Bay Area Bluegrass & Old Time Music news

Five fabulous new releases are featured on the Aug. 13th edition of Bluegrass Signal

Aug. 6, 2022

Greetings -

Thanks for your interest in Bay Area bluegrass and old time music events -- and for sending me additions, updates, and corrections. Please visit the Bluegrass Signal web site for the latest listings and playlists, as well as a number of items and articles of interest to bluegrass and old time music fans.

Scroll down to the end of this newsletter for news on the Danny Paisley Go FundMe Campaign -- and enjoy all the good stuff between here and there!

Hope you're able to hear and/or play some music soon -

PeterT

Tonight at Richmond's Point San Pablo Harbor!

CONCERTS

NOTE: most of these events require proof of vaccination/wearing of face masks.

Aug. 6 (6 pm): The Crooked Jades with Annie Staninec; Mark Schatz & Bryan McDowell - Point San Pablo Harbor, Richmond

Aug. 6: The Goat Hill Girls - house concert in Folsom

Aug. 6: Punch Brothers; Watchhouse feat Sara Jarosz - Green Music Center, Rohnert Park

Aug. 7 (5 pm): High Country - 1 Pinacle Path, Berkeley

Aug. 9 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice - The Page, SF

Sideline Bluegrass Band -

- Aug. 10: The Back Room, Berkeley

- Aug. 11: Sudwerk Brewing, Davis

- Aug. 12: HopMonk, Sebastopol

- Aug. 14: Reel & Brand, Sonoma

Aug. 11: Wildcat Mountain Ramblers - Summit House, Los Gatos

Aug. 11: Blue & Lonesome / Ed Neff & Friends - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Aug. 13 (1 pm): Jeanie & Chuck Poling - Charlie’s Café Parklet, Folsom@Precita Park, SF

Aug. 16 - Sept. 11: Oklahoma! - Golden Gate Theatre, SF; pit band includes Justin Hiltner

Aug. 16 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice - The Page, SF

Aug. 18: Mile Twelve - The Back Room, Berkeley

Aug. 18: Purple Mountain Majesty Band - Summit House, Los Gatos

Aug. 18: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Aug. 19: Kathy Kallick Band - The Folsom Opry; info & res: john-at-shaunv-dot-com

Aug. 21 (3 pm): Laurie Lewis & Friends - Roaring Donkey, Petaluma

Aug. 23 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice - The Page, SF

Aug. 24: The Goat Hill Girls - Sam’s BBQ, San Jose

Aug. 25: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Aug. 26: Joe Craven & Painted Mandolin - Michael’s On Main, Soquel

Evie Ladin Band + Keith Terry & Crosspulse -

- Aug. 27: Odd Fellows Lodge, Davis; info: robindd49-at-gmail-dot-com

- Aug. 28 (3 pm): outdoor house concert in Oakland; info: info-at-evieladin-dot-com

Aug. 30 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice - The Page, SF

Sept. 1: The Goat Hill Girls - Summit House, Los Gatos

Sept. 1: Blue & Lonesome / Ed Neff & Friends - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Sept. 6 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice - The Page, SF

Sept. 7 (6 pm): Bean Creek - Sam’s BBQ, San Jose

Sept. 8: Wildcat Mountain Ramblers - Summit House, Los Gatos

Sept. 8: Blue & Lonesome / Ed Neff & Friends - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Sept. 9 (5:30 pm): Laurie Lewis; followed by Andre Thierry (Zydeco) - Point Richmond Summer Music Festival (Washington Ave. & Park Place in downtown PR)

Sept. 10 (11 am): Manning Music Kids - Berkeley Horticultural Nursery

Sept. 13-18: Laurie Lewis & Brandon Godman - Bluegrass on Whitewater - Middle Fork of the Salmon River, Idaho.

Sept. 13 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice - The Page, SF

Sept. 15: Purple Mountain Majesty Band - Summit House, Los Gatos

Sept. 15: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Sept. 16 (noon): The Bay Water Boys - Berkeley Horticultural Nursery

Sept. 20 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice - The Page, SF

Sept. 22: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band - Willowbrook Ale House, Petaluma

Sept. 27 (5 pm): Skillet Licorice - The Page, SF

Billy Strings -

- Sept. 28: Sacramento Memorial Auditorium

- Sept. 30: Frost Amphitheater, Stanford

Oct. 3: Bela Fleck & the Gang of Twang (Jacob Jolliff, Stuart Duncan, Bryan Sutton, Mark Schatz, and Justin Moses) - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Oct. 4: John Prine Celebration - with Kathy Kallick, Tony Marcus, Crying Time, Steve Baughman, others - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Oct. 8 (noon): Birches Bend - Berkeley Horticultural Nursery

