Two Time Polka: June gigs

Ray Barron of Two Time Polka announces the band's gigs over the next few weeks:

Sat. 4th: BikeFest, Killarney, Co. Kerry. Harley Bar, 9.30 p.m.

Sun. 5th: Strings & Things Festival, Clashmore, Co. Waterford, River Stage 7.30 p.m.

Sun. 19th: Cork Summer Show, Curraheen, Co. Cork, open air, 2.00 p.m.

All gigs are on our website and Facebook page. Regards & thanks,

Ray & TTP

© Richard Hawkins

Bluegrass Omagh 2022: a view from the audience

Above, top to bottom: Midnight Run, Cup O' Joe, Broken Strings,
Anthony Toner and the Doone Brothers

Thanks to Des Butler for these photos and the weekend experiences of himself and his wife Pat. Des writes:

Just back from Omagh and was glad to have attended if just to get back on the 'Bluegrass Trail' again and shake off cobwebs. Huge attendance but not all bluegrass fans - a lot there just for a day out and to picnic with some very young family members, but of course that is people's prerogative.

Top of the bill was Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, who delivered a hard-driving, non-stop, solid bluegrass performance. Having heard this band perform at the Shannonside Winter Fest in January 2020, courtesy of John Nyhan, I have to say they blew me away then and also at Omagh; the only drawback at Omagh, in my opinion, was their performance was outdoors and at times the sound system did not lend itself to that environment.

Slocan Ramblers gave an equally fine performance with superb musicianship and harmonies. Likewise Cup O' Joe, Broken String Band, and a band I hadn't been able to get to hear until now - Anthony Toner and the Doone Brothers, whom I enjoyed immensely.

Unfortunately the climate in this country does not always lend itself to outdoor performances. During both days of the festival the Folk Park was basked in sunshine but as evening drew in the temperature dropped remarkably, to such an extent that on Saturday night roughly twenty-five per cent of the audience had left prior to the finale. We ourselves left about twenty minutes before the last performance as it had got far too chilly to remain seated outdoors even though we had layered up.

Catering facilities were very much disjointed, with various outlets having to be visited if one wanted to partake in food as well as any beverage. Another drawback on leaving the Folk Park was that there appeared to be no taxis servicing the venue. Having phoned two local taxi services and being told by them they would be there in half an hour, an hour later and none appeared. On trying to contact them again their phones were not being answered.

Here's to the old days at Omagh with several top bands, a heated (if necessary) marquee, good hospitality outlets, and solid bluegrass fans - not to forget the great jamming sessions afterwards.

© Richard Hawkins

The mobile Long Way Home

Long Way Home - Owen Schinkel (NL) and Kylie Kay Anderson (USA) - have a schedule that is keeping them on the move. Last week, after playing at Millstreet, Co. Cork, on 22 May in their series of outdoor concerts, they left on Wednesday for the Netherlands, where they played a set in the European World Of Bluegrass festival on Thursday; they were back in Ireland in time to look in at the Bluegrass Omagh launch in the town on Friday evening, and prepare for their four sets at the Folk Park over Saturday and Sunday. Owen writes:

It all worked out great and we had a great time at both of the festivals! We’re very grateful that things are starting to get rolling with our Long Way Home duo.

This coming weekend (Sat. 4 June) Long Way Home continue their outdoor concert series, playing at 3.00 p.m. in the O'Brien Street Park, Kanturk, Co. Cork (see their Facebook). The following weekend they will be playing the opening gig in this year's Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival.

© Richard Hawkins

EBMA needs YOU!

The European Bluegrass Music Association (EBMA) announced on its Facebook on 23 May:

In recent years EBMA was restructured to proactively support fans, bands and artists, festivals, young musicians and commercial partners.

In addition to providing information and being a focal point for bluegrass in Europe, EBMA has financially supported young musicians through the Youth Scholarship programme; it has created a musicians network; it has contributed prize money for the European bluegrass band competition at La Roche, as well as making grants available for band projects and new events. Member bands and artists, festivals and commercial partners also have their own dedicated pages on the EBMA website.

Now that life is getting back to somewhere near normal, EBMA is also coming back to life.

… But!! we do not have enough resources within the EBMA Board to maintain this level of commitment and so we need more people to join the EBMA Board and take an active role in the following Business Areas:

Membership - Membership administration and members point-of-contact. Promoting EBMA, increasing membership and developing cost effective proposals for members benefits.

Member Bands and Artists - Regular contact and liaison to promote their activities and CD reviews. Updates for their EBMA website pages and promotion on social media.

Member Festivals - Regular contact and liaison to promote their activities. Updates for their EBMA website pages and promotion on social media. Listings other festivals on the events agenda.

Commercial Partners - Regular contact to promote their products and services, updates for their EBMA web pages and promotion on social media.

Youth Scholarships - Processing and approving applications. Regular contact and liaison with the organisers of workshops and camps. EBMA point of contact for the new initiative 'Kids on Bluegrass Europe'.

Audio and Video Broadcast - Point of contact and development. EBMA already has an Internet radio outlet for European bluegrass and has been invited to participate in an Internet video channel for acoustic music.

Newsletter - Define the content and produce a regular newsletter in coordination with the webmaster.

Social Media - Developing EBMA presence on social media, and coordinating with other business managers and the webmaster.

Finance - Support the Finance Manager with overall financial control and annual audit.

Without more support, EBMA will not be able to do all that it should be doing and may even have to close.

If you are interested in the future of European bluegrass and feel you might be able take on the work involved, then for further information and more detail on what it would involve, please email us at board@ebma.org.

BIB editor's note: The very first EBMA Youth Scholarships went in 2015 to two young banjo-players from this island: Evan Lyons of Co. Tipperary and Tabitha Agnew of Co. Armagh. See the BIB for 13 Nov. 2015.

Looking back: Bluegrass Omagh 2022

The BIB editor writes:

The first Bluegrass Omagh festival since 2019 ended yesterday (Sunday 29 May). There was a great deal to enjoy in meeting friends and hearing some of our favourite music in the atmosphere of the Ulster American Folk Park. But there had also been substantial changes in the character of the festival; changes that have aroused strong feelings among some of the most committed and active long-term supporters of bluegrass in this island - see, for instance, the many comments on the most recent post on Pete Toman's Facebook. I had meant to describe today my own experiences at the Park, but these can wait.

A positive few minutes on the festival appeared on BBC NI TV news this evening; the artists visible included Midnight Run and Cup O' Joe.

© Richard Hawkins

Special Consensus in Ireland, Jan.-Feb. 2023

The award-winning Special Consensus, founded in 1975 and going from strength to strength, first toured Ireland in 1995 and have since played here more times than any other band from abroad, settling into a biennial schedule of coming over early in the year. The BIB is delighted to announce that after missing 2021 because of the pandemic, the band are due back in January and February 2023. Their online tour schedule at present shows the following dates:

• Wed. 25th Jan.: The Black Box, Belfast, 12.00 p.m.
• Sat. 28th: Marketplace Theatre, Armagh city, 8.00 p.m.

[interval in Britain]

• Fri. 3rd Feb.: Colfers Pub, Danescastle [?Carrig-on Bannow, Co. Wexford?], 9.00 p.m.
• Sat. 4th: Bakers Bar, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, 9.00 p.m.
• Sun. 5th: Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, 8.00 p.m.
• Mon. 6th: Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork, 8.00 p.m.
• Wed. 8th: Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo town, 8.00 p.m.
• Thurs. 9th: Beehive Bar, Connonagh [?Ardara, Co. Donegal?], 8.00 p.m.
• Fri. 10th: Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, 8.00 p.m.
• Sat. 11th: Séamus Ennis Arts Centre & Café, Naul, Co. Dublin, 8.00 p.m.
• Mon. 13th: The Red Room, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, 8.00 p.m.

The photo above shows the Special C.'s current lineup: (l-r) Dan Eubanks, Greg Cahill, Greg Blake, Michael Prewitt.

Update 22 July: Since this post first appeared, two of the dates shown above have been dropped from the Special C. online tour schedule. We'll try to keep the BIB calendar up to date.

Update 19 Sept.: The band's tour schedule now shows a total of seventeen dates in this island from 25 Jan. to 14 Feb., with an interval of four dates in Britain, which include performing in the 2023 Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow. In addition, details of several of the dates shown above have been amended. A full updated list is now on the BIB calendar.

© Richard Hawkins

More detached notes (update)

Deering Banjos announce that Dan Walsh, English clawhammerist of Irish descent, was on Deering Live tonight (Thurs. 26 May), beginning at 8.00 p.m. Irish time; he was previously featured on 10 Sept. 2020. The interview will be available on YouTube. Themes up for discussion include two that have been raised on the Deering blog in the past week: 'Should clawhammer be a genre or a technique?' and 'Can you play clawhammer banjo on a resonator banjo?' Deering also provide a display of their range of clawhammer banjos.

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Tray Wellington, who was featured on Deering Live two weeks ago (see the BIB for 12 May), is interviewed by Tristan Scroggins on the Bluegrass Situation about his new album Black banjo.

Update 31 May: The album is reviewed by David Morris, with a playlist of samples from the tracks, on Bluegrass Today.

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The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) announce in their latest e-newsletter that applications are now open for the IBMA's new Internation Band Performance Grant programme to provide financial assistance to bands travelling from abroad to the 2022 IBMA World of Bluegrass and help to establish a 2023 follow-up tour in the United States. IBMA will also be creating more performance opportunities for international bands at the World of Bluegrass, including a stage in the new International Pavilion. Applications close on 1 June.

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Ashby Frank, who toured Ireland some years back as mandolinist with the Special Consensus and has since become an acclaimed songwriter and first-call for anyone who needs a top-flight mandolin player, has now joined the artist roster of the Mountain Home Music Company and is preparing an album with the help of many friends in the bluegrass world. A new single from it, the 1991 Peter Rowan song 'Midnight highway', can be heard on Bluegrass Today, and will be released tomorrow (27 May).

