Relay For Life

With thousands present the 2009 American Cancer Society "Relay For Life" kicked off Saturday the 16th of May at the Woodstock Fairgrounds in Connecticut. It was a perfect day with full sun and moderate temperatures.
The walkers release hundreds of balloons to start the Survivor Lap, each balloon was marked with the number of years of survial celebrated since the initial bout with Cancer, this proved to be an very emotional moment for the survivor and her or his family

Various forms of entertainment could be found at locations around the track for the walkers and the folks just hanging out.

Bogdanski Martial Arts

Singer, Songwriter Ray Cooke

Celtic fiddler John Cornwell

Crossover at Country Corner

The Country Corner Coffeehouse will feature the "Crossover" band from southern CT for its last show of the winter concert season this Saturday, April 18, 2009. Crossover serves up old time country and early bluegrass in a most enjoyable fashion with fine vocals and good "pickin," its always enjoyable to hear them perform. The Coffeehouse is a wonderful venue hosted by the most gracious Rose and Dave Helman, its come to be known as the place to be in central Mass. if you're looking to see National Bands as well as some very good regional groups. Come on out and help close out the indoor season. Directions can be found at the Country Corner website

Andre Tardif

Warren Charrette, Dan Dube, and Kyle Neilson

Firebox Series

The Firebox Bluegrass Concert Series is held weekly on Sunday nights at the Firebox Restaurant in Hartford CT featuring Local, Regional and National bands. Nick Novia, the promoter of the series is an outgoing person who delights in engaging his audience by challenging them to come up with song titles, names of bluegrass artists, past festivals and other trivia, he soon gets the audience in good spirits and ready for music. Nicks band, “TrueGrass,” opens the show with their brand of country flavored bluegrass and instrumentals showcasing the talents of Peggy Harvey, fiddle, Dan Menzone, banjo, and Joe DeLillo, bass. Their music is always good and the packed room let them know it.

TrueGrass

Peggy Harvey

Nick Novia and Danny Menzone

Peggy, Joe DeLillo and Nick

The featured band of the night was the configuration of "New England Flatpicking Champion," Tony Watt, vocalist and guitar player Leigh Gibson of the national touring band, "The Gibson Brothers," and Dave Gandin, bassist with the band "StraightDrive." The set was a mix of bluegrass, country ballads and some hot picking by both Watt and Gibson, both superb players.

Watt, Gandin and Gibson

Tony Watt

Tony Watt and Dave Gandin

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Leigh Gibson

Firebox Bluegrass Concerts

Leigh Gibson

The Firebox Restaurant, located on Broad St. in Hartford, CT, will be the place to be this Sunday the 15th of March, Leigh Gibson of the highly successful national touring band "The Gibson Brothers" will be joining acclaimed guitarist Tony Watt who currently plays with the "Alecia Nugent Band" and bassist Dave Gandin for some singing and picking of some of their favorite songs and tunes that reflect another side of these talented artists that we normally don't see when they appear at strictly bluegrass events. Look for some country songs and ballads as well as material that is not included in their recorded projects. The opening band will be the popular Connecticut band "TrueGrass," with Nick Novia singing lead and playing guitar, fiddler Peggy Harvey, Danny Menzone on banjo,and Joe DeLillo on bass.
The "FireBox" restaurant has been receiving rave reviews from Connecticut's major newspapers since they came on the scene recently so this should be a good evening of music and food

Tony Watt

Joe Val Sunday

Josh Williams

Only 28 years old, Josh Williams is already a seasoned veteran, he's spent years on the road with Special Consensus and later, Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, he's a songwriter, singer and award winning picker having won SPBGMA's Guitar Performer of the Year for 5 consecutive years and he also was chosen the IBMA's Guitar Player of the Year award in 2008. His vocals are deep toned and smoothly delivered, he's completely at ease before an audience and he surrounds himself with high quality musicians. His repertoire is basically traditional and gospel with some of his own material as well. He's backed by: Randy Barnes on bass, Jason McKendree on banjo, Chase Johner on mandolin and Greg Blaylock on the resophonic guitar