Kathy Kallick Band -

- Oct. 13: house concert in Mountain View; info & res: scvfa-dot-susan-at-gmail-dot-com

- Oct. 14: house concert in Oakland; info & res: houseconcert-at-att-dot-net

Oct. 13: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (now with Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, Bob Carpenter, Jim Photoglo, Ross Holmes, and Jaime Hanna) - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Oct. 16: The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project (Tristan Scroggins, Megan Lynch Chowning, & Adam Hurt) - The Back Room, Berkeley

Oct. 16: All Wigged Out (film plus performance + Q&A with Marcy Marxer & Cathy Fink) - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Oct. 20-23: Hangtown Music Festival - Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley

Railroad Earth, Yonder Mountain String Band, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, many others

Broken Compass Bluegrass -

- Oct. 28: SacYard Community Tap House, Sacramento

- Oct. 29 (1 pm): Berkeley Horticultural Nursery

Laurie Lewis & Men of Note (Mark Shatz, Sam Reider, Brandon Godman) -

- Nov. 3: Trinity Alps Performing Arts Center, Weaverville

- Nov. 4: The Old Steeple, Ferndale, CA

- Nov. 5: Arena Theater, Point Arena

- Nov. 10: Ripon Arts League, Ripon

- Nov. 11: The Barn, Gilroy

- Nov. 12: Weil Hall Loft at The Green Center, Sonoma

Nov. 9: Black Opry Revue with Julie Williams, Tae Lewis, Tylar Bryant, and Jett Holden - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

California Bluegrass Reunion (Darol Anger, Bill Evans, Jim Nunally, Chad Manning, John Reischman, Sharon Gilchrist) -

- Nov. 11: Willits; details tba

- Nov. 12: Side Door, Sacramento

- Nov. 13: Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Nov. 26: Laurie Lewis & Friends - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

Sara Watkins -

- Dec. 1: JaM Cellars, Napa,

- Dec 2: The Guild Theatre, Menlo Park

Dec. 6: Nefesh Mountain - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

2023

Jan. 9-13: Danny's Stewart's Bluegrass Cruise - Florida > Bahamas

Danny Paisley & Southern Grass, Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Monroe Crossing, Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band, Seth Muldar & Midnight Run, Dave Atkins Band, others

Feb. 10: The Jake Eddy Trio - The Back Room, Berkeley

FESTIVALS

NOTE: most of these events require proof of vaccination/wearing of face masks.

Aug. 11-14: Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival - San Benito County Historical Park, Tres Pinos

First Stage schedule -

Aug. 12

10 am: Lucas Lawson

11 am: Jee-Hee & Jesse

Noon: Matt Michienzie Band

1 pm: Sunny Side of the Mountain

Main Stage schedule -

Aug. 12

3 pm: Birches Bend

4 pm: Young & Up Too Late

5 pm: Eric Burman & The Brookdale Bluegrass Band

7 pm: Dan & Laurel

8 pm: Dark Hollow

9 pm: Bean Creek

Aug. 13

10 am: Open Heartstrings

11 am: Solid Gold Stranger

noon: Lucky Drive Bluegrass Band

2 pm: Goat Hill Girls

3 pm: The High Water Line

4 pm: Festival Speed Bluegrass

5 pm: Mission Blue

7 pm: Muleskinner Stomp

8 pm: Jubilee

9 pm: Mother Corn Shuckers

10 pm: dance party with The Story Tellers

Aug. 14

10 am: Marin County Breakdown

11 am: Who’s Feeling Young Now

noon: Kids On Stage

1 pm: Rose Valley Thorns

2 pm: The Courthouse Ramblers

Aug. 12-14: Blue Waters Bluegrass Festival - Medical Lake, WA

John Reischman & the Jaybirds, Lonesome Ace Stringband, The Onlies, Ben Winship & Eli West, West Coast Bluegrass Trio (w/ Nick Dumas & Chris Luquette), Northbound, Riders of the Rockin' B Ranch, Buck 99, King Trouble & The Cherry Pickers, Eyer Family Band, A Tribute to John Hartford

Aug. 19-21: Summergrass San Diego - Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, Vista

Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass; Moore-Cowan-Block-Davis; Fast Track (with Jesse Brock); Phil Salazar & The Kin Folk; Front Porch Music Preservation Society; Vulcan Mountain Boys

Aug. 19-21: Bowers Mansion Bluegrass Festival - Washoe Valley, NV

Kathy Kallick Band; Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band; Central Valley Boys; Sage Creek; Front Porch; The Note-ables

