Schedule/Lineup |
Roots on The River 2010 Artist Bios Angel Band Roots music veteran Nancy Josephson and her husband David Bromberg moved to Wilmington, Delaware in 2002 to serve as the city’s artists-in- residence. After musical stints with Bromberg, the Buffalo Gals, Arlo Guthrie and Peter Rowan, Josephson had removed herself from the music business and was focusing on her mixed media sculptures. At Bromberg’s urging Nancy dropped in on a bluegrass jam one night at the 4W5 Club and her love of performing was rekindled. From that night’s experience Angel Band was born. Angel Band’s music is a fusion of folk, roots, blues, country and gospel sounds. It is high energy music fueled by soaring three part harmonies. Joining Josephson on vocals are Kathleen Weber and Aly Paige. Weber has been performing for 20 years in numerous choirs, bands and acoustic groups, most recently in Philadelphia with Los Manatees. Paige is the newest Angel Band member (joining in 2009). She has a degree in vocal performance from the University of Delaware and has been performing since the age of five, recording or sharing the stage with the likes of Rusted Root, The Spin Doctors and Kenny Rogers. Angel Band recorded Beautiful Noise in 2006. The album is full of their interpretation of songs by other writers. With Roots & Wings followed in 2007. This album of original music by band members was produced by Lloyd Maines. Part of Angel Band’s allure is the great backing musicians on stage with them. Players include Marc Moss (drums, guitar, mandolin, accordion), Bob Taylor (bass) and Christie Lenee (guitar). Mr. Bromberg has also been known to join in at times. You might even see Angel Band back on stage adding some harmonies to the Bromberg Quartet set.
Australian Audrey Auld returns to ROTR this year as a solo artist (her previous appearance was with Bill Chambers). Audrey wasn’t raised in some white bread Australian home but in the bush, in Tasmania. The house had no TV or radio but did have animals, books and live music. She says: “Mum and Dad didn’t want us to perceive music as wallpaper. They taught us to listen and enjoy, with an open heart and enquiring mind, to the layers of colour, emotion and dynamics in music.” An avid poet and prose writer, Auld first began putting her words to music during a stay in Alice Springs in Central Australia. During that time she became drawn to the country music of Gram Parsons, the Carter Family and Loretta Lynn. Moving to Sydney and joining with like minded musicians she began playing in bands with names like the Cowbelles, Harmony Grits and Audrey and the Rhythm Wranglers. Around that time Audrey met Bill Chambers of the Dead Ringer Band and realized that he would be the perfect producer for her first recording. Her debut EP was released in 1997 and its mix of hillbilly, swing, torch and honky-tonk was like nothing ever released in Australia before. This led to a duo album with Bill called Looking Back to See. The album consists mainly of original songs written by Audrey and Bill but inspired by traditional country duets and close harmonies. Because no Australian record company was interested in releasing the album they started Reckless Records and did it themselves. The album won Best Independent Australian Album of 1999 and rated a story in the US based Billboard Magazine. Since that time Audrey has maintained a successful solo career. As she has grown musically her style has shifted from traditional country to a more diverse range of styles. Her first true solo album The Fallen came out in 2000 and won an ARIA nomination for best country album. This was followed by 2003’s Losing Faith. By this time she was collaborating with people like Fred Eaglesmith, Kieran Kane and Dale Watson. Since relocating to the United States in 2003 Audrey has recorded four more albums, including Texas with guest musicians Carrie Rodriguez and Gabe and Kimmie Rhodes and the live In the House with Nina Gerber. Audrey is now based in Nashville. Her live sound usually consists of acoustic guitar, vocals and acoustic lead guitar, often from frequent collaborator Andrew Hardin.
BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet will be headlining the Thursday night show at the Opera House. BeauSoleil is the premier Cajun band in the world and has been nominated for 11 Grammy’s, winning twice - 2009 for Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album and 1998 for Best Traditional Folk Album. The band tours internationally and has played every major festival. They have released more than 20 albums including Alligator Purse in 2009. Front man Michael Doucet grew up in Scott, LA (near Lafayette) and began playing folk rock music with his cousin. He did not fully appreciate the rich musical heritage of his native region until a trip to France where he discovered French bands performing traditional Cajun music. Upon his return to the US he sought out traditional Cajun musicians like Dewey Balfa, Canray Fontenot and Dennis McGee to learn more about the music. This interest eventually led to the formation of BeauSoleil in 1975. BeauSoleil steps outside of the traditional Cajun music by incorporating other styles such as jazz, Caribbean, Zydeco and Tex-Mex and adding their own spin. Doucet says: “Cajun music is wrapped up in emotion. Maybe some of the emotions, the more modern emotions, aren’t adequately covered by the old songs. So that’s what we try to do through our new compositions. In many ways we’re the same individuals our ancestors were 300 years ago, but the times around us have changed. If the music captures where we are now, it just adds to the preservation of Cajun music.” Michael Doucet plays violin and does most of the vocals, his brother David Doucet is featured on guitar and vocals, Jimmy Breaux is on accordion, Billy Ware on percussion (mainly rub board), Tommy Alesi on drums and Mitch Reed on bass and fiddle. Make no mistake about it, this is one hot band.
Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles Roots on the River favorites Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles return on Friday night for their third appearance at the festival. It has been fun watching the Broken Singles’ progression over the years. At their first appearance they were an unknown band from Boston with no recordings that won us over with Sarah’s stage presence and their blend of rock, country and R+B. They come to us in 2010 as a veteran band that has toured internationally, released three albums and has achieved national critical acclaim. Sarah’s most recent album, 2009’s The Stars are Out on Sugar Hill Records, includes five original tunes with five covers from artists as diverse as Smokey Robinson and Evan Dando. The review in Rolling Stone said: “There aren’t many buzzed-over young rockers with Smoky Robinson and NRBQ tunes floating around in their heads, but Sarah Borges covers both on her 3rd LP. . . ‘Stars’ shows off Borges’ friendly pop-rock attack and tosses in bits of twang, rockabilly and Fifties pop. . .thanks largely to Borges’ warm, perky voice, Stars is tuneful and unhip in a hip kinda way.” Hey, but this isn’t all about Sarah -- The Broken Singles are a top notch band. They include Sarah on vocals and rocking rhythm guitar, Lyle Brewer on lead guitar, Binky on bass and Rob Dulaney on drums. This band really cooks and it is guaranteed to be an up tempo set - as Sarah says: “We always want people to dance. That’s the best way to get a show going.” Ushers take heed – the aisles will be filled. Mr. Eaglesmith take heed – with The Broken Singles and Joanne Shaw Taylor preceding you, Friday is your night to rock.
David Bromberg is an exciting addition to this year’s festival. Raised in Tarrytown, NY, David began playing guitar at age 13 and eventually enrolled in Columbia University as a musicology major. While there he was drawn to the Greenwich Village folk scene and soon began serving as “guide dog” for the blind Reverend Gary Davis, leading him to gigs in exchange for guitar lessons. Bromberg’s early career was as a sideman backing Jerry Jeff Walker, Tom Paxton, Rosalie Sorrels and others. During that time he began getting session work that has resulted in his participation on 100’s of albums including such diverse artists as Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, the Eagles, Link Wray and Carly Simon. His guitar solo on the original recording of Jerry Jeff’s “Mr. Bojangles” remains one of the great moments of the 60’s folk/rock era. A solo gig at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival led to a recording deal with Columbia Records. This resulted in a string of a dozen major label releases (on both Columbia and Fantasy) over the next ten years. Highlights of that time include the self titled album David Bromberg with the George Harrison co-write “The Holdup”, the double live/studio album How Late’ll Ya Play To, and Wanted Dead or Alive with backing by the Grateful Dead on several tracks. Bromberg’s heavy touring schedule during those years eventually took its toll and he withdrew from the music business for a number of years. “I actually got burned out on the road . . . I realized it when I was home. I wasn’t practicing. I wasn’t jamming. I wasn’t writing. . . I felt I was no longer a musician. I didn’t want to be one of those guys that drags his butt up on stage and does an imitation of what he used to do, cause he doesn’t know any other way to earn a living. So I decided to find another way to live my life.” David began a new career repairing, building and selling violins. His shop is located in Wilmington, Delaware where he has become part of the city’s artist-in-residence program. Frequent participation in Wilmington’s weekly jam sessions rekindled David’s desire to begin performing again. In 2007 he recorded his first album in almost 20 years Try Me One More Time on Appleseed Records. He has stepped up his touring schedule and performs occasionally as a solo artist, as a side man in his wife Nancy Josephson’s Angel Band, with the Quartet and with a full band. The Bromberg Quartet includes Nate Grower on fiddle, Butch Amiot on Bass and Mitch Corbin on guitar, mandolin and fiddle. They play a wide variety of music, including blues, bluegrass and string band but the common thread is that they do it in their own style. Bromberg says: “I think anyone who is worth listening to, even if he is doing something old, makes it his own . . . while I’m doing it, it is mine and I can do what I want with it.” This set will be one of the highlights of the weekend.
