Home on the Grange - Music Series at Lopez Island Grange, Lopez Island, Wa.

The Blackberry Bushes Stringband - Fri. July 27th 2012 - 7:30 PM ~ Woodmen Hall

The Blackberry Bushes Stringband hails from the rain-drenched forests of Olympia, Washington. They take a bluegrass instrumentation, draw from the deep roots of American folk music and add influences from Bluegrass, Appalachian old-time, and Indie Rock, to jazz, pop and Alt. Country. The Bushes are a band of talented musicians giving it all they have, with a sound that comes from a true desire to put the ensemble before the individual. They have just released a new EP entitled "At The Break", recorded by Michael Connolly of Empty Sea Studios in Seattle Wa. and were voted 2012 Oly Music Awards Judges Best Pick in the Acoustic/Folk/Bluegrass category.

Their debut studio album, “Little Bit of Grace” released in 2010, spent more than 6 weeks on the Roots Radio Report International Bluegrass Chart for Independent Radio, topping out at #19, and was one of the only self released albums to appear on that chart during that time. KVMR Nevada City DJ Che Greenwood had this to say about it: "I'm enchanted! Harmony as sweet as Uncle Earl, and destined for my top 5 albums of the year".

Virtuosic musicianship, compelling arrangements, quick wit, flying tempos, and heavy heel boot dancing are all elements of a live show that is joyous and vibrant with an intention to move the audience in their hearts and out of their seats. The poetic delivery of their hypnotizing vocal harmonies and fresh songwriting sets The Blackberry Bushes Stringband apart. Acoustic Americana lovers are continually surprised and delighted by this new bouquet of players on the festival stage.

"Their blend of traditional Bluegrass and Folk elements with more contemporary sounds has an appeal not seen since Nickel Creek or The Be Good Tanyas." (Joseph Kyle; The Big Takeover) The Blackberry Bushes Stringband has performed at The Wintergrass Festival in Bellevue, WA; The Oregon Country Fair; Northwest Folklife; Swallow Hill Music Association; and hundreds of other venues across the United States and Europe with upcoming bookings at Yosemite’s Strawberry Music Festival and North Carolina’s Shakori Hills Festival.

The Blackberry Bushes Stringband has that rare magic that allows them to artfully fuse sounds from many genres into a bluegrass instrumentation that retains distinct threads of sonic color. This is a daredevil sound that is delicate,bold, and like their thorny namesake, rooted and growing, growing, growing.

The Blackberry Bushes Homesite: Blackberry Bushes
The Blackberry Bushes on FaceBook: Blackberry Bushes on Facebook
The Blackberry Bushes on YouTube: Mermaid, Too Much Sugar In My Belly Ache, Clinch Mt. Backstep, Coyote In Love

Genticorum - April 19th 2012 - 7:30 PM Woodmen Hall



Leaders of a new generation of Quebec traditional music groups, the three members of Genticorum bring an irrepressible joie de vivre to the hallmarks of the Quebec repertoire: non-stop dance rhythms, hearty call-and-response singing, traditional style foot percussion, and intense and impassioned playing that leaves audiences in a frenzy. The band also performs original compositions so true to tradition that it’s difficult to tell the difference between the old and the new.

The huge sound emanating from this trio features intricate fiddle and flute melodies, backed by guitar and electric bass and rich resonant vocals that blend in stirring three-part harmonies – and a humorous stage show that ties the music and the audience together.

The band was founded by musicians with an unparalleled passion for their musical heritage. Both Pascal Gemme and Alexandre de Grosbois-Garand were literally raised on traditional music. Alex grew up in the midst of living room jam sessions hosted by his father, traditional musician and Quebec culture promoter Gilles Garand. Pascal spent his childhood summers in Huntingdon, Quebec, where his grandfather was the village fiddler. Yann Falquet grew up playing guitar in rock bands but soon discovered traditional music and is now is an in-demand rhythm player.

In the decade since their debut, Genticorum has been nominated for both Juno and Felix Awards, earned two Canadian Folk Music Awards, showcased at WOMEX and played the biggest music festivals in more than 18 countries – among them, Celtic Connections in Scotland, the National Folk Festival in Australia, Festival de Louisiane and Lotus Festival in the U.S., the Winnipeg Folk Festival and Celtic Colours in Canada, and the Cambridge and Sidmouth festivals in England. They’ve also performed for Radio-Canada, The British Broadcasting Corporation and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and earned five stars from Britain’s The Independent.