Sept. 2-4: North Cascades Bluegrass Festival - Bellingham, WA

The Special Consensus, Kody Norris Show, Blue Canyon Boys, Stillhouse Junkies, Rebekah Spear, Lonesome Town Painters, Runaway Train

Sept. 3-4: Plumas Homegrown Americana Festival - Quincy, CA

Keith Little Band; The Bow Ties; Birches Bend; Wildcat Mountain Ramblers; others

Sept. 21-25: Berkeley Old Time Music Convention

Alice Gerrard with Tatiana Hargreaves & Reed Stutz; Earl White Stringband; Piedmont Bluz; Skillet Licorice Allsorts Orchestra; New Vintage Revelers; Corn Potato String Band; Evie Ladin; Robin Fischer; Clinton Davis; Thompsonia; Tatiana Hargreaves; Meredith Axelrod & Craig Ventresco; Right To Parlay; The Propagators; Sigelstein & Horowitz Duo

Oct. 7-9: Huck Finn Jubilee - Bonelli Bluffs RV Resort & Campground, San Dimas

Old Salt Union, Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands, Mile Twelve, many others

JAM SESSIONS

NOTE: most of these events require proof of vaccination/wearing of face masks.

IN-PERSON JAM SESSIONS

Sundays (3 pm): Taco Refuge jam - Scout Rock - 2360 Scout Rd., Oakland (outdoors)

First Sunday (1-5 pm): Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers Association - Municipal Rose Garden Park, 1649 Naglee Ave., San Jose (if rain: Hoover School, Naglee & Park, SJ)

First Sunday (7:30 pm): Shoe Jam - Lucky Horseshoe, 453 Cortland Ave, SF

Aug. 7: Tom Lucas, Dan Norton, Mile Finlay, Larry Chung (tbd), Tim Stern-Weiler

Mondays (7-9 pm): South Bay (Mostly) Old-Time Jam - Unitarian Universalist Church, 505 East Charleston Rd., Palo Alto

First Monday (6 pm): The Garage Jam - Out West Roadhouse, 321-2nd St., Petaluma; info: ted-at-tedtedted-dot-com

2nd/4th Tuesdays (7 pm): Dublin Heritage Center Park (usually in the Old Schoolhouse), Dublin; host/info: bob-dot-gisler-at-icloud-dot-com

occasional Tuesdays (6:30 pm): Brewgrass Jam - Cato's Ale House, Piedmont Ave., Oakland

2nd/4th Wednesdays (6 pm): Reel & Brand, Sonoma; info: ted-at-tedtedted-dot-com

Wednesday East Bay Bluegrass Jam (5:30 pm): Arlington Park Clubhouse (outdoors), 1120 Arlington Blvd, El Cerrito

Second Saturdays (12 pm): Bluegrass Train Jam - Santa Clara Depot, 1005 Railroad Ave, SC; host/info: kennedymk-at-comcast-dot-net

Aug. 7 and Aug. 21 (1:30 pm): Sonoma Jam - Coffee & Moore (formerly Katz Cafe), Sebastopol; host/info: davidcarlson62-at-hotmail-dot-com

Aug. 27 (time/confirmation tba): Sonoma Jam - Arlene Francis Center, Santa Rosa; host/info: davidcarlson62-at-hotmail-dot-com

Aug. 7 (4 pm): Marin Bluegrass Sessions - Mantra Wines, 881 Grant Ave., Novato

support band: Ted Kuster, Mike & Karen Wilhoyte, Bruce Sadownick, Dan Large, Tom Sours

Sept. 11, Oct. 9, Nov. 13, Dec. 11 (4 pm): Marin Bluegrass Sessions - Mantra Wines, 881 Grant Ave., Novato

In-person jams at the Freight & Salvage, Berkeley -

Aug. 14 (3 pm): Old Time Jam w/ Tony Phillips
Aug. 28 (3 pm): Bluegrass/Country Jam w/ Richard Brandenburg
Sept. 11 (3 pm): Old Time Jam w/ Tony Phillips
Sept. 18 (3 pm): Bluegrass/Country Jam w/ Richard Brandenburg
Oct. 9 (3 pm): Old Time Jam w/ Tony Phillips
Oct. 23 (3 pm): Bluegrass/Country Jam w/ Richard Brandenburg
Nov. 20 (3 pm): Old Time Jam w/ Tony Phillips
Nov. 27 (3 pm): Bluegrass/Country Jam w/ Richard Brandenburg
Dec. 11 (3 pm): Old Time Jam w/ Tony Phillips
Dec. 18 (3 pm): Bluegrass/Country Jam w/ Richard Brandenburg

