Visit the sites of many of the Fiddlers' Gathering's past performers...
Foghorn Stringband
“The Foghorn Stringband, if you ask me, is one of the greatest new things in old-time music. All they have to do is play, and the power surges straight through your own chest. They are supertight, are major monster players, and they don’t do anything weird to the music – they let their own musicality and the tunes speak for themselves. It’s a major joy in my life that they and their music exist.”
-- Molly Tennebaum, The Old-Time Herald (read Molly's entire review here courtesy THE OLD TIME HERALD
What many of us here east of the Mississippi don’t realize, there exists on the West Coast a huge resurgence of Old-Time music happening, primarily based in Portland. Most players and audiences are in their 20s and 30s, masterful musicians, highly energetic and enthusiastic about the form. Many became disenchanted with Rock and Roll and discovered the visceral pulse contained in Old-Time music.
The Foghorn Stringband is a supergroup of master old-time musicians that came out of this Portland, Oregon, underground old-time music scene. Apart from their reputation as a high-energy, driving string band, Foghorn is also famous as a square dance band.
Powerful vocalist Caleb Klauder (of Calobo) adds driving biting rhythm and melody on mandolin and guitar. The Rev. P.T. Grover (of Pig Iron) adds a steady machine-gun claw hammer banjo, as well as his own 3 finger style that leaves folks scratching their heads trying to figure out whether is sounds more like old Bluegrass or Old-time mountain style; Kevin Sandri (of Crooked Jades, Blue Rooster) hits the guitar hard in between playful bass runs. Stephen “Sammy” Lind, (of Pocket Lumber from Minneapolis) leads the band with powerful high-octane fiddling that constantly takes the band to a new level.
The Flat Mountain Girls
The Flat Mountain Girls are a high-energy old-time string band based in
The Flats are known for tight, raw three-part harmonies, powerful fiddling, and performances that explode with irrepressible glee and bawdy humor.
Their repertoire includes arrangements of Carter Family classics, traditional songs from the Southern mountains, cowboy yodels, romping fiddle tunes, and the occasional original, combining tremendous enthusiasm with great respect for the old-time tradition.
With Lisa Marsicek playing fiddle, Rachel Gold on banjo, Nann Alleman on guitar and Laura Quigley on bass, the Flat Mountain Girls bring foot-stomping fun to every performance.
Frank Vignola & Aaron Weinstein
Frank is one of the most accomplished, multi-dimensional players walking the planet today. Monster player, composer and improviser, Frank plays proficiently in every genre, from jazz to bluegrass, and works with everyone and their brother. Frank’s pedigree is a mile long, but a quick Google will illustrate why he is considered one of the best on the planet.
Whether he is featured on a Donald Fagen recording, a jam with David Grisman, as Les Paul's right hand man or leading his own groups throughout the years, he has proved himself to be in the elite creating his own unique sound.
Born on suburban Long Island, Vignola was raised in the
Named a rising star by Downbeat Magazine, Aaron Weinstein is quickly earning a reputation as one of the finest jazz violinists of his generation. As a featured soloist, Aaron has performed at
A recent gradutate of the Berklee College of Music in
The Prairie Acre
This Lawrence, Kansas-based band plays a mixture of old-time music and traditional bluegrass. With first rate musicianship and a squeky-clean image, The Prairie Acre makes no aplogies for being a band you can bring home to mom and dad. The Prairie Acre's unique sound comes from the jaw-dropping fiddle skills of Tricia Spencer, from banjo player Noah Musser's unorthodox hybrid style, and from the strong rhythmic backbone provided by bassist Virginia Musser and blues-influences guitarist Greg Yother. Their reperatoire includes a mixture of fast-paced instrumental tunes and singing numbers executed with tight vocal harmonies.
Old Time Country & Blues Review
The Old Time Country & Blues Review (OTCBR) are a St. Charles Illinois-based duo of Dave “DK” Kolars and Pete Norman who play a variety of instruments – mostly guitar – in a mix of blues, old-time, folk, bluegrass, Western swing and old-time pop.
Dave “DK” Kolars migrated from North Central Kansas to DeKalb, IL after college and immediately fell into the existing music scene. DK played mostly old time music on the guitar, having been lucky enough to go to college at Kansas State University with Jay Ungar, with whom DK played for a couple of years in an old timey string band. After a stint with The Kishwaukee River Valley Ramblers in the late 60’s, DK spent a lot of time playing solo and teaching guitar. In 1971, DK became a founding member of The Pleasant Street String Band who were one of the main backup bands for Vassar Clements when he toured the area.
DK took about a 13 year “vacation” from playing music and when he started playing again, concentrated on the Dobro.
In 1994 DK helped form the Northern Illinois Bluegrass Association (NIBA) to promote bluegrass music in the region. After a couple of years of woodshedding and relaxing, DK connected with Pete Norman in late 2002 and decided that the only sensible thing to do was to become a duo and share the music they both knew: blues, old timey, folk, bluegrass, 30’s & 40’s pop, a lot of Pete’s original songs, and anything else that catches our fancy. They released their first CD, Nuff Said, in 2005
The Woodstove Flapjacks are Matt Scherger, guitar and lead vocals; Christopher Johnson, banjo and lead and backing vocals; James Morrow- slide guitar and backing vocals; and ‘B’ Washington, washtub bass and backing vocals. The Woodstove Flapjacks coalesced over a few years in the Lafayette area and have since become a local favorite keeping a fairly busy performing schedule. They call their style of old-time music “beardgrass.” In 2006 they released their debut CD. This will be their first main stage Gathering appearance.
Mark Lyons
Mark Lyons will be performing the Children’s Concert this year. They are Chicago natives and long time area performers. They have been performing together since 2000 entertaining audiences with their eclectic blend of fold, country, pop and blues. They’ll be presenting a fun mix of children’s tunes, offbeat humor, and warm personality the whole family can enjoy. Mark will also be conducting his popular yodeling workshop again on Sunday.
Originally formed as a contest band at the Mt. Airy Fiddlers’ Convention in 2004, the Forge Mountain Diggers quickly realized that they were onto something bigger. The Diggers released their first CD in June 2006, and have since shared stages with the Grascals, Uncle Earl, Donna the Buffalo, and many other giants of the new Americana scene.
The Forge Mountain Diggers hold nothing back, whippping audiences into a frenzy with insistent fiddling, powerful vocal harmonies, and a feral energy long missing in the traditional music world. With a background in the DIY punk scene, the Diggers put their personal firebrand on old-time music.
One group is particularly keen to see the Diggers on the scene: fans of the Freight Hoppers, fiddler David Bass’ former group. In the 1990s, the Freight Hoppers pushed the boundaries between oldtime & bluegrass, drawing a new generation to traditional music and paving the way for bands like Old Crow Medicine Show and the Foghorn Stringband. David’s heart transplant operation, five years ago, effectively ended the Freight Hoppers, and the Forge Mountain Diggers is his first project since.
Born in the Arkansas Ozarks, Allison Williams grew up all over the South. A singer since early childhood, she learned her first three guitar chords at age 15, and wrote her first song that day. Allison toured with punk bands, including the jazzcore duo Devilbean, while keeping up a solo career, releasing two albums on her own independent label, Romeg Records. In Portland, Oregon, she discovered oldtime music, and began studying clawhammer banjo. Soon after, she formed the Milkcrate Rustlers, an oldtime band with a punk sensibility. When not playing with the Diggers, Allison can be found calling traditional squaredances throughout Appalachia and beyond.
Thomas Bailey’s conversation with old music started in childhood, which first began with an interest in 17th & 18th century music of Colonial America. His influences range from the old time fiddle tunes of his hometown region of Southwest Virginia, to the urban sounds of his school years and back again. As a recognizable face in the current Old Time Music scene and festival circuit, he’s garnered awards for his singing and fiddle and guitar playing. His self-produced solo CD, Brilliancy, highlighted this multi-instrumental talent.
Over the past decade the three superb musicians who make up Nightingale, Becky Tracy (fiddle), Jeremiah McLane (piano, accordion), and Keith Murphy (guitar, mandolin, foot percussion, vocals), have charmed audiences with their vibrant and imaginative explorations of musical traditions that carry listeners across New England to Quebec, Newfoundland, Ireland, France, and beyond.
Hailed in Sing Out! Magazine for their "impeccable playing...danceable and exciting, with a reflective approach to the music", Nightingale has fashioned a fresh and distinctive sound that is innovative while rooted in Celtic and Northern European folk traditions. From a Newfoundland ballad to a blazing set of Irish reels, from a rollicking Quebecois chanson-a-repondre to a lilting bourree from Central France, their song and tune arrangements find the perfect balance between tradition and innovation
Rhys Jones & Christina Wheeler
Although Rhys has appeared on the Battle Ground stage before, this will be the first appearance of Rhys Jones and Christina Wheeler. They are in incredible old-time dou who's debut CD, Starry Crown, has gained universal critical acclaim. They are both accomplished fiddlers and guitarists and produce a tight rhythmic drive in their playing that is extremely intense and infectious. Rhys has been a dance fiddler since a child and Christia is a classically trained musician as well.
Rayna Gellert & Susie Goehring
A special treat this year will be an extremely rare Saturday evening appearance by Rayna Gellert and Susie Goerhing. One of our favorite albums in recent years was released in 2005 by Rayna and Susie entitled “Starch & Iron” to universal critical kudos. An compelling collection of old-time tunes performed as a duo. Rayna is an extraordinary old-time fiddler (and not a bad singer either!) who is most known these days as a member of Uncle Earl. But did you know Rayna made her first stage appearance at the Fiddlers’ Gathering in 1999? Susie has been long active in the old-time music community and is an accomplished guitarist stunning vocalist. Although both are long-time friends of the Fiddlers’ Gathering, this will be their first appearance together on the Battle Ground stage.
The Wright Sisters will be making their Battle Ground debut on Saturday Afternoon. A young Greenfield, Indiana-based bluegrass act, the sisters display a musical maturity beyond their years. Consisting of Katie on mandolin, guitar and lead vocal; Lindsay on banjo, guitar and harmony vocal; and Megan on fiddle and harmony, they perform bluegrass and gospel along with instrumentals and moving harmonies. The sisters discovered bluegrass in 2000 while attending Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Festival in Bean Blossom.
Uncle Earl
There is a spirit to the music of Uncle Earl that transcends the notes alone. Uncle Earl audiences become instant fans of their renditions of old-time fiddle tines played with the energy of first discovery, right next to brand new songs that respectfully approach timelessness.
The band finds their inspiration in the early string bands of Southern Appalachia. They are well respected in very traditional old-time music circles, yet their sound is unique. Each member has also contributed her own original and creative compositions keeping with the spirit of the old-time tradition.
Their consistent and high energy performances are gaining the band a reputation as one of the most fun and hard-driving bands out on the scene. Audiences find it hard not to fall for Uncle Earl’s often moving mix of traditional fiddle tunes, mountain harmonies, original songs, and authentic Appalachian flat-footing.
This will be Uncle Earl’s second appearance at the Indiana Fiddler’s Gathering although fiddler Rayna Gellert is a veteran of Battle Ground. Uncle Earl recently signed with Rounder Records.
From Fiddler Magazine:
Dan Gellert is a legend in the field of old time American music. As a result of the folk music revival of the 1960s and records he heard growing up in New Jersey, he began to master the banjo, guitar, and fiddle, and sing. At an early age he discovered the importance of taking the time to understand the music in a complete and detailed way, as if it were a language.
Dan has given a lot of thought to what it takes to make the music sound and feel like the field recordings and old 78 rpm records he has listened to. While Dan is playing, one gets the sense he has entered another world which combines all his influences, yet it is his playfulness and improvisational sensibilities which make his style powerful and instantly recognizable... Not for the faint of heart, Dan Gellert is a commanding and uncompromising talent.
Peter Nye and the Chicago Bluegrass Band (including Kenny Stone!)
Peter Nye and the Chicago Bluegrass Band From the heart of the Great Lakes, the internationally acclaimed band plays a unique blend of original contemporary bluegrass music. Featuring a magical six-piece line up made up of the best players in the region, No longer the Windy City’s biggest secret, the band recently finished in the top 10 of SPGMA’s 22nd International Band Contest held in Nashville, TN. Smooth instrumentation with incredible speed and drive, tight harmonies with emotion and soul, brought the band to place in the top 10 and, as a result, they were offered the honor of playing the opening slot for the awards ceremony. Pictures are on the photos page. In addition, the band toured Scandinavia in 2002 with the Finnish Bluegrass Association, playing clubs, fests, national radio and many other events.
The Combine
The Combine is an old-time ensemble “combining” the talents of the Dave Landreth from the Allen Street Stringband along with Fred Campbeu and Chirps Smith of the Volo Bogtrotters. They bring with them a large catalog of old fiddle tune, mountain ballads and originals accumilated over the years. Chirps is an old-time fiddler of wide renown and certainly a Battle Ground favorite. Fred is a multi-instrumentalis especially skilled on both the banjo and fiddle. Don’t be surprised if you see a stray Volo Bogtrotter or Ill-Mo Boy join them in their sets.
Natchez Avenue made their Fiddlers’ Gathering debut in 2004 Natchez Avenue is based in Chicago (in fact, on Natchez Avenue...) and is fronted by seventeen year old fiddler Katie Bern. Already Katie is a veteran of contests and festivals having won both the Illinois State Fiddle Championship and Illinois State Fair Championship. This youthful band can play anything; bluegrass, old-time, Celtic and swing although they are rooted in a bluegrass sound. They have performed on Chicago television and are fast gaining a strong reputation in the Windy City.
The Juggernaut Jug Band
“They don’t let their virtuosity get in the way of having fun” is the way the Washington Post has described the Juggernaut Jug Band. As with any highly original act, it’s hard to describe what the Juggernauts do. Maybe the easiest way to describe the ensemble is to imagine if Riders In the Sky was an old-time act. This still is not a fair description unless you throw in blues, ragtime, western swing, and pop - then get very surreal about it.
But all is rooted in the tradition of the jug band - and the Juggernauts hail from Louisville, the birthplace of the jug band. After years of opening for such acts as John Hartford, Riders In The Sky, Doc Watson, Leon Russell and others, the Jugs are making a mark on their own headlining at numerous festivals and appearing on various media such as the Today Show.
The Juggernauts are Roscoe Goose, Gil Fish, Jim “Worldwide” Webb, and Big Daddy.
Claude "Fiddler" Williams: (Note: there are many websites with Claude Williams references, start here with a review of "Swingin' the Blues")
If you open the companion book to Ken Burn's Jazz to page 172, there is a 1929 photograph of The Twelve Clouds of Joy. The very dapper man with tilted hat kneeling in front is Claude Williams. With a career stretching back to Jazz's Golden Age of the 1920's Claude Williams is one of the few who can claim to have seen it all. The list gets shorter when you realize that at age 93, Claude's keeps a recording and performance schedule busier than many musicians 70 years his junior.
In the 1920s Williams was jamming after hours with Art Tatum. In the 1930s Williams was already a veteran musician when an inexperienced lesson-taking Charlie Parker would attempt to sit in on William's jam sessions in Kansas City. Parker at that time, Williams says, "didn't have his stuff together." In the late 1930s Williams was playing with Count Basie.
Claude "Williams" was born in 1908 in Muskogee Oklahoma and early on was playing a variety of instruments. But it was hearing jazz violinist Joe Venuti that inspired Williams to make the instrument his life's pursuit. In 1927 Claude moved to Kansas City, Missouri, to play music professionally. He was a member of a number of bands including the Twelve Clouds of Joy, the Cole Brothers (featuring a young Nat "King" Cole) and the Alphonso Trent Band. In 1936 he joined Count Basie's band playing guitar. (Downbeat Magazine's readers poll of 1936 named Claude "Guitarist of the Year"!!)
But fiddle was his first love and in 1937 Claude returned to Kansas City to lead his own group touring and recording for more than 60 years in the US and Europe. He began a long-time collaboration with pianist and band leader Jay McShann.
Claude's style is firmly rooted in swing. Blues comes into play as does dexterous runs that some say were (are) a precursor of bop - elements in the Kansas City style that would produce Charlie Parker. All of this is steeped in Kansas City Swing. Claude's unique vocal style is icing on the cake.
In recent years Claude has performed at the White House, Monterey Jazz Festival, Nice Jazz Festival, The North Sea Jazz Festival, The New York JVC Jazz Festival, on Broadway in "Black & Blue" and headlined the Masters of the Folk violin tour of 23 cities in 1994 & 1995. In 1998 Claude was presented the National Heritage Fellowship Award from First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton at the White House.
Claude appeared at the 2001 Fiddlers' Gathering. He was backed by a virtuoso trio of Don Stiernberg, mandolin; Jim Cox, bass; and John Parrot, guitar. Claude's most recent CD, Swingin' The Blues was released last year on the Bullseye label.
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| Johnny Gimble | left to right: Don Stiernberg, Johnny Gimble, Roger Bellow, and Mo Nelson |
Click here for Johnny Gimble's Website
Johnny Gimble, Texas Swing fiddle legend Johnny Gimble made a return visit to the 26th Annual Indiana Fiddlers' Gathering in 1998. Widely acknowledged as the finest Texas Swing fiddler alive today, Gimble joined Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys in 1949 recording and performing with the group until its dissolution in the mid '50s. In the '60s Gimble moved to Nashville and became one of country music's most sought after session musicians and a member of the "Million Dollar Band" on Hee Haw. He has recorded and performed with many well-known musicians including Marty Robbins, Ray Price, George Straight, Merle Haggard, Mel Tillis, Willie Nelson and even Paul McCartney as well as having several albums on his own. He has been awarded the Country Music Association Instrumentalist of the Year five times.
More recently, Gimble has appeared several times on A Prairie Home Companion, TNN's Nashville Now and has logged more Austin City Limits appearances than any other individual. He currently has his own show, Gimble Music Ranch, on Willie Nelson's Outlaw Music Channel.
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Click here for Johnny Frigo's Website
Johnny Frigo, jazz violin legend and one of the Gathering's most popular performers. Former leader of the Sage Riders on the WLS National Barn Dance, Frigo's career dates to the early '40s when he played in the Chico Marx and Jimmy Dorsey orchestras. In the early 50s Frigo formed the Soft Winds trio with guitarist Herb Ellis which had a hit with "I Told You I Love You, Now Get Out." Frigo's career took on new life in the 80s with appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. His more recent credits include two jazz CDs on the Chesky label; Live From Studio A and Debut of a Legend.
The Special Consensus (Click for the Special Consensus website)
One of the country's hottest and most sought after bluegrass bands will be returning to the Indiana Fiddlers' Gathering this year. Over the past 25 years, The Special Consensus has acquired the reputation of a hard-driving and highly "musical" acoustic ensemble. Led by virtuoso banjoist Greg Cahill, the group has toured across the US & Europe, appeared on countless radio and television shows, performed with symphony orchestras and amassed a wealth of critical kudos spanning three decades.
"Special C" perform not only the traditional bluegrass standards, their repertoire also includes highly original compositions by band members and other professional songwriters and even tunes from other genres which probably contributes to the wide appeal of the band.
Apart from the extraordinary repertoire of The Special Consensus, members of the band are all instrumental masters and together with their vocals - well, just prepare for some hair-raising stuff.
Paul & Win Grace hail from Columbia, Mo. They've been playing music together since 1974 and perform a variety of American old-time fiddle music and traditional tunes. They rank among the most popular performers the Indiana Fiddlers' Gathering have brought to Battle Ground.
These high-energy, versatile vocalists and multi-instrumentalists delight audiences of all ages with their close harmonies, warm stage presence, and skill on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, harmonica, autoharp, piano, and accordion.
Paul & Win tour throughout North America performing American roots and contemporary folk music. A staple at major folk festivals across the United States such as the Winnipeg Folk Festival, Ozark Folk Festival, and the Fox Valley Folk Festival, their performance resume includes appearances on Public Radio International's River City Folk, Rural Route 3, CBS Sunday Morning, the Lincoln Center in New York. They recently released their sixth recording, Love's Lasting Light.
Leela Grace and Ellie Grace are percussive dancers, singers, multi-instrumentalists (mandolin, guitar, fiddle, and banjo), and songwriters who grew up traveling across North America performing professionally as part of The Grace Family. Today, they tour and perform as a duet and also present solo performances and workshops. They have been acclaimed by audiences and fellow musicians alike for their close sisterly harmonies, warm stage presence, driving old-time instrumentals, and spirited precision dancing.
Leela and Ellie's music has a strong grounding in traditional American and Old-time string band styles, but often crosses over into the contemporary folk realm, including their own original songs. They have recorded three albums with The Grace Family (in addition to doing studio work with other musicians) and have performed at prestigious venues across the United States and Canada, ranging from the Winnipeg Folk Festival to the Lincoln Center in New York City.
The Key Strummers are a ukulele novelty jazz group of kids ages 8-14 from the Key Learning Communitu, an Indianapolis Public School.
George Schricker will again this year be featured at the Children's Concert. Based in Rochester, Indiana, George has built an impressive reputation as a children's performer, performing his original songs, stories and poems for over two decades. George has written over 500 songs and his most recent CD is George's Brother.
Bleu Django
Based in Indianapolis, Bleu Django celebrates swing in the style of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappeli. Featuring fiddler Carolyn Dutton, this will be Blue Django’s second Battle Ground appearance.
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Click here for The Volo Bogtrotters Website
The Volo Bogtrotters offer an infectious brand of classic old-time music that, played straight from the heart, has made them on of the most sought after string bands in the Midwest. For over ten years, this five-man band has delighted audiences, dancers and listeners by serving up a mix of humorous and poignant old time songs along with rare and archaic traditional tunes. Their full, driving sound is most often achieved with twin fiddles, clawhammer banjo, guitar, and string bass, but on occasion, their instrumental mix swells to include banjo uke, harmonica, mandolin, mandocello, mandola, and tipple as well. Where ever they go, they bring with them a talent and enthusiasm for old time music that has made them a favorite at festivals, concerts and dances. The Volo sound has won critical acclaim for three recordings on Merimac and for several selections on Rounder and other anthologies. Their latest CD is Old Time String Band with Vocal Accompaniment on Merimac.
Bluegills 'R Us flop their way across the Battle Ground stage with vintage country, Hawaiian, old-time, jugband, and Estonian neo-classical skiffle. Bluegills 'R Us hail from Chicago and consist of Moe Nelson, Barb Silverman and Steve Rosen, all culled respectively from the Hula Monsters, the Laketown Buskers and Volo Bogtrotters. Barb Silverman's Website: Silverbeam Music
Off N' Runnin' Based in Wolcott, Indiana, the ensemble is an incredibly musical bluegrass band that has made a big name for themselves in a very short time. Led by bassist Ike Bacon (who has that rare ability to take lead vocal while laying down a complex bass line), Off N' Runnin' is now a quintet with the latest addition of fiddler Kenny Stone. The group is rounded out by Carl Ward on vocals and guitar, Tim Warren on vocal and mandolin, and A.J. Alletto on banjo.
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| Greg Cahill | Don Stiernberg |
Greg Cahill, Don Stiernberg & The Blue Skies Band have appeared at the Fiddlers' Gathering more than almost anyone else in recent years backing up such legends as jazz violin legend Johnny Frigo or Texas Swing great Johnny Gimble. Although Frigo's and Gimble's styles are very different, Cahill, Stiernberg & company are among the few musicians who can do these legends justice. The time is long overdue that we give center stage to Cahill, Stiernberg and the Blues Skies Band; an incredible group of virtousos who combine bluegrass, jazz and swing into a sound you will not hear anywhere else. Their two albums, Blue Skies (Turquoise) and Night Skies (Shy Town), are highly acclaimed. John Parrot on guitar and Jim Cox on Bass round out the group.
Jeremy Kittel with John Behling
Celtic and Jazz fiddler Jeremy Kittel is rapidly earning a reputation as one of the nations’ top young traditional musicians. Winner of the US National Scottish Fiddle Championship in 2000 and the Junior National title the previous two years, he also qualified for international competition in Irish Fiddling four consecutive years. In 2003 Jeremy won the American String Teacher Association’s Alfred Improvisation Award and the International Association for Jazz Education’s Award for Best Jazz Performance at the ASTA/National Band and Orchestra Association Alternative Styles Competition. This year he was awarded the Daniel Pearl Memorial Violin and the Stanley Medal for exceptional musicianship, was guest violist with the Turtle Island String Quartet, and graduated from the University of Michigan – at 20.
Jeremy has performed at hundreds of concerts and festivals over the past five years including the Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center in Washington, “A Prairie Home Companion,” Ann Arbor Folk Festival, Chicago Celtic Fest, Bethlehem Musikfest, New World Festival & Milwaukee Irish Fest. In 2000 Celtic Connections called his first CD, Celtic Fiddle, “the best by a new young artist.” Jeremy’s second release, Roaming, is getting rave reviews from numerous publications including Sing Out and Fiddler Magazine and was named the fourth best Celtic CD of 2003 by Kansas Public Radio. As one reviewer said, “It’s a much over-used cliché, but I really believe this is what genius sounds like. Highly recommended!”
Originally from Milwaukee, John Behling has performed throughout the Midwest since 1986. He draws upon years of experience in jazz, folk and popular music to forge his unique and progressive style of guitar accompaniment. He has appeared with artists such as Claude “Fiddler” Williams, Patti Page, and Mike Metheny. He also leads his own jazz trio; their CD Maybe I’ll Fall, was released in 1999. John holds a master’s degree in guitar performance from the University of Arkansas and is a PhD candidate in Ethnomusicology at the University of Michigan.
The Euphoria Stringband has a combined total of over 100 years of performance experience. Euphoria rekindles an appreciation for Americas musical heritage by sharing songs, tunes and dances popular in the early part of the 20th century. Euphoria's repertoire comes from the western plans, southern plantations, Appalachian Mountains, and the Grand Old Opry - featuring the music that was in demand at dances, weddings, quiltings, barn raisings and other social events that define us as Americans. The band has toured in Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Arkansas, playing at dances, festivals, and musical jamborees. The band's goal of rebuilding the region's old-time music tradition has taken members as far away as the Augusta Heritage Center Elkins, West Virginia and the Ozark Mountain Folk Center.
The ensemble has been performing since 1987. They were members of the Kansas Arts Commission Touring Program from 1989 - 2001. They're especially proud of the opportunity to contribute their talents to the American Music Festival at Silver Dollar City, the Walnut Valley National Flat Picking Championships (Winfield Festival), the Kansas State Fiddling and Picking Championships, the Ozark Mountain Folk Center Jamboree, the Santa Fe Trails Bluegrass Festival, the Free State Music Festival, and the Appalachian String Band Festival (Clifftop, West Virginia). Members of the band have won awards for song writing, solo performing, and ensemble singing. Awards include banjo performance (2001, 26th Annual Old Time Country Music Festival in Avoca, Iowa), ensemble singing (2000, 1995, Kansas State Fiddling and Picking Championships), and nontraditional performance (1996, Appalachian String Band Festival).
In addition to performing, individual members have worked in many other areas of the performing arts: radio host of a traditional music show, the Flint Hills Special on KANU (Knsas Public Radio), emcee for the Walnut Valley National Flat Picking Championships (Winfield Festival); organizers/producers of music festivals such as Independence Days (Lawrence, Kansas), judges of instrumental contests (Walnut Valley National Guitar Finger Picking Championships, Kansas State Fiddling and Picking Championships), and participants in workshops for musicians at a variety of music festivals.
Jones, Miller & Nelson
Three of the Midwest’s top old-time musicians, Rhys Jones, Jeff Miller & Jim Nelson, have played for numerous dances over the past six years. As a trio they their reporatoire includes classic fiddle tunes, fast-paced breakdowns, blues, and lonesome fiddle solos drawn from the rich and diverse traditions of Southern fiddling and old-time music for the turn of the century.
Rhys Jones, one of the finest of the younger generation of old-time fiddlers, has been playing for almost 20 years. He was first exposed to old-time music as a child at the weekly dances of the Chicago Bard Dance Company. While his parents danced, he would fall asleep on stage to the playing of Mark Gunther, Chirps Smith, Steve Rosen and many others. Later, while living in West Virginia, he was exposed to the fiddle playing of Glen Smith, Wilson Douglas, Melvin Wine, and other at the many contests, festivals, and weekend get-togethers throughout the region. His fiddle playing has always been driving and highly rhythmic. As a result, he is in constant demand as a dance fiddler through the Midwest.
In recent years, Jim Nelson and Jeff Miller have been “seconding” some of the best fiddlers in Missouri. Jim played with the Volo Bogtrotters from 1986-1991 and has played with the Ill-Mo Boys since 1985. He was produced recordings by Jim Bowles and Lotus Dickey and has recorded with fiddlers Geoff Seitz, Bob Holt, Chirps Smith, Mark Gunther, and Bobby Taylor. Jeff, at one point, strayed to bluegrass and played in many bands in the Pacific Northwest and Missouri. Returning to old-time music, he has recorded with Geoff Seitz, Jim and Kim Lansford, and legendary Ozark fiddler Bob Holt.
Click here for John Hartford's website
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Click here for Alison Krauss & Union Station website
Allison Krauss' was 12 years old when she first appeared on the Fiddlers' Stage, she has gone on to become our most famous "alumni" with many Grammy Awards, etc. to her credit. Despite her fame and large-scale performance commitments, she has managed to return occasionally to the Fiddlers' Gathering, including a "Fiddlers' in the Snow" performance in 2000.
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| Mike Seeger | Tracy Schwarz | Tom Payley |
Click here for Mike Seeger's website
Click here for Tracy Schwarz' latest Cajun album
The New Lost City Ramblers, made up of versatile and outstanding musicians Mike Seeger, Tracy Schwarz, and John Cohen or Tom Payley are best known for re-vitalizing Old-Time String Band music. They introduced the idea of performing traditional music in traditional styles, and their concerts provided linkages between folk, country, popular, and traditional music.
The Ramblers toured heavily from the late fifties through the early seventies performing at festivals, colleges, and clubs. They appeared many times at the Newport Folk Festival and were recognized for their workshops and performances. At these events, they presented many traditional musicians . The Ramblers' repertoire was mostly learned from 78 rpm records made between 1927 and 1932 as well as from Library of Congress field recordings. In recent years they have included songs that they either composed or collected. The NLCR introduced many 'new' instruments to the folk revival including fiddle, autoharp, mandolin and, through the work of Mike Seeger, the jews harp.
The NLCR have made more than twenty albums for Folkways, Vanguard, and Flying Fish. They have individually produced close to 40 field recordings and videos of traditional musicians such as Dock Boggs, Dewey Balfa, and Roscoe Holcomb, as well as anthologies of traditional music including Cajun, Bluegrass, Appalachian, and Andean.
The Ramblers have not only introduced traditional performers to new audiences but have greatly influenced many of today's performers and fiddle bands. We were honored to have three 'Ramblers at Battle Ground, without them there would never have been a Fiddlers' Gathering.
For more on the NLCR and their effect on Old-Time music today, see "Roots and Branches: Forty Years of the New Lost City Ramblers" Part 1 and Part II from the Old-Time Herald archives on line.
The Straight Street String Band
Hailing from Lebanon, Indiana, the Straight Street String Band is making their Gathering debut. But for the ensemble’s fiddler, Donald Duff, this is far from his Battle Ground debute. Donald was the very first person to play at the first Fiddlers’ Gathering back in 1973. Throughout the 70s and 80s he was a Battle Ground regular.
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Barry & Holly Tashian have made two appearances at the Indiana Fiddlers' Gathering. They specialize in close-harmony country duets and compose much of their own superb material. They've recorded several albums for Rounder Record (most recently Straw Into Gold and Harmony) and have appeared on A Prairie Home Companion, Fresh Aire, and the Grand Ole Opry. Straw into Gold won the 1994 NAIRD award f or best country album. Barry also had a spectacular career in 1960s as the front-man for the Boston based powerful rock band The Remains. The Remains opened for the Beatles during their 18-day final North American Tour including their legendary final performance at Candlestick Park in 1966. Barry chronicled his experiences with the Beatles in his book Ticket To Ride - the Extraordinary Diary of The Beatles Last Tour.
The Kenny Stone Unit made their third Gathering appearance in 1999 although leader Kenny Stone is a veteran of many Gatherings either as a sideman to other musicians or most often as the fiddler player for the Bluegrass Connection. Stone is one of Indiana's premier fiddlers offering an exciting and refined original style of Bluegrass.
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Chris Thile and Nickel Creek wowed the Fiddlers' Gathering in 1997 (Chris did the same with a solo appearance at the 1996 Indiana Fiddlers' Gathering). Chris's debut solo album, Leading Off (on Sugar Hill records) was named the #1 bluegrass album of 1994 by the Chicago Tribune - and he was only 14 at the time! He's been featured on A Prairie Home Companion performing with another young Fiddlers' Gathering alum, Michael Cleveland. David Grisman has called Thile a "Mark O'Conner of the future".
The Bent Nickel Dance Band
The Bent Nickel Dance Band from West Lafayette, Indiana. The Bent Nickel is probably the only band in Indiana that specializes in traditional French-Canadian tunes. A high-energy ensemble made up largely of local musicians, the Bent Nickel has made frequent appearances at the Indiana Fiddlers' Gathering and many other shows.
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The Freight Hoppers' high energy performances made a permanent markon the old-time music scene. Based in Bryson City, North Carolina, their Rounder release, Where'd You Come From, Where'd You Go topped the bluegrass charts and they've left lasting impression of the festival and club circuit along with major media appearances such as A Prairie Home Companion. Acoustic Guitar magazine has hailed them as one of the top acoustic artists of the Next Generation.
Malcolm Dalglish has performed at the Fiddlers' Gathering many times and in several bands as well as a solo act.
Johnny Loveless & Jim Tillford Al Allen, Johnny, Jim, & Howard Vogel
The Swinging Seniors were one of Lafayette, Indiana's best kept secrets. Jim Tilford and Johnny Loveless performed together for over twenty-five years. Both from Lafayette, Indiana, Tilford (guitar) and Loveless (fiddle, guitar) take traditional folk and jazz standards and set them to a swing distinctly their own. Loveless, a self-taught musician, developed a highly unorthodox style; fretting his instruments over the neck rather than from under. Tilford and Loveless are both veterans of many classic Indiana traditional ensembles such as the Pearl River Boys and Will Piece Band along with an impressive amount of old-time radio background. Al Allen on bass and Howard Vogel were the rhythm section. Johnny passed away two weeks before he was to perform at the 2000 Fiddlers' Gathering.
George Schricker
George has been performing his original songs, stories, and poems to children and adults since 1982. Mr. Schricker has written over 500 songs and has 8 commercial recordings of his music for children and adults. His newest CD release, a collection of 11 fun-filled songs for the whole family entitled “George’s Brother,” has garnered rave reviews.
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John McCutcheon, (The John McCutcheon / Rounder Records Website) (John McCutcheon's Personal Website) An acknowledge master of the hammered dulcimer, blends traditional music with his own contemporary material flawlessly in a captivating performance style. McCutcheon has recorded over 25 albums and garnered 4 Grammy nominations. Johnny Cash has called him "the most impressive instrumentalist I've ever heard" and he has recorded with Paul Simon, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jean Ritchie and Tom Chapin. McCutcheon has made two Battle Ground appearances. |
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The Hot Club of Cowtown Based in Austin, Texas, they are a youthful trio of stunning musicians who fuse Western Swing and Django-Grappelli style jazz with old-time into a high-energy set not to be missed. Formed only 3 years ago, their debut CD, Swingin' Stampede, quickly won wide acclaim and the fortunes of this talented trio have skyrocketed since. |
A long and distinguished recording career, featuring solo projects and group efforts and many guest appearances, have brought Dan acclaim as a versatile performer able to range from Mozart to Anglo-American fiddle tunes to moody, evocative original compositions. Jammed If I Do, with guests Tony Rice, Doc Watson, Norman Blake, and Beppe Gambetta, was hailed as one of the decade's great gatherings of guitarists, and his albums have garnered awards and rave reviews.
He is a musical legend, a pioneer of one of the most intricate, yet powerful, forms of American music, and a master of the guitar; he's Dan Crary, a flatpicking stylist with an inter-national reputation for innovation, taste and brilliance. As he approaches his 40th anniversary as a performer, Crary is one of the few artists whose work can be said to transcend the boundaries of style and genre.
In a time when yesterday's stars are all too often today's unknowns, and genres are picked up and discarded quickly, it's a rare career that encompasses multiple styles and decades while remaining fresh and exciting. If consistency, creativity and longevity are hallmarks of artistic achievement, then Dan Crary must be recognized as one of the greatest traditional artists of our day.
As a solo artist, Dan has created a performance style that blends traditional material from a variety of American sources with original compositions, and vocals with instrumental showcases, all woven together with stories and observations that share his experience and insights with the audience. His ability to connect both musically and personally has brought him success not only in North America but throughout the world, with concert and workshop appearances from Europe to Japan and the South Pacific.
Dan's accolades include:
INDIE "Best Seasonal Album" (HOLIDAY GUITAR)
NAIRD INDIE "Best String Instrumental Album"
IBMA "Best Instrumental Group"
Strictly Country 1st Place Guitar Award
Intl Ambassador of Country Music, AustralAsian Country Music
Frets Annual Readers Poll, 1st Place Guitar Award
The House of Plenty
The premier Irish quintet, House of Plenty, was formed some years ago after a legendary eight-hour "seisun" at the notorious music bar, Mona's, on the lower east-side of New York City; America's hotbed of Irish culture and music. The band is a classic example of how a shared love of the music can unite far-flung people. Three of the members are natives of Ireland including vocalist and guitarist, Aiden Brennan, accordionist John "Johnny Box" Connolly, and vocalist and tenor banjo player Eamon O'Leary. The two remaining members add a "down-home international flair" to the group. Fiddler, Patrique Ourceau hails from France and flautist/piper Christopher Layer's home town is Lafayette, Indiana!
Their music represents several of the regional styles of Ireland, the easy paced music of Clare and East Galway as well as the lightning tempos and fast changes of the northern counties. Aiden is world reknown for his balladry, having played for audiences in Istanbul, Athens, Berlin, London, Dublin and beyond. The House Of Plenty's Irish songs and dance tunes on the Fiddle, Accordion, Pipes, Flute and Banjo is sure to be one of the standout moments of the festival!
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The Ill-Mo Boys blend Missouri fiddle tunes, old-time country songs, blues and rags into the flavor of bygone days. Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, the Ill-Mo Boys are making a long-overdue return to the Battle Ground stage. With two releases (Timely Old Tunes from Ill-Mo and Beyond and Fine as Frog's Hair) on the Merimac Label, the Ill-Mo Boys consist of Geoff Seitz on fiddle (1st place at the Appalachian String Band festival (1993) and 1st place at Galax (1985), Curtis Buckannon on mandolin, and Jim Nelson on guitar.
The Ill-Mo Boys cherish the music of their native region and strive to present traditional tunes and songs gathered from older musicians, song collections and 78 rpm records. They count among their influences venerable musicians both young and old from Illinois, Missouri, and beyond including R.P. Christeson, Bob Holt, Lee Stoneking, and Vesta Johnson.
The Ill-Mo boys are Curtis Buckhannon on mandolin and vocals, Jim Nelson on guitar and vocals, and Geoff Seitz on fiddle and vocals.
Don Stiernberg on Aaron Weinstein: "He does his homework. He goes back to the roots of the music and he finds the stuff that's good, not just the stuff that's trendy. Aaron is currently a junior at New Trent High School. In his freshman year, Aaron co-founded the New Trier Bluegrass Boyz and the Stephane Grappeli Tribute Trio which was selected to perform at the 2002 international conference of the International Association for Jazz Education, the largest jazz gathering in the world. Aaron has won various competitions including the 1998 and 2001 Illinois State Fiddle Championships making him the youngest person ever to hold this title. As a featured soloist, Aaron has performed at Chicago's Orchestra Hall, Chicago's Jazz Showcase, and Toulouse on the Park where he performed with jazz master Johnny Frigo. Aaron has also appeared on WGN radio and WTTW (Chicago's PBS Television station).
Traveler's Dream is based in West Lafayette and is made up of Denise Wilson and Michael Lewis. Traveler's Dream takes listeners on a musical journey through three hundred years of life and living in the American Midwest - music which originated in the Old World countries of Ireland, Scotland and France. These tunes are playued on a variety of ancient and contemporary instruments including penny whistles, wooden flute, guitar, mandolin, Scottish smallpipes, fife and bodhran. Although most of their music is steeped in tradition, Traveler's Dream infuses the old songs with a fresh, contemporary appeal by its use of driving rhythms and innovative arrangements.
Tom Duncan is a renoun Celtic harper from Indianapolis making his Fiddlers' Gathering debut. Known to his followers as the "harpdude," Duncan has toured extensively in the US and Scotland (which included appearances at the Fringe Festival, Balnian House, and a live performance on the BBC) and has received rave reviews in various publications including The Scotsman and Dirty Linen.
Michael Longcor is making a long overdue concert appearance at the Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering. You may know him from his appearances on “Open Stage” but you may not know that Michael is a highly respected singer songwriter based in West Lafayette. Michael appeared on radio across the U.S. (such as the Doctor Demento show - which may give you a hint of some of Longcor’s sensibilities - and NPR‘s Folksong Festival) and Europe performing his own compositions as well as having won numerous regional songwriting competitions. His songs have been recorded by a variety of artists.
Active with the Songwriters Association of Mid-North Indiana, Michael has also released eight CDs on Firebird, most recently Lovers, Heroes & Rogues.
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Click here for Liz Carroll's website
One of the premier Irish Fiddlers in the world today, Liz Carroll is among Celtic music's most sought after performers. Her solo recordings along with her new CD on Green Linnet, Lost in the Loop have been widely acclaimed. Liz Carroll is so much more than a superb Irish fiddler. What sets Liz apart from many other Irish performers is that most of the music on her albums is her own. Liz's powerful original compositions and her performing virtuosity make for a powerful combination. Not only is Liz a widely respected instrumentalist, her original music has afforded her an equal reputation and a critically acclaimed composer.
As those who have scene Liz perform can attest, her real magic is in her concerts. As a live performer Liz is surpassed by very few. Liz has electrified audiences the world over with many tours of American, Ireland, Europe and Africa. The Chicago Reader has said of her performances: "her quicksilver lines can captivate violin admirers way beyond the bounds of Hibernea." The Irish American said Liz "conjures up a dizzying mix of the sweetest tones, the fastest runs, and the most dazzling display of musicianship imaginable."
Don Stiernberg Quartet
Who was that hot mandolin player backing such legends at the Fiddlers' Gathering such as Johnny Frigo, Johnny Gimble? The great Don Stiernberg, that's who! Don has also performed at the Fiddlers' with Greg Cahill and their Blue Skies Band, but we thought it was long overdue that we feature Don himself front and center.
Don is a talented multi-instrumentalist and a protege of the legendary Jethro Burns. Few swing better than Don and he will also be backing Claude Williams this year. Don's friends include Jim Parrott and Curt Morrison on guitar and Jim Cox on bass.
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Bob Bovee & Gail Heil
If you want to hear what vintage country music sounded like live in the 1920s and 1930s, Bob and Gail are the real deal. They bring the old traditions alive with humor and an energetic performance.
Currently based in Spring Grove, Minn., Bob Bovee & Gail Heil recreate the archaic forms of old-time music that thrived in isolated Midwestern communities during the early 20th Century. They repertoire extends to square dance tunes, cowboy songs, blues, ragtime numbers, ballads and yodels and shows that old-time music didn't stop at Appalachia but rolled on westward to the great prairies and beyond.
Bovee is a skilled interpreter of cowboy material learning much of his repertoire from his family. Heil is a renown fiddler known for her subtle, bouncy style and is one of the few professional old-time female fiddlers of her generation in the country. Both are well know in folk and old-time circles and Bob is a veteran performer of A Prairie Home Companion. They've recorded five albums for Marimac and Train on the Island labels and are longtime festival and concert performers. Their latest effort, When The Cactus Is In Bloom is on the Copper Creek label.
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Bittersweet & Briers
Formed in the Lafayette area in 1991, Bittersweet & Briers fast became local favorites and staples of such events as The Feast of the Hunters Moon, John Appleseed Festival (Ft. Wayne), the Indiana State Fair, the Apple Popcorn Festival (Brookston) and many 18th century and Civil War reenactment balls. Bittersweet & Briers consist of Carolyn Moses, dulcimer; Julie Hughes, mountain dulcimer, penny whistle and bodhran; David Moses, spoons and bodhran; Roger Wright, guitar; and Sherri Bonham, guitar and dulcimer. Their first CD is Wild Mountain Thyme.
Bittersweet and Briers is proud to announce the release of their new CD A Conner Prairie Christmas. It contains songs and tunes that relate to the ethnic groups that peopled Indiana during the time periods represented at Conner Prairie, a living history museum in Fishers, Indiana. See the cover and listen to sound clips at www.cdbaby.com/cd/bitswt CDs and tapes are also available at the Conner Prairie Museum Shop and Barnes and Noble in Carmel, Indiana; and the Lamb and Heart Americana Shoppe and Barnes and Noble in Lafayette; or by mail order at bittersweetandbriers@hotmail.com Any questions may also be sent to this email address.
The Circle City Bluegrass Band
Hailing from Indianapolis (a.k.a. The Circle City, of course), The Circle City Bluegrass Band is made their Gathering debut in 2000. There are many bluegrass bands working today. Many of them lean toward one style or another. What makes the Circle City Bluegrass Band stand out is their ability to emulate any period or style of bluegrass playing. They are as comfortable pulling off classic 1940s Bill Monroe as they are performing Newgrass.
The Hot Club of Colfax
The Hot Club of Colfax refers to Colfax, Indiana. Few are aware that hot jazz is burning up the cornfields of rural Indiana. Many of its members have played the Fiddlers' Gathering previous with other ensembles. The Hot Club of Colfax specialize in swing tunes reminiscent of 1930s jazz. The ensemble features Mike Flowers, mandolin, guitar, vocal; Howard Vogel, guitar and vocals; Hunt Wiley, fiddle; and Al Allen, bass.
The Monks
The Monks are a raging twin fiddle-driven old time band from Bloomington, Indiana. Following the footsteps of the Skilletlickers and Stripling Brothers, they're pros at getting the audience hopping. Fiddling together for 25 years, Frank Hall and Claudio Buchwald have mastered a perfect blend of melodic sweetness & Rhythmic grit and always find a new twist on an old favorite. Sam Bartlett and Abby Ladin anchor The Monks on guitar and bass. Individually, the members of The Monks have won top honors at Mt. Airy and Clifftop Old Time music competitions.
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The Hepsteppers consisted of Leela and Ellie Grace and Rayna Gellert. One of the highlights of the 1999 Gathering was an impromptu Saturday evening performance by Leela, Ellie and Rayna (with Moe Nelson on Bass). You may remember Leela and Ellie from The Grace Family, one the Fiddlers' Gathering's most popular acts led by their parents, Paul and Win Grace. Longtime Fiddlers' attendees have seen the Grace girls grow up on the Battle Ground stage. Leela and Ellie have broke out on their own and hooked up with Rayna Gellert. If Rayna's name sounds familiar it's because she's the daughter of a long time Fiddlers' Gathering favorite and one of the best old-time musicians in the country: Dan Gellert.