Daddy is made up of Nashville musicians Will Kimbrough and Tommy Womack. Both are veterans of Nashville’s vibrant under the radar music scene. They first recorded together in 1994 as the Bis-quits for John Prine’s Oh-Boy label. The first Daddy project saw the light of day in 2005 when the live album, “At the Women’s Club” was released. Amazon reviewer Todd Smith says the album “. . . not only entertains but inspires a little juke-joint butt-shaking . . . with country-twang and a few Rolling Stones licks. . . “. A studio album, For a Second Time, was released in the summer of 2009 and quickly went to number one on the Euro – Americana charts. Will Kimbrough first came to Nashville with his band Will and the Bushmen and the band quickly landed a major label deal. After the breakup of the Bushmen Will and Tommy Womack formed a new band, the Bis-quits, and recorded an album for John Prine’s Oh Boy label. Since that time Kimbrough has maintained a busy career as a solo artist, songwriter, producer and sideman. He can frequently be found out on the road backing Rodney Crowell or as a member of Todd Snider’s Nervous Wrecks. He was the 2004 winner of the Americana Music Associations Instrumentalist of the Year. Will’s songs have been recorded by the likes of Snider, Little Feat and Jack Ingram . . . and no less than Jimmy Buffett included three of his songs on his 2009 Buffett’s Hotel album. Kentucky native, Tommy Womack, started his music career in the mid 1980’s as the singer/lead guitarist for the post punk band Government Cheese. From there it was on to the Bis-quits with Will Kimbrough. In addition to Daddy Tommy has maintained a career as a solo artist, songwriter, sideman and author. Womack has released a number of solo albums, including 2007’s There, I Said It, and his novel, The Lavender Boys and Elsie, was published in 2008. Todd Snider says that Womack is the only person he’s ever met in Nashville that is crazier than he is. That’s a compliment – I think. BluegrassSpecial.com says that as Daddy, Kimbrough and Womack “. . . meet through their humor as lyricists and their shared love of good old-fashioned swamp-bred guitar riffs . . . “. I’ve got a smile on my face in anticipation.