Aug. 21 (1 pm): 3rd Sunday Jam - Mitchell Park, Palo Alto

Aug. 25-28: CBA’s Golden Old Time Campout - Western Railway Museum, Suisun City

ONLINE JAM SESSIONS

Tuesdays (7 pm): Andronico’s Oldtime Jam via Zoom led by Dinah and Noah Stroe; info/link: steve-dot-goldfield-at-gmail-dot-com

Second & Fourth Fridays (5:30 pm): BOTMC Slow Jam Fizz on Zoom & YouTube (on summer hiatus)

INSTRUCTION

IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION

The Fall Session of in-person Freight & Salvage classes begins the week of Sept. 11th; classes include:

Mondays (7 pm): Beginning Fiddle from the Ground Up w/ Erik Hoffman

Mondays (8:15 pm): Fiddle Tunes with A Touch of Theory w/ Erik Hoffman

Thursdays (7 pm): The Songs of John Prine w/ Richard Brandenburg

Thursdays (8:30 pm): Back Playing Together: A How-to Class on Playing Songs With Other People w/ Richard Brandenburg

Aug. 13 (11 am): Meet the Fiddle (for violin students ages 8-12) w/ Elise Engelberg

Oct. 16 (12:30 pm): Instrument-specific workshops for John Hartford fiddle tunes - Freight & Salvage, Berkeley

- clawhammer Banjo w/ Adam Hurt

- fiddle w/ Megan Lynch Chowning

- mandolin & guitar w/ Tristan Scroggins

Bay Area instructors include:

Richard Brandenburg <richardericbrandenburg@gmail.com>
Dix Bruce <dix@musixnow.com>
Evie Ladin <evie@evieladin.com>
Avram Siegel <avramsiegel@comcast.net>
Eric Thompson <eric@ericandsuzy.com>
Suzy Thompson <suzy@ericandsuzy.com>
Jack Tuttle <jack@jacktuttle.com>
Manning Music, Berkeley

CBA music teacher directory

ONLINE INSTRUCTION

Bay Area instructors include:

Richard Brandenburg <richardericbrandenburg@gmail.com>
Dix Bruce <dix@musixnow.com>
Evie Ladin <evie@evieladin.com>
Avram Siegel <avramsiegel@comcast.net>
Eric Thompson <eric@ericandsuzy.com>
Suzy Thompson <suzy@ericandsuzy.com>
Jack Tuttle <jack@jacktuttle.com>
Manning Music

CBA music teacher directory

The Fall Session of online Freight & Salvage classes begins the week of Sept. 11th; classes include:

Sundays (4 pm): Beginning Travis Picking Guitar w/ Kay Eskenazi

Tuesdays (5:30 pm): Rank Beginner Clawhammer Banjo w/ Evie Ladin

Tuesdays (7 pm): Clawhammer Banjo Repertoire & Technique w/ Evie Ladin

Tuesdays (7 pm): The Songs of John Prine w/ Richard Brandenburg

Wednesdays (5:30 pm): Intro to Mountain Dulcimer w/ Deborah Hamouris

Wednesdays (7 pm): Mountain Dulcimer II w/ Deborah Hamouris

Oct. 29 (11 am): Shuffles, Chops, and Beats – The Violin as a Rhythm Instrument w/ Evan Price

MUSIC CAMPS

NOTE: most of these events require proof of vaccination/wearing of face masks.

July & August (4 sessions): Puget Sound Guitar Workshop - Port Orchard, WA

- Aug. 13-19: Tristan Scroggins, Phil Wiggins, Thomasina Winslow, John Miller, Nina Gerber, Mark Graham, Kat Bula, Orville Johnson, Marla Fibish, Kenny Feinstein, Steve Baughman

August (2 sessions): Nimblefingers - Sorrento, BC

Aug. 14-19: members of The Onlies, Lonesome Ace Stringband, Carl Jones & Erynn Marshall

Aug. 21-26: John Reischman, Patrick Sauber, Jere & Greg Canote, Tammy Fassaert, Jenny Lester, Trent Freeman

Sept. 8-11: American Banjo Camp - Port Orchard, WA

Bluegrass Banjo: Gina Furtado, Gerald Jones, Ned Luberecki, James McKinney, Alan Munde, Mike Stahlman

Old-Time Banjo: Paul Brown, Sara Grey, John Herrmann, Ken Perlman, Laura Smith, Stephen Wade

Other Instructors: David Cahn, Orville Johnson, Peter Langston, Mick Nicholson, Tristan Scroggins, Bobby Taylor

RADIO SHOWS

Allegra Thompson's Aug. 15-21 presentations on Bluegrass Country includes music by

Sunny War, Jerron Paxton, Jake Blount, and Kaia Kater.

