Myrna Riquer is producing an all day Bluegrass Gospel Festival to raise food donations for St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Willimantic this coming Sunday the 13th of June. The Festival will be held at the Sterling Park Campground, Sterling CT and admission is free but non-perishable food donations will be accepted. There are some mighty fine bands offering their skills for free and it's hoped the Bluegrass community will come out and support Myrna's efforts.
Sterling Park Campground
177 Gibson Hill Road, Sterling CT 06377
Sunday, June 13, 2010
11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Gospel Bluegrass Music
featuring:
THE GALLAGHER FAMILY BAND 11:00 a.m.
BREAKHEART HILL 12:00 noon
THE JESSE LEE SINGERS 1:00 p.m.
SAM TIDWELL & FRIENDS 2:00 p.m.
CROSSOVER 3:00 p.m.
EIGHT MILE RIVER BAND 4:00 p.m.
MONADNOCK BLUEGRASS 5:00 p.m.
NICK ANDERSON & THE GOSPEL FRIENDS 6:00 p.m.
Admission to this all-day Gospel Bluegrass Music event is FREE, but attendees
are encouraged to bring donations of non-perishable food items to the concert for the
Food Pantry at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Willimantic. A truck will be on site at
the festival to receive your donation.
Rain or shine – bring a chair.
About Me
- Jack Holland
- CT, United States
- Hope you find something of interest here and please comment about the bands featured here
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Traditional Bluegrass
Recently some long time bluegrass fans spoke of how it sometimes grows tiresome listening to traditional songs and tunes done over and over by band after band and how their interest and excitement grow only when they hear original music or when a band puts a purely different spin on older material, changing it, making it their own or even playing it in such a way as to make it a stretch to call it bluegrass. Well that’s all right with me. If it’s played well and shows off a band’s talents and abilities I find it all enjoyable.
But don’t think that if you sing and pick the old tunes in the way it was done in the early days of bluegrass that you can’t find an audience. Indeed, last night at the Killingly Grange Hall the opposite was true, a packed house heard two of the genuinely traditional bluegrass bands, Nick Anderson and Shady Creek and the Hemingway Brothers give it their all. Judging from the crowd reaction, the loud cheers, and generous applause and calls for “one more” I’d say traditional bluegrass is still in demand if it is delivered in an honest, heartfelt way.
And that was the case at the Grange in Killingly, CT. The Hemingway Brothers performed the old tunes in the style of the first generation bluegrassers, high energy, fast tempo, good harmony and great instrumental breaks. Add some "downeast humor" and it resulted in a fine set by the band from central Maine.
The Shady Creek Band, fronted by Nick Anderson is the host band for the Killingly,Ct. Grange concert series and play a large part in the popularity of the series. Always hard core bluegrass and high energy presentation. With three young people in the lineup it's added freshness and the audience has been able to watch them grow as musicians and performers. They have progressed dramatically in the short time they've been together, they seem real comfortable in their roles and their music has benefited from that.
But don’t think that if you sing and pick the old tunes in the way it was done in the early days of bluegrass that you can’t find an audience. Indeed, last night at the Killingly Grange Hall the opposite was true, a packed house heard two of the genuinely traditional bluegrass bands, Nick Anderson and Shady Creek and the Hemingway Brothers give it their all. Judging from the crowd reaction, the loud cheers, and generous applause and calls for “one more” I’d say traditional bluegrass is still in demand if it is delivered in an honest, heartfelt way.
And that was the case at the Grange in Killingly, CT. The Hemingway Brothers performed the old tunes in the style of the first generation bluegrassers, high energy, fast tempo, good harmony and great instrumental breaks. Add some "downeast humor" and it resulted in a fine set by the band from central Maine.
Kip Hemingway
Dale Hemingway
Bruce Hobart, Kip and Dale Hemingway
Bruce Hobart
Hunter Webber
John Sparrow
The Shady Creek Band, fronted by Nick Anderson is the host band for the Killingly,Ct. Grange concert series and play a large part in the popularity of the series. Always hard core bluegrass and high energy presentation. With three young people in the lineup it's added freshness and the audience has been able to watch them grow as musicians and performers. They have progressed dramatically in the short time they've been together, they seem real comfortable in their roles and their music has benefited from that.
Monty, Mark, William, and Nick
Mark Doyle
Monty McLanahan
Elise Laflamme
William Trickett
Fred Etheridge and Nick
Hunter Webber and William Trickett
Elise Laflamme and Bruce Hobart
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Stillwaters and Shady Creek
The 100 year old Grange concert hall filled up quickly with people obviously hungry for chili and Bluegrass music, throw away the cell phones and it could easily be the middle of last century down in the southern Appalachians. The hall had a good mix of young and old, many enjoying the company of old friends seen only once a month here at the Killingly, CT. Grange Concert Series, at least four states were represented and some folks were here for the first time and eager to hear some good old time music. Amy Gallatin and Stillwaters gave them what they came to hear, a mix of old ballads, some swing style numbers and pure Bluegrass with three and four part harmony. Roger Williams playing resophonic guitar like the master he is certainly impressed everyone in the hall and his son J.D. Williams played the mandolin and guitar so well one wonders if he was born with a pick in his hand. Bass player John Urbanic was solid in both rhythm and harmony vocals in what was a totally enjoyable performance.
