Door County’s historic White Gull Inn will be the venue for a concert by the popular Chicago-based bluegrass group The Special Consensus Wednesday, April 28th. Fans can combine the concert with a special prix fixe dinner and even an overnight stay.

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.

What could be a more thoughtful gift this holiday season than a CD from one of the Midwest’s best bluegrass groups? When you buy an album from a SWBMAI member band, you not only give your friends and family outstanding entertainment with a unique “local sound,” you also help support the live bluegrass scene in Wisconsin.

Here are some terrific CDs selected by the bands themselves for this Holiday Buying Guide. Any one would make a splendid gift:

Henhouse Prowlers

Chicago bluegrass powerhouse The Henhouse Prowlers have a brand-new album out called A Dark Rumor. Find out why music blog Wildy’s World said “This is one of those albums that makes you want to run out and find what else The Henhouse Prowlers have done, and when the next new album might be expected. Check out The Henhouse Prowlers, a must-hear band.”

You can purchase the disc through CD Baby at http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/TheHenhouseProwlers . Or you can download the album on iTunes at http://itunes.apple.com/album/a-dark-rumor/id343345267?v0=9989&ign-mpt=uo=1 .

Liberty Bluegrass Band

2009 WAMI Bluegrass Artist of the Year Liberty Bluegrass is offering two CDs this holiday season. The first is  their debut album Life, Liberty Bluegrass and the Pursuit of Happiness, featuring their 2008 WAMI CD-Roulette winning cover of “Rank Stranger to Me.” Their latest CD is Goin’ Burlap, featuring four original songs and a cover of Lynard Skynard’s “Simple Man.”

Both CDs can be purchased for $10 each plus $2 S&H. During the holiday their online purchased CDs come with free gift wrapping! LBB’s on-line store is located at http://www.libertybluegrassband.com/LBB_Store.html

Alzen Family Bluegrass Band

Fans of gospel bluegrass will want to own some discs from the Alzen Family band.  The group have three CDs available: On the Sea of Life, Let My Life Be a Light, and Traveling Through God’s World. CDs cost $15, plus $2 shipping. Available to listen and order on band website www.alzenfamily.com via PayPal. Those wishing to buy the old fashioned way may also order by phone at 715-749-3977, or send check or cash by mail to Alzen Family, 1016-110th Avenue, Roberts, WI 54023. Please specify which CD and quantity.

Round the Bend

Round the Bend’s self-titled debut album is a perennial favorite. Country music historian Bill Malone says “The diversity of styles is one of the most appealing aspects of the music heard here. . .You’re going to like what you hear.”

You can listen to clips and purchase the CD at http://roundbend.com/cdinfopage.htm.

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Copies are still available of Jeff Hickey’s MAMA-winning album, Loose Ends. Hickey, a gifted guitarist and singer/songwriter, died earlier this year from injuries sustained in a car accident, and the limited supply of CDs are being sold to benefit Jeff’s family. You can find out how to order a copy here: http://www.thirdhandcapo.com/jeff/index.html.

We’re offering Four FREE 4-Day Passes to the Flatrock Bluegrass Jamboree!, A $300 Value! These tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis so act fast.

Just be the first SWBMAI member to call SWBMAI Secretary Sharon Manion at (608) 424-3408.

Your SWBMAI membership is paying off! One lucky winner at our annual SWBMAI Jamboree received
these valuable 4-daypasses and now they can’t go to the festival. They contacted Flat Rock promoters who in turn contacted SWBMAI for our help in locating wanting individuals about the renewed availability of these great tickets.

So if you are a SWBMAI member, and want a great time at a great deal, just be the first to call 608-424-3408. And after you go, we’d love to hear what you have to say about Flatrock and be able to share it on our website. Event photos are a plus.

Here’s what last year’s ticket winner Jim Knobloch had to say about the event: “With the stage set up inside a rustic pole barn & half a foot of fresh sawdust on the ground, there was plenty of room for dancing or just sitting back & listening to the fantastic music. Camping (with shower facilities) is also available on site, but there are plenty of reasonably-priced motels nearby for the less adventurous. The Flatrock organizers put together a nice family-oriented bluegrass event!”