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Also on the Mountain Home artist roster, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers are now celebrating six songs - all written by Chris, and all released as successive singles from their album Make each second last - that have gone to no. 1 on the bluegrass radio charts. The photo at the bottom of this post shows the band (Mark Stoffel, Marshall Wilborn, Chris, and Grace van 't Hof) with Mountain Home's Ty Gilpin (centre). More details are on the Mountain Home press release.

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Jon Weisberger was for a long time a Night Driver, and played bass on the band's first tour in Ireland. He was the first recipient of an IBMA Songwriter of the Year award, and is now a producer for Mountain Home. He and Justin Hiltner have collaborated on an EP of gospel music, Room at the table, due for release tomorrow (Fri. 27 May), and they have released audio of a single from it, 'Send me, Lord, send me', which can be heard on Bluegrass Today, where both of them explain how the song came to be written.

© Richard Hawkins

John Watson

The BIB learns with great regret of the death last week of John Watson of Ballinamallard, Co. Fermanagh. John and his wife Hilda have been dedicated and active supporters of bluegrass, old-time, and related music for years, attending regularly the shows in the Red Room at Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, and in the two years before the pandemic they also opened to visiting bands their own house-concert venue at Dorney Bridge.

John's abiding legacy to music lovers is a substantial one: over the last seven years he added 580 fine videos to his YouTube channel, recording with sensitivity the work of many performers. Sharon Loughrin notes that '90% of the Red Room videos you'll see on Youtube are John's handiwork, created skilfully in his own style to share the music we all love.' Sharon's moving tribute to John on the Red Room Facebook includes his video of the Foghorn Stringband singing 'Old gospel ship'. Below is another of John's recordings: the Hamilton County Ramblers on their 2016 tour, performing 'Just a closer walk with Thee'.

Our deepest condolences go to Hilda on her loss.



© Richard Hawkins

The song box from Pat Burgess

The BIB editor writes:

Thanks to Pat Burgess of the Rye River Band from Leixlip, Co. Kildare, for the welcome news that he has just released The song box, his debut solo album comprising eleven original songs, plus one Dublin popular song from the 'Mrs Mulligan' canon which Pat has in tradition from his late father Jim Burgess (who in turn inherited it from his mother, Teresa). The album title honours his favourite 1970s Suzuki guitar, shown in the cover art.

The song box is a more personal departure from Pat's work with the Rye River Band, and it showcases his confident songwriting and musical arrangements. Don't expect a bluegrass record (though several of the songs would fit a bluegrass treatment). Pat has been influenced by many leading singers, songwriters, and groups of the last sixty years, and this shows in the wide range of genres in which he is at ease. In addition to his own six- and twelve-string acoustic guitars, electric guitar, mandolin, and bouzouki, guest musicians contribute drums, bass guitar, accordion, pedal steel, keyboards, harmonica, violin, cello, and backing vocals. The album notes are admirably informative, including complete lyrics to all twelve songs.

The song box CD album can be bought in store from Tower Records, 7 Dawson St, Dublin D02 X688, and online at https://www.towerrecords.ie/. It is also available for digital download/streaming on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, CDBaby, and BandCamp. Pat's dedication to making live music heard during the pandemic was shown in his series of 'Rye River Band Acoustic Live Stream' videos, all of which can now be seen on the Rye River Band Facebook.

© Richard Hawkins

Shane Hennessy tours, 2022: Germany and USA

The latest e-newsletter from Carlow's guitar maestro Shane Hennessy gives plenty of news, including the dates (above) for his coming tours abroad. The first of four dates in Germany during what remains of May will be tomorrow (26 May), with a further eleven dates there in October; while from 30 July to 18 September he will be in the USA playing nineteen dates at eleven locations, including the Walnut Valley Festival at Winfield, KS, home of the annual National Flat-Picking Championships. The dates can also be seen on his Facebook, and further dates, information, and tickets are available from his website.

© Richard Hawkins

Peggy Seeger and Calum MacColl: 'First Farewell Tour' in Ireland, 2-19 June

The Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, announced six months ago that the unique Peggy Seeger and her son Calum MacColl would be playing there in concert on Thursday 9 June. The full details of their 'First Farewell Tour' reveal that they will be playing fourteen events in this island, as follows:

Thurs. 2nd June: Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo, doors 7.30 p.m., onstage 8.00 p.m., €25/€12.50
Fri. 3rd: Townhall Theatre, Cavan, doors 7.30pm, onstage 8.00 p.m., €25
Sat. 4th: Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Co.. Kildare, doors 7.30 p.m., onstage 8.00 p.m., €25
Mon. 6th: St John's Arts Centre, Listowel, Co. Kerry (afternoon concert), doors 2.30 p.m., onstage 3.00 p.m., €30
Tues. 7th: St John's Arts Centre, Listowel, Co. Kerry (evening concert), doors 7.30 p.m., onstage 8.00 p.m., €30
Wed. 8th: Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick, doors 7.30 p.m., onstage 8.00 p.m., €30/€25
Thurs. 9th: Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, doors 7.30 p.m., onstage 8.00 p.m., €30
Sat. 11th: Roisin Dubh, Galway, 7.30 p.m., €32
Sun. 12th: Doolin Folk Festival, Doolin, Co. Clare
Wed. 15th: Seamus Heaney Homeplace, Bellaghy, Co. Londonderry, 7.30 p.m., £22.50
Thurs. 16th: Black Box, Belfast, 7.00 p.m., £23.50/£21
Fri. 17th: Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny, 8.00 p.m., €27
Sat. 18th: Source Arts Centre, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, 8.00 p.m., €27
Sun. 19th: The White Horse, Ballincollig, Co. Cork, 8.00 p.m., €25

Online booking facilities are given in the link to each venue.

© Richard Hawkins

Westport 2022 official launch, 21 May

The Festival Committee (Uri Kohen, Freda Hatton, Tim Rogers, Sarah MacEvilly) with Ann-Marie McGing and Desmond Downes (art designer)

Thanks to Uri Kohen for this news:

On Saturday, Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival was officially launched and entered the last furlong in preparations for the sixteenth instalment of the festival. On the night Ann-Marie McGing, Mayo County Council Arts Officer, did the honour of launching the event, and the new art work and programme of events was on display.

Music on the night was provided by Derek Mcloughlin and the much loved Hubie & Sarah MacEvilly (The Rocky Top String Band) backed by Tommy 'T-Bone' Lyons & Tim Rogers.

Artwork for the inside (left) and outside of the new Festival programme

The Band

Derek McLoughlin

© Richard Hawkins

Danny Paisley confronts throat cancer (Updates)

Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass at Omagh 2008 (photo: Norman and Heather Brown)

Danny Paisley, one of the most respected singers and bandleaders in traditional bluegrass, announced yesterday on his Facebook that he has been diagnosed with oropharyngeal (throat) cancer. Fortunately, the cancer is small and develops slowly, and the early diagnosis - coupled with Danny's highly positive attitude - gives a very good chance of successful treatment and full recovery. The course of treatment begins next month. More details are given by John Lawless on Bluegrass Today.

Danny Paisley first played in Ireland in the mid 1990s as a member of Southern Grass, led by his father Bob. Since Bob's death in 2004, Danny has led the band, who were headliners at the Omagh festival in 2008. Both occasions fully demonstrated how powerful and intense a traditional bluegrass band can be.

Update 23 May: A GoFundMe campaign to help with medical expenses has been set up by Danny's friends and fans in the California Bluegrass Association. The target is $47,000.

Update 24 May: See also Richard Thompson's article on Bluegrass Today.

Update 5 Aug.: John Lawless announces on Bluegrass Today 'the best news of the summer so far' - Danny Paisley's return to the stage.

Update 25 Oct.: John Lawless announces on Bluegrass Today that doctors have declared Danny Paisley to be free of throat cancer and in good shape.

© Richard Hawkins

Single 'Hummingbird' and upcoming album from We Banjo 3

Galway's We Banjo 3, kings of Celtgrass, announce that their new single 'Hummingbird' can now be heard on the streaming platforms, and that

Our upcoming album Open the road — out July 15th — meets on the corner of complex-but-nimble instrumentation. It’s a combination of which you, our fans, have been enjoying from studio to stage since we first landed on American shores ten years ago. Hear the new songs out on the road this summer.

Tickets can be bought here for the band's currently booked US tour dates from next month to February 2023. More dates will be added in due course.

© Richard Hawkins

The latest BBN

The latest issue (no. 97, spring 2022) of British Bluegrass News (BBN), journal of the British Bluegrass Music Asociation, includes a good deal of immediate interest to bluegrass fans in Ireland. There are two three-page articles by Maria Wallace of the UK's True North Music agency: one warmly recommending Bluegrass Omagh (to which True North are sending this year the Slocan Ramblers and Vivian Levy & Riley Calcagno) and one on the Stillhouse Junkies (on the bill at the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival next month). The four-page cover story by Philippa Ogden is on the Often Herd, whose two recent releases are also reviewed. (Their online tour schedule shows them as on the Omagh bill, though they're not at present on the festival's lineup page). Omagh and Westport are both listed in the BBN event calendar.

Other features include a retrospective by Richard Holland on this year's Sore Fingers Summer School, and the map of music teachers includes Hubert Murray in Tullamore. The production standards, as always, are high.

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The BIB learns with deep regret of the death on 25 January this year of John Leslie Pritchard, known far and wide as John Les, who with Gill Williams founded, directed, and upheld the North Wales Bluegrass Festival, which many musicians and fans from Ireland will have known during its twenty-eight years. Tony Franks's moving obituary in BBN is based on his report of John's death on the Festival's Facebook, which includes many photos of John, Gill, the Festival setting, and the artists who played there - among whom are Paul McEvoy, Barney Bowes, and Tom Hanway. The condolences of all who knew John go out to his family and Gill.