At one point Amy called upon her friend Nick Anderson to join her in singing the soulful ballad "Just Someone I Used to Know," and they did it beautifully.
Nick Anderson and Shady Creek had it together as usual as they offered up the traditional Bluegrass we all like to hear, with new fiddler Elise Laflamme adding considerable new energy to the mix and bassist Mark Doyle and banjoist William Trickett adding fine harmony vocals and instrumentals. It was clear the band was cooking off the energy that comes with playing to a full house.
As part of the Kids at the Grange program any young person who plays a bluegrass instrument is invited on stage to perform a short set, usually three tunes, but Sarah Piette did so well playing some difficult fiddle tunes like Temperence Reel and Beaumont Rag that the audience yelled "one more" and Sarah obliged by playing a blues solo to hearty applause.
Roger Williams and Amy Gallatin
Roger, John, and Amy
John Urbanik
At one point Amy called upon her friend Nick Anderson to join her in singing the soulful ballad "Just Someone I Used to Know," and they did it beautifully.
Nick and Amy
J D Williams
Nick Anderson and Shady Creek had it together as usual as they offered up the traditional Bluegrass we all like to hear, with new fiddler Elise Laflamme adding considerable new energy to the mix and bassist Mark Doyle and banjoist William Trickett adding fine harmony vocals and instrumentals. It was clear the band was cooking off the energy that comes with playing to a full house.
Monty, Elise, and Nick
Nick and William Trickett
Monty McLanahan
Elise Laflamme
Mark Doyle
As part of the Kids at the Grange program any young person who plays a bluegrass instrument is invited on stage to perform a short set, usually three tunes, but Sarah Piette did so well playing some difficult fiddle tunes like Temperence Reel and Beaumont Rag that the audience yelled "one more" and Sarah obliged by playing a blues solo to hearty applause.
Sarah Piette
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Upcoming Shows
On Saturday February 27 the Amy Gallatin and Stillwaters band will be appearing at the Killingly Grange along with Nick Anderson and Shady Creek. Amy and her band offer up a blend of early country and straight-ahead Bluegrass with some fine harmony singing throughout the set, always good listening. Nick Anderson and Shady Creek will give you some fine traditional Bluegrass and Gospel tunes. This should be a night of good entertainment in an old time setting with home made foods prepared by the Grange members. The Grange is located in Killingly CT. on Route 101, just three minutes from exit 93, I-395 east on 101. Show starts at 7pm, doors open at 6pm.
National Touring band Blue Highway will be at the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, Mass. on March 20 at 7:30 pm. The show, sponsored by the Boston Bluegrass Union will also close out an instrument raffle started at the Joe Val Festival in February. Martin Guitars donated a D-28 with a Joe Val inlay on the neck and Eastman Strings donated a hand carved mandolin. For information about the show and the auction click here
Amy Gallatin and Stillwaters
Amy Gallatin
Roger Williams
Nick Anderson
National Touring band Blue Highway will be at the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, Mass. on March 20 at 7:30 pm. The show, sponsored by the Boston Bluegrass Union will also close out an instrument raffle started at the Joe Val Festival in February. Martin Guitars donated a D-28 with a Joe Val inlay on the neck and Eastman Strings donated a hand carved mandolin. For information about the show and the auction click here
Blue Highway
Musicians Hall of Fame Founder Joe Chambers to Appear on Fox and Friends Monday Morning - Inbox - 'att.net Mail'
Musicians Hall of Fame Founder Joe Chambers to Appear on Fox and Friends Monday Morning
NASHVILLE, TN - Joe Chambers, founder of the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum, will appear on Fox News NY's Fox and Friends on Monday morning, February 22 at 6:50 a.m. CST, 7:50 EST to discuss the Museum's recent plight with the city of Nashville and the eminent domain ruling that resulted in the loss of their physical location.
The museum closed its doors on Saturday, February 13th after Judge Barbara Haynes ruled in favor of the Metro Development and Housing Authority (MDHA), ordering Chambers and company to be out of The Musicians Hall of Fame within seven days.
The museum represented a key piece of property that the MDHA needed in order to move forward with the construction of the new Music City Center.
Although the museum's new physical location is currently undecided, The Musicians Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Awards Show will take place once again in Nashville in the fall of 2010. Further details will be announced at a press conference in late spring.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Weekend at Joe Val
The 25th. Annual Joe Val had everything a first class festival needs, a top rate lineup, a clean well layed out space, organized, knowledgeable, and courteous volunteers, good dining services, plenty of work shops, (50) covering all aspects of the genre, a good assortment of vendors, and plenty of space to jam. It's easy to understand why it was named Bluegrass event of the year by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2006. Moreover, the artists I talked to were very impressed with the accommodations and general treatment they received.
