinsale, Co. Cork. 10.00 p.m., adm. free

Sun. 30th: Crane Lane Theatre, Cork city, 11.55 p.m., adm. free

Sat. 5th Aug.: O’Connell St., Waterford city, open air, 4.00 p.m., adm. free (part of Waterford Spraoi)

Sun. 6th: Market St., Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry; open air, 3.30 p.m., adm. free (part of Cahersiveen Festival of Music & the Arts)

Check our website for all gig details.

Regards & thanks,

Ray & TTP

© Richard Hawkins 

Detached notes + PS

Recordings recently released by Pinecastle Records include albums by Dale Ann Bradley and Lorraine Jordan. as well as singles by them and by Danny Burns and Danny Paisley. YouTube videos of the singles can be seen on the Pinecastle press release. 'I loved 'em every one', the new single by Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road, had its radio debut on 30 June and will be available on digital platforms on 14 July.

*

Bluegrass Unlimited's Newsletter no. 138 announces that in the coming weeks Jesse McReynolds and Bobby Osborne will be commemorated by archive articles and Spotify playlists. A 1977 article on the Osborne Brothers by Pete Kuykendall, BU editor, can be read here.

*

Turnberry Records announce the release of an official video of Mike Mitchell's rendition of 'Love of the mountains', a song written by Allen Mills, bass player of the influential Lost and Found band. The song was sung by Larry Cohea of California's High Country at one of the first (possibly the first) of the Athy bluegrass festivals, and again two months ago by High Plains Tradition at the Durrow Mini-Bluegrass Festival. The Mitchell video can be seen on the Turnberry press release, on Bluegrass Today, and on YouTube.

*

Finally, yesterday on Bluegrass Today Richard Thompson commemorated 4 July 1941, when Doc Watson, then 18 years old, played for the first time into a microphone, resulting in the first audio recording of his playing.

PS: John Lawless has reported on Bluegrass Today that Willie Nelson's next album will comprise a dozen of his classic songs, newly recorded with backing by first-class bluegrass musicians. A video of a debut single, 'You left me a long, long time ago', can be seen on Bluegrass Today and on YouTube. His admirers will be relieved to know that Willie's characteristic vocal delivery and sense of timing have not been bluegrassified.

© Richard Hawkins

Watch Crossover Festival (GB) on livestream

Uri Kohen of the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival forwards this announcement by the organisers of the Crossover Festival of bluegrass, old-time, and Americana music (14-16 July). Uri adds: 'We are happy to support this event and their wonderful lineup.'

CAN'T MAKE THE FESTIVAL? LIVE IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY? We've got you covered!

The concerts at Crossover Festival will be livestreamed for your viewing pleasure! Thanks to the renowned 'Fat Pigeon' video company, you can expect top-notch sound and video quality that will make you feel like you're right there in the action.

While we're offering FREE access to the livestream via Facebook and YouTube, we kindly urge you to PURCHASE a livestream ticket (only £12.50 per concert) to support this event and the incredible musicians involved. Your ticket purchase directly contributes to covering the costs of running this immersive experience and ensures the artists receive the recognition they deserve.

You can buy a full weekend livestream concert ticket or any of the individual concerts. Schedule below:

Friday Night: 6:45 - 11 PM
Saturday Afternoon: 1 - 5 PM
Saturday Evening: 6:45 - 11 PM
Sunday Afternoon: 12 - 4 PM

Purchase your tickets now at https://www.crossoverfest.com/tickets-1 and get ready for a livestream experience that brings the festival atmosphere straight to your screens! Don't miss out on this chance to support the event and enjoy music from the comfort of your own home.

© Richard Hawkins

Cairncastle Ulster Scots Bluegrass Workshop and Concert, 28 July 2023

The Bluestack Mountain Boys (Dublin)

The Knotty Pine String Band (Omagh)

Thanks to Adrian Rolston of the Cairncastle Ulster Scots organisation for news of their Cross-Community Festival (see programme, right), to be held in the Halfway House Hotel, 352 Coast Road, Ballygally, Larne, Co. Antrim, on 27-30 July.

In particular, the bluegrass section of the Festival will begin at 2.00 p.m. on Friday 28 July with an admission-free workshop on the history of bluegrass music, and continue from 7.15 p.m. with an evening concert featuring Cormac Crummey (banjo), the Knotty Pine String Band (Omagh), and the Bluestack Mountain Boys (Dublin). Admission is £10. Further information will be posted on the hotel Facebook, and can also be got by phone (07889659165).

© Richard Hawkins

Fog Holler's experiences in Ireland

Kianna Mott-Smith, manager of Fog Holler, has been compiling a chronicle of the band's two-month tour of Europe, and the BIB has reported the appearance of previous instalments on Bluegrass Today. Yesterday the fourth instalment of the chronicle was published; it describes at length and in detail their time in Ireland, and is headed by the photo above, which (though not captioned) will be recognised by all who know the Red Room, Cookstown.

While Fog Holler and their manager seem to have had good times throughout their European tour, this instalment is an outstanding endorsement of the Westport festival and the Red Room - the latter considered not just as a venue, but as the whole environment that Arnie and Sharon Loughrin have created. The instalment includes two videos (one from the Westport concert, and one from an earlier show in the Netherlands) and sixteen photos.

© Richard Hawkins

Eilis Boland on Westport 2023

L-r, top row: indoor old-time session, Rustic Robots, Fog Holler; middle row, Kody Norris Show, Jacob Groopman & Melody Walker, outdoor old-time session; bottom row, Bill & the Belles, workshop, Lluis Gomez Quartet

'The small team in Westport have pulled off yet another successful production, their seventeenth, to continue the high standards of what has been rightly declared as one of the top boutique festivals in Ireland' - the first sentence of Eilis Boland's report for Lonesome Highway on this year's Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival. Read the whole of the report here, and look also at the post on the Lonesome Highway Facebook.

© Richard Hawkins

Brit (and former Westport performer) joins high-profile US band

John Lawless announces on Bluegrass Today that the Tennessee Bluegrass Band (whose founder members include fiddler Aynsley Porchak, a leading disciple of the late Kenny Baker, and banjo-player Lincoln Hensley, keeper of the heritage of the late Sonny Osborne) has taken on two new members, both from family-band backgrounds.

Anissa Burnett (bass) is a distinguished alumnus of the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) bluegrass, old-time, and roots music course. Geary Allen (guitar) comes from the Allen Family Band based in Margate, England, who made a solid contributions to a past Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival. A 2014 photo of the Allen Family. showing Geary as he was then, can be found on the BIB.

The story of how both new members came to join the Tennessee Bluegrass Band is told in detail in the Bluegrass Today article, which includes two YouTube videos of them making their indvidual contributions to the band's sound. In the photo above, Anissa and Geary are first and second from the right respectively.

© Richard Hawkins