Welcome to the 11th annual Roots on the River Festival celebrating roots music in all ways, shapes and forms and featuring three performances by Fred Eaglesmith and the Flying Squirrels. This year the festival is truly international with performers from Canada, Australia, the UK and the USA. I was headed south on I-91 a couple of weeks ago talking with my wife about the ROTR lineup and listening to Outlaw Country on Sirius/XM. All of a sudden Mojo Nixon comes on between songs and yells –“GUESS WHO JUST SCORED THE TITLE TRACK TO ALAN JACKSON’S NEW CD. FRED EAGLESMITH – THAT’S WHO!! NOW THAT HE’S HIT THE BIG TIME #%&@*! FRED BETTER NOT FORGET HIS ROOTS. BETTER NOT FORGET HIS TRUE FANS.” It’s true that this has been a good year for Fred. Beside’s landing the title cut on Jackson’s album Freight Train, Miranda Lambert recorded “Time to Get a Gun”, Bill Chambers covered “Just Dreaming” and Texas band Two Tons of Steel put out a great version of “Alcohol and Pills”. Word has it that Fred is working on a new album and he will be appearing on The Late Show with David Letterman soon after ROTR. The fact that Fred is back again this year is a sure sign that he hasn’t forgotten his true fans. Rumor has it that he also turned down an invite to Lambert’s record release party because he already had a gig booked that night. That’s vintage Fred. Born to a farming family in rural Southern Ontario Fred Eaglesmith has been on the road making music for 30 years. Over that time he has recorded 16 albums, written hundreds of songs and played thousands of shows. He has won a Juno award (Canada’s version of a Grammy) and has been nominated for several others. His most recent album Tinderbox was nominated for Roots and Traditional Album of the Year. In addition to those noted above, Fred’s songs have been recorded by diverse group of other artists including Kasey Chambers, Mary Gauthier, Toby Keith, Todd Snider and Dar Williams and have been used in film projects by Martin Scorsese and James Caan. What makes Fred and his music so special? It’s a combination of things. Part of it is the songs – short, gritty novels about real people and their trials and tribulations through life. Part of it is his performing style – in your face, full of monologues that make you laugh and think at the same time. A large part of it is his personality and philosophy. He doesn’t want to be a star and doesn’t take himself too seriously. In a recent interview Fred was quoted “I do my work like a plumber. A plumber goes home at night and says, ‘I did good work’. That’s what I’m interested in, doing good work. . . . It’s not as important as a doctor that operates on children, it’s just music.” Nope, he doesn’t sound like someone that will forget his roots. The Flying Squirrels are Luke Stackhouse on bass and vocals, Kori Heppner on drums and Matt Simpson on guitar, keyboards and banjo. Fred is playing a lot more lead guitar now and the band is smokin’. This weekend look for the Ginn Sisters to contribute harmony vocals and Roger Marin to chip in on guitar. This weekend is always the high point in the year for Fred Heads. If it’s your first experience at the festival I’ll bet it won’t be your last.
Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams “If somebody asked me to describe the Gandalf sound I would say: It’s as if David Bowie recorded ‘Hunky Dory’ with the Band in the basement of Big Pink.” – Reinhard Holstein, Glitterhouse Records. Formed in Sleepy Hollow, NY in 1998 the Slambovians are returning to Roots on the River for the 4th time. Their unique music and stage show revolves around singer/guitar player/songwriter Joziah Longo. Dressed in black he presides over the Circus like an 18th century preacher. The music is at times spiritual (Talking to the Buddha), psychedelic (Flapjacks in the Sky) or thoughtful (Everyone Has a Broken Heart). But to keep things from getting too serious the next minute the band is teaching you how to yodel or doing a medley from the Wizard of Oz. Make no mistake this is a rock and roll band. The music is driven by the soaring guitar of Sharkey McEwan, the accordion and cello of Tink Lloyd and the wild drumming of Tony Zuzulo. The band is rounded out by Chen Longo (bass) and Orien Longo (keyboards). The Slambovian’s most recent studio album The Great Unravel was released in 2008. The critically acclaimed two CD epic Flapjacks in the Sky is from 2004. To take a more direct route of getting their music to the fans they have taken to bootlegging some of their own shows and selling the downloads to fans. Check it out – you’ll even find a copy of their 2007 ROTR performance.
Hot Mustard
The members of Hot Mustard are from New Hampshire and Vermont. Bruce Stockwell is a long time performer and banjo teacher from Putney, VT. Kelly hauls her bass all over New England to play at jams, festivals and picking parties. Bill and April have been honing those high lonesome harmonies playing in local bluegrass bands. Buchwald is a luthier by trade. Expect to hear some hot picking on Friday when they put the mustard to it downstreet in Bellows Falls.
