The 48th Annual University of Chicago Folk Festival is to be held Feb. 8-10, featuring three days of the best bluegrass, country blues, old-time fiddle, Irish, creole, klezmer, Scottish, Chicago blues, old-time string band, and much more. This year’s performers include: New Bad Habits (Chirps Smith, Dave Landreth, Tim Foss, Dot Kent, and Andy Gribble), Paul Brown, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, Lafayette Rhythm Devils, Geraldine and Donald Gay, Chicago Klezmer Ensemble, Kim Wilson, Chulrua, and Aaron Moore. Info: 773-702-9793; www.uofcfolk.org.
The Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association hosts a Winter Bluegrass Weekend on Feb. 29-March 2. Among the old-time bands, musicians, and dancers are Sherry Minnick, the Barn Cats, the Lulu Gals, Troublesome Creek, and the Wild Goose Chase Cloggers. Info: MBOTMA, PO Box 16408, Minneapolis, MN 55416; www.minnesotabluegrass.org.
The Breakin’ Up Winter old-time music weekend will take place Mar. 7-9 outside Lebanon, TN. This year’s musicians and lecturers include Charlie Acuff, James and Rachel Bryan, Evan Hatch, Gerry Milnes, Jeff Todd Titon, Roby Cogswell, Susan Kevra, and Martin Fisher, who will return with his wax cylinder recording machine. Info: Pat Gill - 202 New Stock Rd., Asheville, NC 28804; www.nashvilleoldtime.org.
The annual Texas Forest Country Western Swing Music Festival will take place April 17-19 in Crockett, TX.This event will feature such fine western swing musicians as Clyde Brewer and the River Road Boys, Jodie Nix, Bobby Flores, Darrell McCall, and more. The event is held indoors at the handicap-accessible Crockett Civic Center. There is plenty of room for dancing, and RV hookups and camping are available in the area. Info: Chamber of Commerce - 936-544-2359; or go to the website at www.crockettareachamber.com.
The Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame will hold its first induction on June 13, 2008, at the Walker Center at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, NC. The Hall of Fame will be housed in the second floor of the Wilkes Heritage Museum in the restored courthouse in downtown Wilkesboro. The Hall of Fame will honor those involved with any kind of music were born or who were active in the Blue Ridge area from GA to VA. Info: Nicole Thompson Perkins 336-667-3171, www.wilkesheritagemuseum.com.
The International Conference on the African Origins of the New World Banjo Conference will take place July 18-July 27 in Casamance, in the Gambia. The conference program begins with a welcoming party, followed by a day of presentations, socializing, and jamming. Also included are ceremonies honoring elders, the akonting masters. Monday’s programming will be a full day of music by skilled players from the Buchundu, Balanta, Jola, Wolof, and other ethnic groups. There will be an optional trip visiting sites in the Gambia that are historical and relevant to describing the social context of music making, especially the akonting. Info: http://jpdickerson.tripod.com/2008conf/.
The Humboldt Folklife Society Festival is set for July 20-26. The event kicks off with the Annie and Mary Day Fiddle Festival. The weekends are free, family-friendly events with three stages, jamming, workshops, and children’s activities. Weeknights are concerts showcasing old-time and various genres of music, and a barn dance with old-time music. Info: Humboldt Folk Society, PO Box 1061, Arcata, CA 95518; www.humboldtfolklife.org; 707-822-5394.
There’s a bluegrass and old-time jam at the Phipps Country Store every Fri. from 7:00-10:00 PM. The address of the store is 2425 Silas Creek Rd., Lansing, NC. All ages and skill levels and dancers are welcome. Info: James or Rita Wood, 336-384-2382.
Every Thursday from noon until 4:00 PM there is an old-time picking party at the Ciderville Music Shop, 2836 Clinton Hwy., Powell, TN. Info: 865-945-3595.
The Fourth Tuesday Mermaid Jam is going strong in Philadelphia, PA. The old-time music and clogging sessions run from 8:00-11:00 PM and a slow jam starts at 7:30 PM. Mermaid Inn, 7673 Germantown, Ave., Chestnut Hill area. Info: Carl 215-699-7835.
On third Wednesdays there is a houseboat jam on the E-Z Street starting at 7:30 PM. 2143 North Northlake Way, Seattle (Fremont), WA 98103. Info: Rick 206-910-8259. www.geocities.com/whamdiddle.
Every Wed. there’s “Pickin’ Indoors,” from 7:00-10:00 PM at the Hermanson Center lobby & lounges, Davis & Elkins College, Elkins, WV. Info: 304-637-1209, www.footmad.org.
The International Buffet and Live Local Music is on Thurs. from 6:00-9:00 PM at the Elk River Touring Center, Rt. 219, Slatyfork, WV. Info: 304-572-3771, www.ertc.com.
Each Fri. and Sat., Mountain Music Weekends at the Purple Fiddle include old-time and bluegrass music. DePollo General Store, 21 East Ave., Thomas, WV. Info: 304-463-4040, www.purplefiddle.com.
On the first Sat. of the month, the North Fork Opry is from 7:00-10:00 PM at the Clinton Hedrick Community Bldg., Riverton, WV. Info: 304-227-4535, www.visitpendleton.com.
On the first Sat. of each month, the Helvetia Square Dance is held “rain, snow, or shine” from 8:00 PM-12:00 midnight, Red Hall or Community Hall, Helvetia, WV. Info: 304-924-6438, www.helvetiawv.com.
On second Thursdays the Appalachian Fiddlers Association meets at the Hansford Senior Center, 500 Washington St., St. Albans, WV. Info: Bill Bunting 304-744-0095, www.footmad.org.
On the second Sat. of each month, there’s Jamming on the North Fork, 7:00 PM at the Riverton Community Building, Riverton, WV. Info: 304-567-2741.
On fourth Saturdays there’s the North Fork Square Dance, at the Riverton Community Bldg., Riverton, WV. Info: 304-567-2827.
Each second Tues., there’s an old-time jam session, Pickin’ for Fun, at the Pendleton Nursing Home, Franklin, WV. Info: 304-249-5506.
The Mountain Music Jam, for many years at Mrs. Hyatt’s house on Brevard Rd. outside Asheville, NC, has been moved to the Western North Carolina Farmers’ Market, held on Sat. from 2:00-5:00 PM.
Info: John Roten 828-456-8661.
The Lanesboro Barn Dance at the Sons of Norway Hall in Lanesboro, MN, is in its 13th season in 2007. Dances are scheduled for Sept. 8 with guests to be announced. Info: Bob Bovee & Gail Heil 507-498-5452, www.boveeheil.com.
The Old Liberty Theater Bluegrass & Old-time Music Class teaches guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, acoustic bass, dobro, and autoharp in a cooperative beginner group atmosphere on Tuedays, 7:00-9:30 PM. Hour lesson starts at 7:00, jamming until 9:30. Acoustic instruments only, drop-ins and jammers welcome. Info: 360-887-7260; 115 N Main, Ridgefield, WA (20 minutes north of Portland, OR on I-5, exit 14).
There’s an old-time music jam every Wed. at 7:00 PM on the lawn of the 1908 Grayson County Courthouse, Independence, VA. Musicians move inside in case of bad weather. Bring your own chair or use one provided by the courthouse. Info: 276-773-2000, www.graysoncountyva.com.
An old-time jam meets every Tues. in Bloomington, IL, at the McLean County Museum of History. The session starts around 5:30. E-mail for info.
There’s a new old-time jam at the Oro Valley Public Library, Oro Valley, AZ, the last Fri. of the month at 7:00-9:30 PM. Bring your acoustic instrument: banjo, guitar, fiddle, dulcimer, autoharp, psaltry, bones, or spoons. All levels welcome as long as you love the music and want to play with others. Oro Valley Public Library, 1305 W. Naranja Dr, Oro Valley. Info: Banjo Brad at www.PricklyPearMusic.net
The Austin Friends of Traditional Music holds a regular jam session on second Sunday afternoons, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at Threadgills South, Austin, Texas. All levels, all styles, all acoustic instruments, and all voices welcome! Contact Jerry Hagins at 512-873-7543, or 512-789-4572 to inquire before coming.
There are three open old-time jams and a square dance in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, area. There’s a new jam at the Open Eye Café, 101 S. Greensboro St., Carrboro, every first Thurs. from 7:00-11:00 PM in the back room to the right of the front entrance. E-Mail for more info. In Chapel Hill, there’s a jam on first and third Wed. at the Skylight Exchange, 405 Rosemary St., from 7:30-9:30 (inside), and much later (outside in good weather). Info: www.trianglerestaurants.com/skylightexchange. There’s a session every Tues. at the Broad Street Café,, 1116 Broad St., Durham, from 7:00-10:00 PM. Info: www.broadstreetcafe.org. Donald Zepp, of Zepp Country Music, hosts an old-time jam at his shop at 4 E. Third St., Wendell, every second Tuesday from 7:00-10:00 PM. Info: 919-365-5189; http://zeppmusic.com. An old-time square dance takes place every second Sat. at the Pleasant Green Community Center, Durham. Lessons at 7:30; dance at 8:00. Admission is $7, $5 for students. Past bands have included: Joe Thompson and the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Big Medicine, the Ubiquitones, the Blueridge Road Gang, and the Forge Mountain Diggers. For info go to www.ncsquares.com. |