Pictured below are some of the bands that performed over the weekend. I missed several because of attending workshops and jamming but from what I saw personally and what I heard from those who saw all the bands they all exceeded expectations.
Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out showed how wonderful harmony vocals can be as they did several a capella in their set and Steve Dilling (banjo) filled the spots between songs with hilarious "down home" humor.
Rabbit in a Log, the duet of Skip Gorman and Richard Starkey performed old time Bluegrass and showed their pickin skills as well.
The Gibson Brothers have three songs on the Top 30 Songs list published by Bluegrass Unlimited and their hit album "Ring the Bell" is currently number one and has been for three months running, always a hit when they come to the Joe Val.
Ryan Roberts is another fine vocalist from Canada, doing much of the lead singing with Special Consensus.
The Spinney Brothers put on a fine set of traditional Bluegrass and received well deserved applause throughout the set. They announced they would be touring full time now as they've sold their mink farm and have decided to live their dream.
Pictured below are some of the bands that performed over the weekend. I missed several because of attending workshops and jamming but from what I saw personally and what I heard from those who saw all the bands they all exceeded expectations.
Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out showed how wonderful harmony vocals can be as they did several a capella in their set and Steve Dilling (banjo) filled the spots between songs with hilarious "down home" humor.
Russell Moore
Justen Haynes,Steve Dilling, and Russell
Rabbit in a Log, the duet of Skip Gorman and Richard Starkey performed old time Bluegrass and showed their pickin skills as well.
Skip Gorman and Richard Starkey
The Gibson Brothers have three songs on the Top 30 Songs list published by Bluegrass Unlimited and their hit album "Ring the Bell" is currently number one and has been for three months running, always a hit when they come to the Joe Val.
Joe Walsh
center>
Eric Gibson
Leigh Gibson
Ryan Roberts is another fine vocalist from Canada, doing much of the lead singing with Special Consensus.
Ryan Roberts
Greg Cahill
The Spinney Brothers put on a fine set of traditional Bluegrass and received well deserved applause throughout the set. They announced they would be touring full time now as they've sold their mink farm and have decided to live their dream.
Rick Spinney and Gary Dalrymple
Gary and Allen Spinney
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Joe Val Friday
Dan Paisley and Southern Grass performed as expected, just Great, even though missing regular fiddler T.J.Lundy who injured his hand and had to miss the trip north, fortunately Dan's friend, Scott Eager filled in wonderfully. Dan sang crowd favorites like "The Room Over Mine" and IBMA Song of the Year, "Don't Throw Mama's Flowers Away," and was asked back for more, they just love him.
The Josh Williams Band with the deep resonant voice of its leader was another hit of the night. Really top shelf musicians and singers.
Buddy Merriam and Back Roads gave us some driving traditional grass and the highlight of the set was Buddy teaming up with Mike Sassano for some harmony mandolin tunes that really entertained, they were sensational.
Acoustic Blue always brings energy to the stage, strong vocals, tight harmony, and a desire to entertain is the trademark of this band, they hit a homerun tonight.
The Berklee Bluegrass Allstars kicked off the weekend of music at the 25th.annual Joe Val Festival held at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel this weekend. This group of talented musicians really got the audience in a positive mood. Completely at ease on stage they poured out some fine vocals and superb pickin and Dr. Hollander looked to be very pleased with his charges.
Michael and Danny Paisley
Scott Eager
Bobby Lundy
The Josh Williams Band with the deep resonant voice of its leader was another hit of the night. Really top shelf musicians and singers.
Josh Williams
Randy and Ashby Frank
Randy Barnes
Jason McKendree
Buddy Merriam and Back Roads gave us some driving traditional grass and the highlight of the set was Buddy teaming up with Mike Sassano for some harmony mandolin tunes that really entertained, they were sensational.
Mike Sassano and Buddy Merriam
Jerry Oland
Ernie Sykes Jr.
Buddy Merriam
Kathy DeVine
Bob Harris
Acoustic Blue always brings energy to the stage, strong vocals, tight harmony, and a desire to entertain is the trademark of this band, they hit a homerun tonight.
Corey Zink
T. Shaun Batho
Bear Aker and Mike VanAlstyne
The Berklee Bluegrass Allstars kicked off the weekend of music at the 25th.annual Joe Val Festival held at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel this weekend. This group of talented musicians really got the audience in a positive mood. Completely at ease on stage they poured out some fine vocals and superb pickin and Dr. Hollander looked to be very pleased with his charges.
Duncan Wickle
Melissa Wright
Lucas Poole
Courtney Hartmann
Trent Freeman and Sierra Hull
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)