Yann Falquet :
guitar, jew's harp, vocals

Alexandre de Grosbois-Garand :
wooden flute, electric bass, fiddle, vocals

Pascal Gemme :
fiddle, feet, vocals

Genticorum Homesite: Genticorum
Watch Genticorum on YouTube: Violin Guérisseur, Le Brandy Culotté

Weds. July 20th 2011- 7:30 P.M. Woodmen Hall - Elephant Revival



Sunday April 3rd 2011- 7:30 P.M. Woodmen Hall - Elephant Revival


"Elephant Revival is a magical blend of melodies and rhythms with their roots in the past and their hearts in the future.” - Bill Nershi of String Cheese Incident

Nederland Colorado neo-acoustic quintet Elephant Revival  plays a unique blend of an emerging new musical genre called Transcendental Folk.  The quintet can be seen delving into Scottish/Celtic fiddle tunes, original folk pieces, traditional ballads, psychedelic country, indie rock, powerful reggae grooves, 40s/50s jazz standards and an occasional hip-hop beat amongst other styles.  The band consists of Bonnie Paine (vocals, washboard, djembe, musical saw), Sage Cook (electric banjo/guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, viola, vocals), Dango Rose (double-bass, mandolin, banjo, vocals), Daniel Rodriguez (acoustic guitar, electric banjo/guitar vocals) and Bridget Law (fiddle and vocals).

Young in age and conception, Elephant Revival carries a fresh sense of creativity and inspiration that is felt by people of every generation. Individually and collectively the band members have performed with some of the most prolific performers of our time like Bela Fleck, John Paul Jones, Michael Franti, Little Feat, Yonder Mountain String Band, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic Leftover Salmon et al...

Elephant Revival Homesite: Elephant Revival
Listen to Elephant Revival: Elephant Revival on MySpace
Watch Elephant Revival on YouTube: Go On, Interview & Performance, Ring Around the Moon, Fine Line Situation, I’m Free

Virgo Birthday Bash! ~ Wednesday September 15th - 7:30 P.M. Woodmen Hall - Elephant Revival


"Elephant Revival is a magical blend of melodies and rhythms with their roots in the past and their hearts in the future.” - Bill Nershi of String Cheese Incident

Nederland Colorado neo-acoustic quintet Elephant Revival  plays a unique blend of an emerging new musical genre called Transcendental Folk.  The quintet can be seen delving into Scottish/Celtic fiddle tunes, original folk pieces, traditional ballads, psychedelic country, indie rock, powerful reggae grooves, 40s/50s jazz standards and an occasional hip-hop beat amongst other styles.  The band consists of Bonnie Paine (vocals, washboard, djembe, musical saw), Sage Cook (electric banjo/guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, viola, vocals), Dango Rose (double-bass, mandolin, banjo, vocals), Daniel Rodriguez (acoustic guitar, electric banjo/guitar vocals) and Bridget Law (fiddle and vocals).

Young in age and conception, Elephant Revival carries a fresh sense of creativity and inspiration that is felt by people of every generation. Individually and collectively the band members have performed with some of the most prolific performers of our time like Bela Fleck, John Paul Jones, Michael Franti, Little Feat, Yonder Mountain String Band, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic Leftover Salmon et al...

Elephant Revival Homesite: Elephant Revival
Listen to Elephant Revival: Elephant Revival on MySpace
Watch Elephant Revival on YouTube: Ring Around the Moon, Fine Line Situation, I’m Free




Spring 2010
Friday April 30th 7:30 PM - Woodmen Hall - Taarka

TAARKA, a virtuosic ensemble of violin, mandolin, cello, upright bass, + vocals featuring high-energy performance and innovative, beautiful compositions and songs, weaving the sounds of old and new from world folk, celtic, bluegrass, jazz, and classical performed rock energy and master musicianship.

Emerging from a long tradition of gypsy circus troubadours come the solar- powered travelers: carriers of a new musical light; Taarka. This merry band is the culmination of the new millennial, sonic adventures of:

David Tiller (mandolin, tenor guitar, vocals)
Enion Pelta-Tiller (five string violin, vocals)
Troy Robey (bass, vocals)
& Ben Blechman (not pictured on violin)

TAARKA is a virtuosic cadre of performers who have roamed the freeways and backroads of the new and old acoustic caravan trail in search of a revolutionary ancient sound for modern times. While the four musicians have individually been spreading song and tune over the aural superhighway since the last century, their collaborative intersection marks a new era of Taarkan tunesmithing.

TAARKA’s Website: TAARKA
Listen to TAARKA: TAARKA on MySpace
YouTube: Sweet, Fat Chance, Mystic Hot Springs




Saturday April 3rd - 7:30 P.M. Woodmen Hall - Elephant Revival


"Elephant Revival is living proof that the way high Colorado Front Range town of Nederland continues to inspire some of the finest and most creative music to be found anywhere. Following the lead, but not the footsteps, of groups like Leftover Salmon and the Yonder Mountain String Band, the five-piece Elephant Revival has created a unique and appealing modern acoustic sound simultaneously soaked in all manner of tradition.” - Jeffery Keith - Marquee Magazine

Nederland Colorado neo-acoustic quintet Elephant Revival  plays a unique blend of an emerging new musical genre called Transcendental Folk.  The quintet can be seen delving into Scottish/Celtic fiddle tunes, original folk pieces, traditional ballads, psychedelic country, indie rock, powerful reggae grooves, 40s/50s jazz standards and an occasional hip-hop beat amongst other styles.  The band consists of Bonnie Paine (vocals, washboard, djembe, musical saw), Sage Cook (electric banjo/guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, viola, vocals), Dango Rose (double-bass, mandolin, banjo, vocals), Daniel Rodriguez (acoustic guitar, electric banjo/guitar vocals) and Bridget Law (fiddle and vocals).

