Beloved local singing team Bill and Bobbie Malone will perform their repertoire of classic country duets tomorrow evening, March 20, at the Prairie Coffee House in Deforest, Wis.Doors open 6:30 p.m., music starts at 7:00 p.m.

Bobbie plays mandolin, and Bill plays guitar as they blend their old-time duet harmonies and sing traditional or more recent traditionally-flavored songs. The duo combine an encyclopedic knowledge of traditional country music with an authentic old-time vocal style. Bill Malone is the author of  Country Music USA, the first definitive history of country music, and hosts a weekly radio show on WORT community radio.

Prairie Coffeehouse offers live, acoustic music in the smoke-free, alcohol-free fellowship hall at Spring Prairie Lutheran Church, located at the intersection of County Highways C and DM in Keyeser, Wisconsin (near DeForest). There is no cover charge. The venue relies on freewill donations for performers and refreshments.

SWBMAI member band Down From The Hills will head up an evening of bluegrass, cajun and traditional country music this Saturday at the Gone Fish Inn in Mt. Vernon, WI from 7 to 11 p.m.

Down From The Hills plays bluegrass music inspired by the likes of Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs and John Hartford. Their music features both instrumental solos and vocal harmonies. Recently, they’ve added Cajun music to their shows, with band leader Pat Downing on the Cajun button accordion.

The band will be joined by two guest acts: the husband-and-wife team of Bill and Colleen Foley, who sing and play old-time and traditional country music, and the Knickelbine Brothers, who specialize in duets in the style of the Louvin and Bailes brothers.

Here’s how to get there:

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Chris Thile, formerly of the Grammy Award-winning Nickel Creek, will appear with Punch Brothers at the Wisconsin Union Theater March 4th.  Thile, who has been called  “the most virtuosic American ever to play the mandolin,” will front the Punch Brothers; a super-quintet featuring equally youthful, prodigiously-gifted bandmates who are among the most in-demand performers in the worlds of bluegrass, folk, and traditional music (including Madison native Paul Kowert on bass).

Named after the Mark Twain short story Punch, Brothers, Punch!, the band’s first project, The Blind Leaving the Blind, is a 40-minute, four-movement suite using the dismantling of Thile’s marriage as a jumping-off point for a rumination about the loss of innocence, the sobering transition into adulthood, and the sudden disruption of a young man’s spiritual journey.

Punch Brothers with Chris Thile
Thursday, March 4, 2010, 8pm
Wisconsin Union Theater
Ticket Prices: General: $28
UW-Madison Students: $10

Bluegrass mandolinist and jazz clarinetist Andy Statman will be joined by Wisconsin artists Jerry Wicentowski and Lucky Break for a concert at the UW Hillel Foundation February 23.

Born in Brooklyn, Statman first gained acclaim as a mandolinist in pioneering bluegrass bands Country Cookin’ and Breakfast Special. He then turned to Klezmer music, recording several albums that were influential in the Klezmer revival that began in the late 70s. In the 90s, Statman began playing Chassidic melodies, fusing bluegrass, klezmer, and jazz along the way.

In 2008, Statman appeared as a guest on Bela Fleck and the Flecktones holiday album Jingle All the Way, playing both clarinet and mandolin. The album won a Grammy for  Best Pop Instrumental Album.

Andy Statman with Jerry Wicentowski and Lucky Break

SWBMAI Member Band the Henhouse Prowlers were recently honored with a coveted Chicago Music Award for Best Country/Western Entertainer, and now they’re headed for Madison’s High Noon Saloon.

The popular bluegrass quartet is playing at the High Noon Saloon this Friday, February 12, starting at 9:30 p.m. They’ll be joined by the St. Paul group Two Many Banjos.

2010 marked the 29th anniversary of the Chicago Music Awards, which has honored Chicago musicians ranging from George Solti to Kanye West. Stewart Mason of the All Music Guide writes, “The Henhouse Prowlers are a Chicago-based group of youngsters trying mightily to re-create the spirit and form of vintage bluegrass. . .a solid piece of contemporary bluegrass with its heart in the right place.”

Just a reminder of the Jim Hurst Concert and Guitar workshop January, 30. A few slots are still available for the workshop in the afternoon, so take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. And don’t miss the concert in the evening.

Concert: 8 pm at Mother Fools Coffee House, 1101 Williamson St., Madison, Wisconsin.

Workshop: 1 pm – 4 pm at the Wil-Mar Center, 953 Jenifer St., Madison, WI.  Contact Julie Cherney at cherney@uwalumni.com or 608-244-2184 for more information and a registration form.

Grammy-winning bluegrass fiddler/vocalist Laurie Lewis and her mandolin-playing partner, Tom Rozum, will return to the High Noon Saloon this Saturday at 7:00 pm.  The event is being cosponsored by th Mid-Continent Railway Museum and WORT 89.9FM.

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.

Tune into 89.9FM WORT to hear an interview with Jim Hurst by John Fabke Tuesday, 1/19 at 11:00 a.m. on John’s show Pastures of Plenty. Then tune in again on Friday, 1/29 at 11:00 a.m. for a live studio appearance by Jim on Chris Powers’ Mud Acres Bluegrass Show.

Don’t miss Jim Hurst’s concert January 30, at 8 pm at Mother Fools Coffee House, 1101 Williamson St., Madison, Wisconsin. And if you’re a flat-picker who needs a little fine-tuning, take advantage of the best flat-picker in bluegrass today at Jim’s guitar workshop on the 30^th from 1 pm – 4 pm at the Wil-Mar Center, 953 Jenifer St., Madison, WI. Contact Julie Cherney at cherney@uwalumni.com or 608-244-2184 for more information and a registration form.

Two SWBMAI member bands will be featured in the lineup for the 9th annual United Way Benefit Concert.

SpareTime Bluegrass and The Oak Street Ramblers, along with The Cork ‘n Bottle String Band and children’s music peformer Dave Landau will present a benefit concert for United Way of Dane County on Sunday, February 14 at 1:00 p.m. at The Barrymore Theatre, 2090 Atwood Avenue, Madison WI. All of the performers are contributing their time and talent, and all proceeds will go to support United Way to advance the community’s Agenda for Change goals.

The annual concert has seen strong support from serious bluegrass fans. Admission for this family-friendly concert will be $10 for adults, and $5.00 for children 5-12 years of age ($20 maximum per family). Tickets may be ordered at www.barrymorelive.com.

Are you serious about your New Year’s resolution of becoming a better guitarist?  Or has cabin fever got its grip on you?   Then take advantage of two-time IBMA Guitar Player of the Year and member of the Grammy-nominated Claire Lynch Band Jim Hurst’s guitar workshop and concert Saturday, January 30.

“In a field known for great instrumental work, Hurst is as good as they come…His guitar playing is marked by pure abandon.”
- Country Standard Time

Workshop, $60
1-4pm at:
Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center
953 Jenifer St.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone (608) 257-4576
www.madison.com/communities/wil-mar

For workshop registration, call Julie Cherney at 608-244-2184, or email cherney@uwalumni.com Some workshop topics include flat-picking and finger-style guitar styles; rhythm and melodies, solos and improvisation, timing, tone, and taste; Practice techniques, time management; Emphasis on raising the enjoyment level.

Concert, $10
8 p.m. at:
Mother Fool’s Coffee House
1101 Williamson St.
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 259-1301
www.motherfools.com

Information about Jim Hurst can be found at www.jimhurst.com.