Music Camps and Schools:

Midwest Banjo Camp, Summer. Old-time and bluegrass banjo lessons, includes novice, intermediate, and advanced levels;  Old-time teachers in 2008 included Bob Carlin, Cathy Fink, Adam Hurt, Brad Leftwich, Reed Martin, Joe Newberry, Michael Miles and Ken Perlman.  Near Lansing, Michigan.  See www.midwestbanjocamp.com for information. Fur Peace Ranch guitar camp in Meigs Co. Ohio - Jorma Kaukonen (of Hot Tuna fame) hosts this guitar camp on his property.  See www.furpeaceranch.com or call 740-992-2575. Lark Camp - celebration of world music, song & dance.  July 30-August 7, 2010.  This is the 30th year.  There are over 90 instructors!  www.larkcamp.com.  It is located in Mendocino, CA.  PO box 1176, Mendocino, CA 95460, or call 707-964-4826.  email registration@larkcamp.com.

Augusta Heritage at Davis and Elkins College in Virginia.  See www.augustaheritage.com for information on all the traditional crafts, music and dance programs - 5 summer sessions (5 days each) available.

John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina.   Traditional crafts and music taught at all levels.  See www.folkschool.org for information.  1-800.FOLK.SCH (365.5724) 828.837.2775

Swannanoa Gathering is a series of summer workshops in various folk arts held on the campus of Warren Wilson College near Asheville.  Seven - one week sessions in July and August.  See www.swangathering.com for more information.

Fiddling Demystified Four weeks of camp (three in July, one in August), focused on fiddling, featuring Donna Hebert, located at Old Songs Community Center, just west of Albany NY in the village of Voorheesville.  For children and adults.  See www.fiddlingdemystified.com or contact info@fiddlingdemystified.com or call 413-658-4276.

Peachbottom Farm Fiddle Camp - Located in the heart of Virginia's Appalachian Mountains near "Merlefest" and Galax, VA.  Genres may include Appalachian, Bluegrass, Canadian, Classical, Contest-style, Irish, Old-timey, Scottish, Swedish and Swing. 2010 will be the 6th year.  Tuition includes 3 healthy meals, snacks and beverages each day. See http://www.peachbottomfarm.com/fiddleCamp.html.

Mark O'Conner Fiddle Camp - All genres of traditional music, including Bluegrass, Celtic, Old time. At Montgomery Bell State Park, Burns, TN every June. See http://markoconnor.com.moses.com/fiddle.camp

North American Folk Alliance (www.folkalliance.org) whose mission is to promote traditional, contemporary, and multicultural folk music and dance in North America. Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) conference at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas, Oct. 14-18. SERFA’s mission statement places great emphasis on support for the diverse forms of traditional music and dance in the southeast, and some of you may enjoy attending a weekend of music, dance, workshops and special sessions celebrating that heritage in the fall colors of the beautiful Ozark Mountains. Visit the SERFA website (www.serfa.org) for more details

Music Stores (Note that while these establishments have been good to AAFFM in the past, including by promoting our concerts, we also have personal experience with lessons, repairs, instrument purchases, personal knowledge of some of the instructors, etc., and we feel very comfortable recommending them to others.):

Maple Street Guitars on Maple Street in Buckhead, carries a wide variety of acoustic, electric and classical guitars, plus accessories, sheet music, dvds, etc.  They also do a fine job of guitar repairs.  This wonderful shop also provides high quality music lessons.  See www.maplestreetguitars.com/ for more information.

Gwinnett School of Music at 2 locations:  Lilburn and in Grayson, GA.  This is primarily a music school, teaching piano, guitar, etc., but some musical accessories are also sold.  See www.gwinnettmusic.com for more information.

Elderly Instruments - mail order music store with new and used instruments, CDs, DVDs, instruction books and DVDs, accessories.  See http://www.elderly.com/  or call 888-473-5810.  Great prices, nice people.

Homespun Music mail order music instruction.  DVDs and instruction books from some of the top musicians in the traditional music arena.  See http://www.homespuntapes.com/

Stefan Grossman Guitar Workshop - teaching and performance videos, books and DVDs of mostly blues musicians, but some Celtic, jazz, world music.  www.vestapol.com.