Randy Barnes

Jason McKendree

Chase Johner

Greg Blaylock

Greg Cahill and Jason McKendree

Josh toured with Greg Cahill and Special Consensus for four of five years, so it was a special moment when he invited Greg up on stage to play a tune with the band

Bobby Osborne and Daryl Mosley

It was wonderful to see Bobby Osborne and Rocky Top X-press live, many in the audience, including myself hadn't had the oppurtunity. He sang many of his iconic hits in the high tenor that so identifies him, "Ruby" and of course, "Rocky Top" were my favorites. His delivery was as good as ever and he regaled the audience with road stories of him and Bill Monroe. The fans loved him and the flash of the camera's lit up the place.

Daryl Mosley

Daryl Mosley contributed some fine vocals and harmony to the set

Dana Cupp and Bobby Osborne Jr.

Bobby Osborne Jr. stepped up to the mic a time or two and did a fine job

Tim Graves

Joe Val Saturday

The Oldtime Bluegrass Singers

Dick Bowden

The Oldtime Bluegrass Singers are known for "Traditional" bluegrass delivered with high energy and style. Tunes from the Monroe Brothers, Carter Family and other first generation musicians, sprinkled with some originals from the band. Dick Bowden is known to tell a few tall tales in between songs which makes for an enjoyable set.

Terry McGill, Herb Applin and Robert Fraker

Herb Applin,Dick Bowden and Lillian Fraker

New Found Road earned SPGMA's 2009 Contemporary Gospel Group of the Year award and rightly so, this group is put together tight and offers up hot picking and wonderful vocals. I've never been disappointed by Tim Shelton and his fine band

Tim Shelton

Jamey Booher

Joe Booher

Jr. Williams

Justin Moses

Dry Branch's leader Ron Thomason's political satire is a huge part of this bands popularity and the solid musicianship and vocals don't hurt either. Bluegrass fans love them

Dry Branch Fire Squad

Ron Thomason

Dan Russell and Brian Aldridge

Dan Russell and Tom Boyd

Brian Aldridge and Ron Thomason

Greg Cahill

In over 30 years of performing Greg Cahill has always been able to put together a sterling band and this configuration is no exception with Ashby Frank on mandolin and vocals, Justin Carbone guitar and vocals and David Thomas on bass and harmony vocals

Ashby Frank

Justin Carbone

David Thomas

The Claire Lynch band always thrills the audience. Claire's beautiful voice mesmerizes all and Jim Hurst's guitar pickin just can't be beat. Add Mark Schatz's phenominal bass and Jason Thomas's hot fiddle and mandolin and you got your monies worth in fifteen minutes and the rest is free.

Claire Lynch

Jim Hurst

Jason Thomas

Claire's having some fun watching Mark perform "Hambone" as only he can, Claire's always eager to showcase the many talents of her band

Claire and Mark Schatz

The Kruger Brothers set stands out in my mind as one of the highlights of a super Festival, they played well into Sunday morning, I think it was pushing 2 a.m. when they finally quit. It was an emotional experience with Uwe telling about his dreams of coming to America to play music and how much it means to him and his brother Jens. Of course they're fabulous musicians and they were joined by equally talented musicians, Adam Steffey on mandolin and Bobby Hicks on fiddle. Bobby and Adam looked to be having the time of their lives playing with the brothers. Later in the set Michael Cleveland came on stage to join in with spectalular solo's that could take off and soar for several minutes. Seeing this group of legendary musicians was, as Phil Zimmerman pointed out, a once in a lifetime experience.

Adam Steffey and Uwe Kruger

Jens, Bobby, Adam and Uwe

Jens Kruger, Bobby Hicks and Joel Landsberg

Joel Landsberg, Adam Steffey and Uwe Kruger

Due to other commitments I missed taking pics of some of Saturdays fine bands.