© Richard Hawkins

'The McConversations' at Bluegrass Omagh: midday, 28 May 2022

The photo above (credit: culturenorthernireland.org), used on 20 Apr. 2020 in the BIB post 'The democratic dungaree', shows Richard Hurst (for thirty-three years Visitor Services Manager of the Ulster American Folk Park, and head of the organising team of its annual Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival from 1992) and the irreplaceable Geordie McAdam (fiddle), who died early in 2021. Thanks now to Richard for this news of an important addition to the Bluegrass Omagh 2022 programme:

On Saturday 28th at around midday I will be delivering the 'McConversations' session in our Emigrants Gallery over an hour, during which time I will attempt to take people through the last thirty years (that’s two minutes per year!). Of course we will remember the Mcs we have lost, including Tony [McAuley], Rodney [McElrea], Geordie [McAdam], and also Aidan McGale of the Knotty Pine String Band. May they all Rest in Peace.

Richard aims to provide a behind-the-scenes insight into some of the special moments created over the past three decades, and visions of those yet to come. He writes:

The fact that we are continuing to deliver this wonderful event following the challenges of Covid is something we should all take the time to celebrate. Here’s hoping the fourth decade provides much joy and celebration, and introduces more people to the music we love.

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The Ulster American Folk Park has published on its Facebook the photo above and this advice to visitors to the Festival:

It's been a while since our last festival so here's a refresher on some weekend essentials...

• Bring a camping chair or something comfy to sit on
• Bring a raincoat (the sun is set to shine but best to be prepared!)
• If you need cash, bring it with you (there won't be ATMs available, but card payments will be accepted)
• Take the bus! (Shuttle buses to the festival will be available from Omagh Town and the campsite)

BBQ's, glass bottles and alcohol for personal use aren't permitted on site, however picnics are welcomed and our bars are fully stocked!
Read our FAQs here.

© Richard Hawkins

Slocan Ramblers: new album due out 10 June 2022 (update)

Canada's Slocan Ramblers, who first toured Ireland in October 2017 and returned two years later, are on the bill for this year's Bluegrass Omagh festival, taking place on the weekend 28-29 May.

Earlier this year (22 March) the BIB relayed news from a Hearth Music press release on the Ramblers' coming album Up the hill and through the fog, when a single from it was released - their version of the Tom Petty song 'A mind with a heart of its own'. The album is due for release on 10 June. The latest press release from Hearth Music includes a video (also on YouTube) of another song from the album, 'I don't know'.

There's also a video of the Ramblers' banjo-player Frank Evans in a clawhammer-banjo duet with Billy Strings. Earlier this week Billy Strings was nominated for the Americana Music Association Artist of the Year award; he and his band are scheduled to play in Dublin on 9 December 2022.

Update 7 June: The official video of 'I don't know' can now be seen on YouTube and on John Lawless's feature on Bluegrass Today.

© Richard Hawkins

Detached notes

Table for Two (right), who impressed many music-lovers in Ireland during their visit in January 2020, consists of Thierry Schoysman (Belgium) and Signe Borch (Denmark). Both are multi-instrumentalists, though they played their nine gigs here (five of them as support to Seth Mulder & Midnight Run) primarily as a mandolin duo. For more about them, see the BIB for 30 Dec. 2019.

Thanks to Bluegrass in Belgium for the news that Thierry and Signe played their most recent show on Sunday (15 May), a house concert in Schoten, near Antwerp.

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Ken Perlman, master of 'melodic clawhammer' banjo, announces that the last online live instructional banjo workshop in his current 'Clawhammer Clinic' series will be 'Up-the-neck "melodic" fingering forms that feature 5th-string fretting' on Mon. 23 May. All Ken's past Clinics are available as videos from his website at $25 each, and he can also be contacted for private lessons by Zoom.

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The Often Herd (Rupert Hughes, guitar, vocals; Evan Davies, mandolin, vocals; Niles Krieger, fiddle, vocals; Sam Quintana, bass) from Newcastle upon Tyne (UK), toured Ireland in June 2015 in their previous five-piece configuration as 'The Kentucky Cow Tippers', performing at the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival and other venues.

Since their rebranding, they have won the Best European Bluegrass Band award at the 2018 La Roche Bluegrass Festival. Their new full-length album, Where the big lamp shines, has been featured by John Lawless on Bluegrass Today. The official video of a single from the album, 'Inner peace', can be seen on Bluegrass Today and on YouTube.

© Richard Hawkins

Jens Kruger banjo masterclasses: series 2 from Deering

Deering Banjos announce a second series of free 5-string banjo masterclasses from the unique Jens Kruger, who today (Tues. 17 May) will be talking about the many different banjo tunings that can be used to add another layer to one's playing. The class can be watched here or on YouTube. Deering also draw attention to their Jens Kruger Signature string set (11, 12, 13, 22, 11) and the Jens Kruger banjo with Deering 06 tone ring.

© Richard Hawkins

Quote of the month

From an interview with Ry Cooder (RC) by Jason Verlinde, editor of the Fretboard Journal:

FJ: What are you playing these days when you’re just at home?