 Music Lessons:

Frank and Mary Hamilton - songlines@comcast.net for song workshops:  Learning to play a variety of music in the folk tradition with appropriate accompaniments for songs in a social setting.

Elise Witt gives singing lessons:  see www.elisewitt.com for information, or call 404-297-8398.  Elise teaches classes such as 'Singing for Fun' and 'Vocal Improvisation'.

Jim Mullins - Beginner to intermediate, flatpicking and fingerstyle. Folk, bluegrass, blues, country, Americana.  Contact Jim at jmullins@purdigital.net or please call 404-371-0441.

Pickin' Sessions, Song Circles, Open Mics, Jams:

NorthernStar Coffeehouse  - Jam sessions held the 4th Saturday afternoon of each month in Norcross.  See http://www.myspace.com/northernstarcoffee.  These are pickin' sessions/song circles for folk style music primarily.  The jams are organized on the Internet news group rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic.  Those planning to attend or who have questions are asked to send an email to Randy Rick at steyrhahn@yahoo.com . There is a webpage for the monthly gathering at http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/rmmga_Atlanta_Gathering/

REV Coffee in Smyrna, GA.  Open Mic night every Wednesday from 8:00pm until 10:00pm.  Music ranges from folk, bluegrass and country to some pop and rock.  No cover charge, and they welcome anyone brave enough to play!  There is a house PA system.  1680-B Spring Road, Smyrna, GA 30080.  770-573-4434.  www.revcoffee.com

Bluegrass Jam at the Australian Bakery Cafe Tuesdays, 7-9pm.  48 South Park Square, Marietta, GA.  Bakery is on the Marietta Square, South Side.  All skill levels and acoustic instruments are welcome.  See www.australianbakery.com; Email bluegrass@australianbakery.com, or call 678-797-6222. Goatville Jam - Country jam first Thursday of every month at the Clarkston Community Center.  http://www.clarkstoncommunitycenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71&Itemid=81 3701 College Avenue, Clarkston, GA 30021, Phone: 404-508-1050 Goatville Jam is a monthly gathering of pickers and vocalists interested in playing old country music. The group meets on the first Thursday each month in the auditorium of the Clarkston Community Center. Tune-up starts at 6:30pm, jam runs 7pm-9pm. We collect a small donation from each musician and audience member for the CCC.  To join Goatville Jam, sign up or sign in to www.yahoo.com. The Yahoo website contains chord and lyric sheets for dozens of songs performed at the jam.  Bring your favorite pickin' chair, if you prefer. Otherwise, the Community Center provides padded-seat folding chairs.  The group will take time to help new pickers learn the songs... then trade leads around the room. If you prefer just to strum rhythm, that's fine, too. Teach us your stuff: feel free to bring 10 copies of lead sheets to some of your favorite country, folk or bluegrass songs to share, and the jam will give them a try.  Acoustics and electrics (at low volume) are allowed. Kindly do not invite any additional musicians without checking with Wade first. You'll receive a monthly notice of the date of the next Goatville Jam. If the organizers don't get an RSVP quorum, jam members will receive a cancellation notice.

Bands/Performers for hire:

Peavine Creek string band -- Peavine is a long-established Atlanta-based string band playing old-time and Appalachian music right in the groove, and singing the songs that formed the roots of country and bluegrass.  See www.peavinecreek.com. Members are Albert Smith on fiddle and vocals; Ann Whitley on fiddle, vocals, guitar; Cindy Olsen on bass, vocals, guitar; Doug Olsen on guitar, vocals, mandolin; and John Anderson on banjo and harmonica. For bookings and information, contact Ann at 404-968-9771 or email annwhitley@mac.com. The Sedentary Ramblers - three guys with whacky sense of humor playing old time music on traditional instruments  www.sedentaryramblers.com

Elise Witt  international music, folk, contemporary, with a political bent - www.elisewitt.com

