Blue Tickets – Fiddle ($525 value, with bow and case) donated by Lane Venden (www.laneslutherie.com) plus two violin lessons with Wisconsin State Fiddle Champion, Shauncey Ali.

Yellow Tickets – Paul Woolson Guitar (www.WoolsonSoundCraft.com) – $3000 value, solid Koa body, spruce top with case – plus four guitar lessons by Bob Westphal.

Green Tickets – Your choice of: Hand-sewn quilts donated by Sharon Manion & Mary Jo Brechtl; Digital video recorder ($150 value) donated by Bruce Brechtl; Hand-braided leather mandolin strap ($100 value) donated by Debra Amesqua; or Two mandolin lessons with Simms Delaney-Pottoff. First green ticket drawn wins choice of prizes, second green ticket gets choice of remaining prizes, etc.

Raffle tickets – $5 each or five for $20 (in any combination of ticket colors) – may be purchased from members of the SWBMAI Board of Directors and key volunteers at area jams and festivals. Tickets are also available at Lane’s Lutherie (4269 W. Beltline Hwy) in Madison. The drawing will be held at 8:00 P.M. on December 6, 2010, at the Dry Bean Saloon (5264 Verona Road) in Madison during the Monday Night Jam and Open Mic. Thanks for your support and good luck in the SWBMAI Raffle!

You need not be present to win. Raffle winnings are taxable income and subject to reporting as required by law. Purchase of raffle tickets is not tax-deductible.

Since forming a musical partnership in 1986, when Tom first joined Laurie’s acclaimed band Grant Street, Lewis and Rozum have recorded 12 alblums and performed around the globe. These Grammy-nominated artists (for their 1995 album The Oak and the Laurel) are widely regarded as among the leading lights of modern bluegrass.

In their concerts, Lewis and Rozum pay homage to such eminent influences as Woody Guthrie, Hazel Dickens, Grandpa Jones and Bill Monroe, and add their own distinctive touches to traditional favorites. They also perform several of Lewis’ highly acclaimed compositions.

Tickets will are $14 in advance and $17 on the day of the show. More information at http://high-noon.com.

The special live tribute will be performed Friday, November 6th at Mother Fool’s Coffehouse in Madison and Saturday, November 7th at the Richland Auditorium.

Bob Black is a master of the five string banjo and a veteran of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys. He has also performed with Ricky Skaggs, The Whites, Emmylou Harris, Norman Blake and Rhonda Vincent and played the Grand Ole Opry. Paul Kienitz is one of the finest traditional bluegrass fiddle players in the upper Midwest. Paul has been a long standing member of the award-winning Nob Hill Boys and was a featured performer with a reunion of Blue Grass Boys at the 2008 Sugar Maple Festival.

Bob and Paul will be joined by Mark Hembree on bass (veteran of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys as well, the Nashville Bluegrass Band and the Dreadful Snakes with Bela’ Fleck and Jerry Douglas). Brian Ray on mandolin (This is the Squirrel Hunters) and John Fabke on guitar (Nob Hill Boys) will complete the line-up for this special Tribute.

Friday, November 6, Mother Fool’s Coffeehouse, 1101 Williamson St., Madison, WI, 8pm
Admission: $10.

Saturday, November 7, Richland Center City Auditorium, 182 N. Central Ave., Richland Center, WI., 7:30pm.
Advanced Tickets: Auditorium Antiques, 182 N. Central Ave., Richland Center, WI Info: 608-649-3456.
*A portion of the proceeds goes to RCPAC (Richland County Performing Arts Council) to fund the Auditorium Rehabilitation Project.*
Tickets: $10.

World-Class multi-instrumentalist from Finland, Arto Järvelä, is coming to the Kettle Moraine State Forest!  He plays fiddle, mandolin, mandola, guitar, kantele, etc and plays with several groups including JPP, and the Helsinki Mandoliners.  He will be teaching workshops in the afternoon- one for fiddle and one mandolin (other string instruments are welcome too- main focus is mandolin).  The workshops will be followed by a concert in an intimate setting.  Here is your chance to see and learn from a master musician.  For more info about Arto Järvelä and music samples see his MySpace page:  http://www.myspace.com/artojarvela

Reservations (it would be nice to have an idea how many folks might show up), more info, directions: send email to:   LPFConcerts@gmail.com

We are located in the Town of LaGrange, WI, 1.4 miles north of the intersection of US Highway 12 and County Road H on the west side of County Road H.  We are immediately south of the entrances to the Nordic Ski & John Muir Mountain Bike Trails.

Since I belong to that strange group that call themselves five string banjo players I wouldn’t have missed a chance to see Bill Evans for anything. The Saturday concert at the Willmar center was packed and I haven’t seen a more attentive crowd. You could have heard a pin drop during the performance which I can only describe as spellbinding.

I knew Bill was a hot banjo player but I had no idea how great Megan Lynch was. The two put on a tour de force of both instruments. Megan is also a wonderful vocalist and they did some nice harmony between the amazing instrumentals.

Thanks to SWBMAI and especially Julie Cherney for producing a top notch bluegrass event.

Editor’s Note: If you click on the You Tube above you can view this video in High Quality!

It’s just a little over three weeks until Bill Evans and Megan Lynch are at the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center in Madison for an instructive, fun-filled day of banjo, fiddle, and jam workshops and a concert. There is still room in each workshop for more participants, and advance concert tickets are available online right here,  at Spruce Tree Music in Madison, and by contacting Julie Cherney at cherney@uwalumni.com or 608-260-2675.  Contact Julie also about registering for the workshops, or download the registration form here. 

SWBMAI is excited to present these top-notch musicians/teachers/performers in a day-long event. (Learn more about Bill and Megan at www.nativeandfine.com or google bill evans and megan lynch.) If you’ve never attended a workshop with professional bluegrass musicians, this is the perfect chance. And if you’ve never participated in a jam with professional musicians – especially a fiddle champion and a hot banjo picker – you’re in for a real treat!

This is the first time in several years that SWBMAI has offered such a wonderful educational opportunity for area musicians and, with the concert, a perfect family event for the Madison community (children under 12 may attend the concert free of charge). There’s something for everyone.

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.

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.

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!