RC: Well, I play guitar... and banjo is good for your coordination. Banjo, especially what they call a Round Peak banjo, that frailing style. That’s really good for your brain when you get older, to keep your hand-to-eye coordination right. Keep your chops really up. I do that. That’s my physical exercise.

The full interview can be read here.

Jake Blount and band in Britain, 19 May-5 June 2022

Thanks to the FOAOTMAD news blog for the information that (thanks to the UK's True North music agency), the award-winning banjo- and fiddle-player and singer Jake Blount (right; also on Facebook) will begin in a few days' time a tour of England and Wales, accompanied by a powerful three-piece string band. The tour comprises twelve shows, ending with two sets at the Fire in the Mountain festival in west Wales. Bio details, a full itinerary, and links to venues are given on the True North tour page.

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Playing fiddle in the Jake Blount band touring Britain will be George Jackson, born in New Zealand and now based in Nashville, TN, who was featured on Oldtime Central two years ago and has released a striking album, Hair & hide. Introducing his review of the album on Bluegrass Today, Braeden Paul writes: 'The combination of the fiddle and the banjo is one of the world’s oldest musical traditions, dating back before the beginning of the Civil War.' In that sentence 'the world', of course, means 'the United States of America'.

Be that as it may, Hair & hide is not just an album by an outstanding fiddler; it's a milestone among recordings of fiddle-and-banjo duets, with seven different banjo-players taking part in the fourteen tracks. On two of the tracks, Jake Blount plays banjo; on another two, Jackson's fellow Kiwi B.B. Bowness, whom audiences here have seen as a member of Boston's Mile Twelve. And another of the tracks is Jackson's own composition, 'Neighbor Mike', with which he won the 2021 Mike Auldridge Instrumental Contest.

© Richard Hawkins

Jerry Garcia in Ireland: the saga continues

The BIB has published several items over the years concerning Jerry Garcia's banjo-playing and/or a visit he made to Ireland. Readers can locate all these items by clicking on the label 'Jerry Garcia' at the end of this post. Research by Tim Rogers indicates that the visit was in 1994 (see the BIB for 15 Oct. 2019). In February 2022 a comment on the 2019 post was received from 'Charlie B', stating:

I visited a bar in Ramelton just north of Letterkenny Bridge Bar. There is a picture of Jerry in the bar of Jerry at that bar. Looks like 1993-94 pic of him. The owner told me he stopped in for a couple pints and he even played a few songs. I do have a picture of that photo. They did not know what he played.

At midnight last night, 'Anonymous' sent in a further comment in response to 'Charlie B':

What kind of guitar did he play in the Irish pub? Can you share a glimpse of the photo?

The BIB has no clue as to the identity of 'Charlie B' or 'Anonymous', and no way of contacting them, let alone putting them in touch with one another. Perhaps both of them will happen to look either at this post or the 2019 one...

© Richard Hawkins

Nu-Blu (USA) host tour of Ireland,10-18 Sept. 2022

The BIB reported on 28 Mar. that Nu-Blu, the dynamic bluegrass/ Americana band from Siler City, NC, are relaunching their Encounter Ireland Tours enterprise. On 5 May the band announced on their Facebook:

It's time to travel again! IRELAND is calling! JOIN US on a very special tour of IRELAND in September as we journey across the country, taking in the beautiful historical sites, dining in and staying in castles, meeting locals and enjoying some local Irish music. It's a trip of a lifetime, limited to just 20 people!

See the 'Destination tours' of the band's website for more details. Nu-Blu made their debut performance tour of Ireland in a trio configuration in the autumn of 2019. They also host the weekly half-hour TV programme 'Bluegrass Ridge', available on several networks.

© Richard Hawkins

Mama's Broke in Ireland, 22 June-2 July 2022 (updates)

Canadian neo-old-time duo Mama's Broke (right; photo: Ash Norman), who played in Dublin three years ago (see the BIB for 3 July 2019), when they were filmed by Dublin-based film-maker Myles O’Reilly (see the BIB for 3 Mar. 2022), will be back in Ireland on 22 June for a tour of seven shows, after playing eleven shows in Britain beginning on 2 June. All the shows in Ireland will be shared with the trio Rufous Nightjar.

Mama's Broke consists of Lisa Maria (vocals, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, feet) and Amy Lou Keeler (vocals, banjo, guitar, mandolin). Their latest album, Narrow line, is reviewed by Laura Stanley in No Depression, with two videos of songs from the album. Their schedule in Ireland, as shown on their website, is:

• Wed. 22nd June: Mama’s Broke & Rufous Nightjar, Manorhamilton Castle, Co. Leitrim, 7.30 p.m.
• Thurs. 23rd: Mama’s Broke & Rufous Nightjar, The Duncairn, Belfast, 7.00 p.m.
• Fri. 24th: Mama’s Broke & Rufous Nightjar, Coughlan's, Douglas St., Cork, 7.30 p.m.
• Sun. 26th: Mama’s Broke & Rufous Nightjar, Connolly's of Leap, Co. Cork, 7.00 p.m.
• Thurs. 30th: Mama’s Broke & Rufous Nightjar, Waterville, Co. Kerry, 7.30 p.m.
• Fri. 1st July: Mama’s Broke & Rufous Nightjar, The Attic, Hotel Doolin, Rivervale, Doolin, Co. Clare, 7.30 p.m.
• Sat. 2nd: Mama’s Broke & Rufous Nightjar, Mountshannon, Co. Clare, 7.30 p.m.

