Wisconsin native and East Troy Bluegrass Festival founder Melissa Sherman was recently named Composer of the Year at the 2009 Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards. The band which Sherman writes for and helps manage, Ontario-based Hard Ryde, won nearly all the instrumental player of the year categories, picking up awards for Banjo, Fiddle, Bass, Guitar and Mandolin. Hard Ryde’s front man, Doug de Boer was named the Entertainer of the Year.
“I was extremely proud to represent Wisconsin as I accepted my award,” Sherman told SWBMAI shortly after the awards ceremony. “My heart has never left Wisconsin and I truly miss and adore my Bluegrass family there!”
“I founded and still direct the East Troy Bluegrass Festival 17 years ago,” Sherman said. “I have been writing music since I was 16. Since living with my partner Doug and having this wonderfully talented band Hard Ryde in my life, I have finally found the right group to make my songs come alive! As a family we live the Bluegrass life. We have 5 family festivals here in Canada , along with my festival in East Troy. We host a winter series in the spring from Feb-April and produce the Bluegrass awards for Central Ontario. Hard Ryde is on the road constantly playing festivals both in the US and Canada.”
Watch Hard Ryde perform one of Melissa Sherman’s songs, “Turkeyville Road”
Nadine Walsten, organizer of the Brooklyn Bluegrass Festival, needs volunteers to help on the planning committee for next year’s festival. Nadine writes: “I need to find bluegrass fans who either live in the Village (preferred but not essential) or near by who would be willing to work on the bluegrass committee (planning). I need some planners/deciders. The tasks are laid out so the biggest part is selecting bands, finalizing publicity, etc. etc. and then getting the publicity out.”
Those interested in helping to keep this great annual event going should contact Nadine at nwalsten@charter.net.
Four Lakes Traditional Music Collective kick off their 2009/10 Sugar Maple Concert Series on September 23 at the High-Noon Saloon.
Headlining the show is former member of the prestigious US Navy Country Current band, Frank Solivan II. Bluegrass Unlimited calls Solivan is “a major talent,” while Bluegrass Breakdown writes, “It would be relatively simple to describe Frank using standard marketing jargon and cliché terms of praise, but his creativity and unparalleled artistry seem to begin where those descriptions leave off” (Bluegrass Breakdown). A multi-instrumental master, Solivan sings with power and passion, writes articulate songs that go straight to the heart, and combines the pure, hard drive of classic bluegrass with twenty-first century sophistication. His quartet Dirty Kitchen, features a venerable line-up of nationally-connected pickers like banjo player Mike Munford, who has toured the world with top notch bluegrass artist like Tony Rice, Peter Rowan, the Rice Brothers featuring and Lynn Morris.
The September 23 kick-off is also billed as FLTMC’s 3rd Annual Volunteer Holler. While the event is open to the public, it offers special nod to more than with 100 volunteers who power the non-profit organization and it’s annual summer festival. These volunteers are welcome to attend the event for free.
The show starts at 8pm with Kristy Larson Honky Tonk Trio. Country music historian, author, musician and WORT radio host Bill Malone describes Kristy Larson as “one of the shining lights of Madison roots music”. Her light burns even brighter as she joins forces with husband and multi-instrumentalist Mark Roeder. Together, they’re a midwestern Rawlins and Welch.
A portion of the Sugar Maple Concert Series’ proceeds help produce the annual festival, typically the first full weekend of August at Lake Farm County Park in Madison. Contact www.fourlakesmusic.org or 608/227.8685 for more information.
As I write this article, Grasstowne’s Steve Gulley is belting out a version of The Grand Tour that is all but making me burst into tears. His voice has a range that will make you soar to the heavens then plunge you into despair… all in one verse! His masterful manipulation of tones accompanied by a musically phenomenal band was one of the many treats of the beautiful East Troy Bluegrass Festival.
Held in the town square, the organizers couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather (last year’s festival experienced non-stop torrential rain.) People flocked with their instruments, dogs, fold-up chairs and full attention. Bands came from near and far with the some of the local ones giving stellar performances. Bobby Batyko of Sparetime Bluegrass mesmerized the audience with his rich deep voice. And Dale Ward wowed people with his ability to hold a note for at least 2 minutes!
Julie Cherney poses with Grasstowne
Others included the dapper Liberty Bluegrass Band, a rare out-of-Café Carpe appearance by the New Pioneers featuring Jerry Wicentowski’s high lonesome leads, Cream City and Kentucky’s Charlie Sizemore Band. Part genteel Southern lawyer and part dry-witted band leader, Charlie and his band capped off Saturday night with a set of traditional and catchy original numbers.
