Come join the Nob Hill Boys for two special performances in May. The first one will be their official 10 year anniversary performance at the WORT block party at 11:15am, Sunday, May 18th. The show is near the WORT studios on the 600 block of West Doty in Madison. They will have a special reunion of the first version of the band with Dan O’Brien and Pat Logterman as well as the boys from the current lineup. Visit the WORT website for more info. WORT will be streaming the show live so you can tune in if you can’t make it down that morning.

The boys are also excited to be having a performance at the historic Taliesin site in Spring Green, WI. They will be at the Hillside Theater at Taliesin, 6604 State Hwy 23 in Spring Green, WI on Sunday, May 25th with a performance at 2:30pm. Visit www.taliesinpreservation.org/ for more information about this historic location. You can reserve tickets by calling (608) 588 2511 Ext 351 or sending an email to: chamblen@franklloydwright.org

Congratulations to Sparetime Bluegrass Band for winning best Country/Bluegrass Artist in 2007 Madison Area Music Awards. They released “Stop Me If You’ve Heard This” in June 2007, which consists of live covers of country and rock tunes in the SpareTime bluegrass style. They also won best Country/Bluegrass Album of the Year in 2006 for their album “Bluegrass Matinee.” Nice work folks!

Congrats also to Round the Bend for the nomination for Best Album of the Year.

Two fabulous folks are featured at a barn dance this Saturday, May 3, 2008 at Folklore Village. Chirps Smith is one of the best old time fiddlers around and Dot Kent is a terrific dance caller. (Not to mention a fabulous Appalachian clogger).

The night begins with a potluck supper at 6:30 pm followed by music and moves that will get your feet moving and hearts groovin’. Chirps will be bringing some of his musical buddies for the band so get ready for a night filled with fantastic tunes and smiles!

Folklore Village (608-924-4000) is about 40 miles west of Madison and a few miles east of Dodgeville, 1/2 mile south of Hwy 18/151 on County Hwy BB. Google Map

Among the nominees at this year’s WAMI awards for Bluegrass Band of the Year are two SWBMAI member bands. The Liberty Bluegrass Band and Above The Town, join fellow nominees Salt Creek, .357 String Band, and Nob Hill Boys. The award ceremony is being held tonight at the Historic Turner Hall in Milwaukee, WI. The WAMIs, which stands for Wisconsin Area Music Industry, represents WI promoters, bands, venues and other music related professionals. This Grammy-style award show will feature live performances by 9 Wisconsin bands and is followed by a post-show party for all in attendance.

Tickets for the show are available at the Turner Hall box office or on-line.

The Liberty Bluegrass Band are very grateful just to be nominated in a stellar class of nominees. We work extremely hard (28 shows in 07) and are pleased to be recognized as one of the best Bluegrass bands in Wisconsin!

‘Twas a mighty fine time at this year’s Jamboree. Even though it was the first beautiful day in what seemed like a century, folks stopped by to enjoy some fine local Bluegrass, pick some tunes (there may have been drinking too, but who’s counting) and chat with their fellow ‘Grassers. Few folks left empty handed as well! There were many fine raffle prizes dished out to the masses. The new format of jaming and four bands was praised by all and will be continued in next year.

Below is some video shot at the Jamboree, as well, there are pictures being posted to the photo section (more arriving soon). And thanks everyone for making this year’s Jamboree a hit. See you next year!

SWBMAI announces one of the country’s best old time and dance bands as a new member band. New Bad Habits plays traditional tunes from the great string bands of the 1920’s and 1930’s, as well as original music honoring the same tradition. Hailing from the states of Wisconsin and Missouri, the members of New Bad Habits come together in a confluence of musical styles that is pure heartland America.

Members of the New Bad Habits are recent Wisconsin immigrant and fiddle extraordinaire Lynn “Chirps” Smith, Soldier’s Grove tomato-growing and flood surviving resident Tim Foss also on fiddle, art collecting and beret-wearing Dave Landreth playing clawhammer banjo, gourd banjo-building Andy Gribble on the guitar, and always smiling and cute as a pea clogger and caller Dot Kent.

I saw NBH play a concert and a dance at the MBOTMA Winter Weekend and it was great fun. They are both a musician’s and a dancer’s favorite! I look forward to seeing them at Larryfest again this year, and wherever else they show up in the region this summer.

SWBMAI welcomes our newest member band, (This is the) Squirrel Hunters. This Madison-based traditional Bluegrass co-op features Bob Batyko on guitar, Brian Ray on mandolin, Lorie Docken on bass, Paul Kienitz on fiddle, and Sean Ray on banjo. The boys (and Ms. Docken) describe themselves as taking “regular musical forays outside the protective walls of Bill Monroe, The Stanley Brothers, and Flatt & Scruggs, but always with caution, and never without a long rifle.”

(This is the) Squirrel Hunters will be appearing at the Brooklyn Bluegrass Festival this June. We look forward to seeing them and welcome them aboard!

I arrived to the MBOTMA Winter Festival late, and was unable to catch Tangled Roots’ performance. They are one of our newer member bands and I’d been looking forward to seeing them. Their name was mentioned favorably a number of times ’round the fest…

I also missed The High 48s. I had also wanted to catch these boy’s set but alas… having been up till 3am the past two nights… and with a 5 hour drive ahead… I missed all of the Sunday shows. They too had a buzz around the jam rooms and I look forward to seeing them soon.

Come to think of it, I missed Sparetime Bluegrass Band as well… what was I doing up there anyway? Yeesh… I was able to catch our member band the Alzen Family Band and learn first-hand what a WizBang was… a fine set of family fun… and I can still hear that WizBang!

There was so much going on up in MN that it was quite easy to miss any number of things (sleep, location of last open beer, picks, etc…). A fine fest, fine pickin’ and fine music. This was by far the best time a Bears fan could have with Viking fans! See you next year!

Being the President of SWBMAI, I am embarrassed to say that I saw Monroe Crossing for the first time this past weekend at the Portage Center for the Performing Arts. Can I use the excuse that I have only lived in the Midwest for a short while? They put on a fantastic show. Not only did they display excellent musicianship, they kept the audience captivated with interaction, stories and jokes.

Monroe Crossing played a nice mix of original tunes, traditional bluegrass and gospel numbers. The show was so entertaining that the two children sitting in the front row were bobbing their heads along with the band until they finished the final set which was way past their bedtimes. Fiddler player Lisa Fuglie wowed the audience with her phenomenal voice, and 25-year old Benji Flaming impressed with his excellent banjo rolls. The guitar, banjo and bass player mesmerized the audience with their instrumental talent and their fancy shoes. The band sang beautiful leads and harmonies throughout the entire show.

Monroe Crossing is from Minneapolis and is a SWBMAI member band. They are next scheduled to play in Wisconsin in Appleton on March 8th.

The award winning Nob Hill Boys will be performing at the historic Stoughton Opera House, 381 E. Main Street in Stoughton, WI on Friday, February 22nd at 7:30pm. This will be the first show of their 10th anniversary season! The Stoughton area group, The Llama Mamas will open the evening’s festivities.

Tickets are $12 and $14. To order tickets, call the Stoughton Opera House at (608) 877-4400 or visit the city’s official website, www.cityofstoughton.com