Young in age and conception, Elephant Revival carries a fresh sense of creativity and inspiration that is felt by people of every generation. Individually and collectively the band members have performed with some of the most prolific performers of our time like Bela Fleck, John Paul Jones, Michael Franti, Little Feat, Yonder Mountain String Band, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic Leftover Salmon et al...

Elephant Revival Homesite: Elephant Revival
Listen to Elephant Revival: Elephant Revival on MySpace
Watch Elephant Revival on YouTube: Ring Around the Moon, Fine Line Situation, I’m Free





Summer 2009

August 20th - 7:30 P.M. Woodmen Hall - The Foghorn Stringband


"It's inspiring to hear what talented folks can do when they simply huddle together in a circle with acoustic instruments and let 'er rip." - Salt Lake Tribune

"Proudly flying the traditional curmudgeon banner, right next to their Most Ferocious Groove award, is Portland Oregon's Foghorn Stringband, whose love for simply playing tunes without set lists or the usual performance trapping has made them the fave band of traditional old-time music patrons as well as punk square dancers and back-to-the-roots ravers. - Scott Nygaard, Acoustic Guitar Magazine

The Foghorn StringBand: The sound of the Portland, Oregon's Foghorn Stringband could have come barreling through the grille-cloth of those big console radios in the living rooms of the 1950's, when the traditional sounds of rural America were still on the minds of young musicians transferring the old-time music to a distinctively modern age. Their tight intstrumental work and line-up - fiddle, banjo, mandolin, bass and guitar - is reminiscent of early bluegrass, but their powerful approach is whole-heartedly old-time, centered largely by the fiddle. Devoted to the interpretation and performance of American stringband music, their style encompasses early country music, the fiddle repertoire of the Southern Appalachians and the Midwest, and the stringband sounds of the Piedmont region.

The Foghorn Stringband Homesite: Foghorn Stringband
Listen to Foghorn Stringband: Foghorn Stringband on MySpace
Watch Foghorn Stringband on YouTube: Three Forks of Cumberland, Foghorn Trio - Rockin Chair, Foghorn Stringband - Documentary featuring fiddler Sammy Lind


BOULDER ACOUSTIC SOCIETY HAS CANCELLED DUE TO A FAMILY EMERGENCY -- So sorry!!!
Wednesday August 5th 7:30 PM - Woodmen Hall - Boulder Acoustic Society


Old school but never old, Boulder Acoustic Society is the new wave of American roots music. It’s what happens when four songwriters get together to mash up blues, folk, gospel, indie and world music to soothe their musical curiosity.  Whether it’s a festival stage, performing arts center, dive bar or a late night campground set, B.A.S. delivers musical diversity throughout their set as if it’s normal.  B.A.S.'s music is intense and exciting for listeners, with something new and interesting at every turn. The unique lineup of violin, accordion, bass and percussion support sharp vocal hooks and powerful grooves. The energy that B.A.S. brings to a stage can tip a festival into overdrive or mesmerize a club audience as they dance into the wee hours. All of this comes from four guys who wear vintage clothes, savor small batch bourbon and rock the ukulele.

Home Website: Boulder Acoustic Society
Listen to Boulder Acoustic Society: Boulder Acoustic Society on MySpace
Watch Boulder Acoustic Society on YouTube: Walk, Trash, Boulder Acoustic Society Beatboxing


Friday July 24th 7:30 PM - Woodmen Hall - Deadwood Revival

What would you get if you put a Georgia theater chick, a California drummer-turned-banjo player, a Deadhead bass player and a bluegrass fiddler in the same room and say...."alright folks... make some music" ...you'd think that the result would be...well... interesting to say the least. Well , it is far more than interesting. It's Deadwood Revival!

Deadwood Revival creates some of the most unassuming, honest, "feel good" music on the planet, filled with the spirit of old-time Appalachia, soulful American roots and a hint of jam-band improvisation. Their foot stompin’, banjo pickin’, spirit liftin’ original and traditional tunes are quite simply irresistible. Jason Mogi's clean, imaginative clawhammer banjo, with Kim Trenerry and Ches Ferguson’s driving rhythm on acoustic guitar and electric bass plus the fierce fiddling of Julie Campbell, provide the musical backdrop for Kim and Jason's powerhouse vocal harmonies that give Deadwood Revival its unique and unmistakable sound.