As Grasstowne closed out their truly enjoyable and moving set on Sunday, the exquisite dobro player Phil Leadbetter commented that this festival is a rare gem. Gone are the days when entertainment took place in the town squares. Fortunately for us, the hard work of organizers Melissa Sherman, Robin Hudec and the community of East Troy has kept this tradition alive and FREE! A perfect way to say good-bye to summer and festival season, but to also get excited for next year’s event.
The third annual Gandy Dancer Festival will return to Mazomanie on Saturday, August 15, 11:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m., with a full day of music, train exhibits, kids’ activities, and plenty of food and beverages to sustain festival-goers throughout the day. It is presented by the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in co-operation with the Village of Mazomanie, the Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association,
Inc. and WORT 89.9 FM. Admission is free.
Headliner on the main stage at this year’s Gandy Dancer Festival will be the Krüger Brothers, natives of Switzerland who now live in North Carolina and have adopted Bluegrass music as their own. The music begins at 11:00 a.m. with a Gospel set by Art Stevenson and High Water followed by Mama Digdown’s Brass Band and the Ken Lonnquist band. Art Stevenson returns at 3:30 p.m. with a Bluegrass set followed by Cris Plata with Extra Hot. The Krüger Brothers take the stage at 6:30 p.m.
The Krüger Brothers will also host an informal 30-minute session earlier in the afternoon where bluegrass players and fans can meet them “up close and personal” and get a taste of their music. On Sunday, August 16 they will lead workshops from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at the First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Drive, Madison. Sessions include Banjo with Jens Krüger, Guitar with Uwe Krüger, Bass with Joel Landsberg and Sound Technology with Phillip Zanon. For more information or to register for a workshop contact Carolyn Hegeler at chegeler@tds.net.
At 7:00 p.m. on Sunday evening the Krüger Brothers will wind up their visit to the Midwest with a performance at the High Noon Saloon, 701 East Washington Avenue, Madison. Concert tickets can be
purchased now at the High Noon Saloon, online at www.high-noon.com, or at the Gandy Dancer
Festival. For the complete schedule and listing of festival events, visit http://midcontinent.org.
The Gandy Dancer Festival is supported by the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission with additional funds from the American Girl’s Fund for Children, the Evjue Foundation, the Overture Foundation, and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation.
Last weekend’s SWBMAI-supported Sugar Maple festival was a big success. The highlight of the festival was an appearance by J.D. Crowe and the New South. Videographer Denny Egstad captured Crowe and company in the act:
Got your own festival video? Once you’ve put it up on YouTube, email us the link at swbmai@gmail.com and you could find it featured on our home page!
Former Olympian and local bluegrass guitarist Archie Lowman is THE Archie of Archie Fest. This 10th annual FREE bluegrass event is held at the Mondeaux Dam Lodge in the beautiful Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest just 20 miles northwest of Medford, tomorrow, July 11, from 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Bring your own lawn chairs and spend a day at the lake listening to some good ol’ bluegrass music. The bands appearing are: SWBMAI’s own Northern Comfort; The Lang Brothers; Big Daddy Choppers & the Feather Pickers; Forest Ridge; The New North String Band; Prairie Smoke; and Staff Infection. But that’s just the start because the jamming goes on all day and well into the night. Most jammers stay at the Picnic Point campground located within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest on the lake shore of the Mondeaux Flowage and they just keep on pickin’ under the stars. If camping isn’t for you, Medford offers a number of hotels, cabins and lodges, too.
No carry ins are allowed but there is a full lunch and dinner menu at the Lodge where you will also find boat, canoe, paddleboat and pontoon rentals. There is a canoe and kayak fishing contest in the morning, too. Or, you can go explore the miles and miles of hiking trails. Contact: Mondeaux Dam Lodge at 715-427-5746 or www.mondeauxdamlodge.com for more information.
Brooklyn Bluegrass Festival is this weekend! This old fashioned, outdoor, under-a-tent, bluegrass festival starts at 7:00 pm Friday, June 5 and runs all day on June 6. Two-day tickets are just $25 for 9 bands including headline act The James King Band.
Kids 12 years and under are FREE. Rough camping is only $7 a night so you can stay for those campfire jams in the beautiful 15 acre Legion Park in Brooklyn, Wis. If you can’t make the whole weekend, Friday night tickets are just $10; $20 for all day Saturday.