Louisiana native Mary Gauthier returns to Roots on the River this year to open Sunday’s show at the historic Rockingham Meeting House. Mary’s songs are dark novels about down and out characters and the underside of life but often with a sense of optimism included. They are a perfect fit for the acoustic setting of the Meeting House. You’ll be on the edge of your seat wondering how each story will end. After a difficult early life Mary ended up in Boston’s Back Bay and opened up a successful Cajun restaurant called the Dixie Kitchen. Around that time she also began writing songs which led to the release of her first album – also called Dixie Kitchen – in 1997. The success of her first offering propelled her into music on a full time basis. Since that time she has played all the major festivals (including Newport), landed a publishing deal with Harlan Howard Songs, secured a record deal with Lost Highway and won a number of awards, including New Artist of the Year by the Americana Music Association in 2005. Her third album, “Filth and Fire” was named Best Indy CD of the year by the New York Times in 2002. In 2005 her first major label release, “Mercy Now”, landed on many top 10 lists, including Billboard Magazine, the LA Times and the New York Times. Mary is touring this summer in support of her new album, The Foundling, released this spring. The project was recorded in Toronto with Mike Timmons (Cowboy Junkies) producing. Mary says: “For years I have wanted to write a collection of songs that tells a story, and I’ve finally done it. . . On The Foundling, songs tell the story of a kid abandoned at birth who spent a year in an orphanage and was adopted, who ran away from the adopted home and ended up in show business, who searched for birth parents late in life and found one and was rejected, and who came through the other side of all of this still believing in love. Yea, it’s my story.” Once again a rare chance to see one of America’s leading songwriters in the intimate atmosphere of the Meeting House.
“I really like the Ginn Sisters and I don’t like anyone.” Mark Rubin of the Bad Livers. The fabulous Ginn Sisters from Austin, TX will make their ROTR debut on Saturday afternoon. The sisters grew up in Schulenburg, TX to a musical family, frequently singing and playing at family and area events. Tiffani sings lead, plays guitar and writes most of the songs. Brit sings harmony and lead and plays flute and the melodica. The Ginn’s tour nationally and have been heard on Sirius/XM radio and on the PBS radio show Mountain Stage. The Ginn Sisters’ is Americana based with a bit of Texas twang thrown in. Their first album Generally Happy came out in 2003. Upon hearing one of the cuts “Bartenders Advice to the Urban Cowboy’s Blues” no less than Willie Nelson was quoted as saying, “That’s a great song! Can I hear another one?” The second album Blood Oranges, produced by Bradley Kopp, came out in 2006. A third release is in the works. Tiffani and Brit have shared the stage with many great performers including Robert Earl Keen and Delbert McClinton. During the past year they toured extensively with Fred Eaglesmith as an opening act as well as providing harmony vocals for Fred. Don’t be surprised to see a few Flying Squirrels on stage with them during their set.