Update 17 May: Rufous Nightjar will be performing on 18 June at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, as part of its 'Tradition Now' series.

Update 19 May: Mama's Broke are featured in an article by Lee Zimmerman on Bluegrass Today, which includes three videos.

© Richard Hawkins

Tray Wellington on Deering Live TONIGHT (update)

Trajan 'Tray' Wellington is featured on Deering Live on the eve of his greatly anticipated solo album Black banjo, which is available from tomorrow (Fri. 13 May) from the Mountain Home Music Company. In this episode, he talks about the inspiration behind Black banjo, and about his own experiences as a black banjo player in bluegrass music. The interview can also be watched on YouTube.

Updates 13 May: Much more information about both Tray Wellington and the new album (cover design, left) is on the Mountain Home Music Company press release.

Nancy Posey has also featured the album on No Depression in a review including videos of two tracks. 

 
© Richard Hawkins

A taste of the NTB at Kilkenny

On 2 May the BIB reported on the success with which the Niall Toner Band (NTB) had met the demands of the Kilkenny Roots Festival weekend. Thanks now to Niall Toner for this footage (also on YouTube), which fully proves the point. Shot by Fiaz Farrelly, it shows the NTB in their Kilkenny configuration at one of the weekend's engagements, playing one of Niall's own compositions, 'Million dollar bill'.

© Richard Hawkins

More news of past US visitors

The McLain Family Band (l-r): Daxson Lewis, Alice White,
Raymond W. McLain, Ruth McLain, Al White

On Monday Bluegrass Today published an article by Olyvia Neal on the retirement of Raymond W. McLain as director of the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music at Morehead State University, KY. Sonny Osborne considered Raymond the most under-appreciated banjo-player of his time; audiences in Ireland had a chance to enjoy his musicianship as leader of the McLain Family Band from Berea, KY, whose two-week tour here in July 2018 was organised by John Nyhan. In addition, Neal's article admirably illustrates the importance of his twenty-plus-years work as an educator, and of his approach to the place of music in life.

As previously mentioned on Bluegrass Today by Sandy Hatley, the Malpass Brothers (right) - for whom three Omagh festivals were the first bluegrass festivals they played at - have taken over as hosts of the festival at Denton FarmPark, NC, after the retirement of Doyle Lawson. The first Malpass Brothers Bluegrass & Country Music Festival was held last weekend, with very positive responses as shown in Hatley's recent article.

Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers are delighted by the advent of spring; by their busy May schedule; by the prospect of their next Inductrial Strength Bluegrass Festival in November, about which news will be anounced on 17 May; and by the time they had on the Grand Ole Opry on 5 April. Learn more from their e-newsletter and website.

Amanda Anne Platt & the Honeycutters, who headlined the 2018 Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival, recently had their new album The Devil and the deep blue sea featured in an article by Kim Ruehl in the Bluegrass Situation online magazine. They will be playing in concert at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, TN/VA, on 20 May in the Museum's 1927 Society concert series. Tickets can be bought here or here.

© Richard Hawkins

US bands in Europe (2)

Two months ago the BIB posted news of the 18th International Bühl Bluegrass Festival, to be held this coming weekend (13-14 May) in Bühl, Baden-Württemberg, south-west Germany, a bluegrass-friendly city. The bill includes three US bands who have played in Ireland in the past: Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, Chatham County Line, and the Hackensaw Boys, as well as Belgium-based Old Salt and Blue Side of Town (D). Chatham County Line played in Dublin a week ago, their only scheduled date in this island.

The organisers of the 10th Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival (24-26 June) announce that the lineup for this year's event is now complete with thirty-five acts, nine of which are from the USA and one (the Lonesome Ace Stringband) from Canada, twelve from the Netherlands (headed by our old friends the Blue Grass Boogiemen), and high-quality groups from the rest of Europe. In just over ten years (two of them lost to the pandemic), the festival has grown from a local party with 250 visitors to a major three-day event with over 16,000 attending.

Europe's oldest bluegrass festival, the Banjo Jamboree (held under the auspices of the Bluegrass Association of the Czech Republic), will take place this year on 17-18 June at Čáslav in the Czech Republic. The wealth of native talent provides twenty of the bands on the programme, but also taking part are our old Italian friends Red Wine and one US visitor: Casey Driessen, equally adventurous as fiddler, traveller, and teacher.