Headliners include Nashville recording artists Farewell Drifters, Oklahoma based IIIrd Generation Bluegrass Band, Deep Fried Grass out of Sturgeon Bay, Sloppy Joe, as well as Madison’s own SpareTime Bluegrass Band, winner of Best Country/Bluegrass Album of the Year at the Madison Area Music Awards (MAMA).

For a complete venue listing and further details on the event, please visit: www.flatrockbluegrass.com/

Flatrock Bluegrass Jamboree
June 18, 19, 20, 21
Fuddfest Country Music Grounds
Antigo, WI

Well, I can’t believe it’s been a year since last year’s fest, but I am as excited as ever for this weekend. Last year a few people were scared away by the rain on Friday night, but fear not! This year, they are getting an extra large tent at the Brooklyn Bluegrass Fest to keep cover from any rain or too much sun. Friday night will be lots of fun with Jefferson County Bluegrass Band and the Henhouse Prowlers from Chicago.

Saturday will be another excellent day of bluegrass with several excellent Wisconsin bands as well as the High 48’s, a traditional bluegrass band from Minneapolis, who I have been wanting to see live for some time. I am also hoping that they have the same dessert table that they had last year, with several kinds of delicious pies and other assorted baked goods.

See you there!

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!

Dede Wyland, a native Wisconsinite, will be teaching vocal workshops in Wisconsin the first weekend of April. For folks in Milwaukee, she will teach one workshop at 1pm on Saturday, April 5th at the Brass Bell Music Store in Bayshore. For Madison folks, she will teach at noon on Sunday, April 6th, at the Skaalen Village in McFarland.

Dede Wyland’s pure and compelling voice has enchanted audiences around the globe, and her driving rhythm guitar has powered the sound of many a bluegrass band including the popular Tony Trischka & Skyline and ’Grass, Food & Lodging. As a teacher, she uses her profound knowledge of the human voice and her inspiring and supportive manner to help amateurs and professionals alike realize their vocal potential. Bluegrass Unlimited, in a January 2001 feature article, said that Dede’s “gifts of vocal virtuosity, musical expression, and sheer positive force of personality have made her a valued presence in modern acoustic music.” Read her full bio here.

In this workshop you will:

• get to the heart of good vocal technique (breath support, tone quality, projection etc)
• touch upon the basic principals of bluegrass harmony singing
• do plenty of singing and have fun!
• Towards the end of the workshop Dede will coach 3 volunteers through a bluegrass song of their choice.

Both volunteers and attendees alike will benefit from what can be learned during this fun exercise. If you are interested in volunteering, please send Dede an email at: dwyland@ix.netcom.com.

The cost is $65. Pre-registration is strongly recommended. To register for the Madison workshop, contact Karen at karensonn@gmail.com or 608-224-1124. To register for the Milwaukee workshop, contact Linda at lsandersen@wi.rr.com

My Bears did not make it as far as I’d have liked (though there were at least two glorious games this season). But when they’re not playing the Bears, I am a Pac fan… and we all hate the Vikings :) So with that, I say GO PAC! and pass on this fine Packers/Bears joke…

A man goes to the Chicago Bear ticket office and inquires about purchasing play-off tickets. The ticket teller replies that there weren’t any tickets for sale because the Bears did not make it to the play-offs.

The following day the same man goes to the Chicago Bear ticket office and inquires about purchasing Bear play-off tickets. The ticket teller politely replies that there weren’t any tickets for sale because the Bears did not make it to the play-offs.

This goes on for an entire week. The man goes to the Bear ticket office inquiring about play-off tickets and the teller says none are for sale because the Bears did not make it to the play-offs.

Another week of this goes by and the man still is asking the ticket teller about Bear play-off tickets. Finally the ticket teller in a loud voice says, I’VE TOLD YOU FOR THE LAST 2 WEEKS THERE WERE NOT ANY TICKETS
AVAILABLE BECAUSE THE THE BEARS DID NOT MAKE THE PLAY-OFFS!

The man replied, ‘I know.’ I drive all the way from Green Bay just to hear you say that!