The Johnson Boys What’s the best way to get in the mood for Friday night’s show under the big tent? My recommendation is to head to the Farmer’s Market in the afternoon to catch The Johnson Boys and their high energy set of honky tonk and country rock. Based in Brattleboro, VT, Clemson Johnson (vocals/acoustic guitar), Duke Johnson (vocals/ bass), Bethanie Yeakle (vocals/lap steel) and Gary Tichy (drums) have been entertaining people around these parts since 1995. The Boys play mostly original music with a few classic covers thrown in. Over the years they have self-released three albums, including one with the late T-Bone Wolk in the producer's seat, and have opened shows for the likes of NRBQ. They say their songs are “mostly bittersweet . . .but the sound is jump-out-of-your seats rousing: not always pretty, but always a good time.” To set the mood here are some excerpts from The Johnson Boys MySpace bio: ‘Their daddy. . . was a honky tonk man and a lover. . . (he) wandered off, trading in the farming life for a string of cheap motels and all night poker games. They found him with nothing but his best shirt on. The boys spent their formative years burning barns and running sauce . . .taking turns strumming on the beat up six-string their daddy left them. One night he appeared to them over the card table. He was wearing fresh denim and carrying a guitar with inlaid mother of pearl filigree carved into the shape of his favorite showgirl. “Boys,” he said, sweet like he’d never been, “You got a calling. Play it like you mean it.” ‘ On Friday afternoon come see The Johnson Boys play it like they mean it. Boston based Joy Kills Sorrow opens the festival on Thursday night at the Opera House. Country Standard Time calls their music “traditional string band sounds and instrumentation mixed liberally with indie rock sensibility that informs their modern lyrics and lush sound.” Formed under the banner of “a modern American string band” Joy Kills Sorrow emerged from the Boston folk scene in 2005. They released a self titled album in 2007. After several personnel changes the band is now set with a talented lineup that includes Matthew Arcara on guitar (2006 winner of Winfield’s National Flatpicking Championship), Jacob Jolliff on mandolin (Berklee’s first full scholarship mandolin player who has toured nationally since age 11), Wesley Corbett on Banjo (toured with Crooked Still and the Biscuit Burners), vocalist Emma Beaton (2008 Canadian Folk Music Awards Young Performer of the Year) and bassist Bridget Kearney (winner of the 2006 John Lennon Songwriting Contest). In 2007 the band won first prize in the Podunk Bluegrass Festival Band Contest and were deemed the “’poster children’ for the burgeoning Americana format” by Sing Out! magazine. 2010 has seen the release of their new album Darkness Becomes this City on Signature Sounds. Fish Records (UK) calls the album “. . .one of the finest acoustic modern folk albums. . .” and says it “. . . create(s) a sound that is refreshingly unique as it is familiar – it certainly breaks with tradition, but in the same breath has more than a nod to the music that goes before it.” Sounds like a great way to open the festival.
“The young man is a modern day traveling minstrel. He is the epitome of roots music because he gets to the soul of the matter: a song that everyone relates to because he’s tapping into the human condition.” (gilliangates.com) Roger Marin will make his 11th appearance at Roots on the River in 2010. We first came to know Roger as the lead guitarist/pedal steel player in Fred Eaglesmith’s Flying Squirrels. Since that time he has grown into a solo performer and recording artist in his own right. Roger’s Saturday afternoon set at last year’s festival was a true highlight. With guest performers Scott Nolan and Joanna Miller on stage they ripped through a two lead guitar, two drummer set that definitely amped the afternoon up a notch or two. A native of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Marin got his start as a professional musician at age 13 playing alongside his father and uncle in Canadian bars. This early start put music and the road into his blood and he eventually landed a spot with Fred Eaglesmith playing guitar, pedal steel and doubling as mechanic for the rickety old tour bus. After six years with Fred, Roger stepped out on his own, recording two solo albums (Roger Marin Jr. and High Roads) and touring North America with his own band. In addition to his solo work he is a sought after sideman adding his talents to recordings by Mark Jungers, Gordie Tentrees, Alun Piggins and Scott Nolan. Marin is currently working on his third album to be titled, RPM, scheduled for release later this year. Look for Roger and his band (Mike Tuyp –guitar, Matt Keighan –drums and Phil Bosley –bass) to add some energy to the festival. And who knows – maybe for old time’s sake Roger will end up on stage with Fred for a set or two.
This little ole honky tonk band from Vermont is starting to get some national attention. Their 2009 album Masquerade for Heartache went to number one on the Freeform American Roots (FAR) chart and was named album of the year by John Conquest of 3rd Coast Music. That doesn’t surprise those of us that have been listening to the band over the years – including their two previous stops at ROTR. These guys are the real deal. The Starline Rhythm Boys sound is straight out of the 1950’s. These are the honky tonk and rockabilly sounds that first came from places like Memphis and Ferriday and Tupelo but with an original twist. No less than legendary Sun rockabilly singer Billy Lee Riley says: “Their music is the closest to the original stuff like Hank Williams Sr., or Lefty Frizzell and Hank Locklin . . . it’s honest hillbilly music. It is the best of its kind I have heard recently. I rate them right up there with BR549 and the Derailers.” The Boys are Danny Coane, Billy Bratcher and Al Lemery. Danny plays rhythm guitar and does most of the singing. He was originally the front man for a rockabilly/ rock n’ roll band called the Throbulators and is known as a “vibrant. . .blistering. . .wildman. . . behind the microphone.. Billy plays upright bass and writes most of the original songs. He did a stint with Wayne “the Train” Hancock and was featured on his That’s What Daddy Wants CD. Al’s Fender “widow maker” rips the lead guitar lines like the ghost of Carl Perkins. He has honed his chops over thirty years of playing in bands like Johnny Rabb’s Jailhouse Rockers. Shine up the ’57 Chevy, slick back your hair and get ready to rock. The Starline Rhythm Boys are back in town.