© Richard Hawkins

'Make this world my home' live video from Mules & Men

Dublin-based Mules & Men have just released on YouTube a four-minute video of their original song 'Make this world my home', with Lily Sheehan (right) singing lead and the whole band (plus Benjamin Burns guesting on keyboard) displaying their trademark intensity and daring. The song was recorded at the Ailfionn Recording Studio in Drumcondra, Dublin 3.

© Richard Hawkins

Exciting new show at Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival

Thanks to the team producing the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival for news of an exciting addition to this year's programme:

Footwork & Fiddles: An Irish/Appalachian Dance Exchange

In association with Appalshop, the festival organising committee are proud to present a uniquely commissioned show that will examine and showcase the similarities and differences between Irish and Appalachian dance styles.

Presented by Carla Gover (Kentucky, USA) and Bernadette Nic Gabhann (Ireland) - we will explore the journey that Irish fiddle tunes and dance styles made from all over Ireland to the heart of the Appalachian region and back.

The event will take place in Westport Town Hall Theatre on Saturday 11 June at 2.30 p.m. Tickets are €10 and can be got via the festival's website.

© Richard Hawkins

Obsessed with the West from Brennen Leigh

Brennen Leigh, who has toured Ireland several times with Noel McKay (the duo headlined the bluegrass section of the 2019 Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival), has released a new album, Obsessed with the West, in which she is partnered with the premier Western Swing revival band Asleep at the Wheel, as well as Noel McKay and others. On her Facebook she writes: 'These are all new original Western swing songs. I hope they resonate with the joy infused in their making.'

She is also this month's Spotlight Artist for No Depression online magazine, which published a few days ago an interview article on the album by Maeri Ferguson. Three videos from YouTube are included: two of recordings from the album, and one specially filmed rendering of another track, 'In Texas with a band'. The album can be bought from Brennen Leigh's store.

© Richard Hawkins

Stillhouse Junkies release 'Colorado bound' (update)

Colorado's Stillhouse Junkies (Cody Tinnin, bass; Alissa Wolf, fiddle; and Fred Kosak, guitar), who are on the bill for the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival next month, are releasing today their new single 'Colorado bound' on Stephen Mougin's Dark Shadow Recording label. Written by Fred Kosak, the song tells the story of his grandfather Al Kosak, driving the family Ford station wagon from Duluth, Minnesota, out to the Pacific Ocean in the early 1950s at a steady 35 mph for fuel economy. The band's official video of the song can be seen and heard on YouTube. More details are on the Dark Shadow press release.

Update 14 May: On Bluegrass Today, John Lawless writes: 'The hands down favorites at the 2021 World of Bluegrass convention were Stillhouse Junkies, who won over every audience they appeared before...'

© Richard Hawkins

Brazil, Galway, and Bluegrass Today

Wagner Creoruska and his band O Bardo e o Banjo, who are active in making bluegrass music and the 5-string banjo widely known in Brazil (see the BIB for 3 Apr. 2022) are featured on Bluegrass Today in an interview article by Lee Zimmerman. Their album O tempo e a memoria, mentioned by Zimmerman, was recorded and produced by Galway's own representative of Brazilian bluegrass, César Benzoni, who is a sound engineer, video maker, operator of the Yodel Recording Services studio, mandolin- and guitar-player in the Galway-based Rocky River Bluegrass Show, and also a friend of Wagner Creoruska. César's YouTube channel is well worth visiting for instruction, advice, instrument reviews, and much more.

© Richard Hawkins

'Hummingbird' single from We Banjo 3

Galway's We Banjo 3, originators of Celtgrass, announce:

We're excited to share that our new single 'Hummingbird' will be released May 20th. This song was originally started in lockdown in Nashville in March 2020 before finally being finished in Maryland two years later. It's a feel-good song - we feel good when we play it, and we hope you'll feel good when you hear it. Pre-Save 'Hummingbird' now!

© Richard Hawkins

Bruce Molsky in Dublin next month

The latest Weekly Dispatch, issued by the Bluegrass Situation (BGS) online magazine, announces that the BGS's Artist of the Month for May 2022 is the epoch-making Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, headliners at Omagh some years in the past. The article by BGS staff on the band focuses on their latest album, Dirt does Dylan, comprising ten covers of Bob Dylan songs. There is also a playlist of thirty-two tracks from past Dirt Band recordings.

Of at least equal interest to BIB readers, perhaps, is the Lindsey Terrell article 'Bruce Molsky brings a masterful touch to fingerstyle guitar on new album', focused on Bruce Molsky's new album Everywhere you go. Molsky is most widely known as an outstanding fiddler and banjo-player in southern traditional style, though his first solo album, Lost boy (1996) showed that he was also a powerful, sensitive guitarist with wide-ranging tastes, proved by his playing of the Congolese masterpiece 'Masanga'. In Terrell's article, Molsky explains some of the factors that formed his tastes, and how the album was compiled and produced. Four YouTube videos are included.

Bruce Molsky is also a member of Andy Irvine's band Mozaik, and next month he will be one of many musicians coming together in Vicar Street, Dublin 8, on Monday 20 June for Andy's eightieth birthday concert. Tickets (€45) can be bought here.

© Richard Hawkins