Bluegrass Signal is broadcast on Saturdays, 5-6 pm (Pacific) on KALW (91.7 FM in Bay Area). It is then archived for one week HERE.

Aug. 6: Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass

PT previews the 28th annual festival presented by the Northern California Bluegrass Society.

Aug. 13: 3 x 5

PT presents 3 tracks from each of 5 new releases, with music by Peter Rowan, Kathy Kallick, Pharis & Jason Romero, Tray Wellington, and the Local Honeys.

Aug. 13 & 20: Across the Tracks

PT catches up on some new releases, with several tributes to Tony Rice -- from Pam Gadd, Dan Tyminski, and Bob Dinner & Chris Eldridge -- plus newly-released music from Tony himself as well as JD Crowe, AND samples of brand-new ones from Jake Blount, Dale Ann Bradley, Gina Britt, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, Laura Orshaw, Jim Hurst, Gina Furtado, Benson, and the Tall Poppy String Band.

Aug. 27: All Kinds Of Country

Sully Roddy's trademark mix of bluegrass, blues, country ... and more. Likely includes music by birthday boys Carter Stanley (b. 1925) and J.D. Crowe (1937).

Sept. 3: Old Time Music In Berkeley

Allegra Thompson previews the annual Berkeley Old Time Music Convention with music by Alice Gerrard with Tatiana Hargreaves & Reed Stutz, Earl White Stringband, Piedmont Bluz, Skillet Licorice Orchestra, New Vintage Revelers, and many others.

***************************

Bluegrass Signal is also broadcast four times each week on Bluegrass Country.

The initial broadcast of Bluegrass Signal is on Monday at 11 pm (Eastern time). The show is then rebroadcast on Wednesdays (midnight), Fridays (6 pm), and Sundays (midnight). The times given are EASTERN and the program is available HERE.

Bluegrass Country has an ARCHIVE PLAYER, so you can pick the date and (Eastern) time of broadcast to hear Bluegrass Signal -- or any of the other 33 shows on Bluegrass Country -- at your convenience!

NOTE: Pacific Time broadcasts of Bluegrass Signal on Bluegrass Country:

Mon. (8 pm), Tues. (9 pm), Fri. (3 pm), and Sat. (9 pm).

Aug. 1-7: Trouble Round My Door

Todd Gracyk presents some of his favorites by Red Allen, including live recordings, obscure 45s, radio shows, and a few classics.

Aug. 8-14: Generations of Bluegrass

Producer/host Leah Wollenberg helped organize this panel discussion at the Berkeley Bluegrass Festival Panel with moderator Allegra Thompson. Participants included Missy Raines, Kathy Kallick, Annie Staninec, and Kristin Scott Benson.

Aug. 15-21: Didn't It Rain

Allegra Thompson spins some her fave releases by African-American bluegrass and old time musicians.

Aug. 22-28: Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass

PT samples music — all made by California-based bands — featured at the 28th Annual GOF BGF.

Bluegrass Signal PLAYLISTS

Please visit the Bluegrass Signal website for the July and August, 2022, playlists -- and all the others!

~ GoFundMe campaign for Danny Paisley ~

The worldwide bluegrass community is defined by not only our love of the music and the tradition but also by our dedication to community. There are some members of our community who are known and revered by everyone. Danny Paisley, the reigning IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year, is one of that special class — and he needs our love and support now.

Diagnosed with throat cancer several months ago, Danny Danny has successfully completed his treatment, and hopes to be performing again soon. Of course, this treatment has had a significant impact on Danny’s livelihood, and it follows the extremely difficult period for all musicians during the pandemic.

California fans and friends are hoping to raise $47,000 — in honor of the California Bluegrass Association’s 47th Annual Father’s Day Festival in 2022 — all of which will be given to Danny and his family.

This GoFundMe campaign has raised over $31,000, and everyone's donations (and words of support) are much appreciated.

Three East Coast musicians who are also fans and friends of Danny — Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer, and Justin Hiltner — have made some four videos to try to spark additional interest in the campaign. Please enjoy them and share them as widely as possible. And please make a donation to Danny Paisley’s GoFundMe campaign in whatever amount you can afford. It all helps!

- Thanks on behalf of Danny Paisley (pictured above displaying the certificate and ringing the bell in celebration of completing his final treatment on July 21st)