British guitar prodigy Joanne Shaw Taylor will be rocking the tent on Friday night. From Birmingham UK, Joanne began learning on a classical guitar at eight years old. By the age of twelve she became caught up in the electric blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins, the Paladins and Jimi Hendrix. She says: “As soon as I heard SRV and Albert Collins I knew pretty much that I wanted to do that full stop. That was the lifestyle route that I was going to go down. It was never a hobby. I was always very serious and dedicated to it.” At age 16 Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics heard Joanne play and immediately asked her to join his super group D.U.P. to tour Europe in 2002. Stewart says: “. . . I heard something that I thought I would never hear. . .a British White Girl playing blues guitar so deep and passionately it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.” The experience with D.U.P. lead to a recording contract but the record label went bankrupt and no album resulted. In 2009 Taylor traveled to Memphis to record her debut album in Jim Gaines ‘studio with experienced session musicians Steve Potts (drums) and Dave Smith (bass). The resulting album, White Sugar, shows that she is a force to be reckoned with and has gained her a nomination for a Blues Music Award. “Catch her live if you can, then you can say: I was there at the beginning.” Blue Print Magazine.
The Reverend Fred Shapiro and his band Traveler will be performing Friday afternoon at the Farmer’s Market. Reverend Shapiro is a long time “Fred Head” who previously booked Eaglesmith to play at his First Baptist Church in Willimantic, CT. That night he and his band Traveler warmed up the crowd. After the show Eaglesmith invited him to visit backstage. “You felt like you were going to see the Godfather,” Shapiro joked. Fred praised the performance and actually invited Traveler to perform at that year’s Eaglesmith picnic in Ontario. Come to town and see Traveler Friday afternoon. Relax, listen to the music and help support local farmers and artisans.
Whoa Nelly The origins of Whoa Nelly began in the summer of 2008 when Tim Barker and Peggy Lecuyer met at an acoustic jam at Uncle Ben’s bar in the Stockade area of Schenectady, NY. It was high energy colliding with high energy, and destiny in the making. A few months later they met Karen Gilpin at a jam at Schenectady’s farmers market. The trio became addicted to singing songs together and didn’t want to stop. Gene Lemme had been playing in different bands with Peggy and was a natural fit to join in on bass. Peter Bearup of the band City Limits is a frequent guest on lead guitar. In early 2009 the band name came and they started working on a set list. Whoa Nelly started playing at open jams in the spring of 2009 and soon began playing their first gigs. Whoa Nelly is a rootsy, alt-country/bluegrass band that best fits in the “Americana” genre. The band is driven by core vocal trio of Karen (banjo/acoustic guitar), Tim (acoustic guitar) and Peggy (mandolin) with strong, well thought-out three part harmonies. Gene tightly holds the reins for Whoa Nelly with his steady bass line. You will find the band’s energy contagious. Their fun loving stage presence will put a smile on your face. Karen and Peggy write a number of the songs that Whoa Nelly performs and combine them with well chosen covers tat range from traditional bluegrass to cutting edge Americana/Alt Country. They cover such artists as Fred Eaglesmith, The Steeldrivers, Donna the Buffalo, Kasey Chambers, Adrienne Young, Gram Parsons and Gillian Welch. www.whoanellyband.com |
