The Nob Hill Boys are an established bluegrass unit whose commitment to tradition is clear in every aspect of their per- formances. This award-winning band has produced three CDs and entertained audiences all across the Midwest for the past six years in venues of all sizes from coffeehouses to festivals to a performance on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion. The group’s four fine singers take a traditional approach with a nod to the standard repertoire of the past, but also bringing obscure gems and fine original material to light. The Nob Hill Boys also are fortunate to feature some of the finest instru- mentalists in the Upper Midwest. Those of you looking for a hot banjo number, a driving fiddle breakdown or superb flat picking guitar will not be disappointed .

Harriet Park is located along Mary Lou Street, Arthur Street, Westlawn Avenue and Harriet Street on the Verona’s  north side.

Patti Graham (dobro), Tony Hozeny (mandolin), and Mark Peterson (guitar) have spent many years playing and singing bluegrass and traditional country music. Their sound comes straight from the heart and features high lonesome vocals and harmonies, a driving beat, and tight instrumental passages. For more on Northern Comfort’s schedule see their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/northerncomfrt

“It’s by far the best room in Chicago to see acoustic (or any) music,” the band proclaimed in a recent release.  ” There isn’t a single bad seat in the house and the acoustics are pristine.”

Opening for the Prowlers will be songwriter and clawhammer banjoist Mark Dvorak, one of the performers traveling with the Weavers tribute band Weavermania.

Go here to buy tickets online:  http://www.oldtownschool.org/concerts/2010/7/

You can also call them at 773-728-6000.

SWBMAI member band Truman’s Ridge will be hosting a release party to celebrate the new Long Way Home CD.

The party will be at The House Café, 263 E. Lincoln Highway (route 38), Dekalb on Friday, June 11, from 6:00-8:30pm.

The band will perform music from Long Way Home and some other favorites. The band’s banjoist, Bruce Wallace, promises, “There will be cake!” For more information on the band’s upcoming schedule, see their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/trumansridge

The Special Consensus has been touring the US and internationally. It has appeared on The Nashville Network “Fire On The Mountain” show, toured for three seasons as 4/5 of the cast in the musical Cotton Patch Gospel (music and lyrics by Harry Chapin), and released fourteen recordings.

The Special Consensus repertoire features original compositions by band members and professional songwriters (such as “Dusk ‘Til Dawn” and “Margarita Breakdown”). The repertoire also includes traditional bluegrass standards (songs by Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, etc.) and songs by artists from other musical genres (such as “Blue Skies” by Irving Berlin).

Tickets for the 8pm show are $15. An optional Pre-concert Dinner served at 6 PM will feature Chicken Marsala with shitake mushrooms, green onions, and linguine, garlic herb Focaccia, spring greens salad, rhubarb torte for dessert.  Fixed price is $18.95.

Several room packages are available for concert goers who would like to linger in Fish Creek.  These include a Spring two-night package (includes a free dinner) and a three-nights-for-the-price-of-two package.  For those who can only stay the night of the concert, The White Gull Inn offers a special package which includes two free tickets to the concert with a one night stay.

To buy concert tickets, make dinner reservations or take advantage of one of the room packages, call the White Gull Inn  toll free at 800-624-1987. Orders are taken daily between 7:30 AM and 8:30 PM.

Editor’s Note: The Special Consensus will also be playing at Folklore Village in Dodgeville April 30, starting at 7:30 PM. More information here.

Robert L. Doerschuk of All Things Strings says, “Missy Raines harbors different priorities. She has chops to burn, but that’s not as important to her as finding the right note, dropping it in the pocket, and either letting it ring or clipping it short to let the silence speak in the aftermath.”

Her band on this tour includes Ethan Ballinger, a protege of Matt Flinner, Dominick Leslie, and Robert Crawford on drums. See missyraines.com for much more info about Missy and her hot band.

For reservations and directions to the concert, call Jim or Nancy Nikora at 608-233-0150 or e- mail Nancy at nancy@blue-note.com. Make your reservations now as seating is limited.

Bill Malone, Madison’s encyclopedia of American music, will talk on the Rotunda Stage at 6:45 about the origins and meaning of bluegrass music along with special comments about the Osborne Brothers. A few recorded selections of songs will illustrate Malone’s main points. Comments and questions from the audience are welcome.The session is free.

That’s sure to put you in the mood to head upstairs to Capitol Theater at 8:00 for the American Bluegrass Masters Tour, starring Bobby Osborne. In addition to leading a family steeped in musical legacy in its own right, Bobby is the last living person who actually performed alongside the great Bill Monroe. Come for the living history or just the foot-stompin’, knee-slappin’ rhythms.

Tickets for the Bobby Osborne concert may be purchased on line at the Overture Center web site or by calling the Overture box office at 608-258-4141.

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.

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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