Home Website: Deadwood Revival
Listen to Deadwood Revival: Bound to Go, Ain’t the Buyin Kind, Passenger Side
Watch Deadwood Revival on YouTube: Good Day Sunshine, Charlies Dream, Listen to the Music, Walking By My Saviors Side


Sunday June 28th 7:30 PM - Lopez Island Grange Hall - Jim Page

Jim Page says: I do music. I find it's a very useful language, it travels well and translates. I think that when we get good at ignoring things life becomes dangerous.

“Jim's been writing great topical songs for as long as I can remember, bringing his acute wit and wry humor to a host of subjects that can really use both. In the tradition of Woody and Dylan, he cuts right to the heart with music you actually enjoy listening to. I'm a longtime admirer.”
- Bonnie Raitt

“Searing, compassionate lyrics, with an always rightfully placed ironic or humorous note; Jim Page's words, like his music, are for both the mind and soul. He urges us to live our lives to their fullest, and, reassures those who do.”
- Winona LaDuke

Jim started out in California where he was born. He lived in the Bay Area and caught the tail end of the 60's stuff. Garcia played pedal steel down the street, Kaukenon showed up for jam sessions, and everybody got stoned. New Year's Day of 1970 he hit the road by thumb to New York City and Greenwich Village. He stayed there for a year, living in elevator stair wells and on roof tops, under park benches and in borrowed closets. At the the end of that year he hooked up with some people from Seattle. They were going home, want to come along? Sounded great - he'd never heard of the place before.The last folk club closed soon after he got to Seattle and that, he says, was the best thing that could have happened. If there was no scene the he would make up his own. Which he did in short order. Jims been street singing, playing festivals and venues and on countless tours and across many countries for many different causes ever since.

Home Website: Jim Page
Listen to Jim Page: Jim Page on MySpace
Watch Jim Page on YouTube: Jim & Artis,When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again, The Declaration Song
Jim Pages Blog: Seattle Jim Page

Winter/Spring 2009

Sunday May 31st 7:30 PM - Lopez Island Grange Hall - Alice Di Micele with David Gelfand on Bass



"Alice's music has that great combination of earthiness and groove that keeps it funky from the inside out. She's for real."
~~ Bonnie Raitt

The first thing you'll notice about Alice Di Micele is her voice. With a five-octave range that is intense, sensual, rich and soulful, Di Micele has been known to turn a noisy bar silent within a few notes. Her warm presence and humor disarm and create a rare intimacy between audience and performer. Whether singing a jazzy-folk number, belting a sassy blues, or rocking out on one of her trademark rhythmic earthy grooves, Alice is a vocalist that moves people. A kick-ass guitarist as well, whether playing solo or with a band her acoustic guitar conjures percussive poly-rhythms, bass lines, and melodies that perfectly frame her vocals.

Home Website: Alice Di Micele
Listen to Alice: Alice Di Micele on MySpace
Watch Alice on YouTube: Dreampeace, Chinook Blues, It's a Miracle, In a World



Friday April 10th 7:30 PM - Lopez Island Grange Hall - Taarka

TAARKA, a virtuosic ensemble of violin, mandolin, cello, upright bass, + vocals featuring high-energy performance and innovative, beautiful compositions and songs, weaving the sounds of old and new from world folk, celtic, bluegrass, jazz, and classical performed rock energy and master musicianship.

Emerging from a long tradition of gypsy circus troubadours come the solar- powered travelers: carriers of a new musical light; Taarka. This merry band is the culmination of the new millennial, sonic adventures of:

David Tiller (mandolin, tenor guitar, vocals)
Enion Pelta-Tiller (five string violin, vocals)
Daniel Plane (cello, vocals)
Troy Robey (bass, vocals)

TAARKA is a virtuosic cadre of performers who have roamed the freeways and backroads of the new and old acoustic caravan trail in search of a revolutionary ancient sound for modern times. While the four musicians have individually been spreading song and tune over the aural superhighway since the last century, their collaborative intersection marks a new era of Taarkan tunesmithing.

TAARKA’s Website: TAARKA
Listen to TAARKA: TAARKA on MySpace
YouTube: Sweet, Fat Chance, Mystic Hot Springs

Saturday Feb. 14th 7:30 PM - Lopez Island Grange Hall - Cindy Kallet and Grey Larsen

Cindy Kallet and Grey Larsen, each well-known and loved for their decades of music making, have joined musical forces in a new duo. Cindy is a superb singer, guitarist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Grey is one of America's finest players of the Irish flute and tin whistle, as well as an accomplished singer and concertina, fiddle, piano and harmonium player. As composers each has contributed to the unique tapestry of contemporary folk and world music as it exists and flourishes in America today. Together, they weave songs and tunes of vibrant color and rich texture.