Shake off the work week with the New North String Band at 7:00 pm Friday. The legendary Chicago Bluegrass Band bring their high-energy act to the headliner stage at 8 pm. Beginning at 10 am on Saturday morning there are FREE instrumental technique workshops. The Open Mic — one of the Festival’s most popular events — starts at 11:00 am.
Saturday afternoon is a non-stop bluegrass extravaganza with seven bands playing 50 minute sets. Big Cedar begins the afternoon at 1:00 with their solid bluegrass sound. Round the Bend Bluegrass Band takes the stage next showcasing bluegrass and western swing tunes. James Creek Road, a harmony-rich bluegrass band, returns to the Festival stage for the first time in three years. Madison’s Cork N Bottle Bluegrass Band ventures south this year to Brooklyn and bring their lighthearted view of themselves to the stage for a combination of great fun, technique and talent. The Whistlepigs String Band has that rich mix of original songs and a strong foundation of traditional string band music. The Oak Street Ramblers is new to the Festival this year. You will enjoy their fun-loving blend of old-timey, bluegrass and traditional country tunes. Truman’s Ridge returns from their home base, the corn capital of Illinois, DeKalb, to serve up a lightning-fast set of traditional bluegrass and gospel numbers.
This year’s national headliner, The James King Band takes the stage at 8:00 pm thanks to funding from the Wisconsin Arts Board. People are still raving about King’s performance in Madison earlier this Spring; here’s a second chance to find out what all the fuss is about! James King, “The Bluegrass Storyteller,” puts on a show you wont soon forget. For more information go to: http://www.brooklynbluegrassfestival.com
Bill Monroe’s Bean Blossom, Indiana, Bluegrass Festival will be held from Sat. June 13 thru Sat. June 20, 2009. Eight big days of entertainment with 50 bands, workshops, and youth bluegrass boot camp assure a good time for all. Camping tent sites are $6.00 /person/night, and RV water & electric sites are $20.00/ day.
SWBMAI has had several members and friends attending previous festivals, and we expect the same this year. Come for just a couple of days, or one of the two weekends, or for the entire 8 day duration. You will enjoy the day and night campfire jam sessions, meeting people from all over the country and world, and hearing superb world-class professional and amateur musicians playing on stage and in the campsites.
For more information call Bruce Nichols at 608-273-4807 , or BruceNbanjo@yahoo.com. Or contact the festival park at beanblossombg@hotmail.com
The Four Lakes Traditional Music Collective will be hosting this year’s Sugar Maple Kick-off Concert Saturday, April 18th at the High Noon Saloon (8pm). The show, sponsored by Rutabaga Paddlesports, will feature three great bands and offer one night only early-bird Sugar Maple Festival weekend tickets for only $20!!! We will also be officially announcing this year’s fantastic Sugar Maple Festival
lineup.
Wisconsin native and East Troy Bluegrass Festival founder Melissa Sherman was recently named Composer of the Year at the 2009 Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards. The band which Sherman writes for and helps manage, Ontario-based Hard Ryde, won nearly all the instrumental player of the year categories, picking up awards for Banjo, Fiddle, Bass, Guitar and Mandolin. Hard Ryde’s front man, Doug de Boer was named the Entertainer of the Year.
The third annual Gandy Dancer Festival will return to Mazomanie on Saturday, August 15, 11:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m., with a full day of music, train exhibits, kids’ activities, and plenty of food and beverages to sustain festival-goers throughout the day. It is presented by the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in co-operation with the Village of Mazomanie, the Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association,
Former Olympian and local bluegrass guitarist Archie Lowman is THE Archie of Archie Fest. This 10th annual FREE bluegrass event is held at the Mondeaux Dam Lodge in the beautiful Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest just 20 miles northwest of Medford, tomorrow, July 11, from 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Bluegrass Festival is this weekend! This old fashioned, outdoor, under-a-tent, bluegrass festival starts at 7:00 pm Friday, June 5 and runs all day on June 6. Two-day tickets are just $25 for 9 bands including headline act The James King Band.
Bill Monroe’s Bean Blossom, Indiana, Bluegrass Festival will be held from Sat. June 13 thru Sat. June 20, 2009. Eight big days of entertainment with 50 bands, workshops, and youth bluegrass boot camp assure a good time for all. Camping tent sites are $6.00 /person/night, and RV water & electric sites are $20.00/ day.