The Shell lake Arts Center is hosting a fiddle contest. The contest is open to all ages, and everyone is welcome.

Top prizes include:
1st Place $400.00
2nd Place $300.00
3rd Place $200.00
(see their website for prizes in other categories)

The contest begins at 3:00 PM. Contestants must check in by 2:00 PM. For more information call 715-468-2414. Rules can be found on the website at www.shelllakeartscenter.org.

If you like old time music, the Dear Old Illinois - Traditional Music of Downstate Illinois book and CD set by Garry Harrison and Jo Burgess is a must. This collection of over 750 songs gives notes, chords and lyrics to many of Midwestern fiddle tunes that define the unique sound of old time music found in our region. Granted, we’re not in Illinois, but you get the idea.

Garry Harrison is a spectacular Midwestern fiddler who played with the Indian Creek Delta Boys in the 1970’s. He will be leading the Illinois Fiddle Tune Repertoire Workshop in Chicago on October 20th and 21st. Even if you can’t make it down to the workshop, the Dear Old Illinois book and CD’s are highly recommended. They are a wonderful collection of music that offer insight into the vast musical heritage of old time music in the Midwest.

Come join in the fun of an Old-time Barn Dance out on the farm at The O’Brien beautifully refurbished barn, 552 Glenway Rd, Brooklyn, WI (about 20 minutes from Madison), Saturday, October 20th. This event is in the spirit of family fun so Come One, Come All! FREE and open to all Ages!

The evening will start off with a Potluck Dinner @ 5:30pm. Come meet some friends and neighbors and bring your favorite dish to share and your beverage of choice. An Old-Time Barn Dance will kick off @ 7pm and will feature fantastic live music performed by the Ambrosia Dance Band. The band includes Chuck Hornemann, Paul Kienitz, Peter Gorman, Dave Batson with dance caller Mike Mossman.

Donations for expenses appreciated

If you would like to help, please print and post a few posters at your work and/or local haunts!

The Folk School of St. Louis is offering a Midwest Fiddle Tunes Workshop on Saturday, September 22nd. The workshop will be taught by Lynn “Chirps” Smith and Paul Tyler, who are two of today’s finest old-time fiddlers and have a wealth of knowledge about regional fiddle tunes and their heritage. The workshop is open to all stringband instruments and is certain to be fun and informative.

From the folks that bring you Banjo Hangout comes a new community site for fiddle players, Fiddle Hangout. Banjo and Mandolin players have long had a site dedicated to their instruments, thanks to the Banjo Hangout and the Mandolin Cafe. These sites offer folks a forum to discuss their passion and sympathize with their respective BAS and MAS. Now folks who suffer with FAS will have the same consideration… except without the need for a drool cup ;)

A while back, I was perusing a few records over at Countysales.com. They have a buy 6 CDs, get a 7th one free deal so I went looking for something new for my freebie. As luck would have it, I chose The Legend of Clark Kessinger… lucky indeed.

Mr Kessinger is easily one of the finest fiddlers the world has ever known. These recordings were made shortly after he teamed up with guitarist Gene Meade and banjo player Wayne Hauser. Clark had recorded back in the 20s but was taking advantage of the folk rebirth of the 60s (thank you hippies).

I popped this record on during a practice session with The Brothers Ray & Paul. We all just about flipped! These guys are serious players. Brother Sean was blown away by Gene Meade’s guitar playing and with good reason… he’s an ANIMAL! Gene’s shotgun bass runs match perfectly with Clark’s highly aggressive attack. These boys’s the real deal!

As luck would also have it, YouTube has a clip of Clark and the Boys from the a Newport Festival (folk? 60s?)…

The Liberty Bluegrass Band is hosting the Greendale Banjo and Fiddle Contest, June 2nd, in downtown Greendale. The boys will start things off with a short performance followed by the contest at 10am. The contest is open to all ages and skill levels and offers cash prizes in each division. See the band’s website for rules and more information.