The duo's repertoire includes Cindy's sparkling original songs, distinctive settings of traditional Irish music, Scandinavian fiddle duets, old-time fiddle and guitar tunes from southern Indiana, and new music that Cindy and Grey are inventing together. There is plenty of variety and breadth of musical territory here, all deeply rooted in folk traditions, and interwoven with the renaissance and baroque counterpoint in which both Cindy and Grey, coincidentally, were immersed while growing up. Included are vocal duets, guitar, Irish flute, Irish alto flute, tin whistle, concertina, harmonium, and duet fiddling, and plenty of stories that put the music into a personal context.

"...one of folk music's most respected songwriters... provocative, heartwise, and original ...a brilliant guitarist... ".
- Scott Alarik of The Boston Globe about Cindy

"... a gifted multi-instrumentalist who consistently demonstrates his melodic finesse,"
- Mike Joyce of the Washington Post about Grey

Cindy Kallet: Cindy's songs embody her love for the natural beauty of the New England coast. Through her years as a musician, traveler, teacher, naturalist, carpenter, and mother, she has honed and distilled unique insights and imagery. All of this she wraps in her songs, delivered with clarity, depth, and the realism of life understood and the poetry of dreams heartfelt. Cindy has built a devoted audience of all ages and from all walks of life. Her fans find many reasons to love her music, from her deep and intricate guitar playing to her clear and heartfelt singing to her honest and intelligent songwriting to her quietly outrageous humor. Her passion for folk tradition is deeply personal and challenges listeners to draw their own connections with the music.

Grey Larsen: Grey Larsen discovered Irish traditional music in the early '70s and pursues it with devotion to this day. Regarded as one of America's leading Irish flute players, Grey joins the silken grace of the East Galway flute style with the driving momentum found in Irish music at large. He has spent decades learning from elder masters, both in the US and in Ireland, and combines his traditional training with an academic background in composition and early music. Through the playing of many traditional musicians in Ireland and other Celtic lands, several of Grey's own tunes have been adopted into the common repertoire. While he is best know for Irish music, Grey plays half a dozen instruments and is at home in several musical styles. He is a fine fiddler and has devoted a great deal of his musical life to the old-time fiddle music of his native southern Midwest, situated in the northern fringe of the Appalachian cultural region.

Cindy’s Website: Cindy Kallet
Grey’s Website: Grey Larsen
Listen to Cindy & Grey: Cross the Water
Listen to Cindy: Working on Wings to Fly, Cindy Kallet 2, Dreaming Down a Quiet Line
NPR All Things Considered Interview with Cindy & Grey: Playing With A Full Deck

Summer 2008

Saturday July 19th 7:30 PM - Lopez Island Grange Hall - Idgy Vaughn with Will Sexton




Idgy Vaughn writes and plays twisted Texamericana with all the aplomb and raw magic of an unsocialized farmkid. A single mother, Vaughn waitressed at a truckstop in Buda, Texas, until a customer won the lottery and loaned her just enough to record her full length debut, "Origin Story." After losing her hometown's talent show to Christian karaoke singers seven years in a row, Idgy finally became a winner herself at the Kerrville Folk Festival's prestigious New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters. Since then, she's been winning over critics, cynics, dj's, program directors, and fellow songwriters one at a time.

Some debut albums set up careers with the promise of good things to come. Idgy Vaughn delivered Origin Story without warning, a recording so potent it can't be ignored.

- Margaret Moser, Austin Chronicle

Will Sexton: As one of the youngest original members of an Austin music scene that spawned Stevie Ray Vaughn and others, Will Sexton grew up in the company of country crooners, blues guitarists and folk storytellers. He has wielded his unorthodox guitar-playing style with Johnny Thunders, Ron Wood and psychedelic original Rocky Erickson and recorded for MCA, Zoo Entertainment and A&M Records. As a writer, he has the knack for storytelling he learned from Townes van Zandt and has written with Waylon Jennings, David Baerwald, Steve Earle, Terry Allen, Steven Stills, Doyle Bramhall II and Joe Ely. Bruce Springsteen and Joe Ely have performed the Sexton/Ely composition "All Just To Get To You" on tour.


Home Website: Idgy Vaughn
Listen to: Idgy Vaughn
YouTube: Mr. Wrong,



Friday June 6th 7:30 PM - Lopez Island Grange Hall - The Ian McFeron Band



The Ian McFeron Band exploded onto the Seattle music scene shortly after releasing their debut album, Don't Look Back (2003). A prolific songwriter whose lyrical prose and fervent work ethic has drawn comparisons to Bob Dylan and Ryan Adams, McFeron has released a steady stream of albums. In live performance, McFeron (vocals, guitars, piano) is joined by the Texas fiddle of Alisa Milner and the backbeat rhythms of Todd VanSelus and Mark Bateman. The band has also performed with well-known Northwest lead-guitar players such as Alice Stuart and Rod Cook, and with slide-guitar virtuoso Dan Tyack. The diverse musicianship of its members allows the Ian McFeron Band to shift smoothly through a variety of roots-Americana styles, ranging from acoustic folk rock to gritty alt-country blues, from heartfelt, soulful ballads to driving, danceable backbeat groves.

Whether it's McFeron's funky take on folk, Alisa Milner's distinctive Texas fiddle, or the fact that all five of them are young and hot, the boy and his band have found an ever-growing local following this year. Those who regard roots-rock as a no-man's-land should steer clear - your feet may start dancing of their own accord.

-Rachael Shimp, Seattle Weekly, 8/31/2005

Home Website: Ian McFeron
Listen to: The Ian McFeron Band
YouTube: Fortunate Fool, Fistfight with Father Time, Half a Million & a Bottle of Red Wine, Liar Girl



Spring 2008

Sunday May 11th 7:30 PM - Lopez Island Grange Hall - Danny Schmidt



Austin, TX-based singer/songwriter, Danny Schmidt has been building an enthusiastic (nearly cult-like) following while simultaneously inspiring admiration among fellow artists and critical acclaim from industry professionals. He is the real deal… An authentic, timeless troubadour in the tradition of Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Dave Carter . . . who delivers his craft with a quiet power, level of complexity, and underlying humanity that is truly rare in this age of sound bite marketeering.

~~ Seattle Folklore Society

Americana UK calls Danny: "a captivating talent, with an intensely literate take on things that, at times, recalls that of Josh Ritter . . . but, if anything, encompasses a wider stylistic range and an arguably even greater sense of poeticism."

Home Website: Danny Schmidt
Listen to Danny: Danny Schmidt on MySpace
YouTube: This Too Shall Pass, Cleopatra


Friday March 28th 7:30 PM - Lopez Island Grange Hall - Jonathan Byrd



"Jonathan's delightful, substantive songs are rich with imagery and textures of influences from Appalachian, country, early American balladry, modern atmospheric Mideastern, urban and old timey folk music. A stalwart of modern folk music, Jonathan is constantly evolving in new musical directions and each incarnation has proven to be masterful. Like a gourmet chef, Jonathan does not create the same dish twice, so we're not sure what he will bring to the table tonight. But if music were a meal, Jonathan would prepare us a banquet. Catch this Kerrville New Folk winner as often as you can; you'll never get 'full', your appetite will only grow."

-Uncle Calvin's Coffeehouse, Dallas, TX

Folk legend Tom Paxton discovered Jonathan Byrd's music and sent him a quick email, saying, "What a treat to hear someone so deeply rooted in tradition, yet growing in his own beautiful way." He had just released "Wildflowers," in late 2001, simple tales of love and death that seemed to be a hundred years old or more. In 2003 Byrd released his second album, "The Waitress" and won the prestigious New Folk competition in Kerrville, TX. That year, he set CD sales records at the festival.

Home Website: Jonathan Byrd
Listen to Jonathan: Jonathan Byrd on MySpace
Jonathan on YouTube: The Ballad of Larry

Sunday March 2nd 7:30 PM - Lopez Island Grange Hall - Alice Di Micele with David Gelfand on Bass



"Alice's music has that great combination of earthiness and groove that keeps it funky from the inside out. She's for real."
~~ Bonnie Raitt

The first thing you'll notice about Alice Di Micele is her voice. With a five-octave range that is intense, sensual, rich and soulful, Di Micele has been known to turn a noisy bar silent within a few notes. Her warm presence and humor disarm and create a rare intimacy between audience and performer. Whether singing a jazzy-folk number, belting a sassy blues, or rocking out on one of her trademark rhythmic earthy grooves, Alice is a vocalist that moves people. A kick-ass guitarist as well, whether playing solo or with a band her acoustic guitar conjures percussive poly-rhythms, bass lines, and melodies that perfectly frame her vocals.

Home Website: Alice Di Micele
Listen to Alice: Alice Di Micele on MySpace
Watch Alice on YouTube: Alice on YouTube, It's a Miracle, In a World


Fall 2007

Thursday - November 8 - 7:30 P.M. Lopez Island Grange Hall - Rebecca Riots



Representing the Berkeley In All of Us

"The trio is far and away one of the Bay Area's most impressive bands. Rebecca Riots should be a household name." - East Bay Express, California

"They blend three distinctive voices into some amazing harmonies. All there are songwriters whose catchy, thoughtful, up-tempo songs reflect a concern with the problems of living and loving in today's modern and somewhat confused world" - Dirty Linen Magazine

Rebecca Riots is an all-female “radical folk” trio founded in 1993 by its members, Andrea Prichett, Lisa Zeiler, and Eve Decker. Musically Rebecca Riots is upbeat, energized folk music. They sing three-part harmonies, accompanying themselves on guitar, mandolin and harmonica. On stage, they are charismatic, funny, and inspiring. Songs and between-song banter touch on a range of issues, including combating homophobia and racism; police accountability; spiritual ideas that surface in many faiths (the three musicians are Christian, Jewish, and Buddhist respectively); caring for the homeless; prisoner’s rights; positive body image for women; gratitude toward nature; facing death and loss; Palestinian/Israeli peace; love and support of children and teens; and good old celebratory love songs.

Rebecca Riots Homesite: Rebecca Riots
Listen to Rebecca Riots: Gentle Rebellion, Gardener, Fiddler's Creek

Monday - October 29 - 7:30 P.M. Port Stanley Schoolhouse - Devon Sproule & Paul Curreri



Will Love Prevail? Find Out This & More!

"Virginia ’s Devon Sproule makes a jazzy folk that doesn’t sound like any other singer-songwriter music of her generation. It’s both down-home and uptown, a delicate, Appalachian stringed-swing."- Boston Herald

“Curreri plays the guitar like a man possessed. You half expect tears to appear on the face of his instrument. [His voice] ranges from distant howl and somber wail, to full-throttle growl and moan, more than ably covering a spectrum of emotions. As for lyrics, there’s a rhythm and force that brings to mind a boxer on a speed bag; fast, furious, and somehow efficient.” – Oxford Town

About Devon: Born to hippie parents on a commune in Kingston, Ontario, Sproule claims dual citizenship with both Canada and the US. After moving between private, public and home schooling, she eventually left high school, recorded her first record, and began touring nationally -- all before the age of eighteen. Keep Your Silver Shined presents an honest and sparkling portrait of Devon Sproule: candid, poetic and right at home.

About Paul: Internationally acclaimed as a songwriter, guitarist, and spirited live performer Curreri brings a renewed eloquence to the medium. Raised in Richmond, Virginia, Paul now makes his home in Charlottesville with songwriter / guitarist Devon Sproule (the two were married in May of 2005). Curreri grew up playing music but ended up enrolling at Rhode Island School of Design to pursue painting and film. “My movies were okay, I guess,” he said. By the time Paul graduated from RISD, he'd composed over 200 songs on guitar and piano. Turning down an editing job at MTV he set to work carving out a life as a musician.

Devon's Homesite: Devon Sproule
Paul's Homesite: Paul Curreri
Listen to Devon: Devon Sproule on MySpace
Listen to Paul: Paul Curreri on MySpace

Sunday - September 30 - 7:30 P.M. Lopez Island Grange - Songwriters in the Round


Carolyn Cruso, Val D'Alessio, and Brad Warren

A Poet's Eye - Songwriters in the Round

Seattle’s favorite songwriters, Brad Warren and Val D’Alessio join Orcas Island Songstress Carolyn Cruso, for a Songwriters in the Round show at the Lopez Island Grange.  Between the three of them expect to hear tales told with a poets eye, exploring love, loss, humor, and joy, woven into infectious grooves, intricate finger picking, and soulful vocals.  These artists will present their songs in the round, individually as well as in duos and trios, adding harmony, backup and lead work.

Carolyn:
“The folk diva mixes excellent musicianship with poetic lyrics and an ear for lilting melody…a gifted singer” ~Glen Starkey, San Luis Obispo New Times
 
Val:
“Val delivers thoughtful lyrics, emotionally honest singing, and possesses an instrumental prowess that inspires and captivates.” ~Alan Williams, producer for Dar Williams
 
Brad:
"Warren is a marksman when it comes to songwriting. His simple way with a tune allows the lyrics of his music to seep in under your skin and soon you're living in his world." - Sounds of Seattle
 
Carolyn's Homesite: Carolyn Cruso
Val's Homesite: Val D'Alessio
Brad's Homesite: Brad Warren

Listen: Carolyn Cruso - Wandering But Not Lost, Val D'Alessio - Home Highways, Brad Warren - Welcome Home

Summer 2007

August 24th - 7:30 P.M. Lopez Island Grange - Bayou Cadillac


Sam Bernardi, Chip Cohen, Walter Cryderman, Mark French

Accordion Driven Swamp Stomp

Perhaps you've heard Sam in the summer at the Lopez Island Farmers Market singing and playing accordion in various combinations with island musicians. Well, Sam is bringing his full crew up all the way from the state south of the border: OREGON! They'll be squeezing out the tunes in an accordion driven swamp stomp that will that will rock & romp-the-old-grange floor!

Bayou Cadillac features accordion, fiddle, guitar and more in a fun-filled gumbo of Cajun, Rockin’ Zydeco, Country-Blues, Jug Band and other musical styles, drawing on traditional, contemporary and original sources. Featured on the accordion is the heart and soul of the band, Northwest mainstay and part – time Lopezian Sam Bernardi.  Weaving unrivalled melodies and harmonies on the fiddle is the ever-popular veteran virtuoso, Chip Cohen.  Distinctive guitar stylist, Walter Cryderman, contributes chunky rhythms and slinky lead work, while the rock-solid bass work of Daddy Treetops rounds out the sound.  Toe tapping fun for all ages, Bayou Cadillac provides an enjoyable musical experience.


Special Guests: Daddy Treetops on Bass & Guitar, Morgen Spiess the Sax playing clown from the Oregon Country Fair
Listen to Bayou Cadillac: Sold Out Doc, Joli Joli, Wrong Key Hole, I'm a Farmer

Bayou Cadillac on YouTube:




August 9th - 7:30 P.M. Lopez Island Grange - The Foghorn Stringband



"It's inspiring to hear what talented folks can do when they simply huddle together in a circle with acoustic instruments and let 'er rip." - Salt Lake Tribune

"Proudly flying the traditional curmudgeon banner, right next to their Most Ferocious Groove award, is Portland Oregon's Foghorn Stringband, whose love for simply playing tunes without set lists or the usual performance trapping has made them the fave band of traditional old-time music patrons as well as punk square dancers and back-to-the-roots ravers. - Scott Nygaard, Acoustic Guitar Magazine

The Foghorn StringBand: The sound of the Portland, Oregon's Foghorn Stringband could have come barreling through the grille-cloth of those big console radios in the living rooms of the 1950's, when the traditional sounds of rural America were still on the minds of young musicians transferring the old-time music to a distinctively modern age. Their tight intstrumental work and line-up - fiddle, banjo, mandolin, bass and guitar - is reminiscent of early bluegrass, but their powerful approach is whole-heartedly old-time, centered largely by the fiddle. Devoted to the interpretation and performance of American stringband music, their style encompasses early country music, the fiddle repertoire of the Southern Appalachians and the Midwest, and the stringband sounds of the Piedmont region.

The Foghorn Stringband Homesite: Foghorn Stringband
Listen to Foghorn Stringband: I Dreamed I Searched Heaven For You, Train On the Island, Prairie Dog

The Foghorn Stringband on YouTube:



July 25th - 7:30 P.M. Lopez Island Grange - Steve James & Del Rey



Steve James - songsmith and bottleneck guitarist from Austin Texas, is "a true Americana hero...his intensity and focus always reminds me of James Coburn's character in the Magnificent Seven"(Third Coast Magazine).

Del Rey - from Seattle Washington, is a complex, pianistic guitarist, described as "a combination of Bo Carter and the Andrews Sisters"(Observant Fan).

These two powerful exponents of American vernacular guitar-playing, have joined forces to make music testament to the hillbilly/smarty-pants/country blues aesthetic. Sharing a sense of humor and a similar manic intensity, their duets are smart, funny and full of instrumental virtuosity. Del Rey doubles on resonator ukulele and Steve James is known for his "noble savage" mandolin style.

Del Rey & Steve James Homesite: Del & Steve
Steve James Homesite: Steve James
Del Rey Homesite: Del Rey
Listen to Steve & Del: The Real Guitar Rag, Cold Morning Shout

Del Rey & Steve James on YouTube:


Spring 2007

April 20th - 7:30 P.M. Lopez Island Grange - John Reischman & John Miller




John Reischman, on mandolin, and John Miller, on guitar, perform a scintillating program of traditional and original tunes with a Latin tinge, and a special focus on great grooving and great tone.

Long regarded by peers, fans and critics alike as two of North America's finest instrumentalists, mandolinist John Reischman and guitarist John Miller have joined forces in an exciting new foray into the world of Jazz and Latin music. Althought their formative years were spent in Folk and Bluegrass music, both Reischman and Miller have used that experience as a launching pad for exploration of other genres that has culminated in a love of melodic acoustic jazz. Both are outstanding players and composers known for an abundance of taste and tone. Reischman was termed "one of the great unsung heroes of contemporary mandolin playing" by David Grisman, while Miller's highly original fingerpicking style was described as "magnificent" by the Jazz Journal.
With their two CD releases, "The Singing Moon" and "The Bumpy Road", Reischman and Miller have put together a couple of the finest acoustic instrumental CDs in recent memory, with a book of truly memorable tunes.

John Reischman Home Website: John Reischman
John Miller: John Miller
Listen to John & John: The Bumpy Road

John Reischman & John Miller on YouTube:







March 25th - 7 P.M. Lopez Island Grange - Danny Schmidt
Opening: Esther Golton - Mountain Dulcimer, Flute & Vocalist

"Danny Schmidt reminds me of why I gravitate towards the singer-songwriter art form. With the gravitational pull of the sun, he is, perhaps the best new songwriter I’ve heard in the last 15 years."
~ Rich Warren, Sing Out! magazine

Home Website: Danny Schmidt
Listen to Danny: Danny Schmidt Listening Room

Danny on YouTube


Esther Golton



"A dulcimer, a flute, and a voice that echoes the vastness of glacial canyons and the laughter of hidden creeks…"

Home Website: Esther Golton

Alice Di Micele - April Show is postponed....Stay Tuned! - March 2008




Home Website: Alice Di Micele
Listen to Alice: Alice Di Micele on MySpace
Watch Alice on YouTube: Alice on YouTube