The Nearly Normal String Band - Viva and Neil - Blues, bluegrass, old time (Appalachian), ragtime, contemporary/60's folk, country blues, Celtic, etc.  Guitars, fiddle, old time banjo, singing.   Contact them via email at: nearlynormalband@bellsouth.net Old Enough to Know Better  is a group known for singing songs in a wide variety of styles and tongues, all with rich, close harmonies.  They are bound to sing songs that you will like, because their repertoire includes original songs in various styles—pop, folk, rock ‘n’ roll—as well as shape-note hymns, Beach Boys, Beatles, and Ink Spots tunes, several bluegrass gospel songs, a Congolese gathering tune (in Congolese), a Sea Island hymn from the Georgia coast, folk ballads, a hymn from the Episcopal Hymnal, and more. They believe they are the singers of the only Mandarin Chinese doo-wop song on the planet. Or, at least, outside of China!  See http://myspace.com/weareoldenoughtoknowbetter .

CD Reviews:

Dan Gellert "Waiting on the Break of Day" - Old time music on the fretless banjo and fiddle - http://orphonon.utopiandesign.com

Compass Records is owned by Alison Brown and her husband, who are both members of the Alison Brown Quartet.  See www.compassrecords.com.  It is owned and run by musicians for musicians, and has some of the most interesting music being recorded today.  They have a large collection of Celtic CDs they have produced, as well as bluegrass and newgrass, and just plain interesting and beautiful music.  Check out the following new issues: Russ Barenberg; Solas Reunion; Kate Rusby; Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill

Adam Hurt -  Deemed a "banjo virtuoso" by the Washington Post, Adam Hurt draws on diverse musical influences from the North Carolina piedmont, the mountains of central West Virginia, the Ohio River Valley, and beyond to create his own elegantly innovative clawhammer banjo playing. At age 25, Adam has already placed in or won most of the major old-time banjo competitions including Clifftop, Mount Airy, and Galax, and won the state banjo championships of Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio, as well as the state fiddle championships of Virginia and Maryland. A gifted and respected teacher, Adam has conducted banjo workshops at the Swannanoa Gathering, the Augusta Heritage Center, and Appalshop, among other venues around the country. In 2006, Adam released his second CD, "Insight," on the Ubiquitone label. This recording highlights Adam's innovative banjo playing both in solo settings and with accompaniment by Cathy Fink (guitar, banjo, bouzouki), Beth Hartness (guitar), Marcy Marxer (guitar, mandolin, uke), and Jarred Nutter (fiddle). The selections found on this CD represent a surprising diversity of traditional Appalachian music, running the gamut from Round Peak stalwarts to stringband rags, from a Bill Monroe original to three Ed Haley tunes recorded on clawhammer banjo for the first time.

Music Festivals:

The Leaf (Lake Eden Arts Festival) - Mountain music and crafts festival.  In Spring (May 7-10, 2009) and Fall (October 15-18, 2009)  at Camp Rockmont in Black Mountain, NC.  See www.theleaf.com. Eno River Festival in Durham, NC in July.  This festival has its roots in a (successful) effort to save the river from being dammed.  It features local musical talent, of which there is aplenty in that area of the country, wonderful food selections, crafts, dance and other activities, all of which have an environmental or cultural connection to the Eno River.  It is a small festival on the Eno River.  www.enoriver.org/Festival

Merlefest - Bluegrass and roots music festival in Wilkesboro, NC at the Wilkes Community College campus, last weekend of April (April 23-26, 2009) annually.  4 days (Thursday through Sunday).  Music includes traditional and progressive bluegrass, Appalachian, Zydeco, Celtic, Blues and more. See www.Merlefest.org.

Fiddler's Grove - Ole Time Fiddlers and Bluegrass Festival - 85 continuous years for this Annual Festival at Fiddler's Grove Campground, Union Grove, North Carolina.  See www.fiddlersgrove.com/ for information and to sign up for band competitions. RiverHawk Music Festival - November 5-8, 2009, Sertoma Ranch, Brooksville, Florida.  863-984-8445.  http://www.lindentertainment.com/General_Pages/newhomepage.htm Appalachian String Band Music Festival at Clifftop, WV.  Camp Washington-Carver, HC 35, Box 5, Clifftop WV 25831-9601.  August 4-8, 2010 - A five day mountaintop gathering of musicians and friends with contests, concerts, workshops, square dances, camping and a hymn-sing. See http://www.wvculture.org/stringband/index.html

Magazines: