Fiddler’s Green Archives
This is an archive of past Fiddler’s Green Coffeehouses. Peruse these pages to get a view of the artists that graced Fiddler’s in past Events. Also, if you attended one of these coffeehouses and want to know more about a performer you saw there, check the announcement for that month. You’ll find brief write-ups of the scheduled artists, and usually links to one or more websites that contain more information.
Special Event October 20, 2023
Atlanta Area Friends of Folk Music and the Frank Hamilton School present:
Donna Ray Norton and Susan Pepper
Concert
First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta
Friday, October 20, 7:00 PM
Workshops
Frank Hamilton School
Saturday, October 21, 9:30-10:45 AM
Sheila Kay Adams must cancel her scheduled performance in this concert due to illness.
In her place will be her cousin, ballad singer/folk storyteller Donna Ray Norton.
Donna Ray Norton tells authentic stories from Madison county where her ancestors go back for at least 13 generations. Her stirring voice has a special beauty and grit. She is known for her humor and ability to connect with audiences.
Susan Pepper shares old and new songs on dulcimer, guitar, banjo, fiddle and voice. She is featured in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area’s Traditional Artist Directory and has performed ballads alongside North Carolina ballad keepers at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Day, the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival and the Library of Congress.
These activities are funded in part by a grant from SouthArts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Georgia Council for the Arts.
Fiddler’s Green October 21, 2023
SPARKY AND RHONDA RUCKER
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker
Perennial Fiddler’s Green favorites Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. They are internationally recognized as leading musicians, authors, and storytellers. They accompany themselves with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar, blues harmonica, old-time banjo, piano, spoons, and bones.
Sparky and Rhonda are sure to deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, Appalachian music, slave songs, Civil War music, spirituals, work songs, ballads, civil rights music, and their own original Compositions.
You will hear soulful blues licks, heart-rending gospel, knee-slapping good rhythms, and bottleneck guitar slide. Over fifty years of performing, Sparky and Rhonda have performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as NPR’s All Things Considered, Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and Morning Edition. Their recording Treasures & Tears was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award, and their music is also included on the Grammy-nominated anthology Singing Through the Hard Times.
Photo by Pam Zappardino
Fiddler’s Green September 16, 2023
JAMIE ANDERSON and GEORGE HERGEN
Jamie Anderson
Singer-songwriter-parking lot attendant Jamie Anderson is making her first appearance at Fiddler’s green. Jamie has played her unique original songs in hundreds of venues in four countries. The Canadian/American is a multi-instrumentalist who’s folk without the Birkenstocks, country without the big hair and jazz without the angst. Songs on her 13 albums range from the serious “Beautiful,” about body image, to the tongue-in-cheek “Marry Me,” where she sings about wanting to marry Rachel Maddow because, really, who wouldn’t?
Jamie’s YouTube channel has 73 K subscribers. Some people are there for the guitar instruction, including one video that’s received over two million views. She’s also the author of three books, Drive All Night, Drive All Day (Because I’m Too Old to Drive All Night) and An Army of Lovers – Women’s Music of the Seventies and Eighties.
Jamie hails from Ottawa, Ontario except for a few months in the winter when she hides out in Arizona. Jamie’s expressive voice and personable stage manner are an asset to any stage. She’s legally blind in one eye, so you really don’t want to hand over the keys to your Volvo … although, with enough chocolate, she’ll consider it. Make sure your insurance is up-to-date.
George Hergen
Folksinger and balladeer George Hergen (a.k.a. “Captain George”) regularly performs at Fiddler’s Green in March as one-half of The Irish Brothers with partner Sandy Flynn. But when George was a teenager learning Irish folk music from the Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem in Greenwich Village, he was also becoming steeped in North American folk. You’ll see the splendid results in his September Fiddler’s Green set.
Born and raised in New York City, George found his way to the Village at an early age and immediately became addicted to the folk scene that was happening in the mid-1960’s. He has been playing and singing ever since, continuing in that 60’s folk tradition.
George was the inaugural banjo instructor at the Frank Hamilton School of Folk Music in Atlanta. George has been playing at coffee houses, festivals, house concerts, concerts and private parties from New York City to Florida for over 60 years. Come on out and share a song or two with the Captain.
Fiddler’s Green August 19, 2023
ADMIRAL RADIO and MARC GUNN
Admiral Radio
Named after their ’41 radio, the South Carolina-based duo Coty Hoover and Becca Smith create a unique Americana blend rooted in traditional styles, with the capacity to touch the heartstrings of the modern-day listener. Having recently shared stages with acclaimed acts like Del McCoury, Molly Tuttle, Judah & The Lion, and more, this husband-and-wife duo is making waves across the Southeast and beyond. With heartfelt penmanship and a knack for storytelling, Admiral Radio cherishes the strong sense of community they nourish through their music.
After independently releasing their debut album of originals entitled Sounds Like You in 2020, they are now breathing new life into old-time songs that live in the public domain with their sophomore effort, Songs From The Vault, released in 2022. Featuring a myriad of instruments accompanying their lush and effortless vocal harmony, this couple and their timeless sound are a match for audiences of all ages. https://www.admiralradiomusic.
Marc Gunn
Marc Gunn is a rhythm & folk songwriter who fuses Irish and Scottish folk songs with pop culture. His musical weapon of choice is the autoharp. He breathes rock & roll into this folk instrument and adds a bellowing taste of rhythm & blues. Gunn found musical inspiration performing Irish drinking songs. He learned the art of performing at Renaissance faires and from his childhood idol, Elvis Presley, who said, “You’ve got to put on a show to draw a crowd.” His concerts are fun filled with sing along songs that get the audience’s feet tapping.
Gunn finds lyrical inspiration for this songwriting through his Celtic heritage as well as his love of pop culture. He was raised on Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Dungeons & Dragons, Doctor Who, and Firefly. He writes songs inspired not by the characters but by the themes that he discovers in the fandoms he consumes. This makes very real, down-to-earth songs about love, fear, and hope. All the while the songs are great for singing along in the Celtic tradition.
Marc now has over 20 solo albums on his homespun Mage Records label. In 2005 he transformed his popular Celtic Music Magazine into one of the first music podcasts. Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was one of the earliest podcasts to go online and definitely one of the longest lasting. It is still published after 12 years and has since won four times for Best Music Podcast in the Podcast Awards, the latest award in 2022. Using the musical past and a vivid imagination bolstered with ambition and drive, he blazes trails from Verse to cyberspace, encouraging others to follow. https://marcgunn.com/
Fiddler’s Green July 15, 2023
CYNDI CRAVEN & JERRY BRUNNER and HARM’S WAY
Cyndi Craven & Jerry Brunner
Jerry Brunner and Cyndi Craven have been playing music together since the 1980s – and so far, they haven’t come up with a good reason to stop. The music they produce together results from profound friendship, heaping helpings of creativity, and decades of performing together and on their own.
Cyndi is also an accomplished songwriter and recording artist. Her song topics include a train from the train’s point of view, a dog with an unfortunate reputation, a guardian angel with a crooked wing (and possibly a criminal record), starfish habitat, secret turtle language, “and of course, peace, love, and everything.”
Cyndi and Jerry are beloved veterans of the Atlanta acoustic music scene. They’ve delighted audiences countless times at Lena’s Place, Fiddler’s Green, Waller’s Coffeehouse and other venues. Their two guitars and two voices blend up an assortment of original songs and recast covers by folk music greats as well as lesser-known artists. The result is a satisfying serving of comfort music with a side order of good times. Come enjoy… you’ll be glad you did.
https://www.reverbnation.com/
Harm’s Way
Harm’s Way is an Atlanta-based folk/Americana music group that has entertained in the Southeast since the mid-1970s. They play mostly monthly concert series, private events, parks or wineries, where their mostly acoustic sound is always well received. Their song list includes originals and many familiar classics by favorites such as Crosby, Still, Nash & Young, The Eagles and the Everly Brothers, as well as many folk tunes you may not be familiar with but will enjoy just as much.
Group leader Harmon Koeltz began his career as a drummer and band leader in high school. While playing bars, parties and weddings, he found his voice during one gig, when the band saw that he was singing along while drumming and remembered the lyrics better than the lead vocalist!
Vocalist Liz Bradley has been lead-singing in banquet orchestras since the 1980s. She sings pop, folk, rock, traditional big band/swing and more.
Phil Griffin is a singer/songwriter born and raised in Atlanta. He began playing guitar at age nine when his father brought home a Harmony acoustic, and he’s been playing ever since. Phil has been making his way through the ever-growing Atlanta music scene and can be found around town playing lead guitar for Harm’s Way.
Fiddler’s Green June 17, 2023
KATHY REED & LONESOME REDWING and ATLANTA MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA
Kathy Reed & Lonesome Redwing
Kathy Reed is a native of Georgia and has deep roots in East Tennessee. She is a singer and songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Her musical range and influences reflect her Southern roots as well as her classical training and education. This performance will feature many of her original tunes, as well as a few favorites performed with her band, Lonesome Redwing, (Kathy Reed, Russell Weeks, and Ellen Rapier). Lonesome Redwing features bluegrass and old-time fiddleclassics, as well as fresh original material.
Russell and Ellen are also natives of Georgia, and are multi-instrumentalist as well as songwriters. Lonesome Redwing has opened for many legendary performers, including Tony Rice, Peter Rowan, Claire Lynch, Patty Loveless, and the Steep Canyon Rangers.
Spotify (Lonesome Redwing band): https://open.spotify.com/
Kathy’s Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/
Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra
The Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra is the performing unit of the Atlanta Mandolin Society, Inc., established in 1994. AMS has been organized to perpetuate knowledge and appreciation of music written for the mandolin and related instruments.
The Atlanta Mandolin Society is proud to have revived the mandolin orchestra in Atlanta. For over 30 years, beginning in the early 20th Century, there was a very fine mandolin orchestra in Atlanta under the direction of William Griffith. Mr. Griffith created quite a rage for the mandolin during the first decades of the previous century and is fondly remembered by many.
The Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra is establishing its own history today under the direction of conductor Robb Smith. Robb has been a life-long musician and is a graduate of the Geneva Conservatory of Music, and has been with AMO since 1994.
May 20, 2023
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December 17, 2022
TOM EURE & AMELIA OSBORNE
The folk duo of Tom Eure & Amelia Osborne offer up a heartfelt fusion of Celtic, Appalachian and spiritual influences that instantly has listeners tapping their toes and singing along. The pair believe in the power of music and art, often combining the two into programming designed to inspire creativity, community and justice. These Charlotte NC music and art scene veterans swirl together fiddles, banjos, mandolins, guitars, bodhráns, and rousing vocal harmonies, painting a musical picture that’s fresh and up-lifting. No Depression Magazine said their music “…comes off as the result of genuine artists pouring old wine into new bottles and making listeners believe.”
With a professional musician pedigree in Cajun, Celtic, Old Time, Rock, Gospel, and Americana, Tom & Amelia create a sound that is new yet familiar, risky yet comfortable, with that rare ability to shine a light on the heart. For this special Fiddlers Green December show expect fun and up-lifting tunes from their Christmas album, A Promise Of Hope (2019) which stands as a timeless celebration of the season.
BALALAIKA FANTASIE
The five musicians of Balalaika Fantasie draw their inspiration from their life-long passion for Slavic folk music and their diverse cultural backgrounds. Performing on authentic folk instruments, the Atlanta group’s repertoire includes Slavic, Ukrainian, Gypsy and Jewish folk music.
Angelina Galashenkova-Reed (domra) has toured the world as a soloist with the Andreyev Russian Folk Orchestra of St. Petersburg, performing with them at Carnegie Hall’s 100th anniversary. A virtuoso of the three-string domra, she is a winner of the prestigious “Cup of the North” competition, and holds the title of “Laureate of International Competitions of Professional Folk Artists.”
David C. Cooper (balalaika, domra, vocals) has been recognized by Slavic virtuosi for his artistry as a balalaika soloist. Pennsylvania-born, Mr. Cooper is an authority on Slavic folk instruments (he plays them all), studied conducting and performance at the Glier Institute of Kyiv, Ukraine, and is the artistic director and conductor of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra.
Gregory Carageorge has been a professional contrabass balalaika and string bass player for over 30 years, performing in numerous ethnic music groups such as the Berkeley, CA based Klezmorim and Troika Balalaikas, The Massenkoff Folk Festival, and several very popular touring Greek folk music bands. He was the leader of the house band at New York’s Russian Tea Room, and has appeared with numerous folk, bluegrass, and jazz ensembles.
Natalia Rezvan (tenor domra), before immigrating to the United States in 2008, was concert master for the Folk Instruments Orchestra in Kharkiv, Ukraine. She was a member of that orchestra for 29 years and served as concertmaster for the last 7 years under the direction of Valentina Nikolayevna Belenkaya.
Kiril Chernoff (alto balalaika, prima balalaika, and vocals) grew up playing prima balalaika with the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra since age 13. He studied balalaika under various professionals both here in Atlanta, Georgia as well as in Kirov, and in his birthplace of St Petersburg.
All musicians of Balalaika Fantasie are members of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra.
https://www.facebook.com/
November 19, 2022
THE CUNNINGHAM/HENSON DUO
Guitarist Steve Cunningham and bassist Rob Henson formed a “duo of musical gumbo” to express an artistry separate from their careers as in-demand sidemen and session musicians. The Cunningham / Henson duo offers a unique instrumental approach where they present familiar melodies and songs of all styles in a way that sounds fresh, exciting and at the same time understated.
Steve Cunningham
One of the most in-demand guitarists on the Atlanta scene, Steve has played with Grammy winner Susan Tedeschi, long-time members of the James Brown band, and Grammy Award winner William Bell, as well as opening for Jeff Beck, Barenaked Ladies, Kool and the Gang, Dream Theatre, The Four Tops, Chuck Mangione, and Blondie. Steve is a first-call session player, playing on hundreds of local and national CD releases, TV and radio commercials, and movie soundtracks. He has recorded for Coca-Cola, Ford, IBM, Cartoon Network, Microsoft, CNN, NASCAR and others, as well as recording with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Rob Henson
Equally fluent in the musical styles of rock, jazz, bluegrass and classical, bassist Rob Henson has performed with an incredible diversity of artists such as The Who, Vince Gill, Shawn Mullins, the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, David Ryan Harris, The Atlanta Ballet, The Drifters, and Broadway tours of Wicked and Phantom of the Opera. From 2006 – 2012 Rob recorded and toured the United States with singer/songwriter Corey Smith and played over 150 shows a year. He has recorded 5 CDs, and opened for acts including ZZ Top, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Snoop Dog, and Merle Haggard. Currently Robert manages and leads the very popular Atlanta trio Lilac Wine, delighting audiences with three voices in harmony performing uniquely arranged songs of all genres and elegantly backed by a driving acoustic guitar and a punchy upright bass.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/
Rick Diamond
Rick Diamond has always been a writer: short stories in third grade, co-writing his first structurally sound song, “Follow Me,” in eighth grade with band mate Steve Hagler. (Imagine two kids urging the world to follow them… Where to, the playground?) In his late teens and early 20s, Rick wrote a few songs for his Illinois rock band. In his 30s he wrote his first novel — long before he had anything worth saying. In his early 40s he wrote his second novel; and then five years later when he got the nerve up to submit it to a New York literary agent he met at a writers’ conference, he landed a deal and lost a deal all within three weeks. Not one to try harder, he turned his hand to screenwriting and knocked out a couple of movie scripts and then a TV pilot. Then wanting to know what happened to those characters, he wrote nine more episodes. During all those years, Rick managed to write more than a hundred songs about love, life, politics, and whatever else at that moment was bothering him.
Rick Diamond has played in venues from Illinois to New York, from Florida to Tennessee, from one Carolina to the next, from Texas to Alabama, and here in Georgia for more than a few years. His songs can be sampled and downloaded at Rick Diamond Reverbnation and listened to in better fidelity at writersroomcafe.com — but only if you have great big studio monitors for speakers on your computer (seriously, don’t do the phone thing).
www.reverbnation.com/
www.writersroomcafe.com
October 15, 2022
THE 4-MAN STRING BAND TRIO
The 4-Man String Band Trio combines the vocal and instrumental talents of three seasoned musicians with ties to Atlanta: Charles Absher on guitar, Clark Brown on mandolin and guitar, and George Eckard on guitar, banjo, mandolin, and harmonicas. Their Fiddler’s Green set will include Americana-style original songs by Absher and Eckard. George Eckard’s 2021 CD release Love the Land and Charles Absher’s 2018 CD release This Garden of Sunshine and Rain showcase their songwriting talents.
Since its inception in 2019, the group has appeared at various venues in the area, including Waller’s Coffee Shop, Lena’s Place, and Intown Coffee House, and at Woodlands Garden, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Briarlake Forest Park, and Frazier-Rowe Park. They also have played at the Central Dekalb Senior Center and a number of area retirement communities and were the subject of an article in Senior Living magazine in 2021.
https://www.facebook.com/
Veronika Jackson started her music career singing in school choirs at the age of ten. She was raised by a musically influenced family in St. Petersburg, Florida. In her teens, her love for acoustic folk and R&B music grew as she followed such artists as Odetta, Dolly Parton, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Joan Baez, Ella Fitzgerald, and, later, Diamond Teeth Mary, a blues performer who inspired many folk artists through her performances at the Florida Folk Festival.
Veronika has combined acoustic folk music and R&B to create her own unique music. She has shared her musical talents with audiences at venues and festivals throughout the South and Northeastern states and across the Atlantic Ocean.
The Woman I Am, her latest CD, is a compilation of her original compositions and some favorite songs she enjoys performing. Her reputation as an entertainer and consummate artist continues to grow. Her stage presence and sound have a sincerity that will grace your heart. Her performances take you to another place and time.
Critics have called Veronika’s appeal contagious, always leaving audiences wanting more. The joy she feels as an artist comes from knowing that her music – whether an old folk song, a blues composition, or an old spiritual – entertains and brings joy and hope to people’s lives.
https://veronikajackson.com/
September 17, 2022
Hailed as a “Celtic guitar god” by Baltimore City Paper and “one of the best folk instrumentalists in the business” by Sing Out! Magazine, Robin Bullock is one of the preeminent acoustic music masters of our time.
His virtuosity on guitar, cittern, and mandolin blends the ancient melodies of the Celtic lands, their vigorous American descendants, and the masterworks of the Baroque and Renaissance eras into one powerful musical vision. The 17th-century harp tunes of legendary Irish bard Turlough O’Carolan, the spirited jigs and reels of rural Ireland, the haunting ballads of the southern Appalachians, and the timeless compositions of Bach, Dowland, and Francesco da Milano all find a musical common ground in Robin’s music, where lightning-fast fingerwork one moment is perfectly balanced with tender, quiet intimacy the next. A warm, friendly presence onstage, Robin effortlessly creates a magical world for the audience with his multi-instrumental wizardry, taking them on an unforgettable journey into the deep heart’s core and through the music of the spheres.
https://robinbullock.com/
August 20, 2022
ALEX COMMINS & TODD PRUSIN
Alex Commins and Todd Prusin are well-known in the Atlanta music scene. Alex was an original member of AAFFM and has played for years in bluegrass groups, including 15 years with The Sorghum Syrup Soppers Old-Time String Band. He has also played in many diverse musical situations, from the Galax Old-Time Fiddler’s Convention to rock and roll bands. Todd started out drumming in high school bands and has since played professionally as a drummer, guitarist, and bassist. He has played various Atlanta venues with such bands as Charm School, Stickfight, The Barrow Boys, Prusin Reep Jones, The Serenaders, The Porch Bottom Boys, and Suspicious Package.
Alex and Todd met at Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch in the Ohio River Valley. The love and respect for music that was germinated blossomed into a musical embrace here in Atlanta, an embrace that seems to grab and include those within earshot. The interplay between Alex’s acoustic fingerpicking and Todd’s melodic bass guitar has garnered very positive notices.
Georgia Grass is one of the longest-running and most venerable bluegrass bands in Georgia. Founded in 1973 by guitarist Dan Daniel, Georgia Grass has played many bluegrass festivals throughout Georgia and the Southeast, as well as various clubs and private events in and around Atlanta. In 1976 Georgia Grass was chosen to play for the grand opening of the Georgia World Congress Center. Today Georgia Grass is still going strong as a local bluegrass powerhouse. Its three members have all been inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame.
Band leader Dan Daniel plays acoustic guitar and sings lead vocals on most of their songs. Dan is the President of the Southeastern Bluegrass Association and a lifetime member of the Bonded Brothers of Bluegrass. His awards include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Atlanta Society of Entertainers and the Fiddlin’ John Carson Award for his contributions to the music industry in the State of Georgia.
James McKinney is considered one of the world’s foremost masters of the five-string banjo. James has played both on stage and in recordings with great artists such as Bill Monroe, Vassar Clements, and John Hartford, among many others. He received the Musician’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the Atlanta Society of Entertainers in 2018. Niki Portmann plays upright bass and also sings vocals. She is an accomplished and respected bass artist of many years. Niki was awarded the Musician’s Lifetime Achievement Award by the Atlanta Society of Entertainers in 2018.
Georgia Grass is a modern bluegrass band with roots deep in traditional bluegrass and Americana folk but with a refreshing and modern take on many traditional favorites as well as original works.
July 16, 2022
JOHN CABLE & THE GEORGIA MOUNTAIN STRING BAND
John Cable is a veteran musician who began his career in the late 60s. After serving as lead guitarist and vocalist for Texas country rock pioneers Colours, John became a member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. In 1977 they became the first American band in history to perform in the Soviet Union. John became the first American to lecture at the Moscow Conservatory of Music on the history of Western Blues and Rock music.
John has performed on The Tonight Show, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, The Midnight Special, Austin City Limits and the Grand Ole Opry. He has performed in some of the great concert venues, as well, including Wolftrap, Carnegie Hall and Red Rocks. John is currently playing and touring with John McEuen and The String Wizards.
John is excited to be bringing the Georgia Mountain Stringband to accompany him at Fiddler’s Green. Formed in 2015 by Jason Waller, the Georgia Mountain Stringband has quickly become one of the leading original Bluegrass acts in the Southeast. The group was recently voted Best Bluegrass Band in Atlanta for 2019 by Creative Loafing readers.The 5-piece is stacked with Waller on guitar, David Stephens on banjo, Brendan Held on fiddle, Eddie Kesler on mandolin and Robert Green on upright bass.
www.johncable.com
https://pleaserock.com/tribute/georgia-mountain-string-band/
The multi-instrumental gifted talent of Jim Culliton has delighted Fiddlers Green audiences for many years. In Clear Creek, Jim’s mandolin, fiddle and vocals share the stage with Joel Glogowski (upright bass) and Russell Weeks (guitar/vocals). This high-energy trio offers an eclectic blend of different genres, mixing instrumental improvisation with traditional sounds and vocals.
Jim has played at the Fox Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. He was one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement – incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, classical, and vocals. With the formation of Clear Creek, he leads a trio that continues to deliver a truly innovative, entertaining, and dynamic acoustic sound.
jimcullitonmusic.com
Facebook: Jim Culliton & Clear Creek
June 18, 2022
The Reel Sisters offer an intimate performance of tunes and stories from the Celtic lands and Appalachia. Harp, pipes, whistle, and voice combine to create a magical Celtic soundscape full of both joy and mystery.
The Reel Sisters are a duo steeped in the musical tradition of Scottish harp and smallpipes. Piper Rosalind Buda and harpist Kelly Brzozowski share lifetimes of experience in the traditional music community and the technical expertise of classical training. A duo since 2018, The Reel Sisters have performed stage shows, festivals, and house concerts from New Mexico to New York. They have been heard multiple times on Pan Harmonia’s Celtic Corner Series and have been featured at the acclaimed Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC, the Red Clay Theater in Duluth, GA, and the Atlanta Celtic Christmas concert at the Rialto. Rosalind and Kelly are professional educators as well as performers and are in demand as clinicians at harp and bagpipe workshops across the US.
The Reel Sisters’ music is uplifting, stirring, and just sweet fun. Their approachable, lighthearted personalities create a unique and intimate musical experience that connects them deeply with the spirit of the music and with their audiences.
reelsistersmusic.com
Harm’s Way began back in the 1970s. Scot Boze, Dennis Keefe, and Harmon Koeltz had been playing guitar-driven music at each other’s homes, parties, and the like when they began playing an after-hours place called Little Annie Fannies. They split $7.50 a night and dined on chili, spaghetti, and milkshakes, which was about all the place had to offer. A patron one evening heard them and must have liked them, as he offered them a gig at Billy Lothridge’s Taco Kid in Sandy Springs. They needed a name to go up on the marquee, and Dennis named the group Harm’s Way. The pay was better, and they had beer!
More parties, and even more practice followed. Dennis was a jock at WPLO-FM and had access to the studio where we could go on the weekends or after hours and record our music. More parties and jams followed. Then they got serious and started contacting venues and began performing. Through the years, new members joined the group while others left, mostly to return. They were now playing coffee shops, wineries, restaurants, corporate events, private events, festivals, and all the local monthly concert series, including Fiddler’s Green. They perform with conviction, a sense of humor, and rich harmonies. While they don’t take themselves too seriously, they do take the music very seriously and feel it is to be enjoyed and shared. They are available for house concerts, yacht christenings, shuttle launch parties, etc. and would love to play your next event.
On a somber note, Scot’s last performance was right here in February of 2020, just before the pandemic. He was taken by Covid that summer. The line-up for Fiddler’s Green will be Phil Griffin, Barbara Hotz, Jonathan McBee, Harmon Koeltz, and making her debut with the group, Liz Bradley.
May 21, 2022
THE RESONANT ROGUES
Asheville, North Carolina’s genre hopping songwriters, The Resonant Rogues, have been winning over audiences worldwide with their signature blend of string band music since 2013. Following their musical inspirations from the Appalachian mountains to the Balkans, through Paris by way of New Orleans, their original songs speak to the heart with poetic lyrics, and appeal to the ears with stellar musicianship and arrangement.
CHARLEY WOODS
A Nashville native, recording artist Charley Woods is making a lasting impact on the music mecca she calls home. With her instantly identifiable voice and her stylistic blend of contemporary folk and Americana, she is in a league all her own. She has performed and collaborated with many talented and influential figures in today’s country music including Brad Paisley, Chris Young, David Nail, Wil Nance, Mark Nesler, and many more. Since releasing her second single “Half The Girl.” Charley has proven herself as one of Nashville’s must-watch artists.
Charley last performed at Fiddler’s Green in January 2019. She has been garnering attention and praise since high school, at none other than the prestigious Nashville School of the Arts. Already a mainstay in the Nashville songwriters’ community, Charley’s dream is to share her songs with the world.
April 16, 2022
CLAUDIA NYGAARD
Claudia Nygaard is a mesmerizing storyteller and a cinematic lyricist who writes songs that are heartfelt, humorous, scrappy, and sensual, And she does so with a daredevil’s vulnerability and a complete lack of self-censorship. Nygaard, with her powerful, resonant, and deeply emotive amber honey voice, is a master at putting a tear in your eye with a song that breaks your heart; and then with a quick wit and an outlandish sense of humor, she’ll replace it with tears of laughter.
Claudia is a quick witted and charismatic performer, with a twinkle in her eye that convinces everyone in her audience that she is sharing a secret with them alone. And her storytelling doesn’t end when the song does. Sharing both the inspiration behind the tunes, and also frequently creating outlandish, irreverent, and humorous monologues, her patter is as important a part of her performances as the songs themselves.
Building on the craft she learned while a staff songwriter on Nashville’s Music Row, she has won numerous awards including the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival Songwriting Competition, and with the title cut of her latest album “Lucky Girl”, the Tumbleweed Music Festival Songwriting Competition. “Lucky Girl” charted at #3 on the Folk Alliance Radio song chart and #5 on the album chart, and it gave her a significant debut on the Americana chart. It also received impressive reviews from the press. Legendary folk music magazine “Sing Out” claimed the songs “rival the likes of Guy Clark or Ian Tyson.”
www.claudinygaard.com
BLACKFOOT DAISY
Blackfoot daisies are hearty wild flowers that grow on the prairies of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. You can find them growing naturally in the Texas Blackland prairie, which runs from the Red River to the Texas-Oklahoma border. Blackfoot Daisy is a humble trio (sometimes duo) that plays original, Americana style music. Based in the Atlanta metro area, they describe themselves as “a little haunted by the prairie, the wind, the shifting of tall grasses, the sound of crickets, and a lonesome train whistle drifting through the night.”
The group consists of:
Don Sechelski – guitar, vocals, songwriting. Don has been writing and performing music for over 30 years. From Atlanta to New Orleans to Chicago and back to Atlanta still chasing the buffalo. Wendy DuMond – guitar, vocals, songwriting. Wendy has the soul of a poet and the vision of an artist. From Montana, through Oklahoma, to New York and back to Atlanta, she follows the bucking horse moon.; Tom Wolf – guitar, mandolin, vocals, songwriting. Tom has played so many venues around the city of Atlanta, it would be easier to list places he hasn’t played. Quick with a joke or a sizzling riff, Tom is the stick that stirs the drink.
www.blackfootdaisymusic.com
March 19, 2022
The Colcannon Society
![Colcannon Society](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Colcannon-Society-300x225.jpeg)
The Irish Brothers
![Irish Brothers](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Irish-Brothers-2016.jpg)
February 15, 2022
The Moon and You
The Moon and You is a charismatic husband-and-wife team based in Asheville NC. Melissa Hyman plays cello, Ryan Furstenberg plays guitar and banjo, and both sing in “voices that sound like they were made for one another” (Bill DeYoung, Connect Savannah). At once excitingly inventive and cozily familiar, the Moon & You has crafted a sound all their own.
Furstenberg and Hyman mix up a fresh blend of influences from very different backgrounds. Melissa grew up in the NYC area studying classical cello. Ryan was born and raised among the Eastern NC tobacco fields, learning classic country and 70s rock on harmonica and then guitar. His rich country baritone and easy Southern style bring an undeniable Americana flavor to the table.
Together, the two form a sound that is warm and inviting, atmospheric and playful. Each is a well developed songwriter with a distinctive voice, and their songs range in style from classic to quirky. their ever-evolving output encompasses a wide range of American roots music. Live on stage they are 100 percent themselves — funny, charming and slightly odd; communing with their audiences, warts and all. Their performances evoke joyful eruptions of laughter, occasional tears, and moments of breathless awe.
Photo: EvokeEmotion Photography
www.themoonandyou.com
Harm’s Way
Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together more than ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. For this performance Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koeltz on lead vocals and guitar, Scot Boze on vocals, and Jonathan McBee, bass player for Mockingbird’s Wing.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions. The core members of this group have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and – while they take music very seriously – don’t take themselves seriously at all!
www.reverbnation.com/
January 18, 2020
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker
Fiddler’s Green is delighted to ring in the New Year with a full concert by our old friends Sparky and Rhonda Rucker. The Ruckers perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. Sparky Rucker has been performing over forty years and is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and author. He accompanies himself with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo, and spoons. Rhonda Rucker is a musician, children’s author, storyteller, and songwriter. Her blues-style harmonica, piano, old-time banjo, and bones add musical versatility to their performances.
Sparky and Rhonda are sure to deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, slave songs, Appalachian music, spirituals, ballads, work songs, Civil War music, railroad songs, and a few of their own original compositions.
Over forty years of performing, Sparky and Rhonda have performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as NPR’s On Point, Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and Morning Edition. Their recording, Treasures & Tears, was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award, and their music is also included on the Grammy-nominated anthology, Singing Through the Hard Times.
The Ruckers have been featured tellers at the International Storytelling Center and Festival. Sparky is a natural storyteller, having grown up hearing his father, uncles, and other family members endlessly telling tales. Sparky and Rhonda each tell solo stories, but they also tell stories together (in tandem), always adding life and humor to the characters and tricksters in their Brer Rabbit tales, Jack tales, High John the Conqueror stories, preacher tales, and family stories.
AAFFM has presented Sparky and Rhonda many times over the years at Fiddler’s Green and other occasions. It’s always great to have them back!
December 21, 2019
Four Shillings Short
Four Shillings Short perform traditional and original music from the Celtic Lands, Medieval & Renaissance Europe, India and the Americas on over 30 instruments from all over the world. They include hammered and mountain Dulcimer, mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, tinwhistles, recorders, Medieval and Renaissance woodwinds, Native American flutes, North Indian sitar, charango, bowed psaltery, banjo, bodhran, guitar, ukelele, doumbek, percussion, vocals and even a krumhorn.
The husband/wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland and Christy Martin from California have been performing together since 1995, touring in the US and Ireland. These independent folk artists have 12 recordings, perform 150 concerts a year, and live as the troubadours of old traveling, from town to town playing at music festivals, theaters and performing arts centers, folk and historical societies, libraries, museums and schools.
Born in Cork, Ireland, Aodh Óg (pronounced, ayog) studied Medieval and Renaissance music in college. He received a music fellowship to study at Stanford University in 1984. He played in a group called Drivelling Druids before forming the group Four Shillings Short.
A multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Christy was born into a musical family. She played the sitar for 10 years, starting at the age of 16. Christy took up folk music in the ’80’s and has been playing hammered dulcimer since 1993. She was formerly in a band called Your Mother Should Know.
Join us at Fiddler’s Green for one of the most joyous special events of the holiday season. Wassail!
November 16, 2019
Dana Cooper
![Dana Cooper](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/dana_cooper-829x1024.jpg)
Dana Cooper has logged millions of miles as a renowned songwriter and story teller. This song poet engages and inspires audiences around the world with his quick wit, insightful stories and commanding presence. He has performed on Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage and the Kerrville Music Festival, where he was nominated for their Hall of Fame. Dana’s songs have been recorded by top-notch artists such as bluegrass star Claire Lynch and Irish vocalist Maura O’Connell. His mixture of flat-picking, finger-picking and percussive strumming style is legend among other guitarists.
Dana was awarded the Spirit of Folk Award by Folk Alliance International, and he is the recipient of the 2014 Heritage Series Musician Award for his contributions to the Kansas City’s musical heritage. Dana released his 26th CD Incendiary Kid on Travania Records in 2017.
“Innovative, eclectic and unforgettable.” Heather Johnson, Performing Songwriter
“Dana, still full from last night’s show. I was sitting there listening to your songs thinking, I’m in the room with one of the best living songwriters in the world. Your brilliance took us all on a ride into the ineffable parts of existence. I can’t thank you enough! What a night.” Minton Sparks
Friction Farm
![Friction Farm](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/friction_farm-1024x683.jpg)
Modern-folk duo Friction Farm is a husband and wife team of traveling troubadours. Aidan Quinn and Christine Stay combine storytelling, social commentary and humor to create songs of everyday life, local heroes, and quirky observations.
They have toured internationally and have been Kerrville New Folk Finalists, Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists, and South Florida Folk Festival Songwriter winners. Friction Farm’s latest CD So Many Stars, which reached #6 on the Folk Chart, was inspired by their travels across the country witnessing the collision of strong political polarity with personal kindness, the intersection of fragility and breathtaking beauty. From ballads to anthems, each song is filled with harmony and hope.
He’s from Berkeley CA, and she’s from Woodstock NY. When not touring, Aidan enjoys woodworking and Christine bakes. They have a big garden and a small orchard at the sustainable home they designed and built in South Carolina.
“infectiously hummable tunes.” New Times Magazine Miami FL
“intricate harmonies which are reminiscent of 1960s classics with a modern twist.” Sun Journal New Bern NC
“They were utterly charming. Their well-written songs cover a wide gamut and their delivery is spot on. They should be much better known.” Rich Warren, Host WFMT’s Folk Stage and Midnight Special
October 19, 2019
Jefferson Ross
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Screen-Shot-2018-01-29-at-2.00.28-PM.png)
Southern folk artist Jefferson Ross is a songwriter, singer, guitar slinger and painter weaving stories for the ears and the eyes. Based in The Peach State, Jefferson travels throughout the U.S. and Europe performing his original music, and he displays his art at festivals and galleries across the South.
For years Jefferson lived in Nashville playing for recording artists including Canada’s Entertainer of the Decade, Terri Clark, and sharing the stage with country music greats such as George Strait, Toby Keith and Vince Gill. He worked as a staff writer for a number of publishers on Music Row including Curb Music, one of the top music publishers in the world. In 2010 he returned to live in Georgia with his wife and daughter. He maintains a home and office in Nashville as well.
An evening with Jefferson Ross is a homespun southern experience that you’re unlikely to forget.
The Rough & Tumble
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TheRoughandTumble-1024x683.jpg)
The Rough & Tumble are as easy to detect as a stray dog on your doorstep– and as difficult to send home. The dumpster-folk, thriftstore-Americana duo, consisting of Mallory Graham & Scott Tyler, have been hobbling around the country in their 16-foot camper since 2015. They picked up a couple of actual strays along the way– two 100-pound dogs, Puddle & Magpie Mae– and have been making themselves at home in living rooms, bars, theaters, and festivals across the country. They’ve been recognized as a Feature Showcase Artist at 2018 SERFA, and a 2018 honorable mention for the Listening Room Network.
Since their start in 2011, The Rough & Tumble have been writing illustrative songs, arranging each with a menagerie of instruments ranging from acoustic guitars to mailbox snares to a banjulele. “Their Americana music is restorative, their performance highly entertaining, their orchestra of unusual instruments intriguing, and… jokes and stories are worthy of an HBO special.” (Linda Bolton, Cozy Cabin House Concerts).
The stray folkies are as industrious as they are scrappy, releasing five EPs and two albums in their eight years. Their 2018 release, We Made Ourselves a Home When We Didn’t Know, brought the listener to the road and the road to their home — an album “as cozy, comfortable and inviting as a well-worn couch” (Bill Kopp, Mountain Xpress). All this in addition to their weekly livecast, a monthly blog, a Cook & Color Book, a food blog, 2018 SERFA Official Showcase Artist, and playing upwards of 150 shows a year.
The Rough & Tumble released their new studio album Howling Back at the Wounded Dog, on September 6, 2019.
September 21, 2019
Michael Jonathan
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Michael-Johnathon-884x1024.jpg)
Folksinger Michael Johnathon has a long-standing career in the arts as a songwriter, musician, author, playwright, composer of the opera Woody: For the People, and host of the live audience broadcast of the WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour. The show has a radio audience of more than two million listeners each week on 500 public radio stations, public television coast-to-coast, American Forces Radio Network in 173 nations, and now Friday evenings on RFD-TV.
Michael helped organize the national WoodSongs Front Porch Association to help organize rural and community music and a massive educational program. Members of the WFPA are called “SongFarmers.” His 14th album release, MoonFire, comes on the heels of Mousie HiWay: The Adventures of Banjo Mouse in Appalachia, his fully illustrated book that introduces bluegrass music to kids. The MoonFire CD is a 23-song album in honor of the banjo.
Michael released three new projects this year: the CD Dazed & Confuzed, the book WoodSongs 4 and the orchestrated concert tour Songs of Rural America.
In addition to his albums, books, concerts and other projects, the Martin Guitar Company introduced the Michael Johnathon signature model 0000-28s “WoodSongs Quad” guitar.
Michael lives in a log cabin on a hill surrounded by meadows, streams and woods outside of Lexington, Kentucky.
Blackfoot Daisy
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/New-Blackfoot-Daisy-1-1024x679.jpg)
Blackfoot Daisy is a popular local trio comprised of Don Sechelski, Jim Kirkland, Wendy DuMond. They write and perform songs about love, loss, family, horses, dogs, and “things we have yet to ask for forgiveness for.” By day Don is an educator, and Wendy works for a law firm. Don and Wendy met on a songwriter website message board and started writing songs together. Jim Kirkland rounded out the trio with his jazzy multi-instrumentalism, and the result is Blackfoot Daisy.
Blackfoot Daisy formed in 2012 when long-time collaborators and songwriters Wendy and Don decided to begin performing together on a regular basis. Don spent most of his early childhood in Texas and Wendy hails from Montana but grew up in Oklahoma. They chose to name the band after a deer, drought, and pest-resistant prairie flower.
Don is a 30-plus year native of the Atlanta music scene and has also worked as a studio musician. Don has been a regular on the Atlanta coffeehouse/acoustic music scene since the old Freight Room days. He has played venues such as the Dogwood Festival, Hungry Ear Coffeehouse, Lena’s Place and many more.
Wendy began writing songs and performing in 2009. She released a solo EP in 2012. Wendy’s songs have been featured on the Women of Substance radio podcast. Her song Catching Fireflies was used as music for a book trailer to promote All Bears Need Love, a children’s book about interracial adoption.
Blackfoot Daisy has played Smith’s Old Bar, Steve’s Live Music, the Red Light Café and many other local Atlanta live music venues. The band has opened for Nashville songwriter Kurt Fortmeyer, The Rosin Sisters, Copper into Steel, Vientos Del Pueblo, and Little Country Giants, to name a few. They have also performed at Snellville Days, the Chastain Park Arts Festival, the Duluth Fall Festival, the Little 5 Arts Alive Concert series, and Oakhurst Porchfest.
The band released a three-song EP in 2015 and is currently working on a full-length album.
August 17, 2019
David Leinweber
![David Leinweber (photo)](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/david_leinweber.png)
David Leinweber has performed widely at festivals, concert venues and clubs for years, including international appearances abroad where he was dubbed “The Flatpicking Professor.” He has also performed widely in refined higher-educational settings like bars and honky-tonks, to say nothing of numerous universities, civic groups and college campuses. He has placed in numerous flatpicking, fingerpicking and songwriting competitions.
David’s repertoire ranges from traditional music of Appalachia and the British Isles, to Spanish ballads, to folkadelic rock and acoustic blues. Many of his songs tell compelling stories and feature distinctive idioms of guitar-playing and songwriting. But most of all, he’s just out to entertain and have a good time. His performances intersperse intricate guitar work and vocals with joke-cracking and occasional commentaries – a good fit for audiences of all stripes and tastes.
Just Be’Cause
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/JCB-Promo-2019-2-1024x536.png)
Jerry Brunner, Bruce Gilbert and Cyndi Craven are Just Be’Cause … just don’t ask them why.
Jerry Brunner and Cyndi Craven, long-time members of the Atlanta acoustic/folk music scene, have been performing together since the 1980’s. In 2007, they met up with Bruce Gilbert when he moved to Atlanta from California where he’d been wowing the music scene there for years. The music they produce together is the result of profound friendship, heaping helpings of creativity, and decades of playing, singing and writing together and on their own. Their shows have been described by fans as an evening of “comfort music” with vocal “harmonies that will roll your socks down.” Come hear for yourself!More at: https://www.reverbnation.com/brucegilbert and https://www.reverbnation.com/cyndicraven
July 20, 2019
The Radio Rangers
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/RadioRangers-1024x701.jpg)
The Radio Rangers are an Americana band based in Atlanta. Their original music connects with the heartland of America – stories about small towns, railroads, love, broken hearts and life’s special moments. The music is melodic with an emphasis on vocal harmony and an old timey feel. The band is influenced by John Prine, Towns Van Zandt, Blaze Foley and Bob Dylan. It’s comprised of Dan Foster (vocals, guitar), Mark Ewald (vocals, guitar), and Tom Molloy (percussion).
Dan Foster is the songwriter and leader of the band. A seasoned lead guitarist, his song writing led to the creation of The Radio Rangers in 2014. “I try to write songs that people can emotionally connect with. Songs about love, heartbreak, growing up and railroads. The goal is to paint a picture with a good story and melody. It’s very special when people like what you have created.” Dan grew up in Michigan (too cold), moved to Florida (too hot) and moved to Atlanta in 1989 (just right).
Mark “the ear” Ewald is the musical director. Being friends for over 20 years, Dan says he has never known anyone who can arrange a song, moving in exactly the right direction the way Mark does. Mark’s nickname comes from his vocal harmony abilities but he is also a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, piano, mandolin, bass guitar, banjo, harmonica and drums. (not all at the same time). Mark is from Buffalo, New York and still loves hot-wings.
Tom Molloy is the drummer/percussionist for the group. Tom is the glue that holds everything together while adding that special energy to the songs. Tom’s sense of humor always keeps things loose making even the ordinary much more fun. Tom grew up in Queens, New York which will become apparent when you speak with him. (what accent?) Just don’t tell him he looks like Rodney Dangerfield.
https://www.theradiorangers.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theradiorangers
Redwine Jam
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Redwine-Jam-e1561067522539-1024x609.jpg)
Despite its name, Redwine Jam is not a sweet alcoholic concoction suitable for spreading on toast. Still, folk music fans find it appetizing and heady! A performance by the folk band Redwine Jam carries the audience on an emotional roller coaster complete with high-spirited roots music, wry humor, gripping story songs, love ballads, and the sheer joy of homemade music.
Redwine Jam is an Atlanta-based folk music trio comprised of Chris and Carol Moser and singer Brenda Lloyd. They perform a wide range of North American and Celtic folk songs and tunes, from traditional material to newly written compositions by contemporary folk legends. They accompany their vocals with guitar, bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, mountain dulcimer, flute, pennywhistle, bodhran and harp (not all at the same time).
Redwine Jam has developed a strong following at coffeehouses, festivals, private parties and other events in the Atlanta area and elsewhere in the Southeast. Whether they’re performing a program of American folk, Celtic, a mixture of both, or their multi-media concert exploring the American Folk Revival, an evening with Redwine Jam is a delectable treat.
June 15, 2019
Tina and Her Pony
![Tina and Her Pony (image)](https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f9bb41493a83aa445627d5924/images/f2071843-1247-434f-88d6-c60b3cdb0163.jpeg)
The Indie Appalachian folk duo Tina & Her Pony originated in Asheville, North Carolina in 2009. Tina Collins (tenor banjo, tenor ukulele, guitar, vocals) and Quetzal Jordan (cello, guitar, vocals) spent two years holed up in the high desert mountain town of Taos, New Mexico, making music and friends. They became one of the iconic artist colony’s most beloved performing acts.
Tina and Her Pony released their full length, self-titled debut album in March 2012. After touring the U.S. and Canada, they established a new home base in Asheville and began recording their second album, Champion. The album draws inspiration from and meditates on dreams, the subconscious, and death.
Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Collins grew up listening to such folk legends as Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt and Nick Drake, as well as Appalachian musicians such as Loretta Lynn, The Carter family and Doc Watson. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and raised in Tampa FL by her Guatemalan single mother, Jordan spent her young life salsa dancing at family parties and singing hymns in her church choir. She started her classical training at the age of eight and began writing music when 14 years old, largely influenced by Russian Romantic Composers and artists such as Radiohead, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash.
Collins and Jordan’s songwriting incorporates complexities in harmony and arrangement that queer the American folk tradition. Their unique sound draws inspiration from artists such as Nickel Creek, Sarah Jarosz, Gillian Welch and Crooked Still.
Acoustic Bridge
![Acoustic Bridge](https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f9bb41493a83aa445627d5924/images/89d6a059-827f-4bd7-9add-0bc388688d85.jpeg)
The Atlanta group Acoustic Bridge will also be making its first Fiddler’s Green appearance. Celia McDermott, Mike Cerra, and Kevin Walsh offer an eclectic set of creative arrangements ranging from Americana to folk to popular, plus their own unique blend of original music.
An early love of singing inspired Celia McDermott to study arranging and vocals at Berklee College of Music. She performed in the Boston, New York, and Atlanta areas for years in various groups, featuring many styles of music. She served several years as an assistant choir director for a vibrant music ministry and spent ten years directing and singing in the a cappella group Cheaper Than Therapy. Celia has been a featured singer on a number of recordings and has performed with many different musicians in the Atlanta area, crossing genres spanning from jazz to rock to Americana to gospel. For several years she was a featured soloist for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Gospel Choir.
Mike Cerra has been playing and writing “longer than I should probably admit in mixed company,” he says. This talented multi-instrumentalist and singer has performed with several electric bands as well as acoustically for both vocal and solo instrumental music.
Bassist and vocalist Kevin Walsh performs in a wide variety of styles – R&B, rock & roll, folk and Americana. Kevin has recorded and toured in the U.S. and Canada with the acoustic group Windfall. He has done two tours of Ireland with the Americana group Rhythm Road. He is has lived and performed as a singer, guitarist and bassist in the Atlanta area for the last seven years.
May 18, 2019
Adam Miller
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/AdamMiller-credit-Royce-McCornack-1024x683.jpg)
One of the premier autoharpists in the world, Adam Miller is a renowned American folksinger and natural-born storyteller from Oregon. Miller accompanies his rich, resonant baritone voice with lively finger-picking acoustic guitar and stunningly beautiful autoharp melodies. A masterful entertainer who never fails to get his audience singing along, he has distinguished himself as one of the great interpreters of American folksongs and folktales, and as a performer who appeals to audiences of all ages.
George Winston calls him “one of the great autoharpists and folksingers of our times.” Pete Seeger praised his “wonderful storytelling!” The Walnut Valley Festival described his performance as, “An outstanding slice of American folksongs performed with his perfectly suited voice and tasty autoharp accompaniment.” As a concert promoter in Melbourne Beach, Florida, observed, “It will charm even the most die-hard iPod-loving kids or reluctant significant-others.”
Adam began his lifelong pursuit of collecting old songs while still in grade school. Armed with an audio-graphic memory and an uncommonly good ear for melody, his childhood ambition was to learn every song he heard. An accomplished folklorist, historian, and song-collector, he has now amassed a remarkable repertoire of over 5,000 songs. Miller’s repertoire evokes a by-gone time when entertainment was homemade. A master of the art of storytelling, he skillfully interweaves folksongs and the stories behind them with the elegance of a documentary filmmaker.
Traveling 70,000 miles a year, this 21st-century troubadour performs over 200 concerts annually, from the Everglades to the Arctic Circle. More than1.5 million American K-12 students have attended his Singing Through History! school assembly programs. He has performed in more than 2,000 American public libraries in 48 states.
He has recorded six CDs that receive airplay across North America and Europe. His numerous appearances at the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival, the Brookdale Bluegrass Festival, the Tumbleweed Music Festival, the California Traditional Music Society’s Summer Solstice Festival, and the Kentucky Music Weekend have made him a national favorite.
Miller’s folk songs and ballads are the songs of America’s heritage: a window into the soul of our nation in its youth. Frank Hamilton, co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, former member of the folk quartet The Weavers, and co-founder of Atlanta’s Frank Hamilton School, says, “His performance is truly entertaining and riveting. He’s doing a real service for folk music: defending the treasury of American tradition.”
Mark Dvorak
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Mark-Dvorak-credit-Rick-Granoth.jpeg)
When Chicago-based singer-songwriter Mark Dvorak began his career in music, he knew right away he was in it for the long haul. Thirty-four years later he’s still on the road, performing and recording.
“He’s the real deal,” said James Tomasello of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, where Dvorak has been on the faculty for 30 years. “Mark has made music his life and livelihood. His performances are elegant, rich and powerful. He is one of the Old Town School’s Distinguished Teaching Artists.”
Mark Dvorak is the third son of four, born to a working class family on Chicago’s southwest side. After reading Anthony Scaduto’s biography of Bob Dylan in high school, his interest in American folk music was born. Soon the recordings of Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly and Pete Seeger found their way into his collection. He purchased his first acoustic guitar and enrolled in classes at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music after a summer of touring the country by motorcycle. In 1982 Dvorak borrowed a five string banjo and began teaching himself how to play, mastering the claw-hammer stroke. In 1986 Dvorak joined Old Town School faculty.
In December of 2013, Mark published his first collection of essays and poems, Bowling for Christmas and Other Tales from the Road. The book sold out of its initial printing in nine days and received glowing reviews.
Dvorak has performed in 38 states and in parts of Europe and Canada. He has released 17 albums and has won awards for journalism and children’s music. He received the Woodstock Folk Festival Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 and the Lantern Bearer Award from Folk Alliance International in 2013. In 2012 WFMT 98.7 FM Midnight Special host Rich Warren named him Chicago’s “official troubadour.”
April 20, 2019
Carla Ulbrich, Professional Smart Alec
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Carla-Ulbrich-678x1024.jpg)
Carla Ulbrich is a comical singer-songwriter and guitarist whose biggest musical influences were Sesame Street,
camp songs, and cat food commercials. She has a love of the absurdities
of ordinary life, a somewhat twisted viewpoint, and a way with words.
Her songs cover topics from the mundane to insane: Waffle House,
Klingons, psycho exes, how rich she would be if she had a copyright on
the F-word, and so on.
Carla’s six CDs have been aired on the BBC, Dr. Demento, Sirius XM Radio and NPR. She also appeared in Sharknado 2 (as a human) and once opened for Twiggy the Water-Skiing Squirrel.
Carla has been performing since the late 90s in venues small and
smaller, from the Clothing Optional Folk Festival to Nashville’s famed
Bluebird Cafe. She has appeared as a musical guest on the TV shows The Revolution (canceled) and Up All Night with Rhonda
(canceled). Walk, don’t run, and look both ways before crossing, then
go hear Carla before the venue she is playing in closes up shop.
Carla has been a Fiddler’s Green audience favorite throughout her
career. “She is very talented, very funny, very personable, and an easy
act to work with. We would be hard pressed to imagine anyone not
enjoying a set,” says our former manager, Seegar Swanson. “Her
thoughtful and intelligent, clever observations about life, written in
an often wry and humorous manner, are placed over very strong melodies
and guitar work that is recognized as some of the best in her genre.”
Carla has shared the stage with such luminaries as Cheryl Wheeler,
Vance Gilbert, Modern Man, The Bobs, Bob Malone, David Massengill, Lou
and Peter Berryman, The Austin Lounge Lizards, and Rev. Billy C Wirtz.
Other venues she has played include the Falcon Ridge Festival,
Kerrville Folk Festival, Club Med, Eddie’s Attic, The Minstrel and First
Night. We’re delighted to have her back!
March 16, 2019
Will Payne Harrison
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Will-Payne-Harrison.jpg)
Since moving from Louisiana to Nashville, Will Payne Harrison has
toured the South and East coasts, performed at festivals, made radio
appearances, packed out listening rooms, hosted songwriter’s nights and
even co-wrote a song landing in the feature film Black Beauty starring Luke Perry. Harrison’s first single from the album Louisiana Summer, “Clarity,” was featured as a Daily Discovery by American Songwriter magazine.
After its May release East Nashville Blues reached the top
200 on Americana radio charts in 2017. Harrison is following up the
album with a six-song companion EP of covers with the likes of John
Prine, Hank Williams and Steve Earle, as well as an original track. Blue is the common thread of the new EP, with each song containing the word in the track.
Here’s what reviewers are saying about East Nashville Blues:
“Easy, clean and humble, this, his follow-up to Louisiana Summer, is well-written but simple.” – Offbeat, New Orleans, LA.
“Harrison
follows in the footsteps of his heroes, telling stories that can make
you smile right before they make you cry. Willie Nelson and John Prine
would be proud.” – Mother Church Pew, Nashville, TN.
“Harrison
has unveiled smooth, sweet vocals to match the heartfelt lyrics on the
new album.” — Herman Fusilier, The Daily Advertiser, Lafayette, LA.
The Irish Brothers
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The_Irish_Brothers.jpg)
The Irish Brothers may be Atlanta’s most popular and
proficient performers of the beloved genre of traditional Irish music
the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem introduced to the American Folk
Revival. Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen are a
unique team. Sandyman comes from the mountains of Western North
Carolina, while the Captain hails from the canyons of New York City.
The two started performing together 35 years ago when they worked “suit”
jobs at IBM. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material. Their
music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the “new
country” – from traditional Irish ballads to original songs of love,
drinking, revolution and redemption.
Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in
Nashville. He was a founding member of the band Cullowhee, which toured
nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s and 80s. George
started singing and playing after his first visit to New York’s
Greenwich Village in the mid-1960s. He honed his craft by traveling
throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. The team received the
name “Irish Brothers” following a performance at The Folk Alliance
several years ago in Memphis, Tennessee.
Sandyman Flynn http://redheadscape.com/
February 16, 2019
Jim Culliton & Clear Creek Band
Multi-instrumental virtuoso Jim Culliton has been a favorite of Fiddler’s Green audiences for many years. In the Jim Culliton & Clear Creek Band, his
guitar, mandolin, fiddle and vocals share the stage with Walter Dean’s
dobro and Joel Glogowski’s upright bass. This high-energy trio offers
an eclectic blend of different acoustic genres, mixing instrumental
improvisation with traditional sounds and vocals.
Jim Culliton has performed throughout Georgia and the Southeast over
the past decade. His philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps
the music fresh and exciting. Jim has played at The Fox Theatre,
Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. He was one of the early
innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz,
bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in
the mix. Put all of this in a high-speed blender and you get a truly
innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a
Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and
Humanities. He’s a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and
Auburn University (AUM).
Walter Dean is known locally as “dean of the dobro.” Joel Glogowski
is a highly accomplished upright bass player whose talent graces this
trio and other Atlanta area bands including Caroline & The Ramblers.
The band is in demand at various Atlanta area venues, including the
Pullman in Kirkwood, where they’ll be playing for Sunday brunch January
27, 12-2 pm. http://www.facebook.com/clearcreekatlanta
The Justin Sams Band
The Justin Sams Band was formed in late 2015 as the
result of four friends experimenting with a mixture of original songs
and esoteric covers. What began as a tentative musical grouping soon
evolved into a unique and refined band that could still approach its
music and performances in the spirit of open collaboration and genuine
friendship. Drawing inspiration from folk music, country blues,
psychedelic rock, and good old-fashioned storytelling, The Justin Sams
Band defies convenient categorization; however, one might describe the
band’s sound as eclectic-electric-folk-rock.
The band enjoys arranging and performing covers, enabling it to
participate in tribute events such as Jerry Day at Terminal West and
Bob Dylan Tribute nights at the Red Light Café and the Lake Clare
Community Land Trust. Yet the band’s greatest musical strength is its
extensive catalog of original material drawn from the independent
efforts of the group’s two songwriters, Tom Spach and Lindsay Petsch.
This unlikely pairing of these writers’ musical backgrounds and styles
has resulted in an interesting and rare counterpoint, one of the
reasons The Justin Sams Band is frequently complemented for musical
variety. The band’s first album of original material, Ghosts of the Day, was released in April of 2018. They’re presently recording their next album, The Miracle Cure, which will be released in the early summer of 2019.
https://www.justinsamsband.com
January 19, 2019
CHARLEY WOODS
Nashville native Charley Woods
has been garnering attention and praise for her instantly recognizable
voice and stylistic blend of country and Americana since she was in high
school, at none other than the prestigious Nashville School of the
Arts. Already a mainstay in the Nashville songwriters’ community,
Charley’s dream is to share her songs with the world.
Charley has performed and
collaborated with many talented and influential figures in today’s
country music including Brad Paisley, Chris Young, David Nail, Wil
Nance, Mark Nesler, and many more. She appeared
on Good Morning America and world-renown stages such as The Grand Ole
Opry and The Ryman Auditorium – all before the tender age of 18. Her
single Half the Girl
has now claimed the attention of leading music editorials and radio
stations around the world and accumulated more than 5,000 streams on
Spotify.
www.charleywoods.com https://www.patreon.com/charleywoods
THE NEW HARVEY FAMILY SINGERS
The New Harvey Family Singers is
an evolving group of Atlanta troubadours performing contemporary and
traditional music. The band is made up of John Harvey, Seth Langer, Jimi
Cusick and Eryk Fisher.
Hailing from Austin, Texas, John
Harvey appears regularly in the Frank Hamilton School band and brings
previous experience playing with house bands. Atlanta native Eryk Fisher
is a professional basement musician who “sings to walls, plays
harmonica, and strums three chord songs until mama tells me dinner’s
ready.” Seth Langer is an actor, musician, and odd-jobber from Decatur.
He plays at political rallies, weddings, birthdays, funerals — wherever
there’s singing to be done! Jimi Cusick, from Atlanta, brings a musical
background that includes orchestra, rock, and a Beatles cover band. Jimi
loves to challenge himself musically to learn new things and play with
new people as much as possible.
December 15, 2018
JIM SHARKEY
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Jim-Sharkey-1024x850.jpg)
Singer-songwriter Jim Sharkey
is an Irish and Americana folk musician making his second Fiddler’s
Green appearance. Jim grew up in County Roscommon, Ireland. He came to
the U.S. in 1982 after joining the U.S. Navy in London, England. He
spent five years as a photographer on the USS Dixon in San Diego,
California, and ten years working in television and video production in
North Carolina and Maine. He taught children with special needs in
Westbrook, Maine, and Roanoke, Virginia. He currently teaches at The
Arts Based School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and he continues to
play two or three times a month in Virginia, North and South Carolina,
Maryland, and Washington DC, accompanying himself on guitar, harmonica,
and bodhran (Irish drum). Jim’s original songs blend Celtic traditional
ballad influences with contemporary issues that are often set in the
area he resides.
Jim has recorded three CDs: Misty Morning Rain, Sweet Anne’s Road and
Black Is the Color. He’ll include some seasonal songs in his set –
among them, his 2017 release The Christmas Comet.
The Clams
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Frank-Hamilton-on-banjo.jpg)
The Clams,
an Atlanta-based jazz quintet led by legendary folk/jazz musician Frank
Hamilton, takes its name from the humorous reference to mistakes made
on recordings, a name given to this by Bix Beiderbecke. This
extraordinary band will ring in the New Year a couple of weeks early for
our Fiddler’s Green patrons.
Early jazz emanated from New Orleans. At the end of the Civil War,
band instruments used in military marching bands wound up in pawn shops
throughout the country. In New Orleans African-American musicians found
them and incorporated them into a new marching band dance form called,
in those days, “jass.”
At the same time a section of New Orleans contained sporting houses
of prostitution. Musicians found work in these establishments to
generate that business. As with the name “rock”, “jass” was a euphemism
for sexual activity. Eventually the word’s spelling became “jazz.”
One of these famous sporting houses, Lulu White’s Mahogany Hall, was
presided over by Alderman Story. Hence, the red light area became known
as Storyville. Many great jazz musicians started out in jazz marching
bands and in these houses. The Navy shut these brothels were shut down
in 1915 due to rampant venereal disease, but the music survived.
Alongside the marching bands and the cat house pianists, there were
string bands with guitars, mandolin, banjos and upright basses and horns
in combinations that prevail to this day in the form of what is called a
jazz combo. The Clams carry on this music tradition. Their influences
include the cornet playing of Bix Beiderbecke, the banjo and guitar
stylings of Eddie Lang, and piano styles from Fats Waller to Jelly Roll
Morton. The Clams play and sing this jazz that millions joyfully danced
to from the early 1900s through the 40s.
Five stellar Atlanta musicians comprise the Clams. Bill Rutan is a
legendary tenor banjo player who has traveled over the world playing
with various New Orleans jazz groups and driving every one of them with
his impeccable rhythm and extensive vocal repertoire of songs. L.A.
Tuten is a versatile musician who has recording credits and is known for
being in demand as a local musician; he’s also a former director of
Atlanta’s Marching Abominables. Matt Phillips is a multi-talented
performer who plays cornet in the style of Bix, plays mandolin and works
as an expert repairman of quality violins; he’s also a visual artist
known for his drawings and paintings. Mick Kinney is a master of many
instruments and a swinging jazz style; he’s an accomplished fiddler,
pianist, teacher and musical director. Frank Hamilton’s career spans
many years as a folk and early jazz guitar player and singer; he was
co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago and the Frank
Hamilton School in Atlanta.
November 17, 2018
Joe Penland
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/joepenland.jpg)
Joe has been deemed a “cultural treasure” by The Asheville Citizen Times. AAFFM is proud to lure him from “the farm” for his second full-concert appearance at Fiddler’s Green.
Deep in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina, there’s a front porch that has been the destination of many folk who love these mountains, their music and their stories. Grammy winners and kids with their first guitar, banjo or fiddle, Hollywood producers, writers, and folk music collectors from all over the world have made their way to the place Joe Penland simply calls “the farm.”
Joe Penland was born and raised in rural Madison County in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. He is the proud steward of twelve generations and over 350 years of the rich oral tradition of his Scottish and English ancestors. From his birth he has listened to and learned the stories and ballads these travelers brought with them across the ocean, then southwest to the narrow coves and high meadows that many consider the richest repository of Great Britain’s folk songs in the world. He inherited the instruments of his grandfather who died long before his birth and was taught to play by his aunts.
Joe was content to continue this tradition in his front room, the porch or campfires of his secluded farm. But eventually his daughter Laurin and lifelong friends Sheila Adams, Mary Eagle and David Holt convinced him to share his life and music with a broader audience. Since then he has appeared at numerous festivals, toured Great Britain eight times, and received the coveted Bascom Lunsford Award (named for his cousin and founder of the longest running folk festival in America) for his “significant contribution to preserving our mountain music.”
We first saw Joe when he captivated a grateful Atlanta audience at the 2012 Emory University symposium “Making Connections: The Celtic Roots of Southern Music,” organized by Prof. James W. Flannery. Joe has recorded four CDs including his latest, The Mary Sands Project, Volume 1.
Determined that folk music includes the present as well as the past, Joe also writes and sings his own songs, which he calls “just more stories of love and life here in the mountains.” Whether singing the traditional ballads of the mountains of western North Carolina or performing his original and stirring folk songs, Joe Penland offers an honesty and power that is a testament to both his unique character and our shared humanity.
October 20, 2018
ALEX HUNNICUTT
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Alex-Hunnicutt.jpg)
With his own signature style, Greenville S.C.-based performing songwriter Alex Hunnicutt serves up blues, R&B and soul (with a little bit of jazz and reggae thrown in as well) in his new album titled Honey. “Honey is the latest release from smooth rock and blues guitarist Alex Hunnicutt. Each one of the album’s eight tracks is endowed with a funky groove that serves to underscore Hunnicutt’s soulful singing and highlight his technical proficiency on the guitar,” according to the Houdini Mansions website. “As a collection of songs, it is extremely appealing to both pop and light rock sensibilities.” Many diverse listeners from different musical backgrounds have been drawn towards Hunnicutt’s uniquely groovy and rhythmic songwriting style and vocal textures.
Most of the time you’ll find Alex playing solo shows with nothing more than an acoustic guitar (and maybe a loop pedal). “I love smaller shows because they’re more intimate and you can spend more time connecting with individual people than you can at a larger show where you have to go back and forth between a lot of people.” That’s not to say that you won’t catch him playing at these larger events, festivals, and concert venues with his duo or trio. This past year Hunnicutt has opened for Chase Bryant at The Greer Family festival, Marc Broussard at Downtown Greenville’s Artisphere Festival, and Casey James from American Idol at The Radio Room in Greenville. He has been a guest celebrity judge and performer at Greer Idol and played hundreds of other shows from Tennessee to Myrtle Beach. He plans on constantly expanding the territories he performs in and expanding on his knowledge of and love for writing music that connects with all kinds of people.
THE PORCH BOTTOM BOYS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Screen-Shot-2018-09-20-at-12.21.33-PM.png)
The Porch Bottom Boys, a Decatur group, play bluegrass, newgrass, and other styles seasoned with the diverse backgrounds of their members. Guitarist and vocalist Steve Gorbatkin was born on the south side of Chicago, and his years in the Windy City left an indelible blues-inflected mark on his singing. Atlanta native Jim Thompson spent time living and working in the coal towns of Virginia, and his experiences as a founding member of the Poetown Ramblers and playing with bluegrass groups in Nashville gives the band its deep bluegrass roots. Mandolinist and vocalist Patrick Jackson hails from Northwest Georgia and adds melodic mandolin and piercing high tenor harmonies to the mix. From jazz to rockabilly to bluegrass, bassist Joel Glogowski uses his wide musical background and impeccable fashion sense to hold it all down with his rollicking, thumping, good-time beat on the doghouse bass fiddle. Charlie O’Neill rounds out the Boys with his tasty licks on the five-string banjo.
Charlie’s front porch in Decatur gives the band their name and serves as their home base. Long-time band member Denis Gainty was a talented musician and song writer who was an inspiration to all the group and remains so despite his untimely passing in 2017.
The Porch Bottom Boys play in a variety of local venues and have been featured multiple times on WRFG radio. They have also appeared in many nearby festivals, including the Decatur BBQ Blues and Bluegrass Festival, the Decatur Arts Festival, the Oakhurst Arts Festival, and Stomp and Chomp in Cabbagetown. Committed to the Decatur community, they frequently play for local fundraisers and other programs.
September 15, 2018
SOUTH FOR WINTER
![South For Winter - image](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/South-for-Winter-1024x770.jpg)
With elements of gypsy, folk, jazz and blues, the Nashville-based trio South for Winter offers an eclectic sound united by delicate harmonies, intricate guitar work, and earthy vocals.
Four years after meeting in Peru and writing what would later become their first single, Whisper in the Trees, Colorado singer-songwriter Dani Cichon and New Zealand musician Nick Stone officially joined in March 2017 as the duo South for Winter. With Nashville TN as their home base, the two formed a trio with cellist Alex Stradal and crafted South for Winter’s distinctive sound.
The band released its self-titled debut EP in January 2018. That led to Nashville’s Lightning 100 radio station naming the trio as a top up-and-coming independent artist in its 2018 Music City Mayhem competition, and it connected the band with the Grammy-nominated producer of their second EP. The trio released this EP in August and will tour nationally through more than 14 states before returning to Nashville to begin work on their first full-length studio album.
HARM’S WAY
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Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koeltz on lead vocals and guitar, Scot Boze on vocals, and Phil Griffin on lead guitar. For this performance they’ll be joined by Jonathan McBee, bass player for Mockingbird’s Wing.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
The core members of this group have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and – while they take music very seriously – don’t take themselves seriously at all!
www.reverbnation.com/harmonkoeltz
August 18, 2018
THE JANUARY DUO
![January Duo - image](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-30-at-11.43.09-PM.png)
The January Duo was founded in January of 2015 when multi-instrumentalist Payton Scott and classically trained singer Sara Grace Carmical met in high school.Shortly after, Chris Scott, bassist, trumpet player, and Atlanta Symphony Chorus alum (and Payton’s dad) joined up to accompany the Duo. They have enjoyed playing traditional music from all over the world for audiences on two continents.
Sara Grace Carmical has ten years of classical voice training and is currently a sophomore voice and biology major at Emory University. Payton Scott started playing banjo in the ninth grade. Soon after that he expanded to the guitar, accordion, mandolin, bass, Celtic drum, and dulcimer. Payton has honed his craft under the tutelage of Frank Hamilton and Jens Krüger. He currently serves as an instructor at the Frank Hamilton Folk School.
From folk to bluegrass to old-time to gospel and blues, the January Duo look forward to bringing their arrangements of a wide range of classic tunes to their first appearance at Fiddler’ Green.
CJ JONES AND THE SPIRIT BONES
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/CJ-Jones.jpeg)
The local band CJ Jones and the Spirit Bones will also make its Fiddler’s Green debut. The group plays original songs that “sound like Commander Cody, Mojo Nixon and Hunter S. Thompson had a three-way mutant love child with an intellectual edge,” according to Candler Park resident and Emory professor Ted Pettus. the band leader.
Their concept album The Odyssey of Cledus Jeremiah Jones is built around Pettus’s creation, an Appalachian prophet of that name. Jones’ pronouncements on spirituality (“It ain’t religion if it ain’t got snakes”) and spirits (“Smoke away my memory, drink away my pain”) have attracted an eclectic following in Atlanta’s funky Americana music scene. Pettus composed the songs.
Four other brilliant musicians put meat on the Spirit Bones:
- Singer/guitarist Craig Rafuse has been performing songs with social significance in 1963 while also playing in dance bands. In addition to the Spirit Bones, he currently appears with Expand Band, Owls and Kahootz.
- Drummer Bobby Andre has played in jazz, blues, rock, pop and country bands. He has recorded with several bands including Glenn Phillips and has toured with Billy Joe Royal, Glenn Phillips and Aviva and the Flying Penguins among others.
- Bassist Andy Weiskoff has played in rock, blues, and contra bands. His musical epiphany came one day at a traffic light while listening to a Baroque string quartet, when a car playing hip-hop pulled up beside him, and the two musical selections merged seamlessly!
- Keyboard player Alan Dynin has performed concerts for the Jazz and World Music Association, the Atlanta Symphony Associates, and many other house concert series. He is one of the more diverse pianists in the Southeast, playing and composing in jazz, Latin, blues and boogie, ragtime, concert classical, gospel, free improvisational, and now… Funkabilly.
CJ Jones and the Spirit Bones has been seen around Atlanta at the Clermont Lounge, Red Light Café, The Earl, Inman Park Festival and Lake Claire Land Trust, among other venues.
July 21, 2018
GEORGIA GRASS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Screen-Shot-2018-06-20-at-1.32.11-PM.png)
Since Dan Daniel founded Georgia Grass in 1973, this professional bluegrass band has played for many bluegrass festivals and events in Georgia and around the Southeast. By1976 they were so highly reputed that they were chosen to play for the Grand opening of the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
Dan plays guitar and sings most of the lead vocals for the group. He’s a member of the Bonded Brothers of Bluegrass and President and CEO of the Southeastern Bluegrass Association. In 2009 Dan was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2017 the Atlanta Society of Entertainers presented him with the Musician’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Banjo player James Mckinney also sings harmony and some leads. James won the South US Banjo Championship at the age of 14. He went on to win first-place awards in other states and in 1982 was named Grand National Banjo Champion of the United States at the annual awards in Winfield, Kansas. James has played with such legends as Bill Monroe, Vassar Clements and John Hartford. He has worked as a studio musician in Nashville and is rated as one of the top banjo players in the country. James was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
Bass player Niki Portmann is also a singer. Her love of music from a young age led her to try several different instruments before deciding on the upright acoustic bass. She was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016.
www.facebook.com/dan.daniel.754
CHAMBLESS AND MUSE
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Screen-Shot-2018-06-20-at-1.32.32-PM.png)
For more than 25 years, Alabama natives Jil Chambless and Scooter Muse have been performing the music of Scotland, Ireland and America with various ensembles in a wide variety
of venues, from simple house concerts to festivals and concert halls. Jil and Scooter have worked alongside many of the finest artists in Celtic music. In 2010 Chambless & Muse began performing as a duo to promote their individual solo projects. Since then they have released several CDs: The Laverock Sang (2011), Passing Tales & Glories (2014), Live @ NTIF with John Taylor (2016), The Lang Awa’ Ships (2017), and Nollaig Chridheil, Songs of the Christmas Season with Ed Miller (2017).
As singer and flute player, Jil Chambless has performed across the US as well as in Canada, Scotland, and Israel with the band Henri’s Notions, Chambless & Muse, Scottish singer Ed
Miller, Scottish fiddler John Taylor, the band Vulcan Eejits!, The Mairtin deCogain Project, the John Whelan Trio, the Vogt Family Contra Band, and others. In 2009 Jil released her first solo CD, The Ladies Go Dancing, produced by the legendary Brian McNeill. Jil brings to any audience a wonderful listening experience from haunting ballads to upbeat songs with a smooth delivery that never fails to bring both smiles and tears in each and every performance. See www.jilchambless.com.
Although Scooter Muse has his roots in bluegrass and is quite an accomplished five-string banjo
player, in the late 1980s he moved into the world of Celtic guitar. He soon founded the Full
Moon Ensemble, performing for eight years across the US and in Scotland, before joining Henri’s Notions in 2003. In 2005 Scooter released his first solo recording of original guitar instrumentals, Saddell Abbey, which was purchased by the Scottish Tourist Board in Kintyre.
The Saddell Abbey Trust of Scotland calls the recording “a haunting and beautiful piece of
music.” See www.scootermuse.com.
“Jil and Scooter are brilliant musicians on flute and guitar and Jil has one of the loveliest folk
voices around today…” ~Seamus Kennedy, singer, guitarist, songwriter, performer, and yodeler.
“…Wonderful guitar …fine Celtic traditional vocals and flute, in my opinion, would be a great
addition to any stage …. beautiful music!” ~Alex Beaton, Scottish recording artist.
“For me, quite simply as good as it gets!” ~Alex McKinven, Mull of Kintyre Music & Arts Association, Scotland.
“Exquisite vocals, oh-so-tasteful guitar and a lilting flute – a deceptively simple, beautiful and
gentle combination!” ~Ed Miller, Scottish recording artist, folklorist and radio host.
www.facebook.com/chamblessandmuse
June 16, 2018
MARK STUART
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Screen-Shot-2016-02-02-at-8.57.18-PM.png)
Nashville-based performing songwriter Mark Stuart will be making his second appearance at Fiddler’s Green. Onstage, his focus is on the songs he has penned and recorded, delivered with a soulful singing voice and highly memorable guitar playing.
After many years on the Americana/folk circuit, Stuart has cultivated a very rounded performance. His show consists of storytelling, flashy guitar “chops”, and songs that seem to draw from his rock, blues, country, and folk music roots. Mostly, this artist from Tennessee has toured solo or in a notable duo with his wife (“Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart”). There were stints
along the way as a sideman, though (for Steve Forbert, Freddy Fender, Steve Earle, and Joan Baez). If placed on the bill with a contemporary artist he is usually asked to play guitar on their portion of the show. Just ask Jason Ringenberg, Ray Wylie Hubbard, or Jimmy LaFave.
One can find Mark Stuart on any given night in a small theater, coffeehouse, house concert, festival stage, club, or church auditorium, giving it his all. Aside from that, he could be instructing at a guitar clinic or songwriting workshop, or playing on someone’s recording session. As co-owner of Gearle Records, he has produced or co-produced many albums. Over several decades Stuart’s career has repeatedly taken him to all of the USA, Canada, Europe, and the United Kingdom.
MOCKINGBIRD’S WING
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Screen-Shot-2018-05-30-at-6.31.03-AM.png)
Mockingbird’s Wing has cultivated a strong following at Atlanta area coffeehouses and other acoustic venues with its adroitly delivered folk, rock, soul and pop repertoire. The group features four diverse musicians:
Barbara Hotz is a singer/songwriter with deep roots in Mexico and a love of the old standards.
Jonathan McBee is a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter out of Chicago, IL. If it’s got strings, Jonathan is looking to add it to the Mockingbird sound.
Paul Pendery is a Montana/Alaska/Texas singer/songwriter whose songs evoke soulful stirrings and happy feet.
Suzy Schultz, when she is not at her day job as a full-time artist, adds vocals/flute/cello to the Mockingbird sound.
Like the mockingbird herself, all the different voices and styles come together for a unique sound – the inimitable Mockingbird’s Wing sound.
Mockingbird’s Wing on Facebook
May 19, 2018
WRITER’S VOICE
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Screen-Shot-2018-05-01-at-12.58.00-PM.png)
Writer’s Voice offers original acoustic contemporary folk tunes with a few sing along covers in the mix. Fritz Rauschenberg leads the group, accompanied by long time member Scott Wiman on guitar, with vocalist Debbie Foster and George Uterhardt on bass to round it out.
Fritz Rauschenberg has played and taught guitar for over 40 years and has performed folk music and “songs of the heart” in halls, coffee houses and bars for about as long as a singer/songwriter. He has taught private and group lessons in local music shops and currently teaches guitar at the Frank Hamilton School. Fritz also enjoys playing ukulele, octave mandolin, mandola and harmonica. His luthier work includes restoring and repairing acoustic stringed instruments in the violin, guitar and mandolin families.
Scott Wyman is an accomplished guitarist and mandolin player as well as a software writer. Scott and Fritz have played together many years in different types of venues. Fritz admires Scott’s expertise in the studio in arranging and recording.
Vocalist Debbie Foster delivers harmonies to the mix. “She’s a spark plug of energy and encouragement for us as well,” says Fritz. “Debbie and I have sung together for several years when opportunities arise.”
George Uterhardt is a 25+-year Navy veteran who played bass and tuba in bands in and out of the service. On bass George has the ear needed to know how to blend with any type of music. He’s comfortable with anything from country to jazz. He and Fritz have worked together for a short few years.
The tunes delivered by Writer’s Voice are of journeys and thoughts that most of us have seen or experienced presented in pleasing melodies and stories. You may part with a tune echoing in your memory.
CALEDONIA SWING
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Screen-Shot-2018-05-01-at-12.57.41-PM.png)
The Atlanta/North Georgia-based band Caledonia Swing performs a unique style of Celtic music with a jazzy twist. Marie Dunkle (violin, cello, mandolin) and Margie Swint (vocals, guitar) founded the group in 2004 with Ken Shearer (guitar). With a variety of guest musicians, Caledonia Swing have performed their eclectic musical mix at venues throughout Georgia and the Carolinas. The band’s inspirations are traditional Celtic music, Celtic swing, 30’s/40’s American classics, the sweet sounds of Scotland, and gypsy jazz greats Django Rheinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. With musical stylings from elegant to toe-tapping, Caledonia Swing has entertained audiences for over 12 years.
Band principals Marie Dunkle and Margie Swint currently perform as a duo and with talented guest musicians at festivals, coffeehouses, wineries, weddings and private parties. Marie is also a gifted storyteller and will be weaving in a few Scottish myths and legends at Fiddlers Green.
April 21, 2018
MICHAEL JOHNATHON
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Michael-Johnathon-hi-res.jpg)
Folksinger Michael Johnathon has a long-standing career in the arts as a songwriter, musician, author, playwright, composer of the opera Woody: For the People, and host of the live audience broadcast of the WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour. The show has a radio audience of more than two million listeners each week on 500 public radio stations, public television coast-to-coast, American Forces Radio Network in 173 nations, and now Friday evenings on RFD-TV.
Recently, Michael helped organize the national WoodSongs Front Porch Association to help organize rural and community music and a massive educational program. Members of the WFPA are called “SongFarmers.” His 14th album release, MoonFire, comes on the heels of Mousie HiWay: The Adventures of Banjo Mouse in Appalachia, his fully illustrated book that introduces bluegrass music to kids. The MoonFire CD is a 23-song album in honor of the banjo.
In addition to his albums, books, concerts and other projects, the Martin Guitar Company introduced the Michael Johnathon signature model 0000-28s “WoodSongs Quad” guitar.
Michael lives in a log cabin on a hill surrounded by meadows, streams and woods outside of Lexington, Kentucky. We’re delighted to pull him away from his pastoral environs for his second appearance at Fiddler’s Green.
THE LOST BOYS
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The delightful, incomparable local Rennie-rock band The Lost Boys will also be performing for us the second time. The Lost Boys formed in 1999 at the GA Renaissance Festival. They have since released five CDs and performed at Ren Faires in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and North Dakota, as well as countless independent concerts and convention appearances.
Throughout the course of their ongoing 19-year history, the Lost Boys have continually pushed the boundaries of Renaissance Festival music by combining elements of period music with hard driving rock-and-roll, vocal harmonies with instrumental prowess, and hilarious parody lyrics with Shakespearean language. They wrap it all in a physical, highly energetic stage presentation, consistently delivering a challenging and entertaining show onstage and a groundbreaking body of work drawn from their five CD releases.
March 17, 2018
THE NEARLY NORMAL STRING BAND
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The Nearly Normal String Band consists of Viva and Neil Araki, two of the Atlanta traditional music community’s most respected veterans. Neil plays acoustic guitar, fiddle and mandolin in several styles, including blues, bluegrass, Celtic, and old time Appalachian. He has played guitar since he was nine years old, in both finger style and flat pick style. Viva sings and plays guitar and old time banjo and sings in a variety of musical styles. She studied guitar from the age of five and began learning old time Appalachian style banjo about 30 years ago. She is primarily a finger picker on guitar.
Neil and Viva have played together for 26 years. They’re still learning new songs, genres and styles of music. The duo plays at coffeehouses, state parks and music festivals across north Georgia, and for parties, weddings and other private engagements. They have long been active member and supporters of AAFFM. They’ll be drawing mostly from their Irish and Scottish traditional repertoire for this St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
THE IRISH BROTHERS
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The Irish Brothers may be Atlanta’s most popular and proficient performers of the beloved genre of traditional Irish music the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem introduced to the American Folk Revival. Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen are a unique team. Sandyman comes from the mountains Western North Carolina, while the Captain hails from the canyons of New York City. The two started performing together 35 years ago when they worked “suit” jobs at IBM. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material. Their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the “new country” – from traditional Irish ballads to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville. He was a founding member of the band Cullowhee, which toured nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s and 80s. George started singing and playing after his first visit to New York’s Greenwich Village in the mid-1960s. He honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. The team received the name “Irish Brothers” following a performance at The Folk Alliance several years ago in Memphis, Tennessee.
February 17, 2018
JEFFERSON ROSS
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Southern folk artist Jefferson Ross is a songwriter, singer, guitar slinger and painter, weaving stories for the ears and the eyes. Based in The Peach State, Jefferson travels throughout the U.S. and Europe performing his original music and displaying his art at festivals and galleries across the South.
For years Jefferson lived in Nashville playing for recording artists including Canada’s Entertainer of the Decade, Terri Clark. He has shared the stage with country music greats such as George Strait, Toby Keith, Reba McEntire and Vince Gill. He worked as a staff writer for a number of publishers on Music Row including Curb Music, one of the top music publishers in the world. In 2010 he returned to live in Georgia with his wife and daughter and maintains a home and office in Nashville as well.
An evening with Jefferson Ross is an inspirational, homespun southern experience that you’re unlikely to forget.
JIM CULLITON
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Jim Culliton has performed throughout Georgia over the past decade with his unique high-energy blend of instrumental string music and stylistic vocals. His philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps the music fresh and exciting.
Jim has performing experience at The Fox Theatre, Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. This versatile multi-instrumentalist is one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in the mix. Put all of this in a high speed blender and you get truly an innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities, and is a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and Auburn University (AUM).
January 20, 2018
THREE QUARTER ALE
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Three Quarter Ale is an Atlanta-based acoustic band whose unique blend of folk-rock, traditional Celtic music, and 16th-century madrigals have enthralled a large and devoted fan base for more than ten years.
This dynamic trio combines tight vocal harmonies with harp, flute, guitar, ethnic percussion, and a distinctly theatrical performance style to electrify and enchant their audiences. Their three internationally-selling CDs have earned the band five-star accolades.
Performing in full period costume as Renaissance-era characters Ariana Pellayle, Rosemary Quench, and Wicked Pete Speakeasy, the band’s lively banter and keen comic timing are as much a part of their draw as their stellar musicianship.
Whether onstage at the enormous Dragon*Con sci-fi convention, in crowded pubs during Atlanta’s annual PiratePalooza event, as finalists on the Georgia Lottery’s All Access Music Search live TV special, at intimate weddings or coffeehouses, or at their own three-day performing arts festival AleCon, Three Quarter Ale delivers a masterful, engaging, truly
top-notch show.
THE RADIO RANGERS
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The Radio Rangers are an Atlanta-based Americana band. Their music is a mix of country, rock, folk and blues, telling stories from the American heartland. Melodic, rhythmic and energetic, the Radio Rangers appeal to young, old and anyone in between. The band is comprised of Dan Foster (vocals, guitar), Mark Ewald vocals, guitar), and Tom Molloy (percussion).
Dan Foster is the songwriter and leader of the band. A seasoned lead guitarist, his song writing led to the creation of The Radio Rangers in 2014. I try to write songs that people can emotionally connect with. Songs about love, heartbreak, growing up and railroads. The goal is to paint a picture with a good story and melody. It’s very special when people like what you have created. Dan grew up in Michigan (too cold), moved to Florida (too hot) and now lives in Atlanta in 1989. (just right).
Mark “the ear” Ewald is the musical director. Being friends for over 20 years, Dan says he has never known anyone who can arrange a song, moving in exactly the right direction the way Mark does. Mark’s nickname comes from his vocal harmony abilities but he is also a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, piano, mandolin, bass guitar, banjo, harmonica and drums. (not all at the same time) Mark is from Buffalo, New York and still loves hot-wings.
Tom Molloy is the drummer/percussionist for the group. Tom is the glue that holds everything together while adding that special energy to the songs. Tom’s sense of humor always keeps things loose making even the ordinary much more fun Tom grew up in Queens, New York which will become apparent when ou speak with him. (what accent?) Don’t make the mistake of telling him he looks like Rodney Dangerfield.
November 18, 2017
THE MCLAUCHLANS
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Duncan and Glaucia McLauchlan are talented, entertaining musicians providing spirited live performances of traditional and contemporary Scottish and Irish and music throughout Atlanta and the Southeast.
Duncan is a talented Scottish singer and songwriter, as well as multi-instrumentalist with a wealth of experience. His solo CD The Road to Destiny has received substantial air-play on Celtic radio programs across the USA, including Atlanta WRFG’s The Celtic Show and the internationally broadcast public radio program The Thistle and Shamrock.
Glaucia is a spirited percussionist from Sao Paulo, Brazil. After meeting “Dunc” at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, she swapped her background of classical piano for a life on the Celtic scene. Soon they were making beautiful music together.
Duncan sings and plays his songs with a passion that complements his clever and sensitive, poetic style. His delicate lyrics weave a colorful tapestry on the back-cloth of his tunes and rhythms, evoking a range of emotions from laughter to tears and back again. He employs a variety of instruments and his natural Scottish accent to produce a solid, yet atmospheric feel in his music. His musical armory includes acoustic and electric guitars, bass, bodhran, mandolins, banjo, keyboards, and various percussion instruments.
BLACKFOOT DAISY
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Blackfoot Daisy formed in 2012 when long-time collaborators and songwriters Wendy DuMond and Don Sechelski decided to begin performing together on a regular basis. Don spent most of his early childhood in Texas and Wendy hails from Montana but grew-up in Oklahoma. They chose to name the band after a deer, drought, and pest-resistant prairie flower.
Don is a 30-plus year native of the Atlanta music scene and has also worked as a studio musician. He has performed as a solo act and also performed with his son Adam Sechelski, who sits-in with Blackfoot Daisy as singer, guitarist, and percussionist when available. Don has been a regular on the Atlanta coffeehouse/acoustic music scene since the old Freight Room days. He has played venues such as the Dogwood Festival, Hungry Ear Coffeehouse, Lena’s Place and many more.
Wendy began writing songs and performing in 2009. She released a solo EP in 2012. Wendy’s songs have been featured on the Women of Substance radio podcast. Her song Catching Fireflies was used as music for a book trailer to promote All Bears Need Love, a children’s book about interracial adoption.
As a duo the band has played various venues in the Southeast, including Charles & Myrtle’s in Chattanooga TN, Berkeley Bob’s Coffeehouse in Cullman AL, and others in South Carolina and Georgia.
In November 2015 Bobby Moore joined the band, rounding out the sound. Bobby is a native of Virginia, multi-instrumentalist, and award-winning old-time fiddle and banjo player. Bobby took honors at the Old Time Fiddlers Convention in Galax, Virginia for bluegrass banjo in 1980 and bluegrass fiddle in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998 and 2002.
The full band has played Smith’s Old Bar, Steve’s Live Music, the Red Light Café and many other local Atlanta live music venues. The band has opened for Nashville songwriter Kurt Fortmeyer, The Rosin Sisters, Copper into Steel, Vientos Del Pueblo, and Little Country Giants, to name a few. They have also performed at Snellville Days, the Chastain Park Arts Festival, the Duluth Fall Festival, the Little 5 Arts Alive Concert series, and Oakhurst Porchfest.
The band released a three-song EP in 2015 and are currently working on a full-length album.
October 21, 2017
LAUREN LAPOINTE
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Lauren Lapointe is a Savannah GA-based singer/songwriter who has been gaining recognition across the country for her soulful songs, unique voice, and strong live performances. Her third and newest CD “Superhero” was produced by Thomm Jutz (Nanci Griffith, Mary Gauthier) in Nashville and features twelve original Americana, rootsrock, pop, and old country songs supported by world-class musicians.
“Superhero” debuted at #6 on the Cashbox Magazine/Roots Music Report’s Georgia Airplay chart and #16 on the Cashbox Magazine/Root’s Music Report’s Country/Americana Internet Airplay Top 50. It has since been played on over 100 stations in the U.S. and is receiving much international radioplay. Leicester Bangs in the UK described it as “an engaging combination of classic country, narrative songwriting, and plentiful hooks.” In November 2013 Lufthansa Airlines selected her song “The Ghost of Elvis” for their inflight program.
Lapointe continues to make a name for herself as a strong and versatile live performer and has played at many renowned listening rooms across the nation such as the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, the Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, the Jefferson Freedom Cafe in Ft. Worth TX, and Anderson Fair in Houston TX.
“This is just pure, honest music here, created with talent and passion and deserving of wider spread notice.”- Music Morsels
“A gifted and openhearted storyteller with a flair for melody.” —Sloan Wainwright, Derby Disc Music recording artist
OUT OF THE RAIN
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Ron Hipp w/Carol Statella ~ Out of the Rain ~ is a folk duo noted for innovative arrangements and unusual expressive power. Ron Hipp has been known in the Atlanta area as an accomplished solo artist, and Carol Statella has played and sung in various groups over the years. Their joining forces to regularly perform and record music together has created a compelling, poignant sound that is both timeless and fresh.
Ron is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist/singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A native of Atlanta, he’s been performing both solo and in various band combinations since about the age of 16. His rich baritone voice, consummate fingerpicking, and mesmerizing songs make his shows a memorable experience. Ron has graced many a recording project by other artists over the years as a studio musician, and has many CD cover photos to his credit.
Carol (multi-instrumentalist/singer) has played in backup orchestras for Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson. She’s been a music journalist, radio announcer, and clinician. In the classical realm, she’s played in the Atlanta Opera Orchestra and sang for seventeen seasons with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus/Chamber Chorus. Carol’s also a gifted songwriter.
Ron and Carol have known each other and crossed paths musically for two decades, through many artistic and personal evolutions. Their sound is warm, eloquent, and vivid. Onstage, Ron and Carol draw audiences in with artful musicality, occasionally inane humor, and absolute focus on bringing the listener into the depths of a song.
“Musically delightful, emotionally involving work … ” ~ Sing Out! Magazine
Your beautiful CD was just what I needed to hear today! So lyrical and soothing, with lovely instrumentals and vocals.” ~ Sharon Isbin, GRAMMY award-winning classical guitarist
September 16, 2017
STEVEN DARSEY
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Steven Darsey is a singer, collector, and scholar of folk song. Believing that folk music conveys fundamental cultural truths, he strives to make these real for contemporary listeners. With a straightforward style
in the tradition of balladeers Tommy Makem and Burl Ives, he sings little-known songs such as “Leather Winged Bat,” comic songs like “Three Nights Drunk,” spirituals like “I’m Goin’ Home,” classics like
“Danny Boy,” and his own folk-style compositions, as in his setting of Sidney Lanier’s “Song of the Chattahoochee.” A seventh generation Georgian, he also shares southern wit and wisdom.
For nine years Steven was privileged to sing songs to complement Fred Craddock’s stories in their Winged for the Heart programs in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Their collaborations were featured in a statewide radio
broadcast on Georgia Public Broadcasting’s On Stage, in a GPB videocast and in several programs produced by Sally Sears and broadcast by the GPB affiliate at North Georgia College. Their concerts are available
on seven CDs. By profession a church musician, Steven holds the Doctor of Musical Arts from the Yale School of Music.
JEFF MOSIER
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Scrugg’s-style banjo picker “The Rev” Jeff Mosier is one of the earliest music pioneers who merged bluegrass instruments and traditional tunes with the magnetic energy of rock and roll. He founded the jamgrass band Blueground Undergrass (BGUG) in 1998 after years of crafting his banjo skills in various bands, playing everything from bluegrass with his brother Johnny (Good Medicine) to experimental rock (Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit) to jazz-fusion (The Ear Reverents). Blueground Undergrass, the band he fronted for more than a decade, recorded four albums and built a sizable national following by combining bluegrass purism with a jam band sensibility. Later, as the jamband scene became more jam-tronica and less roots-driven, he formed a more song-driven rock/bluegrass ensemble, The Mosier Brothers band, that performed at festivals, theaters, and private events throughout the region. His solo performances further showcase his outstanding vocals, banjo picking, and songwriting mingled with both amusing and poignant storytelling known to evoke both laughter and tears. Currently, in addition to performing solo and with various other artists, he can be found in the recording studio or on the set hosting his most recent video project, “The Search for the Southern Sound”.
Mosier draws from a variety of influences ranging from bluegrass and jazz to psychedelic folk-rock and alt-country. Having shared the stage with such legends as Peter Rowan, Vassar Clements, Col. Bruce Hampton, Phish, Leftover Salmon, and Widespread Panic, Mosier has always been a versatile artist who is as comfortable performing on a stage full of musicians as he is playing solo. His superb vocal mastery and unique banjo picking combine to deliver a special experience highlighting his original tunes as well as some familiar traditionals and lesser known covers. Whether traveling through acoustic ballads, thought-provoking and humorous banter, or high-energy bluegrass, each Jeff Mosier show is a musical journey sending the listener on an enjoyable foot-tapping jaunt out on the road and back home again.
“Perhaps no guest artist has had as great an influence on the band’s music as the Rev. Jeff Mosier…” – The Phish Companion
August 19, 2017
JUST BE’CAUSE
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Jerry Brunner, Bruce Gilbert and Cyndi Craven are Just Be’Cause … just don’t ask them why.
Jerry Brunner and Cyndi Craven, long-time members of the Atlanta acoustic/folk music scene, have been performing together since the 1980’s. In 2007, they met up with Bruce Gilbert when he moved to Atlanta from California where he’d been wowing the music scene there for years. The music they produce together is the result of profound friendship, heaping helpings of creativity, and decades of playing, singing and writing together and on their own. Their shows have been described by fans as an evening of “comfort music” with vocal “harmonies that will roll your socks down.” Come hear for yourself!
HARM’S WAY
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Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koeltz on lead vocals and guitar, Scot Boze on vocals, and Phil Griffin on lead guitar.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
The core members of this group have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and – while they take music very seriously – don’t take themselves seriously at all!
www.reverbnation.com/harmonkoeltz
July 15, 2017
SPARKY and RHONDA RUCKER
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Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. Sparky Rucker has been performing over forty years, and AAFFM has been proudly presenting him almost since the beginning. He is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and author. He accompanies himself with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo, and spoons. Rhonda Rucker is a musician, children’s author, storyteller, and songwriter. Her blues-style harmonica, piano, old-time banjo, and bones add musical versatility to their performances.
Sparky and Rhonda are sure to deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, slave songs, Appalachian music, spirituals, ballads, work songs, Civil War music, railroad songs, and a few of their own original compositions.
Over forty years of performing, Sparky and Rhonda have performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as NPR’s On Point, Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and Morning Edition. Their recording, Treasures & Tears, was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award, and their music is also included on the Grammy-nominated anthology, Singing Through the Hard Times.
The Ruckers have been featured tellers at the International Storytelling Center and Festival. Sparky is a natural storyteller, having grown up hearing his father, uncles, and other family members endlessly telling tales. Sparky and Rhonda each tell solo stories, but they also tell stories together (in tandem), always adding life and humor to the characters and tricksters in their Brer Rabbit tales, Jack tales, High John the Conqueror stories, preacher tales, and family stories.
Sparky and Rhonda weave their music into captivating stories that the history books don’t always tell, and they share this knowledge in many schools, colleges, and libraries. Their educational programs span over three centuries of African-American history, including slavery, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, the birth of blues music, and the civil rights movement. Each era is interspersed with stories and popular songs from the time period, celebrating the diversity of the nation’s history. They are also available for author visits to schools and libraries.
June 17, 2017
FRANK HAMILTON
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Frank Hamilton has been playing traditional American folk music for many years, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and five-string banjo. Frank has a reputation in folk circles as a former member of the Weavers and co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. He is an instructor at Atlanta’s Frank Hamilton School, which he co-founded in 2015.
Frank’s teaching mentor was Bess Lomax Hawes, sister of folklorist and entrepreneur Alan Lomax. He has worked as a musical sideman on recordings and movie soundtracks.
He is a published songwriter and member of ASCAP. Frank has recorded and played in concert with Pete Seeger, Odetta, Woody Guthrie, and The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. He has accompanied Jean Carignan, Martha Schlamme, and Shoshana Damari. He traveled through the South collecting folk songs and singing with Guy Carawan and Jack Elliott in the 1950s.
Frank recorded as a soloist for Folkways Records and Concertdisc and has released his own CD, Long Lonesome Home. He is half of the team Classic Jazz with Bill Rappaport, performing songs from the Great American Songbook represented by Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and others. Frank will be playing a blend of traditional songs, originals and some international tunes as well.
www.frankhamiltonschool.org/frank-hamilton/
VERONIKA JACKSON
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Veronika Jackson is the grassroots of American traditional folk blues. She has become a familiar face and sound in the southern regions of the United States, performing at festivals, music halls and community benefits. Veronika leaves many in awe while she informs and tells her story and her history through acoustic folk blues.
She is a singer/songwriter who performs originals as well as classic songs, but she does not carry forth the usual blues repertoire typical of the game. If you expect her to be typical in any way, she will surprise you.
A performance by Veronika is an enriching experience, both musically and spiritually. Veronika’s humble and authentic presence when performing captivates music audiences that leaves them wanting more.
May 20, 2017
JIM SHARKEY
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Singer-songwriter Jim Sharkey is an Irish and Americana folk musician now living in Salisbury NC. Jim grew up in County Roscommon, Ireland, and came to the US in 1982 when he joined the US Navy in London, England. He spent five years as a photographer on the USS Dixon in San Diego, California, and ten years working in television and video production in North Carolina and Maine. Later he taught children with special needs but decided to pursue music full-time in 2014. He plays around Virginia, North and South Carolina, Maryland, and Washington DC, accompanying himself on guitar, harmonica, and bodhran (Irish drum). Jim’s original songs blend Irish traditional ballad influences with contemporary issues that are often set in the area he resides. The title track of his latest CD Sweet Anne’s Road deals with the effects of the war in Afghanistan on a young couple from the rural area of Copper Hill, Virginia. “The Campaign Song” also included on that CD was written after Neil Young asked Donald Trump to stop using his song “Rockin’ in the Free World” for Trump’s campaign. “Bought and Sold” is a song to raise awareness of the plight of the Yazidis in Iraq who were mercilessly hunted down by Isis in 2014. Jim is working on his third CD, Misty Morning Rain, which he hopes to finish in 2017. Jim’s other CDs Black is the Color and Sweet Anne’s Road were released in 2015. Sweet Anne’s Road is available on iTunes and CD Baby.
www.jimsharkey.com
THE NEW HARVEY FAMILY SINGERS
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The New Harvey Family Singers is an evolving group of troubadours performing contemporary and traditional music. The band is made up of John Harvey, Seth Langer, Jimi Cusick and Eryk Fisher.
Hailing from Austin, Texas, John Harvey appears regularly in the Frank Hamilton School band and brings previous experience playing with house bands. Atlanta native Eryk Fisher is a professional basement musician who “sings to walls, plays harmonica, and strums three chord songs until mama tells me dinner’s ready.” Seth Langer is an actor, musician, and odd-jobber from Decatur. He plays at political rallies, weddings, birthdays, funerals — wherever there’s singing to be done! Jimi Cusick, from Atlanta, brings a musical background that includes orchestra, rock, and a Beatles cover band. Jimi loves to challenge himself musically to learn new things and play with new people as much as possible.
April 15, 2017
BRUCE GILBERT
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“After all is said and done, throw out everything you thought you knew and just make music!” That’s Bruce Gilbert’s philosophy, and it shines through every live performance he offers his ever-growing throngs of devoted Atlanta-area fans.
As a performing songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer, Bruce is a seasoned professional who never met a style of music he couldn’t bring a little something extra to. His songs are filled with happily unexpected musical twists and range from poignant, elegant love (and lost love) songs to the cool sophistication of a hipster out on the town in a new pork pie hat. No matter what the style, Gilbert connects with listeners through beautiful melodies and sincere vocals that make you believe every word he sings. He’s a jazzer with the heart of a poet.
Along with mainstays of the Atlanta folk community Cyndi Craven and Jerry Brunner, Bruce is also a member of the wildly popular local trio “Just Be’Cause.”
ALEX COMMINS and TODD PRUSIN
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Both Alex Richard Commins and Todd Prusin are well-known in the Atlanta music scene. Alex has played guitar and banjo since grammar school in folk, old-time, and bluegrass groups, and lead guitar in rock bands. He has played with Larry Campbell, Mike Dowling, Toby Walker, and David Bromberg. In his accomplished fingerpicking you’ll hear the influence of Doc Watson, Norman Blake, David Bromberg, Merle Travis and Delta blues musicians. Alex has played in bluegrass groups including 15 years with The Sorghum Syrup Soppers Old-Time String Band. He has also played in many diverse musical situations from The Galax Old-Time Fiddler’s convention to rock and roll bands. Todd started playing bass in high-school bands and has since played professionally since the late ‘80’s. He has played with many local Atlanta acts and has studied with Jack Casady and Bryon House. Though primarily a bassist, Todd is an accomplished drummer and guitarist fronting and participating in many local musical projects. With Alex by his side, Todd’s musical voice comes to fruition.
Alex and Todd are alumni of Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio. The love and respect for music that was germinated there has blossomed into a musical embrace here in Atlanta. The interplay between Alex’s acoustic fingerpicking and Todd’s melodic bass guitar has generated a strong fan base throughout the area.
http://www.alexcommins.com/
March 18, 2017
CHARLEY WOODS
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Nashville native Charley Woods is making a lasting impact on the music mecca she calls home. With her instantly identifiable voice and her stylistic blend of contemporary folk and Americana, this recording artist is in a league all her own. She has performed and collaborated with many talented and influential figures in today’s country music, including Brad Paisley, Chris Young, David Nail, Wil Nance, and Mark Nesler.
Charley is currently performing, recording and writing the music that she aspires to share with the world. Her latest single Half the Girl is climbing the charts and creating a buzz. She’s looking forward to her first appearance at Fiddler’s Green.
THE IRISH BROTHERS
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The Irish Brothers are Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen. This is a unique team – Sandyman comes from the mountains Western North Carolina with the Captain hailing from the canyons of New York City. The two started performing together 30 years ago when they worked ‘suit’ jobs at IBM. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material – their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the ‘new country’ – from traditional Irish ballads, to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville, and a founding member of the band Cullowhee, that toured nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s/80s. George started singing and playing after his first visit to New York’s Greenwich Village in the mid-1960s. George honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. The team received the name “Irish Brothers” following a performance at The Folk Alliance several years ago in Memphis, Tennessee.
http://www.gorddcymru.org/atlanta/music/cmd/hergen_george.htm
February 18, 2017
HOTLANTA DIXIELAND JAZZ
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Hotlanta2-300x173.jpg)
HOTLANTA DIXIELAND JAZZ
Hotlanta sets your feet firmly on Bourbon Street in Old New Orleans. You’ll experience every bit of the joy, energy, and humor of that early American Jazz called Dixieland. Songs from Fats Waller, Hoagy Carmichael, Louie Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, plus many old favorites like “Sweet Georgia Brown”, “Royal Garden Blues”, “South”, “Hard Hearted Hannah”, and “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In” are all part of Hotlanta’s musical treat.
Based in Atlanta, the group has performed extensively in the South since its founding by Don Erdman in 1990 with appearances at “The Famous Door” on Bourbon Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter, The Brevard College Jazz Festival in North Carolina, and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, to name a few. Beyond the South, Hotlanta’s music has been enjoyed around the globe at clubs and jazz festivals in Spain, Germany, Japan, France, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Belarus, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore.
Hotlanta’s full instrumentation is the traditional sextet: clarinet, cornet, trombone, banjo/vocals, tuba and drums. Hotlanta also performs as a trio, quartet, or quintet. In addition to their Happy Feet CD, other recordings include Live in Spain from a performance at Spain’s Jazzaldia Festival, The Saints, a CD on the Intersound label, and their newest CD There Ain’t No Jazz Like Dixieland.
Hotlanta Dixieland Jazz is available for concerts, parties, and all occasions.
JIM CULLITON TRIO
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Jim-Culliton-Trio-300x249.jpg)
JIM CULLITON TRIO
The always exciting Jim Culliton Trio has performed throughout Georgia over the past decade with its unique high-energy blend of instrumental string music and stylistic vocals. The Trio’s underlying philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps the music fresh and exciting.
Jim Culliton has performing experience at The Fox Theatre, Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. This versatile multi-instrumentalist is one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in the mix. Put all of this in a high speed blender and you get a truly innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities, as well as a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and Auburn University (AUM). In this show Jim will play fiddle and mandolin. Walter Dean, “Dean of the Dobro,” incorporates several styles of music with his dazzling tone and technique. Skip Romaner has lent his masterful touch on bass to various bands since moving to Atlanta in 1974.
The trio will play a mix of original compositions plus original arrangements of swing, bluegrass, and new string acoustic, with vocals.
January 21, 2017
MARK STUART
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Screen-Shot-2016-02-02-at-8.57.18-PM.png)
Mark Stuart is a full-time musical artist bringing his years of experience to the stage. Mark will share songs he has penned and recorded, delivering them with the soulful singing voice and highly memorable guitar playing that has made him a favorite on the Americana/folk circuit for 18 years.
Mark’s show consists of storytelling, flashy guitar chops, and songs that seem to draw from his rock, blues, country, and folk music roots. Mostly, this artist from Tennessee has toured solo or in a notable duo with his wife (“Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart”). There were stints along the way as a sideman for Steve Forbert, Freddy Fender, Steve Earle, and Joan Baez.
One can find Mark on any given night in a small theater, coffeehouse, house concert, festival stage, club, church auditorium, etc., giving it his all. Aside from that, he could be instructing at a guitar clinic or songwriting workshop, or playing on someone’s recording session. As co-owner of Gearle Records, he has produced or co-produced many albums. Stuart’s career has repeatedly taken him to all of the USA, Canada, Europe, and the United Kingdom. He last appeared at Fiddler’s Green in February 2015. Mark is a delightful, engaging performer you won’t want to miss.
http://www.markstuart.net
THE ROUGH & TUMBLE
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TheRoughandTumble-1024x683.jpg)
In April 2015 Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler quit their day jobs, sold everything they owned, and gave their thirty day notice on their rental house to trade in for a life permanently on the road. With their sixteen foot camper and their 97 pound dog, Butter, they have been touring nationwide. Don’t let their vagabond tendencies fool you– this Americana-folk duo are a compact team of close harmonies, versatile instrumentation, and deliberate songwriting all presented with a nudge of the elbow and a tongue in the cheek. Haunting, quirky, solemn, and spritely, The Rough & Tumble are for the faint of heart and the strong of will.
In 2011, the friends-turned-bandmates released their first EP, We Sing in Your House When You’re Not There… we even ordered pizza., an exploration of watching other people’s dogs while eating other people’s food. Shortly after, the duo released their second EP, We Don’t Believe in Monsters, Anymore… but will you please check under our beds?, wherein the band discovered that they did, in fact, still believe in monsters. In 2012, their third EP, For You, Now That You’re Married… and for me, too., generated a sudden foreshadowing for the band, still noted in history books as the time they knew everything they didn’t know.
2013 proved to be a small miracle as The Rough & Tumble met their deadlines and wrote, recorded, and released two songs a month every month. The result was The Rough & Tumble’s Holiday Awareness Campaign, a project that fought for the underprivileged, uncelebrated holidays in the calendar year. While having fun with days like Meteor Day and Boxing Day, The R&T additionally observed the great sadness that can accompany great celebration with A Day for the Remembrance of the Souls of Lost Whales and Evaluate Your Life Day.
In 2014, filmmaker friend Alyssa Pearson asked the duo to create a soundtrack for her upcoming film, Pieces and Pieces. Up for the challenge, the songwriters took on the task, tackling issues of PTSD, women’s rights, war, and the love in between. While the film is still to be released, The Rough & Tumble released the seven songs, dually named Pieces and Pieces, on March 1, 2016.
A few new songs and a few old ones are in the works, now, as The Rough & Tumble continue their meandering back and forth across the country. Likely, any minute now, they will be in a town near you, singing sad songs and telling bad jokes until the next town calls them.
http://www.theroughandtumble.com/
December 17, 2016
MOCKINGBIRD’S WING
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/mockingbirdswing.jpg)
Mockingbird’s Wing, a superb Atlanta group, will perform a seasonal set from its folk, rock, soul and pop repertoire. This organically grown acoustic band made up of four diverse musicians:
Barbara Hotz is a singer/songwriter with deep roots in Mexico and a love of the old standards.
Jonathan McBee is a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter out of Chicago, IL. If it’s got strings, Jonathan is looking to add it to the Mockingbird sound.
Paul Pendery is a Montana/Alaska/Texas singer/songwriter whose songs evoke soulful stirrings and happy feet.
Suzy Schultz, when she is not at her day job as a full-time artist, adds vocals/flute/cello to the Mockingbird sound.
Like the mockingbird herself, all the different voices and styles come together for a unique sound – the inimitable Mockingbird’s Wing sound.
https://www.bandpage.com/MockingbirdsWing
THE LOST BOYS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TheLostBoys.jpg)
The Lost Boys formed in 1999 at the Georgia Renaissance Festival, and have since released 5 CD’s and performed at Ren Faires in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, & North Dakota, as well as appearing in countless independent concerts and convention appearances.
Throughout the course of their ongoing 15 year history, the Lost Boys have continually pushed the boundaries of Renaissance Festival music by combining elements of period music with hard driving rock and roll, vocal harmonies with instrumental prowess, hilarious parody lyrics with Shakespearean language, all wrapped in a physical, highly energetic stage presentation, consistently delivering a challenging and entertaining show onstage and a groundbreaking body of work over the course of their 5 CD releases.
For their first appearance on the Fiddler’s Green Concert Series, the ‘Boys add a few seasonal favorites to their already eclectic repertoire in an acoustic Christmas show for all ages. Happy holidays!
http://www.thelostboysonline.com/
November 19, 2016
BENSON AND LEINWEBER
![benson-leinweber](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Benson-Leinweber.jpg)
Benson and Leinweber have been wowing crowds wherever they have played. Dave Benson and David Leinweber are outstanding guitarists, songwriters, and performers. Veterans of the blues, rock and folk scenes, the two form a powerhouse duo featuring excellent harmonies, skillful guitar-interplay and well-selected songs – not to mention lots of fun and energy.
David Leinweber has performed widely at festivals, concert venues and clubs for years, including international appearances abroad where he was dubbed “The Flatpicking Professor.” He has also performed widely in refined higher-educational settings like bars and honky-tonks, to say nothing of numerous universities, civic groups and college campuses. He has placed in numerous flatpicking, fingerpicking and songwriting competitions.
Benson is also an award-winning songwriter, with many years of experience as a versatile guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and performer. He has appeared in performance venues all over his native South.
The duo’s repertoire ranges from traditional music of Appalachia and the British Isles, to Spanish ballads, to folkadelic rock and acoustic blues. Critics have praised their work with such phrases as “excellent guitarists,” “Masters of the flatpicking and fingerpicking styles of guitar,” and “great picking combined with good songwriting; what more could you ask?”
Many of their songs tell great stories and feature distinctive idioms of guitar-playing and songwriting. But most of all, they are just out to entertain and have a good time. Their performances intersperse intricate guitar work and vocals with joke-cracking and occasional commentaries. They are a good fit for audiences of all stripes and tastes.
KNIGHTSONG
![knightsong-2016](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Knightsong-2016.jpg)
KnightSong was formed by Pat Buonodono, Brad Ketch and Keith Duggan in 1989. KnightSong performs year-round for public and private gatherings. The group also performs regularly at charitable events and senior living centers. KnightSong has performed for a number of years at the Georgia Shakespeare Festival and “Christmas Candlelight Nights” at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina and recently toured Denver to perform for the Bethany Festival of Faith and the Arts. KnightSong also performed in 2012 at inaugural AleCon music convention in Atlanta. KnightSong currently has four CDs available for sale and its music is available on CD Baby, iTunes, and Amazon.com.
The KnightSong singers are a diverse group, with but two commonalities — first, a love of a cappella music, and second, a love of laughter. We consider ourselves a musical family of friends and hope that our music provides the listener with the same joy we find in making it.
October 15, 2016
CALEDONIA SWING
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ATT00004-264x300.png)
The Celtic band Caledonia Swing will bring their sweet sounds, infectious energy and love of improvisation to Fiddler’s Green. The band plays a unique style of contemporary and traditional Celtic music with a jazzy twist.
Band-mates Marie Dunkle and Margie Swint have performed together throughout Georgia and the Carolinas for over a decade. They are skilled musicians and seasoned performers who elicit lots of smiles, laughter and even a few tears with their heart-felt arrangements. Margie and Marie will be joined that evening by friend and percussionist extraordinaire Owen Devine, a familiar face on the Atlanta and Athens Irish music scene.
Marie Dunkle (violin, cello, mandolin) is a North Georgia-based musician and storyteller. Her first love is Scottish fiddling, but she plays many musical styles and has performed with symphony orchestras and quartets, rock n roll bands, and theatre companies. Skilled at music improvisation, Marie also supports song writers and recording artists in the Southeast.
Margie Swint (vocals, guitar) has over 30 years combined experience as a performer, music educator and board-certified music therapist. She has performed as a soloist and with a variety of Folk and Celtic bands. Margie worked as a Wolf Trap Institute Artist-in-Residence and album soloist in Nashville, TN. She and her family live in Snellville, GA.
THE RED WELLIES
![The Red Wellies](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ATT00005-300x192.jpg)
The Red Wellies, based out of Asheville, NC and Atlanta GA are a unique collaboration between Irish, Bulgarian and American-born musicians who collectively have decades of experience playing in the Irish tradition. Claudine “Beanie” Odell (fiddle) and Vincent Fogarty (Bouzouki) have been instrumental in creating a thriving Irish music scene in Asheville, NC, bringing an authenticity of its sound to the Southern Appalachians. Bella Issakova received her classical education in the Sofia Music School in Bulgaria, as well as Tel Aviv’s prestigious Thelma Yalin School. Ms. Issakova has been a successful classical violinist. She has been studying Irish music for the last eight years and is a Kerry Records Featured Artist, performing with the Kerry Records troupe annually.
With Beanie’s sharp ear for a beautiful tune set, Vincent’s stand-out bouzouki accompaniment, and Bella’s rich and wild sound on the fiddle, the Red Wellies love playing together, are reluctant to ever stop, and want to share their love of Irish music with every audience they encounter.
Although all three musicians take a studied approach to Irish traditional music through their full time instrumental teaching and The Celtic band Caledonia Swing will bring their sweet sounds, infectious energy and love of improvisation to Fiddler’s Green. The band plays a unique style of contemporary and traditional Celtic music with a jazzy twist.
September 17, 2016
LASHBROOKS
![LASHBROOKS](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-09-07-at-8.09.58-PM-300x202.png)
Troy and Rhonda Lashbrooks are singer/songwriters, music producers, and entertainers. As Lashbrooks they present their soulful roots and progressive folk music with heart-felt lyrics, exciting acoustic guitar, and rich harmonies. They perform in listening venues and coffeehouses throughout the Atlanta local and regional area.
Troy and Rhonda produce and record under their BrooksTone Productions label and production company. Look for their music venues and new artists for 2016 and 2017.
www.lashbrooksmusic.net
Facebook – Lashbrooks
Facebook – BrooksTone Productions
MICHAEL JOHNATHON
![Michael Johnathon](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-09-07-at-8.18.25-PM-300x206.png)
Folksinger Michael Johnathon has a long-standing career in acoustic arts. He’s a songwriter, playwright, composer of the opera Woody: For the People, and host of the live audience broadcast of the WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour. His show has an audience with over two million listeners each week on 500 public radio stations, public television coast-to-coast, and American Forces Radio Network in 173 nations.
Growing up in New York, Michael Johnathon was Pete Seeger’s neighbor. Now settled in the foothills of Appalachia, the Kentucky-based songwriter is a prolific artist with ten released albums, two published books and several national projects. His play Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau has been performed over 8,000 times in 42 countries. A tree-hugger at heart, he has performed 2,000 Earth Concerts at schools and colleges, as well as benefits for the homeless, farm families, and shelters helping battered women and children. Billboard Magazine headlined him as an “UnSung Hero.” He has been featured on CNN, TNN, CMT, AP, Headline News, NPR, Bravo and the BBC.
Recently, Michael helped organize the national WoodSongs Front Porch Association to help organize rural and community music and a massive educational program. Members of the WFPA are called “SongFarmers,” which is also the title of his latest album, the very first national CD release to be completely recorded on an iPhone.
The Martin Guitar Company recently introduced the Michael Johnathon signature model 0000-28s “WoodSongs Quad” guitar.
www.MichaelJohnathon.com
www.WoodSongs.com
www.WaldenPlay.com
WoodyGuthrieOpera.com
www.SongFarmers.org
August 20, 2016
ELISE WITT AND FRIENDS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-08-05-at-1.32.58-PM.png)
Photo by Jessica Lily
Yes, Fiddler’s Green has moved once again! And we’re delighted that the extraordinary folk singer, musician, songwriter, and long-time AAFFM friend Elise Witt will perform with some surprise guests to inaugurate our partnership with First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta.
Elise’s concerts of Global, Local & Homemade Songs™ and her Impromptu Glorious Chorus™ workshops create and connect singing communities around the world. Elise was born in Switzerland, raised in North Carolina, and since 1977 has made her home in Atlanta. She speaks five languages fluently, sings in over a dozen more, and has been a cultural ambassador to South Africa, Italy, Nicaragua, Switzerland, Bosnia, and China. WE’RE ALL BORN SINGING is her 12th recording for the independent EMWorld Records, and many of her songs are available for choirs in the Elise Witt Choral Series. Recipient of the William L. Womack Creative Arts Award, Elise is Artist-in-Residence at the Global Village Project, a school for teenage refugee girls in Decatur GA. Her concerts are famous for turning audiences (even self-professed “non-singers”) into an Impromptu Glorious Chorus™.
For more information: www.elisewitt.com
A performer to remember with international savvy and personal charm! ~ Kennedy Center Millennium Stage
Wide horizons and a repertoire that borrows from many countries with a spirit of univeral humanism. ~ Le Cri du Coyote, France
July 16, 2016
KEVIN “KALIMBAMAN” SPEARS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-06-28-at-9.19.09-PM-e1467163628628-195x300.png)
International recording artist Kevin Spears is hailed as one of the most gifted kalimba players alive. His mastery of kalimba (African thumb piano), customized musical gadgets, tiny synths and experimental percussion allow him to create a fusion of world, jazz and folktronica that moves your feet and stirs your soul.
“Kevin Spears puts on a performance full of groove, sound and intimacy that draws you into his unique yet universal world.” – Benoit Glazer, Musical Director, Cirque Du SOLEIL. Seeing Is Believing!
www.facebook.com/Kevin.Kalimba
MICK and EVAN KINNEY
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-06-28-at-9.19.34-PM.png)
Mick Kinney is a folklorist, composer, lyricist, and multi instrumentalist. Expect an eclectic blend of ragtime, Georgia fiddle tunes, swing, Cajun, Irish, novelty songs, and some traditional style originals. He has recorded several albums of his own material; has accompanied Vick Chestnut, Victoria Williams, John Hartford; and collaborates regularly with his partner, Elise Witt.
Mick will be joined by his son Evan from their family string band, the HickHoppers. They performed this spring at the Brooklyn Folk Festival and will be featured artists this summer at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Washington state. Their latest CDs are In Dear Old Georgia (2015), with Grammy winner Art Rosenbaum on banjo, and What Would Geezers Do? (2016).
June 18, 2016
REDWINE JAM
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Redwine-Jam-29-1024x605.jpg)
Despite its name, Redwine Jam is not a sweet alcoholic concoction suitable for spreading on toast. Still, folk music fans around Atlanta find it appetizing and heady! A performance by the Atlanta-based folk trio Redwine Jam carries the audience on an emotional rollercoaster complete with high-spirited roots music, wry humor, gripping story songs, love ballads, and the sheer joy of homemade music.
Redwine Jam is a folk music trio comprised of Chris and Carol Moser, who for years led the Celtic band Barney’s Goat, and master guitar/bass player Skip Romaner. They perform a wide range of North American and Celtic folk songs and tunes, from traditional material to newly written compositions by contemporary folk legends. They accompany their vocals with guitar, bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, mountain dulcimer, flute, pennywhistle, bodhran and harp (not all at the same time).
Whether they’re performing a program of American folk, Celtic, a mixture of both, or their multi-media concert exploring the American Folk Revival, an evening with Redwine Jam is a delectable treat.
HARM’S WAY
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Harms-Way-1024x768.jpg)
Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koetz on lead vocals and guitar, Scot Boze on vocals, and Phil Griffin on lead guitar.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
As with most groups, members occasionally join or leave or re-join the group. But, the core members have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and while they take the music very seriously, don’t take themselves seriously at all!
May 21, 2016
BLACKFOOT DAISY
![Blackfoot Daisy](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Blackfoot-Daisy.png)
Blackfoot daisies are hearty wild flowers that grow on the prairies of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. You can find them growing naturally in the Texas Blackland prairie, which runs from the Red River to the Texas-Oklahoma border. The band, BLACKFOOT DAISY, is a humble foursome (sometimes fewer) that plays original, Americana style music. Based in the Atlanta metro area, the members are a little haunted by the prairie, the wind, the shifting of tall grasses, the sound of crickets, and a lonesome train whistle drifting through the night.
BLACKFOOT DAISY is a blend of four very talented musicians. Songwriter Don Sechelski is featured on guitar and vocals. Don has been writing and performing music in the Atlanta area for over 30 years. From Atlanta to New Orleans to Chicago and back to Atlanta, he is still chasing the buffalo.
Wendy DuMond also plays guitar, sings and writes songs. Wendy has the soul of a poet and the vision of an artist. From Montana, through Oklahoma, up to New York, and back to Atlanta, she follows the Bucking Horse Moon.
Adam Sechelski is found on guitar, mandolin, percussion, vocals. Adam is the backbeat, the glue that holds it together. Atlanta to Boston to Mississippi and back to Atlanta, Adam is a stage gypsy, an actor, and a dreamer.
Bobby Moore from Roanoke, VA, plays fiddle, mandolin and banjo. He loves the sound of a lonesome train whistle.
THE ROSIN SISTERS
![TheRosinSisters](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TheRosinSisters.png)
The Rosin Sisters — Barbara Panter-Connah, Ann Whitley-Singleton, and Jan Smith, are three fiddlers who combine their voices, guitars, and banjo to create a unique blend of Southern Appalachian roots music.
Cutting their teeth fiddling for Contra and Cajun dances, they have also performed at festivals and concerts in the Atlanta area and the Southeast for decades in various bands. They collectively teach harmony singing at the Blue Ridge Old-time Music Week in Mars Hill, NC, and they each teach music privately – Jan and Barbara in the Atlanta area and Ann as Director of the Georgia Pick & Bow Traditional Music School, an after-school non-profit in her adopted hometown of Dahlonega, GA.
After years of friendship, The Rosin Sisters formed in 2006 to further explore their love of traditional music and song, and have produced three CDs: Sweet Sunny South, which received a stellar review in the Old-Time Herald, Walking Through Time’s Door, and their most recent, It’s All Your Fault.
April 16, 2016
OUT OF THE RAIN
![Out of the Rain](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Out-of-the-Rain-971x1024.jpg)
Out Of The Rain, composed of Ron Hipp and Carol Statella, is a folk duo noted for innovative arrangements and unusual expressive power. Ron Hipp has been known in the Atlanta area as an accomplished solo artist and Carol Statella has played and sung in various groups over the years. Their joining forces to regularly perform and record music together has created a compelling, poignant sound that is both timeless and fresh.
Ron is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist/singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A native of Atlanta, he’s been performing both solo and in various band combinations since about the age of 16. His rich baritone voice, consummate fingerpicking, and mesmerizing songs make his shows a memorable experience. Ron has graced many a recording project by other artists over the years as a studio musician, and has many CD cover photos to his credit.
Carol (string player/singer) has played in backup orchestras for Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson. As a music journalist, she interviewed Robert Shaw for a national publication, and also spent several years as an announcer/producer in public radio. In the classical performance realm, Carol has played in the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, and sang for seventeen seasons with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus/Chamber Chorus.
Ron and Carol have known each other and crossed paths musically for a decade and a half, through many artistic and personal evolutions. Their sound together has been described as warm, eloquent, and vivid. Onstage, Ron and Carol draw audiences in with artful musicality, occasionally inane humor, and absolute focus on inviting the listener into the depths of a song.
While continuing to perform in intimate Southeast venues, Out of The Rain also presented Ron’s first album of original songs and instrumentals titled “Two Hearts,” which has received international folk radio airplay and glowing reviews from press and concert presenters. “Ron Hipp and Carol Statella have crafted a musically delightful, emotionally involving work with “Two Hearts” … it deserves a spot on your CD shelf,” says Rich Warren of Sing Out! Magazine.
JOYCE & JACQUE
![joyceanndjacque](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/joyceanndjacque.png)
Performing favorites from their CD, “New Day Dawning”
“Every once in a while, someone plays music that stops you in your tracks,
music that mesmerizes and moves your soul.”
This is what has been said of the duo of Joyce Williams and Jacque Howard. Their original music transcends age, appealing to young children and seasoned elders alike. Setting is no boundary for them, as the duo has performed in clubs, youth conferences and churches throughout the country.
Joyce & Jacque have opened for many nationally acclaimed artists – including Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, The Pointer Sisters, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Nina Simone, Odetta and many others.
Joyce & Jacque’s rich vocal harmonies are a treat for the ears. Drawing from their Christian faith and incorporating hard-hitting issues in their lyrics, the two singer-songwriters minister to the human condition straight through the heart.
They will be performing songs from their acclaimed CD, “New Day Dawning.”
March 18, 2016
FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT
![FourShillingsShort](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/FourShillingsShort.jpg)
The Celtic/Folk/World music duo Four Shillings Short are coming to town for a special Winter Solstice Concert. This is their only appearance in the Atlanta area and they only make it to Georgia every couple of years so make sure not to miss this one-of-a-kind musical treat!
“The delightfully surprising collection of songs and sounds this husband/wife act create, while stretching the limits of Celtic and Folk music by stirring in generous amounts of Indian Ragas and Medieval flavorings via some of the tastiest sitar playing this side of Ravi Shankar” (Valpariso Times, IN) “bring musical diversity, captivating storytelling and humorous side notes to create an amazing show.” (Labyrinth Café/Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Four Shillings Short, the husband/wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland and Christy Martin from California, perform Traditional and Original music from the Celtic lands, Medieval & Renaissance Europe, India and the Americas on a fantastic array of instruments (over 30) including Hammered & Mountain Dulcimer, Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Tinwhistles, Recorders, Medieval and Renaissance Woodwinds, North Indian Sitar, Charango, Bowed Psaltery, Banjo, Bodhran, Guitar, Percussion, vocals and even a Krumhorn.
Touring in the US & Ireland since 1997, Four Shillings Short are independent folk-artists who perform 150 concerts a year, have released 12 recordings and live as full time Troubadours traveling from town to town performing at music festivals, theatres & performing arts centers, folk societies, libraries, house concerts and schools.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Aodh Og O’Tuama grew up in a family of poets, musicians and writers. He received his degree in Music from University College Cork, Ireland and received a Fellowship from Stanford University in California in Medieval and Renaissance performance. He plays Tinwhistles, Medieval & Renaissance woodwinds, Recorders, Doumbek (from Morocco), bowed Psaltery, Spoons and sings both in English, Gaelic & French.
Christy Martin grew up in a family of musicians and dancers. From the age of 15, she studied North Indian Sitar for 10 years, 5 of them with a student of master Sitarist Ravi Shankar. She began playing the Hammered Dulcimer in her 20’s and has studied with Maggie Sansone, Dan Duggan, Cliff Moses, Robin Petrie, Tony Elman and Glen Morgan. In addition she plays Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Banjo, Guitar, Bodhran (Irish frame drum), Charango, bowed Psaltery and sings in English, Irish, Spanish and Sanskrit.
WHAT FOLKS SAY ABOUT FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT
“Yours was truly one of the best shows I’ve been to on ‘any’ level & it’s pretty broad: Michael Jackson, Celtic Women, James Taylor, John Denver & Four Shillings Short!!! I enjoyed not only the musical talent, but the education regarding instruments, origin etc. storytelling & mix of genuine passion, love & humor. In that regard you beat out all the others.” (Louisville, KY)
“Sunday nights’ concert featured a husband and wife duo called Four Shillings Short. They are astounding. They both have wonderful singing voices. They play an incredible variety of music from Indian Ragas to Celtic, Traditional folk and about anything else you can think of. They are very charismatic with great stage presence.” Columbus Folk Music Society,OH)
“Their musical virtuosity makes old songs sound new and new songs sound like time-worn Celtic spells.” (CITY PAGES, Wausau WI)
“They are not the Clancy Brothers or Jean Richie or Ravi Shankar but a combination of all three, laced with Irish humor. Their collection of instruments is museum-like and I’ve never seen the place so packed.” (San Gregorio General Store, CA)
“Four Shillings Short are the ultimate in coffeehouse entertainment. The variety of musical instrumentation really keeps me interested. Equal amounts of male and female energy keep the emotional content well-balanced. Song lyrics don’t get hidden underneath too much accompaniment. Harmonies are sweet; instrumental solos spirited. And best of all, their demeanor belies a commitment to the ideal of rising up singing.” (Chicory House Concerts Forty Fort, PA)
“Stunning performance last night. Folk music at its best. Well sung, well played & I lost count of how many instruments. One of the most inspiring performances I have ever witnessed.” (Berea KY)
“Four Shillings Short, celto-indo fusion duo, is a world class act.” (KMFB – Late night Liz, Fort Bragg, CA)
“These are two of the best musicians that I’ve seen come through. They are authentic, traditional and spontaneous.” (Suburban Exchange, Houghton MI)
“Four Shillings Short takes you on a musical journey through time and across the seas as they perform everything from traditional Irish tunes and airs to Indian Ragas.” (The Foothills Sun-Gazette/ Exeter, CA)
“A husband-and-wife duo of mystical musical abilities. Their sound is haunting, crystalline beauty.” (Monterey County Weekly, Monterey, CA)
“The Celtic/Folk/World music duo performs on a bevy of unusual instruments and in myriad styles. This is a great show for kids of all ages, who’ll be amazed by the duo’s thematic range.” (Glen Starkey – New Times, San Luis Obispo, CA)
February 20, 2016
JUST BE’CAUSE
![Just Be'Cause](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/JustBecause.png)
Jerry Brunner, Bruce Gilbert and Cyndi Craven are Just Be’Cause … just don’t ask them why.
Jerry Brunner and Cyndi Craven, long-time members of the Atlanta acoustic/folk music scene, have been performing together since the 1980’s. In 2007, they met up with Bruce Gilbert when he moved to Atlanta from California where he’d been wowing the music scene there for years. The music they produce together is the result of profound friendship, heaping helpings of creativity, and decades of playing, singing and writing together and on their own. Their shows have been described by fans as an evening of “comfort music” with vocal “harmonies that will roll your socks down.” Come hear for yourself!
BALALAIKA FANTASIE
![BALALAIKA FANTASIE](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/BALALAIKA-FANTASIE.png)
The six musicians of Balalaika Fantasie draw their inspiration from their life-long passion for Russian folk music and their diverse cultural backgrounds. Performing on authentic Russian folk instruments, the group’s repertoire includes Russian, Ukrainian, Gypsy and Jewish folk music.
Angelina Galashenkova-Reed (domra) has toured the world as a soloist with the Andreyev Russian Folk Orchestra of St. Petersburg, Russia, performing with them at Carnegie Hall’s 100th anniversary. A virtuoso of the three-string domra, she is a winner of Russia’s prestigious “Cup of the North” competition, and holds the title of “Laureate of International Competitions of Professional Folk Artists.” Immigrating to the U.S. in 2001, she has had numerous solo appearances, most notably at Spivey Hall, and is the concertmaster and domra soloist of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra. Angelina performs in the domra-guitar duo, 9 String Theory.
David C. Cooper (balalaika, domra, vocals) has been recognized by Russian virtuosi for his artistry as a balalaika soloist. Pennsylvania-born, Mr. Cooper is an authority on Russian folk instruments (he plays them all), studied conducting and performance at the Glier Institute of Kiev, Ukraine, and is the artistic director and conductor of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra. Mr. Cooper’s diverse talents also make him in demand in jazz, Klezmer and steel drum ensembles.
Alla Melnik (bayan, vocals) is a Ukrainian-born bayan soloist who received her music degree from the Kiev University of Arts and Culture. She has performed and taught bayan, music theory and piano throughout Ukraine. Alla has a vast repertoire of folk, classical and popular music, frequently appearing in concerts and festivals. She frequently performs bayan solos with the Atlanta Balalaika Society.
Gregory Carageorge has been a professional contrabass balalaika and string bass player for over thirty years, performing in numerous ethnic music groups such as the Berkeley, CA based Klezmorim and Troika Balalaikas, The Massenkoff Russian Folk Festival, and several very popular touring Greek folk music bands. He was the leader of the house band at New York’s Russian Tea Room, and has appeared with numerous folk, bluegrass, and jazz ensembles.
Irene Perloff McCullough (alto domra) and David McCullough (alto balalaika) have performed in Russian folk music ensembles in Boston and Detroit and Atlanta, and perform together as the balalaika-guitar duo, “Russian Romance.” All musicians of Balalaika Fantasie are members of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra.
January 16, 2016
UKULELE SOCIETY OF DECATUR
![ukulelesocietyofdecatur](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ukulelesocietyofdecatur.png)
Retired couple John and Lynda Anderson and their Ukulele Society of Decatur go out every other week to spread happiness. They play at senior citizens homes, farmers’ markets and other public events. And any money they make, they give away!
“It’s not an intimidating instrument to pick up and play,” said John Anderson. “It’s an activity you can do with other people and it’s gratifying to go out and have people to respond to the music enthusiastically. It’s just something we’ve always enjoyed.”
The quartet, which includes Doug Allison and Pete Senkowski, plays a wide variety of music, including toe-tapping pop tunes from the first half of the 20th century (“Ain’t She Sweet,” “The Sunny Side of the Street,” and “Autumn Leaves”) as well as some Hawaiian favorites (“Maui” and “My Little Grass Shack”).
The Andersons met each other four decades ago at the University of Michigan. After graduating, they married and moved to Atlanta. John Anderson, who had started on the clarinet at 12, got his wife interested in music. She picked up the dulcimer and the guitar and started performing in a Renaissance group and later, a country-folk band called The Stone Mountain Country Band. The couple also formed a polka group.
The Andersons said they began playing the ukulele on the back porch during the evening for fun and relaxation. The performing group evolved from that, about five or six years ago. “I think it’s just been wonderful,” said Lynda Anderson. “I think I always had a lot of ability. I didn’t get to develop it as a child but I did as an adult. I really love doing it. It’s been amazing to perform. I never thought of myself being a performer.”
FIONNULA FIDDLE
![fionnulafiddle](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/fionnulafiddle.png)
Fionnula Fiddle features Atlanta fiddlers Katherine Irwin Thomas and Suzanne Harner performing traditional music from Ireland and Scotland. Only separated by twelve miles of sea at the nearest point, it’s not surprising that Ireland and Scotland share several cultural connections such as language, whiskey, sheep – and especially great fiddle tunes! After playing several gigs with talented friends Claire Shirey (fiddle, concertina, dance) and Lauren Fariss (accordion, piano, guitar), Kat looked at Suzanne and said, “Hey, we should be a proper band…” Suzanne agreed and thus, Fionnula Fiddle was born. Influenced by some of the biggest fiddle groups in the British Isles – Altan, Blazin’ Fiddles, Session A9 – Fionnula Fiddle strives to bring the beauty, the fire and the craic of traditional fiddling from the Highlands to home.
December 19, 2015
FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT
![FourShillingsShort](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/FourShillingsShort.jpg)
The Celtic/Folk/World music duo Four Shillings Short are coming to town for a special Winter Solstice Concert. This is their only appearance in the Atlanta area and they only make it to Georgia every couple of years so make sure not to miss this one-of-a-kind musical treat!
“The delightfully surprising collection of songs and sounds this husband/wife act create, while stretching the limits of Celtic and Folk music by stirring in generous amounts of Indian Ragas and Medieval flavorings via some of the tastiest sitar playing this side of Ravi Shankar” (Valpariso Times, IN) “bring musical diversity, captivating storytelling and humorous side notes to create an amazing show.” (Labyrinth Café/Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Four Shillings Short, the husband/wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland and Christy Martin from California, perform Traditional and Original music from the Celtic lands, Medieval & Renaissance Europe, India and the Americas on a fantastic array of instruments (over 30) including Hammered & Mountain Dulcimer, Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Tinwhistles, Recorders, Medieval and Renaissance Woodwinds, North Indian Sitar, Charango, Bowed Psaltery, Banjo, Bodhran, Guitar, Percussion, vocals and even a Krumhorn.
Touring in the US & Ireland since 1997, Four Shillings Short are independent folk-artists who perform 150 concerts a year, have released 12 recordings and live as full time Troubadours traveling from town to town performing at music festivals, theatres & performing arts centers, folk societies, libraries, house concerts and schools.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Aodh Og O’Tuama grew up in a family of poets, musicians and writers. He received his degree in Music from University College Cork, Ireland and received a Fellowship from Stanford University in California in Medieval and Renaissance performance. He plays Tinwhistles, Medieval & Renaissance woodwinds, Recorders, Doumbek (from Morocco), bowed Psaltery, Spoons and sings both in English, Gaelic & French.
Christy Martin grew up in a family of musicians and dancers. From the age of 15, she studied North Indian Sitar for 10 years, 5 of them with a student of master Sitarist Ravi Shankar. She began playing the Hammered Dulcimer in her 20’s and has studied with Maggie Sansone, Dan Duggan, Cliff Moses, Robin Petrie, Tony Elman and Glen Morgan. In addition she plays Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Banjo, Guitar, Bodhran (Irish frame drum), Charango, bowed Psaltery and sings in English, Irish, Spanish and Sanskrit.
WHAT FOLKS SAY ABOUT FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT
“Yours was truly one of the best shows I’ve been to on ‘any’ level & it’s pretty broad: Michael Jackson, Celtic Women, James Taylor, John Denver & Four Shillings Short!!! I enjoyed not only the musical talent, but the education regarding instruments, origin etc. storytelling & mix of genuine passion, love & humor. In that regard you beat out all the others.” (Louisville, KY)
“Sunday nights’ concert featured a husband and wife duo called Four Shillings Short. They are astounding. They both have wonderful singing voices. They play an incredible variety of music from Indian Ragas to Celtic, Traditional folk and about anything else you can think of. They are very charismatic with great stage presence.” Columbus Folk Music Society,OH)
“Their musical virtuosity makes old songs sound new and new songs sound like time-worn Celtic spells.” (CITY PAGES, Wausau WI)
“They are not the Clancy Brothers or Jean Richie or Ravi Shankar but a combination of all three, laced with Irish humor. Their collection of instruments is museum-like and I’ve never seen the place so packed.” (San Gregorio General Store, CA)
“Four Shillings Short are the ultimate in coffeehouse entertainment. The variety of musical instrumentation really keeps me interested. Equal amounts of male and female energy keep the emotional content well-balanced. Song lyrics don’t get hidden underneath too much accompaniment. Harmonies are sweet; instrumental solos spirited. And best of all, their demeanor belies a commitment to the ideal of rising up singing.” (Chicory House Concerts Forty Fort, PA)
“Stunning performance last night. Folk music at its best. Well sung, well played & I lost count of how many instruments. One of the most inspiring performances I have ever witnessed.” (Berea KY)
“Four Shillings Short, celto-indo fusion duo, is a world class act.” (KMFB – Late night Liz, Fort Bragg, CA)
“These are two of the best musicians that I’ve seen come through. They are authentic, traditional and spontaneous.” (Suburban Exchange, Houghton MI)
“Four Shillings Short takes you on a musical journey through time and across the seas as they perform everything from traditional Irish tunes and airs to Indian Ragas.” (The Foothills Sun-Gazette/ Exeter, CA)
“A husband-and-wife duo of mystical musical abilities. Their sound is haunting, crystalline beauty.” (Monterey County Weekly, Monterey, CA)
“The Celtic/Folk/World music duo performs on a bevy of unusual instruments and in myriad styles. This is a great show for kids of all ages, who’ll be amazed by the duo’s thematic range.” (Glen Starkey – New Times, San Luis Obispo, CA)
November 21, 2015
SAM PACETTI
![Gamble Rogers Winter Concert](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sam-Pacetti-1024x683.jpg)
Sam Pacetti brings it all together. A fingerstyle guitar wizard. A deft songwriter, capable of haunting depth and wry humor in the space of one song. An impassioned and ecstatic vocalist, as well as a mesmerizing live performer, seamlessly melding head-spinning guitar pyrotechnics and raw emotion into one breathtaking package.
Pacetti represents a culmination of the best of the American and British traditions. His 1997 Waterbug debut, Solitary Travel, garnered critical raves. “This guy is very good, indeed,” deadpanned the highly respected (and highly critical) UK magazine Folk Roots. And Dirty Linen, the influential US roots publication, opined, “Although the woods are full of young guitar virtuosos, few have developed the style, technique and artistic wisdom of Sam Pacetti. Solitary Travel heralds the arrival of one of the most talented instrumentalists and composers to appear in acoustic music in a month of Sundays.”
www.sampacetti.com
HARM ‘N ME ‘N HIM
![Harm-n-Me-n-Him-Steves-Live-Music](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Harm-n-Me-n-Him-Steves-Live-Music.jpg)
The acoustic trio of Harmon Koeltz, Laura Monk and Michael Carthon bring with them an eclectic musical background and a collection of well loved (and not the same old often heard) tunes. With graceful harmonies and unique guitar stylings delivered on a solid bass platform, Harm ‘n Me ‘n Him delivers a menagerie of songs ranging from old standards to current hits; covering a unique mix of genres including pop, jazz, rock, Americana, folk and classics.
Laura, an Atlanta native and singer-songwriter, plays acoustic guitar and deems herself the official rhythm girl! Having performed with her own Renaissance band and others over the years, she brings a love of singing and all genres to this musical journey. Laura’s passionate vocal delivery brings songs to life and draws the listener right into the musical story.
Harmon, originally from Louisville, Kentucky, has been playing and singing with the group Harm’s Way for over 15 years and before that with many Atlanta bands. His strong, pure vocals and clever interpretations on guitar set this trio apart from other groups.
Mike, also an Atlanta native, is a classically trained double bassist from the University of Georgia. Whether he is using a big bow for the big “fiddle” or plucking or slapping those strings he makes those deep tones that reach right into your musical soul. He has performed with several symphony orchestras in the Southeast.
October 17, 2015
JOE PENLAND
![JoePenland](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/JoePenland-300x200.jpg)
Deep in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina there is a front porch that has been the destination of many folk who love these mountains, its music and stories. Grammy winners and kids with their first guitar, banjo or fiddle, Hollywood producers, writers, and folk music collectors from all over the world, have made their way to the place Joe Penland simply calls “the farm”. An invitation is not that easy to get. Joe has been singing the ballads and telling the stories over half a century, but says with enthusiasm, “Privacy is pretty precious.” And he has maintained that for a long time now. Occasionally coming out of the shelter of these mountains to sing at some festival or other, until recently he has been content to do it on the porch after the work is done.
Deemed a Cultural Treasure by The Asheville Citizen Times, and the recipient of the coveted Bascom Lunsford Award (named for the founder of the longest running folk festival in America), Joe preferred the simple life of hard work and family.
In 2004 after a serious bout with a life threatening illness, he was persuaded by some of his longtime friends to record the ballads he learned as a kid growing up in these mountains. Joe says, “I guess that I finally realized I might not live forever. I remembered the stories of my Grandpa who died before I was born. My Mamma said he could play any instrument and he taught singing schools all over this country here. She says he met Uncle Dave Macon on a train and Uncle Dave said he was the best banjo player he had ever heard. Now ain’t that something? I always thought how good it would have been to have known him or just have heard him sing. They didn’t have all these modern gadgets then that we have now, so I thought it might be the right thing to leave something for my children to have for their babies.”
Joe recorded “Standing On Tradition” – the old songs, in 2004. I did not realize that I knew so many songs until then. So I just kept on after I kinda got used to it,” he says.
“Now there’s more than enough material for five more records. Once I got started, folks said well how about that song you wrote or that song you learnt from Lee. Well, I guess I’ll have to stay around a little while longer to get ‘em all down.”
His daughter, Laurin and long-time friend, Mary Eagle, convinced him to cross the “big water” and took him to the Whitby Folk Festival in England. He sang at one performance with Mary, and “then the people just sorta carried us all around and he sang and told stories of these mountains every day for the next two weeks,” he recalls.
He was invited to Whitby again this year and according to the master storyteller Taffy Thomas, his performance was the emotional pinnacle of Whitby Folk Week.
In September of 2006, he released “Answer to My Prayer” – a collection of some of the songs he has written over the years and two covers of songs he loves. “It’s just story songs about my life and the people I have met, with a dream or two thrown in for good measure,” says Joe.
He has accepted his new found fame with his usual dry humor, He says, “I guess it’s good to have something to fall back on now that I can’t do a decent days work.”
Encouraged by his friends, novelist and singer Sheila Kay Adams and four time Grammy winner David Holt, Joe, and with the help of his daughter, Joe is writing the stories he’s been telling all these years.
In the Spring of 2012 Joe released the fifth collection called “’53 Pontiac, Songs and Stories” and continues to work quietly at his mountain home. As Joe says, “Every morning on this side of Glory is a good un and I’d best make the most of it.” What was once available to a select few is finally out in the world. If you get a chance to see Joe Penland, don’t miss it.
September 19, 2015
BRIAN ASHLEY JONES
![Brian Ashley Jones](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Brian-Ashley-Jones.png)
Brian Ashley Jones is a soulful singer, acclaimed guitarist and versatile touring songwriter whose guitar-driven, bluesy American tunes have found their way into film, television and radio, and have been recorded by many other performing artists. Originally from the Greenville/Spartanburg area of South Carolina and a longtime resident of East Nashville, TN, Brian performs internationally at festivals, concert series, clubs, music education programs and music conferences. Jones’ 3rd CD of original songs entitled Out of the City was recently released and features collaborations with Jonell Mosser, Suzi Ragsdale, Ike Stubblefield, Kevin McKendree and more! His 2007 release, Courier, made the Top 40 of the Roots Music Report, broke the Top 100 of the Americana Music Association’s album chart and received widespread commercial, college, public and international radio play. The swampy instrumental Pull ‘em Up has been featured in the widely acclaimed PBS television series Road Trip Nation and Free to Miss You has been featured in the British ITV2 network television show Amanda Holden’s Fantasy Lives. Jones’ guitar chops and relentless touring earned him a nomination for Best American Roots Guitar Player in the Alternate Root’s 2011 Reader’s Choice Awards.
APOSTLES OF BLUEGRASS
![Apostles of Bluegrass](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Apostles-of-Bluegrass.png)
The Apostles of Bluegrass is led by Johnny Roquemore, who is Creative Loafing Magazine critics’ choice as the “Best Local Singer/Songwriter” in Atlanta. The trio has played all over the South. From the highest-minded church revivals to the lowest honky-tonk dives, and on television and radio, the Apostles’ hard driving bluegrass and humorous original songs consistently amuse their audiences.
Georgia native Johnny Roquemore returned from Malibu, California after 30 years of hobnobbing with the bigwigs of music. Dubbed the “Minstrel of Malibu,” this singer-songwriter has come home to live on the family farm in Mansfield. Creative Loafing refers to Johnny as “a deranged backwoods Santa Claus…the new king of the road.”
Playing banjo, mandolin and harmonica, John Nipper is a native of Newton County, Ga. He gave up bicycle motocross to save his fingers for music.
Originally from the Chicago area, Dave Ross plays the big blue upright bass and the Dobro. Sadly, he received a banjo for his eleventh birthday and hasn’t been the same since.
“Straining the limits of bluegrass, the Apostles repertoire contains good music and intelligent composition and therefore may not be suitable for today’s listener” or so it says on their tongue-in-cheek website.
August 15, 2015
FRANK HAMILTON
![frank-hamilton](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/frank-hamilton-300x169.jpg)
Frank Hamilton has been playing traditional American folk music for many years accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and five string banjo. Frank has a reputation in folk circles as a former member of the Weavers and a co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago.
His teaching mentor was Bess Lomax Hawes, sister of folklorist and entrepreneur, Alan Lomax. He has worked as a musical sideman on recordings and movie sound tracks. He is a published songwriter and member of ASCAP. Frank has recorded and played in concert with Pete Seeger, Odetta, Woody Guthrie, The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and accompanied Jean Carignan, Martha Schlamme, and Shoshana Damari. He traveled through the South collecting folk songs and singing with Guy Carawan and Jack Elliott in the 1950’s.
Frank recorded as a soloist for Folkways Records, Concertdisc and has released his own CD, “Long Lonesome Home.” He is half of the team “Classic Jazz” with Bill Rappaport, performing songs from the Great American Songbook represented by Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and others. Frank will be playing a blend of traditional songs, originals and some international tunes as well.
ANGELA EASTERLING
![Angela Easterling](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/angela_easterling_photo_credit_jon_holloway-200x300.jpg)
Angela Easterling was raised in the South Carolina foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Much of her childhood was spent on the Greer, SC farm that has been in her family since 1791, seven generations. She embraced her heritage as a writer and an artist on her debut album, “Earning Her Wings,” chosen as “Americana Pick of the Year” by Smart Choice Music. Her second album, “BlackTop Road,” made its debut on the Americana top 40 chart, where it remained for seven weeks. Its title song tells of her family’s struggle to hold onto their farmland in the face of widespread development and represented a bold new step in her singing and songwriting.
Angela was named a 2009 & 2010 Kerrville New Folk Finalist, a 2011 Telluride Troubadour and a 2012 Wildflower Performing Songwriter Finalist. The Boston Herald cited her song “The Picture” as “Best Political Country Song” in their 2009 Year’s Best Music. Angela’s music has been featured in commercials (Southwestern Bell) and several of her songs were used in the series “Horsepower” on Animal Planet. She appeared alongside music legend Charlie Louvin on WSM radio’s “Music City Roots Live from the Loveless” show and was invited to appear on the WSM-hosted stage at the 2010 CMA Music Festival/Fan Fair, where her entire set was broadcast live. Angela has appeared on the nationally broadcast public radio program “Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know,” the popular ETV show “Making It Grow” and was also recently interviewed by noted NPR journalist Bob Edwards. She has received much airplay on Sirius/XM “Outlaw Country” channel and was invited to perform at the Smithsonian Institution’s exhibit New Harmonies: Celebrating American Root’s Music. Angela constantly tours the east coast, both solo and duo, and has appeared with her crowd-pleasing band, The Beguilers at numerous town fairs and music festivals throughout the Southeast.
Angela recently welcomed the birth of her first child in March 2013, and is composing songs for her fifth album, to be recorded later this year. Roger McGuinn, founder of the Byrds, called her “a bright shining star on the horizon!” and went on to say, “Her gift is so special. Her CD BlackTop Road brought me back to the time the Byrds recorded “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” – tradition meets youthful exuberance.” For more info on Angela, visit www.angelaeasterling.com.
July 18, 2015
THE McLAUCHLANS
![mclauchlans](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/mclauchlans-300x209.jpg)
Duncan and Glaucia McLauchlan are talented, entertaining musicians providing spirited live performances of popular Irish and Scottish music throughout Atlanta and the Southeast. Duncan is a talented Scottish singer and songwriter, as well as multi-instrumentalist with a wealth of experience. His solo CD “The Road to Destiny” has received substantial air-play on Celtic radio programs across the USA, including Atlanta WRFG’s The Celtic Show and the internationally broadcast The Thistle and Shamrock.
Glaucia is a lively percussionist from Sao Paulo, Brazil. After meeting “Dunc” at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, she swapped her background of classical piano for a life on the Celtic scene. Soon they were making beautiful music together.
Duncan McLauchlan sings and plays his songs with a passion that complements his clever and sensitive poetic style. His delicate lyrics weave a colorful tapestry on the backcloth of his tunes and rhythms, evoking a range of emotions from laugher to tears and back again. He employs a variety of instruments and his natural Scottish accent to produce a solid yet atmospheric feel in his music. His musical armory includes acoustic and electric guitars, bass, bodhran, mandolins, banjo, keyboards and various percussion instruments.
THE JIM CULLITON TRIO
![jim-culliton-trio](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/jim-culliton-trio-300x246.png)
The always exciting Jim Culliton Trio has performed throughout Georgia over the past decade with their unique high-energy blend of instrumental string music and stylistic vocals. Their underlying philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps the music fresh and exciting.
Jim Culliton has performing experience at The Fox Theatre, Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. This versatile multi-instrumentalist is one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in the mix. Put all of this in a high speed blender and you get truly an innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities, as well as a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and Auburn University (AUM).
June 20, 2015
SPARKY AND RHONDA RUCKER
![Sparky-and-Rhonda-Rucker](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sparky-and-Rhonda-Rucker-199x300.png)
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. Sparky Rucker has been performing over forty years and is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and author. He accompanies himself with finger-style picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo, and spoons. Rhonda Rucker is a musician, children’s author, storyteller, and songwriter. Her blues-style harmonica, piano, old-time banjo, and bones add musical versatility to their performances.
Sparky and Rhonda are sure to deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, slave songs, Appalachian music, spirituals, ballads, work songs, Civil War music, railroad songs, and a few of their own original compositions.
Over forty years of performing, Sparky and Rhonda have performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as NPR’s On Point, A Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and Morning Edition. Their recording, Treasures & Tears, was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award, and their music is also included on the Grammy-nominated anthology, Singing Through the Hard Times.
The Ruckers have been featured tellers at the International Storytelling Center and Festival. Sparky is a natural storyteller, having grown up hearing his father, uncles, and other family members endlessly telling tales. Sparky and Rhonda each tell solo stories, but they also tell stories together (in tandem), always adding life and humor to the characters and tricksters in their Brer Rabbit tales, Jack tales, High John the Conqueror stories, preacher tales, and family stories.
Sparky and Rhonda weave their music into captivating stories that the history books don’t always tell, and they share this knowledge in many schools, colleges, and libraries. Their educational programs span over three centuries of African-American history, including slavery, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, the birth of blues music, and the civil rights movement. Each era is interspersed with stories and popular songs from the time period, celebrating the diversity of the nation’s history. They are also available for author visits to schools and libraries.
Come and enjoy a great meal at Steve’s while being treated to delightful acoustic performances.
May 16, 2015
THE NEARLY NORMAL STRING BAND
![nearly_normal_band](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/nearly_normal_band-300x225.jpg)
Opening April’s Fiddlers’ Green is The Nearly Normal String Band consisting of Viva and Neil Araki. Neil plays acoustic guitar, fiddle and mandolin in several styles, including blues, bluegrass, Celtic, and old time Appalachian. He has played guitar since he was nine years old, and plays both finger style and flat pick style. Viva plays guitar and old time banjo and sings, and also plays a variety of musical styles. She studied guitar from the age of five, and began learning old time Appalachian style banjo about 30 years ago. She is primarily a finger picker on guitar.
Neil and Viva have played together for 26 years, and are still learning new songs, genres and styles of music. The Band plays at State Parks, coffee houses and some music festivals across north Georgia, and for parties, and weddings. They have long been active member and supporters of AAFFM.
LOUIS ROBINSON
![LouisRobinson](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/LouisRobinson-200x300.jpg)
The featured performer is Louis Robinson, British singer/songwriter now residing in Atlanta, GA. In 1969, Louis was a member of the popular London folk band, Green Ginger which performed at venues throughout the UK and Europe.
During the next twenty years, Louis Robinson appeared as a solo act and wrote songs for BBC Radio Stations throughout his country including Radio Bristol, Radio Northampton, Radio WM and Radio Cambridgeshire.
In 1975, Louis joined a traditional Ceilidh dance band, The A40 Improvement Scheme with Geoff and Joy Lakeman. In 1978 Louis wrote songs for “That Was the West That Was,” a weekly satirical radio show that won the prestigious Sony Radio Award for Best Comedy of the Year. It also won the Radio & Record News Award for Best Comedy Show. In 1984 Louis wrote the words and music for a stage musical, “A Man Out of Time,” performed in Bristol by the Bristol Light Opera Company based on the life of 19th Century inventor and engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. In 1994 Louis joined The Greensleeves Theater Company for their tour of Canada with a show called “Brush Up Your Shakespeare.”
In the twenty years between 1975 and 1995, Louis wrote over 300 songs while pursuing his career as a BBC radio and TV producer and on-air presenter. Louis’ non-music writing credits include comedy material for “Cue Gary” with Gary Wilmot for Central TV and “The Freddie Starr Show” for Carlton Television, short stories, documentaries and a play for Radio 4, “Julie and the Prince,” “Telly Addicts” with Noel Edmunds, Call My Bluff with Sandi Tosvig and Alan Coren, “Noel’s House Party,” “Noel’s Addicts” and “The Entertainment Game” with Kit and the Widow. He co-wrote a sitcom, “Plaza Patrol” for British comedy legends Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball, and contributed comedy material for their 25th Anniversary Show in Blackpool. Louis now appears at venues in and around Atlanta. In 2012 Louis began to manage a venue called The Heron House in Mountain Park and in the same year he was appointed head of middle-school music at The Cottage School in Roswell.
April 18, 2015
DAVID LEINWEBER
![david_leinweber](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/david_leinweber-300x189.png)
Opening April’s Fiddlers’ Green is David Leinweber, who plays a wide variety of venues and musical styles, ranging from rock, to blues, to folk, to gospel. Known as the “Flatpicking Professor,” Dr. Leinweber, a faculty member of Emory at Oxford, highlighted the Scottish Bluegrass Association Festival in Perth, Scotland and performs widely at regional acoustic music festivals in the South.
He has shared the stage with many fine musicians and often appears as part of the Silverbird Duo. His influences include Dylan, Neil Young, The Dead, Clapton, Norman Blake and Doc Watson. Leinweber has taught piano and guitar for 25 years and has extensive experience as a studio musician, a songwriter, and an arranger. In addition to his solo efforts, he has performed on many records, demos, and CDs by other artists. His music has been featured on radio and in many concerts throughout the Atlanta area. As one reviewer said, “(his CD) resonates with honest simplicity as well as musical and poetic talent.” Another reviewer commented, “Great picking combines with good songwriting. What more could you ask?
CLAUDIA NYGAARD
![Claudia Nygaard](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Claudia-Nygaard-300x200.jpg)
Our featured performer, Claudia Nygaard, whose captivating storytelling overflows from her songwriting into her live performance. With a voice like amber honey, and a twinkle in her eye that makes the entire audience feel she is sharing a secret with them alone, she takes them on an emotionally fearless journey with stories that expose a rare vulnerability and tenderness one moment, then a quick wit and an outlandish, irreverent sense of humor the next. Her songs move from heartfelt to humorous and from scrappy to sensual, and all the while the stories she tells in between them are as entertaining as the songs themselves.
A former Nashville Music Row staff songwriter and a winner of numerous awards including the Kerrville, TX Folk Festival songwriting competition, Nygaard has learned her craft well. Her latest CD “Let The Storm Roll In” rose to the coveted #1 position on the Cashbox Roots Country Chart and #8 on the Folk DJ Chart – with every one of her self-penned compositions receiving airplay. The album received glowing reviews from the press that included five stars from Americana benchmark “Maverick” magazine. The legendary Folk music magazine “Sing Out” claimed her songs “rival the likes of Guy Clark or Ian Tyson”.
Claudia Nygaard has performed at over 200 fairs and festivals in the United States and 9 foreign countries. Endorsements from merchandisers attest to her strength as a guitarist, and she was chosen one of the Emerging Artists of 2009 by the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.
March 21, 2015
THE IRISH BROTHERS
![The_Irish_Brothers](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The_Irish_Brothers-300x226.jpg)
Opening the evening will be The Irish Brothers – Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen, a unique team. Sandyman comes from the mountains of western North Carolina; the Captain hailing from the canyons of New York City. Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville.
George honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material. Their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the ‘new country’ – from traditional Irish ballads, to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
CARLA ULBRICH
![Carla_Ulbrich](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Carla_Ulbrich-300x168.jpg)
Carla Ulbrich is a comical singer-songwriter and guitarist from Clemson, South Carolina and currently living in New Jersey. (Insert your own punchline here.) She calls herself “a professional smart aleck.”
Primarily known for writing humorous songs about such topics as wedgies, the Waffle House, Klingons and how rich she would be if she had a copyright on the ‘F’ Word, she has won numerous awards including First Place in the South Florida Folk Festival Songwriter Competition and “Novelty Song of the Year” at the Just Plain Folks Awards. Carla cites her biggest musical influences as Sesame Street, camp song, and cat food commercials.
Carla is also a survivor of catastrophic illness and author of the resulting book, “How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This?” During her many hours in doctors’ waiting rooms she wrote humorous parodies lampooning her frustrating experience with the U.S. health care system, which she released on her best-selling 2004 CD “Sick Humor.”
Currently at work on her sixth CD, Carla has toured all over the U.S. and England and has appeared on ABC, USA Network, the BBC, Dr. Demento, Sirius XM Radio and The Bob and Sherrie Show, as well as appearing as a background actor in “Sharknado 2.”
February 21, 2015
HARM’S WAY
![Harms way](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Harms-way-300x197.png)
Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koetz on guitar and lead vocals, Doug Weiss on lead guitar and vocals, Scot Boze on vocals and Mike Carthon on bass. This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
As with most groups, members occasionally join or leave or re-join the group. But, the core members have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and while they take the music very seriously, don’t take themselves seriously at all!
Come and enjoy a great meal at Steve’s while being treated to delightful acoustic performances.
MARK STUART
![Mark Stuart](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Mark-Stuart.png)
Mark Stuart has been a fixture on the Americana/Folk music scene for seventeen years. Non-stop touring landed the artist in theaters, clubs, radio, television, house concerts, festivals and coffeehouses. Much of this was solo, much of it in a duo “Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart”. A fine singer, musician, and songwriter he is. In his performances expect stellar guitar work, soulful vocals, and thought-provoking songs. Interesting stories find their way into his show, too.
A career that has repeatedly taken Stuart to Europe, UK, Canada, and 49 of the United States includes having begun in his native Nashville as a teenage working musician. From membership in the Nashville Rebels (his father’s band that appeared in the Waylon Jennings movie “The Nashville Rebel”) to sideman stints for Steve Earle, Freddy Fender, Joan Baez, and Steve Forbert he has NEVER STOPPED WORKING as an active musical force. In previous years the artist fronted rock/blues bands of his own that included notable guitarists Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule, Allman Brothers Band) and Dave Rawlings (Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlings Machine) serving HIM as second guitarist!
Mark Stuart celebrated his 50th birthday in January 2015 and is touring as heavily as ever. Audiences will find his usual material from solo CDs and Stacey Earle/Mark Stuart CDs. But, they will also hear a special nod toward the artist Paul McCartney for the calendar year. Mark will expose which of his own songs were influenced by McCartney’s style and play Sir Paul’s music in Stuart style.
January 17, 2015
HANK WEISMAN & DON McCALL
![Hank & Don 1](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Hank-Don-1-300x269.jpg)
This talented duo is making its first billed performance at this edition of Fiddlers Green. Hank Weisman led a weekly folk music sing-along at Steve’s Live Music for over a year and a half. During that time, his most faithful participant was Don McCall who would join in with his flat picking on a booming Gibson guitar plus great vocal harmony. At times, newcomers who came to sing or just listen would ask, “Are you a group?” Finally, to avoid explanations, Hank and Don just replied, “Yes!” And so a new duo was born.
Hank Weisman has played guitar since age 6 and has been a fan of folk music even longer! He has been a solo performer and in groups (usually duos) while in secondary school, college and ever since. During his sixteen year residency in Savannah and on Tybee Island, he led the Savannah Folk Music Society, initiating and hosting the group’s monthly “First Friday for Folk Music” coffeehouse concert series (1996-2011), organizing the annual Savannah Folk Music Festival (including his creation: a youth songwriting competition), and holding other concerts, workshops and activities. Since his 2011 return to the Atlanta area, Hank has been on Atlanta Area Friends of Folk Music’s or AAFFM’s Board and assisted with such matters as writing press releases and bookings for Fiddlers Green.
Hank particularly loves the music of the “Folk Revival” – the sounds of his youth during the 1950s and 1960s. He often performs traditional folk songs that were reprised during that era as well as the great songs written in that period. At the same time, Hank appreciates and likes more contemporary folk. For those reasons, he enjoyed bringing to shows in Savannah such folk icons as Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey, Tom Paxton, Tom Rush, Jesse Winchester, Karla Bonoff, Janis Ian, John Gorka, Norman Blake, The Limeliters, The Tannahill Weavers, Bill Staines, John McCutcheon, Josh White Jr., Si Kahn, David Mallett, Guy Davis, Jay Unger, The Carolina Chocolate Drops and many, many more.
Don McCall has frequented folk gatherings and jams in the Atlanta area for a long time. His skillful flat picking enables him to take the lead on virtually any song and he is often encouraged to do so. Don has a wide range of musical interests but his preferences are manifested by the fact that you won’t catch him missing the annual Merlefest. As indicated above, Don was a loyal attendee of Hank’s folk sing-along sessions, absent only when visitations to his native Michigan, ski trips out West or Merlefest took place. The duo hopes to select tunes that audience members recall and wish to sing along to.
SEAN GASKELL
![Sean Gaskell](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sean-Gaskell-200x300.jpg)
Sean Gaskell features traditional songs on the Kora, a 21 string harp that he learned how to play throughout the course of multiple visits to its homeland in Gambia, West Africa. The Kora is native to the Mandinka people who live within the countries of Gambia, Senegal, Mali, Guinea, and Guinea Bissau.
The music is traditionally played by oral and musical historians known as Griots (Gree-ohs). The Kora is a very melodic and seemingly peaceful instrument, which is contrary to its musical repertoire. Many songs tell ancient stories of war and hardship, while others praise people of high political status and those who helped expand the Mande empire. While the Kora is only 300 years old, some commonly played songs can be traced back 800 years to the founding of the Mande empire. Gaskell has studied extensively under the instruction of Malamini Jobarteh and Moriba Kuyateh, both of Brikama, Gambia. Gaskell’s first Kora teacher Kane Mathis, led both “The Kora Band” and “The Sahel Band”. Gaskell relocated from Seattle to Asheville, North Carolina in 2014. He has been featured at numerous festivals in the US, Gambia, and Senegal.
December 20, 2014
REDWINE JAM
![Red Wine Jam at Fiddlers Green](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Red-Wine-Jam-at-Fiddlers-Green-300x243.jpg)
Redwine Jam is a folk music trio comprised of Chris and Carol Moser, who for years led the Celtic band Barney’s Goat, and guitar/bass virtuoso Skip Romaner. They perform a wide range of North American and Celtic folk songs and tunes, from traditional material to newly written compositions by contemporary folk legends. They offer audiences an eclectic mix of story ballads, love songs, lively instrumental tunes, and mischievous humor. They accompany their vocals with guitar, bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, mountain dulcimer, flute, pennywhistle and bodhran (not all at the same time).
For the December show the trio will charm with their favorite seasonal folk music from the British Isles, Ireland and North America — ranging from English wren carols to sprightly fiddle tunes to the outlandish Irish-American vaudeville song Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake to John McCutcheon’s classic Christmas in the Trenches. A musical feast guaranteed to warm the heart and drive the cold winter away!
Despite its name, “Redwine Jam” is not a sweet alcoholic concoction suitable for spreading on toast. Still, folk music fans around Atlanta find it appetizing and heady! Redwine Jam is a musical act consisting of Chris and Carol Moser, sometimes joined by musically gifted friends. At Fiddler’s Green they’ll be proudly performing with guitar/bass virtuoso Skip Romaner. Chris and Carol are veteran semi-professional musicians best known in recent years for leading the Celtic music band Barney’s Goat. As Redwine Jam they offer an eclectic mix of North American and Celtic folk music, both traditional and contemporary. They play a wide array of instruments including guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, flute, recorder, mountain dulcimer, and bodhran (Celtic drum).
A Redwine Jam performance can carry the audience on an emotional rollercoaster complete with high-spirited roots music, wry humor, gripping story songs, love ballads, and the sheer joy of homemade music. Whether performing as a duo or with other musicians who add their own spices to the mix, Chris and Carol make an evening with Redwine Jam a delectable treat.
HIGH TEA
![High Tea](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/High-Tea-300x224.png)
Formed in February of 2014, High Tea is a trio comprised of Heidi Pollyea, Jedd Dotson and Teresa Powell. Each brings something unique to the band, and all agree that there is a wonderful chemistry between them. Their original songs are emotionally evocative and are reminiscent of all things Americana: folk, rock, blues, and jazz. Learn more at www.highteaatlanta.com.
Heidi Pollyea is a folk rock musician with vocal influences from artists like Linda Rondstadt and Shawn Colvin. As a trained jazz pianist and folk rock guitar player with gospel, latin and soul influences, Heidi’s songs range from poignant to funky to humorous or a combination of all. She is an avid animal advocate with some songs speaking directly to her love and concern for them. As a private music instructor, Heidi loves sharing the joy of music making, engaging her audience and encouraging them to sing or clap along. When not performing on her own, she loves playing with other musicians including a group that pays homage to the great singer/songwriters of our time called Taylor Made and another that combines high energy and hot harmonies as the original project High Tea.
Jedd Dotson has been a premier guitarist/vocalist for many years and with various bands throughout the southeast, including the highly popular Footloose and Gopher Broke. He joined forces with Heidi in 2012 and now with the addition of Teresa is thrilled to be an integral part of High Tea. Originally from Tennessee, Jedd currently resides in Blue Ridge, GA, where he can be found playing regularly at the Blue Ridge Brewery and The Toccoa River Restaurant along with Bobby Don Bloodworth.
Teresa Powell is a bassist and vocalist. She has been a musician from a young age and has performed professionally in diverse genres such as bluegrass, folk, rock, jazz. Like Jedd and Heidi, Teresa occasionally performs with other bands, which include eclectic folk trio Three Weird Sisters, folk/blues duo Birds of a Feather, and a 9-piece jazz ensemble called Play It With Moxie. A founding member of High Tea, Teresa brings her enthusiasm for harmony vocals to the band.
November 15, 2014
SAM PACETTI
![Gamble Rogers Winter Concert](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sam-Pacetti-300x200.jpg)
Sam Pacetti brings it all together. A finger-style guitar wizard. A deft songwriter, capable of haunting depth and wry humor in the space of one song. An impassioned and ecstatic vocalist, as well as a mesmerizing live performer, seamlessly melding head-spinning guitar pyrotechnics and raw emotion into one breathtaking package.
Dirty Linen, the influential US roots publication, opined, “Although the woods are full of young guitar virtuosos, few have developed the style, technique and artistic wisdom of Sam Pacetti. (the album,) Solitary Travel heralds the arrival of one of the most talented instrumentalists and composers to appear in acoustic music in a month of Sunday’s.”
Sam Pacetti grew up in North Florida, hardly known as a hotbed of either the folk tradition or musical innovation. At age 13 he found the music of both Chet Atkins and Merle Travis, profound influences on his early musical development. Then fate intervened shortly afterward in the person of Gamble Rogers, the legendary picker and raconteur from St. Augustine who took the young Pacetti under his wing. It was a time of astonishing musical and emotional growth. Pacetti and Rogers met and played weekly for a year, until tragically Rogers died while trying to save a drowning tourist caught in an undertow at Flagler Beach Florida. Though brief in their time together, Rogers was able to instill in Pacetti the importance of the folk process, the passing of music and oral tradition from teacher to student. Pacetti still counts Rogers as his most influential mentor.
Tradition and innovation neatly balance in Sam Pacetti’s music, the whole infused by a relentless intelligence intent on musical and philosophical synthesis. Martin Simpson, Richard Thompson, Joni Mitchell and Merle Travis are touchstones to Pacetti, and while there are strong elements of the American primitive school of guitar wizardry throughout his work, there is a powerful raw emotionality evident as well – an earthy sensuality more reminiscent of a Greg Brown or a red-dirt blues master than of a musical academian.
Word has started to spread about Sam Pacetti. And as with anything truly innovative, it starts at the grassroots. You won’t see Pacetti written up in People or Us. You won’t hear his music on Top-40 radio. No, word is spreading about Sam Pacetti the way true innovation always does – through the grassroots, through non-commercial radio and “specialty show” play. From tapes and CDs passed from friend to friend. At folk festivals and listening rooms. And, in the tradition stemming from the days of rent-raising parties in the Mississippi delta – and now carried on by music aficionados unable to find music that interest them within the mainstream.
October 18, 2014
RON FETNER
![Ron Fetner](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/319758t.jpg)
Stir up some singer/songwriter, folky blues, add a little soulful blues and rock, and you come up with the influences which molded Ron Fetner’s musical career. From his early days of sneaking in old blues and early rock clubs, Ron was being influenced by the music which touched his soul. That’s something he never forgot nor left behind. Even while performing with some Washington, DC’s biggest bands, Ron always had a feeling there was a deeper meaning for his career.
After years of paying his dues, Ron finally had enough songs under his belt to release his first solo CD in 1997 entitled “This Box I’m Looking Through”. Acoustic/Public Radio quickly took notice and started playing songs from this CD, including “The Folk Sampler with Mike Flynn” and WHRO/Barry Graham’s “Acoustic Highway”. Ron was also a winner in the sixth Songwriters Association of Washington’s Mid-Atlantic Song Contest.
Ron released another solo CD, “Turning for Home” in 2001. “Turning for Home” was a totally acoustic project which propelled Ron onto the Kerrville, TX stage and a win in the prestigious Kerrville NewFolk competition. Quickly following, came awards at Doc Watson’s/Merlefest Chris Austin Song Contest, Falcon Ridge’s Emerging Artist Showcase, the Austin Songwriter Group and Winfield, Kansas’ Walnut Valley Song Showcase.
In 2005, Ron released “Defying Gravity”, which was recorded in Chris Rosser’s Asheville, NC studio. “Gravity” included the holiday favorite, “My Name is Justin”, which Ron has provided as a holiday anthem for the Salvation Army’s annual Angel Tree campaign.
“Sunday Morning Blue” followed in 2009, which Ron recorded at home, and again worked with good friend Kim Person, doing mixing and editing. “Sunday Morning” included his versions of “Route 66” and “House of the Rising Sun”, along with newly written songs like “Don’t Burn the Zion Church” and “Carolina Rain.”
Ron’s next recording effort came in January 2011 when he and harpist Tom Dikon teamed to win the Tidewater IBC Blues Challenge. Tom and Ron produced a 6-song EP for their trip to Memphis to compete against other “Challenge” winners. “Watch Your Step” included five original songs written by Tom and Ron and a new version of “Route 66″. His latest recording came in 2012 when he was offered the opportunity to play and sing on Blues great, Eddie Shaw’s newest CD, “Still Riding High.”
Ron has appeared at major festivals like Kerrville Folk Festival, Merlefest, Falcon Ridge, Tucson Folk Festival and First Night-Asheville, and in top venues like Nashville’s Bluebird Café, Little Rock’s Acoustic Sounds Café, Memphis’s Pig On Beale and DC’s famous “The Bayou”. Ron has opened/ shared stages with Trisha Yearwood, David Wilcox, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Kate Campbell, and Dire Straits just to name a few. Ron is still riding high, enjoying playing in venues which love to be entertained with Ron’s enthusiastic performances. Don’t miss an opportunity to see Ron in person.
DAVID LEINWEBER
![david_leinweber](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/david_leinweber1-300x189.png)
Opening for Ron Fetner is David Leinweber, who plays a wide variety of venues and musical styles, ranging from rock, to blues, to folk, to gospel. Known as the “Flatpicking Professor,” Dr. Leinweber, a faculty member of Emory at Oxford, highlighted the Scottish Bluegrass Association Festival in Perth, Scotland and performs widely at regional acoustic music festivals in the South. He has shared the stage with many fine musicians and often appears as part of the Silverbird Duo. His influences include Dylan, Neil Young, The Dead, Clapton, Norman Blake and Doc Watson. Leinweber has taught piano and guitar for 25 years and has extensive experience as a studio musician, a songwriter, and an arranger. In addition to his solo efforts, he has performed on many records, de-mos, and CDs by other artists. His music has been featured on radio and in many concerts throughout the Atlanta area. As one reviewer said, “(his CD) resonates with honest simplicity as well as musical and poetic talent.” Another reviewer commented, “Great picking combines with good songwriting. What more could you ask?”
September 20, 2014
GIBSON WILBANKS
![GibsonWilbanks](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/GibsonWilbanks-300x191.jpg)
When Carly Gibson and BJ Wilbanks first began collaborating musically during the summer of 2011, it was like milk chocolate meeting peanut butter…a beautiful and tasty combination! Up to that point, they had each been pursuing separate solo singer/songwriter careers, but something truly magical took place when they began writing and performing together.
Carly Gibson gained a lot of attention as a songwriter, singer and guitar player when she was selected to attend the GRAMMY guitar and songwriter camps in Los Angeles, designed to allow talented young artists the opportunity to work, learn and play with the music industry’s top professionals. Now a 2013 graduate from Atlanta Institute of Music’s acclaimed guitar program, Carly is what you would call a triple threat: she not only composes soulful and sophisticated music, she also sings beautifully and plays a mean acoustic guitar. In addition, she has earned a substantial reputation for her skill on electric guitar, having performed for a period of time as a lead guitarist with mentor, Caroline Aiken. Though youthful, Carly sports an old soul; her dedication to her art is readily apparent in her performance.
Calhoun, GA native B.J. Wilbanks creates blues-infused music reminiscent of a bygone era, combining deeply-rooted Delta blues, country, funk, soul, and acoustic Southern rock to create a sound that is familiar, yet uniquely his own. His heartwarming tales of heartache, love, and home combine artfully with an engaging live performance that, in one moment can sit you back in your chair and in the next, rock you right back out of it! Wilbanks crafts his distinctive sound with his acoustic guitar, often accompanied by finger slide or harmonica. His original songs range from break-your-heart romantic to stomp-your-foot grooving, merging back-porch soul rhythm with a gospel vocal overtone and a steady beat. He’ll often sling his guitar over his lap to play a slide tune that evokes the image of old field working men and chase it with a contrasting tune filled with sweet strumming, gentle singing and smooth picking.
Together as Gibson Wilbanks, Carly and BJ have combined their considerable songwriting and musical skills to create the unique and popular Southern bluesy sound that helped them to win the coveted songwriter’s open mic competitions at Eddie’s Attic in December of 2011 and in November of 2013 at Eddie Owen Presents @ Red Clay Theatre. They may be found at clubs and festivals throughout the South.
Visit their website at www.gibsonwilbanks.com.
JEAN-PAUL and DOMINIQUE CARTON
![Cartons](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Cartons.jpg)
Jean-Paul and Dominique Carton have a love of folk music that dates back to the “hootenannies” of the 1960’s, but these musical events at Newport or other U.S. locales. They were in their native France. And though they heard and enjoyed the Folk Revival songs that were imported from the United States, they also reveled in the traditional music of their own country and songs from other parts of Europe.
Having spent many years in the American southland, the Cartons have great love and appreciation for Americana, especially bluegrass. But they have a deeper appreciation of this music and its origins than most as they know how it relates to its European roots. Their repertoire includes French folk dance music, French-Canadian tunes, Louisiana Cajun music and Appalachian bluegrass, among other genre.
The couple sing and play with great joy and have mastered a wide-range of traditional instruments. An evening with the Cartons is likely to include sounds from the guitar, the bass, the mandolin, the fiddle, the accordion, the concertina and more – even the unique sound of the hurdy-gurdy, an acquired taste! Each instrument is played with great skill and obvious affection. The patter of the performance is punctuated by droll French humor. Their CD, “Tough Night for the Bride!” is a wonderful collection of their favorite French folk and dance tunes.
Residing in Metter, Georgia – not far from Georgia Southern University where Jean-Paul taught French for many years – the couple manages to play many Southern stages and festivals. They are regulars at the festivals and concerts put on by the Savannah Folk Music Society.
August 16, 2014
BLACKFOOT DAISY
![Blackfoot Daisy](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Blackfoot-Daisy.jpg)
Blackfoot daisies are hearty wild flowers that grow on the prairies of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. You can find them growing naturally in the Texas Blackland prairie, which runs from the Red River to the Texas-Oklahoma border. The band, BLACKFOOT DAISY, is a humble trio (sometimes duo) that plays original, Americana style music. Based in the Atlanta metro area, the members are a little haunted by the prairie, the wind, the shifting of tall grasses, the sound of crickets, and a lonesome train whistle drifting through the night.
BLACKFOOT DAISY is a blend of three very talented musicians. Songwriter Don Sechelski is featured on guitar and vocals. Don has been writing and performing music in the Atlanta area for over 30 years. From Atlanta to New Orleans to Chicago and back to Atlanta, he is still chasing the buffalo.
Wendy DuMond also plays guitar, sings and writes songs. Wendy has the soul of a poet and the vision of an artist. From Montana, through Oklahoma, up to New York, and back to Atlanta, she follows the Bucking Horse Moon.
Adam Sechelski is found on guitar, mandolin, percussion, vocals. Adam is the backbeat, the glue that holds it together. Atlanta to Boston to Mississippi and back to Atlanta, Adam is a stage gypsy, an actor, and a dreamer.
VIENTOS DEL PUEBLO
![vientos del pueblo](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/vientos-del-pueblo-240x300.jpg)
Vientos del Pueblo is composed of musicians from different countries, cultural backgrounds, and musical styles. They all, however, love Andean music.
Mauricio Amaya left El Salvador in 1983 and now resides in Atlanta, GA. As a multi-instrumentalist, Mauricio is well versed in charango, guitar, zampoña, native American flutes, percussion, and vocals just to name a few. Mauricio’s solo debut CD “Fields of War and Peace” was released in 2000. Mauricio has been playing with VdP since nearly its inception. When he is not busy joking about his vegetarian charango or working away at his day job as a chemist, you can catch him soloing at Salsa Havana in Atlanta on Friday evenings.
Siobhan Brennan began playing Latin rhythms in the ’80s while living in Washinton,D.C. Siobhan is a self-taught guitarist whose exposure to the Andean style of music spans the U.S., Bolivia and Chile. Upon her return to the States and moving to Atlanta, she joined up with founding member Cristian Zamora to begin the first version of VdP. Siobhan currently lives in Atlanta.
Cristian Zamora, a native of viña del Mar, Chile, is one of the founding members of VdP. Since his arrival in the U.S., Cristian has evolved into an exceptional quena and zampoña performer. He is also well versed in the art of playing charango and guitar. When he is not playing, he enjoys designing and building his own furniture.
Heather Hart began playing violin at the age of five. As a classical musician, she has performed as an orchestral and chamber musician throughout the Southeast U.S. and Europe. Heather holds degrees in music performance from the North Carolina School of the Arts, Oberlin Conservatory and Florida State University. She enjoys listening to and playing different styles of music and was excited to join Vientos del Pueblo in 2008. She currently freelances and teaches in the Atlanta area.
July 19, 2014
LILAC WINE
![Lilac Wine](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Lilac-Wine-300x231.jpg)
Lilac Wine is best described as a sweet and heady musical recipe. The main ingredients are unexpected song choices, skillful musicianship and adventurous arrangements that magically combine into music that both alluring and hypnotic for the listener. For Rob Henson, founding member and bassist, Lilac Wine provides the ideal ensemble that can passionately play many musical genres other than the typical jazz and folk styles most commonly associated with acoustic groups.
As one of Atlanta’s most versatile musicians, Rob has played and/or recorded as a bass player with a wide array of musical groups including the Yacht Rock Revue, the Atlanta Symphony, Telegram, the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, Jukebox Fiasco, the Atlanta Ballet, and numerous singer-songwriters such as Shawn Mullins, David Ryan Harris and Vince Gill. From 2006 – 2012 Rob recorded and toured the United States with singer/songwriter Corey Smith, playing over 150 shows a year, as well as recording five studio albums, and opening for legendary acts such as ZZ Top, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Snoop Dog, and Eric Church.
In late 2013, Rob recruited first-call guitarist, singer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist Grant Reynolds to be the Swiss army knife of the future Lilac Wine lineup. Relocating from LA to his hometown of Atlanta in 2008, Grant has worked with many respected local music artists including Heather Luttrell, Brian Collins Band, Gareth Asher, Davin McCoy, Lefty Williams Band, Francisco Vidal, Sonia Leigh, and Yacht Rock Schooner. Known for his technical proficiency, adaptability, and well-rounded musicality, Grant also co-founded the electrifying Reynolds & Williams Band with Joel Williams (former Zac Brown Band guitarist), and has most recently toured and recorded with Collective Soul frontman Ed Roland’s new endeavor, “Ed Roland & the Sweet Tea Project.”
In sharp contrast to Grant and Rob, music in the beginning for vocalist Larissa Mia was simply a means of escape, as opposed to expression. Lilac Wine is really her first band – just a year ago she would only sing in private at home. Along with teaching herself how to play the guitar, Larissa’s curiosity for public performance came only after graduating from Vanderbilt University and returning to Atlanta to start a career in HR. She soon came to the conclusion that she would much rather sing than do anything else and decided to take her talent to the next level by performing at Atlanta-area open mic competitions. At one such event, fate would introduce to her Rob and Grant. Her voice was soulful and sultry, like mist on a cool damp night.
JIM CULLITON & ROB HENSON DUO
![Jim Culliton & Rob Henson Duo](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Jim-Culliton-Rob-Henson-Duo-300x300.jpg)
The spirited duo of multi-instrumentalist Jim Culliton and bassist Rob Henson have performed together throughout Georgia over the past decade with their unique blend of instrumental string music. Their underlying philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps the music fresh and exciting.
Along with Rob, whose background is described above, the duo features Jim Culliton, an accomplished musician who plays banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, bass and more. Jim plays many venues in the Atlanta area and is also a gifted teacher who frequently leads workshops and classes in bluegrass and other playing styles. Jim and Rob will perform some of the original compositions from Jim’s 2000 release CD recording Everyday A New Life on Ladybug Records and put their own twist on songs by other artists.
Jim Culliton has performing experience at The Fox Theatre, Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. This versatile multi-instrumentalist is one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in the mix. Put all of this in a high speed blender and you get truly a innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities, as well as a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and Auburn University (AUM).
June 21, 2014
DANA COOPER
![danacooper](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/danacooper-300x225.jpg)
Out of the heartland of America, Dana Cooper dedicated himself to a life of music over 40 years ago. This song poet engages and inspires audiences around the world with his quick wit, insightful stories and commanding presence. He has performed on Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage and the Kerrville Folk Festival where he was nominated for their Hall of Fame. Cooper’s songs have been recorded by top-notch artists such as bluegrass star Claire Lynch; Irish vocalist Maura O’Connell; and luminary songwriters Pierce Pettis and Susan Werner. Cooper’s mixture of flat-picking, finger-picking and percussive strumming style is legend among other guitarists. An expressive singer his voice is ageless evoking a rich lifetime of experience.
At 12 he sang, played drums, guitar and harmonica in local bands. By 13 he began writing his own songs and at 16 he performed regularly at the prestigious Vanguard Coffeehouse in Kansas City. His deep love and commitment to a life of music drew Cooper away from an art scholarship. Cooper took to the road touring Midwest college coffeehouses for one year then sold an electric guitar and his entire record collection to buy a one-way ticket to Los Angeles. Four months later he was signed to Elektra Records where his first album was released in 1973.
Cooper eventually moved to Texas writing, performing and recording with Shake Russell in the late 70s and with his own power trio, DC3 during the early 80s. Returning to his roots as a solo performer Cooper relocated to Nashville in 1988. He has become an integral figure in the Music City songwriting community collaborating with renowned writers such as Tom Kimmel, Sally Barris, Kim Carnes and Don Henry. Cooper has been invited to participate in songwriting workshops from Belfast to Copenhagen to Austin.
His prolific endeavors have resulted in 20 albums. The critically acclaimed Miracle Mile on Compass Records was nominated for a Nashville Music Award as “Best Pop Album” and was chosen by Performing Songwriter magazine as one of the top DIY recordings for the year. Harry Truman Built a Road was named one of the best records of 2002 by The Tennessean and was also chosen as one of the top twelve DIY recordings for that year. Made of Mud released on King Easy Records in 2005 won Cooper the “Best Male Songwriter Award” by Indie Acoustic Project. Working with co-producer/guitarist Thomm Jutz, Cooper recently released The Conjurer which features some of the bluesiest, rawest music of his career. Grammy-award-winning singer/songwriter Kim Carnes, who also co-wrote the opening song, “Enough”, joins Cooper on vocals. Dana Cooper continues to tour the United States and Europe gaining new fans wherever he goes.
For more information about Dana Cooper, visit his website at www.danacoopermusic.com.
GEORGE HERGEN
![George Hergen](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/8-300x199.jpg)
“Captain George” Hergen was born and raised in New York City. He found his way into Greenwich Village at an early age and has been singing and playing ever since. George bases his performance around the music and performers of the 60s folk revival period. He has played at folk clubs, festivals, coffeehouses, pubs, taverns, schools and at private homes and parties all along the Eastern seaboard. Opening at Fiddlers Green on June 21st, he will be appearing with a pair of his many musical friends.
“Sandyman Flynn” is a former songwriter from music row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville and a founding member of the band Cullowee that toured nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s/80s. The “Sandyman” has been performing along with Captain George for over 25 years (often as the duo “The Irish Brothers”).
Also joining Captain George, Louis Robinson is a British singer/songwriter. In a long career, he has played at every major folk venue in England, including folk clubs and festivals around the British Isles and Europe. He has performed on BBC radio and TV, and his songs have been recorded by artists in the UK and the USA. Louis is based in Atlanta.
May 17, 2014
MINDY SIMMONS
![Mindy_Simmons](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Mindy_Simmons-300x281.jpg)
A dose of singer/songwriter Mindy Simmons is just what the laugh doctor ordered. She is truly a great performer who guides her audience down the bumpy road of life smiling all the way. She combines quick wit and charm with a voice that moves flawlessly from satin smooth to gutsy, creating a memorable performance that feels like an evening with your best friend.
A seasoned professional, Mindy has toured nationwide since 1980. Her repertoire is a soulful combination of originals and standards that has shaped her career to become a successful artist selling thousands of her CD’s to her growing loyal fan base.
Mindy energizes her audiences with her delightful interaction and broad emotional performances. She is especially adept at engaging an audience with her witty banter between songs as well as her songs themselves, which show a finely crafted detail mixed with some pathos and healthy doses of humor.
Based in Sarasota, Florida, Mindy continues to be a mainstay performer at major folk festivals throughout the State of Florida. The Florida Folk Festival, the Gamble Rogers Music Festival and the Sarasota Folk Festival. In her 30 years as an entertainer Mindy has shared concert stages with many other great performers. Among them Loudin Wainwright III, Cliff Eberhardt, Cosy Sheridan, Asleep At The Wheel, Albert King, Vance Gilbert and John Hammond Jr.
“Think, Carol Burnett meets Peggy Lee and you’ve got Mindy Simmons.” Says producer Mitch Lind of the Riverhawk Music Festival, “This Lady combines wit and fun with a bluesy mood that can erupt into a musical barnstorm at any moment. She is cool…and in charge of her audience!” Margaret Longhill of the Will McLean Music Festival adds, “Mindy is one of our favorite festival performers. Year after year she never fails to surprise and delight our audiences. We love Miss Mindy Lou!”
For more information about Mindy Simmons, visit her website at www.mindysimmons.com.
April 19, 2014
LAUREN LAPOINTE
![lauren-lapointe](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/lauren-lapointe-300x229.jpg)
Lauren Lapointe is a Savannah, GA-¬based singer/songwriter who has been gaining recognition across the country for her soulful songs, unique voice, and strong live performances. Her third and newest CD, “Superhero” was produced by Thomm Jutz (Nanci Griffith, Mary Gauthier) in Nashville and features twelve original Americana, roots¬rock, pop, and old country songs supported by world-¬class musicians. Lauren is, as one of her songs puts it, a “Canadian Belle.” She was born and raised in Eastern Canada but chooses to make her home in Savannah – the gracious home of Southern hospitality.
Her album, “Superhero” debuted at #6 on the Cashbox Magazine/Roots Music Report’s Georgia Airplay chart and #16 on the Cashbox Magazine/Root’s Music Report’s Country/Americana Internet Airplay Top 50. It has since been played on over 100 stations in the U.S. and is receiving much international radio play as well. Leicester Bangs in the UK described it as “an engaging combination of classic country, narrative songwriting, and plentiful hooks.” In November 2013 Lufthansa Airlines selected her song “The Ghost of Elvis” for their inflight program.
Lapointe continues to make a name for herself as a strong and versatile live performer and has played at many renowned listening rooms across the nation including the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, the Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, the Jefferson Freedom Cafe in Ft. Worth, TX, and Anderson Fair in Houston, TX.
What do others say of her work? “This is just pure, honest music here, created with talent and passion and deserving of wider spread notice,” says Music Morsals. “An excellent album (“Superhero”) by a gifted songwriter,” says Fatea Records of the UK. “A great talent!” ¬ says Steve Young (songwriter of “Seven Bridges Road” recorded by the Eagles and “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” recorded by Waylon Jennings). “An acclaimed live performer…Lapointe has definitive gifts with melody and lyrics,”¬ says Kathleen Wehle of ¬ Southeast Performer Magazine. “A gifted and openhearted storyteller with a flair for melody,” says Sloan Wainwright, Derby Disc Music recording artist.
For more information about Lauren Lapointe, go to www.laurenl.com.
HARM ‘N ME!
![Harm_and_Me-_Press_images](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Harm_and_Me-_Press_images-300x166.png)
The acoustic duo of Harmon Koeltz and Laura Monk bring with them an eclectic musical background and a collection of well-loved (and not the same old often heard!) tunes. With graceful harmonies and a unique guitar style, Harm ‘n’ Me delivers a menagerie of songs ranging from old standards to current hits; covering a unique mix of genres including pop,jazz, rock, Americana, folk and classics. While you won’t hear any Mozart (unless a “young’n” requests Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!) don’t be surprised if a little Louis Jordan turns up right after The Rolling Stones.
Laura Monk, an Atlanta native and lead singer with Americana band, High Cotton, has joined Harmon Koeltz, originally from Louisville, Kentucky, but in Atlanta since 1961 (making him an honorary native) in this sideline venture of an intimate delivery of cover tunes. Harm plays and sings as well with the group, Harm’s Way. Both have a wealth of musical experience in performance.
March 15, 2014
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
![BoAF](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/BoAF-300x233.jpg)
Birds of a Feather is an artistic collaboration between Dr. Mary Crowell and Teresa Gibson Powell, who also perform together in the Pegasus Award winning folk band, Three Weird Sisters. Close friends, Mary and Teresa missed performing together when their Three Weird Sisters bandmates moved away from the South, so the formation of Birds of a Feather was their way of solving that problem. They borrow from the material used in their other collaborations, and incorporate their own original songs as well as select covers of tunes by artists they admire.
Mary lives in Athens, Alabama. She has taught piano and composition for twenty plus years; she also plays clarinet, bass clarinet, and is learning to play the cello. She has taught music theory, piano, and music appreciation at Calhoun Community College in Decatur, Alabama, but currently maintains a private studio where she teaches piano and composition. Mary also composes, transcribes, and arranges music and enjoys accompanying. She loves playing Rachmaninov, Chopin, Gershwin, Bach and jazz standards; practicing yoga, gardening; and gaming with good friends. Mary Crowell has a B.A. in piano performance from Huntingdon College, M.M. in musicology from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and a D.M.A. in music composition — also from the University of Alabama.
Teresa lives in Decatur, Georgia. She plays electric and upright bass, guitar, and trumpet and is known for her deep love of vocal harmony. Teresa is an avid music fan and an advocate for the independent musician. She is co-owner of Portal Production, Ltd., a company that provides management and website services to musicians. She is also a partner in the Atlanta-Athens based agency Artist Marketing & Promotion (AMP), which she joined in 2013. Teresa has a B.S. in Music Business from Full Sail University where she graduated summa cum laude. In her free time, Teresa enjoys gardening, cooking, yoga, reading and live music.
LASHBROOKS
![Lashbrookspreferred](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Lashbrookspreferred-300x268.jpg)
From different parts of the country and different musical backgrounds, Husband and Wife – Singer / Songwriter Duo, Troy and Rhonda Lashbrooks, find a way to blend two lifetimes of music into one magical recipe – like ‘sweet corn’ and ‘apple pie’ to the ears.
The ‘Contemporary Folk’ sound of LASHBROOKS is delivered with passionate and skillful guitar, soulful vocals, and rich harmonies. Their music tells a story of heartbreak, soul-searching, starting over, and the triumphant in the pursuit of happiness, dreams fulfilled and true love!
The debut release of LashBrooks – ‘Out of the Shadows’ is an emotional and exciting musical journey, intentionally produced with a simple and raw approach, emphasizing the purity and honesty of the songs. Receiving rave reviews, ‘Out of the Shadows’ has opened doors for LASHBROOKS to share their music with many venues across the region
Hear some of their music at www.lashbrooksmusic.com.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
(An AAFFM Special Edition Concert)
CASTLEBAY
![Castlebay](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Castlebay.png)
Maine’s premier Celtic folk duo, Castlebay, will be performing a special two-hour concert at an “extra edition” Fiddler’s Green on Sunday, February 16th. “What’s Castlebay all about? Seafaring, the darkness and lightness of the coast of Maine, the rhythm of the tides”, says Peter Spectre, marine author.
Castlebay treats the audience to a musical journey through time and across the Atlantic. blending the timeless traditions of Maine’s nautical legacy and it’s poignant Celtic heritage. Both Julia Lane and Fred Gosbee are fine, expressive vocalists as well as talented instrumentalists, delivering songs with emotion, exuberance and both traditional and contemporary musical sensibilities. Celtic harp, guitar, fiddle, and woodwinds are used ensemble and as vocal support. Having a deep appreciation for the unique character of their home state of Maine, as well as the Celtic lands, Castlebay weaves history, legend and experience into their personable performance style.
“Julia Lane and Fred Gosbee shared more than their talent with our audience. They shared as well their keen sense for Maine humor and their love for the music they perform,” reports The uNi Coffeehouse in Springfield, MA.
Since 1984 Castlebay has created a body of work which celebrates Maine’s maritime heritage and environment. Known for their intelligent arrangements of traditional music, they have also received critical praise for their evocative original compositions; Gosbee for his finely crafted narrative ballads and Lane for her imagery and beautiful melodies. In the time-honored art of meaningful songwriting, they give new voice to an ancient tradition. Many of their songs have as themes the lives of those who live by the sea, not only the deep water sailors, but also the shipwrights, coasters, fisherman and their wives. These are the people who established Maine as a maritime legend and who continue to build that legend with their daily lives of skill, hard work and pride.
Among their two dozen recording releases, Lane and Gosbee have written, recorded and produced two albums of completely original music- Song of the Sea and The Ballad of Cappy John.
Castlebay performs frequently at festivals, museums, schools and folk clubs both at home and abroad including over ten years at the International Festival of the Sea in England and Scotland; The Edinburgh Folk Festival, Scotland; Bethlehem Musikfest, PA; Mystic Seaport, CT; St. Mary’s City, MD as well as local events such as Windjammer Days, OPSail 2000, Wooden Boat Festival and the Maine Lobster Festival. They have presented workshops on maritime life and music to thousands of children and adults on both sides of the Atlantic. They were commissioned to write the music for a full-length concert program, Sang O the Solway, which was presented several times throughout Scotland and their music has been used on Turner Broadcasting’s Portrait of America series.
Visit Castlebay’s website at www.castlebay.net.
February 15, 2014
BOB BAKERT
![Bob-Bakert](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Bob-Bakert.jpg)
Bob Bakert was born in Buffalo, NY in 1950 to a home that loved music. As a teenager, he began to play and sing many of the musical genre of his time. Finding college not to his liking, Bob teamed up with David Nehrboss and formed a popular local acoustic duo called “Gold”. They performed at he “Bitter End” in NYC and the “Riverboat” coffee house in Toronto, along with the likes of Dave Van Ronk, Biff Rose, Don McClean and other famous folk acts of the day.
Bob played clubs and bars in Buffalo until 1974 when he moved to Atlanta. During the 1970’s Bob was encouraged by music industry mogul Bill Lowery who told Bob that “maybe once a year we find someone who can write a song and this year you are it.” Highly encouraged, Bob wrote and wrote. Many of the songs from that era can be heard on Bob’s first album simply titled “Bob Bakert.” Bob went on to record a second album in the late 1970’s called “Romance.” Bob continued his formal education as well as the study of voice and guitar. In 1983, Bob was offered a job in business and took it. For the next 20 years Bob continued to play out sporadically all the while playing, writing and studying guitar with as much passion as ever.
While looking for a guitar as a gift, Bob, who was playing mostly electric guitar at this time, was bit by the acoustic, singer-songwriter bug again. In 2009 Bob discovered Ragamuffin Music in Roswell and started playing at the open mics. Initially dusting off old originals and covers, Bob started writing songs again and has recorded several of them including “Spanish Rain,” “I’ve Been Thinking,” “Jeanne’s Song” and “Partners.” Bob continues to appear at many Atlanta area venues playing with a number of musical collaborators and featuring both folk and jazz.
Visit Bob’s website at www.bobbakert.com.
KEVIN SPEARS
![Kevin-Spears](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Kevin-Spears-230x300.png)
Considered one of the best kalimba players alive today, Kevin Spears’ musical gifts have astounded audiences around the world and rewritten the book on what’s possible on this exotic musical instrument. His blinding skill and musical creativity are often compared to innovative legends like Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix and Les Paul among others. His uncanny ability to play multiple musical and percussive ideas simultaneously in a live setting is iconic, pure and simple.
For his unique playing style and groundbreaking work as a kalimba innovator, the largest kalimba distributor in the world honored Kevin by releasing the “Kevin Spears Style Kalimba”. In addition to being a gifted musical artist, inventor, instrument builder and mixed media artist, Spears performs internationally including a recent tour of Japan and has worked with and/or opened for artists such as: India Arie, Eric Benet, Victor Wooten, Count Mbutu (of the Derek Trucks Band), Arrested Development, Steven Kent, Jeff Sipe, Toubab Krewe, Colonel Bruce Hampton, Richard Smith (guitarist for Earth, Wind and Fire), Vinx, Epizo Bangoura, Mamadou Doumbia, Jhelisa Anderson, Moziak (of Fela Kuti Band) and Divinity (bassist for Beyonce).
Drawing from many musical influences from around the world, Spears uniquely mixes these styles into a mesmerizing and musical experience all his own. Such was the case as Kevin ended his rousing performance among music industry professionals at the 50th anniversary of the Percussive Arts Society International Convention receiving a standing ovation. Kevin Spears music bridges Africa to America from Jazz to Rock, Funk to Flamenco with a powerful infusion of spirituality.
AfroPop Worldwide says, “Spears utilizes the traditional African instrument and tweaks it to create a soulful, funky sound that would make Stevie Wonder smile.” “To say Kevin “KalimbaMan” Spears is a master kalimba player would be an understatement. Kevin takes the kalimba to new realms by creating full, multi layered sonic soundscapes, complete with drums, bass lines, chords and melodies all played simultaneously with extreme beauty and precision,” says Eric Sands of ORANGE Amps USA. Mark Holdaway of Kalimba Magic.com sums it up by saying, “Kevin Spears is the Real Deal.”
Visit Kevin’s YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/kalimbaman.
January 18, 2014
OUT OF THE RAIN
![Out of the Rain](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Out-of-the-Rain-284x300.jpg)
Opening for Angela Easterling is a popular local folk duo, “Out of the Rain” known for their innovative arrangements and unusually expressive power. Ron Hipp has been known in the Atlanta area as an accomplished solo artist and he is supported by Carol Statella who has played and sung in various groups over the years. Their joining forces to regularly perform and record music together has created a compelling, poignant sound that is both timeless and fresh.
Ron is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist/singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A native of Atlanta, he’s been performing both solo and in various band combinations since about the age of 16. His rich baritone voice, consummate fingerpicking, and mesmerizing songs make his shows a memorable experience. Ron has graced many a recording project by other artists over the years as a studio musician, and has many CD cover photos to his credit.
Carol (string player/singer) has played in backup orchestras for Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson. As a music journalist, she interviewed Robert Shaw for a national publication and also spent several years as an announcer/producer in public radio. In the classical performance realm, Carol has played in the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, and sang for seventeen seasons with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus/Chamber Chorus. Ron and Carol have known each other and crossed paths musically for a decade and a half, through many artistic and personal evolutions. Their sound together has been described as warm, eloquent, and vivid. Onstage, Ron and Carol draw audiences in with artful musicality, occasionally inane humor, and absolute focus on inviting the listener into the depths of a song. “Out of The Rain” released Ron’s first album of original songs and instrumentals titled Two Hearts, which has received international folk radio airplay and glowing reviews from press and concert presenters. “Ron Hipp and Carol Statella have crafted a musically delightful, emotionally involving work with Two Hearts … it deserves a spot on your CD shelf,” says Rich Warren of Sing Out! Magazine.
ANGELA EASTERLING
![Angela Easterling](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/angela_easterling_photo_credit_jon_holloway-200x300.jpg)
Angela Easterling was raised in the South Carolina foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Much of her childhood was spent on the Greer, SC farm that has been in her family since 1791, seven generations. She embraced her heritage as a writer and an artist on her debut album, “Earning Her Wings”, chosen as “Americana Pick of the Year” by Smart Choice Music. Her second album, “BlackTop Road”, made its debut on the Americana top 40 chart, where it remained for seven weeks. Its title song tells of her family’s struggle to hold onto their farmland in the face of widespread development and represented a bold new step in her singing and songwriting.
Angela was named a 2009 & 2010 Kerrville New Folk Finalist, a 2011 Telluride Troubadour and a 2012 Wildflower Performing Songwriter Finalist. The Boston Herald cited her song “The Picture” as “Best Political Country Song” in their 2009 Year’s best music. Angela’s music was featured in commercials (Southwestern Bell) and several of her songs were used in the series “Horsepower” on Animal Planet. She appeared alongside music legend Charlie Louvin on WSM radio’s “Music City Roots Live from the Loveless” show and was invited to appear on the WSM-hosted stage at the 2010 CMA Music Festival/Fan Fair, where her entire set was broadcast live. Angela has appeared on the nationally broadcast public radio program “Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know” , the popular ETV show “Making It Grow” and was also recently interviewed by noted NPR journalist Bob Edwards. She has received much airplay on Sirius/XM “Outlaw Country” channel and was invited to perform at the Smithsonian Institution’s exhibit New Harmonies: Celebrating American Root’s Music. Angela constantly tours the east coast, both solo and duo and has appeared with her crowd-pleasing band, The Beguilers at numerous town fairs and music festivals throughout the Southeast.
Angela recently welcomed the birth of her first child, in March 2013, and is composing songs for her fifth album, to be recorded later this year. Roger McGuinn, founder of the Byrds, called her “a bright shining star on the horizon!” and went on to say, “Her gift is so special. Her CD BlackTop Road brought me back to the time the Byrds recorded “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” – tradition meets youthful exuberance.” For more info on Angela, visit www.angelaeasterling.com.
December 21, 2013
BARASZU BROTHERS
![band_photo_Dan_Baraszu](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Dan_Baraszu.jpg)
Detroit born Guitarist/Composer Dan Baraszu also started playing guitar at the age of nine. Early in his career, he explored many different styles of music, but when he first heard the genius of jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, Dan devoted himself to becoming a die-hard jazz artist. His major influences include guitarists Joe Pass, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny and John Scofield as well as other instrumentalists like Bill Evans, Horace Silver, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Charlie Parker.
In addition to listening and transcribing the works of the “masters of the jazz”, he was formally educated in music, receiving his Bachelor’s degree from the Berklee College of Music, where he majored in Jazz Composition and Arranging . Dan also received his Masters degree from the University of Miami with a major in Jazz Pedagogy.
![band_photo_Brian_Baraszu](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Brian_Baraszu-300x300.jpg)
Dan currently resides in the Atlanta area where he leads his own groups and works as a freelance guitarist. In November 2005 he signed with Blue Canoe Records and released his debut CD as a leader entitled “Nightfall”. Baraszu’s CD is receiving considerable traditional radio airplay on jazz stations across the country and overseas as well as internet radio and satellite, cable and subscription services.
Although Dan has appeared in groups or various sizes and membership, his appearance at Fiddler’s Green will be with his brother, Brian Baraszu, on percussion. Video of Dan Baraszu: http://youtu.be/J5g0XoBVwZ8
Dan will be joined by his brother, Brian Baraszu.
JONI BISHOP
![band_photo_Joni_Bishop](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Joni_Bishop-300x279.jpg)
Joni Bishop is a true artist, both in the fields of music and visual art. Her introduction to the world of music began when she got her first guitar at age nine and discovered the folk/ roots music of singers like Mississippi John Hurt and Elizabeth Cotton. Not only did the music captivate her, but the faces on the LP jackets as well. It was then that she began to develop a love for both music and art and to discover her own gifts for writing songs, singing, playing finger-style guitar, and for sketching pencil portraits of the musicians she loved to hear.
Since those early days, Joni’s career as a singer-songwriter has become well established on the American folk music scene. She has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and in Europe. Her distinctive songwriting-vocal-guitar style won her recognition in many noted song festivals here and abroad and landed her a staff-writing deal with Galleon Music Publishing Co. in Los Angeles before arriving in Nashville in 1989. She was a New Folk winner in the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas, has recorded for CBS Records, BWE Records and released five CDs on her own independent label Polestar Records. Joni’s songs have been recorded by other artists as well like Crystal Gayle.
As a visual artist, Joni had her first solo art show, “Roots, Rhythm & Gospel”, in Nashville in 1998, where she exhibited over 40 of her folk-art Jazz/Blues/Gospel portraits of some of her most beloved subjects: the musicians and singers whose music has influenced, uplifted and inspired her through the years – Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Rev. Gary Davis, and the great gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, to name a few. Her work has been shown throughout the Southeast United States in conjunction with her concert tours in places like New Orleans, Memphis and Washington DC. Joni is based in Nashville where she continues to write music, record and paint. Having completed her fifth CD, ‘Steal Away Home’, a folk-gospel collection of spirituals that includes a booklet of her art illustrations, Joni is currently busy working on a new CD of original music and a multi-media theatre piece that will incorporate elements of art, music and film.
Video: http://youtu.be/kQ7UD87jkE8
Website: jonibishop.com
November 16, 2013
BANNA DE DHA AND THE HUNGRY MONKS
![bannadedha](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/bannadedha-300x292.jpg)
Banna de dhá features the duo of Tom Morley on fiddle and Hazel Ketchum on guitar and vocals. The Irish phrase translates simply as “band of two,” but the musical whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Taking their inspiration from great Irish Traditional music duos (such as Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill),Banna de dhá uses the vast repertoire of Irish instrumental and vocal music as their starting point, adding music from other folk traditions such as American Old Time and French-Canadian, while keeping it all fresh and unique with unexpected improvisational turns.
The dynamic musical connection and creativity between the two musicians in banna de dhá assure audiences that they’ll take a unique trip through a Celtic landscape together, one that will never be repeated exactly the same way twice. The duo’s first CD was released in July 2013 and is getting considerable air play.
THE HUNGRY MONKS
![thehungrymonks](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/thehungrymonks.png)
The Hungry Monks are centered around the creative talents of Hazel Ketchum on guitar, percussion and vocals, and John Holenko on mandolin, guitar and vocals. Hazel and John are joined by Bob Culver on violin, guitar and keys and by John Kennedy on bass. The Hungry Monks have performed in clubs, at contra dances, festivals, and concert series. Ketchum and Holenko have been playing music together for more than 25 years and have been featured on television and radio throughout the naqtion. Featuring guitars, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, whistle, bohdran, and vocals, the Hungry Monks perform Traditional, Contemporary, and Original acoustic songs and instrumentals drawing on a wide range of influences including Medieval & Renaissance, Celtic, Folk, Blues, Classical and Jazz. Combining strong original songs and instrumental compositions with an ear toward improvisation, The Hungry Monks weave a rich tapestry of sound, melodic and rhythmic, grounded in the folk traditions of many cultures. Combined with the traditions and technique of Western Classical Music, this eclectic mix produces an interesting ensemble sound featuring acoustic sounds and beautiful vocals. The Hungry Monks have released several CD recordings on their own label, Hungry Monk Recordings. As well as being active performers, The Hungry Monks are music educators and publish their own work through Hungry Monk Publications.
September 21, 2013
THE OLD FOLKERS
Do you enjoy the music of the 1950’s and 60’s Folk Revival? Do you miss those classics from the Weavers; the Kingston Trio; Peter, Paul and Mary; the Highwaymen; Ian & Sylvia; the Limeliters; Tom Paxton and the other greats of that era? Well, that’s what you can expect from The Old Folkers … with a little Smothers Brothers-type shtick thrown in.
The Old Folkers are Hank Weisman (vocals and guitar) and John Powers (vocals, bass and mandolin). Hank was head of the Savannah Folk Music Society and both created and hosted the Society’s monthly coffeehouse-style concert,” First Friday for Folk Music” for over 15 years. Hank learned guitar from a New York Greenwhich Village folk singer at age six and developed as a folksinger during the years of the Folk Revival. In addition to many solo gigs, Hank was part of the Yeomen (with Dell Hoyt), sang with college classmate Charlie Lull, performed in Atlanta with Buddy Allen and was part of Savannah’s Bimah Blues Band. Since returning to the Atlanta area, Hank leads a folk music sing-a-long at Steve’s Live Music each Tuesday evening.
John Powers teamed-up with Hank in Savannah after many years in the bluegrass, folk and other musical genres. A multi-instrumentalist, John is also a prolific song writer. With Hank’s relocation two years ago, John carries on with his current group, Roll On Rodney, but he and Hank enjoy periodic reunions like this one.
GRANT PEEPLES
“I’m a LeftNeck… I’m a vegetarian that watches NASCAR, a tree-hugger that keeps a gun under the seat,” says singer and poet Grant Peeples. This finger-in-your-eye styled songwriter and seventh generation Floridian is a former expatriate. He spent eleven years on a tiny island off the coast of Nicaragua, where he installed the island’s first flushing toilet. He returned in 2006 to a very different homeland. Much of his songwriting is a response to what he found when he returned.
His latest release, Prior Convictions (2012) was produced by legendary roots icon Gurf Morlix. John Conquest of 3rd Coast Music reviewed the record and observed: “Unusually literate, unusually honest…he’s the only songwriter I’ve ever called ruthless…” Another critic – Grant’s mother – finds his songs…”disturbing.”
Unique in many regards, he has a voice that No Depression says “sounds like a ’57 Chevy with glass mufflers…” He was dubbed a “guitar-slinging poet” by Music News Nashville. Routes & Branches call his songs “smart, strong lyrics that mean something and say it in a way you haven’t heard before.”
His 2012 tour included performances at The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okema, OK, The Living Room in New York City, and The Triple Door in Seattle. Fans of the sometimes unpredictable (but always entertaining) troubadour’s music will not be disappointed as he performs his usual mix of socio-political anthems and insightful ballads, and offers a sneak listen to songs from his work in progress, a new record to be released in 2014.
August 17, 2013
REDWINE JAM
Despite its name, “Redwine Jam” is not a sweet alcoholic concoction suitable for spreading on toast. Still, folk music fans around Atlanta find it appetizing and heady! Redwine Jam is a musical act consisting of Chris and Carol Moser, sometimes joined by musically gifted friends. At Fiddler’s Green they’ll be proudly performing with guitar/bass virtuoso Skip Romaner.
Chris and Carol are veteran semi-professional musicians best known in recent years for leading the Celtic music band Barney’s Goat. As Redwine Jam they offer an eclectic mix of North American and Celtic folk music, both traditional and contemporary. They play a wide array of instruments including guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, flute, recorder, mountain dulcimer, and bodhran (Celtic drum).
A Redwine Jam performance can carry the audience on an emotional rollercoaster complete with high-spirited roots music, wry humor, gripping story songs, love ballads, and the sheer joy of homemade music. Whether performing as a duo or with other musicians who add their own spices to the mix, Chris and Carol make an evening with Redwine Jam a delectable treat.
FRICTION FARM
The “new folk” duo, Friction Farm is guitarist / vocalist Aidan Quinn and bassist/vocalist Christine Stay. The duo spent much of 2012 traveling. For Aidan and Christine that meant a lot of reading. They decided to turn it into a project, discussing the book, seeing where the story would take them, and writing a song. It was fun and frustrating, invigorating and exhausting, but always interesting.
The experience led to the duo’s latest album, I Read Your Book. Mark Dann, Neale Eckstein and Tom Prasada-Rao produced, recorded and played. There are some fantastic guest musicians on the CD; Pat Wictor, Deni Bonet, Tim Burlingame and Marshal Rosenberg.
Friction Farm’s previous album, Every Mile Is A Memory, earned the duo a spot as Kerrville New Folk Finalists and Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists in 2011. They continue to combine storytelling, social commentary and humor to create songs of everyday life, local heroes and quirky observations.
“Friction Farm’s live performance is full of funny and poignant stories, spontaneous diversions, audience participation, good music, and lots of fun.” – Pine Island Eagle
July 20, 2013
CLASSIC JAZZ DUO
Frank Hamilton is a multi-instrumentalist, vocal-ist and song collector who has played a seminal roll in the evolution of American Folk Music. As the Teaching Co-Founder of The Old Town School of Folk Music in 1957, he taught the future leader of The Byrds, Roger McGuinn, to play guitar and banjo. Living in Los Angeles in the 70’s, he played with many well-known artists and taught so many of the musicians up and coming at that time. Click here to learn more.
William Rappaport, originally from Evanston, IL, began play-ing the clarinet at the age of nine. He studied with Chicago Symphony Orchestra clarinetist Walter Wollwage, received his Bachelor of Music degree with Distinction from Indiana University, and studied with Robert Marcellus, principal clar-inetist of the Cleveland Orchestra. Summer musical activities have included the Blossom and Aspen music festivals, and the Music Academy of the West. Click here to learn more.
HARM’S WAY
Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, con-viction, and a sense of humor. The trio is com-posed of Harmon Koeltz, Phil Griffin and Scott Boze. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the mem-bers have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
As with most groups, members occasionally join or leave or re-join the group. But, the core members have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and while they take the music very seriously, don’t take themselves seriously at all!
June 15, 2013
DAVID LEINWEBER
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David Leinweber plays a wide variety of venues and musical styles, ranging from rock, to blues, to folk, to gospel. Known as the “Flatpicking Professor”, Dr. Leinweber, a faculty member of Emory at Oxford, highlighted the Scottish Bluegrass Association Festival in Perth, Scotland and performs widely at regional acoustic music festivals in the South. He has shared the stage with many fine musicians and often appears as part of the Silverbird Duo. His influences include Dylan, Neil Young, The Dead, Clapton, Norman Blake and Doc Watson. Leinweber has taught piano and guitar for 25 years and has extensive experience as a studio musician, a songwriter, and an arranger. In addition to his solo efforts, he has performed on many records, de-mos, and CDs by other artists. His music has been featured on radio and in many concerts throughout the Atlanta area. As one reviewer said, “(his CD) resonates with honest simplicity as well as musical and poetic talent.” Another reviewer commented, “Great picking combines with good songwriting. What more could you ask?”
LARRY MANGUM
Singer/songwriter Larry Mangum hails from Jacksonville, Florida and has nearly 3,000 performances over four decades as a folk, rock, country and Americana artist. For over 100 years somebody from Larry’s North Carolina family has been playing. Larry’s Mom, Kate was Randy Travis’ guitar teacher and Uncle Homer was a member of the legendary WBT Briar-hoppers! A Floridian since 1970, known for his butter-smooth voice, Larry has released seven albums of original music and 2 live albums since 1980. An award winning songwriter, Larry writes from a keen sense of observation and experience capturing the moments that reveal the human truths that bind us all together. Larry’s songs place you on an emotional roller coaster touching the heart, the mind and the soul that staying with the you long after the show. Larry makes regular appearances at the Florida Folk Festival (featured per-former in 2010), the Will McLean Festival (featured performer 2010), the South Florida Folk Festival, the Sarasota Folk Festival, the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival, Barberville, the Lake County Folk Festival, Riverhawk and many more. He is also host and co-founder of THE SONGWRITERS’ CIRCLE in Jacksonville – a monthly program featuring many of the best regional and national touring acts. Larry’s concert appearances with music legends include the late Waylon Jennings, Roger McGuinn, The Texas Playboys, Billy Joe Shaver, Vassar Clements, Ray Price, Martina McBride, Juice Newton, Steve Young, Gene Watson, T.G. Sheppard, T. Graham Brown, Alabama and many more. After years of high quality performances at festivals, country clubs, fairs and honky tonks, Larry Mangum has become one of the premiere performers in Florida!
May 18, 2013
BLACKFOOT DAISY
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Blackfoot daisies are hearty wild flowers that grow on the prairies of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. You can find them growing naturally in the Texas Blackland prairie, which runs from the Red River to the Texas‐Oklahoma border. Blackfoot Daisy is also a duo, and sometimes a trio, that plays original, Americana style music. The band is based in Norcross and includes Don Sechelski, Wendy DuMond and Adam Sechelski. They have been from Texas to Atlanta to New Orleans to Chicago and now back to Atlanta again, “still chasing the buffalo,”, Wendy DuMond, and (when we are lucky) Adam Sechelski.
People who begin their lives in these wide‐open and windy places tend to be a bit haunted by them throughout their lives. And perhaps this is why Don, Wendy, and Adam seemed to fit like a glove and hand. We are a little haunted by the beauty and solitude of the prairie. And our music is tinged with the prairie wind, the shifting of tall grasses, the sound of crickets, and a lonesome train whistle drifting through the night with music that conjures up images and sounds of the prairie.
JONI MITCHELL TRIBUTE
The Joni Mitchell tribute is channeled by five women whose music and lives have been greatly influenced by this folk icon. They include:
Heidi Pollyea, is a singer/songwriter/keyboardist/guitarist and local private music instructor. Her music is heavily shaped by introspectively poignant artists like James Taylor, Carol King and Joni Mitchell as well as soulful, groove‐oriented performers like Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt and Billy Preston. (heidipollyea.com)
Kim Chamberlain discovered her voice through the lilting, haunting voice and lyrics of Joni Mitchell. Kim now performs as a vocalist and clarinetist in the jazz duo called Bright Moments with guitarist‐husband, Dave. She also joins Heidi in Body and Soul for weddings, corporate events and private parties.
Alexis Vear is singer/songwriter and fine artist who sees images, and uses them to communicate messages through many creations, transported through song. She currently has released two albums, and is preparing for her third. Alexis has received airplay on NPR. She is working diligently to communicate her music and its messages to as many people as she can reach.
Margot Bernstein began teaching guitar at age 13 and performing professionally at 16. Both a singer/songwriter and a jazz vocalist, her U.S. and International performances have included New York City’s Catch a Rising Star, Gerde’s Folk City, Carly Simon’s Hot Tin Roof on Martha’s Vineyard, and a soundtrack for PBS; in Atlanta, she has appeared at The Freight Room, Eddie’s Attic, Dante’s Down the Hatch and Inman Park & Yellow Daisy Festivals. Susan Rutherford plays keyboards, guitar, and mandolin in a rock n’ roll cover band, The Split Levels, but says she “is keeping her day job.” The gals will be joined in this tribute by percussionist Paul Pendery.
April 20, 2013
RONNDA CADLE
As a solo guitar instrumentalist, Ronnda Cadle is known for the melodic hooks she coaxes from her guitar. With over 20 years experience playing her original compositions before live audiences across the U.S., this musician from Camano Island, WA has developed a devoted fan base. She has shared the stage with many other well-known musicians including Sarah Bettens, Al Petteway, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Mother’s Finest, Patty Larkin and 2003 American Music Award Winner, Moe Loughran. Ronnda’s style fuses heartfelt emotional content with masterful guitar work. She perfected her craft while listening to guitarists whom she considers her greatest mentors – Nancy Wilson of Heart, Caroline Aiken, and Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls. Ronnda says, “I wouldn’t be the player I am today if it were not for these strong and amazing women. I hope to bring my own voice to the generations of women musicians to follow.”
Cadle is in the process of recording her third release with former Windham Hill Founder and Producer William Ackerman at his Imaginary Road Studios in Vermont. Her latest release ‘After’ with the String Poets has been featured on the Public Radio International program Echoes playlist and has had several songs selected for the PBS television program and online site Roadtrip Nation.
Visit Ronnda’s website at www.ronndacadle.com!
GIBSON WILBANKS
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When Carly Gibson and BJ Wilbanks first began collaborating musically during the summer of 2011, it was like milk chocolate meeting peanut butter…a beautiful and tasty combination! Up to that point, they had each been pursuing separate solo singer/songwriter careers. Pairing up as Gibson Wilbanks, they have combined their considerable songwriting and musical skills to create the unique and popular Southern bluesy sound that helped them to win the coveted songwriter’s open mic at Eddie’s Attic in December of 2011. Think Gregg Allman meets Bonnie Raitt meets Michael Hedges with a dash of Al Green–in short, an entertaining and joyful experience not to be missed! Gibson Wilbanks are currently in the studio working on their first album together.
About Carly: Carly Gibson is an experienced singer-songwriter and guitarist who has been playing professionally since the age of fifteen. She has shared the stage with many fine musicians, including Caroline Aiken, Donna Hopkins, Diane Durrett, Ralph Roddenbery, Tommy Talton, Geoff Achison, Jeff Sipe (Phil Lesh & Friends, Aquarium Rescue Unit), Chris Hicks (Marshall Tucker Band), Randall Bramlett (Gregg Allman, Steve Winwood), and Greg Robert (Kansas). Carly released her debut EP “Heavy Water” in 2010. She teaches private guitar lessons and is currently a level 4 student in the guitar program at the Atlanta Institute of Music.
About BJ: A home-grown Georgia native, BJ Wilbanks creates blues-infused music reminiscent of a bygone era, combining deeply-rooted Delta blues, country, funk, soul, and acoustic Southern rock to create a sound that is familiar, yet uniquely his own. His heartwarming tales of heartache, love, and home combine artfully with an engaging live performance that, in one moment, can sit you back in your chair and in the next, rock you right back out of it! Wilbanks crafts his distinctive sound with his trusty old acoustic guitar, often accompanied by finger slide or harmonica. His original songs range from break-your-heart romantic to stomp-your-foot grooving, merging back-porch soul rhythm with a gospel vocal overtone and a slanky, steady beat. He’ll often sling his guitar over his lap to play a slide tune that evokes the image of old field working men and chase it with a contrasting tune filled with sweet strumming, gentle singing and smooth picking.
Discerning music fans agree that there is no disputing BJ’s considerable songwriting chops; his catchy tunes sport meaningful lyrics that emote heartache, love, values, family, and home–all grounded in the tradition of deeply rooted blues.
Visit www.gibsonwilbanks.com!
March 16, 2013
THE IRISH BROTHERS
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Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen are a unique team. Sandyman comes from the mountains of western North Carolina; the Captain hailing from the canyons of New York City. Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville. George honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material. Their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the ‘new country’ – from traditional Irish ballads, to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
KEVIN SPEARS
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For a rare and special treat, Fiddler’s Green audiences will be delighted by the music of Kevin Spears, a local master of the kalimba or thumb piano. The thumb piano is a plucked instrument, common throughout the sub-Saharan region of Africa. Considered by many as one of the best kalimba players alive today, Kevin’s musical gifts have astounded audiences around the world and rewritten what is possible on this exotic instrument. Spears’ blinding skill and musical creativity are often compared to innovative legends such as Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix and Les Paul among others and his uncanny ability to play multiple musical and percussive ideas simultaneously in a live setting is iconic, pure and simple.
The opportunity to enjoy such a special night of music is something Fiddler’s Green audiences will surely never forget.
February 16, 2013
OUT OF THE RAIN
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An acoustic finger-style guitarist, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Ron Hipp has performed in a variety of styles since his mid-teens. His expressive baritone voice, consummate fingerpicking, and mesmerizing songs make his shows an unforgettable experience. Ron has contributed to recording projects by other artists over the years as a studio musician and has many CD cover photos to his credit.
Carol Statella, a multi-instrumentalist/singer, has played in backup orchestras for Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson. She’s also been a music journalist and worked as a public radio announcer, and performed with the Atlanta Opera Orchestra and Atlanta Symphony Chorus.
Ron and Carol have known each other and crossed paths musically for a decade and a half, through many artistic and personal evolutions. Their sound together has been described as eloquent and vivid. Onstage, Ron and Carol draw audiences in with artful musicality, occasionally inane humor, and absolute focus on inviting the listener into the depths of a song.
A folk duo with a warm, evocative approach, their debut album, “Two Hearts” has received positive notices in print (notably Sing Out! Magazine), been played on radio programs internationally, and charted on the Roots Music Report. “Ron Hipp and Carol Statella have crafted a musically delightful, emotionally involving work with Two Hearts…reminds me how melodic and ear-pleasing a CD can be; it deserves a spot on your CD shelf, “ says Rich Warren of Sing Out! Magazine.
DOC STEPHIE RAE
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Doc Stephie Rae is an award-winning Singer/Songwriter and acoustic guitarist, playing solo, and with her duo, trio and band, Moonlight Riders. She has a music degree in voice performance and is a multi-instrumentalist, usually playing acoustic rhythm guitar. She will be accompanied by singer/songwriter/guitarist Johnny Scales at Fiddler’s Green.
Doc Stephie Rae writes and sings to uplift the vibration of the universe, and positively affect the listener deep within using evocative lyrics, entrancing melodies, captivating story lines and engaging rhythms. Due to her sweet yet powerful voice, Stephie Rae is called “The Singing Angel” by her peers, and her fans say, “Stephie Rae’s voice doesn’t come from her mouth, it comes from her heart and soul.” As an entertainer, her live performances activate the audience with humor and real life stories behind the songs that listeners can relate to.
It is evident she sounds similar to and is influenced by a wide variety of styles and singers such as Sarah McLachlan, Alison Krauss, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris (thus her nickname in Nashville, “Bonnie Lou Harris”), Linda Ronstadt, Karen Carpenter and Carole King. Her other influences include Eva Cassidy, Norah Jones, John Denver, Jackson Brown, John Hiatt, Dan Fogelberg, Eric Clapton, The Eagles, The Beatles, Southern Rock, among other classics.
Stephie Rae specializes in writing, performing and recording custom songs for clients’ special loved ones and occasions, such as weddings, anniversaries, life stories, holidays, romantic serenades, reality or comedy, etc. While she writes in any genre, her typical styles include Americana, Folk, Blues, Bluegrass, Swing, Shuffle, Caribbean, and Alternative Country.
January 19, 2013
HOTLANTA TRIO
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For great music and lots of fun, let the Hotlanta Trio set your feet firmly on Bourbon Street in Old New Orleans. You’ll experience every bit of the joy, energy, and humor of that early American Jazz called Dixieland. Songs from Fats Waller, Hoagy Carmichael, Louie Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, plus many old favorites like “Sweet Georgia Brown”, “Royal Garden Blues”, “Hard Hearted Hannah”, and “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In” are all part of Hotlanta’s musical treat.
Stop in to enjoy the great vocals from banjo player Bill Rutan, and that wonderful solid bass from tuba player Hal Johnson and clarinetist Don Erdman provides added color when he brings along his soprano, tenor, and baritone saxophones. What a glorious way to bring in the year 2013! For more information, visit http://www.hotlantajazz.com.
CULLITON, DEAN AND LLOYD
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Eclectic acoustic instrumentals and vocals, from high-energy tunes to engaging ballads, performed by three of the area’s elite players, that is Culliton, Dean and Lloyd. Leader Jim Culliton is a local professional musician highly acclaimed for his virtuosity on various acoustic instruments in genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz.
Musical diversity and virtuosity are the hallmarks of this group. Culliton is well known as an instrumental wizard and he sprinkles his own charming original songs and tunes along with the classics. Jim organizes live bluegrass and traditional music for the weekly Sunday brunch at RIRA Irish pub in Midtown. He also offers private lessons in guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and bass. Click here for more information!
December 15, 2012
BARNEY’S GOAT
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Opening the evening will be the always delightful Barney’s Goat. The group borrows its eccentric name from an Irish folk tune and members of the Atlanta-based folk ensemble value a healthy dose of blarney within an evening of music. Whether performing the Irish and Scottish songs that are their specialty, their unusual repertoire of American material, or both, these spirited entertainers love nothing more than to spin a good yarn through song.
Moving effortlessly from ribald pub songs to poetic and tragic ballads, they sprinkle in wry humor and running commentary to keep their audience on an emotional rollercoaster. Unlike most other local Celtic groups, they do mostly songs, with some instrumentals in the mix. They play a wide array of instruments: six-string and 12-string guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, recorder, mountain dulcimer, bass, and bodhran (Celtic drum). Since forming in 1992, Barney’s Goat has gained a strong local following from frequent appearances at coffeehouses, folk festivals, other cultural events, retirement homes, and private parties. Their 2009 CD is (imaginatively titled) Barney’s Goat. The group consists of Chris and Carol Moser and Phil Matteson. This month they’ll perform a Yuletide set of seasonal folk songs from Ireland, the British Isles and North America. Included will be Phil’s venerated rendition of John McCutcheon’s Christmas in the Trenches — a Fiddler’s Green tradition of longstanding.
KNIGHTSONG
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KnightSong is an a cappella vocal group specializing in classical Renaisssance madrigals and they also perform music from throughout the ages to the present. The group was formed by Pat Buonodono, Brad Ketch and Keith Duggan in 1989. They perform year-round for public and private gatherings and regularly at charitable events and senior living centers. KnightSong has performed for a number of years at the Georgia Shakespeare Festival and “Christmas Candlelight Nights” at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. In 2011, KnightSong traveled to Denver to perform for the Bethany Festival of Faith and the Arts. KnightSong currently has four CDs available and music may be found on CDbaby, iTunes, and Amazon.
November 17, 2012
BRISA
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Barbara Hotz and Ron Hutchins are Brisa which means “Breeze” in Spanish. They perform a lovely mixture of cover and original tunes with a South American flair and are favorites at many venues and events. Most recently Ron and Barbara have been holding court at Zen Tea in the Brookhaven area.
Barbara sings and plays guitar, harmonica and percussion. Using her bilingual skills, she serves as a Spanish interpreter at Children’s Health care of Atlanta. She combines these skills with her love of singing and playing guitar to fashion authentic ballads from South of the border.
Ron is equally talented on guitar, percussion and backing vocals. They are sure to kick off the evening with both enchantment and a lil’ spice! Come and enjoy a great meal while being treated to exciting acoustic music.
More on Brisa here: www.facebook.com/brisamusica
LASHBROOKS
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The LashBrooks blending two lifetimes of music and multiple musical genres to create a sound of their own, LASHBROOKS perform a full-sounding acoustic show, steeped in rich harmonies, soulful vocals, and exciting guitar. The duo is husband and wife, singer/songwriters Rhonda and Troy LashBrook.
Rhonda spent several years in Nashville, Tennessee in the music business and eventually returned to her first love – writing and singing her own music. She cut her teeth on gospel, bluegrass and folk music and hit the stage performing show tunes in college.
Troy grew up with the sounds of the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and a guitar-playing father that influenced his love for the guitar and for good music, whatever the style. Traveling in various bands throughout the 80’s and ‘woodshedding’ in the 90’s, Troy’s talent was undeniable and recognized by the many venues he played throughout the country. His passion for performing was renewed when he met Rhonda, and he brings that passion along with his fun- loving personality and amazing talent to the stage Their first full length CD is due out in January.
More on LashBrooks here: www.reverbnation.com/lashbrooksmusic2.
October 20, 2012
JERRY BRUNNER AND CYNDI CRAVEN AND BRUCE GILBERT
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Jerry Brunner and Cyndi Craven have been sharing their music with Atlanta audiences and beyond since the ’60s and ’70s, respectively. They’ve been playing together since the ’80s. In 2008, Bruce Gilbert came all the way from California (with a piano on his knee), where he’d been wowing the music scene since the ’60s, and met up with Cyndi and Jerry. Serious musical magic began to happen. Come experience the results of profound friendship, heaping helpings of creativity, and decades of noodling on pianos and guitars…
JAMES TAYLOR TRIBUTE
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James Taylor PhotoLast year Bob Bakert and Ragamuffin Music Hall staged a wonderful evening where several performers offered their renditions of favorite James Taylor songs. It all went so well that Fiddler’s Green decided to offer a JT nite “redo” that includes many of the same artists from the original show.
The following artists will be performing in this Fiddler’s second set, and will be joined by Bruce and Cyndi from the first set to round out a fabulous night that you will hear about for a long time.. so don’t be the one to miss it!
Bob Bakert: Plays acoustic and electric guitars, writes and sings original music as well as carefully selected covers. Bob has a breadth of experience both in performing and organizing musical shows including the widely acclaimed series on the 1st Sat of the month called the Hungry Ear Coffeehouse and held at the Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Sandy Springs. His music runs from Americana folk music to progressive jazz. With 45 years of stage experience, he brings energy to every performance and his music is given a treatment you may not have heard before but will surely enjoy.
Ashley Harris: Performs a melting pot of Contemporary Country, Soft Rock and Inspirational music. Her influences include Amy Grant, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, and Sheryl Crow. She was 94.9 the Bulls artist pick of the year in 2009, was nominated for best female vocalist by Georgia Country.com in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and her CD An Unfinished Woman has garnered chart topping honors. Ashley and her husband are known and beloved owners of the Ragamuffin Music Hall and Music Teaching studio in historic Roswell.
Paul Pendery: A singer songwriter from the folk tradition, whose stories and performance style are clearly influenced by time spent in Texas, the Great Northwest, Appalachia and the Deep South. His guitar playing is solid and percussive, which provides the perfect backdrop for his rich and expressive voice. The results are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, but always entertaining .
Heidi Pollyea: An Atlanta based singer/songwriter/ keyboardist/guitarist who also teaches privately and is an avid animal advocate. Her music is inspired by folk/rock artists such as James Taylor, Carole King, Linda Rondstadt, Shawn Colvin and Michael McDonald, as well as R&B stylists like Billy Preston and Marvin Gaye with jazzers such as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays thrown in for good measure.
Louis Robinson: A British singer/songwriter acoustic guitar player based in Atlanta, GA USA. He also teaches, produces shows and performs in and around the Atlanta area. In a long career, he has played at every major folk venue in England, including folk clubs and festivals around the British Isles and Europe. He has performed on BBC radio and TV, and his songs have been recorded by artists in the UK and the USA.
Fred Watts: Fred says..”I was born a poor black child”, Steve Martin. (Just kidding) Fred began playing piano at 6, but traded it for the guitar in high school. He was fortunate enough to be in the musical production company, “Up With People”, for two years and has performed in all of the lower 48 states, Canada, Mexico, Europe and the half-time show of Super Bowl X. Fred began songwriting in his teens and still finds writing to be the most rewarding musical experience. He enjoys a full life with his wonderful wife and a houseful of great kids.
September 15, 2012
ROSS AND HARM
![band_photo_ross_and_harm](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_ross_and_harm.jpg)
Ross and Harm are made up of Ross Pead and Harmon Koeltz. These two friends entertain their audiences with a brand of acoustic driven folk/pop that includes a smattering of blues and old time favorites. Harmon, a drummer turned acoustic guitar wielding balladeer, can also be found performing around town as the leader of the group Harm’s way. Ross is a Georgia native from Waycross who’s focus has been acoustic blues and slide guitar, and is known for interpreting the songs of Willie McTell, Tampa Red, Howlin’Wolf and many of the other masters of American Roots Music. They are a smooth and soulful pair, sure to kick off another musical fiesta at September’s Fiddler’s Green
Harmon Koeltz is the founding member of Harm’s Way and a frequent performer around the area with Harm’s Way, solo, or with other performers. Originally a drummer, he discovered acoustic guitar and a love of performing. House parties, jams and other musical events led to the formation of Harm’s Way which performs regularly. The music is acoustic driven folk/ pop with a sprinkling of blues, singer- songwriter, and old favorites sprinkled in. Harmon and Ross were introduced by a mutual friend, also a musician, at a jam/ party held on the shores of Lake Lanier. Their paths kept crossing, they jammed together, and started playing together. Ross frequently joins Harm’s Way as that group expands from four to five members. While he enjoys fronting the group that he co-founded, he appreciates the opportunity to make music with his friends.
Ross Pead a/k/a Peadboy hails from Fairburn, Georgia. A Georgia native, Peadboy was born in lazy, swampy Waycross, Georgia. Although his focus has been acoustic blues and slide guitar, Ross is equally at home with Americana, roots, folk, and pop. For a repertoire that reflects a deep and wide association with the roots musics of the southern “peoples” of the United States, Peadboy says “come on in my kitchen.” Meanwhile, he is carrying the songs of Willie McTell, Tampa Red, Howlin’ Wolf and many of the other masters of American Roots Music. Peadboy has been a regular performer in tributes to artists as divergent as Howlin’ Wolf, Gram Parsons, and “Mr.” Frank Edwards. His guitar style has been described as a little Muddy Waters, a little Dire Straits, a little RC Cola, Moon Pie, watermelon guitar style. Ironically, Ross started out as a drummer also.
THE 5 O’CLOCK SHADOWS
![band_photo_5_oclock_shadows](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_5_oclock_shadows.jpg)
The 5 O’Clock Shadows are the favored house band of the local weekly storytelling/musical event known as Little 5@5 (held in Candler Park in the delightful Dobbins Hall ~ a coffeehouse style room at the Epworth Methodist Church).
Rob Lanford, a founding “Shadows” member, describes the 5 piece group as follows: Southern Grow’d, Picked Fresh, Washed, Shook up, Squeezed, and served Hot! Steeped in regional roots from Jacksonville to Atlanta, these are not musicians who try to emulate a folky sound authentically, they ARE music of authentic experience. Charlie Walker, Bob Winstead, John Truttier, Paul Turgeon, and Rob Lanford have listened to the Florida Boys while Granny Harris dipped her snuff, gone the Cracker games, played as teenaged white boys in black clubs of Atlanta in the early sixties and with the likes of Betts and Oakley (of the Allman Bros.) They know their southern blues heritage from bottleneck to slap back and will share their love of this great style with Fiddler’s audiences as the second act of the September 15th show.
August 18, 2012
JOHNNY ROQUEMORE AND THE APOSTLES OF BLUEGRASS
![Apostles of Bluegrass](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Apostles-of-Bluegrass.png)
Opening the August Fiddler’s Green show will be the up beat music and off beat lyrics of The Apostles of Bluegrass. Led by Johnny Roquemore, a Georgia native, returned home after many years on the West Coast to be dubbed Creative Loafing Magazine critics’ choice for “Best Local Singer/Songwriter” and to live on the family farm in Mansfield.
From the highest-minded church revivals to the lowest honky tonk dives, on television and radio the hard driving bluegrass and humorous original songs consistently amuse their audiences.
Playing banjo, mandolin and harmonica, John Nipper is a native to Newton County Ga. He gave up bicycle motocross to save his fingers for music.
Originally from the Chicago area, Dave Ross plays the big blue upright bass and the dobro. Sadly he received a banjo for his eleventh birthday and hasn’t been the same since.
The Apostles of Bluegrass show has consistently amused audiences by delivering their quirky renditions of both cherished traditional music and highly original compositions. Come see what all the fuss is about! More about the Apostles here: www.apostlesofbluegrass.com/
KEVIN SPEARS
![Kevin-Spears](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Kevin-Spears-230x300.png)
For a rare and special treat, Fiddler’s Green audiences will be delighted by the music of Kevin Spears, a local master of the kalimba or thumb piano. The thumb piano is plucked instrument, common throughout the sub saharan region of Africa. Considered by many as one of the best kalimba players alive today, Kevin’s musical gifts have astounded audiences around the world and rewritten what is possible on this exotic instrument.
Kevin has teamed up with Grammy winning percussionist Count M’Butu of the Derek Trucks Band to form a dynamic world fusion duo called Rhythm Nomadic and has worked with and/or opened for artists such as: India Arie, Eric Benet, Victor Wooten, Arrested Development, Toubab Krewe, Col. Bruce Hampton, Richard Smith (guitarist for Earth, Wind and Fire), , Vinx, Mamadou Doumbia (of Salif Keita band), Epizo Bangoura, Jhelisa Anderson, Yonrico Scott (of Derek Trucks Band), Moziak (of Fela Kuti) and Divinity (bassist for Beyonce).
Spears’ blinding skill and musical creativity are often compared to innovative legends such as Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix and Les Paul among others and his uncanny ability to play multiple musical and percussive ideas simultaneously in a live setting is iconic, pure and simple. The opportunity to enjoy such a special night of music is something Fiddler’s Green audiences will surely never forget.
July 21, 2012
SIX SIRENS OF SONG PERFORM AT FIDDLER’S GREEN
![band_photo_Suzy_Schultz](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Suzy_Schultz.jpg)
![band_photo_Barbara_Hotz (1)](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Barbara_Hotz-1.jpg)
![band_photo_Heidi_Pollyea](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Heidi_Pollyea.jpg)
![band_photo_Ashley_Filip](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Ashley_Filip.jpg)
![band_photo_Allison_Adams](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Allison_Adams.jpg)
![band_photo_Cyndi_Craven](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Cyndi_Craven.jpg)
Six of Atlanta’s finest female singer/songwriters and acoustic players will join forces to present an exquisite musical evening “in the round”. The performances will feature the rich alto voice and infectious song stylings of acclaimed acoustic music veteran Cyndi Craven; the country comfort and velvet voiced vocals of Allison Adams; words and melodies to melt your soul from the beautiful Ashley Filip; a sampling of Latin American song and spice from our resident red-head, Ms. Barbara Hotz; and a little bit of everything else to make up the “funky folk” of Fiddler’s own Heidi Pollyea.
These gals all sing, write and play many instruments between them including acoustic guitar, mandolin, ukelele, concertina, keyboards and good ol’ hand percussion.
As a special treat, the songwriters will be joined by the noted artist and only partially closeted musician Suzy Schultz, who will grace the stage and embellish many of the evening’s selections with flute,cello and/or vocal accompaniment.
So much talent~so little time. Don’t miss what is sure to be a very special evening!
Photo of Cyndi Craven
Cyndi Craven
http://cyndicravenmusic.com/
Photo of Allison Adams
Allison Adams
http://allisonadamsmusic.com/site/
Photo of Ashley Filip
Ashley Filip
http://www.myspace.com/ashleyfilip
Photo of Heidi Pollyea
Heidi Pollyea
http://www.reverbnation.com/heidipmusic
Photo of Barbara Hotz
Barbara Hotz
Photo of Suzy Schultz
Suzy Schultz
http://www.myspace.com/suzyschultz
June 16, 2012
KIM AND DAVID CHAMBERLAIN
![band_photo_chamberlands](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_chamberlands.jpg)
Kim and David Chamberlain are a husband and wife guitar/vocal/and clarinet duo known as Bright Moments. They perform classic jazz standards from the Great American Songbook in a way that makes an evening sparkle with gentle ambiance. David delights any crowd with his humor and affable nature, not to mention his meticulous attention to guitar tone and song arrangement. When he graces audiences with his singing as well as his exquisite playing, it provides some of the most charming moments in their set.
Having said that, Kim is a vocal powerhouse that just happens to also play the heck outta the clarinet. She is warm and inviting, fabulous enough to act the “Diva” but never does. Kim will remind you of your best friend – or at the very least, the one you wish you had. Bright Moments are amongst Fiddler’s Green’s favorites so don’t miss the chance to enjoy them at the show on Saturday June 16th from 8-9pm.
Kim Chamberlain – Vocalist/Clarinetist
David Chamberlain – Guitarist/Vocalist
http://www.gigmasters.com/Jazz-Duo/brightmoments/
CARLY GIBSON
![4674185261_4d2966e3b6_z](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/4674185261_4d2966e3b6_z-300x233.jpg)
In the music world, Carly Gibson is what you would call a triple threat. She not only composes soulful and sophisticated music, she also sings beautifully and plays a mean acoustic guitar. Carly may be young but she sports an old soul. Carly picked up the guitar at the age of 12 and has rarely put it down.
Her music resonates with the flavors that reflect her own diverse musical tastes and influences including such songwriter/performers as Caroline Aiken, Paula Cole, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Tori Amos. Carly’s 2010 debut EP, Heavy Water, is available through her website at carlygibson.net. Although Carly can be found performing all over the southeast region in many different configurations, the Fiddler’s Green audiences will be delighted to experience the special harmonic melding unique to family members who sing together.
In this case (and you won’t believe it when you see her!), Carly will be joined by her mother … the also talented and lovely Teresa Powell. If you don’t know who Carly Gibson and Teresa Powell are yet, you certainly will soon so don’t miss the chance to enjoy them for the second set at Fiddler’s Green on June 16th from 9:15-10:15pm.
More on Carly Gibson here: www.carlygibson.net.
May 19, 2012
CULLITON, DEAN AND LLOYD
![band_photo_CullitonDeanLloyd](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_CullitonDeanLloyd.jpg)
Eclectic acoustic instrumentals and vocals, from high-energy tunes to engaging ballads, performed by three of the area’s elite players. Leader Jim Culliton is a local professional musician highly acclaimed for his virtuosity on various acoustic instruments, in genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz.
Musical diversity and virtuosity are the hallmarks of this group.
Professional musician Jim Culliton is well known to many AAFFM members as a wizard on guitar and other instruments. He performs genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz, sprinkling in his own charming original songs and tunes. Jim organizes live bluegrass and traditional music for the weekly Sunday brunch at RIRA Irish pub in midtown. He offers private lessons in guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and bass. For more info: (404) 298-5057.
HOTLANTA TRIO
![band_photo_Hotlanta_Trio](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Hotlanta_Trio.jpg)
For Great Music & Lots of Fun let the Hotlanta Trio set your feet firmly on Bourbon Street in Old New Orleans. You’ll experience every bit of the joy, energy, and humor of that early American Jazz called Dixieland. Songs from Fats Waller, Hoagy Carmichael, Louie Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, plus many old favorites like “Sweet Georgia Brown”, “Royal Garden Blues”, “Hard Hearted Hannah”, and “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In” are all part of Hotlanta’s musical treat.
Stop in to enjoy the great vocals from our banjo player Bill Rutan, and that wonderful solid bass from our tuba player Hal Johnson, and clarinetist Don Erdman provides added color when he brings along his soprano, tenor, and baritone saxophones!
More info at: www.hotlantajazz.com/pages/trio.html.
April 21, 2012
PAUL PENDERY AND HEIDI POLLYEA
![band_photo_paul_pendery](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_paul_pendery.jpg)
Paul Pendery is a singer songwriter from the folk tradition. His stories and performance style are clearly influenced by time spent in Texas, the Great Northwest, Appalachia and the Deep South. His guitar playing is solid and percussive, which provides the perfect backdrop for his rich and expressive voice. The results are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, but always entertaining.
![band_photo_heiei_pollyea](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_heiei_pollyea.jpg)
Heidi Pollyea is a singer/songwriter Atlanta, Georgia. If pressed, she might coin her music as “funky folk. She plays both keyboards and guitar, and her original songs and personalized renditions of classic favorites will definitely make you want to sing and dance along! If you enjoy Carole King, Linda Rondstadt, Shawn Colvin, Michael McDonald or Billy Preston – she’s one not to be missed! Heidi is also known for her accomplishments as a degreed private voice, piano guitar, songwriting and music theory instructor and her love of and dedication to animals – especially dogs!
THE SPLIT LEVELS
![band_photo_split_levels](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_split_levels.jpg)
The Split Levels were formed in Atlanta two years ago when a few friends decided to jam together “just for fun”. The resulting musical magic soon took on a life of its own and now Split Levels performances are in high demand! With a delightful mix of contemporary and traditional favorites performed on a variety of instruments with both guy and gal lead and harmony vocals, this group provides a little something for everyone. The Split Levels are: Jean Whichard – lead guitar and vocals, Susan Rutherford – keyboard, vocals, mandolin, guitar and percussion, Michael Hester – bass, Richard Gess – drums, Michael Kidd – lead vocals and rhythm guitar.
March 17, 2012
YOUTH FOR YOUTH & FRIENDS
The opening act for this evening will be Youth For Youth & Friends ( Y4Y). This is a FABULOUS group of young people ages 11-17 spearheaded by and featuring Felipe Soares age 11 on drums, Anthony “Malik” Compton age 12 on bass and rising starlet Sydney Rhame age 13 on vocals who will be joined by some guest singers (including Emma Bales and Joanna Benshoof both age 15) and instrumentalists sure to amaze the Fiddler’s Green audience.
THE IRISH BROTHERS
![The_Irish_Brothers](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The_Irish_Brothers-300x226.jpg)
The Irish Brothers are Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen. This is a unique team – Sandyman comes from the mountains Western North Carolina with the Captain hailing from the canyons of New York City. The two started performing together twenty-five years ago when they worked “suit” jobs at IBM. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material – their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the “new country” – from traditional Irish ballads, to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville, and a founding member of the band Cullowhee, that toured nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s/80s. George started singing and playing after his first visit to New York”s Greenwich Village in the mid-1960s. George honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. The team received the name “Irish Brothers” following a performance at The Folk Alliance several years ago in Memphis, Tennessee.
See also: www.sandymanflynn.com and www.gorddcymru.org/atlanta/music/cmd/hergen_george.htm.
November 19 , 2011
SARA GREY AND KIERON MEANS
![band_photo_sara_grey](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_sara_grey.jpg)
Welcome internationally acclaimed folk singer/musicians Sara Grey and Kieron Means for this month’s performance. For those not yet familiar with Sara Grey, she’s an American living in Scotland, where she has studied traditional Scottish song for many years. She and her son Kieron Means have traced the roots of Scottish songs to America and Canada and will be showing the links across the Atlantic by singing bits of Scottish versions while concentrating on singing the American versions. They will perform at Fiddler’s Green thanks to a grant to AAFFM from the Georgia Humanities Council.
Please see their excellent website: www.saragrey.net for bios and samples of their music. More info here: News Release.
June 18, 2011
VERONIKA JACKSON
![Veronika-Jackson](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Veronika-Jackson-298x300.jpg)
Veronika Jackson is one of the finest acoustic folk blues artist in the southeast region. Performing for folk festivals, music halls and community events she has traveled as far as France and back to the northeast regions entertaining many diverse audiences.
Her smooth strong expressive singing voice captures the audience right away and is accompanied by her clean piedmont style guitar picking, which is just what needed to back up her engaging performance.
She is called brave as she stands alone with her guitar and engage the audience with her presence and her performance.
http://www.veronikajackson.com/4.html
KING RICHARD’S SUNDAY BEST
![band_photo_kingrichardssundaybest](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_kingrichardssundaybest.jpg)
King Richard’s Sunday Best is not a very good band. Sure, when Atlanta-based musicians Evan Tyor and Luke McGinnis teamed up to form this ludicrously christened duo, they were told by their girlfriends and numerous family members that they were excellent. The phrases “That sounds nice”, and “wonderful potential!” were even thrown around. In reality, their music is full of tacky, confusing chord progressions, and annoyingly poetic lyrics. Add cellist Simon Reiter to the mix, and it becomes even worse. I mean seriously, who likes the cello?
Then along came some girl, who can’t even play anything (except kazoo). She just stands there and sings. Ok, so, it is rather interesting to see 9 or so instruments being played by 4 people… And yes, they play covers of your favorite songs, with beautiful harmonies and original instrumentation. Fine, they also write really catchy songs. But if you hear King Richard’s Sunday Best and consider it good music, you need to reconsider your taste. Hell, you probably also like The Beatles. Get a life.
Evan Tyor — Guitar, Ukulele, Bass Drum, Piano,
Luke McGinnis — Ukulele, Percussion, Mandolin, Piano, Xylophone, Guitar,
Simon Reiter — Cello, Gong, Percussion,
Jessie Lane — Vocals, Percussion, Kazoo
Joshua Orbulous — Vocals, theremin
http://www.myspace.com/kingrichardssundaybest
May 21, 2011
CAMERON HORNE
![band_photo_cameron_horne](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_cameron_horne.jpg)
Cameron Horne is excited about the opportunity to do a solo set featuring his original songs at this month’s
Fiddler’s Green CoffeEhouse.
He most recently played with local group Scribblin’ Jones.
BITSYLAND STRING BAND
![band_photo_bitsyland_string_band](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_bitsyland_string_band.jpg)
Bitsyland String Band – Music and humor guaranteed to make you laugh and tap your toes! Fiddle tunes, pop standards, gospel, and a touch of bluegrass…
Edwin Hall (guitar, mandolin, banjo and vocals), a native of southeastern Kentucky, uses his bent for humor to emcee the Band.
Rachel Friday (upright bass), an Alabama native, is a long-time fan of old-time and folk music. She formerly played bass with the sounds of Appalachia and banjo with an all-girl band, the Sugar Beats.
Ross Friedman (banjo, guitar, and vocals) and Teresa Friedman (mandolin, guitar, and vocals) bring their life-long love of folk music to the sound of our group. This husband and wife team provides close vocal harmony and sparkling instrumental work for every performance.
Dan Byrd (fiddle, banjo, and vocals), a native of mid-town Atlanta and a veteran of the Atlanta area old-time music scene, is capable on most of the traditional string instruments and uses his gift of humor and showmanship to enhance the show.
http://www.bitsyland.com/Bitsyland_Site/Welcome.html
KIM AND DAVID CHAMBERLAIN
![band_photo_chamberlands](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_chamberlands.jpg)
Photo of Kim and David ChamberlandKim and David Chamberlain – Bright Moments,(formerly known as “Your Parents”) is a guitar/vocal/and clarinet duo. They perform classic jazz standards from the Great American Songbook in a way that will make our Coffeehouse sparkle with gentle ambiance. This husband and wife team has a chemistry that creates a relaxed and intimate atmosphere just right for Fiddler’s Green!
Kim’s vocal style has been compared to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn or Diane Schuur. She has a warm rich vocal tone with a very wide range, and is able to tackle just about any tune with sparkle and charm. Her clarinet playing adds a beautiful contrast for variety, giving the duo a lot of bang for the buck. She also adds flute on some of the pair’s songs to add even more flavor.
Dave’s archtop guitar playing is fluid and full of energy. Always keying into the subtle nuances of the phrase and the feeling of the lyric, he is the supportive backbone of the duo. Dave sometimes joins Kim to share vocals as well. Kim and Dave’s Bright Moments tonight memorable and fun.
Kim Chamberlain – Vocalist/Clarinetist
David Chamberlain – Guitarist/Vocalist
http://www.gigmasters.com/Jazz-Duo/brightmoments/
April 16, 2011
DOC STOVALL & JERRY WARREN
Doc Stovall is a professional entertainer who provides musical entertainment as well as discussions of the origins of traditional cowboy music as it relates to the Western music we enjoy today.
Stovall also presents programs and conducts seminars on the writing and recitation of cowboy poetry. He traces the roots back to the beginnings of this phenomenon at the “back of the wagon” on the trail drives north to the rails.
A native Virginian, Doc has been associated with music most of his life. His earliest influences include the traditional music associated with the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountain areas of the South that was handed down from generation to generation since it’s inception in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.
He is well-known as a Western singer and cowboy poet throughout America, having performed in twenty-five of the fifty states. Honored in 2002 as Georgia’s Official Cowboy Balladeer by the Georgia State Legislature, he has entertained audiences both young and old as he strives to keep alive the history of the West in music and song. In November of 2004, Doc was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame, the first cowboy singer so honored.
JERRY WARREN
Jerry Warren, a cowboy poet and a fourth generation rancher, refers to Tennessee’s Cumberland foothills as home.
Performing across the United States, Jerry Warren is famous for his poignant, heartfelt cowboy poetry. Of course, he draws on his vast experience as a ranch hand and veteran of the rodeo circuit to support the reality of his writings. Jerry also presents traditional pieces by classic cowboy authors as well as contemporary cowboy poets. Sarcasm and wit along with pure nostalgia are featured in his works that audiences find easy to identify with.
Jerry Warren and friend Joel Hayes founded the Georgia Cowboy Poets association. His writings served to get him recognized by the Georgia State Senate as the “Official Cowboy Poet of the State of Georgia”. He and Doc Stovall often perform together. Their tongue-in-cheek performances of their original poetry and music, as well as traditional pieces with their own personal spin make them a much sought after act. He has performed at Elko and Carson City, Nevada and is a regular performer at various WestFest events.
HAGGIS & HOMINY
Haggis & Hominy formed as a trio in 2001 consisting of Laurie Simpson, her husband John, and Peggy Martin. Laurie and John brought to the group their close vocal harmony, guitar, Irish whistle, autoharp, concertina, and hurdy-gurdy. Peggy brought upright bass, lap dulcimer, and bowed dulcimer.
The trio’s vocal and instrumental repertoire includes traditional folk, Celtic, and some of John’s own original songs. Haggis & Hominy has played for Dulcimer Week at the Swannanoa Gathering in North Carolina as well as numerous venues across Georgia. Its members have also performed with other groups in Georgia and as far away as Newport, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. Recently the trio lost John Simpson to brain cancer and has regrouped, for now, as a duo.
“Tonight we want to showcase that magical sound an autoharp and a dulcimer can have when played together, as well as, Laurie’s Singing,” they say. Peggy hopes to soon add her fiddle to their instrumentation.
March 19, 2011
ELISE WITT “Global, Local & Homemade Songs”
A concert with Elise takes listeners on a glorious and rollicking journey, visiting lands of gypsy jazz, smoky cabarets, and funky swing, as well as a capella vocalises and poignant ballads. The producer of the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage calls Elise Witt “a performer to remember with international savvy & personal charm.”
Elise was born in Switzerland, raised in North Carolina, and since 1977 has made her home in Atlanta. She speaks five languages fluently, sings in over a dozen more, and has been a cultural ambassador to South Africa, Italy, Nicaragua, Switzerland, and China. A songwriter and composer, she recently premiered the Elise Witt Choral Series, and has just released Valise, her 11th recording for EMWorld Records. Elise has studied with vocal masters Bobby McFerrin, Rhiannon, and Ysaye Barnwell, and she sang for 20 years with Robert Shaw in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Chorus. Elise has earned a reputation as a masterful educator, encouraging even the shyest singers to revel in their voices.
As a Teaching Artist, she works with students in elementary schools through universities, as well as with professional ensembles and community groups. Her workshops and concerts use music as a language to celebrate our cultural diversity while appreciating our connections as one human family. She is a longtime AAFFM member and advocate, and her concerts are famous for turning audiences (even self-professed “non-singers”) into a glorious chorus.
More about Elise at her website: http://www.elisewitt.com and on YouTube
DEIDRE McCALLA
From the moment Deidre takes the stage, her engaging presence and irresistible blend of folk, country, rock, and pop seize the listeners by the heart and won’t let go.
Deidre McCalla came of age in the fiery blaze of NYC’s folk heyday – a time when Greenwich Village clubs were filled with the likes of Dylan, Baez, and Ochs; a time when Motown ruled the top of the charts and the streets of America screamed with anger and civil unrest. Her first album, Fur Coats and Blue Jeans, was released when Deidre was 19 and a student at Vassar College. With a theater degree tucked under her belt and an acoustic guitar tossed in the back of a battered Buick station wagon, Deidre McCalla hit the proverbial road and never looked back. Deidre later majored in jazz guitar at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and released three albums with the pioneering women’s music label Olivia Records.
More about Deidre on her website: http://deidremccalla.com/ and all over YouTube
February 19, 2011
THE NEARLY NORMAL STRING BAND
The Nearly Normal String Band features Viva and Neil Araki playing an eclectic variety of musical genres, including Blues, bluegrass style, old time (Appalachian), ragtime, contemporary/60’s folk, country blues, and Celtic. Both Neil and Viva play fingerstyle guitar. Neil also flatpicks guitar, and plays fiddle and mandolin. Viva plays old time banjo and sings. They met at a pickin’ party of a mutual friend 23 years ago, and immediately discovered a common love for fingerstyle guitar, BB King, and Doc Watson. Neil has been a blues fan since his college days, and has played in bluegrass bands over the years. Viva fell in love with Joan Baez while taking classical guitar, and that was the end of a promising career as a classical guitarist (doesn’t she wish!). They both began playing guitar as children. They have played weddings, funerals, birthday parties, campgrounds, coffeehouses, music festivals, and the Old Courthouse in Blairsville. Contact them via email at: nearlynormalband@att.net
DAVID LEINWEBER
David Leinweber will be doing a mix of originals and traditionals, including a few songs that were inspired by the great old television show Dark Shadows!
David Leinweber has played in a wide variety of venues and musical styles, ranging from rock, to blues, to folk, to gospel. In both 2006 and 2009 he was featured as the “Flatpicking Professor” Dr. Leinweber at the Scottish Bluegrass Association Festival in Guildtown, Scotland and has also performed widely at regional acoustic music festivals in the South. He has shared the stage with many fine musicians.
Leinweber’s eclectic approach to music entails many influences — Dylan, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Neil Young, The Dead, Clapton, Norman Blake and Doc Watson. Possessing a voluminous repertoire, he loves the singer-songwriter heritage of the sixties and seventies, popular songs, country and bluegrass, rock, and traditional folk music from both North America and the British Isles. Reviews and publications have variously called him as an “expert guitarist,” as a “master of the fingerpicking and flatpicking styles of guitar,” and as a “seriously talented acoustic musician.” He has been described as a “nuanced and mature songwriter” whose songs have a “great hook, unforgettable melody and a great chorus.”
Dr. Leinweber has taught piano and guitar for 25 years. He has extensive experience as a studio musician, as a songwriter, and as an arranger. In addition to his solo efforts, he has performed on many records, demos, and CDs by other artists. His music has been featured on radio and in many concerts throughout the Atlanta area. His original songs on topics ranging from Deadheads, to growing up in Detroit, to the old teleivison program Dark Shadows are always popular. http://www.davidleinweber.com/
MRS. SCHMALTZ & HER KOSMOPOLITAN KLEZTET
Mrs. Schmaltz offers up an eclectic blend of international music, with a particular focus on Yiddish, Klezmer, Eastern European, and Ladino. Lively, festive, and hauntingly beautiful, this music, which is deeply rooted in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, has had a heavy influence on American popular and jazz music. The rich melodies stemming from the Klezmer, Yiddish and Sephardic tradition are timeless in their appeal, and have served as an inspiration to such American music giants as George Gershwin, Benny Goodman, Burt Bacharach, and Stephen Sondheim.
Mrs. Schmaltz a/k/a vocalist Nancy Gaddy and her Kosmopolitan Kleztet — featuring Dave Cooper on guitar and banjo, Vinny Aleandri on accordion and Greg Caregeorge on bass — will present a diverse and boisterous blend of world music to include gypsy jazz, borscht belt classics, Yiddish gems, Middle Eastern melodies and traditional klezmer tunes that will have audiences young and old singing, dancing and partying along.
January 15 , 2011
THE JIM CULLITON TRIO
Eclectic acoustic instrumentals and vocals, from high-energy tunes to engaging ballads, performed by three of the area’s elite players. Leader Jim Culliton is a local professional musican highly acclaimed for his virtuosity on various acoustic instruments, in genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz.
Musical diversity and virtuosity are the hallmarks of The Jim Culliton Trio. Three of the Atlanta area’s most accomplished acoustic musicians perform eclectic acoustic instrumentals and vocals, from high-energy tunes to engaging ballads.
Professional musician Jim Culliton is well known to many AAFFM members as a wizard on guitar and other instruments. He performs genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz, sprinkling in his own charming original songs and tunes. Jim organizes live bluegrass and traditional music for the weekly Sunday brunch at RIRA Irish pub in midtown. He offers private lessons in guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and bass. For more info: (404)298-5057.
RHYTHM RANCH
Western music and cheeky humor from a new group anchored by Berné Poliakoff and Kathleen Hatfield, two members of the beloved all female western band, Cowboy Envy. With bassist/vocalist L.A. “Darn” Tuten and fiddler/vocalist Leah Calvert, Rhythm Ranch delivers dynamic performances filled with wonderful music and great humor, delighting audiences of all ages.
Berné Poliakoff (aka Frenchy) and Kathleen Hatfield (aka Buffalo K) were the lead singers of the hugely popular all female western band, Cowboy Envy. Their work has garnered much praise and multiple awards, including the “Best Harmony” award from the Western Music Association (twice). Their vocals have been described as “heavenly…with harmonies to die for” (Atlanta Journal Constitution). Together, Frenchy and Buffalo K have performed at festivals and concerts from Alaska to South Carolina. Their history has been highlighted by appearances at Spoleto Festival, Detroit Arts Festival, Music Midtown and two concerts at the Kennedy Center. They have toured with The Indigo Girls and performed with numerous acts including Riders in the Sky, Shelby Lynn, Confederate Railroad and Sweethearts Of The Rodeo.
Rhythm Ranch was heartbroken by the passing of their amazing fiddle player and exquisite human being,“Alamo” Al Pieper. Together with their extraordinary bassist/vocalist, L.A. “Darn” Tuten and the supremely talented and lovely Leah Calvert on fiddle and vocals, they hope to keep Al’s beautiful spirit alive. Rhythm Ranch delivers dynamic performances filled with wonderful music and great humor, delighting audiences of all ages. For more info: www.rhythmranch.com
Thursday, December 6, 2007
An AAFFM Special Edition Concert
SPARKY AND RHONDA RUCKER
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. Sparky Rucker has been performing over forty years and is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and author. He accompanies himself with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo, and spoons. Rhonda Rucker is an accomplished harmonica, piano, banjo, and bones player, and also adds vocal harmonies to their songs.
Sparky and Rhonda are sure to deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, slave songs, Appalachian music, spirituals, ballads, work songs, Civil War music, cowboy music, railroad songs, and a few of their own original compositions.
Sparky and Rhonda have numerous recordings, and their 1991 release, Treasures and Tears, was nominated for the W.C. Handy Award for Best Traditional Recording. They have also contributed music to the syndicated television miniseries The Wild West (directed by Keith Merrill). Sparky’s unique renditions of John Henry and Jesse James were used in the National Geographic Society’s 1994 video entitled Storytelling in North America. Sparky Rucker has also appeared on numerous radio programs, including National Public Radio’s Morning Edition, Prairie Home Companion, and Mountain Stage. He also performed in Carry It On and Amazing Grace: Music in America, two videos produced by the Public Broadcasting System.
Sparky is a natural storyteller, having grown up hearing his father, uncles, and other family members endlessly telling tales. Sparky tells stories by himself, but Sparky and Rhonda also tell stories together (in tandem), always adding life and humor to the characters and tricksters in their Brer Rabbit tales, Jack tales, High John the Conqueror stories, preacher tales, and family stories.
“Sparky Rucker is unique! He’ll make you glad to be alive and struggling.” Pete Seeger
See www.sparkyandrhonda.com for more information. See www.eddiesattic.com for information on how to purchase a ticket. Note that AAFFM members will receive a $2 discount off food and drink order (per table) upon presentation of your current AAFFM newsletter with address label attached.
October 27, 2007
BRYAN BOWERS
“Bryan Bowers is more than the finest autoharp player on the circuit today. He’s a great songwriter and singer, a wonderful storyteller and a delightful guy to spend an evening with. And not incidentally, he revolutionized the autoharp…not just how we all play, but retuning and redesigning to a point that nearly every builder and player today is in his debt. I know I am.” — John McCutcheon
From his rather unglamorous beginning as a street singer, Bryan Bowers has become a major artist on the traditional music circuit. He has redefined the autoharp and is also well known as a singer-songwriter. Bryan has a dynamic outgoing personality and an uncanny ability to enchant a crowd in practically any situation. His towering six foot four inch frame can be wild and zany on stage while playing a song like `Dixie’ and five minutes later he can have the same audience singing `Will The Circle Be Unbroken’ in quiet reverence and delight.
For nearly three decades, Bryan Bowers has been to the autoharp what Earl Scruggs was to the five-string banjo. He presents instrumental virtuosity combined with warmth, eloquence, expression and professionalism. He has a technique DVD and eight albums including his new storytelling CD, “September in Alaska .”
Bowers’ creativity and talent have won him induction into Frets Magazine’s First Gallery of the Greats after five years of winning the stringed instrument, open category of the magazine’s readers’ poll. This distinction put Bowers along side other luminaries, such as Chet Atkins, David Grisman, Stephan Grappelli, Itzhak Perlman, Tony Rice, Rob Wasserman and Mark O’Connor, recognized for their personal accomplishments. In 1993, Bryan was inducted into the Autoharp Hall of Fame to stand only with Maybelle Carter, Kilby Snow, and Sara Carter. See www.bryanbowers.com for more information about this wonderful performer.
November 18, 2006
LOU AND PETER BERRYMAN
Lou and Peter Berryman have been performing together since the sixties, and have produced twelve albums of their original music. They blend Midwestern culture with intelligent observation in whimsical and wonderfully accessible performances. They have been compared to Tom Lehrer, Flanders and Swann, and Burns and Allen.
By the eighties, they had established themselves as a prominent feature of the songwriting subculture of Wisconsin’s capital, playing their original material every week for almost ten years in the run-down but trendy music room of Madison’s Club de Wash. They gained national attention with appearances on such programs as Public Radio’s A Prairie Home Companion, and NPR’s Weekend Edition. In 1999 and again in 2001 they were chosen to represent the state of Wisconsin with performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
Regular appearances at festivals and folk music clubs all across the country now serve as venues for the songs contained in their recordings and three songbooks. Their songs have been performed Garrison Keillor, Peggy Seeger, and Peter, Paul and Mary, to mention a few. The popularity of Lou and Peter Berryman is a testament to their intelligent and wickedly funny material that is never bawdy or risque, but is rich with word-play and witty images.
The duo is not to be missed! See their website at www.hometown.aol.com/berrymanp/
August 19, 2006
THE HUNGRY MONKS
The Hungry Monks perform traditional, contemporary, and original acoustic songs and instrumentals in the Celtic tradition on guitars, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, whistle, bohdran, and vocals. They draw from a wide range of influences, including Medieval & Renaissance, folk, blues, classical and jazz. This group combines strong original songs and instrumental compositions with an ear toward improvisation. The Hungry Monks weave a rich tapestry of sound, melodic and rhythmic, grounded in the folk traditions of many cultures. Combined with the traditions and techniques of Western classical music, this eclectic mix produces an exciting blend of acoustic sound and harmonious vocals.
The Hungry Monks, from Charleston SC , combine the creative talents of Hazel Ketchum and John Holenko. Hazel and John have played music together for more than 20 years and have been featured on TV and radio throughout the US . This group has performed in clubs and at contra dances as well as festivals and concert halls. The Hungry Monks have released several CD recordings on their own label, Hungry Monk Recordings. As well as being active performers, The Hungry Monks are music educators and publish their own work through Hungry Monk Publications. See their website at www.hungrymonkmusic.com.
Dirty Linen says, “The songs are mostly original first-person reflections with distinctive melodies and strong, creative accompaniment… a tasty combination of crisp, creative fiddle/ mandolin/guitar instrumentals… a dreamy, melodic fiddle piece that visits several peaceful musical neighborhoods… a lively, percussive reel that includes some hot mandolin improvisations.” Oct/Nov 2004 SING OUT Magazine says, “Ketchum holds great tension and expressiveness in her voice. Ketchum sings as if nothing else in the world matters.”
AMANDA KAPOUSOUZ
The Hungry Monks will be joined for this month’s Fiddler’s Green show by the multi-talented Athens, GA fiddler and singer-songwriter Amanda Kapousouz. Taking her band’s name from the tip cup dangling from her fiddle case, Amanda Kapousouz (aka the Tin Cup Prophette) is no stranger to the stage. Once hailing from New York City , this “busker extraordinaire” entertained thousands of commuters daily on subway platforms for small change. Working her way above ground, Amanda began to play with various bands in the city ranging in style from traditional Irish and heavy metal bluegrass to jazz, Dixieland, and rock-n-roll. She has composed music for modern dance, arranged music for film and toured extensively on the Irish music circuit.
Early this century (or was it late last century), Amanda moved to music-friendly Athens, GA to pursue her own creative work, and has appeared in the Atlanta/Athens area at Smith’s Olde Bar, the 40 Watt, and Eddie’s Attic. She will make her second appearance at the Kansas City Irish Festival this September. Amanda re-joins Hazel and John at this month’s Fiddler’s to perform material from their earlier Celtic/old-time work together in the band, Donnybrook Legacy, as well as material from the Hungry Monks’ CD “Organic Tangerines,” as well as other delightful offerings. See www.tincupprophette.com for more information on Amanda.
Special guests: Mike Simpson and Doug Murray — Mike Simpson is a local multi-instrumentalist and teacher on fiddler, Irish flute, tin whistle, guitar, tenor banjo and bodhran. A former member of The New Road and The Long Drop, Mike has performed at Atlanta Symphony Hall, the High Museum of Art, the Fox Theater, and numerous other venues around Atlanta. Mike is currently the music director of Irish Music Traditions.
Doug Murray is a veteran of the Atlanta traditional music scene. He plays bouzouki (a fairly new instrument to Irish music) and old time banjo. He has played with The New Road, The Buddy O’Reilly Band, Music in the Glen, and other Atlanta area groups, and he has accompanied most of the city’s Irish musicians at one time or another.
April 15, 2006
DAVID LAMOTTE
Fiddlers Green is delighted to welcome singer-songwriter David LaMotte as our feature performer for the April 15 show. A typical evening of performance with David includes everything from lyrically challenging, high-energy percussive songs in strange alternate tunings to more traditional songs of home, hope and inspiration. He weaves the evening together in a fabric of vivid – often hilarious – stories, and throws in an occasional impressive instrumental piece.
In the past fourteen years, David has released eight albums and performed over sixteen hundred shows in forty-five states and ten countries, sharing stages along the way with artists like Arlo Guthrie, Shawn Mullins, Buddy Miles, Gillian Welch, John Gorka, Jez Lowe and David Wilcox. In addition to performing throughout the U.S., David tours Europe almost every year. His three tours to Australia and New Zealand have included mainstage performances at Australia’s National Folk Festival and a spot as the headline act for the 2004 Auckland Folk Festival, the largest folk fest in New Zealand
He was also featured along with Bruce Springsteen, Aimee Mann, Ray Manzarek, Grace Slick and Suzanne Vega on the Songs Inspired By Literature, Chapter 1, a project to benefit adult literacy campaigns. His children’s recording, S.S. Bathtub, recently won its fourth national award, and work is in progress on a children’s book based on the title track.
Aside from being a new husband, touring, promoting his current CD and leading occasional workshops, David’s current passion is a new non-profit corporation he has created to aid Guatemalan schools, PEG (Proyecto para las Escuelas Guatemaltecas).
For more about David, visit his website at www.davidlamotte.com.
SHERI KLING
We are very pleased to welcome Sheri Kling back to the Fiddlers Stage. Sheri is an accomplished singer/songwriter, guitarist and long-time spiritual sojourner whose music—built on rich vocals and dynamic guitar—resonates with a certain organic authenticity that’s heart-rooted and spirit-seeking. Each song is another way of looking at what is real, what is true, and what invites us all into a more passionate and well-lived life.
With her rich voice and distinctive guitar style, Kling has been heard at such acclaimed venues as Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe, Atlanta’s Eddie’s Attic and Variety Playhouse, and many more across the country. Sheri is also developing new audiences through her “Music & Message” speaking engagements, “keynote concerts” and school-based Arts-in-Education programs, while women are responding enthusiastically to her “Waking Woman” celebrations and workshops. Visit Sheri’s website at www.sherikling.com.
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This is an archive of past Fiddler’s Green Coffeehouses. Peruse these pages to get a view of the artists that graced Fiddler’s in past Events. Also, if you attended one of these coffeehouses and want to know more about a performer you saw there, check the announcement for that month. You’ll find brief write-ups of the scheduled artists, and usually links to one or more websites that contain more information.
KATHY REED &
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ATLANTA MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA |
The Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra is the performing unit of the Atlanta Mandolin Society, Inc., established in 1994. AMS has been organized to perpetuate knowledge and appreciation of music written for the mandolin and related instruments. The Atlanta Mandolin Society is proud to have revived the mandolin orchestra in Atlanta. For over 30 years, beginning in the early 20th Century, there was a very fine mandolin orchestra in Atlanta under the direction of William Griffith. Mr. Griffith created quite a rage for the mandolin during the first decades of the previous century and is fondly remembered by many. The Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra is establishing its own history today under the direction of conductor Robb Smith. Robb has been a life-long musician and is a graduate of the Geneva Conservatory of Music, and has been with AMO since 1994. |
November 19, 2022
THE CUNNINGHAM/HENSON DUO
Guitarist Steve Cunningham and bassist Rob Henson formed a “duo of musical gumbo” to express an artistry separate from their careers as in-demand sidemen and session musicians. The Cunningham / Henson duo offers a unique instrumental approach where they present familiar melodies and songs of all styles in a way that sounds fresh, exciting and at the same time understated.
Steve Cunningham
One of the most in-demand guitarists on the Atlanta scene, Steve has played with Grammy winner Susan Tedeschi, long-time members of the James Brown band, and Grammy Award winner William Bell, as well as opening for Jeff Beck, Barenaked Ladies, Kool and the Gang, Dream Theatre, The Four Tops, Chuck Mangione, and Blondie. Steve is a first-call session player, playing on hundreds of local and national CD releases, TV and radio commercials, and movie soundtracks. He has recorded for Coca-Cola, Ford, IBM, Cartoon Network, Microsoft, CNN, NASCAR and others, as well as recording with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Rob Henson
Equally fluent in the musical styles of rock, jazz, bluegrass and classical, bassist Rob Henson has performed with an incredible diversity of artists such as The Who, Vince Gill, Shawn Mullins, the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, David Ryan Harris, The Atlanta Ballet, The Drifters, and Broadway tours of Wicked and Phantom of the Opera. From 2006 – 2012 Rob recorded and toured the United States with singer/songwriter Corey Smith and played over 150 shows a year. He has recorded 5 CDs, and opened for acts including ZZ Top, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Snoop Dog, and Merle Haggard. Currently Robert manages and leads the very popular Atlanta trio Lilac Wine, delighting audiences with three voices in harmony performing uniquely arranged songs of all genres and elegantly backed by a driving acoustic guitar and a punchy upright bass.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/
Rick Diamond
Rick Diamond has always been a writer: short stories in third grade, co-writing his first structurally sound song, “Follow Me,” in eighth grade with band mate Steve Hagler. (Imagine two kids urging the world to follow them… Where to, the playground?) In his late teens and early 20s, Rick wrote a few songs for his Illinois rock band. In his 30s he wrote his first novel — long before he had anything worth saying. In his early 40s he wrote his second novel; and then five years later when he got the nerve up to submit it to a New York literary agent he met at a writers’ conference, he landed a deal and lost a deal all within three weeks. Not one to try harder, he turned his hand to screenwriting and knocked out a couple of movie scripts and then a TV pilot. Then wanting to know what happened to those characters, he wrote nine more episodes. During all those years, Rick managed to write more than a hundred songs about love, life, politics, and whatever else at that moment was bothering him.
Rick Diamond has played in venues from Illinois to New York, from Florida to Tennessee, from one Carolina to the next, from Texas to Alabama, and here in Georgia for more than a few years. His songs can be sampled and downloaded at Rick Diamond Reverbnation and listened to in better fidelity at writersroomcafe.com — but only if you have great big studio monitors for speakers on your computer (seriously, don’t do the phone thing).
www.reverbnation.com/
www.writersroomcafe.com
October 15, 2022
THE 4-MAN STRING BAND TRIO
The 4-Man String Band Trio combines the vocal and instrumental talents of three seasoned musicians with ties to Atlanta: Charles Absher on guitar, Clark Brown on mandolin and guitar, and George Eckard on guitar, banjo, mandolin, and harmonicas. Their Fiddler’s Green set will include Americana-style original songs by Absher and Eckard. George Eckard’s 2021 CD release Love the Land and Charles Absher’s 2018 CD release This Garden of Sunshine and Rain showcase their songwriting talents.
Since its inception in 2019, the group has appeared at various venues in the area, including Waller’s Coffee Shop, Lena’s Place, and Intown Coffee House, and at Woodlands Garden, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Briarlake Forest Park, and Frazier-Rowe Park. They also have played at the Central Dekalb Senior Center and a number of area retirement communities and were the subject of an article in Senior Living magazine in 2021.
https://www.facebook.com/
Veronika Jackson started her music career singing in school choirs at the age of ten. She was raised by a musically influenced family in St. Petersburg, Florida. In her teens, her love for acoustic folk and R&B music grew as she followed such artists as Odetta, Dolly Parton, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Joan Baez, Ella Fitzgerald, and, later, Diamond Teeth Mary, a blues performer who inspired many folk artists through her performances at the Florida Folk Festival.
Veronika has combined acoustic folk music and R&B to create her own unique music. She has shared her musical talents with audiences at venues and festivals throughout the South and Northeastern states and across the Atlantic Ocean.
The Woman I Am, her latest CD, is a compilation of her original compositions and some favorite songs she enjoys performing. Her reputation as an entertainer and consummate artist continues to grow. Her stage presence and sound have a sincerity that will grace your heart. Her performances take you to another place and time.
Critics have called Veronika’s appeal contagious, always leaving audiences wanting more. The joy she feels as an artist comes from knowing that her music – whether an old folk song, a blues composition, or an old spiritual – entertains and brings joy and hope to people’s lives.
https://veronikajackson.com/
KATHY REED &
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ATLANTA MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA |
The Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra is the performing unit of the Atlanta Mandolin Society, Inc., established in 1994. AMS has been organized to perpetuate knowledge and appreciation of music written for the mandolin and related instruments. The Atlanta Mandolin Society is proud to have revived the mandolin orchestra in Atlanta. For over 30 years, beginning in the early 20th Century, there was a very fine mandolin orchestra in Atlanta under the direction of William Griffith. Mr. Griffith created quite a rage for the mandolin during the first decades of the previous century and is fondly remembered by many. The Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra is establishing its own history today under the direction of conductor Robb Smith. Robb has been a life-long musician and is a graduate of the Geneva Conservatory of Music, and has been with AMO since 1994. |
August 20, 2022
ALEX COMMINS & TODD PRUSIN
Alex Commins and Todd Prusin are well-known in the Atlanta music scene. Alex was an original member of AAFFM and has played for years in bluegrass groups, including 15 years with The Sorghum Syrup Soppers Old-Time String Band. He has also played in many diverse musical situations, from the Galax Old-Time Fiddler’s Convention to rock and roll bands. Todd started out drumming in high school bands and has since played professionally as a drummer, guitarist, and bassist. He has played various Atlanta venues with such bands as Charm School, Stickfight, The Barrow Boys, Prusin Reep Jones, The Serenaders, The Porch Bottom Boys, and Suspicious Package.
Alex and Todd met at Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch in the Ohio River Valley. The love and respect for music that was germinated blossomed into a musical embrace here in Atlanta, an embrace that seems to grab and include those within earshot. The interplay between Alex’s acoustic fingerpicking and Todd’s melodic bass guitar has garnered very positive notices.
Georgia Grass is one of the longest-running and most venerable bluegrass bands in Georgia. Founded in 1973 by guitarist Dan Daniel, Georgia Grass has played many bluegrass festivals throughout Georgia and the Southeast, as well as various clubs and private events in and around Atlanta. In 1976 Georgia Grass was chosen to play for the grand opening of the Georgia World Congress Center. Today Georgia Grass is still going strong as a local bluegrass powerhouse. Its three members have all been inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame.
Band leader Dan Daniel plays acoustic guitar and sings lead vocals on most of their songs. Dan is the President of the Southeastern Bluegrass Association and a lifetime member of the Bonded Brothers of Bluegrass. His awards include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Atlanta Society of Entertainers and the Fiddlin’ John Carson Award for his contributions to the music industry in the State of Georgia.
James McKinney is considered one of the world’s foremost masters of the five-string banjo. James has played both on stage and in recordings with great artists such as Bill Monroe, Vassar Clements, and John Hartford, among many others. He received the Musician’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the Atlanta Society of Entertainers in 2018. Niki Portmann plays upright bass and also sings vocals. She is an accomplished and respected bass artist of many years. Niki was awarded the Musician’s Lifetime Achievement Award by the Atlanta Society of Entertainers in 2018.
Georgia Grass is a modern bluegrass band with roots deep in traditional bluegrass and Americana folk but with a refreshing and modern take on many traditional favorites as well as original works.
July 16, 2022
JOHN CABLE & THE GEORGIA MOUNTAIN STRING BAND
John Cable is a veteran musician who began his career in the late 60s. After serving as lead guitarist and vocalist for Texas country rock pioneers Colours, John became a member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. In 1977 they became the first American band in history to perform in the Soviet Union. John became the first American to lecture at the Moscow Conservatory of Music on the history of Western Blues and Rock music.
John has performed on The Tonight Show, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, The Midnight Special, Austin City Limits and the Grand Ole Opry. He has performed in some of the great concert venues, as well, including Wolftrap, Carnegie Hall and Red Rocks. John is currently playing and touring with John McEuen and The String Wizards.
John is excited to be bringing the Georgia Mountain Stringband to accompany him at Fiddler’s Green. Formed in 2015 by Jason Waller, the Georgia Mountain Stringband has quickly become one of the leading original Bluegrass acts in the Southeast. The group was recently voted Best Bluegrass Band in Atlanta for 2019 by Creative Loafing readers.The 5-piece is stacked with Waller on guitar, David Stephens on banjo, Brendan Held on fiddle, Eddie Kesler on mandolin and Robert Green on upright bass.
www.johncable.com
https://pleaserock.com/tribute/georgia-mountain-string-band/
The multi-instrumental gifted talent of Jim Culliton has delighted Fiddlers Green audiences for many years. In Clear Creek, Jim’s mandolin, fiddle and vocals share the stage with Joel Glogowski (upright bass) and Russell Weeks (guitar/vocals). This high-energy trio offers an eclectic blend of different genres, mixing instrumental improvisation with traditional sounds and vocals.
Jim has played at the Fox Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. He was one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement – incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, classical, and vocals. With the formation of Clear Creek, he leads a trio that continues to deliver a truly innovative, entertaining, and dynamic acoustic sound.
jimcullitonmusic.com
Facebook: Jim Culliton & Clear Creek
June 18, 2022
The Reel Sisters offer an intimate performance of tunes and stories from the Celtic lands and Appalachia. Harp, pipes, whistle, and voice combine to create a magical Celtic soundscape full of both joy and mystery.
The Reel Sisters are a duo steeped in the musical tradition of Scottish harp and smallpipes. Piper Rosalind Buda and harpist Kelly Brzozowski share lifetimes of experience in the traditional music community and the technical expertise of classical training. A duo since 2018, The Reel Sisters have performed stage shows, festivals, and house concerts from New Mexico to New York. They have been heard multiple times on Pan Harmonia’s Celtic Corner Series and have been featured at the acclaimed Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC, the Red Clay Theater in Duluth, GA, and the Atlanta Celtic Christmas concert at the Rialto. Rosalind and Kelly are professional educators as well as performers and are in demand as clinicians at harp and bagpipe workshops across the US.
The Reel Sisters’ music is uplifting, stirring, and just sweet fun. Their approachable, lighthearted personalities create a unique and intimate musical experience that connects them deeply with the spirit of the music and with their audiences.
reelsistersmusic.com
Harm’s Way began back in the 1970s. Scot Boze, Dennis Keefe, and Harmon Koeltz had been playing guitar-driven music at each other’s homes, parties, and the like when they began playing an after-hours place called Little Annie Fannies. They split $7.50 a night and dined on chili, spaghetti, and milkshakes, which was about all the place had to offer. A patron one evening heard them and must have liked them, as he offered them a gig at Billy Lothridge’s Taco Kid in Sandy Springs. They needed a name to go up on the marquee, and Dennis named the group Harm’s Way. The pay was better, and they had beer!
More parties, and even more practice followed. Dennis was a jock at WPLO-FM and had access to the studio where we could go on the weekends or after hours and record our music. More parties and jams followed. Then they got serious and started contacting venues and began performing. Through the years, new members joined the group while others left, mostly to return. They were now playing coffee shops, wineries, restaurants, corporate events, private events, festivals, and all the local monthly concert series, including Fiddler’s Green. They perform with conviction, a sense of humor, and rich harmonies. While they don’t take themselves too seriously, they do take the music very seriously and feel it is to be enjoyed and shared. They are available for house concerts, yacht christenings, shuttle launch parties, etc. and would love to play your next event.
On a somber note, Scot’s last performance was right here in February of 2020, just before the pandemic. He was taken by Covid that summer. The line-up for Fiddler’s Green will be Phil Griffin, Barbara Hotz, Jonathan McBee, Harmon Koeltz, and making her debut with the group, Liz Bradley.
May 21, 2022
THE RESONANT ROGUES
Asheville, North Carolina’s genre hopping songwriters, The Resonant Rogues, have been winning over audiences worldwide with their signature blend of string band music since 2013. Following their musical inspirations from the Appalachian mountains to the Balkans, through Paris by way of New Orleans, their original songs speak to the heart with poetic lyrics, and appeal to the ears with stellar musicianship and arrangement.
CHARLEY WOODS
A Nashville native, recording artist Charley Woods is making a lasting impact on the music mecca she calls home. With her instantly identifiable voice and her stylistic blend of contemporary folk and Americana, she is in a league all her own. She has performed and collaborated with many talented and influential figures in today’s country music including Brad Paisley, Chris Young, David Nail, Wil Nance, Mark Nesler, and many more. Since releasing her second single “Half The Girl.” Charley has proven herself as one of Nashville’s must-watch artists.
Charley last performed at Fiddler’s Green in January 2019. She has been garnering attention and praise since high school, at none other than the prestigious Nashville School of the Arts. Already a mainstay in the Nashville songwriters’ community, Charley’s dream is to share her songs with the world.
April 16, 2022
CLAUDIA NYGAARD
Claudia Nygaard is a mesmerizing storyteller and a cinematic lyricist who writes songs that are heartfelt, humorous, scrappy, and sensual, And she does so with a daredevil’s vulnerability and a complete lack of self-censorship. Nygaard, with her powerful, resonant, and deeply emotive amber honey voice, is a master at putting a tear in your eye with a song that breaks your heart; and then with a quick wit and an outlandish sense of humor, she’ll replace it with tears of laughter.
Claudia is a quick witted and charismatic performer, with a twinkle in her eye that convinces everyone in her audience that she is sharing a secret with them alone. And her storytelling doesn’t end when the song does. Sharing both the inspiration behind the tunes, and also frequently creating outlandish, irreverent, and humorous monologues, her patter is as important a part of her performances as the songs themselves.
Building on the craft she learned while a staff songwriter on Nashville’s Music Row, she has won numerous awards including the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival Songwriting Competition, and with the title cut of her latest album “Lucky Girl”, the Tumbleweed Music Festival Songwriting Competition. “Lucky Girl” charted at #3 on the Folk Alliance Radio song chart and #5 on the album chart, and it gave her a significant debut on the Americana chart. It also received impressive reviews from the press. Legendary folk music magazine “Sing Out” claimed the songs “rival the likes of Guy Clark or Ian Tyson.”
www.claudinygaard.com
BLACKFOOT DAISY
Blackfoot daisies are hearty wild flowers that grow on the prairies of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. You can find them growing naturally in the Texas Blackland prairie, which runs from the Red River to the Texas-Oklahoma border. Blackfoot Daisy is a humble trio (sometimes duo) that plays original, Americana style music. Based in the Atlanta metro area, they describe themselves as “a little haunted by the prairie, the wind, the shifting of tall grasses, the sound of crickets, and a lonesome train whistle drifting through the night.”
The group consists of:
Don Sechelski – guitar, vocals, songwriting. Don has been writing and performing music for over 30 years. From Atlanta to New Orleans to Chicago and back to Atlanta still chasing the buffalo. Wendy DuMond – guitar, vocals, songwriting. Wendy has the soul of a poet and the vision of an artist. From Montana, through Oklahoma, to New York and back to Atlanta, she follows the bucking horse moon.; Tom Wolf – guitar, mandolin, vocals, songwriting. Tom has played so many venues around the city of Atlanta, it would be easier to list places he hasn’t played. Quick with a joke or a sizzling riff, Tom is the stick that stirs the drink.
www.blackfootdaisymusic.com
March 19, 2022
The Colcannon Society
![Colcannon Society](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Colcannon-Society-300x225.jpeg)
The Irish Brothers
![Irish Brothers](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Irish-Brothers-2016.jpg)
February 15, 2022
The Moon and You
The Moon and You is a charismatic husband-and-wife team based in Asheville NC. Melissa Hyman plays cello, Ryan Furstenberg plays guitar and banjo, and both sing in “voices that sound like they were made for one another” (Bill DeYoung, Connect Savannah). At once excitingly inventive and cozily familiar, the Moon & You has crafted a sound all their own.
Furstenberg and Hyman mix up a fresh blend of influences from very different backgrounds. Melissa grew up in the NYC area studying classical cello. Ryan was born and raised among the Eastern NC tobacco fields, learning classic country and 70s rock on harmonica and then guitar. His rich country baritone and easy Southern style bring an undeniable Americana flavor to the table.
Together, the two form a sound that is warm and inviting, atmospheric and playful. Each is a well developed songwriter with a distinctive voice, and their songs range in style from classic to quirky. their ever-evolving output encompasses a wide range of American roots music. Live on stage they are 100 percent themselves — funny, charming and slightly odd; communing with their audiences, warts and all. Their performances evoke joyful eruptions of laughter, occasional tears, and moments of breathless awe.
Photo: EvokeEmotion Photography
www.themoonandyou.com
Harm’s Way
Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together more than ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. For this performance Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koeltz on lead vocals and guitar, Scot Boze on vocals, and Jonathan McBee, bass player for Mockingbird’s Wing.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions. The core members of this group have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and – while they take music very seriously – don’t take themselves seriously at all!
www.reverbnation.com/
January 18, 2020
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker
Fiddler’s Green is delighted to ring in the New Year with a full concert by our old friends Sparky and Rhonda Rucker. The Ruckers perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. Sparky Rucker has been performing over forty years and is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and author. He accompanies himself with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo, and spoons. Rhonda Rucker is a musician, children’s author, storyteller, and songwriter. Her blues-style harmonica, piano, old-time banjo, and bones add musical versatility to their performances.
Sparky and Rhonda are sure to deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, slave songs, Appalachian music, spirituals, ballads, work songs, Civil War music, railroad songs, and a few of their own original compositions.
Over forty years of performing, Sparky and Rhonda have performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as NPR’s On Point, Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and Morning Edition. Their recording, Treasures & Tears, was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award, and their music is also included on the Grammy-nominated anthology, Singing Through the Hard Times.
The Ruckers have been featured tellers at the International Storytelling Center and Festival. Sparky is a natural storyteller, having grown up hearing his father, uncles, and other family members endlessly telling tales. Sparky and Rhonda each tell solo stories, but they also tell stories together (in tandem), always adding life and humor to the characters and tricksters in their Brer Rabbit tales, Jack tales, High John the Conqueror stories, preacher tales, and family stories.
AAFFM has presented Sparky and Rhonda many times over the years at Fiddler’s Green and other occasions. It’s always great to have them back!
December 21, 2019
Four Shillings Short
Four Shillings Short perform traditional and original music from the Celtic Lands, Medieval & Renaissance Europe, India and the Americas on over 30 instruments from all over the world. They include hammered and mountain Dulcimer, mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, tinwhistles, recorders, Medieval and Renaissance woodwinds, Native American flutes, North Indian sitar, charango, bowed psaltery, banjo, bodhran, guitar, ukelele, doumbek, percussion, vocals and even a krumhorn.
The husband/wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland and Christy Martin from California have been performing together since 1995, touring in the US and Ireland. These independent folk artists have 12 recordings, perform 150 concerts a year, and live as the troubadours of old traveling, from town to town playing at music festivals, theaters and performing arts centers, folk and historical societies, libraries, museums and schools.
Born in Cork, Ireland, Aodh Óg (pronounced, ayog) studied Medieval and Renaissance music in college. He received a music fellowship to study at Stanford University in 1984. He played in a group called Drivelling Druids before forming the group Four Shillings Short.
A multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Christy was born into a musical family. She played the sitar for 10 years, starting at the age of 16. Christy took up folk music in the ’80’s and has been playing hammered dulcimer since 1993. She was formerly in a band called Your Mother Should Know.
Join us at Fiddler’s Green for one of the most joyous special events of the holiday season. Wassail!
November 16, 2019
Dana Cooper
![Dana Cooper](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/dana_cooper-829x1024.jpg)
Dana Cooper has logged millions of miles as a renowned songwriter and story teller. This song poet engages and inspires audiences around the world with his quick wit, insightful stories and commanding presence. He has performed on Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage and the Kerrville Music Festival, where he was nominated for their Hall of Fame. Dana’s songs have been recorded by top-notch artists such as bluegrass star Claire Lynch and Irish vocalist Maura O’Connell. His mixture of flat-picking, finger-picking and percussive strumming style is legend among other guitarists.
Dana was awarded the Spirit of Folk Award by Folk Alliance International, and he is the recipient of the 2014 Heritage Series Musician Award for his contributions to the Kansas City’s musical heritage. Dana released his 26th CD Incendiary Kid on Travania Records in 2017.
“Innovative, eclectic and unforgettable.” Heather Johnson, Performing Songwriter
“Dana, still full from last night’s show. I was sitting there listening to your songs thinking, I’m in the room with one of the best living songwriters in the world. Your brilliance took us all on a ride into the ineffable parts of existence. I can’t thank you enough! What a night.” Minton Sparks
Friction Farm
![Friction Farm](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/friction_farm-1024x683.jpg)
Modern-folk duo Friction Farm is a husband and wife team of traveling troubadours. Aidan Quinn and Christine Stay combine storytelling, social commentary and humor to create songs of everyday life, local heroes, and quirky observations.
They have toured internationally and have been Kerrville New Folk Finalists, Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists, and South Florida Folk Festival Songwriter winners. Friction Farm’s latest CD So Many Stars, which reached #6 on the Folk Chart, was inspired by their travels across the country witnessing the collision of strong political polarity with personal kindness, the intersection of fragility and breathtaking beauty. From ballads to anthems, each song is filled with harmony and hope.
He’s from Berkeley CA, and she’s from Woodstock NY. When not touring, Aidan enjoys woodworking and Christine bakes. They have a big garden and a small orchard at the sustainable home they designed and built in South Carolina.
“infectiously hummable tunes.” New Times Magazine Miami FL
“intricate harmonies which are reminiscent of 1960s classics with a modern twist.” Sun Journal New Bern NC
“They were utterly charming. Their well-written songs cover a wide gamut and their delivery is spot on. They should be much better known.” Rich Warren, Host WFMT’s Folk Stage and Midnight Special
October 19, 2019
Jefferson Ross
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Screen-Shot-2018-01-29-at-2.00.28-PM.png)
Southern folk artist Jefferson Ross is a songwriter, singer, guitar slinger and painter weaving stories for the ears and the eyes. Based in The Peach State, Jefferson travels throughout the U.S. and Europe performing his original music, and he displays his art at festivals and galleries across the South.
For years Jefferson lived in Nashville playing for recording artists including Canada’s Entertainer of the Decade, Terri Clark, and sharing the stage with country music greats such as George Strait, Toby Keith and Vince Gill. He worked as a staff writer for a number of publishers on Music Row including Curb Music, one of the top music publishers in the world. In 2010 he returned to live in Georgia with his wife and daughter. He maintains a home and office in Nashville as well.
An evening with Jefferson Ross is a homespun southern experience that you’re unlikely to forget.
The Rough & Tumble
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TheRoughandTumble-1024x683.jpg)
The Rough & Tumble are as easy to detect as a stray dog on your doorstep– and as difficult to send home. The dumpster-folk, thriftstore-Americana duo, consisting of Mallory Graham & Scott Tyler, have been hobbling around the country in their 16-foot camper since 2015. They picked up a couple of actual strays along the way– two 100-pound dogs, Puddle & Magpie Mae– and have been making themselves at home in living rooms, bars, theaters, and festivals across the country. They’ve been recognized as a Feature Showcase Artist at 2018 SERFA, and a 2018 honorable mention for the Listening Room Network.
Since their start in 2011, The Rough & Tumble have been writing illustrative songs, arranging each with a menagerie of instruments ranging from acoustic guitars to mailbox snares to a banjulele. “Their Americana music is restorative, their performance highly entertaining, their orchestra of unusual instruments intriguing, and… jokes and stories are worthy of an HBO special.” (Linda Bolton, Cozy Cabin House Concerts).
The stray folkies are as industrious as they are scrappy, releasing five EPs and two albums in their eight years. Their 2018 release, We Made Ourselves a Home When We Didn’t Know, brought the listener to the road and the road to their home — an album “as cozy, comfortable and inviting as a well-worn couch” (Bill Kopp, Mountain Xpress). All this in addition to their weekly livecast, a monthly blog, a Cook & Color Book, a food blog, 2018 SERFA Official Showcase Artist, and playing upwards of 150 shows a year.
The Rough & Tumble released their new studio album Howling Back at the Wounded Dog, on September 6, 2019.
September 21, 2019
Michael Jonathan
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Michael-Johnathon-884x1024.jpg)
Folksinger Michael Johnathon has a long-standing career in the arts as a songwriter, musician, author, playwright, composer of the opera Woody: For the People, and host of the live audience broadcast of the WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour. The show has a radio audience of more than two million listeners each week on 500 public radio stations, public television coast-to-coast, American Forces Radio Network in 173 nations, and now Friday evenings on RFD-TV.
Michael helped organize the national WoodSongs Front Porch Association to help organize rural and community music and a massive educational program. Members of the WFPA are called “SongFarmers.” His 14th album release, MoonFire, comes on the heels of Mousie HiWay: The Adventures of Banjo Mouse in Appalachia, his fully illustrated book that introduces bluegrass music to kids. The MoonFire CD is a 23-song album in honor of the banjo.
Michael released three new projects this year: the CD Dazed & Confuzed, the book WoodSongs 4 and the orchestrated concert tour Songs of Rural America.
In addition to his albums, books, concerts and other projects, the Martin Guitar Company introduced the Michael Johnathon signature model 0000-28s “WoodSongs Quad” guitar.
Michael lives in a log cabin on a hill surrounded by meadows, streams and woods outside of Lexington, Kentucky.
Blackfoot Daisy
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/New-Blackfoot-Daisy-1-1024x679.jpg)
Blackfoot Daisy is a popular local trio comprised of Don Sechelski, Jim Kirkland, Wendy DuMond. They write and perform songs about love, loss, family, horses, dogs, and “things we have yet to ask for forgiveness for.” By day Don is an educator, and Wendy works for a law firm. Don and Wendy met on a songwriter website message board and started writing songs together. Jim Kirkland rounded out the trio with his jazzy multi-instrumentalism, and the result is Blackfoot Daisy.
Blackfoot Daisy formed in 2012 when long-time collaborators and songwriters Wendy and Don decided to begin performing together on a regular basis. Don spent most of his early childhood in Texas and Wendy hails from Montana but grew up in Oklahoma. They chose to name the band after a deer, drought, and pest-resistant prairie flower.
Don is a 30-plus year native of the Atlanta music scene and has also worked as a studio musician. Don has been a regular on the Atlanta coffeehouse/acoustic music scene since the old Freight Room days. He has played venues such as the Dogwood Festival, Hungry Ear Coffeehouse, Lena’s Place and many more.
Wendy began writing songs and performing in 2009. She released a solo EP in 2012. Wendy’s songs have been featured on the Women of Substance radio podcast. Her song Catching Fireflies was used as music for a book trailer to promote All Bears Need Love, a children’s book about interracial adoption.
Blackfoot Daisy has played Smith’s Old Bar, Steve’s Live Music, the Red Light Café and many other local Atlanta live music venues. The band has opened for Nashville songwriter Kurt Fortmeyer, The Rosin Sisters, Copper into Steel, Vientos Del Pueblo, and Little Country Giants, to name a few. They have also performed at Snellville Days, the Chastain Park Arts Festival, the Duluth Fall Festival, the Little 5 Arts Alive Concert series, and Oakhurst Porchfest.
The band released a three-song EP in 2015 and is currently working on a full-length album.
August 17, 2019
David Leinweber
![David Leinweber (photo)](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/david_leinweber.png)
David Leinweber has performed widely at festivals, concert venues and clubs for years, including international appearances abroad where he was dubbed “The Flatpicking Professor.” He has also performed widely in refined higher-educational settings like bars and honky-tonks, to say nothing of numerous universities, civic groups and college campuses. He has placed in numerous flatpicking, fingerpicking and songwriting competitions.
David’s repertoire ranges from traditional music of Appalachia and the British Isles, to Spanish ballads, to folkadelic rock and acoustic blues. Many of his songs tell compelling stories and feature distinctive idioms of guitar-playing and songwriting. But most of all, he’s just out to entertain and have a good time. His performances intersperse intricate guitar work and vocals with joke-cracking and occasional commentaries – a good fit for audiences of all stripes and tastes.
Just Be’Cause
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/JCB-Promo-2019-2-1024x536.png)
Jerry Brunner, Bruce Gilbert and Cyndi Craven are Just Be’Cause … just don’t ask them why.
Jerry Brunner and Cyndi Craven, long-time members of the Atlanta acoustic/folk music scene, have been performing together since the 1980’s. In 2007, they met up with Bruce Gilbert when he moved to Atlanta from California where he’d been wowing the music scene there for years. The music they produce together is the result of profound friendship, heaping helpings of creativity, and decades of playing, singing and writing together and on their own. Their shows have been described by fans as an evening of “comfort music” with vocal “harmonies that will roll your socks down.” Come hear for yourself!More at: https://www.reverbnation.com/brucegilbert and https://www.reverbnation.com/cyndicraven
July 20, 2019
The Radio Rangers
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/RadioRangers-1024x701.jpg)
The Radio Rangers are an Americana band based in Atlanta. Their original music connects with the heartland of America – stories about small towns, railroads, love, broken hearts and life’s special moments. The music is melodic with an emphasis on vocal harmony and an old timey feel. The band is influenced by John Prine, Towns Van Zandt, Blaze Foley and Bob Dylan. It’s comprised of Dan Foster (vocals, guitar), Mark Ewald (vocals, guitar), and Tom Molloy (percussion).
Dan Foster is the songwriter and leader of the band. A seasoned lead guitarist, his song writing led to the creation of The Radio Rangers in 2014. “I try to write songs that people can emotionally connect with. Songs about love, heartbreak, growing up and railroads. The goal is to paint a picture with a good story and melody. It’s very special when people like what you have created.” Dan grew up in Michigan (too cold), moved to Florida (too hot) and moved to Atlanta in 1989 (just right).
Mark “the ear” Ewald is the musical director. Being friends for over 20 years, Dan says he has never known anyone who can arrange a song, moving in exactly the right direction the way Mark does. Mark’s nickname comes from his vocal harmony abilities but he is also a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, piano, mandolin, bass guitar, banjo, harmonica and drums. (not all at the same time). Mark is from Buffalo, New York and still loves hot-wings.
Tom Molloy is the drummer/percussionist for the group. Tom is the glue that holds everything together while adding that special energy to the songs. Tom’s sense of humor always keeps things loose making even the ordinary much more fun. Tom grew up in Queens, New York which will become apparent when you speak with him. (what accent?) Just don’t tell him he looks like Rodney Dangerfield.
https://www.theradiorangers.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theradiorangers
Redwine Jam
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Redwine-Jam-e1561067522539-1024x609.jpg)
Despite its name, Redwine Jam is not a sweet alcoholic concoction suitable for spreading on toast. Still, folk music fans find it appetizing and heady! A performance by the folk band Redwine Jam carries the audience on an emotional roller coaster complete with high-spirited roots music, wry humor, gripping story songs, love ballads, and the sheer joy of homemade music.
Redwine Jam is an Atlanta-based folk music trio comprised of Chris and Carol Moser and singer Brenda Lloyd. They perform a wide range of North American and Celtic folk songs and tunes, from traditional material to newly written compositions by contemporary folk legends. They accompany their vocals with guitar, bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, mountain dulcimer, flute, pennywhistle, bodhran and harp (not all at the same time).
Redwine Jam has developed a strong following at coffeehouses, festivals, private parties and other events in the Atlanta area and elsewhere in the Southeast. Whether they’re performing a program of American folk, Celtic, a mixture of both, or their multi-media concert exploring the American Folk Revival, an evening with Redwine Jam is a delectable treat.
June 15, 2019
Tina and Her Pony
![Tina and Her Pony (image)](https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f9bb41493a83aa445627d5924/images/f2071843-1247-434f-88d6-c60b3cdb0163.jpeg)
The Indie Appalachian folk duo Tina & Her Pony originated in Asheville, North Carolina in 2009. Tina Collins (tenor banjo, tenor ukulele, guitar, vocals) and Quetzal Jordan (cello, guitar, vocals) spent two years holed up in the high desert mountain town of Taos, New Mexico, making music and friends. They became one of the iconic artist colony’s most beloved performing acts.
Tina and Her Pony released their full length, self-titled debut album in March 2012. After touring the U.S. and Canada, they established a new home base in Asheville and began recording their second album, Champion. The album draws inspiration from and meditates on dreams, the subconscious, and death.
Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Collins grew up listening to such folk legends as Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt and Nick Drake, as well as Appalachian musicians such as Loretta Lynn, The Carter family and Doc Watson. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and raised in Tampa FL by her Guatemalan single mother, Jordan spent her young life salsa dancing at family parties and singing hymns in her church choir. She started her classical training at the age of eight and began writing music when 14 years old, largely influenced by Russian Romantic Composers and artists such as Radiohead, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash.
Collins and Jordan’s songwriting incorporates complexities in harmony and arrangement that queer the American folk tradition. Their unique sound draws inspiration from artists such as Nickel Creek, Sarah Jarosz, Gillian Welch and Crooked Still.
Acoustic Bridge
![Acoustic Bridge](https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f9bb41493a83aa445627d5924/images/89d6a059-827f-4bd7-9add-0bc388688d85.jpeg)
The Atlanta group Acoustic Bridge will also be making its first Fiddler’s Green appearance. Celia McDermott, Mike Cerra, and Kevin Walsh offer an eclectic set of creative arrangements ranging from Americana to folk to popular, plus their own unique blend of original music.
An early love of singing inspired Celia McDermott to study arranging and vocals at Berklee College of Music. She performed in the Boston, New York, and Atlanta areas for years in various groups, featuring many styles of music. She served several years as an assistant choir director for a vibrant music ministry and spent ten years directing and singing in the a cappella group Cheaper Than Therapy. Celia has been a featured singer on a number of recordings and has performed with many different musicians in the Atlanta area, crossing genres spanning from jazz to rock to Americana to gospel. For several years she was a featured soloist for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Gospel Choir.
Mike Cerra has been playing and writing “longer than I should probably admit in mixed company,” he says. This talented multi-instrumentalist and singer has performed with several electric bands as well as acoustically for both vocal and solo instrumental music.
Bassist and vocalist Kevin Walsh performs in a wide variety of styles – R&B, rock & roll, folk and Americana. Kevin has recorded and toured in the U.S. and Canada with the acoustic group Windfall. He has done two tours of Ireland with the Americana group Rhythm Road. He is has lived and performed as a singer, guitarist and bassist in the Atlanta area for the last seven years.
May 18, 2019
Adam Miller
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/AdamMiller-credit-Royce-McCornack-1024x683.jpg)
One of the premier autoharpists in the world, Adam Miller is a renowned American folksinger and natural-born storyteller from Oregon. Miller accompanies his rich, resonant baritone voice with lively finger-picking acoustic guitar and stunningly beautiful autoharp melodies. A masterful entertainer who never fails to get his audience singing along, he has distinguished himself as one of the great interpreters of American folksongs and folktales, and as a performer who appeals to audiences of all ages.
George Winston calls him “one of the great autoharpists and folksingers of our times.” Pete Seeger praised his “wonderful storytelling!” The Walnut Valley Festival described his performance as, “An outstanding slice of American folksongs performed with his perfectly suited voice and tasty autoharp accompaniment.” As a concert promoter in Melbourne Beach, Florida, observed, “It will charm even the most die-hard iPod-loving kids or reluctant significant-others.”
Adam began his lifelong pursuit of collecting old songs while still in grade school. Armed with an audio-graphic memory and an uncommonly good ear for melody, his childhood ambition was to learn every song he heard. An accomplished folklorist, historian, and song-collector, he has now amassed a remarkable repertoire of over 5,000 songs. Miller’s repertoire evokes a by-gone time when entertainment was homemade. A master of the art of storytelling, he skillfully interweaves folksongs and the stories behind them with the elegance of a documentary filmmaker.
Traveling 70,000 miles a year, this 21st-century troubadour performs over 200 concerts annually, from the Everglades to the Arctic Circle. More than1.5 million American K-12 students have attended his Singing Through History! school assembly programs. He has performed in more than 2,000 American public libraries in 48 states.
He has recorded six CDs that receive airplay across North America and Europe. His numerous appearances at the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival, the Brookdale Bluegrass Festival, the Tumbleweed Music Festival, the California Traditional Music Society’s Summer Solstice Festival, and the Kentucky Music Weekend have made him a national favorite.
Miller’s folk songs and ballads are the songs of America’s heritage: a window into the soul of our nation in its youth. Frank Hamilton, co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, former member of the folk quartet The Weavers, and co-founder of Atlanta’s Frank Hamilton School, says, “His performance is truly entertaining and riveting. He’s doing a real service for folk music: defending the treasury of American tradition.”
Mark Dvorak
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Mark-Dvorak-credit-Rick-Granoth.jpeg)
When Chicago-based singer-songwriter Mark Dvorak began his career in music, he knew right away he was in it for the long haul. Thirty-four years later he’s still on the road, performing and recording.
“He’s the real deal,” said James Tomasello of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, where Dvorak has been on the faculty for 30 years. “Mark has made music his life and livelihood. His performances are elegant, rich and powerful. He is one of the Old Town School’s Distinguished Teaching Artists.”
Mark Dvorak is the third son of four, born to a working class family on Chicago’s southwest side. After reading Anthony Scaduto’s biography of Bob Dylan in high school, his interest in American folk music was born. Soon the recordings of Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly and Pete Seeger found their way into his collection. He purchased his first acoustic guitar and enrolled in classes at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music after a summer of touring the country by motorcycle. In 1982 Dvorak borrowed a five string banjo and began teaching himself how to play, mastering the claw-hammer stroke. In 1986 Dvorak joined Old Town School faculty.
In December of 2013, Mark published his first collection of essays and poems, Bowling for Christmas and Other Tales from the Road. The book sold out of its initial printing in nine days and received glowing reviews.
Dvorak has performed in 38 states and in parts of Europe and Canada. He has released 17 albums and has won awards for journalism and children’s music. He received the Woodstock Folk Festival Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 and the Lantern Bearer Award from Folk Alliance International in 2013. In 2012 WFMT 98.7 FM Midnight Special host Rich Warren named him Chicago’s “official troubadour.”
April 20, 2019
Carla Ulbrich, Professional Smart Alec
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Carla-Ulbrich-678x1024.jpg)
Carla Ulbrich is a comical singer-songwriter and guitarist whose biggest musical influences were Sesame Street,
camp songs, and cat food commercials. She has a love of the absurdities
of ordinary life, a somewhat twisted viewpoint, and a way with words.
Her songs cover topics from the mundane to insane: Waffle House,
Klingons, psycho exes, how rich she would be if she had a copyright on
the F-word, and so on.
Carla’s six CDs have been aired on the BBC, Dr. Demento, Sirius XM Radio and NPR. She also appeared in Sharknado 2 (as a human) and once opened for Twiggy the Water-Skiing Squirrel.
Carla has been performing since the late 90s in venues small and
smaller, from the Clothing Optional Folk Festival to Nashville’s famed
Bluebird Cafe. She has appeared as a musical guest on the TV shows The Revolution (canceled) and Up All Night with Rhonda
(canceled). Walk, don’t run, and look both ways before crossing, then
go hear Carla before the venue she is playing in closes up shop.
Carla has been a Fiddler’s Green audience favorite throughout her
career. “She is very talented, very funny, very personable, and an easy
act to work with. We would be hard pressed to imagine anyone not
enjoying a set,” says our former manager, Seegar Swanson. “Her
thoughtful and intelligent, clever observations about life, written in
an often wry and humorous manner, are placed over very strong melodies
and guitar work that is recognized as some of the best in her genre.”
Carla has shared the stage with such luminaries as Cheryl Wheeler,
Vance Gilbert, Modern Man, The Bobs, Bob Malone, David Massengill, Lou
and Peter Berryman, The Austin Lounge Lizards, and Rev. Billy C Wirtz.
Other venues she has played include the Falcon Ridge Festival,
Kerrville Folk Festival, Club Med, Eddie’s Attic, The Minstrel and First
Night. We’re delighted to have her back!
March 16, 2019
Will Payne Harrison
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Will-Payne-Harrison.jpg)
Since moving from Louisiana to Nashville, Will Payne Harrison has
toured the South and East coasts, performed at festivals, made radio
appearances, packed out listening rooms, hosted songwriter’s nights and
even co-wrote a song landing in the feature film Black Beauty starring Luke Perry. Harrison’s first single from the album Louisiana Summer, “Clarity,” was featured as a Daily Discovery by American Songwriter magazine.
After its May release East Nashville Blues reached the top
200 on Americana radio charts in 2017. Harrison is following up the
album with a six-song companion EP of covers with the likes of John
Prine, Hank Williams and Steve Earle, as well as an original track. Blue is the common thread of the new EP, with each song containing the word in the track.
Here’s what reviewers are saying about East Nashville Blues:
“Easy, clean and humble, this, his follow-up to Louisiana Summer, is well-written but simple.” – Offbeat, New Orleans, LA.
“Harrison
follows in the footsteps of his heroes, telling stories that can make
you smile right before they make you cry. Willie Nelson and John Prine
would be proud.” – Mother Church Pew, Nashville, TN.
“Harrison
has unveiled smooth, sweet vocals to match the heartfelt lyrics on the
new album.” — Herman Fusilier, The Daily Advertiser, Lafayette, LA.
The Irish Brothers
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The_Irish_Brothers.jpg)
The Irish Brothers may be Atlanta’s most popular and
proficient performers of the beloved genre of traditional Irish music
the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem introduced to the American Folk
Revival. Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen are a
unique team. Sandyman comes from the mountains of Western North
Carolina, while the Captain hails from the canyons of New York City.
The two started performing together 35 years ago when they worked “suit”
jobs at IBM. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material. Their
music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the “new
country” – from traditional Irish ballads to original songs of love,
drinking, revolution and redemption.
Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in
Nashville. He was a founding member of the band Cullowhee, which toured
nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s and 80s. George
started singing and playing after his first visit to New York’s
Greenwich Village in the mid-1960s. He honed his craft by traveling
throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. The team received the
name “Irish Brothers” following a performance at The Folk Alliance
several years ago in Memphis, Tennessee.
Sandyman Flynn http://redheadscape.com/
February 16, 2019
Jim Culliton & Clear Creek Band
Multi-instrumental virtuoso Jim Culliton has been a favorite of Fiddler’s Green audiences for many years. In the Jim Culliton & Clear Creek Band, his
guitar, mandolin, fiddle and vocals share the stage with Walter Dean’s
dobro and Joel Glogowski’s upright bass. This high-energy trio offers
an eclectic blend of different acoustic genres, mixing instrumental
improvisation with traditional sounds and vocals.
Jim Culliton has performed throughout Georgia and the Southeast over
the past decade. His philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps
the music fresh and exciting. Jim has played at The Fox Theatre,
Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. He was one of the early
innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz,
bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in
the mix. Put all of this in a high-speed blender and you get a truly
innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a
Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and
Humanities. He’s a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and
Auburn University (AUM).
Walter Dean is known locally as “dean of the dobro.” Joel Glogowski
is a highly accomplished upright bass player whose talent graces this
trio and other Atlanta area bands including Caroline & The Ramblers.
The band is in demand at various Atlanta area venues, including the
Pullman in Kirkwood, where they’ll be playing for Sunday brunch January
27, 12-2 pm. http://www.facebook.com/clearcreekatlanta
The Justin Sams Band
The Justin Sams Band was formed in late 2015 as the
result of four friends experimenting with a mixture of original songs
and esoteric covers. What began as a tentative musical grouping soon
evolved into a unique and refined band that could still approach its
music and performances in the spirit of open collaboration and genuine
friendship. Drawing inspiration from folk music, country blues,
psychedelic rock, and good old-fashioned storytelling, The Justin Sams
Band defies convenient categorization; however, one might describe the
band’s sound as eclectic-electric-folk-rock.
The band enjoys arranging and performing covers, enabling it to
participate in tribute events such as Jerry Day at Terminal West and
Bob Dylan Tribute nights at the Red Light Café and the Lake Clare
Community Land Trust. Yet the band’s greatest musical strength is its
extensive catalog of original material drawn from the independent
efforts of the group’s two songwriters, Tom Spach and Lindsay Petsch.
This unlikely pairing of these writers’ musical backgrounds and styles
has resulted in an interesting and rare counterpoint, one of the
reasons The Justin Sams Band is frequently complemented for musical
variety. The band’s first album of original material, Ghosts of the Day, was released in April of 2018. They’re presently recording their next album, The Miracle Cure, which will be released in the early summer of 2019.
https://www.justinsamsband.com
January 19, 2019
CHARLEY WOODS
Nashville native Charley Woods
has been garnering attention and praise for her instantly recognizable
voice and stylistic blend of country and Americana since she was in high
school, at none other than the prestigious Nashville School of the
Arts. Already a mainstay in the Nashville songwriters’ community,
Charley’s dream is to share her songs with the world.
Charley has performed and
collaborated with many talented and influential figures in today’s
country music including Brad Paisley, Chris Young, David Nail, Wil
Nance, Mark Nesler, and many more. She appeared
on Good Morning America and world-renown stages such as The Grand Ole
Opry and The Ryman Auditorium – all before the tender age of 18. Her
single Half the Girl
has now claimed the attention of leading music editorials and radio
stations around the world and accumulated more than 5,000 streams on
Spotify.
www.charleywoods.com https://www.patreon.com/charleywoods
THE NEW HARVEY FAMILY SINGERS
The New Harvey Family Singers is
an evolving group of Atlanta troubadours performing contemporary and
traditional music. The band is made up of John Harvey, Seth Langer, Jimi
Cusick and Eryk Fisher.
Hailing from Austin, Texas, John
Harvey appears regularly in the Frank Hamilton School band and brings
previous experience playing with house bands. Atlanta native Eryk Fisher
is a professional basement musician who “sings to walls, plays
harmonica, and strums three chord songs until mama tells me dinner’s
ready.” Seth Langer is an actor, musician, and odd-jobber from Decatur.
He plays at political rallies, weddings, birthdays, funerals — wherever
there’s singing to be done! Jimi Cusick, from Atlanta, brings a musical
background that includes orchestra, rock, and a Beatles cover band. Jimi
loves to challenge himself musically to learn new things and play with
new people as much as possible.
December 15, 2018
JIM SHARKEY
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Jim-Sharkey-1024x850.jpg)
Singer-songwriter Jim Sharkey
is an Irish and Americana folk musician making his second Fiddler’s
Green appearance. Jim grew up in County Roscommon, Ireland. He came to
the U.S. in 1982 after joining the U.S. Navy in London, England. He
spent five years as a photographer on the USS Dixon in San Diego,
California, and ten years working in television and video production in
North Carolina and Maine. He taught children with special needs in
Westbrook, Maine, and Roanoke, Virginia. He currently teaches at The
Arts Based School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and he continues to
play two or three times a month in Virginia, North and South Carolina,
Maryland, and Washington DC, accompanying himself on guitar, harmonica,
and bodhran (Irish drum). Jim’s original songs blend Celtic traditional
ballad influences with contemporary issues that are often set in the
area he resides.
Jim has recorded three CDs: Misty Morning Rain, Sweet Anne’s Road and
Black Is the Color. He’ll include some seasonal songs in his set –
among them, his 2017 release The Christmas Comet.
The Clams
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Frank-Hamilton-on-banjo.jpg)
The Clams,
an Atlanta-based jazz quintet led by legendary folk/jazz musician Frank
Hamilton, takes its name from the humorous reference to mistakes made
on recordings, a name given to this by Bix Beiderbecke. This
extraordinary band will ring in the New Year a couple of weeks early for
our Fiddler’s Green patrons.
Early jazz emanated from New Orleans. At the end of the Civil War,
band instruments used in military marching bands wound up in pawn shops
throughout the country. In New Orleans African-American musicians found
them and incorporated them into a new marching band dance form called,
in those days, “jass.”
At the same time a section of New Orleans contained sporting houses
of prostitution. Musicians found work in these establishments to
generate that business. As with the name “rock”, “jass” was a euphemism
for sexual activity. Eventually the word’s spelling became “jazz.”
One of these famous sporting houses, Lulu White’s Mahogany Hall, was
presided over by Alderman Story. Hence, the red light area became known
as Storyville. Many great jazz musicians started out in jazz marching
bands and in these houses. The Navy shut these brothels were shut down
in 1915 due to rampant venereal disease, but the music survived.
Alongside the marching bands and the cat house pianists, there were
string bands with guitars, mandolin, banjos and upright basses and horns
in combinations that prevail to this day in the form of what is called a
jazz combo. The Clams carry on this music tradition. Their influences
include the cornet playing of Bix Beiderbecke, the banjo and guitar
stylings of Eddie Lang, and piano styles from Fats Waller to Jelly Roll
Morton. The Clams play and sing this jazz that millions joyfully danced
to from the early 1900s through the 40s.
Five stellar Atlanta musicians comprise the Clams. Bill Rutan is a
legendary tenor banjo player who has traveled over the world playing
with various New Orleans jazz groups and driving every one of them with
his impeccable rhythm and extensive vocal repertoire of songs. L.A.
Tuten is a versatile musician who has recording credits and is known for
being in demand as a local musician; he’s also a former director of
Atlanta’s Marching Abominables. Matt Phillips is a multi-talented
performer who plays cornet in the style of Bix, plays mandolin and works
as an expert repairman of quality violins; he’s also a visual artist
known for his drawings and paintings. Mick Kinney is a master of many
instruments and a swinging jazz style; he’s an accomplished fiddler,
pianist, teacher and musical director. Frank Hamilton’s career spans
many years as a folk and early jazz guitar player and singer; he was
co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago and the Frank
Hamilton School in Atlanta.
November 17, 2018
Joe Penland
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/joepenland.jpg)
Joe has been deemed a “cultural treasure” by The Asheville Citizen Times. AAFFM is proud to lure him from “the farm” for his second full-concert appearance at Fiddler’s Green.
Deep in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina, there’s a front porch that has been the destination of many folk who love these mountains, their music and their stories. Grammy winners and kids with their first guitar, banjo or fiddle, Hollywood producers, writers, and folk music collectors from all over the world have made their way to the place Joe Penland simply calls “the farm.”
Joe Penland was born and raised in rural Madison County in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. He is the proud steward of twelve generations and over 350 years of the rich oral tradition of his Scottish and English ancestors. From his birth he has listened to and learned the stories and ballads these travelers brought with them across the ocean, then southwest to the narrow coves and high meadows that many consider the richest repository of Great Britain’s folk songs in the world. He inherited the instruments of his grandfather who died long before his birth and was taught to play by his aunts.
Joe was content to continue this tradition in his front room, the porch or campfires of his secluded farm. But eventually his daughter Laurin and lifelong friends Sheila Adams, Mary Eagle and David Holt convinced him to share his life and music with a broader audience. Since then he has appeared at numerous festivals, toured Great Britain eight times, and received the coveted Bascom Lunsford Award (named for his cousin and founder of the longest running folk festival in America) for his “significant contribution to preserving our mountain music.”
We first saw Joe when he captivated a grateful Atlanta audience at the 2012 Emory University symposium “Making Connections: The Celtic Roots of Southern Music,” organized by Prof. James W. Flannery. Joe has recorded four CDs including his latest, The Mary Sands Project, Volume 1.
Determined that folk music includes the present as well as the past, Joe also writes and sings his own songs, which he calls “just more stories of love and life here in the mountains.” Whether singing the traditional ballads of the mountains of western North Carolina or performing his original and stirring folk songs, Joe Penland offers an honesty and power that is a testament to both his unique character and our shared humanity.
October 20, 2018
ALEX HUNNICUTT
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Alex-Hunnicutt.jpg)
With his own signature style, Greenville S.C.-based performing songwriter Alex Hunnicutt serves up blues, R&B and soul (with a little bit of jazz and reggae thrown in as well) in his new album titled Honey. “Honey is the latest release from smooth rock and blues guitarist Alex Hunnicutt. Each one of the album’s eight tracks is endowed with a funky groove that serves to underscore Hunnicutt’s soulful singing and highlight his technical proficiency on the guitar,” according to the Houdini Mansions website. “As a collection of songs, it is extremely appealing to both pop and light rock sensibilities.” Many diverse listeners from different musical backgrounds have been drawn towards Hunnicutt’s uniquely groovy and rhythmic songwriting style and vocal textures.
Most of the time you’ll find Alex playing solo shows with nothing more than an acoustic guitar (and maybe a loop pedal). “I love smaller shows because they’re more intimate and you can spend more time connecting with individual people than you can at a larger show where you have to go back and forth between a lot of people.” That’s not to say that you won’t catch him playing at these larger events, festivals, and concert venues with his duo or trio. This past year Hunnicutt has opened for Chase Bryant at The Greer Family festival, Marc Broussard at Downtown Greenville’s Artisphere Festival, and Casey James from American Idol at The Radio Room in Greenville. He has been a guest celebrity judge and performer at Greer Idol and played hundreds of other shows from Tennessee to Myrtle Beach. He plans on constantly expanding the territories he performs in and expanding on his knowledge of and love for writing music that connects with all kinds of people.
THE PORCH BOTTOM BOYS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Screen-Shot-2018-09-20-at-12.21.33-PM.png)
The Porch Bottom Boys, a Decatur group, play bluegrass, newgrass, and other styles seasoned with the diverse backgrounds of their members. Guitarist and vocalist Steve Gorbatkin was born on the south side of Chicago, and his years in the Windy City left an indelible blues-inflected mark on his singing. Atlanta native Jim Thompson spent time living and working in the coal towns of Virginia, and his experiences as a founding member of the Poetown Ramblers and playing with bluegrass groups in Nashville gives the band its deep bluegrass roots. Mandolinist and vocalist Patrick Jackson hails from Northwest Georgia and adds melodic mandolin and piercing high tenor harmonies to the mix. From jazz to rockabilly to bluegrass, bassist Joel Glogowski uses his wide musical background and impeccable fashion sense to hold it all down with his rollicking, thumping, good-time beat on the doghouse bass fiddle. Charlie O’Neill rounds out the Boys with his tasty licks on the five-string banjo.
Charlie’s front porch in Decatur gives the band their name and serves as their home base. Long-time band member Denis Gainty was a talented musician and song writer who was an inspiration to all the group and remains so despite his untimely passing in 2017.
The Porch Bottom Boys play in a variety of local venues and have been featured multiple times on WRFG radio. They have also appeared in many nearby festivals, including the Decatur BBQ Blues and Bluegrass Festival, the Decatur Arts Festival, the Oakhurst Arts Festival, and Stomp and Chomp in Cabbagetown. Committed to the Decatur community, they frequently play for local fundraisers and other programs.
September 15, 2018
SOUTH FOR WINTER
![South For Winter - image](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/South-for-Winter-1024x770.jpg)
With elements of gypsy, folk, jazz and blues, the Nashville-based trio South for Winter offers an eclectic sound united by delicate harmonies, intricate guitar work, and earthy vocals.
Four years after meeting in Peru and writing what would later become their first single, Whisper in the Trees, Colorado singer-songwriter Dani Cichon and New Zealand musician Nick Stone officially joined in March 2017 as the duo South for Winter. With Nashville TN as their home base, the two formed a trio with cellist Alex Stradal and crafted South for Winter’s distinctive sound.
The band released its self-titled debut EP in January 2018. That led to Nashville’s Lightning 100 radio station naming the trio as a top up-and-coming independent artist in its 2018 Music City Mayhem competition, and it connected the band with the Grammy-nominated producer of their second EP. The trio released this EP in August and will tour nationally through more than 14 states before returning to Nashville to begin work on their first full-length studio album.
HARM’S WAY
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Harms-Way-updated.png)
Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koeltz on lead vocals and guitar, Scot Boze on vocals, and Phil Griffin on lead guitar. For this performance they’ll be joined by Jonathan McBee, bass player for Mockingbird’s Wing.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
The core members of this group have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and – while they take music very seriously – don’t take themselves seriously at all!
www.reverbnation.com/harmonkoeltz
August 18, 2018
THE JANUARY DUO
![January Duo - image](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-30-at-11.43.09-PM.png)
The January Duo was founded in January of 2015 when multi-instrumentalist Payton Scott and classically trained singer Sara Grace Carmical met in high school.Shortly after, Chris Scott, bassist, trumpet player, and Atlanta Symphony Chorus alum (and Payton’s dad) joined up to accompany the Duo. They have enjoyed playing traditional music from all over the world for audiences on two continents.
Sara Grace Carmical has ten years of classical voice training and is currently a sophomore voice and biology major at Emory University. Payton Scott started playing banjo in the ninth grade. Soon after that he expanded to the guitar, accordion, mandolin, bass, Celtic drum, and dulcimer. Payton has honed his craft under the tutelage of Frank Hamilton and Jens Krüger. He currently serves as an instructor at the Frank Hamilton Folk School.
From folk to bluegrass to old-time to gospel and blues, the January Duo look forward to bringing their arrangements of a wide range of classic tunes to their first appearance at Fiddler’ Green.
CJ JONES AND THE SPIRIT BONES
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/CJ-Jones.jpeg)
The local band CJ Jones and the Spirit Bones will also make its Fiddler’s Green debut. The group plays original songs that “sound like Commander Cody, Mojo Nixon and Hunter S. Thompson had a three-way mutant love child with an intellectual edge,” according to Candler Park resident and Emory professor Ted Pettus. the band leader.
Their concept album The Odyssey of Cledus Jeremiah Jones is built around Pettus’s creation, an Appalachian prophet of that name. Jones’ pronouncements on spirituality (“It ain’t religion if it ain’t got snakes”) and spirits (“Smoke away my memory, drink away my pain”) have attracted an eclectic following in Atlanta’s funky Americana music scene. Pettus composed the songs.
Four other brilliant musicians put meat on the Spirit Bones:
- Singer/guitarist Craig Rafuse has been performing songs with social significance in 1963 while also playing in dance bands. In addition to the Spirit Bones, he currently appears with Expand Band, Owls and Kahootz.
- Drummer Bobby Andre has played in jazz, blues, rock, pop and country bands. He has recorded with several bands including Glenn Phillips and has toured with Billy Joe Royal, Glenn Phillips and Aviva and the Flying Penguins among others.
- Bassist Andy Weiskoff has played in rock, blues, and contra bands. His musical epiphany came one day at a traffic light while listening to a Baroque string quartet, when a car playing hip-hop pulled up beside him, and the two musical selections merged seamlessly!
- Keyboard player Alan Dynin has performed concerts for the Jazz and World Music Association, the Atlanta Symphony Associates, and many other house concert series. He is one of the more diverse pianists in the Southeast, playing and composing in jazz, Latin, blues and boogie, ragtime, concert classical, gospel, free improvisational, and now… Funkabilly.
CJ Jones and the Spirit Bones has been seen around Atlanta at the Clermont Lounge, Red Light Café, The Earl, Inman Park Festival and Lake Claire Land Trust, among other venues.
July 21, 2018
GEORGIA GRASS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Screen-Shot-2018-06-20-at-1.32.11-PM.png)
Since Dan Daniel founded Georgia Grass in 1973, this professional bluegrass band has played for many bluegrass festivals and events in Georgia and around the Southeast. By1976 they were so highly reputed that they were chosen to play for the Grand opening of the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
Dan plays guitar and sings most of the lead vocals for the group. He’s a member of the Bonded Brothers of Bluegrass and President and CEO of the Southeastern Bluegrass Association. In 2009 Dan was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2017 the Atlanta Society of Entertainers presented him with the Musician’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Banjo player James Mckinney also sings harmony and some leads. James won the South US Banjo Championship at the age of 14. He went on to win first-place awards in other states and in 1982 was named Grand National Banjo Champion of the United States at the annual awards in Winfield, Kansas. James has played with such legends as Bill Monroe, Vassar Clements and John Hartford. He has worked as a studio musician in Nashville and is rated as one of the top banjo players in the country. James was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
Bass player Niki Portmann is also a singer. Her love of music from a young age led her to try several different instruments before deciding on the upright acoustic bass. She was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016.
www.facebook.com/dan.daniel.754
CHAMBLESS AND MUSE
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Screen-Shot-2018-06-20-at-1.32.32-PM.png)
For more than 25 years, Alabama natives Jil Chambless and Scooter Muse have been performing the music of Scotland, Ireland and America with various ensembles in a wide variety
of venues, from simple house concerts to festivals and concert halls. Jil and Scooter have worked alongside many of the finest artists in Celtic music. In 2010 Chambless & Muse began performing as a duo to promote their individual solo projects. Since then they have released several CDs: The Laverock Sang (2011), Passing Tales & Glories (2014), Live @ NTIF with John Taylor (2016), The Lang Awa’ Ships (2017), and Nollaig Chridheil, Songs of the Christmas Season with Ed Miller (2017).
As singer and flute player, Jil Chambless has performed across the US as well as in Canada, Scotland, and Israel with the band Henri’s Notions, Chambless & Muse, Scottish singer Ed
Miller, Scottish fiddler John Taylor, the band Vulcan Eejits!, The Mairtin deCogain Project, the John Whelan Trio, the Vogt Family Contra Band, and others. In 2009 Jil released her first solo CD, The Ladies Go Dancing, produced by the legendary Brian McNeill. Jil brings to any audience a wonderful listening experience from haunting ballads to upbeat songs with a smooth delivery that never fails to bring both smiles and tears in each and every performance. See www.jilchambless.com.
Although Scooter Muse has his roots in bluegrass and is quite an accomplished five-string banjo
player, in the late 1980s he moved into the world of Celtic guitar. He soon founded the Full
Moon Ensemble, performing for eight years across the US and in Scotland, before joining Henri’s Notions in 2003. In 2005 Scooter released his first solo recording of original guitar instrumentals, Saddell Abbey, which was purchased by the Scottish Tourist Board in Kintyre.
The Saddell Abbey Trust of Scotland calls the recording “a haunting and beautiful piece of
music.” See www.scootermuse.com.
“Jil and Scooter are brilliant musicians on flute and guitar and Jil has one of the loveliest folk
voices around today…” ~Seamus Kennedy, singer, guitarist, songwriter, performer, and yodeler.
“…Wonderful guitar …fine Celtic traditional vocals and flute, in my opinion, would be a great
addition to any stage …. beautiful music!” ~Alex Beaton, Scottish recording artist.
“For me, quite simply as good as it gets!” ~Alex McKinven, Mull of Kintyre Music & Arts Association, Scotland.
“Exquisite vocals, oh-so-tasteful guitar and a lilting flute – a deceptively simple, beautiful and
gentle combination!” ~Ed Miller, Scottish recording artist, folklorist and radio host.
www.facebook.com/chamblessandmuse
June 16, 2018
MARK STUART
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Screen-Shot-2016-02-02-at-8.57.18-PM.png)
Nashville-based performing songwriter Mark Stuart will be making his second appearance at Fiddler’s Green. Onstage, his focus is on the songs he has penned and recorded, delivered with a soulful singing voice and highly memorable guitar playing.
After many years on the Americana/folk circuit, Stuart has cultivated a very rounded performance. His show consists of storytelling, flashy guitar “chops”, and songs that seem to draw from his rock, blues, country, and folk music roots. Mostly, this artist from Tennessee has toured solo or in a notable duo with his wife (“Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart”). There were stints
along the way as a sideman, though (for Steve Forbert, Freddy Fender, Steve Earle, and Joan Baez). If placed on the bill with a contemporary artist he is usually asked to play guitar on their portion of the show. Just ask Jason Ringenberg, Ray Wylie Hubbard, or Jimmy LaFave.
One can find Mark Stuart on any given night in a small theater, coffeehouse, house concert, festival stage, club, or church auditorium, giving it his all. Aside from that, he could be instructing at a guitar clinic or songwriting workshop, or playing on someone’s recording session. As co-owner of Gearle Records, he has produced or co-produced many albums. Over several decades Stuart’s career has repeatedly taken him to all of the USA, Canada, Europe, and the United Kingdom.
MOCKINGBIRD’S WING
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Screen-Shot-2018-05-30-at-6.31.03-AM.png)
Mockingbird’s Wing has cultivated a strong following at Atlanta area coffeehouses and other acoustic venues with its adroitly delivered folk, rock, soul and pop repertoire. The group features four diverse musicians:
Barbara Hotz is a singer/songwriter with deep roots in Mexico and a love of the old standards.
Jonathan McBee is a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter out of Chicago, IL. If it’s got strings, Jonathan is looking to add it to the Mockingbird sound.
Paul Pendery is a Montana/Alaska/Texas singer/songwriter whose songs evoke soulful stirrings and happy feet.
Suzy Schultz, when she is not at her day job as a full-time artist, adds vocals/flute/cello to the Mockingbird sound.
Like the mockingbird herself, all the different voices and styles come together for a unique sound – the inimitable Mockingbird’s Wing sound.
Mockingbird’s Wing on Facebook
May 19, 2018
WRITER’S VOICE
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Screen-Shot-2018-05-01-at-12.58.00-PM.png)
Writer’s Voice offers original acoustic contemporary folk tunes with a few sing along covers in the mix. Fritz Rauschenberg leads the group, accompanied by long time member Scott Wiman on guitar, with vocalist Debbie Foster and George Uterhardt on bass to round it out.
Fritz Rauschenberg has played and taught guitar for over 40 years and has performed folk music and “songs of the heart” in halls, coffee houses and bars for about as long as a singer/songwriter. He has taught private and group lessons in local music shops and currently teaches guitar at the Frank Hamilton School. Fritz also enjoys playing ukulele, octave mandolin, mandola and harmonica. His luthier work includes restoring and repairing acoustic stringed instruments in the violin, guitar and mandolin families.
Scott Wyman is an accomplished guitarist and mandolin player as well as a software writer. Scott and Fritz have played together many years in different types of venues. Fritz admires Scott’s expertise in the studio in arranging and recording.
Vocalist Debbie Foster delivers harmonies to the mix. “She’s a spark plug of energy and encouragement for us as well,” says Fritz. “Debbie and I have sung together for several years when opportunities arise.”
George Uterhardt is a 25+-year Navy veteran who played bass and tuba in bands in and out of the service. On bass George has the ear needed to know how to blend with any type of music. He’s comfortable with anything from country to jazz. He and Fritz have worked together for a short few years.
The tunes delivered by Writer’s Voice are of journeys and thoughts that most of us have seen or experienced presented in pleasing melodies and stories. You may part with a tune echoing in your memory.
CALEDONIA SWING
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The Atlanta/North Georgia-based band Caledonia Swing performs a unique style of Celtic music with a jazzy twist. Marie Dunkle (violin, cello, mandolin) and Margie Swint (vocals, guitar) founded the group in 2004 with Ken Shearer (guitar). With a variety of guest musicians, Caledonia Swing have performed their eclectic musical mix at venues throughout Georgia and the Carolinas. The band’s inspirations are traditional Celtic music, Celtic swing, 30’s/40’s American classics, the sweet sounds of Scotland, and gypsy jazz greats Django Rheinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. With musical stylings from elegant to toe-tapping, Caledonia Swing has entertained audiences for over 12 years.
Band principals Marie Dunkle and Margie Swint currently perform as a duo and with talented guest musicians at festivals, coffeehouses, wineries, weddings and private parties. Marie is also a gifted storyteller and will be weaving in a few Scottish myths and legends at Fiddlers Green.
April 21, 2018
MICHAEL JOHNATHON
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Folksinger Michael Johnathon has a long-standing career in the arts as a songwriter, musician, author, playwright, composer of the opera Woody: For the People, and host of the live audience broadcast of the WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour. The show has a radio audience of more than two million listeners each week on 500 public radio stations, public television coast-to-coast, American Forces Radio Network in 173 nations, and now Friday evenings on RFD-TV.
Recently, Michael helped organize the national WoodSongs Front Porch Association to help organize rural and community music and a massive educational program. Members of the WFPA are called “SongFarmers.” His 14th album release, MoonFire, comes on the heels of Mousie HiWay: The Adventures of Banjo Mouse in Appalachia, his fully illustrated book that introduces bluegrass music to kids. The MoonFire CD is a 23-song album in honor of the banjo.
In addition to his albums, books, concerts and other projects, the Martin Guitar Company introduced the Michael Johnathon signature model 0000-28s “WoodSongs Quad” guitar.
Michael lives in a log cabin on a hill surrounded by meadows, streams and woods outside of Lexington, Kentucky. We’re delighted to pull him away from his pastoral environs for his second appearance at Fiddler’s Green.
THE LOST BOYS
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The delightful, incomparable local Rennie-rock band The Lost Boys will also be performing for us the second time. The Lost Boys formed in 1999 at the GA Renaissance Festival. They have since released five CDs and performed at Ren Faires in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and North Dakota, as well as countless independent concerts and convention appearances.
Throughout the course of their ongoing 19-year history, the Lost Boys have continually pushed the boundaries of Renaissance Festival music by combining elements of period music with hard driving rock-and-roll, vocal harmonies with instrumental prowess, and hilarious parody lyrics with Shakespearean language. They wrap it all in a physical, highly energetic stage presentation, consistently delivering a challenging and entertaining show onstage and a groundbreaking body of work drawn from their five CD releases.
March 17, 2018
THE NEARLY NORMAL STRING BAND
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The Nearly Normal String Band consists of Viva and Neil Araki, two of the Atlanta traditional music community’s most respected veterans. Neil plays acoustic guitar, fiddle and mandolin in several styles, including blues, bluegrass, Celtic, and old time Appalachian. He has played guitar since he was nine years old, in both finger style and flat pick style. Viva sings and plays guitar and old time banjo and sings in a variety of musical styles. She studied guitar from the age of five and began learning old time Appalachian style banjo about 30 years ago. She is primarily a finger picker on guitar.
Neil and Viva have played together for 26 years. They’re still learning new songs, genres and styles of music. The duo plays at coffeehouses, state parks and music festivals across north Georgia, and for parties, weddings and other private engagements. They have long been active member and supporters of AAFFM. They’ll be drawing mostly from their Irish and Scottish traditional repertoire for this St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
THE IRISH BROTHERS
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The Irish Brothers may be Atlanta’s most popular and proficient performers of the beloved genre of traditional Irish music the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem introduced to the American Folk Revival. Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen are a unique team. Sandyman comes from the mountains Western North Carolina, while the Captain hails from the canyons of New York City. The two started performing together 35 years ago when they worked “suit” jobs at IBM. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material. Their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the “new country” – from traditional Irish ballads to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville. He was a founding member of the band Cullowhee, which toured nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s and 80s. George started singing and playing after his first visit to New York’s Greenwich Village in the mid-1960s. He honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. The team received the name “Irish Brothers” following a performance at The Folk Alliance several years ago in Memphis, Tennessee.
February 17, 2018
JEFFERSON ROSS
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Southern folk artist Jefferson Ross is a songwriter, singer, guitar slinger and painter, weaving stories for the ears and the eyes. Based in The Peach State, Jefferson travels throughout the U.S. and Europe performing his original music and displaying his art at festivals and galleries across the South.
For years Jefferson lived in Nashville playing for recording artists including Canada’s Entertainer of the Decade, Terri Clark. He has shared the stage with country music greats such as George Strait, Toby Keith, Reba McEntire and Vince Gill. He worked as a staff writer for a number of publishers on Music Row including Curb Music, one of the top music publishers in the world. In 2010 he returned to live in Georgia with his wife and daughter and maintains a home and office in Nashville as well.
An evening with Jefferson Ross is an inspirational, homespun southern experience that you’re unlikely to forget.
JIM CULLITON
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Jim Culliton has performed throughout Georgia over the past decade with his unique high-energy blend of instrumental string music and stylistic vocals. His philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps the music fresh and exciting.
Jim has performing experience at The Fox Theatre, Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. This versatile multi-instrumentalist is one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in the mix. Put all of this in a high speed blender and you get truly an innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities, and is a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and Auburn University (AUM).
January 20, 2018
THREE QUARTER ALE
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Three Quarter Ale is an Atlanta-based acoustic band whose unique blend of folk-rock, traditional Celtic music, and 16th-century madrigals have enthralled a large and devoted fan base for more than ten years.
This dynamic trio combines tight vocal harmonies with harp, flute, guitar, ethnic percussion, and a distinctly theatrical performance style to electrify and enchant their audiences. Their three internationally-selling CDs have earned the band five-star accolades.
Performing in full period costume as Renaissance-era characters Ariana Pellayle, Rosemary Quench, and Wicked Pete Speakeasy, the band’s lively banter and keen comic timing are as much a part of their draw as their stellar musicianship.
Whether onstage at the enormous Dragon*Con sci-fi convention, in crowded pubs during Atlanta’s annual PiratePalooza event, as finalists on the Georgia Lottery’s All Access Music Search live TV special, at intimate weddings or coffeehouses, or at their own three-day performing arts festival AleCon, Three Quarter Ale delivers a masterful, engaging, truly
top-notch show.
THE RADIO RANGERS
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The Radio Rangers are an Atlanta-based Americana band. Their music is a mix of country, rock, folk and blues, telling stories from the American heartland. Melodic, rhythmic and energetic, the Radio Rangers appeal to young, old and anyone in between. The band is comprised of Dan Foster (vocals, guitar), Mark Ewald vocals, guitar), and Tom Molloy (percussion).
Dan Foster is the songwriter and leader of the band. A seasoned lead guitarist, his song writing led to the creation of The Radio Rangers in 2014. I try to write songs that people can emotionally connect with. Songs about love, heartbreak, growing up and railroads. The goal is to paint a picture with a good story and melody. It’s very special when people like what you have created. Dan grew up in Michigan (too cold), moved to Florida (too hot) and now lives in Atlanta in 1989. (just right).
Mark “the ear” Ewald is the musical director. Being friends for over 20 years, Dan says he has never known anyone who can arrange a song, moving in exactly the right direction the way Mark does. Mark’s nickname comes from his vocal harmony abilities but he is also a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, piano, mandolin, bass guitar, banjo, harmonica and drums. (not all at the same time) Mark is from Buffalo, New York and still loves hot-wings.
Tom Molloy is the drummer/percussionist for the group. Tom is the glue that holds everything together while adding that special energy to the songs. Tom’s sense of humor always keeps things loose making even the ordinary much more fun Tom grew up in Queens, New York which will become apparent when ou speak with him. (what accent?) Don’t make the mistake of telling him he looks like Rodney Dangerfield.
November 18, 2017
THE MCLAUCHLANS
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Duncan and Glaucia McLauchlan are talented, entertaining musicians providing spirited live performances of traditional and contemporary Scottish and Irish and music throughout Atlanta and the Southeast.
Duncan is a talented Scottish singer and songwriter, as well as multi-instrumentalist with a wealth of experience. His solo CD The Road to Destiny has received substantial air-play on Celtic radio programs across the USA, including Atlanta WRFG’s The Celtic Show and the internationally broadcast public radio program The Thistle and Shamrock.
Glaucia is a spirited percussionist from Sao Paulo, Brazil. After meeting “Dunc” at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, she swapped her background of classical piano for a life on the Celtic scene. Soon they were making beautiful music together.
Duncan sings and plays his songs with a passion that complements his clever and sensitive, poetic style. His delicate lyrics weave a colorful tapestry on the back-cloth of his tunes and rhythms, evoking a range of emotions from laughter to tears and back again. He employs a variety of instruments and his natural Scottish accent to produce a solid, yet atmospheric feel in his music. His musical armory includes acoustic and electric guitars, bass, bodhran, mandolins, banjo, keyboards, and various percussion instruments.
BLACKFOOT DAISY
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Blackfoot Daisy formed in 2012 when long-time collaborators and songwriters Wendy DuMond and Don Sechelski decided to begin performing together on a regular basis. Don spent most of his early childhood in Texas and Wendy hails from Montana but grew-up in Oklahoma. They chose to name the band after a deer, drought, and pest-resistant prairie flower.
Don is a 30-plus year native of the Atlanta music scene and has also worked as a studio musician. He has performed as a solo act and also performed with his son Adam Sechelski, who sits-in with Blackfoot Daisy as singer, guitarist, and percussionist when available. Don has been a regular on the Atlanta coffeehouse/acoustic music scene since the old Freight Room days. He has played venues such as the Dogwood Festival, Hungry Ear Coffeehouse, Lena’s Place and many more.
Wendy began writing songs and performing in 2009. She released a solo EP in 2012. Wendy’s songs have been featured on the Women of Substance radio podcast. Her song Catching Fireflies was used as music for a book trailer to promote All Bears Need Love, a children’s book about interracial adoption.
As a duo the band has played various venues in the Southeast, including Charles & Myrtle’s in Chattanooga TN, Berkeley Bob’s Coffeehouse in Cullman AL, and others in South Carolina and Georgia.
In November 2015 Bobby Moore joined the band, rounding out the sound. Bobby is a native of Virginia, multi-instrumentalist, and award-winning old-time fiddle and banjo player. Bobby took honors at the Old Time Fiddlers Convention in Galax, Virginia for bluegrass banjo in 1980 and bluegrass fiddle in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998 and 2002.
The full band has played Smith’s Old Bar, Steve’s Live Music, the Red Light Café and many other local Atlanta live music venues. The band has opened for Nashville songwriter Kurt Fortmeyer, The Rosin Sisters, Copper into Steel, Vientos Del Pueblo, and Little Country Giants, to name a few. They have also performed at Snellville Days, the Chastain Park Arts Festival, the Duluth Fall Festival, the Little 5 Arts Alive Concert series, and Oakhurst Porchfest.
The band released a three-song EP in 2015 and are currently working on a full-length album.
October 21, 2017
LAUREN LAPOINTE
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Lauren Lapointe is a Savannah GA-based singer/songwriter who has been gaining recognition across the country for her soulful songs, unique voice, and strong live performances. Her third and newest CD “Superhero” was produced by Thomm Jutz (Nanci Griffith, Mary Gauthier) in Nashville and features twelve original Americana, rootsrock, pop, and old country songs supported by world-class musicians.
“Superhero” debuted at #6 on the Cashbox Magazine/Roots Music Report’s Georgia Airplay chart and #16 on the Cashbox Magazine/Root’s Music Report’s Country/Americana Internet Airplay Top 50. It has since been played on over 100 stations in the U.S. and is receiving much international radioplay. Leicester Bangs in the UK described it as “an engaging combination of classic country, narrative songwriting, and plentiful hooks.” In November 2013 Lufthansa Airlines selected her song “The Ghost of Elvis” for their inflight program.
Lapointe continues to make a name for herself as a strong and versatile live performer and has played at many renowned listening rooms across the nation such as the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, the Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, the Jefferson Freedom Cafe in Ft. Worth TX, and Anderson Fair in Houston TX.
“This is just pure, honest music here, created with talent and passion and deserving of wider spread notice.”- Music Morsels
“A gifted and openhearted storyteller with a flair for melody.” —Sloan Wainwright, Derby Disc Music recording artist
OUT OF THE RAIN
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Ron Hipp w/Carol Statella ~ Out of the Rain ~ is a folk duo noted for innovative arrangements and unusual expressive power. Ron Hipp has been known in the Atlanta area as an accomplished solo artist, and Carol Statella has played and sung in various groups over the years. Their joining forces to regularly perform and record music together has created a compelling, poignant sound that is both timeless and fresh.
Ron is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist/singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A native of Atlanta, he’s been performing both solo and in various band combinations since about the age of 16. His rich baritone voice, consummate fingerpicking, and mesmerizing songs make his shows a memorable experience. Ron has graced many a recording project by other artists over the years as a studio musician, and has many CD cover photos to his credit.
Carol (multi-instrumentalist/singer) has played in backup orchestras for Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson. She’s been a music journalist, radio announcer, and clinician. In the classical realm, she’s played in the Atlanta Opera Orchestra and sang for seventeen seasons with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus/Chamber Chorus. Carol’s also a gifted songwriter.
Ron and Carol have known each other and crossed paths musically for two decades, through many artistic and personal evolutions. Their sound is warm, eloquent, and vivid. Onstage, Ron and Carol draw audiences in with artful musicality, occasionally inane humor, and absolute focus on bringing the listener into the depths of a song.
“Musically delightful, emotionally involving work … ” ~ Sing Out! Magazine
Your beautiful CD was just what I needed to hear today! So lyrical and soothing, with lovely instrumentals and vocals.” ~ Sharon Isbin, GRAMMY award-winning classical guitarist
September 16, 2017
STEVEN DARSEY
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Steven Darsey is a singer, collector, and scholar of folk song. Believing that folk music conveys fundamental cultural truths, he strives to make these real for contemporary listeners. With a straightforward style
in the tradition of balladeers Tommy Makem and Burl Ives, he sings little-known songs such as “Leather Winged Bat,” comic songs like “Three Nights Drunk,” spirituals like “I’m Goin’ Home,” classics like
“Danny Boy,” and his own folk-style compositions, as in his setting of Sidney Lanier’s “Song of the Chattahoochee.” A seventh generation Georgian, he also shares southern wit and wisdom.
For nine years Steven was privileged to sing songs to complement Fred Craddock’s stories in their Winged for the Heart programs in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Their collaborations were featured in a statewide radio
broadcast on Georgia Public Broadcasting’s On Stage, in a GPB videocast and in several programs produced by Sally Sears and broadcast by the GPB affiliate at North Georgia College. Their concerts are available
on seven CDs. By profession a church musician, Steven holds the Doctor of Musical Arts from the Yale School of Music.
JEFF MOSIER
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Scrugg’s-style banjo picker “The Rev” Jeff Mosier is one of the earliest music pioneers who merged bluegrass instruments and traditional tunes with the magnetic energy of rock and roll. He founded the jamgrass band Blueground Undergrass (BGUG) in 1998 after years of crafting his banjo skills in various bands, playing everything from bluegrass with his brother Johnny (Good Medicine) to experimental rock (Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit) to jazz-fusion (The Ear Reverents). Blueground Undergrass, the band he fronted for more than a decade, recorded four albums and built a sizable national following by combining bluegrass purism with a jam band sensibility. Later, as the jamband scene became more jam-tronica and less roots-driven, he formed a more song-driven rock/bluegrass ensemble, The Mosier Brothers band, that performed at festivals, theaters, and private events throughout the region. His solo performances further showcase his outstanding vocals, banjo picking, and songwriting mingled with both amusing and poignant storytelling known to evoke both laughter and tears. Currently, in addition to performing solo and with various other artists, he can be found in the recording studio or on the set hosting his most recent video project, “The Search for the Southern Sound”.
Mosier draws from a variety of influences ranging from bluegrass and jazz to psychedelic folk-rock and alt-country. Having shared the stage with such legends as Peter Rowan, Vassar Clements, Col. Bruce Hampton, Phish, Leftover Salmon, and Widespread Panic, Mosier has always been a versatile artist who is as comfortable performing on a stage full of musicians as he is playing solo. His superb vocal mastery and unique banjo picking combine to deliver a special experience highlighting his original tunes as well as some familiar traditionals and lesser known covers. Whether traveling through acoustic ballads, thought-provoking and humorous banter, or high-energy bluegrass, each Jeff Mosier show is a musical journey sending the listener on an enjoyable foot-tapping jaunt out on the road and back home again.
“Perhaps no guest artist has had as great an influence on the band’s music as the Rev. Jeff Mosier…” – The Phish Companion
August 19, 2017
JUST BE’CAUSE
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Jerry Brunner, Bruce Gilbert and Cyndi Craven are Just Be’Cause … just don’t ask them why.
Jerry Brunner and Cyndi Craven, long-time members of the Atlanta acoustic/folk music scene, have been performing together since the 1980’s. In 2007, they met up with Bruce Gilbert when he moved to Atlanta from California where he’d been wowing the music scene there for years. The music they produce together is the result of profound friendship, heaping helpings of creativity, and decades of playing, singing and writing together and on their own. Their shows have been described by fans as an evening of “comfort music” with vocal “harmonies that will roll your socks down.” Come hear for yourself!
HARM’S WAY
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Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koeltz on lead vocals and guitar, Scot Boze on vocals, and Phil Griffin on lead guitar.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
The core members of this group have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and – while they take music very seriously – don’t take themselves seriously at all!
www.reverbnation.com/harmonkoeltz
July 15, 2017
SPARKY and RHONDA RUCKER
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Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. Sparky Rucker has been performing over forty years, and AAFFM has been proudly presenting him almost since the beginning. He is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and author. He accompanies himself with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo, and spoons. Rhonda Rucker is a musician, children’s author, storyteller, and songwriter. Her blues-style harmonica, piano, old-time banjo, and bones add musical versatility to their performances.
Sparky and Rhonda are sure to deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, slave songs, Appalachian music, spirituals, ballads, work songs, Civil War music, railroad songs, and a few of their own original compositions.
Over forty years of performing, Sparky and Rhonda have performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as NPR’s On Point, Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and Morning Edition. Their recording, Treasures & Tears, was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award, and their music is also included on the Grammy-nominated anthology, Singing Through the Hard Times.
The Ruckers have been featured tellers at the International Storytelling Center and Festival. Sparky is a natural storyteller, having grown up hearing his father, uncles, and other family members endlessly telling tales. Sparky and Rhonda each tell solo stories, but they also tell stories together (in tandem), always adding life and humor to the characters and tricksters in their Brer Rabbit tales, Jack tales, High John the Conqueror stories, preacher tales, and family stories.
Sparky and Rhonda weave their music into captivating stories that the history books don’t always tell, and they share this knowledge in many schools, colleges, and libraries. Their educational programs span over three centuries of African-American history, including slavery, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, the birth of blues music, and the civil rights movement. Each era is interspersed with stories and popular songs from the time period, celebrating the diversity of the nation’s history. They are also available for author visits to schools and libraries.
June 17, 2017
FRANK HAMILTON
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Frank Hamilton has been playing traditional American folk music for many years, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and five-string banjo. Frank has a reputation in folk circles as a former member of the Weavers and co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. He is an instructor at Atlanta’s Frank Hamilton School, which he co-founded in 2015.
Frank’s teaching mentor was Bess Lomax Hawes, sister of folklorist and entrepreneur Alan Lomax. He has worked as a musical sideman on recordings and movie soundtracks.
He is a published songwriter and member of ASCAP. Frank has recorded and played in concert with Pete Seeger, Odetta, Woody Guthrie, and The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. He has accompanied Jean Carignan, Martha Schlamme, and Shoshana Damari. He traveled through the South collecting folk songs and singing with Guy Carawan and Jack Elliott in the 1950s.
Frank recorded as a soloist for Folkways Records and Concertdisc and has released his own CD, Long Lonesome Home. He is half of the team Classic Jazz with Bill Rappaport, performing songs from the Great American Songbook represented by Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and others. Frank will be playing a blend of traditional songs, originals and some international tunes as well.
www.frankhamiltonschool.org/frank-hamilton/
VERONIKA JACKSON
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Veronika Jackson is the grassroots of American traditional folk blues. She has become a familiar face and sound in the southern regions of the United States, performing at festivals, music halls and community benefits. Veronika leaves many in awe while she informs and tells her story and her history through acoustic folk blues.
She is a singer/songwriter who performs originals as well as classic songs, but she does not carry forth the usual blues repertoire typical of the game. If you expect her to be typical in any way, she will surprise you.
A performance by Veronika is an enriching experience, both musically and spiritually. Veronika’s humble and authentic presence when performing captivates music audiences that leaves them wanting more.
May 20, 2017
JIM SHARKEY
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Singer-songwriter Jim Sharkey is an Irish and Americana folk musician now living in Salisbury NC. Jim grew up in County Roscommon, Ireland, and came to the US in 1982 when he joined the US Navy in London, England. He spent five years as a photographer on the USS Dixon in San Diego, California, and ten years working in television and video production in North Carolina and Maine. Later he taught children with special needs but decided to pursue music full-time in 2014. He plays around Virginia, North and South Carolina, Maryland, and Washington DC, accompanying himself on guitar, harmonica, and bodhran (Irish drum). Jim’s original songs blend Irish traditional ballad influences with contemporary issues that are often set in the area he resides. The title track of his latest CD Sweet Anne’s Road deals with the effects of the war in Afghanistan on a young couple from the rural area of Copper Hill, Virginia. “The Campaign Song” also included on that CD was written after Neil Young asked Donald Trump to stop using his song “Rockin’ in the Free World” for Trump’s campaign. “Bought and Sold” is a song to raise awareness of the plight of the Yazidis in Iraq who were mercilessly hunted down by Isis in 2014. Jim is working on his third CD, Misty Morning Rain, which he hopes to finish in 2017. Jim’s other CDs Black is the Color and Sweet Anne’s Road were released in 2015. Sweet Anne’s Road is available on iTunes and CD Baby.
www.jimsharkey.com
THE NEW HARVEY FAMILY SINGERS
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The New Harvey Family Singers is an evolving group of troubadours performing contemporary and traditional music. The band is made up of John Harvey, Seth Langer, Jimi Cusick and Eryk Fisher.
Hailing from Austin, Texas, John Harvey appears regularly in the Frank Hamilton School band and brings previous experience playing with house bands. Atlanta native Eryk Fisher is a professional basement musician who “sings to walls, plays harmonica, and strums three chord songs until mama tells me dinner’s ready.” Seth Langer is an actor, musician, and odd-jobber from Decatur. He plays at political rallies, weddings, birthdays, funerals — wherever there’s singing to be done! Jimi Cusick, from Atlanta, brings a musical background that includes orchestra, rock, and a Beatles cover band. Jimi loves to challenge himself musically to learn new things and play with new people as much as possible.
April 15, 2017
BRUCE GILBERT
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“After all is said and done, throw out everything you thought you knew and just make music!” That’s Bruce Gilbert’s philosophy, and it shines through every live performance he offers his ever-growing throngs of devoted Atlanta-area fans.
As a performing songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer, Bruce is a seasoned professional who never met a style of music he couldn’t bring a little something extra to. His songs are filled with happily unexpected musical twists and range from poignant, elegant love (and lost love) songs to the cool sophistication of a hipster out on the town in a new pork pie hat. No matter what the style, Gilbert connects with listeners through beautiful melodies and sincere vocals that make you believe every word he sings. He’s a jazzer with the heart of a poet.
Along with mainstays of the Atlanta folk community Cyndi Craven and Jerry Brunner, Bruce is also a member of the wildly popular local trio “Just Be’Cause.”
ALEX COMMINS and TODD PRUSIN
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ComminsPrusin-300x199.jpeg)
Both Alex Richard Commins and Todd Prusin are well-known in the Atlanta music scene. Alex has played guitar and banjo since grammar school in folk, old-time, and bluegrass groups, and lead guitar in rock bands. He has played with Larry Campbell, Mike Dowling, Toby Walker, and David Bromberg. In his accomplished fingerpicking you’ll hear the influence of Doc Watson, Norman Blake, David Bromberg, Merle Travis and Delta blues musicians. Alex has played in bluegrass groups including 15 years with The Sorghum Syrup Soppers Old-Time String Band. He has also played in many diverse musical situations from The Galax Old-Time Fiddler’s convention to rock and roll bands. Todd started playing bass in high-school bands and has since played professionally since the late ‘80’s. He has played with many local Atlanta acts and has studied with Jack Casady and Bryon House. Though primarily a bassist, Todd is an accomplished drummer and guitarist fronting and participating in many local musical projects. With Alex by his side, Todd’s musical voice comes to fruition.
Alex and Todd are alumni of Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio. The love and respect for music that was germinated there has blossomed into a musical embrace here in Atlanta. The interplay between Alex’s acoustic fingerpicking and Todd’s melodic bass guitar has generated a strong fan base throughout the area.
http://www.alexcommins.com/
March 18, 2017
CHARLEY WOODS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Charley-Woods-e1488329899345-300x283.jpg)
Nashville native Charley Woods is making a lasting impact on the music mecca she calls home. With her instantly identifiable voice and her stylistic blend of contemporary folk and Americana, this recording artist is in a league all her own. She has performed and collaborated with many talented and influential figures in today’s country music, including Brad Paisley, Chris Young, David Nail, Wil Nance, and Mark Nesler.
Charley is currently performing, recording and writing the music that she aspires to share with the world. Her latest single Half the Girl is climbing the charts and creating a buzz. She’s looking forward to her first appearance at Fiddler’s Green.
THE IRISH BROTHERS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The_Irish_Brothers.jpg)
The Irish Brothers are Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen. This is a unique team – Sandyman comes from the mountains Western North Carolina with the Captain hailing from the canyons of New York City. The two started performing together 30 years ago when they worked ‘suit’ jobs at IBM. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material – their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the ‘new country’ – from traditional Irish ballads, to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville, and a founding member of the band Cullowhee, that toured nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s/80s. George started singing and playing after his first visit to New York’s Greenwich Village in the mid-1960s. George honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. The team received the name “Irish Brothers” following a performance at The Folk Alliance several years ago in Memphis, Tennessee.
http://www.gorddcymru.org/atlanta/music/cmd/hergen_george.htm
February 18, 2017
HOTLANTA DIXIELAND JAZZ
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Hotlanta2-300x173.jpg)
HOTLANTA DIXIELAND JAZZ
Hotlanta sets your feet firmly on Bourbon Street in Old New Orleans. You’ll experience every bit of the joy, energy, and humor of that early American Jazz called Dixieland. Songs from Fats Waller, Hoagy Carmichael, Louie Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, plus many old favorites like “Sweet Georgia Brown”, “Royal Garden Blues”, “South”, “Hard Hearted Hannah”, and “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In” are all part of Hotlanta’s musical treat.
Based in Atlanta, the group has performed extensively in the South since its founding by Don Erdman in 1990 with appearances at “The Famous Door” on Bourbon Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter, The Brevard College Jazz Festival in North Carolina, and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, to name a few. Beyond the South, Hotlanta’s music has been enjoyed around the globe at clubs and jazz festivals in Spain, Germany, Japan, France, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Belarus, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore.
Hotlanta’s full instrumentation is the traditional sextet: clarinet, cornet, trombone, banjo/vocals, tuba and drums. Hotlanta also performs as a trio, quartet, or quintet. In addition to their Happy Feet CD, other recordings include Live in Spain from a performance at Spain’s Jazzaldia Festival, The Saints, a CD on the Intersound label, and their newest CD There Ain’t No Jazz Like Dixieland.
Hotlanta Dixieland Jazz is available for concerts, parties, and all occasions.
JIM CULLITON TRIO
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Jim-Culliton-Trio-300x249.jpg)
JIM CULLITON TRIO
The always exciting Jim Culliton Trio has performed throughout Georgia over the past decade with its unique high-energy blend of instrumental string music and stylistic vocals. The Trio’s underlying philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps the music fresh and exciting.
Jim Culliton has performing experience at The Fox Theatre, Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. This versatile multi-instrumentalist is one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in the mix. Put all of this in a high speed blender and you get a truly innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities, as well as a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and Auburn University (AUM). In this show Jim will play fiddle and mandolin. Walter Dean, “Dean of the Dobro,” incorporates several styles of music with his dazzling tone and technique. Skip Romaner has lent his masterful touch on bass to various bands since moving to Atlanta in 1974.
The trio will play a mix of original compositions plus original arrangements of swing, bluegrass, and new string acoustic, with vocals.
January 21, 2017
MARK STUART
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Screen-Shot-2016-02-02-at-8.57.18-PM.png)
Mark Stuart is a full-time musical artist bringing his years of experience to the stage. Mark will share songs he has penned and recorded, delivering them with the soulful singing voice and highly memorable guitar playing that has made him a favorite on the Americana/folk circuit for 18 years.
Mark’s show consists of storytelling, flashy guitar chops, and songs that seem to draw from his rock, blues, country, and folk music roots. Mostly, this artist from Tennessee has toured solo or in a notable duo with his wife (“Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart”). There were stints along the way as a sideman for Steve Forbert, Freddy Fender, Steve Earle, and Joan Baez.
One can find Mark on any given night in a small theater, coffeehouse, house concert, festival stage, club, church auditorium, etc., giving it his all. Aside from that, he could be instructing at a guitar clinic or songwriting workshop, or playing on someone’s recording session. As co-owner of Gearle Records, he has produced or co-produced many albums. Stuart’s career has repeatedly taken him to all of the USA, Canada, Europe, and the United Kingdom. He last appeared at Fiddler’s Green in February 2015. Mark is a delightful, engaging performer you won’t want to miss.
http://www.markstuart.net
THE ROUGH & TUMBLE
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TheRoughandTumble-1024x683.jpg)
In April 2015 Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler quit their day jobs, sold everything they owned, and gave their thirty day notice on their rental house to trade in for a life permanently on the road. With their sixteen foot camper and their 97 pound dog, Butter, they have been touring nationwide. Don’t let their vagabond tendencies fool you– this Americana-folk duo are a compact team of close harmonies, versatile instrumentation, and deliberate songwriting all presented with a nudge of the elbow and a tongue in the cheek. Haunting, quirky, solemn, and spritely, The Rough & Tumble are for the faint of heart and the strong of will.
In 2011, the friends-turned-bandmates released their first EP, We Sing in Your House When You’re Not There… we even ordered pizza., an exploration of watching other people’s dogs while eating other people’s food. Shortly after, the duo released their second EP, We Don’t Believe in Monsters, Anymore… but will you please check under our beds?, wherein the band discovered that they did, in fact, still believe in monsters. In 2012, their third EP, For You, Now That You’re Married… and for me, too., generated a sudden foreshadowing for the band, still noted in history books as the time they knew everything they didn’t know.
2013 proved to be a small miracle as The Rough & Tumble met their deadlines and wrote, recorded, and released two songs a month every month. The result was The Rough & Tumble’s Holiday Awareness Campaign, a project that fought for the underprivileged, uncelebrated holidays in the calendar year. While having fun with days like Meteor Day and Boxing Day, The R&T additionally observed the great sadness that can accompany great celebration with A Day for the Remembrance of the Souls of Lost Whales and Evaluate Your Life Day.
In 2014, filmmaker friend Alyssa Pearson asked the duo to create a soundtrack for her upcoming film, Pieces and Pieces. Up for the challenge, the songwriters took on the task, tackling issues of PTSD, women’s rights, war, and the love in between. While the film is still to be released, The Rough & Tumble released the seven songs, dually named Pieces and Pieces, on March 1, 2016.
A few new songs and a few old ones are in the works, now, as The Rough & Tumble continue their meandering back and forth across the country. Likely, any minute now, they will be in a town near you, singing sad songs and telling bad jokes until the next town calls them.
http://www.theroughandtumble.com/
December 17, 2016
MOCKINGBIRD’S WING
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/mockingbirdswing.jpg)
Mockingbird’s Wing, a superb Atlanta group, will perform a seasonal set from its folk, rock, soul and pop repertoire. This organically grown acoustic band made up of four diverse musicians:
Barbara Hotz is a singer/songwriter with deep roots in Mexico and a love of the old standards.
Jonathan McBee is a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter out of Chicago, IL. If it’s got strings, Jonathan is looking to add it to the Mockingbird sound.
Paul Pendery is a Montana/Alaska/Texas singer/songwriter whose songs evoke soulful stirrings and happy feet.
Suzy Schultz, when she is not at her day job as a full-time artist, adds vocals/flute/cello to the Mockingbird sound.
Like the mockingbird herself, all the different voices and styles come together for a unique sound – the inimitable Mockingbird’s Wing sound.
https://www.bandpage.com/MockingbirdsWing
THE LOST BOYS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TheLostBoys.jpg)
The Lost Boys formed in 1999 at the Georgia Renaissance Festival, and have since released 5 CD’s and performed at Ren Faires in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, & North Dakota, as well as appearing in countless independent concerts and convention appearances.
Throughout the course of their ongoing 15 year history, the Lost Boys have continually pushed the boundaries of Renaissance Festival music by combining elements of period music with hard driving rock and roll, vocal harmonies with instrumental prowess, hilarious parody lyrics with Shakespearean language, all wrapped in a physical, highly energetic stage presentation, consistently delivering a challenging and entertaining show onstage and a groundbreaking body of work over the course of their 5 CD releases.
For their first appearance on the Fiddler’s Green Concert Series, the ‘Boys add a few seasonal favorites to their already eclectic repertoire in an acoustic Christmas show for all ages. Happy holidays!
http://www.thelostboysonline.com/
November 19, 2016
BENSON AND LEINWEBER
![benson-leinweber](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Benson-Leinweber.jpg)
Benson and Leinweber have been wowing crowds wherever they have played. Dave Benson and David Leinweber are outstanding guitarists, songwriters, and performers. Veterans of the blues, rock and folk scenes, the two form a powerhouse duo featuring excellent harmonies, skillful guitar-interplay and well-selected songs – not to mention lots of fun and energy.
David Leinweber has performed widely at festivals, concert venues and clubs for years, including international appearances abroad where he was dubbed “The Flatpicking Professor.” He has also performed widely in refined higher-educational settings like bars and honky-tonks, to say nothing of numerous universities, civic groups and college campuses. He has placed in numerous flatpicking, fingerpicking and songwriting competitions.
Benson is also an award-winning songwriter, with many years of experience as a versatile guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and performer. He has appeared in performance venues all over his native South.
The duo’s repertoire ranges from traditional music of Appalachia and the British Isles, to Spanish ballads, to folkadelic rock and acoustic blues. Critics have praised their work with such phrases as “excellent guitarists,” “Masters of the flatpicking and fingerpicking styles of guitar,” and “great picking combined with good songwriting; what more could you ask?”
Many of their songs tell great stories and feature distinctive idioms of guitar-playing and songwriting. But most of all, they are just out to entertain and have a good time. Their performances intersperse intricate guitar work and vocals with joke-cracking and occasional commentaries. They are a good fit for audiences of all stripes and tastes.
KNIGHTSONG
![knightsong-2016](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Knightsong-2016.jpg)
KnightSong was formed by Pat Buonodono, Brad Ketch and Keith Duggan in 1989. KnightSong performs year-round for public and private gatherings. The group also performs regularly at charitable events and senior living centers. KnightSong has performed for a number of years at the Georgia Shakespeare Festival and “Christmas Candlelight Nights” at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina and recently toured Denver to perform for the Bethany Festival of Faith and the Arts. KnightSong also performed in 2012 at inaugural AleCon music convention in Atlanta. KnightSong currently has four CDs available for sale and its music is available on CD Baby, iTunes, and Amazon.com.
The KnightSong singers are a diverse group, with but two commonalities — first, a love of a cappella music, and second, a love of laughter. We consider ourselves a musical family of friends and hope that our music provides the listener with the same joy we find in making it.
October 15, 2016
CALEDONIA SWING
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ATT00004-264x300.png)
The Celtic band Caledonia Swing will bring their sweet sounds, infectious energy and love of improvisation to Fiddler’s Green. The band plays a unique style of contemporary and traditional Celtic music with a jazzy twist.
Band-mates Marie Dunkle and Margie Swint have performed together throughout Georgia and the Carolinas for over a decade. They are skilled musicians and seasoned performers who elicit lots of smiles, laughter and even a few tears with their heart-felt arrangements. Margie and Marie will be joined that evening by friend and percussionist extraordinaire Owen Devine, a familiar face on the Atlanta and Athens Irish music scene.
Marie Dunkle (violin, cello, mandolin) is a North Georgia-based musician and storyteller. Her first love is Scottish fiddling, but she plays many musical styles and has performed with symphony orchestras and quartets, rock n roll bands, and theatre companies. Skilled at music improvisation, Marie also supports song writers and recording artists in the Southeast.
Margie Swint (vocals, guitar) has over 30 years combined experience as a performer, music educator and board-certified music therapist. She has performed as a soloist and with a variety of Folk and Celtic bands. Margie worked as a Wolf Trap Institute Artist-in-Residence and album soloist in Nashville, TN. She and her family live in Snellville, GA.
THE RED WELLIES
![The Red Wellies](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ATT00005-300x192.jpg)
The Red Wellies, based out of Asheville, NC and Atlanta GA are a unique collaboration between Irish, Bulgarian and American-born musicians who collectively have decades of experience playing in the Irish tradition. Claudine “Beanie” Odell (fiddle) and Vincent Fogarty (Bouzouki) have been instrumental in creating a thriving Irish music scene in Asheville, NC, bringing an authenticity of its sound to the Southern Appalachians. Bella Issakova received her classical education in the Sofia Music School in Bulgaria, as well as Tel Aviv’s prestigious Thelma Yalin School. Ms. Issakova has been a successful classical violinist. She has been studying Irish music for the last eight years and is a Kerry Records Featured Artist, performing with the Kerry Records troupe annually.
With Beanie’s sharp ear for a beautiful tune set, Vincent’s stand-out bouzouki accompaniment, and Bella’s rich and wild sound on the fiddle, the Red Wellies love playing together, are reluctant to ever stop, and want to share their love of Irish music with every audience they encounter.
Although all three musicians take a studied approach to Irish traditional music through their full time instrumental teaching and The Celtic band Caledonia Swing will bring their sweet sounds, infectious energy and love of improvisation to Fiddler’s Green. The band plays a unique style of contemporary and traditional Celtic music with a jazzy twist.
September 17, 2016
LASHBROOKS
![LASHBROOKS](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-09-07-at-8.09.58-PM-300x202.png)
Troy and Rhonda Lashbrooks are singer/songwriters, music producers, and entertainers. As Lashbrooks they present their soulful roots and progressive folk music with heart-felt lyrics, exciting acoustic guitar, and rich harmonies. They perform in listening venues and coffeehouses throughout the Atlanta local and regional area.
Troy and Rhonda produce and record under their BrooksTone Productions label and production company. Look for their music venues and new artists for 2016 and 2017.
www.lashbrooksmusic.net
Facebook – Lashbrooks
Facebook – BrooksTone Productions
MICHAEL JOHNATHON
![Michael Johnathon](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-09-07-at-8.18.25-PM-300x206.png)
Folksinger Michael Johnathon has a long-standing career in acoustic arts. He’s a songwriter, playwright, composer of the opera Woody: For the People, and host of the live audience broadcast of the WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour. His show has an audience with over two million listeners each week on 500 public radio stations, public television coast-to-coast, and American Forces Radio Network in 173 nations.
Growing up in New York, Michael Johnathon was Pete Seeger’s neighbor. Now settled in the foothills of Appalachia, the Kentucky-based songwriter is a prolific artist with ten released albums, two published books and several national projects. His play Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau has been performed over 8,000 times in 42 countries. A tree-hugger at heart, he has performed 2,000 Earth Concerts at schools and colleges, as well as benefits for the homeless, farm families, and shelters helping battered women and children. Billboard Magazine headlined him as an “UnSung Hero.” He has been featured on CNN, TNN, CMT, AP, Headline News, NPR, Bravo and the BBC.
Recently, Michael helped organize the national WoodSongs Front Porch Association to help organize rural and community music and a massive educational program. Members of the WFPA are called “SongFarmers,” which is also the title of his latest album, the very first national CD release to be completely recorded on an iPhone.
The Martin Guitar Company recently introduced the Michael Johnathon signature model 0000-28s “WoodSongs Quad” guitar.
www.MichaelJohnathon.com
www.WoodSongs.com
www.WaldenPlay.com
WoodyGuthrieOpera.com
www.SongFarmers.org
August 20, 2016
ELISE WITT AND FRIENDS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-08-05-at-1.32.58-PM.png)
Photo by Jessica Lily
Yes, Fiddler’s Green has moved once again! And we’re delighted that the extraordinary folk singer, musician, songwriter, and long-time AAFFM friend Elise Witt will perform with some surprise guests to inaugurate our partnership with First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta.
Elise’s concerts of Global, Local & Homemade Songs™ and her Impromptu Glorious Chorus™ workshops create and connect singing communities around the world. Elise was born in Switzerland, raised in North Carolina, and since 1977 has made her home in Atlanta. She speaks five languages fluently, sings in over a dozen more, and has been a cultural ambassador to South Africa, Italy, Nicaragua, Switzerland, Bosnia, and China. WE’RE ALL BORN SINGING is her 12th recording for the independent EMWorld Records, and many of her songs are available for choirs in the Elise Witt Choral Series. Recipient of the William L. Womack Creative Arts Award, Elise is Artist-in-Residence at the Global Village Project, a school for teenage refugee girls in Decatur GA. Her concerts are famous for turning audiences (even self-professed “non-singers”) into an Impromptu Glorious Chorus™.
For more information: www.elisewitt.com
A performer to remember with international savvy and personal charm! ~ Kennedy Center Millennium Stage
Wide horizons and a repertoire that borrows from many countries with a spirit of univeral humanism. ~ Le Cri du Coyote, France
July 16, 2016
KEVIN “KALIMBAMAN” SPEARS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-06-28-at-9.19.09-PM-e1467163628628-195x300.png)
International recording artist Kevin Spears is hailed as one of the most gifted kalimba players alive. His mastery of kalimba (African thumb piano), customized musical gadgets, tiny synths and experimental percussion allow him to create a fusion of world, jazz and folktronica that moves your feet and stirs your soul.
“Kevin Spears puts on a performance full of groove, sound and intimacy that draws you into his unique yet universal world.” – Benoit Glazer, Musical Director, Cirque Du SOLEIL. Seeing Is Believing!
www.facebook.com/Kevin.Kalimba
MICK and EVAN KINNEY
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-06-28-at-9.19.34-PM.png)
Mick Kinney is a folklorist, composer, lyricist, and multi instrumentalist. Expect an eclectic blend of ragtime, Georgia fiddle tunes, swing, Cajun, Irish, novelty songs, and some traditional style originals. He has recorded several albums of his own material; has accompanied Vick Chestnut, Victoria Williams, John Hartford; and collaborates regularly with his partner, Elise Witt.
Mick will be joined by his son Evan from their family string band, the HickHoppers. They performed this spring at the Brooklyn Folk Festival and will be featured artists this summer at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Washington state. Their latest CDs are In Dear Old Georgia (2015), with Grammy winner Art Rosenbaum on banjo, and What Would Geezers Do? (2016).
June 18, 2016
REDWINE JAM
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Redwine-Jam-29-1024x605.jpg)
Despite its name, Redwine Jam is not a sweet alcoholic concoction suitable for spreading on toast. Still, folk music fans around Atlanta find it appetizing and heady! A performance by the Atlanta-based folk trio Redwine Jam carries the audience on an emotional rollercoaster complete with high-spirited roots music, wry humor, gripping story songs, love ballads, and the sheer joy of homemade music.
Redwine Jam is a folk music trio comprised of Chris and Carol Moser, who for years led the Celtic band Barney’s Goat, and master guitar/bass player Skip Romaner. They perform a wide range of North American and Celtic folk songs and tunes, from traditional material to newly written compositions by contemporary folk legends. They accompany their vocals with guitar, bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, mountain dulcimer, flute, pennywhistle, bodhran and harp (not all at the same time).
Whether they’re performing a program of American folk, Celtic, a mixture of both, or their multi-media concert exploring the American Folk Revival, an evening with Redwine Jam is a delectable treat.
HARM’S WAY
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Harms-Way-1024x768.jpg)
Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koetz on lead vocals and guitar, Scot Boze on vocals, and Phil Griffin on lead guitar.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
As with most groups, members occasionally join or leave or re-join the group. But, the core members have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and while they take the music very seriously, don’t take themselves seriously at all!
May 21, 2016
BLACKFOOT DAISY
![Blackfoot Daisy](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Blackfoot-Daisy.png)
Blackfoot daisies are hearty wild flowers that grow on the prairies of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. You can find them growing naturally in the Texas Blackland prairie, which runs from the Red River to the Texas-Oklahoma border. The band, BLACKFOOT DAISY, is a humble foursome (sometimes fewer) that plays original, Americana style music. Based in the Atlanta metro area, the members are a little haunted by the prairie, the wind, the shifting of tall grasses, the sound of crickets, and a lonesome train whistle drifting through the night.
BLACKFOOT DAISY is a blend of four very talented musicians. Songwriter Don Sechelski is featured on guitar and vocals. Don has been writing and performing music in the Atlanta area for over 30 years. From Atlanta to New Orleans to Chicago and back to Atlanta, he is still chasing the buffalo.
Wendy DuMond also plays guitar, sings and writes songs. Wendy has the soul of a poet and the vision of an artist. From Montana, through Oklahoma, up to New York, and back to Atlanta, she follows the Bucking Horse Moon.
Adam Sechelski is found on guitar, mandolin, percussion, vocals. Adam is the backbeat, the glue that holds it together. Atlanta to Boston to Mississippi and back to Atlanta, Adam is a stage gypsy, an actor, and a dreamer.
Bobby Moore from Roanoke, VA, plays fiddle, mandolin and banjo. He loves the sound of a lonesome train whistle.
THE ROSIN SISTERS
![TheRosinSisters](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TheRosinSisters.png)
The Rosin Sisters — Barbara Panter-Connah, Ann Whitley-Singleton, and Jan Smith, are three fiddlers who combine their voices, guitars, and banjo to create a unique blend of Southern Appalachian roots music.
Cutting their teeth fiddling for Contra and Cajun dances, they have also performed at festivals and concerts in the Atlanta area and the Southeast for decades in various bands. They collectively teach harmony singing at the Blue Ridge Old-time Music Week in Mars Hill, NC, and they each teach music privately – Jan and Barbara in the Atlanta area and Ann as Director of the Georgia Pick & Bow Traditional Music School, an after-school non-profit in her adopted hometown of Dahlonega, GA.
After years of friendship, The Rosin Sisters formed in 2006 to further explore their love of traditional music and song, and have produced three CDs: Sweet Sunny South, which received a stellar review in the Old-Time Herald, Walking Through Time’s Door, and their most recent, It’s All Your Fault.
April 16, 2016
OUT OF THE RAIN
![Out of the Rain](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Out-of-the-Rain-971x1024.jpg)
Out Of The Rain, composed of Ron Hipp and Carol Statella, is a folk duo noted for innovative arrangements and unusual expressive power. Ron Hipp has been known in the Atlanta area as an accomplished solo artist and Carol Statella has played and sung in various groups over the years. Their joining forces to regularly perform and record music together has created a compelling, poignant sound that is both timeless and fresh.
Ron is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist/singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A native of Atlanta, he’s been performing both solo and in various band combinations since about the age of 16. His rich baritone voice, consummate fingerpicking, and mesmerizing songs make his shows a memorable experience. Ron has graced many a recording project by other artists over the years as a studio musician, and has many CD cover photos to his credit.
Carol (string player/singer) has played in backup orchestras for Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson. As a music journalist, she interviewed Robert Shaw for a national publication, and also spent several years as an announcer/producer in public radio. In the classical performance realm, Carol has played in the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, and sang for seventeen seasons with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus/Chamber Chorus.
Ron and Carol have known each other and crossed paths musically for a decade and a half, through many artistic and personal evolutions. Their sound together has been described as warm, eloquent, and vivid. Onstage, Ron and Carol draw audiences in with artful musicality, occasionally inane humor, and absolute focus on inviting the listener into the depths of a song.
While continuing to perform in intimate Southeast venues, Out of The Rain also presented Ron’s first album of original songs and instrumentals titled “Two Hearts,” which has received international folk radio airplay and glowing reviews from press and concert presenters. “Ron Hipp and Carol Statella have crafted a musically delightful, emotionally involving work with “Two Hearts” … it deserves a spot on your CD shelf,” says Rich Warren of Sing Out! Magazine.
JOYCE & JACQUE
![joyceanndjacque](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/joyceanndjacque.png)
Performing favorites from their CD, “New Day Dawning”
“Every once in a while, someone plays music that stops you in your tracks,
music that mesmerizes and moves your soul.”
This is what has been said of the duo of Joyce Williams and Jacque Howard. Their original music transcends age, appealing to young children and seasoned elders alike. Setting is no boundary for them, as the duo has performed in clubs, youth conferences and churches throughout the country.
Joyce & Jacque have opened for many nationally acclaimed artists – including Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, The Pointer Sisters, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Nina Simone, Odetta and many others.
Joyce & Jacque’s rich vocal harmonies are a treat for the ears. Drawing from their Christian faith and incorporating hard-hitting issues in their lyrics, the two singer-songwriters minister to the human condition straight through the heart.
They will be performing songs from their acclaimed CD, “New Day Dawning.”
March 18, 2016
FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT
![FourShillingsShort](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/FourShillingsShort.jpg)
The Celtic/Folk/World music duo Four Shillings Short are coming to town for a special Winter Solstice Concert. This is their only appearance in the Atlanta area and they only make it to Georgia every couple of years so make sure not to miss this one-of-a-kind musical treat!
“The delightfully surprising collection of songs and sounds this husband/wife act create, while stretching the limits of Celtic and Folk music by stirring in generous amounts of Indian Ragas and Medieval flavorings via some of the tastiest sitar playing this side of Ravi Shankar” (Valpariso Times, IN) “bring musical diversity, captivating storytelling and humorous side notes to create an amazing show.” (Labyrinth Café/Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Four Shillings Short, the husband/wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland and Christy Martin from California, perform Traditional and Original music from the Celtic lands, Medieval & Renaissance Europe, India and the Americas on a fantastic array of instruments (over 30) including Hammered & Mountain Dulcimer, Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Tinwhistles, Recorders, Medieval and Renaissance Woodwinds, North Indian Sitar, Charango, Bowed Psaltery, Banjo, Bodhran, Guitar, Percussion, vocals and even a Krumhorn.
Touring in the US & Ireland since 1997, Four Shillings Short are independent folk-artists who perform 150 concerts a year, have released 12 recordings and live as full time Troubadours traveling from town to town performing at music festivals, theatres & performing arts centers, folk societies, libraries, house concerts and schools.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Aodh Og O’Tuama grew up in a family of poets, musicians and writers. He received his degree in Music from University College Cork, Ireland and received a Fellowship from Stanford University in California in Medieval and Renaissance performance. He plays Tinwhistles, Medieval & Renaissance woodwinds, Recorders, Doumbek (from Morocco), bowed Psaltery, Spoons and sings both in English, Gaelic & French.
Christy Martin grew up in a family of musicians and dancers. From the age of 15, she studied North Indian Sitar for 10 years, 5 of them with a student of master Sitarist Ravi Shankar. She began playing the Hammered Dulcimer in her 20’s and has studied with Maggie Sansone, Dan Duggan, Cliff Moses, Robin Petrie, Tony Elman and Glen Morgan. In addition she plays Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Banjo, Guitar, Bodhran (Irish frame drum), Charango, bowed Psaltery and sings in English, Irish, Spanish and Sanskrit.
WHAT FOLKS SAY ABOUT FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT
“Yours was truly one of the best shows I’ve been to on ‘any’ level & it’s pretty broad: Michael Jackson, Celtic Women, James Taylor, John Denver & Four Shillings Short!!! I enjoyed not only the musical talent, but the education regarding instruments, origin etc. storytelling & mix of genuine passion, love & humor. In that regard you beat out all the others.” (Louisville, KY)
“Sunday nights’ concert featured a husband and wife duo called Four Shillings Short. They are astounding. They both have wonderful singing voices. They play an incredible variety of music from Indian Ragas to Celtic, Traditional folk and about anything else you can think of. They are very charismatic with great stage presence.” Columbus Folk Music Society,OH)
“Their musical virtuosity makes old songs sound new and new songs sound like time-worn Celtic spells.” (CITY PAGES, Wausau WI)
“They are not the Clancy Brothers or Jean Richie or Ravi Shankar but a combination of all three, laced with Irish humor. Their collection of instruments is museum-like and I’ve never seen the place so packed.” (San Gregorio General Store, CA)
“Four Shillings Short are the ultimate in coffeehouse entertainment. The variety of musical instrumentation really keeps me interested. Equal amounts of male and female energy keep the emotional content well-balanced. Song lyrics don’t get hidden underneath too much accompaniment. Harmonies are sweet; instrumental solos spirited. And best of all, their demeanor belies a commitment to the ideal of rising up singing.” (Chicory House Concerts Forty Fort, PA)
“Stunning performance last night. Folk music at its best. Well sung, well played & I lost count of how many instruments. One of the most inspiring performances I have ever witnessed.” (Berea KY)
“Four Shillings Short, celto-indo fusion duo, is a world class act.” (KMFB – Late night Liz, Fort Bragg, CA)
“These are two of the best musicians that I’ve seen come through. They are authentic, traditional and spontaneous.” (Suburban Exchange, Houghton MI)
“Four Shillings Short takes you on a musical journey through time and across the seas as they perform everything from traditional Irish tunes and airs to Indian Ragas.” (The Foothills Sun-Gazette/ Exeter, CA)
“A husband-and-wife duo of mystical musical abilities. Their sound is haunting, crystalline beauty.” (Monterey County Weekly, Monterey, CA)
“The Celtic/Folk/World music duo performs on a bevy of unusual instruments and in myriad styles. This is a great show for kids of all ages, who’ll be amazed by the duo’s thematic range.” (Glen Starkey – New Times, San Luis Obispo, CA)
February 20, 2016
JUST BE’CAUSE
![Just Be'Cause](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/JustBecause.png)
Jerry Brunner, Bruce Gilbert and Cyndi Craven are Just Be’Cause … just don’t ask them why.
Jerry Brunner and Cyndi Craven, long-time members of the Atlanta acoustic/folk music scene, have been performing together since the 1980’s. In 2007, they met up with Bruce Gilbert when he moved to Atlanta from California where he’d been wowing the music scene there for years. The music they produce together is the result of profound friendship, heaping helpings of creativity, and decades of playing, singing and writing together and on their own. Their shows have been described by fans as an evening of “comfort music” with vocal “harmonies that will roll your socks down.” Come hear for yourself!
BALALAIKA FANTASIE
![BALALAIKA FANTASIE](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/BALALAIKA-FANTASIE.png)
The six musicians of Balalaika Fantasie draw their inspiration from their life-long passion for Russian folk music and their diverse cultural backgrounds. Performing on authentic Russian folk instruments, the group’s repertoire includes Russian, Ukrainian, Gypsy and Jewish folk music.
Angelina Galashenkova-Reed (domra) has toured the world as a soloist with the Andreyev Russian Folk Orchestra of St. Petersburg, Russia, performing with them at Carnegie Hall’s 100th anniversary. A virtuoso of the three-string domra, she is a winner of Russia’s prestigious “Cup of the North” competition, and holds the title of “Laureate of International Competitions of Professional Folk Artists.” Immigrating to the U.S. in 2001, she has had numerous solo appearances, most notably at Spivey Hall, and is the concertmaster and domra soloist of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra. Angelina performs in the domra-guitar duo, 9 String Theory.
David C. Cooper (balalaika, domra, vocals) has been recognized by Russian virtuosi for his artistry as a balalaika soloist. Pennsylvania-born, Mr. Cooper is an authority on Russian folk instruments (he plays them all), studied conducting and performance at the Glier Institute of Kiev, Ukraine, and is the artistic director and conductor of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra. Mr. Cooper’s diverse talents also make him in demand in jazz, Klezmer and steel drum ensembles.
Alla Melnik (bayan, vocals) is a Ukrainian-born bayan soloist who received her music degree from the Kiev University of Arts and Culture. She has performed and taught bayan, music theory and piano throughout Ukraine. Alla has a vast repertoire of folk, classical and popular music, frequently appearing in concerts and festivals. She frequently performs bayan solos with the Atlanta Balalaika Society.
Gregory Carageorge has been a professional contrabass balalaika and string bass player for over thirty years, performing in numerous ethnic music groups such as the Berkeley, CA based Klezmorim and Troika Balalaikas, The Massenkoff Russian Folk Festival, and several very popular touring Greek folk music bands. He was the leader of the house band at New York’s Russian Tea Room, and has appeared with numerous folk, bluegrass, and jazz ensembles.
Irene Perloff McCullough (alto domra) and David McCullough (alto balalaika) have performed in Russian folk music ensembles in Boston and Detroit and Atlanta, and perform together as the balalaika-guitar duo, “Russian Romance.” All musicians of Balalaika Fantasie are members of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra.
January 16, 2016
UKULELE SOCIETY OF DECATUR
![ukulelesocietyofdecatur](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ukulelesocietyofdecatur.png)
Retired couple John and Lynda Anderson and their Ukulele Society of Decatur go out every other week to spread happiness. They play at senior citizens homes, farmers’ markets and other public events. And any money they make, they give away!
“It’s not an intimidating instrument to pick up and play,” said John Anderson. “It’s an activity you can do with other people and it’s gratifying to go out and have people to respond to the music enthusiastically. It’s just something we’ve always enjoyed.”
The quartet, which includes Doug Allison and Pete Senkowski, plays a wide variety of music, including toe-tapping pop tunes from the first half of the 20th century (“Ain’t She Sweet,” “The Sunny Side of the Street,” and “Autumn Leaves”) as well as some Hawaiian favorites (“Maui” and “My Little Grass Shack”).
The Andersons met each other four decades ago at the University of Michigan. After graduating, they married and moved to Atlanta. John Anderson, who had started on the clarinet at 12, got his wife interested in music. She picked up the dulcimer and the guitar and started performing in a Renaissance group and later, a country-folk band called The Stone Mountain Country Band. The couple also formed a polka group.
The Andersons said they began playing the ukulele on the back porch during the evening for fun and relaxation. The performing group evolved from that, about five or six years ago. “I think it’s just been wonderful,” said Lynda Anderson. “I think I always had a lot of ability. I didn’t get to develop it as a child but I did as an adult. I really love doing it. It’s been amazing to perform. I never thought of myself being a performer.”
FIONNULA FIDDLE
![fionnulafiddle](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/fionnulafiddle.png)
Fionnula Fiddle features Atlanta fiddlers Katherine Irwin Thomas and Suzanne Harner performing traditional music from Ireland and Scotland. Only separated by twelve miles of sea at the nearest point, it’s not surprising that Ireland and Scotland share several cultural connections such as language, whiskey, sheep – and especially great fiddle tunes! After playing several gigs with talented friends Claire Shirey (fiddle, concertina, dance) and Lauren Fariss (accordion, piano, guitar), Kat looked at Suzanne and said, “Hey, we should be a proper band…” Suzanne agreed and thus, Fionnula Fiddle was born. Influenced by some of the biggest fiddle groups in the British Isles – Altan, Blazin’ Fiddles, Session A9 – Fionnula Fiddle strives to bring the beauty, the fire and the craic of traditional fiddling from the Highlands to home.
December 19, 2015
FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT
![FourShillingsShort](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/FourShillingsShort.jpg)
The Celtic/Folk/World music duo Four Shillings Short are coming to town for a special Winter Solstice Concert. This is their only appearance in the Atlanta area and they only make it to Georgia every couple of years so make sure not to miss this one-of-a-kind musical treat!
“The delightfully surprising collection of songs and sounds this husband/wife act create, while stretching the limits of Celtic and Folk music by stirring in generous amounts of Indian Ragas and Medieval flavorings via some of the tastiest sitar playing this side of Ravi Shankar” (Valpariso Times, IN) “bring musical diversity, captivating storytelling and humorous side notes to create an amazing show.” (Labyrinth Café/Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Four Shillings Short, the husband/wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland and Christy Martin from California, perform Traditional and Original music from the Celtic lands, Medieval & Renaissance Europe, India and the Americas on a fantastic array of instruments (over 30) including Hammered & Mountain Dulcimer, Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Tinwhistles, Recorders, Medieval and Renaissance Woodwinds, North Indian Sitar, Charango, Bowed Psaltery, Banjo, Bodhran, Guitar, Percussion, vocals and even a Krumhorn.
Touring in the US & Ireland since 1997, Four Shillings Short are independent folk-artists who perform 150 concerts a year, have released 12 recordings and live as full time Troubadours traveling from town to town performing at music festivals, theatres & performing arts centers, folk societies, libraries, house concerts and schools.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Aodh Og O’Tuama grew up in a family of poets, musicians and writers. He received his degree in Music from University College Cork, Ireland and received a Fellowship from Stanford University in California in Medieval and Renaissance performance. He plays Tinwhistles, Medieval & Renaissance woodwinds, Recorders, Doumbek (from Morocco), bowed Psaltery, Spoons and sings both in English, Gaelic & French.
Christy Martin grew up in a family of musicians and dancers. From the age of 15, she studied North Indian Sitar for 10 years, 5 of them with a student of master Sitarist Ravi Shankar. She began playing the Hammered Dulcimer in her 20’s and has studied with Maggie Sansone, Dan Duggan, Cliff Moses, Robin Petrie, Tony Elman and Glen Morgan. In addition she plays Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Banjo, Guitar, Bodhran (Irish frame drum), Charango, bowed Psaltery and sings in English, Irish, Spanish and Sanskrit.
WHAT FOLKS SAY ABOUT FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT
“Yours was truly one of the best shows I’ve been to on ‘any’ level & it’s pretty broad: Michael Jackson, Celtic Women, James Taylor, John Denver & Four Shillings Short!!! I enjoyed not only the musical talent, but the education regarding instruments, origin etc. storytelling & mix of genuine passion, love & humor. In that regard you beat out all the others.” (Louisville, KY)
“Sunday nights’ concert featured a husband and wife duo called Four Shillings Short. They are astounding. They both have wonderful singing voices. They play an incredible variety of music from Indian Ragas to Celtic, Traditional folk and about anything else you can think of. They are very charismatic with great stage presence.” Columbus Folk Music Society,OH)
“Their musical virtuosity makes old songs sound new and new songs sound like time-worn Celtic spells.” (CITY PAGES, Wausau WI)
“They are not the Clancy Brothers or Jean Richie or Ravi Shankar but a combination of all three, laced with Irish humor. Their collection of instruments is museum-like and I’ve never seen the place so packed.” (San Gregorio General Store, CA)
“Four Shillings Short are the ultimate in coffeehouse entertainment. The variety of musical instrumentation really keeps me interested. Equal amounts of male and female energy keep the emotional content well-balanced. Song lyrics don’t get hidden underneath too much accompaniment. Harmonies are sweet; instrumental solos spirited. And best of all, their demeanor belies a commitment to the ideal of rising up singing.” (Chicory House Concerts Forty Fort, PA)
“Stunning performance last night. Folk music at its best. Well sung, well played & I lost count of how many instruments. One of the most inspiring performances I have ever witnessed.” (Berea KY)
“Four Shillings Short, celto-indo fusion duo, is a world class act.” (KMFB – Late night Liz, Fort Bragg, CA)
“These are two of the best musicians that I’ve seen come through. They are authentic, traditional and spontaneous.” (Suburban Exchange, Houghton MI)
“Four Shillings Short takes you on a musical journey through time and across the seas as they perform everything from traditional Irish tunes and airs to Indian Ragas.” (The Foothills Sun-Gazette/ Exeter, CA)
“A husband-and-wife duo of mystical musical abilities. Their sound is haunting, crystalline beauty.” (Monterey County Weekly, Monterey, CA)
“The Celtic/Folk/World music duo performs on a bevy of unusual instruments and in myriad styles. This is a great show for kids of all ages, who’ll be amazed by the duo’s thematic range.” (Glen Starkey – New Times, San Luis Obispo, CA)
November 21, 2015
SAM PACETTI
![Gamble Rogers Winter Concert](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sam-Pacetti-1024x683.jpg)
Sam Pacetti brings it all together. A fingerstyle guitar wizard. A deft songwriter, capable of haunting depth and wry humor in the space of one song. An impassioned and ecstatic vocalist, as well as a mesmerizing live performer, seamlessly melding head-spinning guitar pyrotechnics and raw emotion into one breathtaking package.
Pacetti represents a culmination of the best of the American and British traditions. His 1997 Waterbug debut, Solitary Travel, garnered critical raves. “This guy is very good, indeed,” deadpanned the highly respected (and highly critical) UK magazine Folk Roots. And Dirty Linen, the influential US roots publication, opined, “Although the woods are full of young guitar virtuosos, few have developed the style, technique and artistic wisdom of Sam Pacetti. Solitary Travel heralds the arrival of one of the most talented instrumentalists and composers to appear in acoustic music in a month of Sundays.”
www.sampacetti.com
HARM ‘N ME ‘N HIM
![Harm-n-Me-n-Him-Steves-Live-Music](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Harm-n-Me-n-Him-Steves-Live-Music.jpg)
The acoustic trio of Harmon Koeltz, Laura Monk and Michael Carthon bring with them an eclectic musical background and a collection of well loved (and not the same old often heard) tunes. With graceful harmonies and unique guitar stylings delivered on a solid bass platform, Harm ‘n Me ‘n Him delivers a menagerie of songs ranging from old standards to current hits; covering a unique mix of genres including pop, jazz, rock, Americana, folk and classics.
Laura, an Atlanta native and singer-songwriter, plays acoustic guitar and deems herself the official rhythm girl! Having performed with her own Renaissance band and others over the years, she brings a love of singing and all genres to this musical journey. Laura’s passionate vocal delivery brings songs to life and draws the listener right into the musical story.
Harmon, originally from Louisville, Kentucky, has been playing and singing with the group Harm’s Way for over 15 years and before that with many Atlanta bands. His strong, pure vocals and clever interpretations on guitar set this trio apart from other groups.
Mike, also an Atlanta native, is a classically trained double bassist from the University of Georgia. Whether he is using a big bow for the big “fiddle” or plucking or slapping those strings he makes those deep tones that reach right into your musical soul. He has performed with several symphony orchestras in the Southeast.
October 17, 2015
JOE PENLAND
![JoePenland](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/JoePenland-300x200.jpg)
Deep in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina there is a front porch that has been the destination of many folk who love these mountains, its music and stories. Grammy winners and kids with their first guitar, banjo or fiddle, Hollywood producers, writers, and folk music collectors from all over the world, have made their way to the place Joe Penland simply calls “the farm”. An invitation is not that easy to get. Joe has been singing the ballads and telling the stories over half a century, but says with enthusiasm, “Privacy is pretty precious.” And he has maintained that for a long time now. Occasionally coming out of the shelter of these mountains to sing at some festival or other, until recently he has been content to do it on the porch after the work is done.
Deemed a Cultural Treasure by The Asheville Citizen Times, and the recipient of the coveted Bascom Lunsford Award (named for the founder of the longest running folk festival in America), Joe preferred the simple life of hard work and family.
In 2004 after a serious bout with a life threatening illness, he was persuaded by some of his longtime friends to record the ballads he learned as a kid growing up in these mountains. Joe says, “I guess that I finally realized I might not live forever. I remembered the stories of my Grandpa who died before I was born. My Mamma said he could play any instrument and he taught singing schools all over this country here. She says he met Uncle Dave Macon on a train and Uncle Dave said he was the best banjo player he had ever heard. Now ain’t that something? I always thought how good it would have been to have known him or just have heard him sing. They didn’t have all these modern gadgets then that we have now, so I thought it might be the right thing to leave something for my children to have for their babies.”
Joe recorded “Standing On Tradition” – the old songs, in 2004. I did not realize that I knew so many songs until then. So I just kept on after I kinda got used to it,” he says.
“Now there’s more than enough material for five more records. Once I got started, folks said well how about that song you wrote or that song you learnt from Lee. Well, I guess I’ll have to stay around a little while longer to get ‘em all down.”
His daughter, Laurin and long-time friend, Mary Eagle, convinced him to cross the “big water” and took him to the Whitby Folk Festival in England. He sang at one performance with Mary, and “then the people just sorta carried us all around and he sang and told stories of these mountains every day for the next two weeks,” he recalls.
He was invited to Whitby again this year and according to the master storyteller Taffy Thomas, his performance was the emotional pinnacle of Whitby Folk Week.
In September of 2006, he released “Answer to My Prayer” – a collection of some of the songs he has written over the years and two covers of songs he loves. “It’s just story songs about my life and the people I have met, with a dream or two thrown in for good measure,” says Joe.
He has accepted his new found fame with his usual dry humor, He says, “I guess it’s good to have something to fall back on now that I can’t do a decent days work.”
Encouraged by his friends, novelist and singer Sheila Kay Adams and four time Grammy winner David Holt, Joe, and with the help of his daughter, Joe is writing the stories he’s been telling all these years.
In the Spring of 2012 Joe released the fifth collection called “’53 Pontiac, Songs and Stories” and continues to work quietly at his mountain home. As Joe says, “Every morning on this side of Glory is a good un and I’d best make the most of it.” What was once available to a select few is finally out in the world. If you get a chance to see Joe Penland, don’t miss it.
September 19, 2015
BRIAN ASHLEY JONES
![Brian Ashley Jones](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Brian-Ashley-Jones.png)
Brian Ashley Jones is a soulful singer, acclaimed guitarist and versatile touring songwriter whose guitar-driven, bluesy American tunes have found their way into film, television and radio, and have been recorded by many other performing artists. Originally from the Greenville/Spartanburg area of South Carolina and a longtime resident of East Nashville, TN, Brian performs internationally at festivals, concert series, clubs, music education programs and music conferences. Jones’ 3rd CD of original songs entitled Out of the City was recently released and features collaborations with Jonell Mosser, Suzi Ragsdale, Ike Stubblefield, Kevin McKendree and more! His 2007 release, Courier, made the Top 40 of the Roots Music Report, broke the Top 100 of the Americana Music Association’s album chart and received widespread commercial, college, public and international radio play. The swampy instrumental Pull ‘em Up has been featured in the widely acclaimed PBS television series Road Trip Nation and Free to Miss You has been featured in the British ITV2 network television show Amanda Holden’s Fantasy Lives. Jones’ guitar chops and relentless touring earned him a nomination for Best American Roots Guitar Player in the Alternate Root’s 2011 Reader’s Choice Awards.
APOSTLES OF BLUEGRASS
![Apostles of Bluegrass](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Apostles-of-Bluegrass.png)
The Apostles of Bluegrass is led by Johnny Roquemore, who is Creative Loafing Magazine critics’ choice as the “Best Local Singer/Songwriter” in Atlanta. The trio has played all over the South. From the highest-minded church revivals to the lowest honky-tonk dives, and on television and radio, the Apostles’ hard driving bluegrass and humorous original songs consistently amuse their audiences.
Georgia native Johnny Roquemore returned from Malibu, California after 30 years of hobnobbing with the bigwigs of music. Dubbed the “Minstrel of Malibu,” this singer-songwriter has come home to live on the family farm in Mansfield. Creative Loafing refers to Johnny as “a deranged backwoods Santa Claus…the new king of the road.”
Playing banjo, mandolin and harmonica, John Nipper is a native of Newton County, Ga. He gave up bicycle motocross to save his fingers for music.
Originally from the Chicago area, Dave Ross plays the big blue upright bass and the Dobro. Sadly, he received a banjo for his eleventh birthday and hasn’t been the same since.
“Straining the limits of bluegrass, the Apostles repertoire contains good music and intelligent composition and therefore may not be suitable for today’s listener” or so it says on their tongue-in-cheek website.
August 15, 2015
FRANK HAMILTON
![frank-hamilton](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/frank-hamilton-300x169.jpg)
Frank Hamilton has been playing traditional American folk music for many years accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and five string banjo. Frank has a reputation in folk circles as a former member of the Weavers and a co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago.
His teaching mentor was Bess Lomax Hawes, sister of folklorist and entrepreneur, Alan Lomax. He has worked as a musical sideman on recordings and movie sound tracks. He is a published songwriter and member of ASCAP. Frank has recorded and played in concert with Pete Seeger, Odetta, Woody Guthrie, The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and accompanied Jean Carignan, Martha Schlamme, and Shoshana Damari. He traveled through the South collecting folk songs and singing with Guy Carawan and Jack Elliott in the 1950’s.
Frank recorded as a soloist for Folkways Records, Concertdisc and has released his own CD, “Long Lonesome Home.” He is half of the team “Classic Jazz” with Bill Rappaport, performing songs from the Great American Songbook represented by Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and others. Frank will be playing a blend of traditional songs, originals and some international tunes as well.
ANGELA EASTERLING
![Angela Easterling](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/angela_easterling_photo_credit_jon_holloway-200x300.jpg)
Angela Easterling was raised in the South Carolina foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Much of her childhood was spent on the Greer, SC farm that has been in her family since 1791, seven generations. She embraced her heritage as a writer and an artist on her debut album, “Earning Her Wings,” chosen as “Americana Pick of the Year” by Smart Choice Music. Her second album, “BlackTop Road,” made its debut on the Americana top 40 chart, where it remained for seven weeks. Its title song tells of her family’s struggle to hold onto their farmland in the face of widespread development and represented a bold new step in her singing and songwriting.
Angela was named a 2009 & 2010 Kerrville New Folk Finalist, a 2011 Telluride Troubadour and a 2012 Wildflower Performing Songwriter Finalist. The Boston Herald cited her song “The Picture” as “Best Political Country Song” in their 2009 Year’s Best Music. Angela’s music has been featured in commercials (Southwestern Bell) and several of her songs were used in the series “Horsepower” on Animal Planet. She appeared alongside music legend Charlie Louvin on WSM radio’s “Music City Roots Live from the Loveless” show and was invited to appear on the WSM-hosted stage at the 2010 CMA Music Festival/Fan Fair, where her entire set was broadcast live. Angela has appeared on the nationally broadcast public radio program “Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know,” the popular ETV show “Making It Grow” and was also recently interviewed by noted NPR journalist Bob Edwards. She has received much airplay on Sirius/XM “Outlaw Country” channel and was invited to perform at the Smithsonian Institution’s exhibit New Harmonies: Celebrating American Root’s Music. Angela constantly tours the east coast, both solo and duo, and has appeared with her crowd-pleasing band, The Beguilers at numerous town fairs and music festivals throughout the Southeast.
Angela recently welcomed the birth of her first child in March 2013, and is composing songs for her fifth album, to be recorded later this year. Roger McGuinn, founder of the Byrds, called her “a bright shining star on the horizon!” and went on to say, “Her gift is so special. Her CD BlackTop Road brought me back to the time the Byrds recorded “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” – tradition meets youthful exuberance.” For more info on Angela, visit www.angelaeasterling.com.
July 18, 2015
THE McLAUCHLANS
![mclauchlans](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/mclauchlans-300x209.jpg)
Duncan and Glaucia McLauchlan are talented, entertaining musicians providing spirited live performances of popular Irish and Scottish music throughout Atlanta and the Southeast. Duncan is a talented Scottish singer and songwriter, as well as multi-instrumentalist with a wealth of experience. His solo CD “The Road to Destiny” has received substantial air-play on Celtic radio programs across the USA, including Atlanta WRFG’s The Celtic Show and the internationally broadcast The Thistle and Shamrock.
Glaucia is a lively percussionist from Sao Paulo, Brazil. After meeting “Dunc” at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, she swapped her background of classical piano for a life on the Celtic scene. Soon they were making beautiful music together.
Duncan McLauchlan sings and plays his songs with a passion that complements his clever and sensitive poetic style. His delicate lyrics weave a colorful tapestry on the backcloth of his tunes and rhythms, evoking a range of emotions from laugher to tears and back again. He employs a variety of instruments and his natural Scottish accent to produce a solid yet atmospheric feel in his music. His musical armory includes acoustic and electric guitars, bass, bodhran, mandolins, banjo, keyboards and various percussion instruments.
THE JIM CULLITON TRIO
![jim-culliton-trio](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/jim-culliton-trio-300x246.png)
The always exciting Jim Culliton Trio has performed throughout Georgia over the past decade with their unique high-energy blend of instrumental string music and stylistic vocals. Their underlying philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps the music fresh and exciting.
Jim Culliton has performing experience at The Fox Theatre, Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. This versatile multi-instrumentalist is one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in the mix. Put all of this in a high speed blender and you get truly an innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities, as well as a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and Auburn University (AUM).
June 20, 2015
SPARKY AND RHONDA RUCKER
![Sparky-and-Rhonda-Rucker](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sparky-and-Rhonda-Rucker-199x300.png)
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. Sparky Rucker has been performing over forty years and is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and author. He accompanies himself with finger-style picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo, and spoons. Rhonda Rucker is a musician, children’s author, storyteller, and songwriter. Her blues-style harmonica, piano, old-time banjo, and bones add musical versatility to their performances.
Sparky and Rhonda are sure to deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, slave songs, Appalachian music, spirituals, ballads, work songs, Civil War music, railroad songs, and a few of their own original compositions.
Over forty years of performing, Sparky and Rhonda have performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as NPR’s On Point, A Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and Morning Edition. Their recording, Treasures & Tears, was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award, and their music is also included on the Grammy-nominated anthology, Singing Through the Hard Times.
The Ruckers have been featured tellers at the International Storytelling Center and Festival. Sparky is a natural storyteller, having grown up hearing his father, uncles, and other family members endlessly telling tales. Sparky and Rhonda each tell solo stories, but they also tell stories together (in tandem), always adding life and humor to the characters and tricksters in their Brer Rabbit tales, Jack tales, High John the Conqueror stories, preacher tales, and family stories.
Sparky and Rhonda weave their music into captivating stories that the history books don’t always tell, and they share this knowledge in many schools, colleges, and libraries. Their educational programs span over three centuries of African-American history, including slavery, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, the birth of blues music, and the civil rights movement. Each era is interspersed with stories and popular songs from the time period, celebrating the diversity of the nation’s history. They are also available for author visits to schools and libraries.
Come and enjoy a great meal at Steve’s while being treated to delightful acoustic performances.
May 16, 2015
THE NEARLY NORMAL STRING BAND
![nearly_normal_band](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/nearly_normal_band-300x225.jpg)
Opening April’s Fiddlers’ Green is The Nearly Normal String Band consisting of Viva and Neil Araki. Neil plays acoustic guitar, fiddle and mandolin in several styles, including blues, bluegrass, Celtic, and old time Appalachian. He has played guitar since he was nine years old, and plays both finger style and flat pick style. Viva plays guitar and old time banjo and sings, and also plays a variety of musical styles. She studied guitar from the age of five, and began learning old time Appalachian style banjo about 30 years ago. She is primarily a finger picker on guitar.
Neil and Viva have played together for 26 years, and are still learning new songs, genres and styles of music. The Band plays at State Parks, coffee houses and some music festivals across north Georgia, and for parties, and weddings. They have long been active member and supporters of AAFFM.
LOUIS ROBINSON
![LouisRobinson](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/LouisRobinson-200x300.jpg)
The featured performer is Louis Robinson, British singer/songwriter now residing in Atlanta, GA. In 1969, Louis was a member of the popular London folk band, Green Ginger which performed at venues throughout the UK and Europe.
During the next twenty years, Louis Robinson appeared as a solo act and wrote songs for BBC Radio Stations throughout his country including Radio Bristol, Radio Northampton, Radio WM and Radio Cambridgeshire.
In 1975, Louis joined a traditional Ceilidh dance band, The A40 Improvement Scheme with Geoff and Joy Lakeman. In 1978 Louis wrote songs for “That Was the West That Was,” a weekly satirical radio show that won the prestigious Sony Radio Award for Best Comedy of the Year. It also won the Radio & Record News Award for Best Comedy Show. In 1984 Louis wrote the words and music for a stage musical, “A Man Out of Time,” performed in Bristol by the Bristol Light Opera Company based on the life of 19th Century inventor and engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. In 1994 Louis joined The Greensleeves Theater Company for their tour of Canada with a show called “Brush Up Your Shakespeare.”
In the twenty years between 1975 and 1995, Louis wrote over 300 songs while pursuing his career as a BBC radio and TV producer and on-air presenter. Louis’ non-music writing credits include comedy material for “Cue Gary” with Gary Wilmot for Central TV and “The Freddie Starr Show” for Carlton Television, short stories, documentaries and a play for Radio 4, “Julie and the Prince,” “Telly Addicts” with Noel Edmunds, Call My Bluff with Sandi Tosvig and Alan Coren, “Noel’s House Party,” “Noel’s Addicts” and “The Entertainment Game” with Kit and the Widow. He co-wrote a sitcom, “Plaza Patrol” for British comedy legends Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball, and contributed comedy material for their 25th Anniversary Show in Blackpool. Louis now appears at venues in and around Atlanta. In 2012 Louis began to manage a venue called The Heron House in Mountain Park and in the same year he was appointed head of middle-school music at The Cottage School in Roswell.
April 18, 2015
DAVID LEINWEBER
![david_leinweber](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/david_leinweber-300x189.png)
Opening April’s Fiddlers’ Green is David Leinweber, who plays a wide variety of venues and musical styles, ranging from rock, to blues, to folk, to gospel. Known as the “Flatpicking Professor,” Dr. Leinweber, a faculty member of Emory at Oxford, highlighted the Scottish Bluegrass Association Festival in Perth, Scotland and performs widely at regional acoustic music festivals in the South.
He has shared the stage with many fine musicians and often appears as part of the Silverbird Duo. His influences include Dylan, Neil Young, The Dead, Clapton, Norman Blake and Doc Watson. Leinweber has taught piano and guitar for 25 years and has extensive experience as a studio musician, a songwriter, and an arranger. In addition to his solo efforts, he has performed on many records, demos, and CDs by other artists. His music has been featured on radio and in many concerts throughout the Atlanta area. As one reviewer said, “(his CD) resonates with honest simplicity as well as musical and poetic talent.” Another reviewer commented, “Great picking combines with good songwriting. What more could you ask?
CLAUDIA NYGAARD
![Claudia Nygaard](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Claudia-Nygaard-300x200.jpg)
Our featured performer, Claudia Nygaard, whose captivating storytelling overflows from her songwriting into her live performance. With a voice like amber honey, and a twinkle in her eye that makes the entire audience feel she is sharing a secret with them alone, she takes them on an emotionally fearless journey with stories that expose a rare vulnerability and tenderness one moment, then a quick wit and an outlandish, irreverent sense of humor the next. Her songs move from heartfelt to humorous and from scrappy to sensual, and all the while the stories she tells in between them are as entertaining as the songs themselves.
A former Nashville Music Row staff songwriter and a winner of numerous awards including the Kerrville, TX Folk Festival songwriting competition, Nygaard has learned her craft well. Her latest CD “Let The Storm Roll In” rose to the coveted #1 position on the Cashbox Roots Country Chart and #8 on the Folk DJ Chart – with every one of her self-penned compositions receiving airplay. The album received glowing reviews from the press that included five stars from Americana benchmark “Maverick” magazine. The legendary Folk music magazine “Sing Out” claimed her songs “rival the likes of Guy Clark or Ian Tyson”.
Claudia Nygaard has performed at over 200 fairs and festivals in the United States and 9 foreign countries. Endorsements from merchandisers attest to her strength as a guitarist, and she was chosen one of the Emerging Artists of 2009 by the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.
March 21, 2015
THE IRISH BROTHERS
![The_Irish_Brothers](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The_Irish_Brothers-300x226.jpg)
Opening the evening will be The Irish Brothers – Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen, a unique team. Sandyman comes from the mountains of western North Carolina; the Captain hailing from the canyons of New York City. Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville.
George honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material. Their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the ‘new country’ – from traditional Irish ballads, to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
CARLA ULBRICH
![Carla_Ulbrich](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Carla_Ulbrich-300x168.jpg)
Carla Ulbrich is a comical singer-songwriter and guitarist from Clemson, South Carolina and currently living in New Jersey. (Insert your own punchline here.) She calls herself “a professional smart aleck.”
Primarily known for writing humorous songs about such topics as wedgies, the Waffle House, Klingons and how rich she would be if she had a copyright on the ‘F’ Word, she has won numerous awards including First Place in the South Florida Folk Festival Songwriter Competition and “Novelty Song of the Year” at the Just Plain Folks Awards. Carla cites her biggest musical influences as Sesame Street, camp song, and cat food commercials.
Carla is also a survivor of catastrophic illness and author of the resulting book, “How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This?” During her many hours in doctors’ waiting rooms she wrote humorous parodies lampooning her frustrating experience with the U.S. health care system, which she released on her best-selling 2004 CD “Sick Humor.”
Currently at work on her sixth CD, Carla has toured all over the U.S. and England and has appeared on ABC, USA Network, the BBC, Dr. Demento, Sirius XM Radio and The Bob and Sherrie Show, as well as appearing as a background actor in “Sharknado 2.”
February 21, 2015
HARM’S WAY
![Harms way](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Harms-way-300x197.png)
Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koetz on guitar and lead vocals, Doug Weiss on lead guitar and vocals, Scot Boze on vocals and Mike Carthon on bass. This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
As with most groups, members occasionally join or leave or re-join the group. But, the core members have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and while they take the music very seriously, don’t take themselves seriously at all!
Come and enjoy a great meal at Steve’s while being treated to delightful acoustic performances.
MARK STUART
![Mark Stuart](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Mark-Stuart.png)
Mark Stuart has been a fixture on the Americana/Folk music scene for seventeen years. Non-stop touring landed the artist in theaters, clubs, radio, television, house concerts, festivals and coffeehouses. Much of this was solo, much of it in a duo “Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart”. A fine singer, musician, and songwriter he is. In his performances expect stellar guitar work, soulful vocals, and thought-provoking songs. Interesting stories find their way into his show, too.
A career that has repeatedly taken Stuart to Europe, UK, Canada, and 49 of the United States includes having begun in his native Nashville as a teenage working musician. From membership in the Nashville Rebels (his father’s band that appeared in the Waylon Jennings movie “The Nashville Rebel”) to sideman stints for Steve Earle, Freddy Fender, Joan Baez, and Steve Forbert he has NEVER STOPPED WORKING as an active musical force. In previous years the artist fronted rock/blues bands of his own that included notable guitarists Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule, Allman Brothers Band) and Dave Rawlings (Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlings Machine) serving HIM as second guitarist!
Mark Stuart celebrated his 50th birthday in January 2015 and is touring as heavily as ever. Audiences will find his usual material from solo CDs and Stacey Earle/Mark Stuart CDs. But, they will also hear a special nod toward the artist Paul McCartney for the calendar year. Mark will expose which of his own songs were influenced by McCartney’s style and play Sir Paul’s music in Stuart style.
January 17, 2015
HANK WEISMAN & DON McCALL
![Hank & Don 1](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Hank-Don-1-300x269.jpg)
This talented duo is making its first billed performance at this edition of Fiddlers Green. Hank Weisman led a weekly folk music sing-along at Steve’s Live Music for over a year and a half. During that time, his most faithful participant was Don McCall who would join in with his flat picking on a booming Gibson guitar plus great vocal harmony. At times, newcomers who came to sing or just listen would ask, “Are you a group?” Finally, to avoid explanations, Hank and Don just replied, “Yes!” And so a new duo was born.
Hank Weisman has played guitar since age 6 and has been a fan of folk music even longer! He has been a solo performer and in groups (usually duos) while in secondary school, college and ever since. During his sixteen year residency in Savannah and on Tybee Island, he led the Savannah Folk Music Society, initiating and hosting the group’s monthly “First Friday for Folk Music” coffeehouse concert series (1996-2011), organizing the annual Savannah Folk Music Festival (including his creation: a youth songwriting competition), and holding other concerts, workshops and activities. Since his 2011 return to the Atlanta area, Hank has been on Atlanta Area Friends of Folk Music’s or AAFFM’s Board and assisted with such matters as writing press releases and bookings for Fiddlers Green.
Hank particularly loves the music of the “Folk Revival” – the sounds of his youth during the 1950s and 1960s. He often performs traditional folk songs that were reprised during that era as well as the great songs written in that period. At the same time, Hank appreciates and likes more contemporary folk. For those reasons, he enjoyed bringing to shows in Savannah such folk icons as Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey, Tom Paxton, Tom Rush, Jesse Winchester, Karla Bonoff, Janis Ian, John Gorka, Norman Blake, The Limeliters, The Tannahill Weavers, Bill Staines, John McCutcheon, Josh White Jr., Si Kahn, David Mallett, Guy Davis, Jay Unger, The Carolina Chocolate Drops and many, many more.
Don McCall has frequented folk gatherings and jams in the Atlanta area for a long time. His skillful flat picking enables him to take the lead on virtually any song and he is often encouraged to do so. Don has a wide range of musical interests but his preferences are manifested by the fact that you won’t catch him missing the annual Merlefest. As indicated above, Don was a loyal attendee of Hank’s folk sing-along sessions, absent only when visitations to his native Michigan, ski trips out West or Merlefest took place. The duo hopes to select tunes that audience members recall and wish to sing along to.
SEAN GASKELL
![Sean Gaskell](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sean-Gaskell-200x300.jpg)
Sean Gaskell features traditional songs on the Kora, a 21 string harp that he learned how to play throughout the course of multiple visits to its homeland in Gambia, West Africa. The Kora is native to the Mandinka people who live within the countries of Gambia, Senegal, Mali, Guinea, and Guinea Bissau.
The music is traditionally played by oral and musical historians known as Griots (Gree-ohs). The Kora is a very melodic and seemingly peaceful instrument, which is contrary to its musical repertoire. Many songs tell ancient stories of war and hardship, while others praise people of high political status and those who helped expand the Mande empire. While the Kora is only 300 years old, some commonly played songs can be traced back 800 years to the founding of the Mande empire. Gaskell has studied extensively under the instruction of Malamini Jobarteh and Moriba Kuyateh, both of Brikama, Gambia. Gaskell’s first Kora teacher Kane Mathis, led both “The Kora Band” and “The Sahel Band”. Gaskell relocated from Seattle to Asheville, North Carolina in 2014. He has been featured at numerous festivals in the US, Gambia, and Senegal.
December 20, 2014
REDWINE JAM
![Red Wine Jam at Fiddlers Green](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Red-Wine-Jam-at-Fiddlers-Green-300x243.jpg)
Redwine Jam is a folk music trio comprised of Chris and Carol Moser, who for years led the Celtic band Barney’s Goat, and guitar/bass virtuoso Skip Romaner. They perform a wide range of North American and Celtic folk songs and tunes, from traditional material to newly written compositions by contemporary folk legends. They offer audiences an eclectic mix of story ballads, love songs, lively instrumental tunes, and mischievous humor. They accompany their vocals with guitar, bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, mountain dulcimer, flute, pennywhistle and bodhran (not all at the same time).
For the December show the trio will charm with their favorite seasonal folk music from the British Isles, Ireland and North America — ranging from English wren carols to sprightly fiddle tunes to the outlandish Irish-American vaudeville song Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake to John McCutcheon’s classic Christmas in the Trenches. A musical feast guaranteed to warm the heart and drive the cold winter away!
Despite its name, “Redwine Jam” is not a sweet alcoholic concoction suitable for spreading on toast. Still, folk music fans around Atlanta find it appetizing and heady! Redwine Jam is a musical act consisting of Chris and Carol Moser, sometimes joined by musically gifted friends. At Fiddler’s Green they’ll be proudly performing with guitar/bass virtuoso Skip Romaner. Chris and Carol are veteran semi-professional musicians best known in recent years for leading the Celtic music band Barney’s Goat. As Redwine Jam they offer an eclectic mix of North American and Celtic folk music, both traditional and contemporary. They play a wide array of instruments including guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, flute, recorder, mountain dulcimer, and bodhran (Celtic drum).
A Redwine Jam performance can carry the audience on an emotional rollercoaster complete with high-spirited roots music, wry humor, gripping story songs, love ballads, and the sheer joy of homemade music. Whether performing as a duo or with other musicians who add their own spices to the mix, Chris and Carol make an evening with Redwine Jam a delectable treat.
HIGH TEA
![High Tea](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/High-Tea-300x224.png)
Formed in February of 2014, High Tea is a trio comprised of Heidi Pollyea, Jedd Dotson and Teresa Powell. Each brings something unique to the band, and all agree that there is a wonderful chemistry between them. Their original songs are emotionally evocative and are reminiscent of all things Americana: folk, rock, blues, and jazz. Learn more at www.highteaatlanta.com.
Heidi Pollyea is a folk rock musician with vocal influences from artists like Linda Rondstadt and Shawn Colvin. As a trained jazz pianist and folk rock guitar player with gospel, latin and soul influences, Heidi’s songs range from poignant to funky to humorous or a combination of all. She is an avid animal advocate with some songs speaking directly to her love and concern for them. As a private music instructor, Heidi loves sharing the joy of music making, engaging her audience and encouraging them to sing or clap along. When not performing on her own, she loves playing with other musicians including a group that pays homage to the great singer/songwriters of our time called Taylor Made and another that combines high energy and hot harmonies as the original project High Tea.
Jedd Dotson has been a premier guitarist/vocalist for many years and with various bands throughout the southeast, including the highly popular Footloose and Gopher Broke. He joined forces with Heidi in 2012 and now with the addition of Teresa is thrilled to be an integral part of High Tea. Originally from Tennessee, Jedd currently resides in Blue Ridge, GA, where he can be found playing regularly at the Blue Ridge Brewery and The Toccoa River Restaurant along with Bobby Don Bloodworth.
Teresa Powell is a bassist and vocalist. She has been a musician from a young age and has performed professionally in diverse genres such as bluegrass, folk, rock, jazz. Like Jedd and Heidi, Teresa occasionally performs with other bands, which include eclectic folk trio Three Weird Sisters, folk/blues duo Birds of a Feather, and a 9-piece jazz ensemble called Play It With Moxie. A founding member of High Tea, Teresa brings her enthusiasm for harmony vocals to the band.
November 15, 2014
SAM PACETTI
![Gamble Rogers Winter Concert](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sam-Pacetti-300x200.jpg)
Sam Pacetti brings it all together. A finger-style guitar wizard. A deft songwriter, capable of haunting depth and wry humor in the space of one song. An impassioned and ecstatic vocalist, as well as a mesmerizing live performer, seamlessly melding head-spinning guitar pyrotechnics and raw emotion into one breathtaking package.
Dirty Linen, the influential US roots publication, opined, “Although the woods are full of young guitar virtuosos, few have developed the style, technique and artistic wisdom of Sam Pacetti. (the album,) Solitary Travel heralds the arrival of one of the most talented instrumentalists and composers to appear in acoustic music in a month of Sunday’s.”
Sam Pacetti grew up in North Florida, hardly known as a hotbed of either the folk tradition or musical innovation. At age 13 he found the music of both Chet Atkins and Merle Travis, profound influences on his early musical development. Then fate intervened shortly afterward in the person of Gamble Rogers, the legendary picker and raconteur from St. Augustine who took the young Pacetti under his wing. It was a time of astonishing musical and emotional growth. Pacetti and Rogers met and played weekly for a year, until tragically Rogers died while trying to save a drowning tourist caught in an undertow at Flagler Beach Florida. Though brief in their time together, Rogers was able to instill in Pacetti the importance of the folk process, the passing of music and oral tradition from teacher to student. Pacetti still counts Rogers as his most influential mentor.
Tradition and innovation neatly balance in Sam Pacetti’s music, the whole infused by a relentless intelligence intent on musical and philosophical synthesis. Martin Simpson, Richard Thompson, Joni Mitchell and Merle Travis are touchstones to Pacetti, and while there are strong elements of the American primitive school of guitar wizardry throughout his work, there is a powerful raw emotionality evident as well – an earthy sensuality more reminiscent of a Greg Brown or a red-dirt blues master than of a musical academian.
Word has started to spread about Sam Pacetti. And as with anything truly innovative, it starts at the grassroots. You won’t see Pacetti written up in People or Us. You won’t hear his music on Top-40 radio. No, word is spreading about Sam Pacetti the way true innovation always does – through the grassroots, through non-commercial radio and “specialty show” play. From tapes and CDs passed from friend to friend. At folk festivals and listening rooms. And, in the tradition stemming from the days of rent-raising parties in the Mississippi delta – and now carried on by music aficionados unable to find music that interest them within the mainstream.
October 18, 2014
RON FETNER
![Ron Fetner](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/319758t.jpg)
Stir up some singer/songwriter, folky blues, add a little soulful blues and rock, and you come up with the influences which molded Ron Fetner’s musical career. From his early days of sneaking in old blues and early rock clubs, Ron was being influenced by the music which touched his soul. That’s something he never forgot nor left behind. Even while performing with some Washington, DC’s biggest bands, Ron always had a feeling there was a deeper meaning for his career.
After years of paying his dues, Ron finally had enough songs under his belt to release his first solo CD in 1997 entitled “This Box I’m Looking Through”. Acoustic/Public Radio quickly took notice and started playing songs from this CD, including “The Folk Sampler with Mike Flynn” and WHRO/Barry Graham’s “Acoustic Highway”. Ron was also a winner in the sixth Songwriters Association of Washington’s Mid-Atlantic Song Contest.
Ron released another solo CD, “Turning for Home” in 2001. “Turning for Home” was a totally acoustic project which propelled Ron onto the Kerrville, TX stage and a win in the prestigious Kerrville NewFolk competition. Quickly following, came awards at Doc Watson’s/Merlefest Chris Austin Song Contest, Falcon Ridge’s Emerging Artist Showcase, the Austin Songwriter Group and Winfield, Kansas’ Walnut Valley Song Showcase.
In 2005, Ron released “Defying Gravity”, which was recorded in Chris Rosser’s Asheville, NC studio. “Gravity” included the holiday favorite, “My Name is Justin”, which Ron has provided as a holiday anthem for the Salvation Army’s annual Angel Tree campaign.
“Sunday Morning Blue” followed in 2009, which Ron recorded at home, and again worked with good friend Kim Person, doing mixing and editing. “Sunday Morning” included his versions of “Route 66” and “House of the Rising Sun”, along with newly written songs like “Don’t Burn the Zion Church” and “Carolina Rain.”
Ron’s next recording effort came in January 2011 when he and harpist Tom Dikon teamed to win the Tidewater IBC Blues Challenge. Tom and Ron produced a 6-song EP for their trip to Memphis to compete against other “Challenge” winners. “Watch Your Step” included five original songs written by Tom and Ron and a new version of “Route 66″. His latest recording came in 2012 when he was offered the opportunity to play and sing on Blues great, Eddie Shaw’s newest CD, “Still Riding High.”
Ron has appeared at major festivals like Kerrville Folk Festival, Merlefest, Falcon Ridge, Tucson Folk Festival and First Night-Asheville, and in top venues like Nashville’s Bluebird Café, Little Rock’s Acoustic Sounds Café, Memphis’s Pig On Beale and DC’s famous “The Bayou”. Ron has opened/ shared stages with Trisha Yearwood, David Wilcox, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Kate Campbell, and Dire Straits just to name a few. Ron is still riding high, enjoying playing in venues which love to be entertained with Ron’s enthusiastic performances. Don’t miss an opportunity to see Ron in person.
DAVID LEINWEBER
![david_leinweber](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/david_leinweber1-300x189.png)
Opening for Ron Fetner is David Leinweber, who plays a wide variety of venues and musical styles, ranging from rock, to blues, to folk, to gospel. Known as the “Flatpicking Professor,” Dr. Leinweber, a faculty member of Emory at Oxford, highlighted the Scottish Bluegrass Association Festival in Perth, Scotland and performs widely at regional acoustic music festivals in the South. He has shared the stage with many fine musicians and often appears as part of the Silverbird Duo. His influences include Dylan, Neil Young, The Dead, Clapton, Norman Blake and Doc Watson. Leinweber has taught piano and guitar for 25 years and has extensive experience as a studio musician, a songwriter, and an arranger. In addition to his solo efforts, he has performed on many records, de-mos, and CDs by other artists. His music has been featured on radio and in many concerts throughout the Atlanta area. As one reviewer said, “(his CD) resonates with honest simplicity as well as musical and poetic talent.” Another reviewer commented, “Great picking combines with good songwriting. What more could you ask?”
September 20, 2014
GIBSON WILBANKS
![GibsonWilbanks](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/GibsonWilbanks-300x191.jpg)
When Carly Gibson and BJ Wilbanks first began collaborating musically during the summer of 2011, it was like milk chocolate meeting peanut butter…a beautiful and tasty combination! Up to that point, they had each been pursuing separate solo singer/songwriter careers, but something truly magical took place when they began writing and performing together.
Carly Gibson gained a lot of attention as a songwriter, singer and guitar player when she was selected to attend the GRAMMY guitar and songwriter camps in Los Angeles, designed to allow talented young artists the opportunity to work, learn and play with the music industry’s top professionals. Now a 2013 graduate from Atlanta Institute of Music’s acclaimed guitar program, Carly is what you would call a triple threat: she not only composes soulful and sophisticated music, she also sings beautifully and plays a mean acoustic guitar. In addition, she has earned a substantial reputation for her skill on electric guitar, having performed for a period of time as a lead guitarist with mentor, Caroline Aiken. Though youthful, Carly sports an old soul; her dedication to her art is readily apparent in her performance.
Calhoun, GA native B.J. Wilbanks creates blues-infused music reminiscent of a bygone era, combining deeply-rooted Delta blues, country, funk, soul, and acoustic Southern rock to create a sound that is familiar, yet uniquely his own. His heartwarming tales of heartache, love, and home combine artfully with an engaging live performance that, in one moment can sit you back in your chair and in the next, rock you right back out of it! Wilbanks crafts his distinctive sound with his acoustic guitar, often accompanied by finger slide or harmonica. His original songs range from break-your-heart romantic to stomp-your-foot grooving, merging back-porch soul rhythm with a gospel vocal overtone and a steady beat. He’ll often sling his guitar over his lap to play a slide tune that evokes the image of old field working men and chase it with a contrasting tune filled with sweet strumming, gentle singing and smooth picking.
Together as Gibson Wilbanks, Carly and BJ have combined their considerable songwriting and musical skills to create the unique and popular Southern bluesy sound that helped them to win the coveted songwriter’s open mic competitions at Eddie’s Attic in December of 2011 and in November of 2013 at Eddie Owen Presents @ Red Clay Theatre. They may be found at clubs and festivals throughout the South.
Visit their website at www.gibsonwilbanks.com.
JEAN-PAUL and DOMINIQUE CARTON
![Cartons](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Cartons.jpg)
Jean-Paul and Dominique Carton have a love of folk music that dates back to the “hootenannies” of the 1960’s, but these musical events at Newport or other U.S. locales. They were in their native France. And though they heard and enjoyed the Folk Revival songs that were imported from the United States, they also reveled in the traditional music of their own country and songs from other parts of Europe.
Having spent many years in the American southland, the Cartons have great love and appreciation for Americana, especially bluegrass. But they have a deeper appreciation of this music and its origins than most as they know how it relates to its European roots. Their repertoire includes French folk dance music, French-Canadian tunes, Louisiana Cajun music and Appalachian bluegrass, among other genre.
The couple sing and play with great joy and have mastered a wide-range of traditional instruments. An evening with the Cartons is likely to include sounds from the guitar, the bass, the mandolin, the fiddle, the accordion, the concertina and more – even the unique sound of the hurdy-gurdy, an acquired taste! Each instrument is played with great skill and obvious affection. The patter of the performance is punctuated by droll French humor. Their CD, “Tough Night for the Bride!” is a wonderful collection of their favorite French folk and dance tunes.
Residing in Metter, Georgia – not far from Georgia Southern University where Jean-Paul taught French for many years – the couple manages to play many Southern stages and festivals. They are regulars at the festivals and concerts put on by the Savannah Folk Music Society.
August 16, 2014
BLACKFOOT DAISY
![Blackfoot Daisy](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Blackfoot-Daisy.jpg)
Blackfoot daisies are hearty wild flowers that grow on the prairies of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. You can find them growing naturally in the Texas Blackland prairie, which runs from the Red River to the Texas-Oklahoma border. The band, BLACKFOOT DAISY, is a humble trio (sometimes duo) that plays original, Americana style music. Based in the Atlanta metro area, the members are a little haunted by the prairie, the wind, the shifting of tall grasses, the sound of crickets, and a lonesome train whistle drifting through the night.
BLACKFOOT DAISY is a blend of three very talented musicians. Songwriter Don Sechelski is featured on guitar and vocals. Don has been writing and performing music in the Atlanta area for over 30 years. From Atlanta to New Orleans to Chicago and back to Atlanta, he is still chasing the buffalo.
Wendy DuMond also plays guitar, sings and writes songs. Wendy has the soul of a poet and the vision of an artist. From Montana, through Oklahoma, up to New York, and back to Atlanta, she follows the Bucking Horse Moon.
Adam Sechelski is found on guitar, mandolin, percussion, vocals. Adam is the backbeat, the glue that holds it together. Atlanta to Boston to Mississippi and back to Atlanta, Adam is a stage gypsy, an actor, and a dreamer.
VIENTOS DEL PUEBLO
![vientos del pueblo](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/vientos-del-pueblo-240x300.jpg)
Vientos del Pueblo is composed of musicians from different countries, cultural backgrounds, and musical styles. They all, however, love Andean music.
Mauricio Amaya left El Salvador in 1983 and now resides in Atlanta, GA. As a multi-instrumentalist, Mauricio is well versed in charango, guitar, zampoña, native American flutes, percussion, and vocals just to name a few. Mauricio’s solo debut CD “Fields of War and Peace” was released in 2000. Mauricio has been playing with VdP since nearly its inception. When he is not busy joking about his vegetarian charango or working away at his day job as a chemist, you can catch him soloing at Salsa Havana in Atlanta on Friday evenings.
Siobhan Brennan began playing Latin rhythms in the ’80s while living in Washinton,D.C. Siobhan is a self-taught guitarist whose exposure to the Andean style of music spans the U.S., Bolivia and Chile. Upon her return to the States and moving to Atlanta, she joined up with founding member Cristian Zamora to begin the first version of VdP. Siobhan currently lives in Atlanta.
Cristian Zamora, a native of viña del Mar, Chile, is one of the founding members of VdP. Since his arrival in the U.S., Cristian has evolved into an exceptional quena and zampoña performer. He is also well versed in the art of playing charango and guitar. When he is not playing, he enjoys designing and building his own furniture.
Heather Hart began playing violin at the age of five. As a classical musician, she has performed as an orchestral and chamber musician throughout the Southeast U.S. and Europe. Heather holds degrees in music performance from the North Carolina School of the Arts, Oberlin Conservatory and Florida State University. She enjoys listening to and playing different styles of music and was excited to join Vientos del Pueblo in 2008. She currently freelances and teaches in the Atlanta area.
July 19, 2014
LILAC WINE
![Lilac Wine](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Lilac-Wine-300x231.jpg)
Lilac Wine is best described as a sweet and heady musical recipe. The main ingredients are unexpected song choices, skillful musicianship and adventurous arrangements that magically combine into music that both alluring and hypnotic for the listener. For Rob Henson, founding member and bassist, Lilac Wine provides the ideal ensemble that can passionately play many musical genres other than the typical jazz and folk styles most commonly associated with acoustic groups.
As one of Atlanta’s most versatile musicians, Rob has played and/or recorded as a bass player with a wide array of musical groups including the Yacht Rock Revue, the Atlanta Symphony, Telegram, the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, Jukebox Fiasco, the Atlanta Ballet, and numerous singer-songwriters such as Shawn Mullins, David Ryan Harris and Vince Gill. From 2006 – 2012 Rob recorded and toured the United States with singer/songwriter Corey Smith, playing over 150 shows a year, as well as recording five studio albums, and opening for legendary acts such as ZZ Top, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Snoop Dog, and Eric Church.
In late 2013, Rob recruited first-call guitarist, singer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist Grant Reynolds to be the Swiss army knife of the future Lilac Wine lineup. Relocating from LA to his hometown of Atlanta in 2008, Grant has worked with many respected local music artists including Heather Luttrell, Brian Collins Band, Gareth Asher, Davin McCoy, Lefty Williams Band, Francisco Vidal, Sonia Leigh, and Yacht Rock Schooner. Known for his technical proficiency, adaptability, and well-rounded musicality, Grant also co-founded the electrifying Reynolds & Williams Band with Joel Williams (former Zac Brown Band guitarist), and has most recently toured and recorded with Collective Soul frontman Ed Roland’s new endeavor, “Ed Roland & the Sweet Tea Project.”
In sharp contrast to Grant and Rob, music in the beginning for vocalist Larissa Mia was simply a means of escape, as opposed to expression. Lilac Wine is really her first band – just a year ago she would only sing in private at home. Along with teaching herself how to play the guitar, Larissa’s curiosity for public performance came only after graduating from Vanderbilt University and returning to Atlanta to start a career in HR. She soon came to the conclusion that she would much rather sing than do anything else and decided to take her talent to the next level by performing at Atlanta-area open mic competitions. At one such event, fate would introduce to her Rob and Grant. Her voice was soulful and sultry, like mist on a cool damp night.
JIM CULLITON & ROB HENSON DUO
![Jim Culliton & Rob Henson Duo](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Jim-Culliton-Rob-Henson-Duo-300x300.jpg)
The spirited duo of multi-instrumentalist Jim Culliton and bassist Rob Henson have performed together throughout Georgia over the past decade with their unique blend of instrumental string music. Their underlying philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps the music fresh and exciting.
Along with Rob, whose background is described above, the duo features Jim Culliton, an accomplished musician who plays banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, bass and more. Jim plays many venues in the Atlanta area and is also a gifted teacher who frequently leads workshops and classes in bluegrass and other playing styles. Jim and Rob will perform some of the original compositions from Jim’s 2000 release CD recording Everyday A New Life on Ladybug Records and put their own twist on songs by other artists.
Jim Culliton has performing experience at The Fox Theatre, Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. This versatile multi-instrumentalist is one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in the mix. Put all of this in a high speed blender and you get truly a innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities, as well as a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and Auburn University (AUM).
June 21, 2014
DANA COOPER
![danacooper](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/danacooper-300x225.jpg)
Out of the heartland of America, Dana Cooper dedicated himself to a life of music over 40 years ago. This song poet engages and inspires audiences around the world with his quick wit, insightful stories and commanding presence. He has performed on Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage and the Kerrville Folk Festival where he was nominated for their Hall of Fame. Cooper’s songs have been recorded by top-notch artists such as bluegrass star Claire Lynch; Irish vocalist Maura O’Connell; and luminary songwriters Pierce Pettis and Susan Werner. Cooper’s mixture of flat-picking, finger-picking and percussive strumming style is legend among other guitarists. An expressive singer his voice is ageless evoking a rich lifetime of experience.
At 12 he sang, played drums, guitar and harmonica in local bands. By 13 he began writing his own songs and at 16 he performed regularly at the prestigious Vanguard Coffeehouse in Kansas City. His deep love and commitment to a life of music drew Cooper away from an art scholarship. Cooper took to the road touring Midwest college coffeehouses for one year then sold an electric guitar and his entire record collection to buy a one-way ticket to Los Angeles. Four months later he was signed to Elektra Records where his first album was released in 1973.
Cooper eventually moved to Texas writing, performing and recording with Shake Russell in the late 70s and with his own power trio, DC3 during the early 80s. Returning to his roots as a solo performer Cooper relocated to Nashville in 1988. He has become an integral figure in the Music City songwriting community collaborating with renowned writers such as Tom Kimmel, Sally Barris, Kim Carnes and Don Henry. Cooper has been invited to participate in songwriting workshops from Belfast to Copenhagen to Austin.
His prolific endeavors have resulted in 20 albums. The critically acclaimed Miracle Mile on Compass Records was nominated for a Nashville Music Award as “Best Pop Album” and was chosen by Performing Songwriter magazine as one of the top DIY recordings for the year. Harry Truman Built a Road was named one of the best records of 2002 by The Tennessean and was also chosen as one of the top twelve DIY recordings for that year. Made of Mud released on King Easy Records in 2005 won Cooper the “Best Male Songwriter Award” by Indie Acoustic Project. Working with co-producer/guitarist Thomm Jutz, Cooper recently released The Conjurer which features some of the bluesiest, rawest music of his career. Grammy-award-winning singer/songwriter Kim Carnes, who also co-wrote the opening song, “Enough”, joins Cooper on vocals. Dana Cooper continues to tour the United States and Europe gaining new fans wherever he goes.
For more information about Dana Cooper, visit his website at www.danacoopermusic.com.
GEORGE HERGEN
![George Hergen](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/8-300x199.jpg)
“Captain George” Hergen was born and raised in New York City. He found his way into Greenwich Village at an early age and has been singing and playing ever since. George bases his performance around the music and performers of the 60s folk revival period. He has played at folk clubs, festivals, coffeehouses, pubs, taverns, schools and at private homes and parties all along the Eastern seaboard. Opening at Fiddlers Green on June 21st, he will be appearing with a pair of his many musical friends.
“Sandyman Flynn” is a former songwriter from music row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville and a founding member of the band Cullowee that toured nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s/80s. The “Sandyman” has been performing along with Captain George for over 25 years (often as the duo “The Irish Brothers”).
Also joining Captain George, Louis Robinson is a British singer/songwriter. In a long career, he has played at every major folk venue in England, including folk clubs and festivals around the British Isles and Europe. He has performed on BBC radio and TV, and his songs have been recorded by artists in the UK and the USA. Louis is based in Atlanta.
May 17, 2014
MINDY SIMMONS
![Mindy_Simmons](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Mindy_Simmons-300x281.jpg)
A dose of singer/songwriter Mindy Simmons is just what the laugh doctor ordered. She is truly a great performer who guides her audience down the bumpy road of life smiling all the way. She combines quick wit and charm with a voice that moves flawlessly from satin smooth to gutsy, creating a memorable performance that feels like an evening with your best friend.
A seasoned professional, Mindy has toured nationwide since 1980. Her repertoire is a soulful combination of originals and standards that has shaped her career to become a successful artist selling thousands of her CD’s to her growing loyal fan base.
Mindy energizes her audiences with her delightful interaction and broad emotional performances. She is especially adept at engaging an audience with her witty banter between songs as well as her songs themselves, which show a finely crafted detail mixed with some pathos and healthy doses of humor.
Based in Sarasota, Florida, Mindy continues to be a mainstay performer at major folk festivals throughout the State of Florida. The Florida Folk Festival, the Gamble Rogers Music Festival and the Sarasota Folk Festival. In her 30 years as an entertainer Mindy has shared concert stages with many other great performers. Among them Loudin Wainwright III, Cliff Eberhardt, Cosy Sheridan, Asleep At The Wheel, Albert King, Vance Gilbert and John Hammond Jr.
“Think, Carol Burnett meets Peggy Lee and you’ve got Mindy Simmons.” Says producer Mitch Lind of the Riverhawk Music Festival, “This Lady combines wit and fun with a bluesy mood that can erupt into a musical barnstorm at any moment. She is cool…and in charge of her audience!” Margaret Longhill of the Will McLean Music Festival adds, “Mindy is one of our favorite festival performers. Year after year she never fails to surprise and delight our audiences. We love Miss Mindy Lou!”
For more information about Mindy Simmons, visit her website at www.mindysimmons.com.
April 19, 2014
LAUREN LAPOINTE
![lauren-lapointe](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/lauren-lapointe-300x229.jpg)
Lauren Lapointe is a Savannah, GA-¬based singer/songwriter who has been gaining recognition across the country for her soulful songs, unique voice, and strong live performances. Her third and newest CD, “Superhero” was produced by Thomm Jutz (Nanci Griffith, Mary Gauthier) in Nashville and features twelve original Americana, roots¬rock, pop, and old country songs supported by world-¬class musicians. Lauren is, as one of her songs puts it, a “Canadian Belle.” She was born and raised in Eastern Canada but chooses to make her home in Savannah – the gracious home of Southern hospitality.
Her album, “Superhero” debuted at #6 on the Cashbox Magazine/Roots Music Report’s Georgia Airplay chart and #16 on the Cashbox Magazine/Root’s Music Report’s Country/Americana Internet Airplay Top 50. It has since been played on over 100 stations in the U.S. and is receiving much international radio play as well. Leicester Bangs in the UK described it as “an engaging combination of classic country, narrative songwriting, and plentiful hooks.” In November 2013 Lufthansa Airlines selected her song “The Ghost of Elvis” for their inflight program.
Lapointe continues to make a name for herself as a strong and versatile live performer and has played at many renowned listening rooms across the nation including the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, the Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, the Jefferson Freedom Cafe in Ft. Worth, TX, and Anderson Fair in Houston, TX.
What do others say of her work? “This is just pure, honest music here, created with talent and passion and deserving of wider spread notice,” says Music Morsals. “An excellent album (“Superhero”) by a gifted songwriter,” says Fatea Records of the UK. “A great talent!” ¬ says Steve Young (songwriter of “Seven Bridges Road” recorded by the Eagles and “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” recorded by Waylon Jennings). “An acclaimed live performer…Lapointe has definitive gifts with melody and lyrics,”¬ says Kathleen Wehle of ¬ Southeast Performer Magazine. “A gifted and openhearted storyteller with a flair for melody,” says Sloan Wainwright, Derby Disc Music recording artist.
For more information about Lauren Lapointe, go to www.laurenl.com.
HARM ‘N ME!
![Harm_and_Me-_Press_images](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Harm_and_Me-_Press_images-300x166.png)
The acoustic duo of Harmon Koeltz and Laura Monk bring with them an eclectic musical background and a collection of well-loved (and not the same old often heard!) tunes. With graceful harmonies and a unique guitar style, Harm ‘n’ Me delivers a menagerie of songs ranging from old standards to current hits; covering a unique mix of genres including pop,jazz, rock, Americana, folk and classics. While you won’t hear any Mozart (unless a “young’n” requests Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!) don’t be surprised if a little Louis Jordan turns up right after The Rolling Stones.
Laura Monk, an Atlanta native and lead singer with Americana band, High Cotton, has joined Harmon Koeltz, originally from Louisville, Kentucky, but in Atlanta since 1961 (making him an honorary native) in this sideline venture of an intimate delivery of cover tunes. Harm plays and sings as well with the group, Harm’s Way. Both have a wealth of musical experience in performance.
March 15, 2014
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
![BoAF](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/BoAF-300x233.jpg)
Birds of a Feather is an artistic collaboration between Dr. Mary Crowell and Teresa Gibson Powell, who also perform together in the Pegasus Award winning folk band, Three Weird Sisters. Close friends, Mary and Teresa missed performing together when their Three Weird Sisters bandmates moved away from the South, so the formation of Birds of a Feather was their way of solving that problem. They borrow from the material used in their other collaborations, and incorporate their own original songs as well as select covers of tunes by artists they admire.
Mary lives in Athens, Alabama. She has taught piano and composition for twenty plus years; she also plays clarinet, bass clarinet, and is learning to play the cello. She has taught music theory, piano, and music appreciation at Calhoun Community College in Decatur, Alabama, but currently maintains a private studio where she teaches piano and composition. Mary also composes, transcribes, and arranges music and enjoys accompanying. She loves playing Rachmaninov, Chopin, Gershwin, Bach and jazz standards; practicing yoga, gardening; and gaming with good friends. Mary Crowell has a B.A. in piano performance from Huntingdon College, M.M. in musicology from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and a D.M.A. in music composition — also from the University of Alabama.
Teresa lives in Decatur, Georgia. She plays electric and upright bass, guitar, and trumpet and is known for her deep love of vocal harmony. Teresa is an avid music fan and an advocate for the independent musician. She is co-owner of Portal Production, Ltd., a company that provides management and website services to musicians. She is also a partner in the Atlanta-Athens based agency Artist Marketing & Promotion (AMP), which she joined in 2013. Teresa has a B.S. in Music Business from Full Sail University where she graduated summa cum laude. In her free time, Teresa enjoys gardening, cooking, yoga, reading and live music.
LASHBROOKS
![Lashbrookspreferred](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Lashbrookspreferred-300x268.jpg)
From different parts of the country and different musical backgrounds, Husband and Wife – Singer / Songwriter Duo, Troy and Rhonda Lashbrooks, find a way to blend two lifetimes of music into one magical recipe – like ‘sweet corn’ and ‘apple pie’ to the ears.
The ‘Contemporary Folk’ sound of LASHBROOKS is delivered with passionate and skillful guitar, soulful vocals, and rich harmonies. Their music tells a story of heartbreak, soul-searching, starting over, and the triumphant in the pursuit of happiness, dreams fulfilled and true love!
The debut release of LashBrooks – ‘Out of the Shadows’ is an emotional and exciting musical journey, intentionally produced with a simple and raw approach, emphasizing the purity and honesty of the songs. Receiving rave reviews, ‘Out of the Shadows’ has opened doors for LASHBROOKS to share their music with many venues across the region
Hear some of their music at www.lashbrooksmusic.com.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
(An AAFFM Special Edition Concert)
CASTLEBAY
![Castlebay](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Castlebay.png)
Maine’s premier Celtic folk duo, Castlebay, will be performing a special two-hour concert at an “extra edition” Fiddler’s Green on Sunday, February 16th. “What’s Castlebay all about? Seafaring, the darkness and lightness of the coast of Maine, the rhythm of the tides”, says Peter Spectre, marine author.
Castlebay treats the audience to a musical journey through time and across the Atlantic. blending the timeless traditions of Maine’s nautical legacy and it’s poignant Celtic heritage. Both Julia Lane and Fred Gosbee are fine, expressive vocalists as well as talented instrumentalists, delivering songs with emotion, exuberance and both traditional and contemporary musical sensibilities. Celtic harp, guitar, fiddle, and woodwinds are used ensemble and as vocal support. Having a deep appreciation for the unique character of their home state of Maine, as well as the Celtic lands, Castlebay weaves history, legend and experience into their personable performance style.
“Julia Lane and Fred Gosbee shared more than their talent with our audience. They shared as well their keen sense for Maine humor and their love for the music they perform,” reports The uNi Coffeehouse in Springfield, MA.
Since 1984 Castlebay has created a body of work which celebrates Maine’s maritime heritage and environment. Known for their intelligent arrangements of traditional music, they have also received critical praise for their evocative original compositions; Gosbee for his finely crafted narrative ballads and Lane for her imagery and beautiful melodies. In the time-honored art of meaningful songwriting, they give new voice to an ancient tradition. Many of their songs have as themes the lives of those who live by the sea, not only the deep water sailors, but also the shipwrights, coasters, fisherman and their wives. These are the people who established Maine as a maritime legend and who continue to build that legend with their daily lives of skill, hard work and pride.
Among their two dozen recording releases, Lane and Gosbee have written, recorded and produced two albums of completely original music- Song of the Sea and The Ballad of Cappy John.
Castlebay performs frequently at festivals, museums, schools and folk clubs both at home and abroad including over ten years at the International Festival of the Sea in England and Scotland; The Edinburgh Folk Festival, Scotland; Bethlehem Musikfest, PA; Mystic Seaport, CT; St. Mary’s City, MD as well as local events such as Windjammer Days, OPSail 2000, Wooden Boat Festival and the Maine Lobster Festival. They have presented workshops on maritime life and music to thousands of children and adults on both sides of the Atlantic. They were commissioned to write the music for a full-length concert program, Sang O the Solway, which was presented several times throughout Scotland and their music has been used on Turner Broadcasting’s Portrait of America series.
Visit Castlebay’s website at www.castlebay.net.
February 15, 2014
BOB BAKERT
![Bob-Bakert](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Bob-Bakert.jpg)
Bob Bakert was born in Buffalo, NY in 1950 to a home that loved music. As a teenager, he began to play and sing many of the musical genre of his time. Finding college not to his liking, Bob teamed up with David Nehrboss and formed a popular local acoustic duo called “Gold”. They performed at he “Bitter End” in NYC and the “Riverboat” coffee house in Toronto, along with the likes of Dave Van Ronk, Biff Rose, Don McClean and other famous folk acts of the day.
Bob played clubs and bars in Buffalo until 1974 when he moved to Atlanta. During the 1970’s Bob was encouraged by music industry mogul Bill Lowery who told Bob that “maybe once a year we find someone who can write a song and this year you are it.” Highly encouraged, Bob wrote and wrote. Many of the songs from that era can be heard on Bob’s first album simply titled “Bob Bakert.” Bob went on to record a second album in the late 1970’s called “Romance.” Bob continued his formal education as well as the study of voice and guitar. In 1983, Bob was offered a job in business and took it. For the next 20 years Bob continued to play out sporadically all the while playing, writing and studying guitar with as much passion as ever.
While looking for a guitar as a gift, Bob, who was playing mostly electric guitar at this time, was bit by the acoustic, singer-songwriter bug again. In 2009 Bob discovered Ragamuffin Music in Roswell and started playing at the open mics. Initially dusting off old originals and covers, Bob started writing songs again and has recorded several of them including “Spanish Rain,” “I’ve Been Thinking,” “Jeanne’s Song” and “Partners.” Bob continues to appear at many Atlanta area venues playing with a number of musical collaborators and featuring both folk and jazz.
Visit Bob’s website at www.bobbakert.com.
KEVIN SPEARS
![Kevin-Spears](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Kevin-Spears-230x300.png)
Considered one of the best kalimba players alive today, Kevin Spears’ musical gifts have astounded audiences around the world and rewritten the book on what’s possible on this exotic musical instrument. His blinding skill and musical creativity are often compared to innovative legends like Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix and Les Paul among others. His uncanny ability to play multiple musical and percussive ideas simultaneously in a live setting is iconic, pure and simple.
For his unique playing style and groundbreaking work as a kalimba innovator, the largest kalimba distributor in the world honored Kevin by releasing the “Kevin Spears Style Kalimba”. In addition to being a gifted musical artist, inventor, instrument builder and mixed media artist, Spears performs internationally including a recent tour of Japan and has worked with and/or opened for artists such as: India Arie, Eric Benet, Victor Wooten, Count Mbutu (of the Derek Trucks Band), Arrested Development, Steven Kent, Jeff Sipe, Toubab Krewe, Colonel Bruce Hampton, Richard Smith (guitarist for Earth, Wind and Fire), Vinx, Epizo Bangoura, Mamadou Doumbia, Jhelisa Anderson, Moziak (of Fela Kuti Band) and Divinity (bassist for Beyonce).
Drawing from many musical influences from around the world, Spears uniquely mixes these styles into a mesmerizing and musical experience all his own. Such was the case as Kevin ended his rousing performance among music industry professionals at the 50th anniversary of the Percussive Arts Society International Convention receiving a standing ovation. Kevin Spears music bridges Africa to America from Jazz to Rock, Funk to Flamenco with a powerful infusion of spirituality.
AfroPop Worldwide says, “Spears utilizes the traditional African instrument and tweaks it to create a soulful, funky sound that would make Stevie Wonder smile.” “To say Kevin “KalimbaMan” Spears is a master kalimba player would be an understatement. Kevin takes the kalimba to new realms by creating full, multi layered sonic soundscapes, complete with drums, bass lines, chords and melodies all played simultaneously with extreme beauty and precision,” says Eric Sands of ORANGE Amps USA. Mark Holdaway of Kalimba Magic.com sums it up by saying, “Kevin Spears is the Real Deal.”
Visit Kevin’s YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/kalimbaman.
January 18, 2014
OUT OF THE RAIN
![Out of the Rain](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Out-of-the-Rain-284x300.jpg)
Opening for Angela Easterling is a popular local folk duo, “Out of the Rain” known for their innovative arrangements and unusually expressive power. Ron Hipp has been known in the Atlanta area as an accomplished solo artist and he is supported by Carol Statella who has played and sung in various groups over the years. Their joining forces to regularly perform and record music together has created a compelling, poignant sound that is both timeless and fresh.
Ron is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist/singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A native of Atlanta, he’s been performing both solo and in various band combinations since about the age of 16. His rich baritone voice, consummate fingerpicking, and mesmerizing songs make his shows a memorable experience. Ron has graced many a recording project by other artists over the years as a studio musician, and has many CD cover photos to his credit.
Carol (string player/singer) has played in backup orchestras for Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson. As a music journalist, she interviewed Robert Shaw for a national publication and also spent several years as an announcer/producer in public radio. In the classical performance realm, Carol has played in the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, and sang for seventeen seasons with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus/Chamber Chorus. Ron and Carol have known each other and crossed paths musically for a decade and a half, through many artistic and personal evolutions. Their sound together has been described as warm, eloquent, and vivid. Onstage, Ron and Carol draw audiences in with artful musicality, occasionally inane humor, and absolute focus on inviting the listener into the depths of a song. “Out of The Rain” released Ron’s first album of original songs and instrumentals titled Two Hearts, which has received international folk radio airplay and glowing reviews from press and concert presenters. “Ron Hipp and Carol Statella have crafted a musically delightful, emotionally involving work with Two Hearts … it deserves a spot on your CD shelf,” says Rich Warren of Sing Out! Magazine.
ANGELA EASTERLING
![Angela Easterling](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/angela_easterling_photo_credit_jon_holloway-200x300.jpg)
Angela Easterling was raised in the South Carolina foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Much of her childhood was spent on the Greer, SC farm that has been in her family since 1791, seven generations. She embraced her heritage as a writer and an artist on her debut album, “Earning Her Wings”, chosen as “Americana Pick of the Year” by Smart Choice Music. Her second album, “BlackTop Road”, made its debut on the Americana top 40 chart, where it remained for seven weeks. Its title song tells of her family’s struggle to hold onto their farmland in the face of widespread development and represented a bold new step in her singing and songwriting.
Angela was named a 2009 & 2010 Kerrville New Folk Finalist, a 2011 Telluride Troubadour and a 2012 Wildflower Performing Songwriter Finalist. The Boston Herald cited her song “The Picture” as “Best Political Country Song” in their 2009 Year’s best music. Angela’s music was featured in commercials (Southwestern Bell) and several of her songs were used in the series “Horsepower” on Animal Planet. She appeared alongside music legend Charlie Louvin on WSM radio’s “Music City Roots Live from the Loveless” show and was invited to appear on the WSM-hosted stage at the 2010 CMA Music Festival/Fan Fair, where her entire set was broadcast live. Angela has appeared on the nationally broadcast public radio program “Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know” , the popular ETV show “Making It Grow” and was also recently interviewed by noted NPR journalist Bob Edwards. She has received much airplay on Sirius/XM “Outlaw Country” channel and was invited to perform at the Smithsonian Institution’s exhibit New Harmonies: Celebrating American Root’s Music. Angela constantly tours the east coast, both solo and duo and has appeared with her crowd-pleasing band, The Beguilers at numerous town fairs and music festivals throughout the Southeast.
Angela recently welcomed the birth of her first child, in March 2013, and is composing songs for her fifth album, to be recorded later this year. Roger McGuinn, founder of the Byrds, called her “a bright shining star on the horizon!” and went on to say, “Her gift is so special. Her CD BlackTop Road brought me back to the time the Byrds recorded “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” – tradition meets youthful exuberance.” For more info on Angela, visit www.angelaeasterling.com.
December 21, 2013
BARASZU BROTHERS
![band_photo_Dan_Baraszu](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Dan_Baraszu.jpg)
Detroit born Guitarist/Composer Dan Baraszu also started playing guitar at the age of nine. Early in his career, he explored many different styles of music, but when he first heard the genius of jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, Dan devoted himself to becoming a die-hard jazz artist. His major influences include guitarists Joe Pass, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny and John Scofield as well as other instrumentalists like Bill Evans, Horace Silver, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Charlie Parker.
In addition to listening and transcribing the works of the “masters of the jazz”, he was formally educated in music, receiving his Bachelor’s degree from the Berklee College of Music, where he majored in Jazz Composition and Arranging . Dan also received his Masters degree from the University of Miami with a major in Jazz Pedagogy.
![band_photo_Brian_Baraszu](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Brian_Baraszu-300x300.jpg)
Dan currently resides in the Atlanta area where he leads his own groups and works as a freelance guitarist. In November 2005 he signed with Blue Canoe Records and released his debut CD as a leader entitled “Nightfall”. Baraszu’s CD is receiving considerable traditional radio airplay on jazz stations across the country and overseas as well as internet radio and satellite, cable and subscription services.
Although Dan has appeared in groups or various sizes and membership, his appearance at Fiddler’s Green will be with his brother, Brian Baraszu, on percussion. Video of Dan Baraszu: http://youtu.be/J5g0XoBVwZ8
Dan will be joined by his brother, Brian Baraszu.
JONI BISHOP
![band_photo_Joni_Bishop](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Joni_Bishop-300x279.jpg)
Joni Bishop is a true artist, both in the fields of music and visual art. Her introduction to the world of music began when she got her first guitar at age nine and discovered the folk/ roots music of singers like Mississippi John Hurt and Elizabeth Cotton. Not only did the music captivate her, but the faces on the LP jackets as well. It was then that she began to develop a love for both music and art and to discover her own gifts for writing songs, singing, playing finger-style guitar, and for sketching pencil portraits of the musicians she loved to hear.
Since those early days, Joni’s career as a singer-songwriter has become well established on the American folk music scene. She has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and in Europe. Her distinctive songwriting-vocal-guitar style won her recognition in many noted song festivals here and abroad and landed her a staff-writing deal with Galleon Music Publishing Co. in Los Angeles before arriving in Nashville in 1989. She was a New Folk winner in the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas, has recorded for CBS Records, BWE Records and released five CDs on her own independent label Polestar Records. Joni’s songs have been recorded by other artists as well like Crystal Gayle.
As a visual artist, Joni had her first solo art show, “Roots, Rhythm & Gospel”, in Nashville in 1998, where she exhibited over 40 of her folk-art Jazz/Blues/Gospel portraits of some of her most beloved subjects: the musicians and singers whose music has influenced, uplifted and inspired her through the years – Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Rev. Gary Davis, and the great gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, to name a few. Her work has been shown throughout the Southeast United States in conjunction with her concert tours in places like New Orleans, Memphis and Washington DC. Joni is based in Nashville where she continues to write music, record and paint. Having completed her fifth CD, ‘Steal Away Home’, a folk-gospel collection of spirituals that includes a booklet of her art illustrations, Joni is currently busy working on a new CD of original music and a multi-media theatre piece that will incorporate elements of art, music and film.
Video: http://youtu.be/kQ7UD87jkE8
Website: jonibishop.com
November 16, 2013
BANNA DE DHA AND THE HUNGRY MONKS
![bannadedha](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/bannadedha-300x292.jpg)
Banna de dhá features the duo of Tom Morley on fiddle and Hazel Ketchum on guitar and vocals. The Irish phrase translates simply as “band of two,” but the musical whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Taking their inspiration from great Irish Traditional music duos (such as Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill),Banna de dhá uses the vast repertoire of Irish instrumental and vocal music as their starting point, adding music from other folk traditions such as American Old Time and French-Canadian, while keeping it all fresh and unique with unexpected improvisational turns.
The dynamic musical connection and creativity between the two musicians in banna de dhá assure audiences that they’ll take a unique trip through a Celtic landscape together, one that will never be repeated exactly the same way twice. The duo’s first CD was released in July 2013 and is getting considerable air play.
THE HUNGRY MONKS
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The Hungry Monks are centered around the creative talents of Hazel Ketchum on guitar, percussion and vocals, and John Holenko on mandolin, guitar and vocals. Hazel and John are joined by Bob Culver on violin, guitar and keys and by John Kennedy on bass. The Hungry Monks have performed in clubs, at contra dances, festivals, and concert series. Ketchum and Holenko have been playing music together for more than 25 years and have been featured on television and radio throughout the naqtion. Featuring guitars, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, whistle, bohdran, and vocals, the Hungry Monks perform Traditional, Contemporary, and Original acoustic songs and instrumentals drawing on a wide range of influences including Medieval & Renaissance, Celtic, Folk, Blues, Classical and Jazz. Combining strong original songs and instrumental compositions with an ear toward improvisation, The Hungry Monks weave a rich tapestry of sound, melodic and rhythmic, grounded in the folk traditions of many cultures. Combined with the traditions and technique of Western Classical Music, this eclectic mix produces an interesting ensemble sound featuring acoustic sounds and beautiful vocals. The Hungry Monks have released several CD recordings on their own label, Hungry Monk Recordings. As well as being active performers, The Hungry Monks are music educators and publish their own work through Hungry Monk Publications.
September 21, 2013
THE OLD FOLKERS
Do you enjoy the music of the 1950’s and 60’s Folk Revival? Do you miss those classics from the Weavers; the Kingston Trio; Peter, Paul and Mary; the Highwaymen; Ian & Sylvia; the Limeliters; Tom Paxton and the other greats of that era? Well, that’s what you can expect from The Old Folkers … with a little Smothers Brothers-type shtick thrown in.
The Old Folkers are Hank Weisman (vocals and guitar) and John Powers (vocals, bass and mandolin). Hank was head of the Savannah Folk Music Society and both created and hosted the Society’s monthly coffeehouse-style concert,” First Friday for Folk Music” for over 15 years. Hank learned guitar from a New York Greenwhich Village folk singer at age six and developed as a folksinger during the years of the Folk Revival. In addition to many solo gigs, Hank was part of the Yeomen (with Dell Hoyt), sang with college classmate Charlie Lull, performed in Atlanta with Buddy Allen and was part of Savannah’s Bimah Blues Band. Since returning to the Atlanta area, Hank leads a folk music sing-a-long at Steve’s Live Music each Tuesday evening.
John Powers teamed-up with Hank in Savannah after many years in the bluegrass, folk and other musical genres. A multi-instrumentalist, John is also a prolific song writer. With Hank’s relocation two years ago, John carries on with his current group, Roll On Rodney, but he and Hank enjoy periodic reunions like this one.
GRANT PEEPLES
“I’m a LeftNeck… I’m a vegetarian that watches NASCAR, a tree-hugger that keeps a gun under the seat,” says singer and poet Grant Peeples. This finger-in-your-eye styled songwriter and seventh generation Floridian is a former expatriate. He spent eleven years on a tiny island off the coast of Nicaragua, where he installed the island’s first flushing toilet. He returned in 2006 to a very different homeland. Much of his songwriting is a response to what he found when he returned.
His latest release, Prior Convictions (2012) was produced by legendary roots icon Gurf Morlix. John Conquest of 3rd Coast Music reviewed the record and observed: “Unusually literate, unusually honest…he’s the only songwriter I’ve ever called ruthless…” Another critic – Grant’s mother – finds his songs…”disturbing.”
Unique in many regards, he has a voice that No Depression says “sounds like a ’57 Chevy with glass mufflers…” He was dubbed a “guitar-slinging poet” by Music News Nashville. Routes & Branches call his songs “smart, strong lyrics that mean something and say it in a way you haven’t heard before.”
His 2012 tour included performances at The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okema, OK, The Living Room in New York City, and The Triple Door in Seattle. Fans of the sometimes unpredictable (but always entertaining) troubadour’s music will not be disappointed as he performs his usual mix of socio-political anthems and insightful ballads, and offers a sneak listen to songs from his work in progress, a new record to be released in 2014.
August 17, 2013
REDWINE JAM
Despite its name, “Redwine Jam” is not a sweet alcoholic concoction suitable for spreading on toast. Still, folk music fans around Atlanta find it appetizing and heady! Redwine Jam is a musical act consisting of Chris and Carol Moser, sometimes joined by musically gifted friends. At Fiddler’s Green they’ll be proudly performing with guitar/bass virtuoso Skip Romaner.
Chris and Carol are veteran semi-professional musicians best known in recent years for leading the Celtic music band Barney’s Goat. As Redwine Jam they offer an eclectic mix of North American and Celtic folk music, both traditional and contemporary. They play a wide array of instruments including guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, flute, recorder, mountain dulcimer, and bodhran (Celtic drum).
A Redwine Jam performance can carry the audience on an emotional rollercoaster complete with high-spirited roots music, wry humor, gripping story songs, love ballads, and the sheer joy of homemade music. Whether performing as a duo or with other musicians who add their own spices to the mix, Chris and Carol make an evening with Redwine Jam a delectable treat.
FRICTION FARM
The “new folk” duo, Friction Farm is guitarist / vocalist Aidan Quinn and bassist/vocalist Christine Stay. The duo spent much of 2012 traveling. For Aidan and Christine that meant a lot of reading. They decided to turn it into a project, discussing the book, seeing where the story would take them, and writing a song. It was fun and frustrating, invigorating and exhausting, but always interesting.
The experience led to the duo’s latest album, I Read Your Book. Mark Dann, Neale Eckstein and Tom Prasada-Rao produced, recorded and played. There are some fantastic guest musicians on the CD; Pat Wictor, Deni Bonet, Tim Burlingame and Marshal Rosenberg.
Friction Farm’s previous album, Every Mile Is A Memory, earned the duo a spot as Kerrville New Folk Finalists and Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists in 2011. They continue to combine storytelling, social commentary and humor to create songs of everyday life, local heroes and quirky observations.
“Friction Farm’s live performance is full of funny and poignant stories, spontaneous diversions, audience participation, good music, and lots of fun.” – Pine Island Eagle
July 20, 2013
CLASSIC JAZZ DUO
Frank Hamilton is a multi-instrumentalist, vocal-ist and song collector who has played a seminal roll in the evolution of American Folk Music. As the Teaching Co-Founder of The Old Town School of Folk Music in 1957, he taught the future leader of The Byrds, Roger McGuinn, to play guitar and banjo. Living in Los Angeles in the 70’s, he played with many well-known artists and taught so many of the musicians up and coming at that time. Click here to learn more.
William Rappaport, originally from Evanston, IL, began play-ing the clarinet at the age of nine. He studied with Chicago Symphony Orchestra clarinetist Walter Wollwage, received his Bachelor of Music degree with Distinction from Indiana University, and studied with Robert Marcellus, principal clar-inetist of the Cleveland Orchestra. Summer musical activities have included the Blossom and Aspen music festivals, and the Music Academy of the West. Click here to learn more.
HARM’S WAY
Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, con-viction, and a sense of humor. The trio is com-posed of Harmon Koeltz, Phil Griffin and Scott Boze. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the mem-bers have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
As with most groups, members occasionally join or leave or re-join the group. But, the core members have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and while they take the music very seriously, don’t take themselves seriously at all!
June 15, 2013
DAVID LEINWEBER
![david_leinweber](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/david_leinweber1-300x189.png)
David Leinweber plays a wide variety of venues and musical styles, ranging from rock, to blues, to folk, to gospel. Known as the “Flatpicking Professor”, Dr. Leinweber, a faculty member of Emory at Oxford, highlighted the Scottish Bluegrass Association Festival in Perth, Scotland and performs widely at regional acoustic music festivals in the South. He has shared the stage with many fine musicians and often appears as part of the Silverbird Duo. His influences include Dylan, Neil Young, The Dead, Clapton, Norman Blake and Doc Watson. Leinweber has taught piano and guitar for 25 years and has extensive experience as a studio musician, a songwriter, and an arranger. In addition to his solo efforts, he has performed on many records, de-mos, and CDs by other artists. His music has been featured on radio and in many concerts throughout the Atlanta area. As one reviewer said, “(his CD) resonates with honest simplicity as well as musical and poetic talent.” Another reviewer commented, “Great picking combines with good songwriting. What more could you ask?”
LARRY MANGUM
Singer/songwriter Larry Mangum hails from Jacksonville, Florida and has nearly 3,000 performances over four decades as a folk, rock, country and Americana artist. For over 100 years somebody from Larry’s North Carolina family has been playing. Larry’s Mom, Kate was Randy Travis’ guitar teacher and Uncle Homer was a member of the legendary WBT Briar-hoppers! A Floridian since 1970, known for his butter-smooth voice, Larry has released seven albums of original music and 2 live albums since 1980. An award winning songwriter, Larry writes from a keen sense of observation and experience capturing the moments that reveal the human truths that bind us all together. Larry’s songs place you on an emotional roller coaster touching the heart, the mind and the soul that staying with the you long after the show. Larry makes regular appearances at the Florida Folk Festival (featured per-former in 2010), the Will McLean Festival (featured performer 2010), the South Florida Folk Festival, the Sarasota Folk Festival, the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival, Barberville, the Lake County Folk Festival, Riverhawk and many more. He is also host and co-founder of THE SONGWRITERS’ CIRCLE in Jacksonville – a monthly program featuring many of the best regional and national touring acts. Larry’s concert appearances with music legends include the late Waylon Jennings, Roger McGuinn, The Texas Playboys, Billy Joe Shaver, Vassar Clements, Ray Price, Martina McBride, Juice Newton, Steve Young, Gene Watson, T.G. Sheppard, T. Graham Brown, Alabama and many more. After years of high quality performances at festivals, country clubs, fairs and honky tonks, Larry Mangum has become one of the premiere performers in Florida!
May 18, 2013
BLACKFOOT DAISY
![Blackfoot Daisy](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Blackfoot-Daisy.jpg)
Blackfoot daisies are hearty wild flowers that grow on the prairies of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. You can find them growing naturally in the Texas Blackland prairie, which runs from the Red River to the Texas‐Oklahoma border. Blackfoot Daisy is also a duo, and sometimes a trio, that plays original, Americana style music. The band is based in Norcross and includes Don Sechelski, Wendy DuMond and Adam Sechelski. They have been from Texas to Atlanta to New Orleans to Chicago and now back to Atlanta again, “still chasing the buffalo,”, Wendy DuMond, and (when we are lucky) Adam Sechelski.
People who begin their lives in these wide‐open and windy places tend to be a bit haunted by them throughout their lives. And perhaps this is why Don, Wendy, and Adam seemed to fit like a glove and hand. We are a little haunted by the beauty and solitude of the prairie. And our music is tinged with the prairie wind, the shifting of tall grasses, the sound of crickets, and a lonesome train whistle drifting through the night with music that conjures up images and sounds of the prairie.
JONI MITCHELL TRIBUTE
The Joni Mitchell tribute is channeled by five women whose music and lives have been greatly influenced by this folk icon. They include:
Heidi Pollyea, is a singer/songwriter/keyboardist/guitarist and local private music instructor. Her music is heavily shaped by introspectively poignant artists like James Taylor, Carol King and Joni Mitchell as well as soulful, groove‐oriented performers like Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt and Billy Preston. (heidipollyea.com)
Kim Chamberlain discovered her voice through the lilting, haunting voice and lyrics of Joni Mitchell. Kim now performs as a vocalist and clarinetist in the jazz duo called Bright Moments with guitarist‐husband, Dave. She also joins Heidi in Body and Soul for weddings, corporate events and private parties.
Alexis Vear is singer/songwriter and fine artist who sees images, and uses them to communicate messages through many creations, transported through song. She currently has released two albums, and is preparing for her third. Alexis has received airplay on NPR. She is working diligently to communicate her music and its messages to as many people as she can reach.
Margot Bernstein began teaching guitar at age 13 and performing professionally at 16. Both a singer/songwriter and a jazz vocalist, her U.S. and International performances have included New York City’s Catch a Rising Star, Gerde’s Folk City, Carly Simon’s Hot Tin Roof on Martha’s Vineyard, and a soundtrack for PBS; in Atlanta, she has appeared at The Freight Room, Eddie’s Attic, Dante’s Down the Hatch and Inman Park & Yellow Daisy Festivals. Susan Rutherford plays keyboards, guitar, and mandolin in a rock n’ roll cover band, The Split Levels, but says she “is keeping her day job.” The gals will be joined in this tribute by percussionist Paul Pendery.
April 20, 2013
RONNDA CADLE
As a solo guitar instrumentalist, Ronnda Cadle is known for the melodic hooks she coaxes from her guitar. With over 20 years experience playing her original compositions before live audiences across the U.S., this musician from Camano Island, WA has developed a devoted fan base. She has shared the stage with many other well-known musicians including Sarah Bettens, Al Petteway, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Mother’s Finest, Patty Larkin and 2003 American Music Award Winner, Moe Loughran. Ronnda’s style fuses heartfelt emotional content with masterful guitar work. She perfected her craft while listening to guitarists whom she considers her greatest mentors – Nancy Wilson of Heart, Caroline Aiken, and Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls. Ronnda says, “I wouldn’t be the player I am today if it were not for these strong and amazing women. I hope to bring my own voice to the generations of women musicians to follow.”
Cadle is in the process of recording her third release with former Windham Hill Founder and Producer William Ackerman at his Imaginary Road Studios in Vermont. Her latest release ‘After’ with the String Poets has been featured on the Public Radio International program Echoes playlist and has had several songs selected for the PBS television program and online site Roadtrip Nation.
Visit Ronnda’s website at www.ronndacadle.com!
GIBSON WILBANKS
![GibsonWilbanks](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/GibsonWilbanks-300x191.jpg)
When Carly Gibson and BJ Wilbanks first began collaborating musically during the summer of 2011, it was like milk chocolate meeting peanut butter…a beautiful and tasty combination! Up to that point, they had each been pursuing separate solo singer/songwriter careers. Pairing up as Gibson Wilbanks, they have combined their considerable songwriting and musical skills to create the unique and popular Southern bluesy sound that helped them to win the coveted songwriter’s open mic at Eddie’s Attic in December of 2011. Think Gregg Allman meets Bonnie Raitt meets Michael Hedges with a dash of Al Green–in short, an entertaining and joyful experience not to be missed! Gibson Wilbanks are currently in the studio working on their first album together.
About Carly: Carly Gibson is an experienced singer-songwriter and guitarist who has been playing professionally since the age of fifteen. She has shared the stage with many fine musicians, including Caroline Aiken, Donna Hopkins, Diane Durrett, Ralph Roddenbery, Tommy Talton, Geoff Achison, Jeff Sipe (Phil Lesh & Friends, Aquarium Rescue Unit), Chris Hicks (Marshall Tucker Band), Randall Bramlett (Gregg Allman, Steve Winwood), and Greg Robert (Kansas). Carly released her debut EP “Heavy Water” in 2010. She teaches private guitar lessons and is currently a level 4 student in the guitar program at the Atlanta Institute of Music.
About BJ: A home-grown Georgia native, BJ Wilbanks creates blues-infused music reminiscent of a bygone era, combining deeply-rooted Delta blues, country, funk, soul, and acoustic Southern rock to create a sound that is familiar, yet uniquely his own. His heartwarming tales of heartache, love, and home combine artfully with an engaging live performance that, in one moment, can sit you back in your chair and in the next, rock you right back out of it! Wilbanks crafts his distinctive sound with his trusty old acoustic guitar, often accompanied by finger slide or harmonica. His original songs range from break-your-heart romantic to stomp-your-foot grooving, merging back-porch soul rhythm with a gospel vocal overtone and a slanky, steady beat. He’ll often sling his guitar over his lap to play a slide tune that evokes the image of old field working men and chase it with a contrasting tune filled with sweet strumming, gentle singing and smooth picking.
Discerning music fans agree that there is no disputing BJ’s considerable songwriting chops; his catchy tunes sport meaningful lyrics that emote heartache, love, values, family, and home–all grounded in the tradition of deeply rooted blues.
Visit www.gibsonwilbanks.com!
March 16, 2013
THE IRISH BROTHERS
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Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen are a unique team. Sandyman comes from the mountains of western North Carolina; the Captain hailing from the canyons of New York City. Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville. George honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material. Their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the ‘new country’ – from traditional Irish ballads, to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
KEVIN SPEARS
![Kevin-Spears](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Kevin-Spears-230x300.png)
For a rare and special treat, Fiddler’s Green audiences will be delighted by the music of Kevin Spears, a local master of the kalimba or thumb piano. The thumb piano is a plucked instrument, common throughout the sub-Saharan region of Africa. Considered by many as one of the best kalimba players alive today, Kevin’s musical gifts have astounded audiences around the world and rewritten what is possible on this exotic instrument. Spears’ blinding skill and musical creativity are often compared to innovative legends such as Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix and Les Paul among others and his uncanny ability to play multiple musical and percussive ideas simultaneously in a live setting is iconic, pure and simple.
The opportunity to enjoy such a special night of music is something Fiddler’s Green audiences will surely never forget.
February 16, 2013
OUT OF THE RAIN
![Out of the Rain](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Out-of-the-Rain-284x300.jpg)
An acoustic finger-style guitarist, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Ron Hipp has performed in a variety of styles since his mid-teens. His expressive baritone voice, consummate fingerpicking, and mesmerizing songs make his shows an unforgettable experience. Ron has contributed to recording projects by other artists over the years as a studio musician and has many CD cover photos to his credit.
Carol Statella, a multi-instrumentalist/singer, has played in backup orchestras for Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson. She’s also been a music journalist and worked as a public radio announcer, and performed with the Atlanta Opera Orchestra and Atlanta Symphony Chorus.
Ron and Carol have known each other and crossed paths musically for a decade and a half, through many artistic and personal evolutions. Their sound together has been described as eloquent and vivid. Onstage, Ron and Carol draw audiences in with artful musicality, occasionally inane humor, and absolute focus on inviting the listener into the depths of a song.
A folk duo with a warm, evocative approach, their debut album, “Two Hearts” has received positive notices in print (notably Sing Out! Magazine), been played on radio programs internationally, and charted on the Roots Music Report. “Ron Hipp and Carol Statella have crafted a musically delightful, emotionally involving work with Two Hearts…reminds me how melodic and ear-pleasing a CD can be; it deserves a spot on your CD shelf, “ says Rich Warren of Sing Out! Magazine.
DOC STEPHIE RAE
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Doc Stephie Rae is an award-winning Singer/Songwriter and acoustic guitarist, playing solo, and with her duo, trio and band, Moonlight Riders. She has a music degree in voice performance and is a multi-instrumentalist, usually playing acoustic rhythm guitar. She will be accompanied by singer/songwriter/guitarist Johnny Scales at Fiddler’s Green.
Doc Stephie Rae writes and sings to uplift the vibration of the universe, and positively affect the listener deep within using evocative lyrics, entrancing melodies, captivating story lines and engaging rhythms. Due to her sweet yet powerful voice, Stephie Rae is called “The Singing Angel” by her peers, and her fans say, “Stephie Rae’s voice doesn’t come from her mouth, it comes from her heart and soul.” As an entertainer, her live performances activate the audience with humor and real life stories behind the songs that listeners can relate to.
It is evident she sounds similar to and is influenced by a wide variety of styles and singers such as Sarah McLachlan, Alison Krauss, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris (thus her nickname in Nashville, “Bonnie Lou Harris”), Linda Ronstadt, Karen Carpenter and Carole King. Her other influences include Eva Cassidy, Norah Jones, John Denver, Jackson Brown, John Hiatt, Dan Fogelberg, Eric Clapton, The Eagles, The Beatles, Southern Rock, among other classics.
Stephie Rae specializes in writing, performing and recording custom songs for clients’ special loved ones and occasions, such as weddings, anniversaries, life stories, holidays, romantic serenades, reality or comedy, etc. While she writes in any genre, her typical styles include Americana, Folk, Blues, Bluegrass, Swing, Shuffle, Caribbean, and Alternative Country.
January 19, 2013
HOTLANTA TRIO
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For great music and lots of fun, let the Hotlanta Trio set your feet firmly on Bourbon Street in Old New Orleans. You’ll experience every bit of the joy, energy, and humor of that early American Jazz called Dixieland. Songs from Fats Waller, Hoagy Carmichael, Louie Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, plus many old favorites like “Sweet Georgia Brown”, “Royal Garden Blues”, “Hard Hearted Hannah”, and “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In” are all part of Hotlanta’s musical treat.
Stop in to enjoy the great vocals from banjo player Bill Rutan, and that wonderful solid bass from tuba player Hal Johnson and clarinetist Don Erdman provides added color when he brings along his soprano, tenor, and baritone saxophones. What a glorious way to bring in the year 2013! For more information, visit http://www.hotlantajazz.com.
CULLITON, DEAN AND LLOYD
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Eclectic acoustic instrumentals and vocals, from high-energy tunes to engaging ballads, performed by three of the area’s elite players, that is Culliton, Dean and Lloyd. Leader Jim Culliton is a local professional musician highly acclaimed for his virtuosity on various acoustic instruments in genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz.
Musical diversity and virtuosity are the hallmarks of this group. Culliton is well known as an instrumental wizard and he sprinkles his own charming original songs and tunes along with the classics. Jim organizes live bluegrass and traditional music for the weekly Sunday brunch at RIRA Irish pub in Midtown. He also offers private lessons in guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and bass. Click here for more information!
December 15, 2012
BARNEY’S GOAT
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Opening the evening will be the always delightful Barney’s Goat. The group borrows its eccentric name from an Irish folk tune and members of the Atlanta-based folk ensemble value a healthy dose of blarney within an evening of music. Whether performing the Irish and Scottish songs that are their specialty, their unusual repertoire of American material, or both, these spirited entertainers love nothing more than to spin a good yarn through song.
Moving effortlessly from ribald pub songs to poetic and tragic ballads, they sprinkle in wry humor and running commentary to keep their audience on an emotional rollercoaster. Unlike most other local Celtic groups, they do mostly songs, with some instrumentals in the mix. They play a wide array of instruments: six-string and 12-string guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, recorder, mountain dulcimer, bass, and bodhran (Celtic drum). Since forming in 1992, Barney’s Goat has gained a strong local following from frequent appearances at coffeehouses, folk festivals, other cultural events, retirement homes, and private parties. Their 2009 CD is (imaginatively titled) Barney’s Goat. The group consists of Chris and Carol Moser and Phil Matteson. This month they’ll perform a Yuletide set of seasonal folk songs from Ireland, the British Isles and North America. Included will be Phil’s venerated rendition of John McCutcheon’s Christmas in the Trenches — a Fiddler’s Green tradition of longstanding.
KNIGHTSONG
![band_photo_KnightSong](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_KnightSong.jpg)
KnightSong is an a cappella vocal group specializing in classical Renaisssance madrigals and they also perform music from throughout the ages to the present. The group was formed by Pat Buonodono, Brad Ketch and Keith Duggan in 1989. They perform year-round for public and private gatherings and regularly at charitable events and senior living centers. KnightSong has performed for a number of years at the Georgia Shakespeare Festival and “Christmas Candlelight Nights” at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. In 2011, KnightSong traveled to Denver to perform for the Bethany Festival of Faith and the Arts. KnightSong currently has four CDs available and music may be found on CDbaby, iTunes, and Amazon.
November 17, 2012
BRISA
![band_photo_Barbara_Hotz](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Barbara_Hotz.jpg)
Barbara Hotz and Ron Hutchins are Brisa which means “Breeze” in Spanish. They perform a lovely mixture of cover and original tunes with a South American flair and are favorites at many venues and events. Most recently Ron and Barbara have been holding court at Zen Tea in the Brookhaven area.
Barbara sings and plays guitar, harmonica and percussion. Using her bilingual skills, she serves as a Spanish interpreter at Children’s Health care of Atlanta. She combines these skills with her love of singing and playing guitar to fashion authentic ballads from South of the border.
Ron is equally talented on guitar, percussion and backing vocals. They are sure to kick off the evening with both enchantment and a lil’ spice! Come and enjoy a great meal while being treated to exciting acoustic music.
More on Brisa here: www.facebook.com/brisamusica
LASHBROOKS
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The LashBrooks blending two lifetimes of music and multiple musical genres to create a sound of their own, LASHBROOKS perform a full-sounding acoustic show, steeped in rich harmonies, soulful vocals, and exciting guitar. The duo is husband and wife, singer/songwriters Rhonda and Troy LashBrook.
Rhonda spent several years in Nashville, Tennessee in the music business and eventually returned to her first love – writing and singing her own music. She cut her teeth on gospel, bluegrass and folk music and hit the stage performing show tunes in college.
Troy grew up with the sounds of the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and a guitar-playing father that influenced his love for the guitar and for good music, whatever the style. Traveling in various bands throughout the 80’s and ‘woodshedding’ in the 90’s, Troy’s talent was undeniable and recognized by the many venues he played throughout the country. His passion for performing was renewed when he met Rhonda, and he brings that passion along with his fun- loving personality and amazing talent to the stage Their first full length CD is due out in January.
More on LashBrooks here: www.reverbnation.com/lashbrooksmusic2.
October 20, 2012
JERRY BRUNNER AND CYNDI CRAVEN AND BRUCE GILBERT
![band_photo_bruce-cyn-jer-peaceOPT](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_bruce-cyn-jer-peaceOPT.png)
Jerry Brunner and Cyndi Craven have been sharing their music with Atlanta audiences and beyond since the ’60s and ’70s, respectively. They’ve been playing together since the ’80s. In 2008, Bruce Gilbert came all the way from California (with a piano on his knee), where he’d been wowing the music scene since the ’60s, and met up with Cyndi and Jerry. Serious musical magic began to happen. Come experience the results of profound friendship, heaping helpings of creativity, and decades of noodling on pianos and guitars…
JAMES TAYLOR TRIBUTE
![band_photo_James_Taylor](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_James_Taylor.png)
James Taylor PhotoLast year Bob Bakert and Ragamuffin Music Hall staged a wonderful evening where several performers offered their renditions of favorite James Taylor songs. It all went so well that Fiddler’s Green decided to offer a JT nite “redo” that includes many of the same artists from the original show.
The following artists will be performing in this Fiddler’s second set, and will be joined by Bruce and Cyndi from the first set to round out a fabulous night that you will hear about for a long time.. so don’t be the one to miss it!
Bob Bakert: Plays acoustic and electric guitars, writes and sings original music as well as carefully selected covers. Bob has a breadth of experience both in performing and organizing musical shows including the widely acclaimed series on the 1st Sat of the month called the Hungry Ear Coffeehouse and held at the Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Sandy Springs. His music runs from Americana folk music to progressive jazz. With 45 years of stage experience, he brings energy to every performance and his music is given a treatment you may not have heard before but will surely enjoy.
Ashley Harris: Performs a melting pot of Contemporary Country, Soft Rock and Inspirational music. Her influences include Amy Grant, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, and Sheryl Crow. She was 94.9 the Bulls artist pick of the year in 2009, was nominated for best female vocalist by Georgia Country.com in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and her CD An Unfinished Woman has garnered chart topping honors. Ashley and her husband are known and beloved owners of the Ragamuffin Music Hall and Music Teaching studio in historic Roswell.
Paul Pendery: A singer songwriter from the folk tradition, whose stories and performance style are clearly influenced by time spent in Texas, the Great Northwest, Appalachia and the Deep South. His guitar playing is solid and percussive, which provides the perfect backdrop for his rich and expressive voice. The results are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, but always entertaining .
Heidi Pollyea: An Atlanta based singer/songwriter/ keyboardist/guitarist who also teaches privately and is an avid animal advocate. Her music is inspired by folk/rock artists such as James Taylor, Carole King, Linda Rondstadt, Shawn Colvin and Michael McDonald, as well as R&B stylists like Billy Preston and Marvin Gaye with jazzers such as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays thrown in for good measure.
Louis Robinson: A British singer/songwriter acoustic guitar player based in Atlanta, GA USA. He also teaches, produces shows and performs in and around the Atlanta area. In a long career, he has played at every major folk venue in England, including folk clubs and festivals around the British Isles and Europe. He has performed on BBC radio and TV, and his songs have been recorded by artists in the UK and the USA.
Fred Watts: Fred says..”I was born a poor black child”, Steve Martin. (Just kidding) Fred began playing piano at 6, but traded it for the guitar in high school. He was fortunate enough to be in the musical production company, “Up With People”, for two years and has performed in all of the lower 48 states, Canada, Mexico, Europe and the half-time show of Super Bowl X. Fred began songwriting in his teens and still finds writing to be the most rewarding musical experience. He enjoys a full life with his wonderful wife and a houseful of great kids.
September 15, 2012
ROSS AND HARM
![band_photo_ross_and_harm](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_ross_and_harm.jpg)
Ross and Harm are made up of Ross Pead and Harmon Koeltz. These two friends entertain their audiences with a brand of acoustic driven folk/pop that includes a smattering of blues and old time favorites. Harmon, a drummer turned acoustic guitar wielding balladeer, can also be found performing around town as the leader of the group Harm’s way. Ross is a Georgia native from Waycross who’s focus has been acoustic blues and slide guitar, and is known for interpreting the songs of Willie McTell, Tampa Red, Howlin’Wolf and many of the other masters of American Roots Music. They are a smooth and soulful pair, sure to kick off another musical fiesta at September’s Fiddler’s Green
Harmon Koeltz is the founding member of Harm’s Way and a frequent performer around the area with Harm’s Way, solo, or with other performers. Originally a drummer, he discovered acoustic guitar and a love of performing. House parties, jams and other musical events led to the formation of Harm’s Way which performs regularly. The music is acoustic driven folk/ pop with a sprinkling of blues, singer- songwriter, and old favorites sprinkled in. Harmon and Ross were introduced by a mutual friend, also a musician, at a jam/ party held on the shores of Lake Lanier. Their paths kept crossing, they jammed together, and started playing together. Ross frequently joins Harm’s Way as that group expands from four to five members. While he enjoys fronting the group that he co-founded, he appreciates the opportunity to make music with his friends.
Ross Pead a/k/a Peadboy hails from Fairburn, Georgia. A Georgia native, Peadboy was born in lazy, swampy Waycross, Georgia. Although his focus has been acoustic blues and slide guitar, Ross is equally at home with Americana, roots, folk, and pop. For a repertoire that reflects a deep and wide association with the roots musics of the southern “peoples” of the United States, Peadboy says “come on in my kitchen.” Meanwhile, he is carrying the songs of Willie McTell, Tampa Red, Howlin’ Wolf and many of the other masters of American Roots Music. Peadboy has been a regular performer in tributes to artists as divergent as Howlin’ Wolf, Gram Parsons, and “Mr.” Frank Edwards. His guitar style has been described as a little Muddy Waters, a little Dire Straits, a little RC Cola, Moon Pie, watermelon guitar style. Ironically, Ross started out as a drummer also.
THE 5 O’CLOCK SHADOWS
![band_photo_5_oclock_shadows](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_5_oclock_shadows.jpg)
The 5 O’Clock Shadows are the favored house band of the local weekly storytelling/musical event known as Little 5@5 (held in Candler Park in the delightful Dobbins Hall ~ a coffeehouse style room at the Epworth Methodist Church).
Rob Lanford, a founding “Shadows” member, describes the 5 piece group as follows: Southern Grow’d, Picked Fresh, Washed, Shook up, Squeezed, and served Hot! Steeped in regional roots from Jacksonville to Atlanta, these are not musicians who try to emulate a folky sound authentically, they ARE music of authentic experience. Charlie Walker, Bob Winstead, John Truttier, Paul Turgeon, and Rob Lanford have listened to the Florida Boys while Granny Harris dipped her snuff, gone the Cracker games, played as teenaged white boys in black clubs of Atlanta in the early sixties and with the likes of Betts and Oakley (of the Allman Bros.) They know their southern blues heritage from bottleneck to slap back and will share their love of this great style with Fiddler’s audiences as the second act of the September 15th show.
August 18, 2012
JOHNNY ROQUEMORE AND THE APOSTLES OF BLUEGRASS
![Apostles of Bluegrass](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Apostles-of-Bluegrass.png)
Opening the August Fiddler’s Green show will be the up beat music and off beat lyrics of The Apostles of Bluegrass. Led by Johnny Roquemore, a Georgia native, returned home after many years on the West Coast to be dubbed Creative Loafing Magazine critics’ choice for “Best Local Singer/Songwriter” and to live on the family farm in Mansfield.
From the highest-minded church revivals to the lowest honky tonk dives, on television and radio the hard driving bluegrass and humorous original songs consistently amuse their audiences.
Playing banjo, mandolin and harmonica, John Nipper is a native to Newton County Ga. He gave up bicycle motocross to save his fingers for music.
Originally from the Chicago area, Dave Ross plays the big blue upright bass and the dobro. Sadly he received a banjo for his eleventh birthday and hasn’t been the same since.
The Apostles of Bluegrass show has consistently amused audiences by delivering their quirky renditions of both cherished traditional music and highly original compositions. Come see what all the fuss is about! More about the Apostles here: www.apostlesofbluegrass.com/
KEVIN SPEARS
![Kevin-Spears](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Kevin-Spears-230x300.png)
For a rare and special treat, Fiddler’s Green audiences will be delighted by the music of Kevin Spears, a local master of the kalimba or thumb piano. The thumb piano is plucked instrument, common throughout the sub saharan region of Africa. Considered by many as one of the best kalimba players alive today, Kevin’s musical gifts have astounded audiences around the world and rewritten what is possible on this exotic instrument.
Kevin has teamed up with Grammy winning percussionist Count M’Butu of the Derek Trucks Band to form a dynamic world fusion duo called Rhythm Nomadic and has worked with and/or opened for artists such as: India Arie, Eric Benet, Victor Wooten, Arrested Development, Toubab Krewe, Col. Bruce Hampton, Richard Smith (guitarist for Earth, Wind and Fire), , Vinx, Mamadou Doumbia (of Salif Keita band), Epizo Bangoura, Jhelisa Anderson, Yonrico Scott (of Derek Trucks Band), Moziak (of Fela Kuti) and Divinity (bassist for Beyonce).
Spears’ blinding skill and musical creativity are often compared to innovative legends such as Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix and Les Paul among others and his uncanny ability to play multiple musical and percussive ideas simultaneously in a live setting is iconic, pure and simple. The opportunity to enjoy such a special night of music is something Fiddler’s Green audiences will surely never forget.
July 21, 2012
SIX SIRENS OF SONG PERFORM AT FIDDLER’S GREEN
![band_photo_Suzy_Schultz](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Suzy_Schultz.jpg)
![band_photo_Barbara_Hotz (1)](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Barbara_Hotz-1.jpg)
![band_photo_Heidi_Pollyea](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Heidi_Pollyea.jpg)
![band_photo_Ashley_Filip](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Ashley_Filip.jpg)
![band_photo_Allison_Adams](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Allison_Adams.jpg)
![band_photo_Cyndi_Craven](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Cyndi_Craven.jpg)
Six of Atlanta’s finest female singer/songwriters and acoustic players will join forces to present an exquisite musical evening “in the round”. The performances will feature the rich alto voice and infectious song stylings of acclaimed acoustic music veteran Cyndi Craven; the country comfort and velvet voiced vocals of Allison Adams; words and melodies to melt your soul from the beautiful Ashley Filip; a sampling of Latin American song and spice from our resident red-head, Ms. Barbara Hotz; and a little bit of everything else to make up the “funky folk” of Fiddler’s own Heidi Pollyea.
These gals all sing, write and play many instruments between them including acoustic guitar, mandolin, ukelele, concertina, keyboards and good ol’ hand percussion.
As a special treat, the songwriters will be joined by the noted artist and only partially closeted musician Suzy Schultz, who will grace the stage and embellish many of the evening’s selections with flute,cello and/or vocal accompaniment.
So much talent~so little time. Don’t miss what is sure to be a very special evening!
Photo of Cyndi Craven
Cyndi Craven
http://cyndicravenmusic.com/
Photo of Allison Adams
Allison Adams
http://allisonadamsmusic.com/site/
Photo of Ashley Filip
Ashley Filip
http://www.myspace.com/ashleyfilip
Photo of Heidi Pollyea
Heidi Pollyea
http://www.reverbnation.com/heidipmusic
Photo of Barbara Hotz
Barbara Hotz
Photo of Suzy Schultz
Suzy Schultz
http://www.myspace.com/suzyschultz
June 16, 2012
KIM AND DAVID CHAMBERLAIN
![band_photo_chamberlands](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_chamberlands.jpg)
Kim and David Chamberlain are a husband and wife guitar/vocal/and clarinet duo known as Bright Moments. They perform classic jazz standards from the Great American Songbook in a way that makes an evening sparkle with gentle ambiance. David delights any crowd with his humor and affable nature, not to mention his meticulous attention to guitar tone and song arrangement. When he graces audiences with his singing as well as his exquisite playing, it provides some of the most charming moments in their set.
Having said that, Kim is a vocal powerhouse that just happens to also play the heck outta the clarinet. She is warm and inviting, fabulous enough to act the “Diva” but never does. Kim will remind you of your best friend – or at the very least, the one you wish you had. Bright Moments are amongst Fiddler’s Green’s favorites so don’t miss the chance to enjoy them at the show on Saturday June 16th from 8-9pm.
Kim Chamberlain – Vocalist/Clarinetist
David Chamberlain – Guitarist/Vocalist
http://www.gigmasters.com/Jazz-Duo/brightmoments/
CARLY GIBSON
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In the music world, Carly Gibson is what you would call a triple threat. She not only composes soulful and sophisticated music, she also sings beautifully and plays a mean acoustic guitar. Carly may be young but she sports an old soul. Carly picked up the guitar at the age of 12 and has rarely put it down.
Her music resonates with the flavors that reflect her own diverse musical tastes and influences including such songwriter/performers as Caroline Aiken, Paula Cole, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Tori Amos. Carly’s 2010 debut EP, Heavy Water, is available through her website at carlygibson.net. Although Carly can be found performing all over the southeast region in many different configurations, the Fiddler’s Green audiences will be delighted to experience the special harmonic melding unique to family members who sing together.
In this case (and you won’t believe it when you see her!), Carly will be joined by her mother … the also talented and lovely Teresa Powell. If you don’t know who Carly Gibson and Teresa Powell are yet, you certainly will soon so don’t miss the chance to enjoy them for the second set at Fiddler’s Green on June 16th from 9:15-10:15pm.
More on Carly Gibson here: www.carlygibson.net.
May 19, 2012
CULLITON, DEAN AND LLOYD
![band_photo_CullitonDeanLloyd](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_CullitonDeanLloyd.jpg)
Eclectic acoustic instrumentals and vocals, from high-energy tunes to engaging ballads, performed by three of the area’s elite players. Leader Jim Culliton is a local professional musician highly acclaimed for his virtuosity on various acoustic instruments, in genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz.
Musical diversity and virtuosity are the hallmarks of this group.
Professional musician Jim Culliton is well known to many AAFFM members as a wizard on guitar and other instruments. He performs genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz, sprinkling in his own charming original songs and tunes. Jim organizes live bluegrass and traditional music for the weekly Sunday brunch at RIRA Irish pub in midtown. He offers private lessons in guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and bass. For more info: (404) 298-5057.
HOTLANTA TRIO
![band_photo_Hotlanta_Trio](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Hotlanta_Trio.jpg)
For Great Music & Lots of Fun let the Hotlanta Trio set your feet firmly on Bourbon Street in Old New Orleans. You’ll experience every bit of the joy, energy, and humor of that early American Jazz called Dixieland. Songs from Fats Waller, Hoagy Carmichael, Louie Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, plus many old favorites like “Sweet Georgia Brown”, “Royal Garden Blues”, “Hard Hearted Hannah”, and “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In” are all part of Hotlanta’s musical treat.
Stop in to enjoy the great vocals from our banjo player Bill Rutan, and that wonderful solid bass from our tuba player Hal Johnson, and clarinetist Don Erdman provides added color when he brings along his soprano, tenor, and baritone saxophones!
More info at: www.hotlantajazz.com/pages/trio.html.
April 21, 2012
PAUL PENDERY AND HEIDI POLLYEA
![band_photo_paul_pendery](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_paul_pendery.jpg)
Paul Pendery is a singer songwriter from the folk tradition. His stories and performance style are clearly influenced by time spent in Texas, the Great Northwest, Appalachia and the Deep South. His guitar playing is solid and percussive, which provides the perfect backdrop for his rich and expressive voice. The results are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, but always entertaining.
![band_photo_heiei_pollyea](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_heiei_pollyea.jpg)
Heidi Pollyea is a singer/songwriter Atlanta, Georgia. If pressed, she might coin her music as “funky folk. She plays both keyboards and guitar, and her original songs and personalized renditions of classic favorites will definitely make you want to sing and dance along! If you enjoy Carole King, Linda Rondstadt, Shawn Colvin, Michael McDonald or Billy Preston – she’s one not to be missed! Heidi is also known for her accomplishments as a degreed private voice, piano guitar, songwriting and music theory instructor and her love of and dedication to animals – especially dogs!
THE SPLIT LEVELS
![band_photo_split_levels](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_split_levels.jpg)
The Split Levels were formed in Atlanta two years ago when a few friends decided to jam together “just for fun”. The resulting musical magic soon took on a life of its own and now Split Levels performances are in high demand! With a delightful mix of contemporary and traditional favorites performed on a variety of instruments with both guy and gal lead and harmony vocals, this group provides a little something for everyone. The Split Levels are: Jean Whichard – lead guitar and vocals, Susan Rutherford – keyboard, vocals, mandolin, guitar and percussion, Michael Hester – bass, Richard Gess – drums, Michael Kidd – lead vocals and rhythm guitar.
March 17, 2012
YOUTH FOR YOUTH & FRIENDS
The opening act for this evening will be Youth For Youth & Friends ( Y4Y). This is a FABULOUS group of young people ages 11-17 spearheaded by and featuring Felipe Soares age 11 on drums, Anthony “Malik” Compton age 12 on bass and rising starlet Sydney Rhame age 13 on vocals who will be joined by some guest singers (including Emma Bales and Joanna Benshoof both age 15) and instrumentalists sure to amaze the Fiddler’s Green audience.
THE IRISH BROTHERS
![The_Irish_Brothers](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The_Irish_Brothers-300x226.jpg)
The Irish Brothers are Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen. This is a unique team – Sandyman comes from the mountains Western North Carolina with the Captain hailing from the canyons of New York City. The two started performing together twenty-five years ago when they worked “suit” jobs at IBM. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material – their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the “new country” – from traditional Irish ballads, to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville, and a founding member of the band Cullowhee, that toured nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s/80s. George started singing and playing after his first visit to New York”s Greenwich Village in the mid-1960s. George honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. The team received the name “Irish Brothers” following a performance at The Folk Alliance several years ago in Memphis, Tennessee.
See also: www.sandymanflynn.com and www.gorddcymru.org/atlanta/music/cmd/hergen_george.htm.
November 19 , 2011
SARA GREY AND KIERON MEANS
![band_photo_sara_grey](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_sara_grey.jpg)
Welcome internationally acclaimed folk singer/musicians Sara Grey and Kieron Means for this month’s performance. For those not yet familiar with Sara Grey, she’s an American living in Scotland, where she has studied traditional Scottish song for many years. She and her son Kieron Means have traced the roots of Scottish songs to America and Canada and will be showing the links across the Atlantic by singing bits of Scottish versions while concentrating on singing the American versions. They will perform at Fiddler’s Green thanks to a grant to AAFFM from the Georgia Humanities Council.
Please see their excellent website: www.saragrey.net for bios and samples of their music. More info here: News Release.
June 18, 2011
VERONIKA JACKSON
![Veronika-Jackson](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Veronika-Jackson-298x300.jpg)
Veronika Jackson is one of the finest acoustic folk blues artist in the southeast region. Performing for folk festivals, music halls and community events she has traveled as far as France and back to the northeast regions entertaining many diverse audiences.
Her smooth strong expressive singing voice captures the audience right away and is accompanied by her clean piedmont style guitar picking, which is just what needed to back up her engaging performance.
She is called brave as she stands alone with her guitar and engage the audience with her presence and her performance.
http://www.veronikajackson.com/4.html
KING RICHARD’S SUNDAY BEST
![band_photo_kingrichardssundaybest](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_kingrichardssundaybest.jpg)
King Richard’s Sunday Best is not a very good band. Sure, when Atlanta-based musicians Evan Tyor and Luke McGinnis teamed up to form this ludicrously christened duo, they were told by their girlfriends and numerous family members that they were excellent. The phrases “That sounds nice”, and “wonderful potential!” were even thrown around. In reality, their music is full of tacky, confusing chord progressions, and annoyingly poetic lyrics. Add cellist Simon Reiter to the mix, and it becomes even worse. I mean seriously, who likes the cello?
Then along came some girl, who can’t even play anything (except kazoo). She just stands there and sings. Ok, so, it is rather interesting to see 9 or so instruments being played by 4 people… And yes, they play covers of your favorite songs, with beautiful harmonies and original instrumentation. Fine, they also write really catchy songs. But if you hear King Richard’s Sunday Best and consider it good music, you need to reconsider your taste. Hell, you probably also like The Beatles. Get a life.
Evan Tyor — Guitar, Ukulele, Bass Drum, Piano,
Luke McGinnis — Ukulele, Percussion, Mandolin, Piano, Xylophone, Guitar,
Simon Reiter — Cello, Gong, Percussion,
Jessie Lane — Vocals, Percussion, Kazoo
Joshua Orbulous — Vocals, theremin
http://www.myspace.com/kingrichardssundaybest
May 21, 2011
CAMERON HORNE
![band_photo_cameron_horne](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_cameron_horne.jpg)
Cameron Horne is excited about the opportunity to do a solo set featuring his original songs at this month’s
Fiddler’s Green CoffeEhouse.
He most recently played with local group Scribblin’ Jones.
BITSYLAND STRING BAND
![band_photo_bitsyland_string_band](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_bitsyland_string_band.jpg)
Bitsyland String Band – Music and humor guaranteed to make you laugh and tap your toes! Fiddle tunes, pop standards, gospel, and a touch of bluegrass…
Edwin Hall (guitar, mandolin, banjo and vocals), a native of southeastern Kentucky, uses his bent for humor to emcee the Band.
Rachel Friday (upright bass), an Alabama native, is a long-time fan of old-time and folk music. She formerly played bass with the sounds of Appalachia and banjo with an all-girl band, the Sugar Beats.
Ross Friedman (banjo, guitar, and vocals) and Teresa Friedman (mandolin, guitar, and vocals) bring their life-long love of folk music to the sound of our group. This husband and wife team provides close vocal harmony and sparkling instrumental work for every performance.
Dan Byrd (fiddle, banjo, and vocals), a native of mid-town Atlanta and a veteran of the Atlanta area old-time music scene, is capable on most of the traditional string instruments and uses his gift of humor and showmanship to enhance the show.
http://www.bitsyland.com/Bitsyland_Site/Welcome.html
KIM AND DAVID CHAMBERLAIN
![band_photo_chamberlands](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_chamberlands.jpg)
Photo of Kim and David ChamberlandKim and David Chamberlain – Bright Moments,(formerly known as “Your Parents”) is a guitar/vocal/and clarinet duo. They perform classic jazz standards from the Great American Songbook in a way that will make our Coffeehouse sparkle with gentle ambiance. This husband and wife team has a chemistry that creates a relaxed and intimate atmosphere just right for Fiddler’s Green!
Kim’s vocal style has been compared to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn or Diane Schuur. She has a warm rich vocal tone with a very wide range, and is able to tackle just about any tune with sparkle and charm. Her clarinet playing adds a beautiful contrast for variety, giving the duo a lot of bang for the buck. She also adds flute on some of the pair’s songs to add even more flavor.
Dave’s archtop guitar playing is fluid and full of energy. Always keying into the subtle nuances of the phrase and the feeling of the lyric, he is the supportive backbone of the duo. Dave sometimes joins Kim to share vocals as well. Kim and Dave’s Bright Moments tonight memorable and fun.
Kim Chamberlain – Vocalist/Clarinetist
David Chamberlain – Guitarist/Vocalist
http://www.gigmasters.com/Jazz-Duo/brightmoments/
April 16, 2011
DOC STOVALL & JERRY WARREN
Doc Stovall is a professional entertainer who provides musical entertainment as well as discussions of the origins of traditional cowboy music as it relates to the Western music we enjoy today.
Stovall also presents programs and conducts seminars on the writing and recitation of cowboy poetry. He traces the roots back to the beginnings of this phenomenon at the “back of the wagon” on the trail drives north to the rails.
A native Virginian, Doc has been associated with music most of his life. His earliest influences include the traditional music associated with the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountain areas of the South that was handed down from generation to generation since it’s inception in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.
He is well-known as a Western singer and cowboy poet throughout America, having performed in twenty-five of the fifty states. Honored in 2002 as Georgia’s Official Cowboy Balladeer by the Georgia State Legislature, he has entertained audiences both young and old as he strives to keep alive the history of the West in music and song. In November of 2004, Doc was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame, the first cowboy singer so honored.
JERRY WARREN
Jerry Warren, a cowboy poet and a fourth generation rancher, refers to Tennessee’s Cumberland foothills as home.
Performing across the United States, Jerry Warren is famous for his poignant, heartfelt cowboy poetry. Of course, he draws on his vast experience as a ranch hand and veteran of the rodeo circuit to support the reality of his writings. Jerry also presents traditional pieces by classic cowboy authors as well as contemporary cowboy poets. Sarcasm and wit along with pure nostalgia are featured in his works that audiences find easy to identify with.
Jerry Warren and friend Joel Hayes founded the Georgia Cowboy Poets association. His writings served to get him recognized by the Georgia State Senate as the “Official Cowboy Poet of the State of Georgia”. He and Doc Stovall often perform together. Their tongue-in-cheek performances of their original poetry and music, as well as traditional pieces with their own personal spin make them a much sought after act. He has performed at Elko and Carson City, Nevada and is a regular performer at various WestFest events.
HAGGIS & HOMINY
Haggis & Hominy formed as a trio in 2001 consisting of Laurie Simpson, her husband John, and Peggy Martin. Laurie and John brought to the group their close vocal harmony, guitar, Irish whistle, autoharp, concertina, and hurdy-gurdy. Peggy brought upright bass, lap dulcimer, and bowed dulcimer.
The trio’s vocal and instrumental repertoire includes traditional folk, Celtic, and some of John’s own original songs. Haggis & Hominy has played for Dulcimer Week at the Swannanoa Gathering in North Carolina as well as numerous venues across Georgia. Its members have also performed with other groups in Georgia and as far away as Newport, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. Recently the trio lost John Simpson to brain cancer and has regrouped, for now, as a duo.
“Tonight we want to showcase that magical sound an autoharp and a dulcimer can have when played together, as well as, Laurie’s Singing,” they say. Peggy hopes to soon add her fiddle to their instrumentation.
March 19, 2011
ELISE WITT “Global, Local & Homemade Songs”
A concert with Elise takes listeners on a glorious and rollicking journey, visiting lands of gypsy jazz, smoky cabarets, and funky swing, as well as a capella vocalises and poignant ballads. The producer of the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage calls Elise Witt “a performer to remember with international savvy & personal charm.”
Elise was born in Switzerland, raised in North Carolina, and since 1977 has made her home in Atlanta. She speaks five languages fluently, sings in over a dozen more, and has been a cultural ambassador to South Africa, Italy, Nicaragua, Switzerland, and China. A songwriter and composer, she recently premiered the Elise Witt Choral Series, and has just released Valise, her 11th recording for EMWorld Records. Elise has studied with vocal masters Bobby McFerrin, Rhiannon, and Ysaye Barnwell, and she sang for 20 years with Robert Shaw in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Chorus. Elise has earned a reputation as a masterful educator, encouraging even the shyest singers to revel in their voices.
As a Teaching Artist, she works with students in elementary schools through universities, as well as with professional ensembles and community groups. Her workshops and concerts use music as a language to celebrate our cultural diversity while appreciating our connections as one human family. She is a longtime AAFFM member and advocate, and her concerts are famous for turning audiences (even self-professed “non-singers”) into a glorious chorus.
More about Elise at her website: http://www.elisewitt.com and on YouTube
DEIDRE McCALLA
From the moment Deidre takes the stage, her engaging presence and irresistible blend of folk, country, rock, and pop seize the listeners by the heart and won’t let go.
Deidre McCalla came of age in the fiery blaze of NYC’s folk heyday – a time when Greenwich Village clubs were filled with the likes of Dylan, Baez, and Ochs; a time when Motown ruled the top of the charts and the streets of America screamed with anger and civil unrest. Her first album, Fur Coats and Blue Jeans, was released when Deidre was 19 and a student at Vassar College. With a theater degree tucked under her belt and an acoustic guitar tossed in the back of a battered Buick station wagon, Deidre McCalla hit the proverbial road and never looked back. Deidre later majored in jazz guitar at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and released three albums with the pioneering women’s music label Olivia Records.
More about Deidre on her website: http://deidremccalla.com/ and all over YouTube
February 19, 2011
THE NEARLY NORMAL STRING BAND
The Nearly Normal String Band features Viva and Neil Araki playing an eclectic variety of musical genres, including Blues, bluegrass style, old time (Appalachian), ragtime, contemporary/60’s folk, country blues, and Celtic. Both Neil and Viva play fingerstyle guitar. Neil also flatpicks guitar, and plays fiddle and mandolin. Viva plays old time banjo and sings. They met at a pickin’ party of a mutual friend 23 years ago, and immediately discovered a common love for fingerstyle guitar, BB King, and Doc Watson. Neil has been a blues fan since his college days, and has played in bluegrass bands over the years. Viva fell in love with Joan Baez while taking classical guitar, and that was the end of a promising career as a classical guitarist (doesn’t she wish!). They both began playing guitar as children. They have played weddings, funerals, birthday parties, campgrounds, coffeehouses, music festivals, and the Old Courthouse in Blairsville. Contact them via email at: nearlynormalband@att.net
DAVID LEINWEBER
David Leinweber will be doing a mix of originals and traditionals, including a few songs that were inspired by the great old television show Dark Shadows!
David Leinweber has played in a wide variety of venues and musical styles, ranging from rock, to blues, to folk, to gospel. In both 2006 and 2009 he was featured as the “Flatpicking Professor” Dr. Leinweber at the Scottish Bluegrass Association Festival in Guildtown, Scotland and has also performed widely at regional acoustic music festivals in the South. He has shared the stage with many fine musicians.
Leinweber’s eclectic approach to music entails many influences — Dylan, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Neil Young, The Dead, Clapton, Norman Blake and Doc Watson. Possessing a voluminous repertoire, he loves the singer-songwriter heritage of the sixties and seventies, popular songs, country and bluegrass, rock, and traditional folk music from both North America and the British Isles. Reviews and publications have variously called him as an “expert guitarist,” as a “master of the fingerpicking and flatpicking styles of guitar,” and as a “seriously talented acoustic musician.” He has been described as a “nuanced and mature songwriter” whose songs have a “great hook, unforgettable melody and a great chorus.”
Dr. Leinweber has taught piano and guitar for 25 years. He has extensive experience as a studio musician, as a songwriter, and as an arranger. In addition to his solo efforts, he has performed on many records, demos, and CDs by other artists. His music has been featured on radio and in many concerts throughout the Atlanta area. His original songs on topics ranging from Deadheads, to growing up in Detroit, to the old teleivison program Dark Shadows are always popular. http://www.davidleinweber.com/
MRS. SCHMALTZ & HER KOSMOPOLITAN KLEZTET
Mrs. Schmaltz offers up an eclectic blend of international music, with a particular focus on Yiddish, Klezmer, Eastern European, and Ladino. Lively, festive, and hauntingly beautiful, this music, which is deeply rooted in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, has had a heavy influence on American popular and jazz music. The rich melodies stemming from the Klezmer, Yiddish and Sephardic tradition are timeless in their appeal, and have served as an inspiration to such American music giants as George Gershwin, Benny Goodman, Burt Bacharach, and Stephen Sondheim.
Mrs. Schmaltz a/k/a vocalist Nancy Gaddy and her Kosmopolitan Kleztet — featuring Dave Cooper on guitar and banjo, Vinny Aleandri on accordion and Greg Caregeorge on bass — will present a diverse and boisterous blend of world music to include gypsy jazz, borscht belt classics, Yiddish gems, Middle Eastern melodies and traditional klezmer tunes that will have audiences young and old singing, dancing and partying along.
January 15 , 2011
THE JIM CULLITON TRIO
Eclectic acoustic instrumentals and vocals, from high-energy tunes to engaging ballads, performed by three of the area’s elite players. Leader Jim Culliton is a local professional musican highly acclaimed for his virtuosity on various acoustic instruments, in genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz.
Musical diversity and virtuosity are the hallmarks of The Jim Culliton Trio. Three of the Atlanta area’s most accomplished acoustic musicians perform eclectic acoustic instrumentals and vocals, from high-energy tunes to engaging ballads.
Professional musician Jim Culliton is well known to many AAFFM members as a wizard on guitar and other instruments. He performs genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz, sprinkling in his own charming original songs and tunes. Jim organizes live bluegrass and traditional music for the weekly Sunday brunch at RIRA Irish pub in midtown. He offers private lessons in guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and bass. For more info: (404)298-5057.
RHYTHM RANCH
Western music and cheeky humor from a new group anchored by Berné Poliakoff and Kathleen Hatfield, two members of the beloved all female western band, Cowboy Envy. With bassist/vocalist L.A. “Darn” Tuten and fiddler/vocalist Leah Calvert, Rhythm Ranch delivers dynamic performances filled with wonderful music and great humor, delighting audiences of all ages.
Berné Poliakoff (aka Frenchy) and Kathleen Hatfield (aka Buffalo K) were the lead singers of the hugely popular all female western band, Cowboy Envy. Their work has garnered much praise and multiple awards, including the “Best Harmony” award from the Western Music Association (twice). Their vocals have been described as “heavenly…with harmonies to die for” (Atlanta Journal Constitution). Together, Frenchy and Buffalo K have performed at festivals and concerts from Alaska to South Carolina. Their history has been highlighted by appearances at Spoleto Festival, Detroit Arts Festival, Music Midtown and two concerts at the Kennedy Center. They have toured with The Indigo Girls and performed with numerous acts including Riders in the Sky, Shelby Lynn, Confederate Railroad and Sweethearts Of The Rodeo.
Rhythm Ranch was heartbroken by the passing of their amazing fiddle player and exquisite human being,“Alamo” Al Pieper. Together with their extraordinary bassist/vocalist, L.A. “Darn” Tuten and the supremely talented and lovely Leah Calvert on fiddle and vocals, they hope to keep Al’s beautiful spirit alive. Rhythm Ranch delivers dynamic performances filled with wonderful music and great humor, delighting audiences of all ages. For more info: www.rhythmranch.com
Thursday, December 6, 2007
An AAFFM Special Edition Concert
SPARKY AND RHONDA RUCKER
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. Sparky Rucker has been performing over forty years and is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and author. He accompanies himself with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo, and spoons. Rhonda Rucker is an accomplished harmonica, piano, banjo, and bones player, and also adds vocal harmonies to their songs.
Sparky and Rhonda are sure to deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, slave songs, Appalachian music, spirituals, ballads, work songs, Civil War music, cowboy music, railroad songs, and a few of their own original compositions.
Sparky and Rhonda have numerous recordings, and their 1991 release, Treasures and Tears, was nominated for the W.C. Handy Award for Best Traditional Recording. They have also contributed music to the syndicated television miniseries The Wild West (directed by Keith Merrill). Sparky’s unique renditions of John Henry and Jesse James were used in the National Geographic Society’s 1994 video entitled Storytelling in North America. Sparky Rucker has also appeared on numerous radio programs, including National Public Radio’s Morning Edition, Prairie Home Companion, and Mountain Stage. He also performed in Carry It On and Amazing Grace: Music in America, two videos produced by the Public Broadcasting System.
Sparky is a natural storyteller, having grown up hearing his father, uncles, and other family members endlessly telling tales. Sparky tells stories by himself, but Sparky and Rhonda also tell stories together (in tandem), always adding life and humor to the characters and tricksters in their Brer Rabbit tales, Jack tales, High John the Conqueror stories, preacher tales, and family stories.
“Sparky Rucker is unique! He’ll make you glad to be alive and struggling.” Pete Seeger
See www.sparkyandrhonda.com for more information. See www.eddiesattic.com for information on how to purchase a ticket. Note that AAFFM members will receive a $2 discount off food and drink order (per table) upon presentation of your current AAFFM newsletter with address label attached.
October 27, 2007
BRYAN BOWERS
“Bryan Bowers is more than the finest autoharp player on the circuit today. He’s a great songwriter and singer, a wonderful storyteller and a delightful guy to spend an evening with. And not incidentally, he revolutionized the autoharp…not just how we all play, but retuning and redesigning to a point that nearly every builder and player today is in his debt. I know I am.” — John McCutcheon
From his rather unglamorous beginning as a street singer, Bryan Bowers has become a major artist on the traditional music circuit. He has redefined the autoharp and is also well known as a singer-songwriter. Bryan has a dynamic outgoing personality and an uncanny ability to enchant a crowd in practically any situation. His towering six foot four inch frame can be wild and zany on stage while playing a song like `Dixie’ and five minutes later he can have the same audience singing `Will The Circle Be Unbroken’ in quiet reverence and delight.
For nearly three decades, Bryan Bowers has been to the autoharp what Earl Scruggs was to the five-string banjo. He presents instrumental virtuosity combined with warmth, eloquence, expression and professionalism. He has a technique DVD and eight albums including his new storytelling CD, “September in Alaska .”
Bowers’ creativity and talent have won him induction into Frets Magazine’s First Gallery of the Greats after five years of winning the stringed instrument, open category of the magazine’s readers’ poll. This distinction put Bowers along side other luminaries, such as Chet Atkins, David Grisman, Stephan Grappelli, Itzhak Perlman, Tony Rice, Rob Wasserman and Mark O’Connor, recognized for their personal accomplishments. In 1993, Bryan was inducted into the Autoharp Hall of Fame to stand only with Maybelle Carter, Kilby Snow, and Sara Carter. See www.bryanbowers.com for more information about this wonderful performer.
November 18, 2006
LOU AND PETER BERRYMAN
Lou and Peter Berryman have been performing together since the sixties, and have produced twelve albums of their original music. They blend Midwestern culture with intelligent observation in whimsical and wonderfully accessible performances. They have been compared to Tom Lehrer, Flanders and Swann, and Burns and Allen.
By the eighties, they had established themselves as a prominent feature of the songwriting subculture of Wisconsin’s capital, playing their original material every week for almost ten years in the run-down but trendy music room of Madison’s Club de Wash. They gained national attention with appearances on such programs as Public Radio’s A Prairie Home Companion, and NPR’s Weekend Edition. In 1999 and again in 2001 they were chosen to represent the state of Wisconsin with performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
Regular appearances at festivals and folk music clubs all across the country now serve as venues for the songs contained in their recordings and three songbooks. Their songs have been performed Garrison Keillor, Peggy Seeger, and Peter, Paul and Mary, to mention a few. The popularity of Lou and Peter Berryman is a testament to their intelligent and wickedly funny material that is never bawdy or risque, but is rich with word-play and witty images.
The duo is not to be missed! See their website at www.hometown.aol.com/berrymanp/
August 19, 2006
THE HUNGRY MONKS
The Hungry Monks perform traditional, contemporary, and original acoustic songs and instrumentals in the Celtic tradition on guitars, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, whistle, bohdran, and vocals. They draw from a wide range of influences, including Medieval & Renaissance, folk, blues, classical and jazz. This group combines strong original songs and instrumental compositions with an ear toward improvisation. The Hungry Monks weave a rich tapestry of sound, melodic and rhythmic, grounded in the folk traditions of many cultures. Combined with the traditions and techniques of Western classical music, this eclectic mix produces an exciting blend of acoustic sound and harmonious vocals.
The Hungry Monks, from Charleston SC , combine the creative talents of Hazel Ketchum and John Holenko. Hazel and John have played music together for more than 20 years and have been featured on TV and radio throughout the US . This group has performed in clubs and at contra dances as well as festivals and concert halls. The Hungry Monks have released several CD recordings on their own label, Hungry Monk Recordings. As well as being active performers, The Hungry Monks are music educators and publish their own work through Hungry Monk Publications. See their website at www.hungrymonkmusic.com.
Dirty Linen says, “The songs are mostly original first-person reflections with distinctive melodies and strong, creative accompaniment… a tasty combination of crisp, creative fiddle/ mandolin/guitar instrumentals… a dreamy, melodic fiddle piece that visits several peaceful musical neighborhoods… a lively, percussive reel that includes some hot mandolin improvisations.” Oct/Nov 2004 SING OUT Magazine says, “Ketchum holds great tension and expressiveness in her voice. Ketchum sings as if nothing else in the world matters.”
AMANDA KAPOUSOUZ
The Hungry Monks will be joined for this month’s Fiddler’s Green show by the multi-talented Athens, GA fiddler and singer-songwriter Amanda Kapousouz. Taking her band’s name from the tip cup dangling from her fiddle case, Amanda Kapousouz (aka the Tin Cup Prophette) is no stranger to the stage. Once hailing from New York City , this “busker extraordinaire” entertained thousands of commuters daily on subway platforms for small change. Working her way above ground, Amanda began to play with various bands in the city ranging in style from traditional Irish and heavy metal bluegrass to jazz, Dixieland, and rock-n-roll. She has composed music for modern dance, arranged music for film and toured extensively on the Irish music circuit.
Early this century (or was it late last century), Amanda moved to music-friendly Athens, GA to pursue her own creative work, and has appeared in the Atlanta/Athens area at Smith’s Olde Bar, the 40 Watt, and Eddie’s Attic. She will make her second appearance at the Kansas City Irish Festival this September. Amanda re-joins Hazel and John at this month’s Fiddler’s to perform material from their earlier Celtic/old-time work together in the band, Donnybrook Legacy, as well as material from the Hungry Monks’ CD “Organic Tangerines,” as well as other delightful offerings. See www.tincupprophette.com for more information on Amanda.
Special guests: Mike Simpson and Doug Murray — Mike Simpson is a local multi-instrumentalist and teacher on fiddler, Irish flute, tin whistle, guitar, tenor banjo and bodhran. A former member of The New Road and The Long Drop, Mike has performed at Atlanta Symphony Hall, the High Museum of Art, the Fox Theater, and numerous other venues around Atlanta. Mike is currently the music director of Irish Music Traditions.
Doug Murray is a veteran of the Atlanta traditional music scene. He plays bouzouki (a fairly new instrument to Irish music) and old time banjo. He has played with The New Road, The Buddy O’Reilly Band, Music in the Glen, and other Atlanta area groups, and he has accompanied most of the city’s Irish musicians at one time or another.
April 15, 2006
DAVID LAMOTTE
Fiddlers Green is delighted to welcome singer-songwriter David LaMotte as our feature performer for the April 15 show. A typical evening of performance with David includes everything from lyrically challenging, high-energy percussive songs in strange alternate tunings to more traditional songs of home, hope and inspiration. He weaves the evening together in a fabric of vivid – often hilarious – stories, and throws in an occasional impressive instrumental piece.
In the past fourteen years, David has released eight albums and performed over sixteen hundred shows in forty-five states and ten countries, sharing stages along the way with artists like Arlo Guthrie, Shawn Mullins, Buddy Miles, Gillian Welch, John Gorka, Jez Lowe and David Wilcox. In addition to performing throughout the U.S., David tours Europe almost every year. His three tours to Australia and New Zealand have included mainstage performances at Australia’s National Folk Festival and a spot as the headline act for the 2004 Auckland Folk Festival, the largest folk fest in New Zealand
He was also featured along with Bruce Springsteen, Aimee Mann, Ray Manzarek, Grace Slick and Suzanne Vega on the Songs Inspired By Literature, Chapter 1, a project to benefit adult literacy campaigns. His children’s recording, S.S. Bathtub, recently won its fourth national award, and work is in progress on a children’s book based on the title track.
Aside from being a new husband, touring, promoting his current CD and leading occasional workshops, David’s current passion is a new non-profit corporation he has created to aid Guatemalan schools, PEG (Proyecto para las Escuelas Guatemaltecas).
For more about David, visit his website at www.davidlamotte.com.
SHERI KLING
We are very pleased to welcome Sheri Kling back to the Fiddlers Stage. Sheri is an accomplished singer/songwriter, guitarist and long-time spiritual sojourner whose music—built on rich vocals and dynamic guitar—resonates with a certain organic authenticity that’s heart-rooted and spirit-seeking. Each song is another way of looking at what is real, what is true, and what invites us all into a more passionate and well-lived life.
With her rich voice and distinctive guitar style, Kling has been heard at such acclaimed venues as Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe, Atlanta’s Eddie’s Attic and Variety Playhouse, and many more across the country. Sheri is also developing new audiences through her “Music & Message” speaking engagements, “keynote concerts” and school-based Arts-in-Education programs, while women are responding enthusiastically to her “Waking Woman” celebrations and workshops. Visit Sheri’s website at www.sherikling.com.
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This is an archive of past Fiddler’s Green Coffeehouses. Peruse these pages to get a view of the artists that graced Fiddler’s in past Events. Also, if you attended one of these coffeehouses and want to know more about a performer you saw there, check the announcement for that month. You’ll find brief write-ups of the scheduled artists, and usually links to one or more websites that contain more information.
KATHY REED &
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ATLANTA MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA |
The Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra is the performing unit of the Atlanta Mandolin Society, Inc., established in 1994. AMS has been organized to perpetuate knowledge and appreciation of music written for the mandolin and related instruments. The Atlanta Mandolin Society is proud to have revived the mandolin orchestra in Atlanta. For over 30 years, beginning in the early 20th Century, there was a very fine mandolin orchestra in Atlanta under the direction of William Griffith. Mr. Griffith created quite a rage for the mandolin during the first decades of the previous century and is fondly remembered by many. The Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra is establishing its own history today under the direction of conductor Robb Smith. Robb has been a life-long musician and is a graduate of the Geneva Conservatory of Music, and has been with AMO since 1994. |
November 19, 2022
THE CUNNINGHAM/HENSON DUO
Guitarist Steve Cunningham and bassist Rob Henson formed a “duo of musical gumbo” to express an artistry separate from their careers as in-demand sidemen and session musicians. The Cunningham / Henson duo offers a unique instrumental approach where they present familiar melodies and songs of all styles in a way that sounds fresh, exciting and at the same time understated.
Steve Cunningham
One of the most in-demand guitarists on the Atlanta scene, Steve has played with Grammy winner Susan Tedeschi, long-time members of the James Brown band, and Grammy Award winner William Bell, as well as opening for Jeff Beck, Barenaked Ladies, Kool and the Gang, Dream Theatre, The Four Tops, Chuck Mangione, and Blondie. Steve is a first-call session player, playing on hundreds of local and national CD releases, TV and radio commercials, and movie soundtracks. He has recorded for Coca-Cola, Ford, IBM, Cartoon Network, Microsoft, CNN, NASCAR and others, as well as recording with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Rob Henson
Equally fluent in the musical styles of rock, jazz, bluegrass and classical, bassist Rob Henson has performed with an incredible diversity of artists such as The Who, Vince Gill, Shawn Mullins, the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, David Ryan Harris, The Atlanta Ballet, The Drifters, and Broadway tours of Wicked and Phantom of the Opera. From 2006 – 2012 Rob recorded and toured the United States with singer/songwriter Corey Smith and played over 150 shows a year. He has recorded 5 CDs, and opened for acts including ZZ Top, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Snoop Dog, and Merle Haggard. Currently Robert manages and leads the very popular Atlanta trio Lilac Wine, delighting audiences with three voices in harmony performing uniquely arranged songs of all genres and elegantly backed by a driving acoustic guitar and a punchy upright bass.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/
Rick Diamond
Rick Diamond has always been a writer: short stories in third grade, co-writing his first structurally sound song, “Follow Me,” in eighth grade with band mate Steve Hagler. (Imagine two kids urging the world to follow them… Where to, the playground?) In his late teens and early 20s, Rick wrote a few songs for his Illinois rock band. In his 30s he wrote his first novel — long before he had anything worth saying. In his early 40s he wrote his second novel; and then five years later when he got the nerve up to submit it to a New York literary agent he met at a writers’ conference, he landed a deal and lost a deal all within three weeks. Not one to try harder, he turned his hand to screenwriting and knocked out a couple of movie scripts and then a TV pilot. Then wanting to know what happened to those characters, he wrote nine more episodes. During all those years, Rick managed to write more than a hundred songs about love, life, politics, and whatever else at that moment was bothering him.
Rick Diamond has played in venues from Illinois to New York, from Florida to Tennessee, from one Carolina to the next, from Texas to Alabama, and here in Georgia for more than a few years. His songs can be sampled and downloaded at Rick Diamond Reverbnation and listened to in better fidelity at writersroomcafe.com — but only if you have great big studio monitors for speakers on your computer (seriously, don’t do the phone thing).
www.reverbnation.com/
www.writersroomcafe.com
October 15, 2022
THE 4-MAN STRING BAND TRIO
The 4-Man String Band Trio combines the vocal and instrumental talents of three seasoned musicians with ties to Atlanta: Charles Absher on guitar, Clark Brown on mandolin and guitar, and George Eckard on guitar, banjo, mandolin, and harmonicas. Their Fiddler’s Green set will include Americana-style original songs by Absher and Eckard. George Eckard’s 2021 CD release Love the Land and Charles Absher’s 2018 CD release This Garden of Sunshine and Rain showcase their songwriting talents.
Since its inception in 2019, the group has appeared at various venues in the area, including Waller’s Coffee Shop, Lena’s Place, and Intown Coffee House, and at Woodlands Garden, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Briarlake Forest Park, and Frazier-Rowe Park. They also have played at the Central Dekalb Senior Center and a number of area retirement communities and were the subject of an article in Senior Living magazine in 2021.
https://www.facebook.com/
Veronika Jackson started her music career singing in school choirs at the age of ten. She was raised by a musically influenced family in St. Petersburg, Florida. In her teens, her love for acoustic folk and R&B music grew as she followed such artists as Odetta, Dolly Parton, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Joan Baez, Ella Fitzgerald, and, later, Diamond Teeth Mary, a blues performer who inspired many folk artists through her performances at the Florida Folk Festival.
Veronika has combined acoustic folk music and R&B to create her own unique music. She has shared her musical talents with audiences at venues and festivals throughout the South and Northeastern states and across the Atlantic Ocean.
The Woman I Am, her latest CD, is a compilation of her original compositions and some favorite songs she enjoys performing. Her reputation as an entertainer and consummate artist continues to grow. Her stage presence and sound have a sincerity that will grace your heart. Her performances take you to another place and time.
Critics have called Veronika’s appeal contagious, always leaving audiences wanting more. The joy she feels as an artist comes from knowing that her music – whether an old folk song, a blues composition, or an old spiritual – entertains and brings joy and hope to people’s lives.
https://veronikajackson.com/
KATHY REED &
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ATLANTA MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA |
The Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra is the performing unit of the Atlanta Mandolin Society, Inc., established in 1994. AMS has been organized to perpetuate knowledge and appreciation of music written for the mandolin and related instruments. The Atlanta Mandolin Society is proud to have revived the mandolin orchestra in Atlanta. For over 30 years, beginning in the early 20th Century, there was a very fine mandolin orchestra in Atlanta under the direction of William Griffith. Mr. Griffith created quite a rage for the mandolin during the first decades of the previous century and is fondly remembered by many. The Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra is establishing its own history today under the direction of conductor Robb Smith. Robb has been a life-long musician and is a graduate of the Geneva Conservatory of Music, and has been with AMO since 1994. |
August 20, 2022
ALEX COMMINS & TODD PRUSIN
Alex Commins and Todd Prusin are well-known in the Atlanta music scene. Alex was an original member of AAFFM and has played for years in bluegrass groups, including 15 years with The Sorghum Syrup Soppers Old-Time String Band. He has also played in many diverse musical situations, from the Galax Old-Time Fiddler’s Convention to rock and roll bands. Todd started out drumming in high school bands and has since played professionally as a drummer, guitarist, and bassist. He has played various Atlanta venues with such bands as Charm School, Stickfight, The Barrow Boys, Prusin Reep Jones, The Serenaders, The Porch Bottom Boys, and Suspicious Package.
Alex and Todd met at Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch in the Ohio River Valley. The love and respect for music that was germinated blossomed into a musical embrace here in Atlanta, an embrace that seems to grab and include those within earshot. The interplay between Alex’s acoustic fingerpicking and Todd’s melodic bass guitar has garnered very positive notices.
Georgia Grass is one of the longest-running and most venerable bluegrass bands in Georgia. Founded in 1973 by guitarist Dan Daniel, Georgia Grass has played many bluegrass festivals throughout Georgia and the Southeast, as well as various clubs and private events in and around Atlanta. In 1976 Georgia Grass was chosen to play for the grand opening of the Georgia World Congress Center. Today Georgia Grass is still going strong as a local bluegrass powerhouse. Its three members have all been inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame.
Band leader Dan Daniel plays acoustic guitar and sings lead vocals on most of their songs. Dan is the President of the Southeastern Bluegrass Association and a lifetime member of the Bonded Brothers of Bluegrass. His awards include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Atlanta Society of Entertainers and the Fiddlin’ John Carson Award for his contributions to the music industry in the State of Georgia.
James McKinney is considered one of the world’s foremost masters of the five-string banjo. James has played both on stage and in recordings with great artists such as Bill Monroe, Vassar Clements, and John Hartford, among many others. He received the Musician’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the Atlanta Society of Entertainers in 2018. Niki Portmann plays upright bass and also sings vocals. She is an accomplished and respected bass artist of many years. Niki was awarded the Musician’s Lifetime Achievement Award by the Atlanta Society of Entertainers in 2018.
Georgia Grass is a modern bluegrass band with roots deep in traditional bluegrass and Americana folk but with a refreshing and modern take on many traditional favorites as well as original works.
July 16, 2022
JOHN CABLE & THE GEORGIA MOUNTAIN STRING BAND
John Cable is a veteran musician who began his career in the late 60s. After serving as lead guitarist and vocalist for Texas country rock pioneers Colours, John became a member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. In 1977 they became the first American band in history to perform in the Soviet Union. John became the first American to lecture at the Moscow Conservatory of Music on the history of Western Blues and Rock music.
John has performed on The Tonight Show, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, The Midnight Special, Austin City Limits and the Grand Ole Opry. He has performed in some of the great concert venues, as well, including Wolftrap, Carnegie Hall and Red Rocks. John is currently playing and touring with John McEuen and The String Wizards.
John is excited to be bringing the Georgia Mountain Stringband to accompany him at Fiddler’s Green. Formed in 2015 by Jason Waller, the Georgia Mountain Stringband has quickly become one of the leading original Bluegrass acts in the Southeast. The group was recently voted Best Bluegrass Band in Atlanta for 2019 by Creative Loafing readers.The 5-piece is stacked with Waller on guitar, David Stephens on banjo, Brendan Held on fiddle, Eddie Kesler on mandolin and Robert Green on upright bass.
www.johncable.com
https://pleaserock.com/tribute/georgia-mountain-string-band/
The multi-instrumental gifted talent of Jim Culliton has delighted Fiddlers Green audiences for many years. In Clear Creek, Jim’s mandolin, fiddle and vocals share the stage with Joel Glogowski (upright bass) and Russell Weeks (guitar/vocals). This high-energy trio offers an eclectic blend of different genres, mixing instrumental improvisation with traditional sounds and vocals.
Jim has played at the Fox Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. He was one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement – incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, classical, and vocals. With the formation of Clear Creek, he leads a trio that continues to deliver a truly innovative, entertaining, and dynamic acoustic sound.
jimcullitonmusic.com
Facebook: Jim Culliton & Clear Creek
June 18, 2022
The Reel Sisters offer an intimate performance of tunes and stories from the Celtic lands and Appalachia. Harp, pipes, whistle, and voice combine to create a magical Celtic soundscape full of both joy and mystery.
The Reel Sisters are a duo steeped in the musical tradition of Scottish harp and smallpipes. Piper Rosalind Buda and harpist Kelly Brzozowski share lifetimes of experience in the traditional music community and the technical expertise of classical training. A duo since 2018, The Reel Sisters have performed stage shows, festivals, and house concerts from New Mexico to New York. They have been heard multiple times on Pan Harmonia’s Celtic Corner Series and have been featured at the acclaimed Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC, the Red Clay Theater in Duluth, GA, and the Atlanta Celtic Christmas concert at the Rialto. Rosalind and Kelly are professional educators as well as performers and are in demand as clinicians at harp and bagpipe workshops across the US.
The Reel Sisters’ music is uplifting, stirring, and just sweet fun. Their approachable, lighthearted personalities create a unique and intimate musical experience that connects them deeply with the spirit of the music and with their audiences.
reelsistersmusic.com
Harm’s Way began back in the 1970s. Scot Boze, Dennis Keefe, and Harmon Koeltz had been playing guitar-driven music at each other’s homes, parties, and the like when they began playing an after-hours place called Little Annie Fannies. They split $7.50 a night and dined on chili, spaghetti, and milkshakes, which was about all the place had to offer. A patron one evening heard them and must have liked them, as he offered them a gig at Billy Lothridge’s Taco Kid in Sandy Springs. They needed a name to go up on the marquee, and Dennis named the group Harm’s Way. The pay was better, and they had beer!
More parties, and even more practice followed. Dennis was a jock at WPLO-FM and had access to the studio where we could go on the weekends or after hours and record our music. More parties and jams followed. Then they got serious and started contacting venues and began performing. Through the years, new members joined the group while others left, mostly to return. They were now playing coffee shops, wineries, restaurants, corporate events, private events, festivals, and all the local monthly concert series, including Fiddler’s Green. They perform with conviction, a sense of humor, and rich harmonies. While they don’t take themselves too seriously, they do take the music very seriously and feel it is to be enjoyed and shared. They are available for house concerts, yacht christenings, shuttle launch parties, etc. and would love to play your next event.
On a somber note, Scot’s last performance was right here in February of 2020, just before the pandemic. He was taken by Covid that summer. The line-up for Fiddler’s Green will be Phil Griffin, Barbara Hotz, Jonathan McBee, Harmon Koeltz, and making her debut with the group, Liz Bradley.
May 21, 2022
THE RESONANT ROGUES
Asheville, North Carolina’s genre hopping songwriters, The Resonant Rogues, have been winning over audiences worldwide with their signature blend of string band music since 2013. Following their musical inspirations from the Appalachian mountains to the Balkans, through Paris by way of New Orleans, their original songs speak to the heart with poetic lyrics, and appeal to the ears with stellar musicianship and arrangement.
CHARLEY WOODS
A Nashville native, recording artist Charley Woods is making a lasting impact on the music mecca she calls home. With her instantly identifiable voice and her stylistic blend of contemporary folk and Americana, she is in a league all her own. She has performed and collaborated with many talented and influential figures in today’s country music including Brad Paisley, Chris Young, David Nail, Wil Nance, Mark Nesler, and many more. Since releasing her second single “Half The Girl.” Charley has proven herself as one of Nashville’s must-watch artists.
Charley last performed at Fiddler’s Green in January 2019. She has been garnering attention and praise since high school, at none other than the prestigious Nashville School of the Arts. Already a mainstay in the Nashville songwriters’ community, Charley’s dream is to share her songs with the world.
April 16, 2022
CLAUDIA NYGAARD
Claudia Nygaard is a mesmerizing storyteller and a cinematic lyricist who writes songs that are heartfelt, humorous, scrappy, and sensual, And she does so with a daredevil’s vulnerability and a complete lack of self-censorship. Nygaard, with her powerful, resonant, and deeply emotive amber honey voice, is a master at putting a tear in your eye with a song that breaks your heart; and then with a quick wit and an outlandish sense of humor, she’ll replace it with tears of laughter.
Claudia is a quick witted and charismatic performer, with a twinkle in her eye that convinces everyone in her audience that she is sharing a secret with them alone. And her storytelling doesn’t end when the song does. Sharing both the inspiration behind the tunes, and also frequently creating outlandish, irreverent, and humorous monologues, her patter is as important a part of her performances as the songs themselves.
Building on the craft she learned while a staff songwriter on Nashville’s Music Row, she has won numerous awards including the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival Songwriting Competition, and with the title cut of her latest album “Lucky Girl”, the Tumbleweed Music Festival Songwriting Competition. “Lucky Girl” charted at #3 on the Folk Alliance Radio song chart and #5 on the album chart, and it gave her a significant debut on the Americana chart. It also received impressive reviews from the press. Legendary folk music magazine “Sing Out” claimed the songs “rival the likes of Guy Clark or Ian Tyson.”
www.claudinygaard.com
BLACKFOOT DAISY
Blackfoot daisies are hearty wild flowers that grow on the prairies of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. You can find them growing naturally in the Texas Blackland prairie, which runs from the Red River to the Texas-Oklahoma border. Blackfoot Daisy is a humble trio (sometimes duo) that plays original, Americana style music. Based in the Atlanta metro area, they describe themselves as “a little haunted by the prairie, the wind, the shifting of tall grasses, the sound of crickets, and a lonesome train whistle drifting through the night.”
The group consists of:
Don Sechelski – guitar, vocals, songwriting. Don has been writing and performing music for over 30 years. From Atlanta to New Orleans to Chicago and back to Atlanta still chasing the buffalo. Wendy DuMond – guitar, vocals, songwriting. Wendy has the soul of a poet and the vision of an artist. From Montana, through Oklahoma, to New York and back to Atlanta, she follows the bucking horse moon.; Tom Wolf – guitar, mandolin, vocals, songwriting. Tom has played so many venues around the city of Atlanta, it would be easier to list places he hasn’t played. Quick with a joke or a sizzling riff, Tom is the stick that stirs the drink.
www.blackfootdaisymusic.com
March 19, 2022
The Colcannon Society
![Colcannon Society](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Colcannon-Society-300x225.jpeg)
The Irish Brothers
![Irish Brothers](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Irish-Brothers-2016.jpg)
February 15, 2022
The Moon and You
The Moon and You is a charismatic husband-and-wife team based in Asheville NC. Melissa Hyman plays cello, Ryan Furstenberg plays guitar and banjo, and both sing in “voices that sound like they were made for one another” (Bill DeYoung, Connect Savannah). At once excitingly inventive and cozily familiar, the Moon & You has crafted a sound all their own.
Furstenberg and Hyman mix up a fresh blend of influences from very different backgrounds. Melissa grew up in the NYC area studying classical cello. Ryan was born and raised among the Eastern NC tobacco fields, learning classic country and 70s rock on harmonica and then guitar. His rich country baritone and easy Southern style bring an undeniable Americana flavor to the table.
Together, the two form a sound that is warm and inviting, atmospheric and playful. Each is a well developed songwriter with a distinctive voice, and their songs range in style from classic to quirky. their ever-evolving output encompasses a wide range of American roots music. Live on stage they are 100 percent themselves — funny, charming and slightly odd; communing with their audiences, warts and all. Their performances evoke joyful eruptions of laughter, occasional tears, and moments of breathless awe.
Photo: EvokeEmotion Photography
www.themoonandyou.com
Harm’s Way
Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together more than ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. For this performance Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koeltz on lead vocals and guitar, Scot Boze on vocals, and Jonathan McBee, bass player for Mockingbird’s Wing.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions. The core members of this group have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and – while they take music very seriously – don’t take themselves seriously at all!
www.reverbnation.com/
January 18, 2020
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker
Fiddler’s Green is delighted to ring in the New Year with a full concert by our old friends Sparky and Rhonda Rucker. The Ruckers perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. Sparky Rucker has been performing over forty years and is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and author. He accompanies himself with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo, and spoons. Rhonda Rucker is a musician, children’s author, storyteller, and songwriter. Her blues-style harmonica, piano, old-time banjo, and bones add musical versatility to their performances.
Sparky and Rhonda are sure to deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, slave songs, Appalachian music, spirituals, ballads, work songs, Civil War music, railroad songs, and a few of their own original compositions.
Over forty years of performing, Sparky and Rhonda have performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as NPR’s On Point, Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and Morning Edition. Their recording, Treasures & Tears, was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award, and their music is also included on the Grammy-nominated anthology, Singing Through the Hard Times.
The Ruckers have been featured tellers at the International Storytelling Center and Festival. Sparky is a natural storyteller, having grown up hearing his father, uncles, and other family members endlessly telling tales. Sparky and Rhonda each tell solo stories, but they also tell stories together (in tandem), always adding life and humor to the characters and tricksters in their Brer Rabbit tales, Jack tales, High John the Conqueror stories, preacher tales, and family stories.
AAFFM has presented Sparky and Rhonda many times over the years at Fiddler’s Green and other occasions. It’s always great to have them back!
December 21, 2019
Four Shillings Short
Four Shillings Short perform traditional and original music from the Celtic Lands, Medieval & Renaissance Europe, India and the Americas on over 30 instruments from all over the world. They include hammered and mountain Dulcimer, mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, tinwhistles, recorders, Medieval and Renaissance woodwinds, Native American flutes, North Indian sitar, charango, bowed psaltery, banjo, bodhran, guitar, ukelele, doumbek, percussion, vocals and even a krumhorn.
The husband/wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland and Christy Martin from California have been performing together since 1995, touring in the US and Ireland. These independent folk artists have 12 recordings, perform 150 concerts a year, and live as the troubadours of old traveling, from town to town playing at music festivals, theaters and performing arts centers, folk and historical societies, libraries, museums and schools.
Born in Cork, Ireland, Aodh Óg (pronounced, ayog) studied Medieval and Renaissance music in college. He received a music fellowship to study at Stanford University in 1984. He played in a group called Drivelling Druids before forming the group Four Shillings Short.
A multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Christy was born into a musical family. She played the sitar for 10 years, starting at the age of 16. Christy took up folk music in the ’80’s and has been playing hammered dulcimer since 1993. She was formerly in a band called Your Mother Should Know.
Join us at Fiddler’s Green for one of the most joyous special events of the holiday season. Wassail!
November 16, 2019
Dana Cooper
![Dana Cooper](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/dana_cooper-829x1024.jpg)
Dana Cooper has logged millions of miles as a renowned songwriter and story teller. This song poet engages and inspires audiences around the world with his quick wit, insightful stories and commanding presence. He has performed on Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage and the Kerrville Music Festival, where he was nominated for their Hall of Fame. Dana’s songs have been recorded by top-notch artists such as bluegrass star Claire Lynch and Irish vocalist Maura O’Connell. His mixture of flat-picking, finger-picking and percussive strumming style is legend among other guitarists.
Dana was awarded the Spirit of Folk Award by Folk Alliance International, and he is the recipient of the 2014 Heritage Series Musician Award for his contributions to the Kansas City’s musical heritage. Dana released his 26th CD Incendiary Kid on Travania Records in 2017.
“Innovative, eclectic and unforgettable.” Heather Johnson, Performing Songwriter
“Dana, still full from last night’s show. I was sitting there listening to your songs thinking, I’m in the room with one of the best living songwriters in the world. Your brilliance took us all on a ride into the ineffable parts of existence. I can’t thank you enough! What a night.” Minton Sparks
Friction Farm
![Friction Farm](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/friction_farm-1024x683.jpg)
Modern-folk duo Friction Farm is a husband and wife team of traveling troubadours. Aidan Quinn and Christine Stay combine storytelling, social commentary and humor to create songs of everyday life, local heroes, and quirky observations.
They have toured internationally and have been Kerrville New Folk Finalists, Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists, and South Florida Folk Festival Songwriter winners. Friction Farm’s latest CD So Many Stars, which reached #6 on the Folk Chart, was inspired by their travels across the country witnessing the collision of strong political polarity with personal kindness, the intersection of fragility and breathtaking beauty. From ballads to anthems, each song is filled with harmony and hope.
He’s from Berkeley CA, and she’s from Woodstock NY. When not touring, Aidan enjoys woodworking and Christine bakes. They have a big garden and a small orchard at the sustainable home they designed and built in South Carolina.
“infectiously hummable tunes.” New Times Magazine Miami FL
“intricate harmonies which are reminiscent of 1960s classics with a modern twist.” Sun Journal New Bern NC
“They were utterly charming. Their well-written songs cover a wide gamut and their delivery is spot on. They should be much better known.” Rich Warren, Host WFMT’s Folk Stage and Midnight Special
October 19, 2019
Jefferson Ross
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Screen-Shot-2018-01-29-at-2.00.28-PM.png)
Southern folk artist Jefferson Ross is a songwriter, singer, guitar slinger and painter weaving stories for the ears and the eyes. Based in The Peach State, Jefferson travels throughout the U.S. and Europe performing his original music, and he displays his art at festivals and galleries across the South.
For years Jefferson lived in Nashville playing for recording artists including Canada’s Entertainer of the Decade, Terri Clark, and sharing the stage with country music greats such as George Strait, Toby Keith and Vince Gill. He worked as a staff writer for a number of publishers on Music Row including Curb Music, one of the top music publishers in the world. In 2010 he returned to live in Georgia with his wife and daughter. He maintains a home and office in Nashville as well.
An evening with Jefferson Ross is a homespun southern experience that you’re unlikely to forget.
The Rough & Tumble
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TheRoughandTumble-1024x683.jpg)
The Rough & Tumble are as easy to detect as a stray dog on your doorstep– and as difficult to send home. The dumpster-folk, thriftstore-Americana duo, consisting of Mallory Graham & Scott Tyler, have been hobbling around the country in their 16-foot camper since 2015. They picked up a couple of actual strays along the way– two 100-pound dogs, Puddle & Magpie Mae– and have been making themselves at home in living rooms, bars, theaters, and festivals across the country. They’ve been recognized as a Feature Showcase Artist at 2018 SERFA, and a 2018 honorable mention for the Listening Room Network.
Since their start in 2011, The Rough & Tumble have been writing illustrative songs, arranging each with a menagerie of instruments ranging from acoustic guitars to mailbox snares to a banjulele. “Their Americana music is restorative, their performance highly entertaining, their orchestra of unusual instruments intriguing, and… jokes and stories are worthy of an HBO special.” (Linda Bolton, Cozy Cabin House Concerts).
The stray folkies are as industrious as they are scrappy, releasing five EPs and two albums in their eight years. Their 2018 release, We Made Ourselves a Home When We Didn’t Know, brought the listener to the road and the road to their home — an album “as cozy, comfortable and inviting as a well-worn couch” (Bill Kopp, Mountain Xpress). All this in addition to their weekly livecast, a monthly blog, a Cook & Color Book, a food blog, 2018 SERFA Official Showcase Artist, and playing upwards of 150 shows a year.
The Rough & Tumble released their new studio album Howling Back at the Wounded Dog, on September 6, 2019.
September 21, 2019
Michael Jonathan
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Michael-Johnathon-884x1024.jpg)
Folksinger Michael Johnathon has a long-standing career in the arts as a songwriter, musician, author, playwright, composer of the opera Woody: For the People, and host of the live audience broadcast of the WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour. The show has a radio audience of more than two million listeners each week on 500 public radio stations, public television coast-to-coast, American Forces Radio Network in 173 nations, and now Friday evenings on RFD-TV.
Michael helped organize the national WoodSongs Front Porch Association to help organize rural and community music and a massive educational program. Members of the WFPA are called “SongFarmers.” His 14th album release, MoonFire, comes on the heels of Mousie HiWay: The Adventures of Banjo Mouse in Appalachia, his fully illustrated book that introduces bluegrass music to kids. The MoonFire CD is a 23-song album in honor of the banjo.
Michael released three new projects this year: the CD Dazed & Confuzed, the book WoodSongs 4 and the orchestrated concert tour Songs of Rural America.
In addition to his albums, books, concerts and other projects, the Martin Guitar Company introduced the Michael Johnathon signature model 0000-28s “WoodSongs Quad” guitar.
Michael lives in a log cabin on a hill surrounded by meadows, streams and woods outside of Lexington, Kentucky.
Blackfoot Daisy
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/New-Blackfoot-Daisy-1-1024x679.jpg)
Blackfoot Daisy is a popular local trio comprised of Don Sechelski, Jim Kirkland, Wendy DuMond. They write and perform songs about love, loss, family, horses, dogs, and “things we have yet to ask for forgiveness for.” By day Don is an educator, and Wendy works for a law firm. Don and Wendy met on a songwriter website message board and started writing songs together. Jim Kirkland rounded out the trio with his jazzy multi-instrumentalism, and the result is Blackfoot Daisy.
Blackfoot Daisy formed in 2012 when long-time collaborators and songwriters Wendy and Don decided to begin performing together on a regular basis. Don spent most of his early childhood in Texas and Wendy hails from Montana but grew up in Oklahoma. They chose to name the band after a deer, drought, and pest-resistant prairie flower.
Don is a 30-plus year native of the Atlanta music scene and has also worked as a studio musician. Don has been a regular on the Atlanta coffeehouse/acoustic music scene since the old Freight Room days. He has played venues such as the Dogwood Festival, Hungry Ear Coffeehouse, Lena’s Place and many more.
Wendy began writing songs and performing in 2009. She released a solo EP in 2012. Wendy’s songs have been featured on the Women of Substance radio podcast. Her song Catching Fireflies was used as music for a book trailer to promote All Bears Need Love, a children’s book about interracial adoption.
Blackfoot Daisy has played Smith’s Old Bar, Steve’s Live Music, the Red Light Café and many other local Atlanta live music venues. The band has opened for Nashville songwriter Kurt Fortmeyer, The Rosin Sisters, Copper into Steel, Vientos Del Pueblo, and Little Country Giants, to name a few. They have also performed at Snellville Days, the Chastain Park Arts Festival, the Duluth Fall Festival, the Little 5 Arts Alive Concert series, and Oakhurst Porchfest.
The band released a three-song EP in 2015 and is currently working on a full-length album.
August 17, 2019
David Leinweber
![David Leinweber (photo)](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/david_leinweber.png)
David Leinweber has performed widely at festivals, concert venues and clubs for years, including international appearances abroad where he was dubbed “The Flatpicking Professor.” He has also performed widely in refined higher-educational settings like bars and honky-tonks, to say nothing of numerous universities, civic groups and college campuses. He has placed in numerous flatpicking, fingerpicking and songwriting competitions.
David’s repertoire ranges from traditional music of Appalachia and the British Isles, to Spanish ballads, to folkadelic rock and acoustic blues. Many of his songs tell compelling stories and feature distinctive idioms of guitar-playing and songwriting. But most of all, he’s just out to entertain and have a good time. His performances intersperse intricate guitar work and vocals with joke-cracking and occasional commentaries – a good fit for audiences of all stripes and tastes.
Just Be’Cause
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/JCB-Promo-2019-2-1024x536.png)
Jerry Brunner, Bruce Gilbert and Cyndi Craven are Just Be’Cause … just don’t ask them why.
Jerry Brunner and Cyndi Craven, long-time members of the Atlanta acoustic/folk music scene, have been performing together since the 1980’s. In 2007, they met up with Bruce Gilbert when he moved to Atlanta from California where he’d been wowing the music scene there for years. The music they produce together is the result of profound friendship, heaping helpings of creativity, and decades of playing, singing and writing together and on their own. Their shows have been described by fans as an evening of “comfort music” with vocal “harmonies that will roll your socks down.” Come hear for yourself!More at: https://www.reverbnation.com/brucegilbert and https://www.reverbnation.com/cyndicraven
July 20, 2019
The Radio Rangers
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/RadioRangers-1024x701.jpg)
The Radio Rangers are an Americana band based in Atlanta. Their original music connects with the heartland of America – stories about small towns, railroads, love, broken hearts and life’s special moments. The music is melodic with an emphasis on vocal harmony and an old timey feel. The band is influenced by John Prine, Towns Van Zandt, Blaze Foley and Bob Dylan. It’s comprised of Dan Foster (vocals, guitar), Mark Ewald (vocals, guitar), and Tom Molloy (percussion).
Dan Foster is the songwriter and leader of the band. A seasoned lead guitarist, his song writing led to the creation of The Radio Rangers in 2014. “I try to write songs that people can emotionally connect with. Songs about love, heartbreak, growing up and railroads. The goal is to paint a picture with a good story and melody. It’s very special when people like what you have created.” Dan grew up in Michigan (too cold), moved to Florida (too hot) and moved to Atlanta in 1989 (just right).
Mark “the ear” Ewald is the musical director. Being friends for over 20 years, Dan says he has never known anyone who can arrange a song, moving in exactly the right direction the way Mark does. Mark’s nickname comes from his vocal harmony abilities but he is also a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, piano, mandolin, bass guitar, banjo, harmonica and drums. (not all at the same time). Mark is from Buffalo, New York and still loves hot-wings.
Tom Molloy is the drummer/percussionist for the group. Tom is the glue that holds everything together while adding that special energy to the songs. Tom’s sense of humor always keeps things loose making even the ordinary much more fun. Tom grew up in Queens, New York which will become apparent when you speak with him. (what accent?) Just don’t tell him he looks like Rodney Dangerfield.
https://www.theradiorangers.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theradiorangers
Redwine Jam
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Redwine-Jam-e1561067522539-1024x609.jpg)
Despite its name, Redwine Jam is not a sweet alcoholic concoction suitable for spreading on toast. Still, folk music fans find it appetizing and heady! A performance by the folk band Redwine Jam carries the audience on an emotional roller coaster complete with high-spirited roots music, wry humor, gripping story songs, love ballads, and the sheer joy of homemade music.
Redwine Jam is an Atlanta-based folk music trio comprised of Chris and Carol Moser and singer Brenda Lloyd. They perform a wide range of North American and Celtic folk songs and tunes, from traditional material to newly written compositions by contemporary folk legends. They accompany their vocals with guitar, bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, mountain dulcimer, flute, pennywhistle, bodhran and harp (not all at the same time).
Redwine Jam has developed a strong following at coffeehouses, festivals, private parties and other events in the Atlanta area and elsewhere in the Southeast. Whether they’re performing a program of American folk, Celtic, a mixture of both, or their multi-media concert exploring the American Folk Revival, an evening with Redwine Jam is a delectable treat.
June 15, 2019
Tina and Her Pony
![Tina and Her Pony (image)](https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f9bb41493a83aa445627d5924/images/f2071843-1247-434f-88d6-c60b3cdb0163.jpeg)
The Indie Appalachian folk duo Tina & Her Pony originated in Asheville, North Carolina in 2009. Tina Collins (tenor banjo, tenor ukulele, guitar, vocals) and Quetzal Jordan (cello, guitar, vocals) spent two years holed up in the high desert mountain town of Taos, New Mexico, making music and friends. They became one of the iconic artist colony’s most beloved performing acts.
Tina and Her Pony released their full length, self-titled debut album in March 2012. After touring the U.S. and Canada, they established a new home base in Asheville and began recording their second album, Champion. The album draws inspiration from and meditates on dreams, the subconscious, and death.
Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Collins grew up listening to such folk legends as Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt and Nick Drake, as well as Appalachian musicians such as Loretta Lynn, The Carter family and Doc Watson. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and raised in Tampa FL by her Guatemalan single mother, Jordan spent her young life salsa dancing at family parties and singing hymns in her church choir. She started her classical training at the age of eight and began writing music when 14 years old, largely influenced by Russian Romantic Composers and artists such as Radiohead, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash.
Collins and Jordan’s songwriting incorporates complexities in harmony and arrangement that queer the American folk tradition. Their unique sound draws inspiration from artists such as Nickel Creek, Sarah Jarosz, Gillian Welch and Crooked Still.
Acoustic Bridge
![Acoustic Bridge](https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f9bb41493a83aa445627d5924/images/89d6a059-827f-4bd7-9add-0bc388688d85.jpeg)
The Atlanta group Acoustic Bridge will also be making its first Fiddler’s Green appearance. Celia McDermott, Mike Cerra, and Kevin Walsh offer an eclectic set of creative arrangements ranging from Americana to folk to popular, plus their own unique blend of original music.
An early love of singing inspired Celia McDermott to study arranging and vocals at Berklee College of Music. She performed in the Boston, New York, and Atlanta areas for years in various groups, featuring many styles of music. She served several years as an assistant choir director for a vibrant music ministry and spent ten years directing and singing in the a cappella group Cheaper Than Therapy. Celia has been a featured singer on a number of recordings and has performed with many different musicians in the Atlanta area, crossing genres spanning from jazz to rock to Americana to gospel. For several years she was a featured soloist for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Gospel Choir.
Mike Cerra has been playing and writing “longer than I should probably admit in mixed company,” he says. This talented multi-instrumentalist and singer has performed with several electric bands as well as acoustically for both vocal and solo instrumental music.
Bassist and vocalist Kevin Walsh performs in a wide variety of styles – R&B, rock & roll, folk and Americana. Kevin has recorded and toured in the U.S. and Canada with the acoustic group Windfall. He has done two tours of Ireland with the Americana group Rhythm Road. He is has lived and performed as a singer, guitarist and bassist in the Atlanta area for the last seven years.
May 18, 2019
Adam Miller
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/AdamMiller-credit-Royce-McCornack-1024x683.jpg)
One of the premier autoharpists in the world, Adam Miller is a renowned American folksinger and natural-born storyteller from Oregon. Miller accompanies his rich, resonant baritone voice with lively finger-picking acoustic guitar and stunningly beautiful autoharp melodies. A masterful entertainer who never fails to get his audience singing along, he has distinguished himself as one of the great interpreters of American folksongs and folktales, and as a performer who appeals to audiences of all ages.
George Winston calls him “one of the great autoharpists and folksingers of our times.” Pete Seeger praised his “wonderful storytelling!” The Walnut Valley Festival described his performance as, “An outstanding slice of American folksongs performed with his perfectly suited voice and tasty autoharp accompaniment.” As a concert promoter in Melbourne Beach, Florida, observed, “It will charm even the most die-hard iPod-loving kids or reluctant significant-others.”
Adam began his lifelong pursuit of collecting old songs while still in grade school. Armed with an audio-graphic memory and an uncommonly good ear for melody, his childhood ambition was to learn every song he heard. An accomplished folklorist, historian, and song-collector, he has now amassed a remarkable repertoire of over 5,000 songs. Miller’s repertoire evokes a by-gone time when entertainment was homemade. A master of the art of storytelling, he skillfully interweaves folksongs and the stories behind them with the elegance of a documentary filmmaker.
Traveling 70,000 miles a year, this 21st-century troubadour performs over 200 concerts annually, from the Everglades to the Arctic Circle. More than1.5 million American K-12 students have attended his Singing Through History! school assembly programs. He has performed in more than 2,000 American public libraries in 48 states.
He has recorded six CDs that receive airplay across North America and Europe. His numerous appearances at the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival, the Brookdale Bluegrass Festival, the Tumbleweed Music Festival, the California Traditional Music Society’s Summer Solstice Festival, and the Kentucky Music Weekend have made him a national favorite.
Miller’s folk songs and ballads are the songs of America’s heritage: a window into the soul of our nation in its youth. Frank Hamilton, co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, former member of the folk quartet The Weavers, and co-founder of Atlanta’s Frank Hamilton School, says, “His performance is truly entertaining and riveting. He’s doing a real service for folk music: defending the treasury of American tradition.”
Mark Dvorak
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Mark-Dvorak-credit-Rick-Granoth.jpeg)
When Chicago-based singer-songwriter Mark Dvorak began his career in music, he knew right away he was in it for the long haul. Thirty-four years later he’s still on the road, performing and recording.
“He’s the real deal,” said James Tomasello of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, where Dvorak has been on the faculty for 30 years. “Mark has made music his life and livelihood. His performances are elegant, rich and powerful. He is one of the Old Town School’s Distinguished Teaching Artists.”
Mark Dvorak is the third son of four, born to a working class family on Chicago’s southwest side. After reading Anthony Scaduto’s biography of Bob Dylan in high school, his interest in American folk music was born. Soon the recordings of Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly and Pete Seeger found their way into his collection. He purchased his first acoustic guitar and enrolled in classes at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music after a summer of touring the country by motorcycle. In 1982 Dvorak borrowed a five string banjo and began teaching himself how to play, mastering the claw-hammer stroke. In 1986 Dvorak joined Old Town School faculty.
In December of 2013, Mark published his first collection of essays and poems, Bowling for Christmas and Other Tales from the Road. The book sold out of its initial printing in nine days and received glowing reviews.
Dvorak has performed in 38 states and in parts of Europe and Canada. He has released 17 albums and has won awards for journalism and children’s music. He received the Woodstock Folk Festival Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 and the Lantern Bearer Award from Folk Alliance International in 2013. In 2012 WFMT 98.7 FM Midnight Special host Rich Warren named him Chicago’s “official troubadour.”
April 20, 2019
Carla Ulbrich, Professional Smart Alec
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Carla Ulbrich is a comical singer-songwriter and guitarist whose biggest musical influences were Sesame Street,
camp songs, and cat food commercials. She has a love of the absurdities
of ordinary life, a somewhat twisted viewpoint, and a way with words.
Her songs cover topics from the mundane to insane: Waffle House,
Klingons, psycho exes, how rich she would be if she had a copyright on
the F-word, and so on.
Carla’s six CDs have been aired on the BBC, Dr. Demento, Sirius XM Radio and NPR. She also appeared in Sharknado 2 (as a human) and once opened for Twiggy the Water-Skiing Squirrel.
Carla has been performing since the late 90s in venues small and
smaller, from the Clothing Optional Folk Festival to Nashville’s famed
Bluebird Cafe. She has appeared as a musical guest on the TV shows The Revolution (canceled) and Up All Night with Rhonda
(canceled). Walk, don’t run, and look both ways before crossing, then
go hear Carla before the venue she is playing in closes up shop.
Carla has been a Fiddler’s Green audience favorite throughout her
career. “She is very talented, very funny, very personable, and an easy
act to work with. We would be hard pressed to imagine anyone not
enjoying a set,” says our former manager, Seegar Swanson. “Her
thoughtful and intelligent, clever observations about life, written in
an often wry and humorous manner, are placed over very strong melodies
and guitar work that is recognized as some of the best in her genre.”
Carla has shared the stage with such luminaries as Cheryl Wheeler,
Vance Gilbert, Modern Man, The Bobs, Bob Malone, David Massengill, Lou
and Peter Berryman, The Austin Lounge Lizards, and Rev. Billy C Wirtz.
Other venues she has played include the Falcon Ridge Festival,
Kerrville Folk Festival, Club Med, Eddie’s Attic, The Minstrel and First
Night. We’re delighted to have her back!
March 16, 2019
Will Payne Harrison
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Since moving from Louisiana to Nashville, Will Payne Harrison has
toured the South and East coasts, performed at festivals, made radio
appearances, packed out listening rooms, hosted songwriter’s nights and
even co-wrote a song landing in the feature film Black Beauty starring Luke Perry. Harrison’s first single from the album Louisiana Summer, “Clarity,” was featured as a Daily Discovery by American Songwriter magazine.
After its May release East Nashville Blues reached the top
200 on Americana radio charts in 2017. Harrison is following up the
album with a six-song companion EP of covers with the likes of John
Prine, Hank Williams and Steve Earle, as well as an original track. Blue is the common thread of the new EP, with each song containing the word in the track.
Here’s what reviewers are saying about East Nashville Blues:
“Easy, clean and humble, this, his follow-up to Louisiana Summer, is well-written but simple.” – Offbeat, New Orleans, LA.
“Harrison
follows in the footsteps of his heroes, telling stories that can make
you smile right before they make you cry. Willie Nelson and John Prine
would be proud.” – Mother Church Pew, Nashville, TN.
“Harrison
has unveiled smooth, sweet vocals to match the heartfelt lyrics on the
new album.” — Herman Fusilier, The Daily Advertiser, Lafayette, LA.
The Irish Brothers
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The Irish Brothers may be Atlanta’s most popular and
proficient performers of the beloved genre of traditional Irish music
the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem introduced to the American Folk
Revival. Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen are a
unique team. Sandyman comes from the mountains of Western North
Carolina, while the Captain hails from the canyons of New York City.
The two started performing together 35 years ago when they worked “suit”
jobs at IBM. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material. Their
music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the “new
country” – from traditional Irish ballads to original songs of love,
drinking, revolution and redemption.
Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in
Nashville. He was a founding member of the band Cullowhee, which toured
nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s and 80s. George
started singing and playing after his first visit to New York’s
Greenwich Village in the mid-1960s. He honed his craft by traveling
throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. The team received the
name “Irish Brothers” following a performance at The Folk Alliance
several years ago in Memphis, Tennessee.
Sandyman Flynn http://redheadscape.com/
February 16, 2019
Jim Culliton & Clear Creek Band
Multi-instrumental virtuoso Jim Culliton has been a favorite of Fiddler’s Green audiences for many years. In the Jim Culliton & Clear Creek Band, his
guitar, mandolin, fiddle and vocals share the stage with Walter Dean’s
dobro and Joel Glogowski’s upright bass. This high-energy trio offers
an eclectic blend of different acoustic genres, mixing instrumental
improvisation with traditional sounds and vocals.
Jim Culliton has performed throughout Georgia and the Southeast over
the past decade. His philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps
the music fresh and exciting. Jim has played at The Fox Theatre,
Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. He was one of the early
innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz,
bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in
the mix. Put all of this in a high-speed blender and you get a truly
innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a
Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and
Humanities. He’s a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and
Auburn University (AUM).
Walter Dean is known locally as “dean of the dobro.” Joel Glogowski
is a highly accomplished upright bass player whose talent graces this
trio and other Atlanta area bands including Caroline & The Ramblers.
The band is in demand at various Atlanta area venues, including the
Pullman in Kirkwood, where they’ll be playing for Sunday brunch January
27, 12-2 pm. http://www.facebook.com/clearcreekatlanta
The Justin Sams Band
The Justin Sams Band was formed in late 2015 as the
result of four friends experimenting with a mixture of original songs
and esoteric covers. What began as a tentative musical grouping soon
evolved into a unique and refined band that could still approach its
music and performances in the spirit of open collaboration and genuine
friendship. Drawing inspiration from folk music, country blues,
psychedelic rock, and good old-fashioned storytelling, The Justin Sams
Band defies convenient categorization; however, one might describe the
band’s sound as eclectic-electric-folk-rock.
The band enjoys arranging and performing covers, enabling it to
participate in tribute events such as Jerry Day at Terminal West and
Bob Dylan Tribute nights at the Red Light Café and the Lake Clare
Community Land Trust. Yet the band’s greatest musical strength is its
extensive catalog of original material drawn from the independent
efforts of the group’s two songwriters, Tom Spach and Lindsay Petsch.
This unlikely pairing of these writers’ musical backgrounds and styles
has resulted in an interesting and rare counterpoint, one of the
reasons The Justin Sams Band is frequently complemented for musical
variety. The band’s first album of original material, Ghosts of the Day, was released in April of 2018. They’re presently recording their next album, The Miracle Cure, which will be released in the early summer of 2019.
https://www.justinsamsband.com
January 19, 2019
CHARLEY WOODS
Nashville native Charley Woods
has been garnering attention and praise for her instantly recognizable
voice and stylistic blend of country and Americana since she was in high
school, at none other than the prestigious Nashville School of the
Arts. Already a mainstay in the Nashville songwriters’ community,
Charley’s dream is to share her songs with the world.
Charley has performed and
collaborated with many talented and influential figures in today’s
country music including Brad Paisley, Chris Young, David Nail, Wil
Nance, Mark Nesler, and many more. She appeared
on Good Morning America and world-renown stages such as The Grand Ole
Opry and The Ryman Auditorium – all before the tender age of 18. Her
single Half the Girl
has now claimed the attention of leading music editorials and radio
stations around the world and accumulated more than 5,000 streams on
Spotify.
www.charleywoods.com https://www.patreon.com/charleywoods
THE NEW HARVEY FAMILY SINGERS
The New Harvey Family Singers is
an evolving group of Atlanta troubadours performing contemporary and
traditional music. The band is made up of John Harvey, Seth Langer, Jimi
Cusick and Eryk Fisher.
Hailing from Austin, Texas, John
Harvey appears regularly in the Frank Hamilton School band and brings
previous experience playing with house bands. Atlanta native Eryk Fisher
is a professional basement musician who “sings to walls, plays
harmonica, and strums three chord songs until mama tells me dinner’s
ready.” Seth Langer is an actor, musician, and odd-jobber from Decatur.
He plays at political rallies, weddings, birthdays, funerals — wherever
there’s singing to be done! Jimi Cusick, from Atlanta, brings a musical
background that includes orchestra, rock, and a Beatles cover band. Jimi
loves to challenge himself musically to learn new things and play with
new people as much as possible.
December 15, 2018
JIM SHARKEY
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Jim-Sharkey-1024x850.jpg)
Singer-songwriter Jim Sharkey
is an Irish and Americana folk musician making his second Fiddler’s
Green appearance. Jim grew up in County Roscommon, Ireland. He came to
the U.S. in 1982 after joining the U.S. Navy in London, England. He
spent five years as a photographer on the USS Dixon in San Diego,
California, and ten years working in television and video production in
North Carolina and Maine. He taught children with special needs in
Westbrook, Maine, and Roanoke, Virginia. He currently teaches at The
Arts Based School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and he continues to
play two or three times a month in Virginia, North and South Carolina,
Maryland, and Washington DC, accompanying himself on guitar, harmonica,
and bodhran (Irish drum). Jim’s original songs blend Celtic traditional
ballad influences with contemporary issues that are often set in the
area he resides.
Jim has recorded three CDs: Misty Morning Rain, Sweet Anne’s Road and
Black Is the Color. He’ll include some seasonal songs in his set –
among them, his 2017 release The Christmas Comet.
The Clams
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Frank-Hamilton-on-banjo.jpg)
The Clams,
an Atlanta-based jazz quintet led by legendary folk/jazz musician Frank
Hamilton, takes its name from the humorous reference to mistakes made
on recordings, a name given to this by Bix Beiderbecke. This
extraordinary band will ring in the New Year a couple of weeks early for
our Fiddler’s Green patrons.
Early jazz emanated from New Orleans. At the end of the Civil War,
band instruments used in military marching bands wound up in pawn shops
throughout the country. In New Orleans African-American musicians found
them and incorporated them into a new marching band dance form called,
in those days, “jass.”
At the same time a section of New Orleans contained sporting houses
of prostitution. Musicians found work in these establishments to
generate that business. As with the name “rock”, “jass” was a euphemism
for sexual activity. Eventually the word’s spelling became “jazz.”
One of these famous sporting houses, Lulu White’s Mahogany Hall, was
presided over by Alderman Story. Hence, the red light area became known
as Storyville. Many great jazz musicians started out in jazz marching
bands and in these houses. The Navy shut these brothels were shut down
in 1915 due to rampant venereal disease, but the music survived.
Alongside the marching bands and the cat house pianists, there were
string bands with guitars, mandolin, banjos and upright basses and horns
in combinations that prevail to this day in the form of what is called a
jazz combo. The Clams carry on this music tradition. Their influences
include the cornet playing of Bix Beiderbecke, the banjo and guitar
stylings of Eddie Lang, and piano styles from Fats Waller to Jelly Roll
Morton. The Clams play and sing this jazz that millions joyfully danced
to from the early 1900s through the 40s.
Five stellar Atlanta musicians comprise the Clams. Bill Rutan is a
legendary tenor banjo player who has traveled over the world playing
with various New Orleans jazz groups and driving every one of them with
his impeccable rhythm and extensive vocal repertoire of songs. L.A.
Tuten is a versatile musician who has recording credits and is known for
being in demand as a local musician; he’s also a former director of
Atlanta’s Marching Abominables. Matt Phillips is a multi-talented
performer who plays cornet in the style of Bix, plays mandolin and works
as an expert repairman of quality violins; he’s also a visual artist
known for his drawings and paintings. Mick Kinney is a master of many
instruments and a swinging jazz style; he’s an accomplished fiddler,
pianist, teacher and musical director. Frank Hamilton’s career spans
many years as a folk and early jazz guitar player and singer; he was
co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago and the Frank
Hamilton School in Atlanta.
November 17, 2018
Joe Penland
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Joe has been deemed a “cultural treasure” by The Asheville Citizen Times. AAFFM is proud to lure him from “the farm” for his second full-concert appearance at Fiddler’s Green.
Deep in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina, there’s a front porch that has been the destination of many folk who love these mountains, their music and their stories. Grammy winners and kids with their first guitar, banjo or fiddle, Hollywood producers, writers, and folk music collectors from all over the world have made their way to the place Joe Penland simply calls “the farm.”
Joe Penland was born and raised in rural Madison County in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. He is the proud steward of twelve generations and over 350 years of the rich oral tradition of his Scottish and English ancestors. From his birth he has listened to and learned the stories and ballads these travelers brought with them across the ocean, then southwest to the narrow coves and high meadows that many consider the richest repository of Great Britain’s folk songs in the world. He inherited the instruments of his grandfather who died long before his birth and was taught to play by his aunts.
Joe was content to continue this tradition in his front room, the porch or campfires of his secluded farm. But eventually his daughter Laurin and lifelong friends Sheila Adams, Mary Eagle and David Holt convinced him to share his life and music with a broader audience. Since then he has appeared at numerous festivals, toured Great Britain eight times, and received the coveted Bascom Lunsford Award (named for his cousin and founder of the longest running folk festival in America) for his “significant contribution to preserving our mountain music.”
We first saw Joe when he captivated a grateful Atlanta audience at the 2012 Emory University symposium “Making Connections: The Celtic Roots of Southern Music,” organized by Prof. James W. Flannery. Joe has recorded four CDs including his latest, The Mary Sands Project, Volume 1.
Determined that folk music includes the present as well as the past, Joe also writes and sings his own songs, which he calls “just more stories of love and life here in the mountains.” Whether singing the traditional ballads of the mountains of western North Carolina or performing his original and stirring folk songs, Joe Penland offers an honesty and power that is a testament to both his unique character and our shared humanity.
October 20, 2018
ALEX HUNNICUTT
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With his own signature style, Greenville S.C.-based performing songwriter Alex Hunnicutt serves up blues, R&B and soul (with a little bit of jazz and reggae thrown in as well) in his new album titled Honey. “Honey is the latest release from smooth rock and blues guitarist Alex Hunnicutt. Each one of the album’s eight tracks is endowed with a funky groove that serves to underscore Hunnicutt’s soulful singing and highlight his technical proficiency on the guitar,” according to the Houdini Mansions website. “As a collection of songs, it is extremely appealing to both pop and light rock sensibilities.” Many diverse listeners from different musical backgrounds have been drawn towards Hunnicutt’s uniquely groovy and rhythmic songwriting style and vocal textures.
Most of the time you’ll find Alex playing solo shows with nothing more than an acoustic guitar (and maybe a loop pedal). “I love smaller shows because they’re more intimate and you can spend more time connecting with individual people than you can at a larger show where you have to go back and forth between a lot of people.” That’s not to say that you won’t catch him playing at these larger events, festivals, and concert venues with his duo or trio. This past year Hunnicutt has opened for Chase Bryant at The Greer Family festival, Marc Broussard at Downtown Greenville’s Artisphere Festival, and Casey James from American Idol at The Radio Room in Greenville. He has been a guest celebrity judge and performer at Greer Idol and played hundreds of other shows from Tennessee to Myrtle Beach. He plans on constantly expanding the territories he performs in and expanding on his knowledge of and love for writing music that connects with all kinds of people.
THE PORCH BOTTOM BOYS
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The Porch Bottom Boys, a Decatur group, play bluegrass, newgrass, and other styles seasoned with the diverse backgrounds of their members. Guitarist and vocalist Steve Gorbatkin was born on the south side of Chicago, and his years in the Windy City left an indelible blues-inflected mark on his singing. Atlanta native Jim Thompson spent time living and working in the coal towns of Virginia, and his experiences as a founding member of the Poetown Ramblers and playing with bluegrass groups in Nashville gives the band its deep bluegrass roots. Mandolinist and vocalist Patrick Jackson hails from Northwest Georgia and adds melodic mandolin and piercing high tenor harmonies to the mix. From jazz to rockabilly to bluegrass, bassist Joel Glogowski uses his wide musical background and impeccable fashion sense to hold it all down with his rollicking, thumping, good-time beat on the doghouse bass fiddle. Charlie O’Neill rounds out the Boys with his tasty licks on the five-string banjo.
Charlie’s front porch in Decatur gives the band their name and serves as their home base. Long-time band member Denis Gainty was a talented musician and song writer who was an inspiration to all the group and remains so despite his untimely passing in 2017.
The Porch Bottom Boys play in a variety of local venues and have been featured multiple times on WRFG radio. They have also appeared in many nearby festivals, including the Decatur BBQ Blues and Bluegrass Festival, the Decatur Arts Festival, the Oakhurst Arts Festival, and Stomp and Chomp in Cabbagetown. Committed to the Decatur community, they frequently play for local fundraisers and other programs.
September 15, 2018
SOUTH FOR WINTER
![South For Winter - image](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/South-for-Winter-1024x770.jpg)
With elements of gypsy, folk, jazz and blues, the Nashville-based trio South for Winter offers an eclectic sound united by delicate harmonies, intricate guitar work, and earthy vocals.
Four years after meeting in Peru and writing what would later become their first single, Whisper in the Trees, Colorado singer-songwriter Dani Cichon and New Zealand musician Nick Stone officially joined in March 2017 as the duo South for Winter. With Nashville TN as their home base, the two formed a trio with cellist Alex Stradal and crafted South for Winter’s distinctive sound.
The band released its self-titled debut EP in January 2018. That led to Nashville’s Lightning 100 radio station naming the trio as a top up-and-coming independent artist in its 2018 Music City Mayhem competition, and it connected the band with the Grammy-nominated producer of their second EP. The trio released this EP in August and will tour nationally through more than 14 states before returning to Nashville to begin work on their first full-length studio album.
HARM’S WAY
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Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koeltz on lead vocals and guitar, Scot Boze on vocals, and Phil Griffin on lead guitar. For this performance they’ll be joined by Jonathan McBee, bass player for Mockingbird’s Wing.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
The core members of this group have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and – while they take music very seriously – don’t take themselves seriously at all!
www.reverbnation.com/harmonkoeltz
August 18, 2018
THE JANUARY DUO
![January Duo - image](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-30-at-11.43.09-PM.png)
The January Duo was founded in January of 2015 when multi-instrumentalist Payton Scott and classically trained singer Sara Grace Carmical met in high school.Shortly after, Chris Scott, bassist, trumpet player, and Atlanta Symphony Chorus alum (and Payton’s dad) joined up to accompany the Duo. They have enjoyed playing traditional music from all over the world for audiences on two continents.
Sara Grace Carmical has ten years of classical voice training and is currently a sophomore voice and biology major at Emory University. Payton Scott started playing banjo in the ninth grade. Soon after that he expanded to the guitar, accordion, mandolin, bass, Celtic drum, and dulcimer. Payton has honed his craft under the tutelage of Frank Hamilton and Jens Krüger. He currently serves as an instructor at the Frank Hamilton Folk School.
From folk to bluegrass to old-time to gospel and blues, the January Duo look forward to bringing their arrangements of a wide range of classic tunes to their first appearance at Fiddler’ Green.
CJ JONES AND THE SPIRIT BONES
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The local band CJ Jones and the Spirit Bones will also make its Fiddler’s Green debut. The group plays original songs that “sound like Commander Cody, Mojo Nixon and Hunter S. Thompson had a three-way mutant love child with an intellectual edge,” according to Candler Park resident and Emory professor Ted Pettus. the band leader.
Their concept album The Odyssey of Cledus Jeremiah Jones is built around Pettus’s creation, an Appalachian prophet of that name. Jones’ pronouncements on spirituality (“It ain’t religion if it ain’t got snakes”) and spirits (“Smoke away my memory, drink away my pain”) have attracted an eclectic following in Atlanta’s funky Americana music scene. Pettus composed the songs.
Four other brilliant musicians put meat on the Spirit Bones:
- Singer/guitarist Craig Rafuse has been performing songs with social significance in 1963 while also playing in dance bands. In addition to the Spirit Bones, he currently appears with Expand Band, Owls and Kahootz.
- Drummer Bobby Andre has played in jazz, blues, rock, pop and country bands. He has recorded with several bands including Glenn Phillips and has toured with Billy Joe Royal, Glenn Phillips and Aviva and the Flying Penguins among others.
- Bassist Andy Weiskoff has played in rock, blues, and contra bands. His musical epiphany came one day at a traffic light while listening to a Baroque string quartet, when a car playing hip-hop pulled up beside him, and the two musical selections merged seamlessly!
- Keyboard player Alan Dynin has performed concerts for the Jazz and World Music Association, the Atlanta Symphony Associates, and many other house concert series. He is one of the more diverse pianists in the Southeast, playing and composing in jazz, Latin, blues and boogie, ragtime, concert classical, gospel, free improvisational, and now… Funkabilly.
CJ Jones and the Spirit Bones has been seen around Atlanta at the Clermont Lounge, Red Light Café, The Earl, Inman Park Festival and Lake Claire Land Trust, among other venues.
July 21, 2018
GEORGIA GRASS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Screen-Shot-2018-06-20-at-1.32.11-PM.png)
Since Dan Daniel founded Georgia Grass in 1973, this professional bluegrass band has played for many bluegrass festivals and events in Georgia and around the Southeast. By1976 they were so highly reputed that they were chosen to play for the Grand opening of the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
Dan plays guitar and sings most of the lead vocals for the group. He’s a member of the Bonded Brothers of Bluegrass and President and CEO of the Southeastern Bluegrass Association. In 2009 Dan was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2017 the Atlanta Society of Entertainers presented him with the Musician’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Banjo player James Mckinney also sings harmony and some leads. James won the South US Banjo Championship at the age of 14. He went on to win first-place awards in other states and in 1982 was named Grand National Banjo Champion of the United States at the annual awards in Winfield, Kansas. James has played with such legends as Bill Monroe, Vassar Clements and John Hartford. He has worked as a studio musician in Nashville and is rated as one of the top banjo players in the country. James was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
Bass player Niki Portmann is also a singer. Her love of music from a young age led her to try several different instruments before deciding on the upright acoustic bass. She was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016.
www.facebook.com/dan.daniel.754
CHAMBLESS AND MUSE
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For more than 25 years, Alabama natives Jil Chambless and Scooter Muse have been performing the music of Scotland, Ireland and America with various ensembles in a wide variety
of venues, from simple house concerts to festivals and concert halls. Jil and Scooter have worked alongside many of the finest artists in Celtic music. In 2010 Chambless & Muse began performing as a duo to promote their individual solo projects. Since then they have released several CDs: The Laverock Sang (2011), Passing Tales & Glories (2014), Live @ NTIF with John Taylor (2016), The Lang Awa’ Ships (2017), and Nollaig Chridheil, Songs of the Christmas Season with Ed Miller (2017).
As singer and flute player, Jil Chambless has performed across the US as well as in Canada, Scotland, and Israel with the band Henri’s Notions, Chambless & Muse, Scottish singer Ed
Miller, Scottish fiddler John Taylor, the band Vulcan Eejits!, The Mairtin deCogain Project, the John Whelan Trio, the Vogt Family Contra Band, and others. In 2009 Jil released her first solo CD, The Ladies Go Dancing, produced by the legendary Brian McNeill. Jil brings to any audience a wonderful listening experience from haunting ballads to upbeat songs with a smooth delivery that never fails to bring both smiles and tears in each and every performance. See www.jilchambless.com.
Although Scooter Muse has his roots in bluegrass and is quite an accomplished five-string banjo
player, in the late 1980s he moved into the world of Celtic guitar. He soon founded the Full
Moon Ensemble, performing for eight years across the US and in Scotland, before joining Henri’s Notions in 2003. In 2005 Scooter released his first solo recording of original guitar instrumentals, Saddell Abbey, which was purchased by the Scottish Tourist Board in Kintyre.
The Saddell Abbey Trust of Scotland calls the recording “a haunting and beautiful piece of
music.” See www.scootermuse.com.
“Jil and Scooter are brilliant musicians on flute and guitar and Jil has one of the loveliest folk
voices around today…” ~Seamus Kennedy, singer, guitarist, songwriter, performer, and yodeler.
“…Wonderful guitar …fine Celtic traditional vocals and flute, in my opinion, would be a great
addition to any stage …. beautiful music!” ~Alex Beaton, Scottish recording artist.
“For me, quite simply as good as it gets!” ~Alex McKinven, Mull of Kintyre Music & Arts Association, Scotland.
“Exquisite vocals, oh-so-tasteful guitar and a lilting flute – a deceptively simple, beautiful and
gentle combination!” ~Ed Miller, Scottish recording artist, folklorist and radio host.
www.facebook.com/chamblessandmuse
June 16, 2018
MARK STUART
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Screen-Shot-2016-02-02-at-8.57.18-PM.png)
Nashville-based performing songwriter Mark Stuart will be making his second appearance at Fiddler’s Green. Onstage, his focus is on the songs he has penned and recorded, delivered with a soulful singing voice and highly memorable guitar playing.
After many years on the Americana/folk circuit, Stuart has cultivated a very rounded performance. His show consists of storytelling, flashy guitar “chops”, and songs that seem to draw from his rock, blues, country, and folk music roots. Mostly, this artist from Tennessee has toured solo or in a notable duo with his wife (“Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart”). There were stints
along the way as a sideman, though (for Steve Forbert, Freddy Fender, Steve Earle, and Joan Baez). If placed on the bill with a contemporary artist he is usually asked to play guitar on their portion of the show. Just ask Jason Ringenberg, Ray Wylie Hubbard, or Jimmy LaFave.
One can find Mark Stuart on any given night in a small theater, coffeehouse, house concert, festival stage, club, or church auditorium, giving it his all. Aside from that, he could be instructing at a guitar clinic or songwriting workshop, or playing on someone’s recording session. As co-owner of Gearle Records, he has produced or co-produced many albums. Over several decades Stuart’s career has repeatedly taken him to all of the USA, Canada, Europe, and the United Kingdom.
MOCKINGBIRD’S WING
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Mockingbird’s Wing has cultivated a strong following at Atlanta area coffeehouses and other acoustic venues with its adroitly delivered folk, rock, soul and pop repertoire. The group features four diverse musicians:
Barbara Hotz is a singer/songwriter with deep roots in Mexico and a love of the old standards.
Jonathan McBee is a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter out of Chicago, IL. If it’s got strings, Jonathan is looking to add it to the Mockingbird sound.
Paul Pendery is a Montana/Alaska/Texas singer/songwriter whose songs evoke soulful stirrings and happy feet.
Suzy Schultz, when she is not at her day job as a full-time artist, adds vocals/flute/cello to the Mockingbird sound.
Like the mockingbird herself, all the different voices and styles come together for a unique sound – the inimitable Mockingbird’s Wing sound.
Mockingbird’s Wing on Facebook
May 19, 2018
WRITER’S VOICE
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Writer’s Voice offers original acoustic contemporary folk tunes with a few sing along covers in the mix. Fritz Rauschenberg leads the group, accompanied by long time member Scott Wiman on guitar, with vocalist Debbie Foster and George Uterhardt on bass to round it out.
Fritz Rauschenberg has played and taught guitar for over 40 years and has performed folk music and “songs of the heart” in halls, coffee houses and bars for about as long as a singer/songwriter. He has taught private and group lessons in local music shops and currently teaches guitar at the Frank Hamilton School. Fritz also enjoys playing ukulele, octave mandolin, mandola and harmonica. His luthier work includes restoring and repairing acoustic stringed instruments in the violin, guitar and mandolin families.
Scott Wyman is an accomplished guitarist and mandolin player as well as a software writer. Scott and Fritz have played together many years in different types of venues. Fritz admires Scott’s expertise in the studio in arranging and recording.
Vocalist Debbie Foster delivers harmonies to the mix. “She’s a spark plug of energy and encouragement for us as well,” says Fritz. “Debbie and I have sung together for several years when opportunities arise.”
George Uterhardt is a 25+-year Navy veteran who played bass and tuba in bands in and out of the service. On bass George has the ear needed to know how to blend with any type of music. He’s comfortable with anything from country to jazz. He and Fritz have worked together for a short few years.
The tunes delivered by Writer’s Voice are of journeys and thoughts that most of us have seen or experienced presented in pleasing melodies and stories. You may part with a tune echoing in your memory.
CALEDONIA SWING
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The Atlanta/North Georgia-based band Caledonia Swing performs a unique style of Celtic music with a jazzy twist. Marie Dunkle (violin, cello, mandolin) and Margie Swint (vocals, guitar) founded the group in 2004 with Ken Shearer (guitar). With a variety of guest musicians, Caledonia Swing have performed their eclectic musical mix at venues throughout Georgia and the Carolinas. The band’s inspirations are traditional Celtic music, Celtic swing, 30’s/40’s American classics, the sweet sounds of Scotland, and gypsy jazz greats Django Rheinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. With musical stylings from elegant to toe-tapping, Caledonia Swing has entertained audiences for over 12 years.
Band principals Marie Dunkle and Margie Swint currently perform as a duo and with talented guest musicians at festivals, coffeehouses, wineries, weddings and private parties. Marie is also a gifted storyteller and will be weaving in a few Scottish myths and legends at Fiddlers Green.
April 21, 2018
MICHAEL JOHNATHON
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Folksinger Michael Johnathon has a long-standing career in the arts as a songwriter, musician, author, playwright, composer of the opera Woody: For the People, and host of the live audience broadcast of the WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour. The show has a radio audience of more than two million listeners each week on 500 public radio stations, public television coast-to-coast, American Forces Radio Network in 173 nations, and now Friday evenings on RFD-TV.
Recently, Michael helped organize the national WoodSongs Front Porch Association to help organize rural and community music and a massive educational program. Members of the WFPA are called “SongFarmers.” His 14th album release, MoonFire, comes on the heels of Mousie HiWay: The Adventures of Banjo Mouse in Appalachia, his fully illustrated book that introduces bluegrass music to kids. The MoonFire CD is a 23-song album in honor of the banjo.
In addition to his albums, books, concerts and other projects, the Martin Guitar Company introduced the Michael Johnathon signature model 0000-28s “WoodSongs Quad” guitar.
Michael lives in a log cabin on a hill surrounded by meadows, streams and woods outside of Lexington, Kentucky. We’re delighted to pull him away from his pastoral environs for his second appearance at Fiddler’s Green.
THE LOST BOYS
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The delightful, incomparable local Rennie-rock band The Lost Boys will also be performing for us the second time. The Lost Boys formed in 1999 at the GA Renaissance Festival. They have since released five CDs and performed at Ren Faires in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and North Dakota, as well as countless independent concerts and convention appearances.
Throughout the course of their ongoing 19-year history, the Lost Boys have continually pushed the boundaries of Renaissance Festival music by combining elements of period music with hard driving rock-and-roll, vocal harmonies with instrumental prowess, and hilarious parody lyrics with Shakespearean language. They wrap it all in a physical, highly energetic stage presentation, consistently delivering a challenging and entertaining show onstage and a groundbreaking body of work drawn from their five CD releases.
March 17, 2018
THE NEARLY NORMAL STRING BAND
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The Nearly Normal String Band consists of Viva and Neil Araki, two of the Atlanta traditional music community’s most respected veterans. Neil plays acoustic guitar, fiddle and mandolin in several styles, including blues, bluegrass, Celtic, and old time Appalachian. He has played guitar since he was nine years old, in both finger style and flat pick style. Viva sings and plays guitar and old time banjo and sings in a variety of musical styles. She studied guitar from the age of five and began learning old time Appalachian style banjo about 30 years ago. She is primarily a finger picker on guitar.
Neil and Viva have played together for 26 years. They’re still learning new songs, genres and styles of music. The duo plays at coffeehouses, state parks and music festivals across north Georgia, and for parties, weddings and other private engagements. They have long been active member and supporters of AAFFM. They’ll be drawing mostly from their Irish and Scottish traditional repertoire for this St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
THE IRISH BROTHERS
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The Irish Brothers may be Atlanta’s most popular and proficient performers of the beloved genre of traditional Irish music the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem introduced to the American Folk Revival. Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen are a unique team. Sandyman comes from the mountains Western North Carolina, while the Captain hails from the canyons of New York City. The two started performing together 35 years ago when they worked “suit” jobs at IBM. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material. Their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the “new country” – from traditional Irish ballads to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville. He was a founding member of the band Cullowhee, which toured nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s and 80s. George started singing and playing after his first visit to New York’s Greenwich Village in the mid-1960s. He honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. The team received the name “Irish Brothers” following a performance at The Folk Alliance several years ago in Memphis, Tennessee.
February 17, 2018
JEFFERSON ROSS
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Southern folk artist Jefferson Ross is a songwriter, singer, guitar slinger and painter, weaving stories for the ears and the eyes. Based in The Peach State, Jefferson travels throughout the U.S. and Europe performing his original music and displaying his art at festivals and galleries across the South.
For years Jefferson lived in Nashville playing for recording artists including Canada’s Entertainer of the Decade, Terri Clark. He has shared the stage with country music greats such as George Strait, Toby Keith, Reba McEntire and Vince Gill. He worked as a staff writer for a number of publishers on Music Row including Curb Music, one of the top music publishers in the world. In 2010 he returned to live in Georgia with his wife and daughter and maintains a home and office in Nashville as well.
An evening with Jefferson Ross is an inspirational, homespun southern experience that you’re unlikely to forget.
JIM CULLITON
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Jim Culliton has performed throughout Georgia over the past decade with his unique high-energy blend of instrumental string music and stylistic vocals. His philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps the music fresh and exciting.
Jim has performing experience at The Fox Theatre, Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. This versatile multi-instrumentalist is one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in the mix. Put all of this in a high speed blender and you get truly an innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities, and is a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and Auburn University (AUM).
January 20, 2018
THREE QUARTER ALE
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Three Quarter Ale is an Atlanta-based acoustic band whose unique blend of folk-rock, traditional Celtic music, and 16th-century madrigals have enthralled a large and devoted fan base for more than ten years.
This dynamic trio combines tight vocal harmonies with harp, flute, guitar, ethnic percussion, and a distinctly theatrical performance style to electrify and enchant their audiences. Their three internationally-selling CDs have earned the band five-star accolades.
Performing in full period costume as Renaissance-era characters Ariana Pellayle, Rosemary Quench, and Wicked Pete Speakeasy, the band’s lively banter and keen comic timing are as much a part of their draw as their stellar musicianship.
Whether onstage at the enormous Dragon*Con sci-fi convention, in crowded pubs during Atlanta’s annual PiratePalooza event, as finalists on the Georgia Lottery’s All Access Music Search live TV special, at intimate weddings or coffeehouses, or at their own three-day performing arts festival AleCon, Three Quarter Ale delivers a masterful, engaging, truly
top-notch show.
THE RADIO RANGERS
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The Radio Rangers are an Atlanta-based Americana band. Their music is a mix of country, rock, folk and blues, telling stories from the American heartland. Melodic, rhythmic and energetic, the Radio Rangers appeal to young, old and anyone in between. The band is comprised of Dan Foster (vocals, guitar), Mark Ewald vocals, guitar), and Tom Molloy (percussion).
Dan Foster is the songwriter and leader of the band. A seasoned lead guitarist, his song writing led to the creation of The Radio Rangers in 2014. I try to write songs that people can emotionally connect with. Songs about love, heartbreak, growing up and railroads. The goal is to paint a picture with a good story and melody. It’s very special when people like what you have created. Dan grew up in Michigan (too cold), moved to Florida (too hot) and now lives in Atlanta in 1989. (just right).
Mark “the ear” Ewald is the musical director. Being friends for over 20 years, Dan says he has never known anyone who can arrange a song, moving in exactly the right direction the way Mark does. Mark’s nickname comes from his vocal harmony abilities but he is also a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, piano, mandolin, bass guitar, banjo, harmonica and drums. (not all at the same time) Mark is from Buffalo, New York and still loves hot-wings.
Tom Molloy is the drummer/percussionist for the group. Tom is the glue that holds everything together while adding that special energy to the songs. Tom’s sense of humor always keeps things loose making even the ordinary much more fun Tom grew up in Queens, New York which will become apparent when ou speak with him. (what accent?) Don’t make the mistake of telling him he looks like Rodney Dangerfield.
November 18, 2017
THE MCLAUCHLANS
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Duncan and Glaucia McLauchlan are talented, entertaining musicians providing spirited live performances of traditional and contemporary Scottish and Irish and music throughout Atlanta and the Southeast.
Duncan is a talented Scottish singer and songwriter, as well as multi-instrumentalist with a wealth of experience. His solo CD The Road to Destiny has received substantial air-play on Celtic radio programs across the USA, including Atlanta WRFG’s The Celtic Show and the internationally broadcast public radio program The Thistle and Shamrock.
Glaucia is a spirited percussionist from Sao Paulo, Brazil. After meeting “Dunc” at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, she swapped her background of classical piano for a life on the Celtic scene. Soon they were making beautiful music together.
Duncan sings and plays his songs with a passion that complements his clever and sensitive, poetic style. His delicate lyrics weave a colorful tapestry on the back-cloth of his tunes and rhythms, evoking a range of emotions from laughter to tears and back again. He employs a variety of instruments and his natural Scottish accent to produce a solid, yet atmospheric feel in his music. His musical armory includes acoustic and electric guitars, bass, bodhran, mandolins, banjo, keyboards, and various percussion instruments.
BLACKFOOT DAISY
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Blackfoot Daisy formed in 2012 when long-time collaborators and songwriters Wendy DuMond and Don Sechelski decided to begin performing together on a regular basis. Don spent most of his early childhood in Texas and Wendy hails from Montana but grew-up in Oklahoma. They chose to name the band after a deer, drought, and pest-resistant prairie flower.
Don is a 30-plus year native of the Atlanta music scene and has also worked as a studio musician. He has performed as a solo act and also performed with his son Adam Sechelski, who sits-in with Blackfoot Daisy as singer, guitarist, and percussionist when available. Don has been a regular on the Atlanta coffeehouse/acoustic music scene since the old Freight Room days. He has played venues such as the Dogwood Festival, Hungry Ear Coffeehouse, Lena’s Place and many more.
Wendy began writing songs and performing in 2009. She released a solo EP in 2012. Wendy’s songs have been featured on the Women of Substance radio podcast. Her song Catching Fireflies was used as music for a book trailer to promote All Bears Need Love, a children’s book about interracial adoption.
As a duo the band has played various venues in the Southeast, including Charles & Myrtle’s in Chattanooga TN, Berkeley Bob’s Coffeehouse in Cullman AL, and others in South Carolina and Georgia.
In November 2015 Bobby Moore joined the band, rounding out the sound. Bobby is a native of Virginia, multi-instrumentalist, and award-winning old-time fiddle and banjo player. Bobby took honors at the Old Time Fiddlers Convention in Galax, Virginia for bluegrass banjo in 1980 and bluegrass fiddle in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998 and 2002.
The full band has played Smith’s Old Bar, Steve’s Live Music, the Red Light Café and many other local Atlanta live music venues. The band has opened for Nashville songwriter Kurt Fortmeyer, The Rosin Sisters, Copper into Steel, Vientos Del Pueblo, and Little Country Giants, to name a few. They have also performed at Snellville Days, the Chastain Park Arts Festival, the Duluth Fall Festival, the Little 5 Arts Alive Concert series, and Oakhurst Porchfest.
The band released a three-song EP in 2015 and are currently working on a full-length album.
October 21, 2017
LAUREN LAPOINTE
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Lauren Lapointe is a Savannah GA-based singer/songwriter who has been gaining recognition across the country for her soulful songs, unique voice, and strong live performances. Her third and newest CD “Superhero” was produced by Thomm Jutz (Nanci Griffith, Mary Gauthier) in Nashville and features twelve original Americana, rootsrock, pop, and old country songs supported by world-class musicians.
“Superhero” debuted at #6 on the Cashbox Magazine/Roots Music Report’s Georgia Airplay chart and #16 on the Cashbox Magazine/Root’s Music Report’s Country/Americana Internet Airplay Top 50. It has since been played on over 100 stations in the U.S. and is receiving much international radioplay. Leicester Bangs in the UK described it as “an engaging combination of classic country, narrative songwriting, and plentiful hooks.” In November 2013 Lufthansa Airlines selected her song “The Ghost of Elvis” for their inflight program.
Lapointe continues to make a name for herself as a strong and versatile live performer and has played at many renowned listening rooms across the nation such as the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, the Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, the Jefferson Freedom Cafe in Ft. Worth TX, and Anderson Fair in Houston TX.
“This is just pure, honest music here, created with talent and passion and deserving of wider spread notice.”- Music Morsels
“A gifted and openhearted storyteller with a flair for melody.” —Sloan Wainwright, Derby Disc Music recording artist
OUT OF THE RAIN
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Ron Hipp w/Carol Statella ~ Out of the Rain ~ is a folk duo noted for innovative arrangements and unusual expressive power. Ron Hipp has been known in the Atlanta area as an accomplished solo artist, and Carol Statella has played and sung in various groups over the years. Their joining forces to regularly perform and record music together has created a compelling, poignant sound that is both timeless and fresh.
Ron is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist/singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A native of Atlanta, he’s been performing both solo and in various band combinations since about the age of 16. His rich baritone voice, consummate fingerpicking, and mesmerizing songs make his shows a memorable experience. Ron has graced many a recording project by other artists over the years as a studio musician, and has many CD cover photos to his credit.
Carol (multi-instrumentalist/singer) has played in backup orchestras for Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson. She’s been a music journalist, radio announcer, and clinician. In the classical realm, she’s played in the Atlanta Opera Orchestra and sang for seventeen seasons with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus/Chamber Chorus. Carol’s also a gifted songwriter.
Ron and Carol have known each other and crossed paths musically for two decades, through many artistic and personal evolutions. Their sound is warm, eloquent, and vivid. Onstage, Ron and Carol draw audiences in with artful musicality, occasionally inane humor, and absolute focus on bringing the listener into the depths of a song.
“Musically delightful, emotionally involving work … ” ~ Sing Out! Magazine
Your beautiful CD was just what I needed to hear today! So lyrical and soothing, with lovely instrumentals and vocals.” ~ Sharon Isbin, GRAMMY award-winning classical guitarist
September 16, 2017
STEVEN DARSEY
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Steven Darsey is a singer, collector, and scholar of folk song. Believing that folk music conveys fundamental cultural truths, he strives to make these real for contemporary listeners. With a straightforward style
in the tradition of balladeers Tommy Makem and Burl Ives, he sings little-known songs such as “Leather Winged Bat,” comic songs like “Three Nights Drunk,” spirituals like “I’m Goin’ Home,” classics like
“Danny Boy,” and his own folk-style compositions, as in his setting of Sidney Lanier’s “Song of the Chattahoochee.” A seventh generation Georgian, he also shares southern wit and wisdom.
For nine years Steven was privileged to sing songs to complement Fred Craddock’s stories in their Winged for the Heart programs in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Their collaborations were featured in a statewide radio
broadcast on Georgia Public Broadcasting’s On Stage, in a GPB videocast and in several programs produced by Sally Sears and broadcast by the GPB affiliate at North Georgia College. Their concerts are available
on seven CDs. By profession a church musician, Steven holds the Doctor of Musical Arts from the Yale School of Music.
JEFF MOSIER
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Scrugg’s-style banjo picker “The Rev” Jeff Mosier is one of the earliest music pioneers who merged bluegrass instruments and traditional tunes with the magnetic energy of rock and roll. He founded the jamgrass band Blueground Undergrass (BGUG) in 1998 after years of crafting his banjo skills in various bands, playing everything from bluegrass with his brother Johnny (Good Medicine) to experimental rock (Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit) to jazz-fusion (The Ear Reverents). Blueground Undergrass, the band he fronted for more than a decade, recorded four albums and built a sizable national following by combining bluegrass purism with a jam band sensibility. Later, as the jamband scene became more jam-tronica and less roots-driven, he formed a more song-driven rock/bluegrass ensemble, The Mosier Brothers band, that performed at festivals, theaters, and private events throughout the region. His solo performances further showcase his outstanding vocals, banjo picking, and songwriting mingled with both amusing and poignant storytelling known to evoke both laughter and tears. Currently, in addition to performing solo and with various other artists, he can be found in the recording studio or on the set hosting his most recent video project, “The Search for the Southern Sound”.
Mosier draws from a variety of influences ranging from bluegrass and jazz to psychedelic folk-rock and alt-country. Having shared the stage with such legends as Peter Rowan, Vassar Clements, Col. Bruce Hampton, Phish, Leftover Salmon, and Widespread Panic, Mosier has always been a versatile artist who is as comfortable performing on a stage full of musicians as he is playing solo. His superb vocal mastery and unique banjo picking combine to deliver a special experience highlighting his original tunes as well as some familiar traditionals and lesser known covers. Whether traveling through acoustic ballads, thought-provoking and humorous banter, or high-energy bluegrass, each Jeff Mosier show is a musical journey sending the listener on an enjoyable foot-tapping jaunt out on the road and back home again.
“Perhaps no guest artist has had as great an influence on the band’s music as the Rev. Jeff Mosier…” – The Phish Companion
August 19, 2017
JUST BE’CAUSE
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Jerry Brunner, Bruce Gilbert and Cyndi Craven are Just Be’Cause … just don’t ask them why.
Jerry Brunner and Cyndi Craven, long-time members of the Atlanta acoustic/folk music scene, have been performing together since the 1980’s. In 2007, they met up with Bruce Gilbert when he moved to Atlanta from California where he’d been wowing the music scene there for years. The music they produce together is the result of profound friendship, heaping helpings of creativity, and decades of playing, singing and writing together and on their own. Their shows have been described by fans as an evening of “comfort music” with vocal “harmonies that will roll your socks down.” Come hear for yourself!
HARM’S WAY
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Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koeltz on lead vocals and guitar, Scot Boze on vocals, and Phil Griffin on lead guitar.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
The core members of this group have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and – while they take music very seriously – don’t take themselves seriously at all!
www.reverbnation.com/harmonkoeltz
July 15, 2017
SPARKY and RHONDA RUCKER
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Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. Sparky Rucker has been performing over forty years, and AAFFM has been proudly presenting him almost since the beginning. He is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and author. He accompanies himself with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo, and spoons. Rhonda Rucker is a musician, children’s author, storyteller, and songwriter. Her blues-style harmonica, piano, old-time banjo, and bones add musical versatility to their performances.
Sparky and Rhonda are sure to deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, slave songs, Appalachian music, spirituals, ballads, work songs, Civil War music, railroad songs, and a few of their own original compositions.
Over forty years of performing, Sparky and Rhonda have performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as NPR’s On Point, Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and Morning Edition. Their recording, Treasures & Tears, was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award, and their music is also included on the Grammy-nominated anthology, Singing Through the Hard Times.
The Ruckers have been featured tellers at the International Storytelling Center and Festival. Sparky is a natural storyteller, having grown up hearing his father, uncles, and other family members endlessly telling tales. Sparky and Rhonda each tell solo stories, but they also tell stories together (in tandem), always adding life and humor to the characters and tricksters in their Brer Rabbit tales, Jack tales, High John the Conqueror stories, preacher tales, and family stories.
Sparky and Rhonda weave their music into captivating stories that the history books don’t always tell, and they share this knowledge in many schools, colleges, and libraries. Their educational programs span over three centuries of African-American history, including slavery, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, the birth of blues music, and the civil rights movement. Each era is interspersed with stories and popular songs from the time period, celebrating the diversity of the nation’s history. They are also available for author visits to schools and libraries.
June 17, 2017
FRANK HAMILTON
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Frank Hamilton has been playing traditional American folk music for many years, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and five-string banjo. Frank has a reputation in folk circles as a former member of the Weavers and co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. He is an instructor at Atlanta’s Frank Hamilton School, which he co-founded in 2015.
Frank’s teaching mentor was Bess Lomax Hawes, sister of folklorist and entrepreneur Alan Lomax. He has worked as a musical sideman on recordings and movie soundtracks.
He is a published songwriter and member of ASCAP. Frank has recorded and played in concert with Pete Seeger, Odetta, Woody Guthrie, and The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. He has accompanied Jean Carignan, Martha Schlamme, and Shoshana Damari. He traveled through the South collecting folk songs and singing with Guy Carawan and Jack Elliott in the 1950s.
Frank recorded as a soloist for Folkways Records and Concertdisc and has released his own CD, Long Lonesome Home. He is half of the team Classic Jazz with Bill Rappaport, performing songs from the Great American Songbook represented by Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and others. Frank will be playing a blend of traditional songs, originals and some international tunes as well.
www.frankhamiltonschool.org/frank-hamilton/
VERONIKA JACKSON
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Veronika Jackson is the grassroots of American traditional folk blues. She has become a familiar face and sound in the southern regions of the United States, performing at festivals, music halls and community benefits. Veronika leaves many in awe while she informs and tells her story and her history through acoustic folk blues.
She is a singer/songwriter who performs originals as well as classic songs, but she does not carry forth the usual blues repertoire typical of the game. If you expect her to be typical in any way, she will surprise you.
A performance by Veronika is an enriching experience, both musically and spiritually. Veronika’s humble and authentic presence when performing captivates music audiences that leaves them wanting more.
May 20, 2017
JIM SHARKEY
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Singer-songwriter Jim Sharkey is an Irish and Americana folk musician now living in Salisbury NC. Jim grew up in County Roscommon, Ireland, and came to the US in 1982 when he joined the US Navy in London, England. He spent five years as a photographer on the USS Dixon in San Diego, California, and ten years working in television and video production in North Carolina and Maine. Later he taught children with special needs but decided to pursue music full-time in 2014. He plays around Virginia, North and South Carolina, Maryland, and Washington DC, accompanying himself on guitar, harmonica, and bodhran (Irish drum). Jim’s original songs blend Irish traditional ballad influences with contemporary issues that are often set in the area he resides. The title track of his latest CD Sweet Anne’s Road deals with the effects of the war in Afghanistan on a young couple from the rural area of Copper Hill, Virginia. “The Campaign Song” also included on that CD was written after Neil Young asked Donald Trump to stop using his song “Rockin’ in the Free World” for Trump’s campaign. “Bought and Sold” is a song to raise awareness of the plight of the Yazidis in Iraq who were mercilessly hunted down by Isis in 2014. Jim is working on his third CD, Misty Morning Rain, which he hopes to finish in 2017. Jim’s other CDs Black is the Color and Sweet Anne’s Road were released in 2015. Sweet Anne’s Road is available on iTunes and CD Baby.
www.jimsharkey.com
THE NEW HARVEY FAMILY SINGERS
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The New Harvey Family Singers is an evolving group of troubadours performing contemporary and traditional music. The band is made up of John Harvey, Seth Langer, Jimi Cusick and Eryk Fisher.
Hailing from Austin, Texas, John Harvey appears regularly in the Frank Hamilton School band and brings previous experience playing with house bands. Atlanta native Eryk Fisher is a professional basement musician who “sings to walls, plays harmonica, and strums three chord songs until mama tells me dinner’s ready.” Seth Langer is an actor, musician, and odd-jobber from Decatur. He plays at political rallies, weddings, birthdays, funerals — wherever there’s singing to be done! Jimi Cusick, from Atlanta, brings a musical background that includes orchestra, rock, and a Beatles cover band. Jimi loves to challenge himself musically to learn new things and play with new people as much as possible.
April 15, 2017
BRUCE GILBERT
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Bruce-Gilbert-248x300.jpg)
“After all is said and done, throw out everything you thought you knew and just make music!” That’s Bruce Gilbert’s philosophy, and it shines through every live performance he offers his ever-growing throngs of devoted Atlanta-area fans.
As a performing songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer, Bruce is a seasoned professional who never met a style of music he couldn’t bring a little something extra to. His songs are filled with happily unexpected musical twists and range from poignant, elegant love (and lost love) songs to the cool sophistication of a hipster out on the town in a new pork pie hat. No matter what the style, Gilbert connects with listeners through beautiful melodies and sincere vocals that make you believe every word he sings. He’s a jazzer with the heart of a poet.
Along with mainstays of the Atlanta folk community Cyndi Craven and Jerry Brunner, Bruce is also a member of the wildly popular local trio “Just Be’Cause.”
ALEX COMMINS and TODD PRUSIN
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ComminsPrusin-300x199.jpeg)
Both Alex Richard Commins and Todd Prusin are well-known in the Atlanta music scene. Alex has played guitar and banjo since grammar school in folk, old-time, and bluegrass groups, and lead guitar in rock bands. He has played with Larry Campbell, Mike Dowling, Toby Walker, and David Bromberg. In his accomplished fingerpicking you’ll hear the influence of Doc Watson, Norman Blake, David Bromberg, Merle Travis and Delta blues musicians. Alex has played in bluegrass groups including 15 years with The Sorghum Syrup Soppers Old-Time String Band. He has also played in many diverse musical situations from The Galax Old-Time Fiddler’s convention to rock and roll bands. Todd started playing bass in high-school bands and has since played professionally since the late ‘80’s. He has played with many local Atlanta acts and has studied with Jack Casady and Bryon House. Though primarily a bassist, Todd is an accomplished drummer and guitarist fronting and participating in many local musical projects. With Alex by his side, Todd’s musical voice comes to fruition.
Alex and Todd are alumni of Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio. The love and respect for music that was germinated there has blossomed into a musical embrace here in Atlanta. The interplay between Alex’s acoustic fingerpicking and Todd’s melodic bass guitar has generated a strong fan base throughout the area.
http://www.alexcommins.com/
March 18, 2017
CHARLEY WOODS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Charley-Woods-e1488329899345-300x283.jpg)
Nashville native Charley Woods is making a lasting impact on the music mecca she calls home. With her instantly identifiable voice and her stylistic blend of contemporary folk and Americana, this recording artist is in a league all her own. She has performed and collaborated with many talented and influential figures in today’s country music, including Brad Paisley, Chris Young, David Nail, Wil Nance, and Mark Nesler.
Charley is currently performing, recording and writing the music that she aspires to share with the world. Her latest single Half the Girl is climbing the charts and creating a buzz. She’s looking forward to her first appearance at Fiddler’s Green.
THE IRISH BROTHERS
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The Irish Brothers are Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen. This is a unique team – Sandyman comes from the mountains Western North Carolina with the Captain hailing from the canyons of New York City. The two started performing together 30 years ago when they worked ‘suit’ jobs at IBM. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material – their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the ‘new country’ – from traditional Irish ballads, to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville, and a founding member of the band Cullowhee, that toured nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s/80s. George started singing and playing after his first visit to New York’s Greenwich Village in the mid-1960s. George honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. The team received the name “Irish Brothers” following a performance at The Folk Alliance several years ago in Memphis, Tennessee.
http://www.gorddcymru.org/atlanta/music/cmd/hergen_george.htm
February 18, 2017
HOTLANTA DIXIELAND JAZZ
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HOTLANTA DIXIELAND JAZZ
Hotlanta sets your feet firmly on Bourbon Street in Old New Orleans. You’ll experience every bit of the joy, energy, and humor of that early American Jazz called Dixieland. Songs from Fats Waller, Hoagy Carmichael, Louie Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, plus many old favorites like “Sweet Georgia Brown”, “Royal Garden Blues”, “South”, “Hard Hearted Hannah”, and “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In” are all part of Hotlanta’s musical treat.
Based in Atlanta, the group has performed extensively in the South since its founding by Don Erdman in 1990 with appearances at “The Famous Door” on Bourbon Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter, The Brevard College Jazz Festival in North Carolina, and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, to name a few. Beyond the South, Hotlanta’s music has been enjoyed around the globe at clubs and jazz festivals in Spain, Germany, Japan, France, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Belarus, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore.
Hotlanta’s full instrumentation is the traditional sextet: clarinet, cornet, trombone, banjo/vocals, tuba and drums. Hotlanta also performs as a trio, quartet, or quintet. In addition to their Happy Feet CD, other recordings include Live in Spain from a performance at Spain’s Jazzaldia Festival, The Saints, a CD on the Intersound label, and their newest CD There Ain’t No Jazz Like Dixieland.
Hotlanta Dixieland Jazz is available for concerts, parties, and all occasions.
JIM CULLITON TRIO
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Jim-Culliton-Trio-300x249.jpg)
JIM CULLITON TRIO
The always exciting Jim Culliton Trio has performed throughout Georgia over the past decade with its unique high-energy blend of instrumental string music and stylistic vocals. The Trio’s underlying philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps the music fresh and exciting.
Jim Culliton has performing experience at The Fox Theatre, Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. This versatile multi-instrumentalist is one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in the mix. Put all of this in a high speed blender and you get a truly innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities, as well as a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and Auburn University (AUM). In this show Jim will play fiddle and mandolin. Walter Dean, “Dean of the Dobro,” incorporates several styles of music with his dazzling tone and technique. Skip Romaner has lent his masterful touch on bass to various bands since moving to Atlanta in 1974.
The trio will play a mix of original compositions plus original arrangements of swing, bluegrass, and new string acoustic, with vocals.
January 21, 2017
MARK STUART
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Screen-Shot-2016-02-02-at-8.57.18-PM.png)
Mark Stuart is a full-time musical artist bringing his years of experience to the stage. Mark will share songs he has penned and recorded, delivering them with the soulful singing voice and highly memorable guitar playing that has made him a favorite on the Americana/folk circuit for 18 years.
Mark’s show consists of storytelling, flashy guitar chops, and songs that seem to draw from his rock, blues, country, and folk music roots. Mostly, this artist from Tennessee has toured solo or in a notable duo with his wife (“Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart”). There were stints along the way as a sideman for Steve Forbert, Freddy Fender, Steve Earle, and Joan Baez.
One can find Mark on any given night in a small theater, coffeehouse, house concert, festival stage, club, church auditorium, etc., giving it his all. Aside from that, he could be instructing at a guitar clinic or songwriting workshop, or playing on someone’s recording session. As co-owner of Gearle Records, he has produced or co-produced many albums. Stuart’s career has repeatedly taken him to all of the USA, Canada, Europe, and the United Kingdom. He last appeared at Fiddler’s Green in February 2015. Mark is a delightful, engaging performer you won’t want to miss.
http://www.markstuart.net
THE ROUGH & TUMBLE
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TheRoughandTumble-1024x683.jpg)
In April 2015 Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler quit their day jobs, sold everything they owned, and gave their thirty day notice on their rental house to trade in for a life permanently on the road. With their sixteen foot camper and their 97 pound dog, Butter, they have been touring nationwide. Don’t let their vagabond tendencies fool you– this Americana-folk duo are a compact team of close harmonies, versatile instrumentation, and deliberate songwriting all presented with a nudge of the elbow and a tongue in the cheek. Haunting, quirky, solemn, and spritely, The Rough & Tumble are for the faint of heart and the strong of will.
In 2011, the friends-turned-bandmates released their first EP, We Sing in Your House When You’re Not There… we even ordered pizza., an exploration of watching other people’s dogs while eating other people’s food. Shortly after, the duo released their second EP, We Don’t Believe in Monsters, Anymore… but will you please check under our beds?, wherein the band discovered that they did, in fact, still believe in monsters. In 2012, their third EP, For You, Now That You’re Married… and for me, too., generated a sudden foreshadowing for the band, still noted in history books as the time they knew everything they didn’t know.
2013 proved to be a small miracle as The Rough & Tumble met their deadlines and wrote, recorded, and released two songs a month every month. The result was The Rough & Tumble’s Holiday Awareness Campaign, a project that fought for the underprivileged, uncelebrated holidays in the calendar year. While having fun with days like Meteor Day and Boxing Day, The R&T additionally observed the great sadness that can accompany great celebration with A Day for the Remembrance of the Souls of Lost Whales and Evaluate Your Life Day.
In 2014, filmmaker friend Alyssa Pearson asked the duo to create a soundtrack for her upcoming film, Pieces and Pieces. Up for the challenge, the songwriters took on the task, tackling issues of PTSD, women’s rights, war, and the love in between. While the film is still to be released, The Rough & Tumble released the seven songs, dually named Pieces and Pieces, on March 1, 2016.
A few new songs and a few old ones are in the works, now, as The Rough & Tumble continue their meandering back and forth across the country. Likely, any minute now, they will be in a town near you, singing sad songs and telling bad jokes until the next town calls them.
http://www.theroughandtumble.com/
December 17, 2016
MOCKINGBIRD’S WING
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Mockingbird’s Wing, a superb Atlanta group, will perform a seasonal set from its folk, rock, soul and pop repertoire. This organically grown acoustic band made up of four diverse musicians:
Barbara Hotz is a singer/songwriter with deep roots in Mexico and a love of the old standards.
Jonathan McBee is a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter out of Chicago, IL. If it’s got strings, Jonathan is looking to add it to the Mockingbird sound.
Paul Pendery is a Montana/Alaska/Texas singer/songwriter whose songs evoke soulful stirrings and happy feet.
Suzy Schultz, when she is not at her day job as a full-time artist, adds vocals/flute/cello to the Mockingbird sound.
Like the mockingbird herself, all the different voices and styles come together for a unique sound – the inimitable Mockingbird’s Wing sound.
https://www.bandpage.com/MockingbirdsWing
THE LOST BOYS
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The Lost Boys formed in 1999 at the Georgia Renaissance Festival, and have since released 5 CD’s and performed at Ren Faires in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, & North Dakota, as well as appearing in countless independent concerts and convention appearances.
Throughout the course of their ongoing 15 year history, the Lost Boys have continually pushed the boundaries of Renaissance Festival music by combining elements of period music with hard driving rock and roll, vocal harmonies with instrumental prowess, hilarious parody lyrics with Shakespearean language, all wrapped in a physical, highly energetic stage presentation, consistently delivering a challenging and entertaining show onstage and a groundbreaking body of work over the course of their 5 CD releases.
For their first appearance on the Fiddler’s Green Concert Series, the ‘Boys add a few seasonal favorites to their already eclectic repertoire in an acoustic Christmas show for all ages. Happy holidays!
http://www.thelostboysonline.com/
November 19, 2016
BENSON AND LEINWEBER
![benson-leinweber](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Benson-Leinweber.jpg)
Benson and Leinweber have been wowing crowds wherever they have played. Dave Benson and David Leinweber are outstanding guitarists, songwriters, and performers. Veterans of the blues, rock and folk scenes, the two form a powerhouse duo featuring excellent harmonies, skillful guitar-interplay and well-selected songs – not to mention lots of fun and energy.
David Leinweber has performed widely at festivals, concert venues and clubs for years, including international appearances abroad where he was dubbed “The Flatpicking Professor.” He has also performed widely in refined higher-educational settings like bars and honky-tonks, to say nothing of numerous universities, civic groups and college campuses. He has placed in numerous flatpicking, fingerpicking and songwriting competitions.
Benson is also an award-winning songwriter, with many years of experience as a versatile guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and performer. He has appeared in performance venues all over his native South.
The duo’s repertoire ranges from traditional music of Appalachia and the British Isles, to Spanish ballads, to folkadelic rock and acoustic blues. Critics have praised their work with such phrases as “excellent guitarists,” “Masters of the flatpicking and fingerpicking styles of guitar,” and “great picking combined with good songwriting; what more could you ask?”
Many of their songs tell great stories and feature distinctive idioms of guitar-playing and songwriting. But most of all, they are just out to entertain and have a good time. Their performances intersperse intricate guitar work and vocals with joke-cracking and occasional commentaries. They are a good fit for audiences of all stripes and tastes.
KNIGHTSONG
![knightsong-2016](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Knightsong-2016.jpg)
KnightSong was formed by Pat Buonodono, Brad Ketch and Keith Duggan in 1989. KnightSong performs year-round for public and private gatherings. The group also performs regularly at charitable events and senior living centers. KnightSong has performed for a number of years at the Georgia Shakespeare Festival and “Christmas Candlelight Nights” at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina and recently toured Denver to perform for the Bethany Festival of Faith and the Arts. KnightSong also performed in 2012 at inaugural AleCon music convention in Atlanta. KnightSong currently has four CDs available for sale and its music is available on CD Baby, iTunes, and Amazon.com.
The KnightSong singers are a diverse group, with but two commonalities — first, a love of a cappella music, and second, a love of laughter. We consider ourselves a musical family of friends and hope that our music provides the listener with the same joy we find in making it.
October 15, 2016
CALEDONIA SWING
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The Celtic band Caledonia Swing will bring their sweet sounds, infectious energy and love of improvisation to Fiddler’s Green. The band plays a unique style of contemporary and traditional Celtic music with a jazzy twist.
Band-mates Marie Dunkle and Margie Swint have performed together throughout Georgia and the Carolinas for over a decade. They are skilled musicians and seasoned performers who elicit lots of smiles, laughter and even a few tears with their heart-felt arrangements. Margie and Marie will be joined that evening by friend and percussionist extraordinaire Owen Devine, a familiar face on the Atlanta and Athens Irish music scene.
Marie Dunkle (violin, cello, mandolin) is a North Georgia-based musician and storyteller. Her first love is Scottish fiddling, but she plays many musical styles and has performed with symphony orchestras and quartets, rock n roll bands, and theatre companies. Skilled at music improvisation, Marie also supports song writers and recording artists in the Southeast.
Margie Swint (vocals, guitar) has over 30 years combined experience as a performer, music educator and board-certified music therapist. She has performed as a soloist and with a variety of Folk and Celtic bands. Margie worked as a Wolf Trap Institute Artist-in-Residence and album soloist in Nashville, TN. She and her family live in Snellville, GA.
THE RED WELLIES
![The Red Wellies](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ATT00005-300x192.jpg)
The Red Wellies, based out of Asheville, NC and Atlanta GA are a unique collaboration between Irish, Bulgarian and American-born musicians who collectively have decades of experience playing in the Irish tradition. Claudine “Beanie” Odell (fiddle) and Vincent Fogarty (Bouzouki) have been instrumental in creating a thriving Irish music scene in Asheville, NC, bringing an authenticity of its sound to the Southern Appalachians. Bella Issakova received her classical education in the Sofia Music School in Bulgaria, as well as Tel Aviv’s prestigious Thelma Yalin School. Ms. Issakova has been a successful classical violinist. She has been studying Irish music for the last eight years and is a Kerry Records Featured Artist, performing with the Kerry Records troupe annually.
With Beanie’s sharp ear for a beautiful tune set, Vincent’s stand-out bouzouki accompaniment, and Bella’s rich and wild sound on the fiddle, the Red Wellies love playing together, are reluctant to ever stop, and want to share their love of Irish music with every audience they encounter.
Although all three musicians take a studied approach to Irish traditional music through their full time instrumental teaching and The Celtic band Caledonia Swing will bring their sweet sounds, infectious energy and love of improvisation to Fiddler’s Green. The band plays a unique style of contemporary and traditional Celtic music with a jazzy twist.
September 17, 2016
LASHBROOKS
![LASHBROOKS](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-09-07-at-8.09.58-PM-300x202.png)
Troy and Rhonda Lashbrooks are singer/songwriters, music producers, and entertainers. As Lashbrooks they present their soulful roots and progressive folk music with heart-felt lyrics, exciting acoustic guitar, and rich harmonies. They perform in listening venues and coffeehouses throughout the Atlanta local and regional area.
Troy and Rhonda produce and record under their BrooksTone Productions label and production company. Look for their music venues and new artists for 2016 and 2017.
www.lashbrooksmusic.net
Facebook – Lashbrooks
Facebook – BrooksTone Productions
MICHAEL JOHNATHON
![Michael Johnathon](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-09-07-at-8.18.25-PM-300x206.png)
Folksinger Michael Johnathon has a long-standing career in acoustic arts. He’s a songwriter, playwright, composer of the opera Woody: For the People, and host of the live audience broadcast of the WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour. His show has an audience with over two million listeners each week on 500 public radio stations, public television coast-to-coast, and American Forces Radio Network in 173 nations.
Growing up in New York, Michael Johnathon was Pete Seeger’s neighbor. Now settled in the foothills of Appalachia, the Kentucky-based songwriter is a prolific artist with ten released albums, two published books and several national projects. His play Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau has been performed over 8,000 times in 42 countries. A tree-hugger at heart, he has performed 2,000 Earth Concerts at schools and colleges, as well as benefits for the homeless, farm families, and shelters helping battered women and children. Billboard Magazine headlined him as an “UnSung Hero.” He has been featured on CNN, TNN, CMT, AP, Headline News, NPR, Bravo and the BBC.
Recently, Michael helped organize the national WoodSongs Front Porch Association to help organize rural and community music and a massive educational program. Members of the WFPA are called “SongFarmers,” which is also the title of his latest album, the very first national CD release to be completely recorded on an iPhone.
The Martin Guitar Company recently introduced the Michael Johnathon signature model 0000-28s “WoodSongs Quad” guitar.
www.MichaelJohnathon.com
www.WoodSongs.com
www.WaldenPlay.com
WoodyGuthrieOpera.com
www.SongFarmers.org
August 20, 2016
ELISE WITT AND FRIENDS
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-08-05-at-1.32.58-PM.png)
Photo by Jessica Lily
Yes, Fiddler’s Green has moved once again! And we’re delighted that the extraordinary folk singer, musician, songwriter, and long-time AAFFM friend Elise Witt will perform with some surprise guests to inaugurate our partnership with First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta.
Elise’s concerts of Global, Local & Homemade Songs™ and her Impromptu Glorious Chorus™ workshops create and connect singing communities around the world. Elise was born in Switzerland, raised in North Carolina, and since 1977 has made her home in Atlanta. She speaks five languages fluently, sings in over a dozen more, and has been a cultural ambassador to South Africa, Italy, Nicaragua, Switzerland, Bosnia, and China. WE’RE ALL BORN SINGING is her 12th recording for the independent EMWorld Records, and many of her songs are available for choirs in the Elise Witt Choral Series. Recipient of the William L. Womack Creative Arts Award, Elise is Artist-in-Residence at the Global Village Project, a school for teenage refugee girls in Decatur GA. Her concerts are famous for turning audiences (even self-professed “non-singers”) into an Impromptu Glorious Chorus™.
For more information: www.elisewitt.com
A performer to remember with international savvy and personal charm! ~ Kennedy Center Millennium Stage
Wide horizons and a repertoire that borrows from many countries with a spirit of univeral humanism. ~ Le Cri du Coyote, France
July 16, 2016
KEVIN “KALIMBAMAN” SPEARS
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International recording artist Kevin Spears is hailed as one of the most gifted kalimba players alive. His mastery of kalimba (African thumb piano), customized musical gadgets, tiny synths and experimental percussion allow him to create a fusion of world, jazz and folktronica that moves your feet and stirs your soul.
“Kevin Spears puts on a performance full of groove, sound and intimacy that draws you into his unique yet universal world.” – Benoit Glazer, Musical Director, Cirque Du SOLEIL. Seeing Is Believing!
www.facebook.com/Kevin.Kalimba
MICK and EVAN KINNEY
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screen-Shot-2016-06-28-at-9.19.34-PM.png)
Mick Kinney is a folklorist, composer, lyricist, and multi instrumentalist. Expect an eclectic blend of ragtime, Georgia fiddle tunes, swing, Cajun, Irish, novelty songs, and some traditional style originals. He has recorded several albums of his own material; has accompanied Vick Chestnut, Victoria Williams, John Hartford; and collaborates regularly with his partner, Elise Witt.
Mick will be joined by his son Evan from their family string band, the HickHoppers. They performed this spring at the Brooklyn Folk Festival and will be featured artists this summer at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Washington state. Their latest CDs are In Dear Old Georgia (2015), with Grammy winner Art Rosenbaum on banjo, and What Would Geezers Do? (2016).
June 18, 2016
REDWINE JAM
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Redwine-Jam-29-1024x605.jpg)
Despite its name, Redwine Jam is not a sweet alcoholic concoction suitable for spreading on toast. Still, folk music fans around Atlanta find it appetizing and heady! A performance by the Atlanta-based folk trio Redwine Jam carries the audience on an emotional rollercoaster complete with high-spirited roots music, wry humor, gripping story songs, love ballads, and the sheer joy of homemade music.
Redwine Jam is a folk music trio comprised of Chris and Carol Moser, who for years led the Celtic band Barney’s Goat, and master guitar/bass player Skip Romaner. They perform a wide range of North American and Celtic folk songs and tunes, from traditional material to newly written compositions by contemporary folk legends. They accompany their vocals with guitar, bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, mountain dulcimer, flute, pennywhistle, bodhran and harp (not all at the same time).
Whether they’re performing a program of American folk, Celtic, a mixture of both, or their multi-media concert exploring the American Folk Revival, an evening with Redwine Jam is a delectable treat.
HARM’S WAY
![](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Harms-Way-1024x768.jpg)
Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koetz on lead vocals and guitar, Scot Boze on vocals, and Phil Griffin on lead guitar.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
As with most groups, members occasionally join or leave or re-join the group. But, the core members have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and while they take the music very seriously, don’t take themselves seriously at all!
May 21, 2016
BLACKFOOT DAISY
![Blackfoot Daisy](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Blackfoot-Daisy.png)
Blackfoot daisies are hearty wild flowers that grow on the prairies of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. You can find them growing naturally in the Texas Blackland prairie, which runs from the Red River to the Texas-Oklahoma border. The band, BLACKFOOT DAISY, is a humble foursome (sometimes fewer) that plays original, Americana style music. Based in the Atlanta metro area, the members are a little haunted by the prairie, the wind, the shifting of tall grasses, the sound of crickets, and a lonesome train whistle drifting through the night.
BLACKFOOT DAISY is a blend of four very talented musicians. Songwriter Don Sechelski is featured on guitar and vocals. Don has been writing and performing music in the Atlanta area for over 30 years. From Atlanta to New Orleans to Chicago and back to Atlanta, he is still chasing the buffalo.
Wendy DuMond also plays guitar, sings and writes songs. Wendy has the soul of a poet and the vision of an artist. From Montana, through Oklahoma, up to New York, and back to Atlanta, she follows the Bucking Horse Moon.
Adam Sechelski is found on guitar, mandolin, percussion, vocals. Adam is the backbeat, the glue that holds it together. Atlanta to Boston to Mississippi and back to Atlanta, Adam is a stage gypsy, an actor, and a dreamer.
Bobby Moore from Roanoke, VA, plays fiddle, mandolin and banjo. He loves the sound of a lonesome train whistle.
THE ROSIN SISTERS
![TheRosinSisters](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/TheRosinSisters.png)
The Rosin Sisters — Barbara Panter-Connah, Ann Whitley-Singleton, and Jan Smith, are three fiddlers who combine their voices, guitars, and banjo to create a unique blend of Southern Appalachian roots music.
Cutting their teeth fiddling for Contra and Cajun dances, they have also performed at festivals and concerts in the Atlanta area and the Southeast for decades in various bands. They collectively teach harmony singing at the Blue Ridge Old-time Music Week in Mars Hill, NC, and they each teach music privately – Jan and Barbara in the Atlanta area and Ann as Director of the Georgia Pick & Bow Traditional Music School, an after-school non-profit in her adopted hometown of Dahlonega, GA.
After years of friendship, The Rosin Sisters formed in 2006 to further explore their love of traditional music and song, and have produced three CDs: Sweet Sunny South, which received a stellar review in the Old-Time Herald, Walking Through Time’s Door, and their most recent, It’s All Your Fault.
April 16, 2016
OUT OF THE RAIN
![Out of the Rain](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Out-of-the-Rain-971x1024.jpg)
Out Of The Rain, composed of Ron Hipp and Carol Statella, is a folk duo noted for innovative arrangements and unusual expressive power. Ron Hipp has been known in the Atlanta area as an accomplished solo artist and Carol Statella has played and sung in various groups over the years. Their joining forces to regularly perform and record music together has created a compelling, poignant sound that is both timeless and fresh.
Ron is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist/singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A native of Atlanta, he’s been performing both solo and in various band combinations since about the age of 16. His rich baritone voice, consummate fingerpicking, and mesmerizing songs make his shows a memorable experience. Ron has graced many a recording project by other artists over the years as a studio musician, and has many CD cover photos to his credit.
Carol (string player/singer) has played in backup orchestras for Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson. As a music journalist, she interviewed Robert Shaw for a national publication, and also spent several years as an announcer/producer in public radio. In the classical performance realm, Carol has played in the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, and sang for seventeen seasons with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus/Chamber Chorus.
Ron and Carol have known each other and crossed paths musically for a decade and a half, through many artistic and personal evolutions. Their sound together has been described as warm, eloquent, and vivid. Onstage, Ron and Carol draw audiences in with artful musicality, occasionally inane humor, and absolute focus on inviting the listener into the depths of a song.
While continuing to perform in intimate Southeast venues, Out of The Rain also presented Ron’s first album of original songs and instrumentals titled “Two Hearts,” which has received international folk radio airplay and glowing reviews from press and concert presenters. “Ron Hipp and Carol Statella have crafted a musically delightful, emotionally involving work with “Two Hearts” … it deserves a spot on your CD shelf,” says Rich Warren of Sing Out! Magazine.
JOYCE & JACQUE
![joyceanndjacque](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/joyceanndjacque.png)
Performing favorites from their CD, “New Day Dawning”
“Every once in a while, someone plays music that stops you in your tracks,
music that mesmerizes and moves your soul.”
This is what has been said of the duo of Joyce Williams and Jacque Howard. Their original music transcends age, appealing to young children and seasoned elders alike. Setting is no boundary for them, as the duo has performed in clubs, youth conferences and churches throughout the country.
Joyce & Jacque have opened for many nationally acclaimed artists – including Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, The Pointer Sisters, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Nina Simone, Odetta and many others.
Joyce & Jacque’s rich vocal harmonies are a treat for the ears. Drawing from their Christian faith and incorporating hard-hitting issues in their lyrics, the two singer-songwriters minister to the human condition straight through the heart.
They will be performing songs from their acclaimed CD, “New Day Dawning.”
March 18, 2016
FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT
![FourShillingsShort](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/FourShillingsShort.jpg)
The Celtic/Folk/World music duo Four Shillings Short are coming to town for a special Winter Solstice Concert. This is their only appearance in the Atlanta area and they only make it to Georgia every couple of years so make sure not to miss this one-of-a-kind musical treat!
“The delightfully surprising collection of songs and sounds this husband/wife act create, while stretching the limits of Celtic and Folk music by stirring in generous amounts of Indian Ragas and Medieval flavorings via some of the tastiest sitar playing this side of Ravi Shankar” (Valpariso Times, IN) “bring musical diversity, captivating storytelling and humorous side notes to create an amazing show.” (Labyrinth Café/Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Four Shillings Short, the husband/wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland and Christy Martin from California, perform Traditional and Original music from the Celtic lands, Medieval & Renaissance Europe, India and the Americas on a fantastic array of instruments (over 30) including Hammered & Mountain Dulcimer, Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Tinwhistles, Recorders, Medieval and Renaissance Woodwinds, North Indian Sitar, Charango, Bowed Psaltery, Banjo, Bodhran, Guitar, Percussion, vocals and even a Krumhorn.
Touring in the US & Ireland since 1997, Four Shillings Short are independent folk-artists who perform 150 concerts a year, have released 12 recordings and live as full time Troubadours traveling from town to town performing at music festivals, theatres & performing arts centers, folk societies, libraries, house concerts and schools.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Aodh Og O’Tuama grew up in a family of poets, musicians and writers. He received his degree in Music from University College Cork, Ireland and received a Fellowship from Stanford University in California in Medieval and Renaissance performance. He plays Tinwhistles, Medieval & Renaissance woodwinds, Recorders, Doumbek (from Morocco), bowed Psaltery, Spoons and sings both in English, Gaelic & French.
Christy Martin grew up in a family of musicians and dancers. From the age of 15, she studied North Indian Sitar for 10 years, 5 of them with a student of master Sitarist Ravi Shankar. She began playing the Hammered Dulcimer in her 20’s and has studied with Maggie Sansone, Dan Duggan, Cliff Moses, Robin Petrie, Tony Elman and Glen Morgan. In addition she plays Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Banjo, Guitar, Bodhran (Irish frame drum), Charango, bowed Psaltery and sings in English, Irish, Spanish and Sanskrit.
WHAT FOLKS SAY ABOUT FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT
“Yours was truly one of the best shows I’ve been to on ‘any’ level & it’s pretty broad: Michael Jackson, Celtic Women, James Taylor, John Denver & Four Shillings Short!!! I enjoyed not only the musical talent, but the education regarding instruments, origin etc. storytelling & mix of genuine passion, love & humor. In that regard you beat out all the others.” (Louisville, KY)
“Sunday nights’ concert featured a husband and wife duo called Four Shillings Short. They are astounding. They both have wonderful singing voices. They play an incredible variety of music from Indian Ragas to Celtic, Traditional folk and about anything else you can think of. They are very charismatic with great stage presence.” Columbus Folk Music Society,OH)
“Their musical virtuosity makes old songs sound new and new songs sound like time-worn Celtic spells.” (CITY PAGES, Wausau WI)
“They are not the Clancy Brothers or Jean Richie or Ravi Shankar but a combination of all three, laced with Irish humor. Their collection of instruments is museum-like and I’ve never seen the place so packed.” (San Gregorio General Store, CA)
“Four Shillings Short are the ultimate in coffeehouse entertainment. The variety of musical instrumentation really keeps me interested. Equal amounts of male and female energy keep the emotional content well-balanced. Song lyrics don’t get hidden underneath too much accompaniment. Harmonies are sweet; instrumental solos spirited. And best of all, their demeanor belies a commitment to the ideal of rising up singing.” (Chicory House Concerts Forty Fort, PA)
“Stunning performance last night. Folk music at its best. Well sung, well played & I lost count of how many instruments. One of the most inspiring performances I have ever witnessed.” (Berea KY)
“Four Shillings Short, celto-indo fusion duo, is a world class act.” (KMFB – Late night Liz, Fort Bragg, CA)
“These are two of the best musicians that I’ve seen come through. They are authentic, traditional and spontaneous.” (Suburban Exchange, Houghton MI)
“Four Shillings Short takes you on a musical journey through time and across the seas as they perform everything from traditional Irish tunes and airs to Indian Ragas.” (The Foothills Sun-Gazette/ Exeter, CA)
“A husband-and-wife duo of mystical musical abilities. Their sound is haunting, crystalline beauty.” (Monterey County Weekly, Monterey, CA)
“The Celtic/Folk/World music duo performs on a bevy of unusual instruments and in myriad styles. This is a great show for kids of all ages, who’ll be amazed by the duo’s thematic range.” (Glen Starkey – New Times, San Luis Obispo, CA)
February 20, 2016
JUST BE’CAUSE
![Just Be'Cause](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/JustBecause.png)
Jerry Brunner, Bruce Gilbert and Cyndi Craven are Just Be’Cause … just don’t ask them why.
Jerry Brunner and Cyndi Craven, long-time members of the Atlanta acoustic/folk music scene, have been performing together since the 1980’s. In 2007, they met up with Bruce Gilbert when he moved to Atlanta from California where he’d been wowing the music scene there for years. The music they produce together is the result of profound friendship, heaping helpings of creativity, and decades of playing, singing and writing together and on their own. Their shows have been described by fans as an evening of “comfort music” with vocal “harmonies that will roll your socks down.” Come hear for yourself!
BALALAIKA FANTASIE
![BALALAIKA FANTASIE](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/BALALAIKA-FANTASIE.png)
The six musicians of Balalaika Fantasie draw their inspiration from their life-long passion for Russian folk music and their diverse cultural backgrounds. Performing on authentic Russian folk instruments, the group’s repertoire includes Russian, Ukrainian, Gypsy and Jewish folk music.
Angelina Galashenkova-Reed (domra) has toured the world as a soloist with the Andreyev Russian Folk Orchestra of St. Petersburg, Russia, performing with them at Carnegie Hall’s 100th anniversary. A virtuoso of the three-string domra, she is a winner of Russia’s prestigious “Cup of the North” competition, and holds the title of “Laureate of International Competitions of Professional Folk Artists.” Immigrating to the U.S. in 2001, she has had numerous solo appearances, most notably at Spivey Hall, and is the concertmaster and domra soloist of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra. Angelina performs in the domra-guitar duo, 9 String Theory.
David C. Cooper (balalaika, domra, vocals) has been recognized by Russian virtuosi for his artistry as a balalaika soloist. Pennsylvania-born, Mr. Cooper is an authority on Russian folk instruments (he plays them all), studied conducting and performance at the Glier Institute of Kiev, Ukraine, and is the artistic director and conductor of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra. Mr. Cooper’s diverse talents also make him in demand in jazz, Klezmer and steel drum ensembles.
Alla Melnik (bayan, vocals) is a Ukrainian-born bayan soloist who received her music degree from the Kiev University of Arts and Culture. She has performed and taught bayan, music theory and piano throughout Ukraine. Alla has a vast repertoire of folk, classical and popular music, frequently appearing in concerts and festivals. She frequently performs bayan solos with the Atlanta Balalaika Society.
Gregory Carageorge has been a professional contrabass balalaika and string bass player for over thirty years, performing in numerous ethnic music groups such as the Berkeley, CA based Klezmorim and Troika Balalaikas, The Massenkoff Russian Folk Festival, and several very popular touring Greek folk music bands. He was the leader of the house band at New York’s Russian Tea Room, and has appeared with numerous folk, bluegrass, and jazz ensembles.
Irene Perloff McCullough (alto domra) and David McCullough (alto balalaika) have performed in Russian folk music ensembles in Boston and Detroit and Atlanta, and perform together as the balalaika-guitar duo, “Russian Romance.” All musicians of Balalaika Fantasie are members of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra.
January 16, 2016
UKULELE SOCIETY OF DECATUR
![ukulelesocietyofdecatur](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ukulelesocietyofdecatur.png)
Retired couple John and Lynda Anderson and their Ukulele Society of Decatur go out every other week to spread happiness. They play at senior citizens homes, farmers’ markets and other public events. And any money they make, they give away!
“It’s not an intimidating instrument to pick up and play,” said John Anderson. “It’s an activity you can do with other people and it’s gratifying to go out and have people to respond to the music enthusiastically. It’s just something we’ve always enjoyed.”
The quartet, which includes Doug Allison and Pete Senkowski, plays a wide variety of music, including toe-tapping pop tunes from the first half of the 20th century (“Ain’t She Sweet,” “The Sunny Side of the Street,” and “Autumn Leaves”) as well as some Hawaiian favorites (“Maui” and “My Little Grass Shack”).
The Andersons met each other four decades ago at the University of Michigan. After graduating, they married and moved to Atlanta. John Anderson, who had started on the clarinet at 12, got his wife interested in music. She picked up the dulcimer and the guitar and started performing in a Renaissance group and later, a country-folk band called The Stone Mountain Country Band. The couple also formed a polka group.
The Andersons said they began playing the ukulele on the back porch during the evening for fun and relaxation. The performing group evolved from that, about five or six years ago. “I think it’s just been wonderful,” said Lynda Anderson. “I think I always had a lot of ability. I didn’t get to develop it as a child but I did as an adult. I really love doing it. It’s been amazing to perform. I never thought of myself being a performer.”
FIONNULA FIDDLE
![fionnulafiddle](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/fionnulafiddle.png)
Fionnula Fiddle features Atlanta fiddlers Katherine Irwin Thomas and Suzanne Harner performing traditional music from Ireland and Scotland. Only separated by twelve miles of sea at the nearest point, it’s not surprising that Ireland and Scotland share several cultural connections such as language, whiskey, sheep – and especially great fiddle tunes! After playing several gigs with talented friends Claire Shirey (fiddle, concertina, dance) and Lauren Fariss (accordion, piano, guitar), Kat looked at Suzanne and said, “Hey, we should be a proper band…” Suzanne agreed and thus, Fionnula Fiddle was born. Influenced by some of the biggest fiddle groups in the British Isles – Altan, Blazin’ Fiddles, Session A9 – Fionnula Fiddle strives to bring the beauty, the fire and the craic of traditional fiddling from the Highlands to home.
December 19, 2015
FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT
![FourShillingsShort](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/FourShillingsShort.jpg)
The Celtic/Folk/World music duo Four Shillings Short are coming to town for a special Winter Solstice Concert. This is their only appearance in the Atlanta area and they only make it to Georgia every couple of years so make sure not to miss this one-of-a-kind musical treat!
“The delightfully surprising collection of songs and sounds this husband/wife act create, while stretching the limits of Celtic and Folk music by stirring in generous amounts of Indian Ragas and Medieval flavorings via some of the tastiest sitar playing this side of Ravi Shankar” (Valpariso Times, IN) “bring musical diversity, captivating storytelling and humorous side notes to create an amazing show.” (Labyrinth Café/Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Four Shillings Short, the husband/wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland and Christy Martin from California, perform Traditional and Original music from the Celtic lands, Medieval & Renaissance Europe, India and the Americas on a fantastic array of instruments (over 30) including Hammered & Mountain Dulcimer, Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Tinwhistles, Recorders, Medieval and Renaissance Woodwinds, North Indian Sitar, Charango, Bowed Psaltery, Banjo, Bodhran, Guitar, Percussion, vocals and even a Krumhorn.
Touring in the US & Ireland since 1997, Four Shillings Short are independent folk-artists who perform 150 concerts a year, have released 12 recordings and live as full time Troubadours traveling from town to town performing at music festivals, theatres & performing arts centers, folk societies, libraries, house concerts and schools.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Aodh Og O’Tuama grew up in a family of poets, musicians and writers. He received his degree in Music from University College Cork, Ireland and received a Fellowship from Stanford University in California in Medieval and Renaissance performance. He plays Tinwhistles, Medieval & Renaissance woodwinds, Recorders, Doumbek (from Morocco), bowed Psaltery, Spoons and sings both in English, Gaelic & French.
Christy Martin grew up in a family of musicians and dancers. From the age of 15, she studied North Indian Sitar for 10 years, 5 of them with a student of master Sitarist Ravi Shankar. She began playing the Hammered Dulcimer in her 20’s and has studied with Maggie Sansone, Dan Duggan, Cliff Moses, Robin Petrie, Tony Elman and Glen Morgan. In addition she plays Mandolin, Mandola, Bouzouki, Banjo, Guitar, Bodhran (Irish frame drum), Charango, bowed Psaltery and sings in English, Irish, Spanish and Sanskrit.
WHAT FOLKS SAY ABOUT FOUR SHILLINGS SHORT
“Yours was truly one of the best shows I’ve been to on ‘any’ level & it’s pretty broad: Michael Jackson, Celtic Women, James Taylor, John Denver & Four Shillings Short!!! I enjoyed not only the musical talent, but the education regarding instruments, origin etc. storytelling & mix of genuine passion, love & humor. In that regard you beat out all the others.” (Louisville, KY)
“Sunday nights’ concert featured a husband and wife duo called Four Shillings Short. They are astounding. They both have wonderful singing voices. They play an incredible variety of music from Indian Ragas to Celtic, Traditional folk and about anything else you can think of. They are very charismatic with great stage presence.” Columbus Folk Music Society,OH)
“Their musical virtuosity makes old songs sound new and new songs sound like time-worn Celtic spells.” (CITY PAGES, Wausau WI)
“They are not the Clancy Brothers or Jean Richie or Ravi Shankar but a combination of all three, laced with Irish humor. Their collection of instruments is museum-like and I’ve never seen the place so packed.” (San Gregorio General Store, CA)
“Four Shillings Short are the ultimate in coffeehouse entertainment. The variety of musical instrumentation really keeps me interested. Equal amounts of male and female energy keep the emotional content well-balanced. Song lyrics don’t get hidden underneath too much accompaniment. Harmonies are sweet; instrumental solos spirited. And best of all, their demeanor belies a commitment to the ideal of rising up singing.” (Chicory House Concerts Forty Fort, PA)
“Stunning performance last night. Folk music at its best. Well sung, well played & I lost count of how many instruments. One of the most inspiring performances I have ever witnessed.” (Berea KY)
“Four Shillings Short, celto-indo fusion duo, is a world class act.” (KMFB – Late night Liz, Fort Bragg, CA)
“These are two of the best musicians that I’ve seen come through. They are authentic, traditional and spontaneous.” (Suburban Exchange, Houghton MI)
“Four Shillings Short takes you on a musical journey through time and across the seas as they perform everything from traditional Irish tunes and airs to Indian Ragas.” (The Foothills Sun-Gazette/ Exeter, CA)
“A husband-and-wife duo of mystical musical abilities. Their sound is haunting, crystalline beauty.” (Monterey County Weekly, Monterey, CA)
“The Celtic/Folk/World music duo performs on a bevy of unusual instruments and in myriad styles. This is a great show for kids of all ages, who’ll be amazed by the duo’s thematic range.” (Glen Starkey – New Times, San Luis Obispo, CA)
November 21, 2015
SAM PACETTI
![Gamble Rogers Winter Concert](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sam-Pacetti-1024x683.jpg)
Sam Pacetti brings it all together. A fingerstyle guitar wizard. A deft songwriter, capable of haunting depth and wry humor in the space of one song. An impassioned and ecstatic vocalist, as well as a mesmerizing live performer, seamlessly melding head-spinning guitar pyrotechnics and raw emotion into one breathtaking package.
Pacetti represents a culmination of the best of the American and British traditions. His 1997 Waterbug debut, Solitary Travel, garnered critical raves. “This guy is very good, indeed,” deadpanned the highly respected (and highly critical) UK magazine Folk Roots. And Dirty Linen, the influential US roots publication, opined, “Although the woods are full of young guitar virtuosos, few have developed the style, technique and artistic wisdom of Sam Pacetti. Solitary Travel heralds the arrival of one of the most talented instrumentalists and composers to appear in acoustic music in a month of Sundays.”
www.sampacetti.com
HARM ‘N ME ‘N HIM
![Harm-n-Me-n-Him-Steves-Live-Music](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Harm-n-Me-n-Him-Steves-Live-Music.jpg)
The acoustic trio of Harmon Koeltz, Laura Monk and Michael Carthon bring with them an eclectic musical background and a collection of well loved (and not the same old often heard) tunes. With graceful harmonies and unique guitar stylings delivered on a solid bass platform, Harm ‘n Me ‘n Him delivers a menagerie of songs ranging from old standards to current hits; covering a unique mix of genres including pop, jazz, rock, Americana, folk and classics.
Laura, an Atlanta native and singer-songwriter, plays acoustic guitar and deems herself the official rhythm girl! Having performed with her own Renaissance band and others over the years, she brings a love of singing and all genres to this musical journey. Laura’s passionate vocal delivery brings songs to life and draws the listener right into the musical story.
Harmon, originally from Louisville, Kentucky, has been playing and singing with the group Harm’s Way for over 15 years and before that with many Atlanta bands. His strong, pure vocals and clever interpretations on guitar set this trio apart from other groups.
Mike, also an Atlanta native, is a classically trained double bassist from the University of Georgia. Whether he is using a big bow for the big “fiddle” or plucking or slapping those strings he makes those deep tones that reach right into your musical soul. He has performed with several symphony orchestras in the Southeast.
October 17, 2015
JOE PENLAND
![JoePenland](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/JoePenland-300x200.jpg)
Deep in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina there is a front porch that has been the destination of many folk who love these mountains, its music and stories. Grammy winners and kids with their first guitar, banjo or fiddle, Hollywood producers, writers, and folk music collectors from all over the world, have made their way to the place Joe Penland simply calls “the farm”. An invitation is not that easy to get. Joe has been singing the ballads and telling the stories over half a century, but says with enthusiasm, “Privacy is pretty precious.” And he has maintained that for a long time now. Occasionally coming out of the shelter of these mountains to sing at some festival or other, until recently he has been content to do it on the porch after the work is done.
Deemed a Cultural Treasure by The Asheville Citizen Times, and the recipient of the coveted Bascom Lunsford Award (named for the founder of the longest running folk festival in America), Joe preferred the simple life of hard work and family.
In 2004 after a serious bout with a life threatening illness, he was persuaded by some of his longtime friends to record the ballads he learned as a kid growing up in these mountains. Joe says, “I guess that I finally realized I might not live forever. I remembered the stories of my Grandpa who died before I was born. My Mamma said he could play any instrument and he taught singing schools all over this country here. She says he met Uncle Dave Macon on a train and Uncle Dave said he was the best banjo player he had ever heard. Now ain’t that something? I always thought how good it would have been to have known him or just have heard him sing. They didn’t have all these modern gadgets then that we have now, so I thought it might be the right thing to leave something for my children to have for their babies.”
Joe recorded “Standing On Tradition” – the old songs, in 2004. I did not realize that I knew so many songs until then. So I just kept on after I kinda got used to it,” he says.
“Now there’s more than enough material for five more records. Once I got started, folks said well how about that song you wrote or that song you learnt from Lee. Well, I guess I’ll have to stay around a little while longer to get ‘em all down.”
His daughter, Laurin and long-time friend, Mary Eagle, convinced him to cross the “big water” and took him to the Whitby Folk Festival in England. He sang at one performance with Mary, and “then the people just sorta carried us all around and he sang and told stories of these mountains every day for the next two weeks,” he recalls.
He was invited to Whitby again this year and according to the master storyteller Taffy Thomas, his performance was the emotional pinnacle of Whitby Folk Week.
In September of 2006, he released “Answer to My Prayer” – a collection of some of the songs he has written over the years and two covers of songs he loves. “It’s just story songs about my life and the people I have met, with a dream or two thrown in for good measure,” says Joe.
He has accepted his new found fame with his usual dry humor, He says, “I guess it’s good to have something to fall back on now that I can’t do a decent days work.”
Encouraged by his friends, novelist and singer Sheila Kay Adams and four time Grammy winner David Holt, Joe, and with the help of his daughter, Joe is writing the stories he’s been telling all these years.
In the Spring of 2012 Joe released the fifth collection called “’53 Pontiac, Songs and Stories” and continues to work quietly at his mountain home. As Joe says, “Every morning on this side of Glory is a good un and I’d best make the most of it.” What was once available to a select few is finally out in the world. If you get a chance to see Joe Penland, don’t miss it.
September 19, 2015
BRIAN ASHLEY JONES
![Brian Ashley Jones](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Brian-Ashley-Jones.png)
Brian Ashley Jones is a soulful singer, acclaimed guitarist and versatile touring songwriter whose guitar-driven, bluesy American tunes have found their way into film, television and radio, and have been recorded by many other performing artists. Originally from the Greenville/Spartanburg area of South Carolina and a longtime resident of East Nashville, TN, Brian performs internationally at festivals, concert series, clubs, music education programs and music conferences. Jones’ 3rd CD of original songs entitled Out of the City was recently released and features collaborations with Jonell Mosser, Suzi Ragsdale, Ike Stubblefield, Kevin McKendree and more! His 2007 release, Courier, made the Top 40 of the Roots Music Report, broke the Top 100 of the Americana Music Association’s album chart and received widespread commercial, college, public and international radio play. The swampy instrumental Pull ‘em Up has been featured in the widely acclaimed PBS television series Road Trip Nation and Free to Miss You has been featured in the British ITV2 network television show Amanda Holden’s Fantasy Lives. Jones’ guitar chops and relentless touring earned him a nomination for Best American Roots Guitar Player in the Alternate Root’s 2011 Reader’s Choice Awards.
APOSTLES OF BLUEGRASS
![Apostles of Bluegrass](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Apostles-of-Bluegrass.png)
The Apostles of Bluegrass is led by Johnny Roquemore, who is Creative Loafing Magazine critics’ choice as the “Best Local Singer/Songwriter” in Atlanta. The trio has played all over the South. From the highest-minded church revivals to the lowest honky-tonk dives, and on television and radio, the Apostles’ hard driving bluegrass and humorous original songs consistently amuse their audiences.
Georgia native Johnny Roquemore returned from Malibu, California after 30 years of hobnobbing with the bigwigs of music. Dubbed the “Minstrel of Malibu,” this singer-songwriter has come home to live on the family farm in Mansfield. Creative Loafing refers to Johnny as “a deranged backwoods Santa Claus…the new king of the road.”
Playing banjo, mandolin and harmonica, John Nipper is a native of Newton County, Ga. He gave up bicycle motocross to save his fingers for music.
Originally from the Chicago area, Dave Ross plays the big blue upright bass and the Dobro. Sadly, he received a banjo for his eleventh birthday and hasn’t been the same since.
“Straining the limits of bluegrass, the Apostles repertoire contains good music and intelligent composition and therefore may not be suitable for today’s listener” or so it says on their tongue-in-cheek website.
August 15, 2015
FRANK HAMILTON
![frank-hamilton](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/frank-hamilton-300x169.jpg)
Frank Hamilton has been playing traditional American folk music for many years accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and five string banjo. Frank has a reputation in folk circles as a former member of the Weavers and a co-founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago.
His teaching mentor was Bess Lomax Hawes, sister of folklorist and entrepreneur, Alan Lomax. He has worked as a musical sideman on recordings and movie sound tracks. He is a published songwriter and member of ASCAP. Frank has recorded and played in concert with Pete Seeger, Odetta, Woody Guthrie, The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and accompanied Jean Carignan, Martha Schlamme, and Shoshana Damari. He traveled through the South collecting folk songs and singing with Guy Carawan and Jack Elliott in the 1950’s.
Frank recorded as a soloist for Folkways Records, Concertdisc and has released his own CD, “Long Lonesome Home.” He is half of the team “Classic Jazz” with Bill Rappaport, performing songs from the Great American Songbook represented by Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and others. Frank will be playing a blend of traditional songs, originals and some international tunes as well.
ANGELA EASTERLING
![Angela Easterling](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/angela_easterling_photo_credit_jon_holloway-200x300.jpg)
Angela Easterling was raised in the South Carolina foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Much of her childhood was spent on the Greer, SC farm that has been in her family since 1791, seven generations. She embraced her heritage as a writer and an artist on her debut album, “Earning Her Wings,” chosen as “Americana Pick of the Year” by Smart Choice Music. Her second album, “BlackTop Road,” made its debut on the Americana top 40 chart, where it remained for seven weeks. Its title song tells of her family’s struggle to hold onto their farmland in the face of widespread development and represented a bold new step in her singing and songwriting.
Angela was named a 2009 & 2010 Kerrville New Folk Finalist, a 2011 Telluride Troubadour and a 2012 Wildflower Performing Songwriter Finalist. The Boston Herald cited her song “The Picture” as “Best Political Country Song” in their 2009 Year’s Best Music. Angela’s music has been featured in commercials (Southwestern Bell) and several of her songs were used in the series “Horsepower” on Animal Planet. She appeared alongside music legend Charlie Louvin on WSM radio’s “Music City Roots Live from the Loveless” show and was invited to appear on the WSM-hosted stage at the 2010 CMA Music Festival/Fan Fair, where her entire set was broadcast live. Angela has appeared on the nationally broadcast public radio program “Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know,” the popular ETV show “Making It Grow” and was also recently interviewed by noted NPR journalist Bob Edwards. She has received much airplay on Sirius/XM “Outlaw Country” channel and was invited to perform at the Smithsonian Institution’s exhibit New Harmonies: Celebrating American Root’s Music. Angela constantly tours the east coast, both solo and duo, and has appeared with her crowd-pleasing band, The Beguilers at numerous town fairs and music festivals throughout the Southeast.
Angela recently welcomed the birth of her first child in March 2013, and is composing songs for her fifth album, to be recorded later this year. Roger McGuinn, founder of the Byrds, called her “a bright shining star on the horizon!” and went on to say, “Her gift is so special. Her CD BlackTop Road brought me back to the time the Byrds recorded “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” – tradition meets youthful exuberance.” For more info on Angela, visit www.angelaeasterling.com.
July 18, 2015
THE McLAUCHLANS
![mclauchlans](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/mclauchlans-300x209.jpg)
Duncan and Glaucia McLauchlan are talented, entertaining musicians providing spirited live performances of popular Irish and Scottish music throughout Atlanta and the Southeast. Duncan is a talented Scottish singer and songwriter, as well as multi-instrumentalist with a wealth of experience. His solo CD “The Road to Destiny” has received substantial air-play on Celtic radio programs across the USA, including Atlanta WRFG’s The Celtic Show and the internationally broadcast The Thistle and Shamrock.
Glaucia is a lively percussionist from Sao Paulo, Brazil. After meeting “Dunc” at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, she swapped her background of classical piano for a life on the Celtic scene. Soon they were making beautiful music together.
Duncan McLauchlan sings and plays his songs with a passion that complements his clever and sensitive poetic style. His delicate lyrics weave a colorful tapestry on the backcloth of his tunes and rhythms, evoking a range of emotions from laugher to tears and back again. He employs a variety of instruments and his natural Scottish accent to produce a solid yet atmospheric feel in his music. His musical armory includes acoustic and electric guitars, bass, bodhran, mandolins, banjo, keyboards and various percussion instruments.
THE JIM CULLITON TRIO
![jim-culliton-trio](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/jim-culliton-trio-300x246.png)
The always exciting Jim Culliton Trio has performed throughout Georgia over the past decade with their unique high-energy blend of instrumental string music and stylistic vocals. Their underlying philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps the music fresh and exciting.
Jim Culliton has performing experience at The Fox Theatre, Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. This versatile multi-instrumentalist is one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in the mix. Put all of this in a high speed blender and you get truly an innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities, as well as a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and Auburn University (AUM).
June 20, 2015
SPARKY AND RHONDA RUCKER
![Sparky-and-Rhonda-Rucker](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sparky-and-Rhonda-Rucker-199x300.png)
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. Sparky Rucker has been performing over forty years and is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and author. He accompanies himself with finger-style picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo, and spoons. Rhonda Rucker is a musician, children’s author, storyteller, and songwriter. Her blues-style harmonica, piano, old-time banjo, and bones add musical versatility to their performances.
Sparky and Rhonda are sure to deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, slave songs, Appalachian music, spirituals, ballads, work songs, Civil War music, railroad songs, and a few of their own original compositions.
Over forty years of performing, Sparky and Rhonda have performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as NPR’s On Point, A Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and Morning Edition. Their recording, Treasures & Tears, was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award, and their music is also included on the Grammy-nominated anthology, Singing Through the Hard Times.
The Ruckers have been featured tellers at the International Storytelling Center and Festival. Sparky is a natural storyteller, having grown up hearing his father, uncles, and other family members endlessly telling tales. Sparky and Rhonda each tell solo stories, but they also tell stories together (in tandem), always adding life and humor to the characters and tricksters in their Brer Rabbit tales, Jack tales, High John the Conqueror stories, preacher tales, and family stories.
Sparky and Rhonda weave their music into captivating stories that the history books don’t always tell, and they share this knowledge in many schools, colleges, and libraries. Their educational programs span over three centuries of African-American history, including slavery, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, the birth of blues music, and the civil rights movement. Each era is interspersed with stories and popular songs from the time period, celebrating the diversity of the nation’s history. They are also available for author visits to schools and libraries.
Come and enjoy a great meal at Steve’s while being treated to delightful acoustic performances.
May 16, 2015
THE NEARLY NORMAL STRING BAND
![nearly_normal_band](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/nearly_normal_band-300x225.jpg)
Opening April’s Fiddlers’ Green is The Nearly Normal String Band consisting of Viva and Neil Araki. Neil plays acoustic guitar, fiddle and mandolin in several styles, including blues, bluegrass, Celtic, and old time Appalachian. He has played guitar since he was nine years old, and plays both finger style and flat pick style. Viva plays guitar and old time banjo and sings, and also plays a variety of musical styles. She studied guitar from the age of five, and began learning old time Appalachian style banjo about 30 years ago. She is primarily a finger picker on guitar.
Neil and Viva have played together for 26 years, and are still learning new songs, genres and styles of music. The Band plays at State Parks, coffee houses and some music festivals across north Georgia, and for parties, and weddings. They have long been active member and supporters of AAFFM.
LOUIS ROBINSON
![LouisRobinson](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/LouisRobinson-200x300.jpg)
The featured performer is Louis Robinson, British singer/songwriter now residing in Atlanta, GA. In 1969, Louis was a member of the popular London folk band, Green Ginger which performed at venues throughout the UK and Europe.
During the next twenty years, Louis Robinson appeared as a solo act and wrote songs for BBC Radio Stations throughout his country including Radio Bristol, Radio Northampton, Radio WM and Radio Cambridgeshire.
In 1975, Louis joined a traditional Ceilidh dance band, The A40 Improvement Scheme with Geoff and Joy Lakeman. In 1978 Louis wrote songs for “That Was the West That Was,” a weekly satirical radio show that won the prestigious Sony Radio Award for Best Comedy of the Year. It also won the Radio & Record News Award for Best Comedy Show. In 1984 Louis wrote the words and music for a stage musical, “A Man Out of Time,” performed in Bristol by the Bristol Light Opera Company based on the life of 19th Century inventor and engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. In 1994 Louis joined The Greensleeves Theater Company for their tour of Canada with a show called “Brush Up Your Shakespeare.”
In the twenty years between 1975 and 1995, Louis wrote over 300 songs while pursuing his career as a BBC radio and TV producer and on-air presenter. Louis’ non-music writing credits include comedy material for “Cue Gary” with Gary Wilmot for Central TV and “The Freddie Starr Show” for Carlton Television, short stories, documentaries and a play for Radio 4, “Julie and the Prince,” “Telly Addicts” with Noel Edmunds, Call My Bluff with Sandi Tosvig and Alan Coren, “Noel’s House Party,” “Noel’s Addicts” and “The Entertainment Game” with Kit and the Widow. He co-wrote a sitcom, “Plaza Patrol” for British comedy legends Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball, and contributed comedy material for their 25th Anniversary Show in Blackpool. Louis now appears at venues in and around Atlanta. In 2012 Louis began to manage a venue called The Heron House in Mountain Park and in the same year he was appointed head of middle-school music at The Cottage School in Roswell.
April 18, 2015
DAVID LEINWEBER
![david_leinweber](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/david_leinweber-300x189.png)
Opening April’s Fiddlers’ Green is David Leinweber, who plays a wide variety of venues and musical styles, ranging from rock, to blues, to folk, to gospel. Known as the “Flatpicking Professor,” Dr. Leinweber, a faculty member of Emory at Oxford, highlighted the Scottish Bluegrass Association Festival in Perth, Scotland and performs widely at regional acoustic music festivals in the South.
He has shared the stage with many fine musicians and often appears as part of the Silverbird Duo. His influences include Dylan, Neil Young, The Dead, Clapton, Norman Blake and Doc Watson. Leinweber has taught piano and guitar for 25 years and has extensive experience as a studio musician, a songwriter, and an arranger. In addition to his solo efforts, he has performed on many records, demos, and CDs by other artists. His music has been featured on radio and in many concerts throughout the Atlanta area. As one reviewer said, “(his CD) resonates with honest simplicity as well as musical and poetic talent.” Another reviewer commented, “Great picking combines with good songwriting. What more could you ask?
CLAUDIA NYGAARD
![Claudia Nygaard](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Claudia-Nygaard-300x200.jpg)
Our featured performer, Claudia Nygaard, whose captivating storytelling overflows from her songwriting into her live performance. With a voice like amber honey, and a twinkle in her eye that makes the entire audience feel she is sharing a secret with them alone, she takes them on an emotionally fearless journey with stories that expose a rare vulnerability and tenderness one moment, then a quick wit and an outlandish, irreverent sense of humor the next. Her songs move from heartfelt to humorous and from scrappy to sensual, and all the while the stories she tells in between them are as entertaining as the songs themselves.
A former Nashville Music Row staff songwriter and a winner of numerous awards including the Kerrville, TX Folk Festival songwriting competition, Nygaard has learned her craft well. Her latest CD “Let The Storm Roll In” rose to the coveted #1 position on the Cashbox Roots Country Chart and #8 on the Folk DJ Chart – with every one of her self-penned compositions receiving airplay. The album received glowing reviews from the press that included five stars from Americana benchmark “Maverick” magazine. The legendary Folk music magazine “Sing Out” claimed her songs “rival the likes of Guy Clark or Ian Tyson”.
Claudia Nygaard has performed at over 200 fairs and festivals in the United States and 9 foreign countries. Endorsements from merchandisers attest to her strength as a guitarist, and she was chosen one of the Emerging Artists of 2009 by the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.
March 21, 2015
THE IRISH BROTHERS
![The_Irish_Brothers](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The_Irish_Brothers-300x226.jpg)
Opening the evening will be The Irish Brothers – Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen, a unique team. Sandyman comes from the mountains of western North Carolina; the Captain hailing from the canyons of New York City. Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville.
George honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material. Their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the ‘new country’ – from traditional Irish ballads, to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
CARLA ULBRICH
![Carla_Ulbrich](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Carla_Ulbrich-300x168.jpg)
Carla Ulbrich is a comical singer-songwriter and guitarist from Clemson, South Carolina and currently living in New Jersey. (Insert your own punchline here.) She calls herself “a professional smart aleck.”
Primarily known for writing humorous songs about such topics as wedgies, the Waffle House, Klingons and how rich she would be if she had a copyright on the ‘F’ Word, she has won numerous awards including First Place in the South Florida Folk Festival Songwriter Competition and “Novelty Song of the Year” at the Just Plain Folks Awards. Carla cites her biggest musical influences as Sesame Street, camp song, and cat food commercials.
Carla is also a survivor of catastrophic illness and author of the resulting book, “How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This?” During her many hours in doctors’ waiting rooms she wrote humorous parodies lampooning her frustrating experience with the U.S. health care system, which she released on her best-selling 2004 CD “Sick Humor.”
Currently at work on her sixth CD, Carla has toured all over the U.S. and England and has appeared on ABC, USA Network, the BBC, Dr. Demento, Sirius XM Radio and The Bob and Sherrie Show, as well as appearing as a background actor in “Sharknado 2.”
February 21, 2015
HARM’S WAY
![Harms way](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Harms-way-300x197.png)
Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, conviction, and a sense of humor. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the members have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more. Harm’s Way includes Harmon Koetz on guitar and lead vocals, Doug Weiss on lead guitar and vocals, Scot Boze on vocals and Mike Carthon on bass. This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
As with most groups, members occasionally join or leave or re-join the group. But, the core members have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and while they take the music very seriously, don’t take themselves seriously at all!
Come and enjoy a great meal at Steve’s while being treated to delightful acoustic performances.
MARK STUART
![Mark Stuart](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Mark-Stuart.png)
Mark Stuart has been a fixture on the Americana/Folk music scene for seventeen years. Non-stop touring landed the artist in theaters, clubs, radio, television, house concerts, festivals and coffeehouses. Much of this was solo, much of it in a duo “Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart”. A fine singer, musician, and songwriter he is. In his performances expect stellar guitar work, soulful vocals, and thought-provoking songs. Interesting stories find their way into his show, too.
A career that has repeatedly taken Stuart to Europe, UK, Canada, and 49 of the United States includes having begun in his native Nashville as a teenage working musician. From membership in the Nashville Rebels (his father’s band that appeared in the Waylon Jennings movie “The Nashville Rebel”) to sideman stints for Steve Earle, Freddy Fender, Joan Baez, and Steve Forbert he has NEVER STOPPED WORKING as an active musical force. In previous years the artist fronted rock/blues bands of his own that included notable guitarists Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule, Allman Brothers Band) and Dave Rawlings (Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlings Machine) serving HIM as second guitarist!
Mark Stuart celebrated his 50th birthday in January 2015 and is touring as heavily as ever. Audiences will find his usual material from solo CDs and Stacey Earle/Mark Stuart CDs. But, they will also hear a special nod toward the artist Paul McCartney for the calendar year. Mark will expose which of his own songs were influenced by McCartney’s style and play Sir Paul’s music in Stuart style.
January 17, 2015
HANK WEISMAN & DON McCALL
![Hank & Don 1](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Hank-Don-1-300x269.jpg)
This talented duo is making its first billed performance at this edition of Fiddlers Green. Hank Weisman led a weekly folk music sing-along at Steve’s Live Music for over a year and a half. During that time, his most faithful participant was Don McCall who would join in with his flat picking on a booming Gibson guitar plus great vocal harmony. At times, newcomers who came to sing or just listen would ask, “Are you a group?” Finally, to avoid explanations, Hank and Don just replied, “Yes!” And so a new duo was born.
Hank Weisman has played guitar since age 6 and has been a fan of folk music even longer! He has been a solo performer and in groups (usually duos) while in secondary school, college and ever since. During his sixteen year residency in Savannah and on Tybee Island, he led the Savannah Folk Music Society, initiating and hosting the group’s monthly “First Friday for Folk Music” coffeehouse concert series (1996-2011), organizing the annual Savannah Folk Music Festival (including his creation: a youth songwriting competition), and holding other concerts, workshops and activities. Since his 2011 return to the Atlanta area, Hank has been on Atlanta Area Friends of Folk Music’s or AAFFM’s Board and assisted with such matters as writing press releases and bookings for Fiddlers Green.
Hank particularly loves the music of the “Folk Revival” – the sounds of his youth during the 1950s and 1960s. He often performs traditional folk songs that were reprised during that era as well as the great songs written in that period. At the same time, Hank appreciates and likes more contemporary folk. For those reasons, he enjoyed bringing to shows in Savannah such folk icons as Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey, Tom Paxton, Tom Rush, Jesse Winchester, Karla Bonoff, Janis Ian, John Gorka, Norman Blake, The Limeliters, The Tannahill Weavers, Bill Staines, John McCutcheon, Josh White Jr., Si Kahn, David Mallett, Guy Davis, Jay Unger, The Carolina Chocolate Drops and many, many more.
Don McCall has frequented folk gatherings and jams in the Atlanta area for a long time. His skillful flat picking enables him to take the lead on virtually any song and he is often encouraged to do so. Don has a wide range of musical interests but his preferences are manifested by the fact that you won’t catch him missing the annual Merlefest. As indicated above, Don was a loyal attendee of Hank’s folk sing-along sessions, absent only when visitations to his native Michigan, ski trips out West or Merlefest took place. The duo hopes to select tunes that audience members recall and wish to sing along to.
SEAN GASKELL
![Sean Gaskell](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sean-Gaskell-200x300.jpg)
Sean Gaskell features traditional songs on the Kora, a 21 string harp that he learned how to play throughout the course of multiple visits to its homeland in Gambia, West Africa. The Kora is native to the Mandinka people who live within the countries of Gambia, Senegal, Mali, Guinea, and Guinea Bissau.
The music is traditionally played by oral and musical historians known as Griots (Gree-ohs). The Kora is a very melodic and seemingly peaceful instrument, which is contrary to its musical repertoire. Many songs tell ancient stories of war and hardship, while others praise people of high political status and those who helped expand the Mande empire. While the Kora is only 300 years old, some commonly played songs can be traced back 800 years to the founding of the Mande empire. Gaskell has studied extensively under the instruction of Malamini Jobarteh and Moriba Kuyateh, both of Brikama, Gambia. Gaskell’s first Kora teacher Kane Mathis, led both “The Kora Band” and “The Sahel Band”. Gaskell relocated from Seattle to Asheville, North Carolina in 2014. He has been featured at numerous festivals in the US, Gambia, and Senegal.
December 20, 2014
REDWINE JAM
![Red Wine Jam at Fiddlers Green](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Red-Wine-Jam-at-Fiddlers-Green-300x243.jpg)
Redwine Jam is a folk music trio comprised of Chris and Carol Moser, who for years led the Celtic band Barney’s Goat, and guitar/bass virtuoso Skip Romaner. They perform a wide range of North American and Celtic folk songs and tunes, from traditional material to newly written compositions by contemporary folk legends. They offer audiences an eclectic mix of story ballads, love songs, lively instrumental tunes, and mischievous humor. They accompany their vocals with guitar, bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, mountain dulcimer, flute, pennywhistle and bodhran (not all at the same time).
For the December show the trio will charm with their favorite seasonal folk music from the British Isles, Ireland and North America — ranging from English wren carols to sprightly fiddle tunes to the outlandish Irish-American vaudeville song Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake to John McCutcheon’s classic Christmas in the Trenches. A musical feast guaranteed to warm the heart and drive the cold winter away!
Despite its name, “Redwine Jam” is not a sweet alcoholic concoction suitable for spreading on toast. Still, folk music fans around Atlanta find it appetizing and heady! Redwine Jam is a musical act consisting of Chris and Carol Moser, sometimes joined by musically gifted friends. At Fiddler’s Green they’ll be proudly performing with guitar/bass virtuoso Skip Romaner. Chris and Carol are veteran semi-professional musicians best known in recent years for leading the Celtic music band Barney’s Goat. As Redwine Jam they offer an eclectic mix of North American and Celtic folk music, both traditional and contemporary. They play a wide array of instruments including guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, flute, recorder, mountain dulcimer, and bodhran (Celtic drum).
A Redwine Jam performance can carry the audience on an emotional rollercoaster complete with high-spirited roots music, wry humor, gripping story songs, love ballads, and the sheer joy of homemade music. Whether performing as a duo or with other musicians who add their own spices to the mix, Chris and Carol make an evening with Redwine Jam a delectable treat.
HIGH TEA
![High Tea](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/High-Tea-300x224.png)
Formed in February of 2014, High Tea is a trio comprised of Heidi Pollyea, Jedd Dotson and Teresa Powell. Each brings something unique to the band, and all agree that there is a wonderful chemistry between them. Their original songs are emotionally evocative and are reminiscent of all things Americana: folk, rock, blues, and jazz. Learn more at www.highteaatlanta.com.
Heidi Pollyea is a folk rock musician with vocal influences from artists like Linda Rondstadt and Shawn Colvin. As a trained jazz pianist and folk rock guitar player with gospel, latin and soul influences, Heidi’s songs range from poignant to funky to humorous or a combination of all. She is an avid animal advocate with some songs speaking directly to her love and concern for them. As a private music instructor, Heidi loves sharing the joy of music making, engaging her audience and encouraging them to sing or clap along. When not performing on her own, she loves playing with other musicians including a group that pays homage to the great singer/songwriters of our time called Taylor Made and another that combines high energy and hot harmonies as the original project High Tea.
Jedd Dotson has been a premier guitarist/vocalist for many years and with various bands throughout the southeast, including the highly popular Footloose and Gopher Broke. He joined forces with Heidi in 2012 and now with the addition of Teresa is thrilled to be an integral part of High Tea. Originally from Tennessee, Jedd currently resides in Blue Ridge, GA, where he can be found playing regularly at the Blue Ridge Brewery and The Toccoa River Restaurant along with Bobby Don Bloodworth.
Teresa Powell is a bassist and vocalist. She has been a musician from a young age and has performed professionally in diverse genres such as bluegrass, folk, rock, jazz. Like Jedd and Heidi, Teresa occasionally performs with other bands, which include eclectic folk trio Three Weird Sisters, folk/blues duo Birds of a Feather, and a 9-piece jazz ensemble called Play It With Moxie. A founding member of High Tea, Teresa brings her enthusiasm for harmony vocals to the band.
November 15, 2014
SAM PACETTI
![Gamble Rogers Winter Concert](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Sam-Pacetti-300x200.jpg)
Sam Pacetti brings it all together. A finger-style guitar wizard. A deft songwriter, capable of haunting depth and wry humor in the space of one song. An impassioned and ecstatic vocalist, as well as a mesmerizing live performer, seamlessly melding head-spinning guitar pyrotechnics and raw emotion into one breathtaking package.
Dirty Linen, the influential US roots publication, opined, “Although the woods are full of young guitar virtuosos, few have developed the style, technique and artistic wisdom of Sam Pacetti. (the album,) Solitary Travel heralds the arrival of one of the most talented instrumentalists and composers to appear in acoustic music in a month of Sunday’s.”
Sam Pacetti grew up in North Florida, hardly known as a hotbed of either the folk tradition or musical innovation. At age 13 he found the music of both Chet Atkins and Merle Travis, profound influences on his early musical development. Then fate intervened shortly afterward in the person of Gamble Rogers, the legendary picker and raconteur from St. Augustine who took the young Pacetti under his wing. It was a time of astonishing musical and emotional growth. Pacetti and Rogers met and played weekly for a year, until tragically Rogers died while trying to save a drowning tourist caught in an undertow at Flagler Beach Florida. Though brief in their time together, Rogers was able to instill in Pacetti the importance of the folk process, the passing of music and oral tradition from teacher to student. Pacetti still counts Rogers as his most influential mentor.
Tradition and innovation neatly balance in Sam Pacetti’s music, the whole infused by a relentless intelligence intent on musical and philosophical synthesis. Martin Simpson, Richard Thompson, Joni Mitchell and Merle Travis are touchstones to Pacetti, and while there are strong elements of the American primitive school of guitar wizardry throughout his work, there is a powerful raw emotionality evident as well – an earthy sensuality more reminiscent of a Greg Brown or a red-dirt blues master than of a musical academian.
Word has started to spread about Sam Pacetti. And as with anything truly innovative, it starts at the grassroots. You won’t see Pacetti written up in People or Us. You won’t hear his music on Top-40 radio. No, word is spreading about Sam Pacetti the way true innovation always does – through the grassroots, through non-commercial radio and “specialty show” play. From tapes and CDs passed from friend to friend. At folk festivals and listening rooms. And, in the tradition stemming from the days of rent-raising parties in the Mississippi delta – and now carried on by music aficionados unable to find music that interest them within the mainstream.
October 18, 2014
RON FETNER
![Ron Fetner](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/319758t.jpg)
Stir up some singer/songwriter, folky blues, add a little soulful blues and rock, and you come up with the influences which molded Ron Fetner’s musical career. From his early days of sneaking in old blues and early rock clubs, Ron was being influenced by the music which touched his soul. That’s something he never forgot nor left behind. Even while performing with some Washington, DC’s biggest bands, Ron always had a feeling there was a deeper meaning for his career.
After years of paying his dues, Ron finally had enough songs under his belt to release his first solo CD in 1997 entitled “This Box I’m Looking Through”. Acoustic/Public Radio quickly took notice and started playing songs from this CD, including “The Folk Sampler with Mike Flynn” and WHRO/Barry Graham’s “Acoustic Highway”. Ron was also a winner in the sixth Songwriters Association of Washington’s Mid-Atlantic Song Contest.
Ron released another solo CD, “Turning for Home” in 2001. “Turning for Home” was a totally acoustic project which propelled Ron onto the Kerrville, TX stage and a win in the prestigious Kerrville NewFolk competition. Quickly following, came awards at Doc Watson’s/Merlefest Chris Austin Song Contest, Falcon Ridge’s Emerging Artist Showcase, the Austin Songwriter Group and Winfield, Kansas’ Walnut Valley Song Showcase.
In 2005, Ron released “Defying Gravity”, which was recorded in Chris Rosser’s Asheville, NC studio. “Gravity” included the holiday favorite, “My Name is Justin”, which Ron has provided as a holiday anthem for the Salvation Army’s annual Angel Tree campaign.
“Sunday Morning Blue” followed in 2009, which Ron recorded at home, and again worked with good friend Kim Person, doing mixing and editing. “Sunday Morning” included his versions of “Route 66” and “House of the Rising Sun”, along with newly written songs like “Don’t Burn the Zion Church” and “Carolina Rain.”
Ron’s next recording effort came in January 2011 when he and harpist Tom Dikon teamed to win the Tidewater IBC Blues Challenge. Tom and Ron produced a 6-song EP for their trip to Memphis to compete against other “Challenge” winners. “Watch Your Step” included five original songs written by Tom and Ron and a new version of “Route 66″. His latest recording came in 2012 when he was offered the opportunity to play and sing on Blues great, Eddie Shaw’s newest CD, “Still Riding High.”
Ron has appeared at major festivals like Kerrville Folk Festival, Merlefest, Falcon Ridge, Tucson Folk Festival and First Night-Asheville, and in top venues like Nashville’s Bluebird Café, Little Rock’s Acoustic Sounds Café, Memphis’s Pig On Beale and DC’s famous “The Bayou”. Ron has opened/ shared stages with Trisha Yearwood, David Wilcox, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Kate Campbell, and Dire Straits just to name a few. Ron is still riding high, enjoying playing in venues which love to be entertained with Ron’s enthusiastic performances. Don’t miss an opportunity to see Ron in person.
DAVID LEINWEBER
![david_leinweber](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/david_leinweber1-300x189.png)
Opening for Ron Fetner is David Leinweber, who plays a wide variety of venues and musical styles, ranging from rock, to blues, to folk, to gospel. Known as the “Flatpicking Professor,” Dr. Leinweber, a faculty member of Emory at Oxford, highlighted the Scottish Bluegrass Association Festival in Perth, Scotland and performs widely at regional acoustic music festivals in the South. He has shared the stage with many fine musicians and often appears as part of the Silverbird Duo. His influences include Dylan, Neil Young, The Dead, Clapton, Norman Blake and Doc Watson. Leinweber has taught piano and guitar for 25 years and has extensive experience as a studio musician, a songwriter, and an arranger. In addition to his solo efforts, he has performed on many records, de-mos, and CDs by other artists. His music has been featured on radio and in many concerts throughout the Atlanta area. As one reviewer said, “(his CD) resonates with honest simplicity as well as musical and poetic talent.” Another reviewer commented, “Great picking combines with good songwriting. What more could you ask?”
September 20, 2014
GIBSON WILBANKS
![GibsonWilbanks](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/GibsonWilbanks-300x191.jpg)
When Carly Gibson and BJ Wilbanks first began collaborating musically during the summer of 2011, it was like milk chocolate meeting peanut butter…a beautiful and tasty combination! Up to that point, they had each been pursuing separate solo singer/songwriter careers, but something truly magical took place when they began writing and performing together.
Carly Gibson gained a lot of attention as a songwriter, singer and guitar player when she was selected to attend the GRAMMY guitar and songwriter camps in Los Angeles, designed to allow talented young artists the opportunity to work, learn and play with the music industry’s top professionals. Now a 2013 graduate from Atlanta Institute of Music’s acclaimed guitar program, Carly is what you would call a triple threat: she not only composes soulful and sophisticated music, she also sings beautifully and plays a mean acoustic guitar. In addition, she has earned a substantial reputation for her skill on electric guitar, having performed for a period of time as a lead guitarist with mentor, Caroline Aiken. Though youthful, Carly sports an old soul; her dedication to her art is readily apparent in her performance.
Calhoun, GA native B.J. Wilbanks creates blues-infused music reminiscent of a bygone era, combining deeply-rooted Delta blues, country, funk, soul, and acoustic Southern rock to create a sound that is familiar, yet uniquely his own. His heartwarming tales of heartache, love, and home combine artfully with an engaging live performance that, in one moment can sit you back in your chair and in the next, rock you right back out of it! Wilbanks crafts his distinctive sound with his acoustic guitar, often accompanied by finger slide or harmonica. His original songs range from break-your-heart romantic to stomp-your-foot grooving, merging back-porch soul rhythm with a gospel vocal overtone and a steady beat. He’ll often sling his guitar over his lap to play a slide tune that evokes the image of old field working men and chase it with a contrasting tune filled with sweet strumming, gentle singing and smooth picking.
Together as Gibson Wilbanks, Carly and BJ have combined their considerable songwriting and musical skills to create the unique and popular Southern bluesy sound that helped them to win the coveted songwriter’s open mic competitions at Eddie’s Attic in December of 2011 and in November of 2013 at Eddie Owen Presents @ Red Clay Theatre. They may be found at clubs and festivals throughout the South.
Visit their website at www.gibsonwilbanks.com.
JEAN-PAUL and DOMINIQUE CARTON
![Cartons](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Cartons.jpg)
Jean-Paul and Dominique Carton have a love of folk music that dates back to the “hootenannies” of the 1960’s, but these musical events at Newport or other U.S. locales. They were in their native France. And though they heard and enjoyed the Folk Revival songs that were imported from the United States, they also reveled in the traditional music of their own country and songs from other parts of Europe.
Having spent many years in the American southland, the Cartons have great love and appreciation for Americana, especially bluegrass. But they have a deeper appreciation of this music and its origins than most as they know how it relates to its European roots. Their repertoire includes French folk dance music, French-Canadian tunes, Louisiana Cajun music and Appalachian bluegrass, among other genre.
The couple sing and play with great joy and have mastered a wide-range of traditional instruments. An evening with the Cartons is likely to include sounds from the guitar, the bass, the mandolin, the fiddle, the accordion, the concertina and more – even the unique sound of the hurdy-gurdy, an acquired taste! Each instrument is played with great skill and obvious affection. The patter of the performance is punctuated by droll French humor. Their CD, “Tough Night for the Bride!” is a wonderful collection of their favorite French folk and dance tunes.
Residing in Metter, Georgia – not far from Georgia Southern University where Jean-Paul taught French for many years – the couple manages to play many Southern stages and festivals. They are regulars at the festivals and concerts put on by the Savannah Folk Music Society.
August 16, 2014
BLACKFOOT DAISY
![Blackfoot Daisy](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Blackfoot-Daisy.jpg)
Blackfoot daisies are hearty wild flowers that grow on the prairies of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. You can find them growing naturally in the Texas Blackland prairie, which runs from the Red River to the Texas-Oklahoma border. The band, BLACKFOOT DAISY, is a humble trio (sometimes duo) that plays original, Americana style music. Based in the Atlanta metro area, the members are a little haunted by the prairie, the wind, the shifting of tall grasses, the sound of crickets, and a lonesome train whistle drifting through the night.
BLACKFOOT DAISY is a blend of three very talented musicians. Songwriter Don Sechelski is featured on guitar and vocals. Don has been writing and performing music in the Atlanta area for over 30 years. From Atlanta to New Orleans to Chicago and back to Atlanta, he is still chasing the buffalo.
Wendy DuMond also plays guitar, sings and writes songs. Wendy has the soul of a poet and the vision of an artist. From Montana, through Oklahoma, up to New York, and back to Atlanta, she follows the Bucking Horse Moon.
Adam Sechelski is found on guitar, mandolin, percussion, vocals. Adam is the backbeat, the glue that holds it together. Atlanta to Boston to Mississippi and back to Atlanta, Adam is a stage gypsy, an actor, and a dreamer.
VIENTOS DEL PUEBLO
![vientos del pueblo](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/vientos-del-pueblo-240x300.jpg)
Vientos del Pueblo is composed of musicians from different countries, cultural backgrounds, and musical styles. They all, however, love Andean music.
Mauricio Amaya left El Salvador in 1983 and now resides in Atlanta, GA. As a multi-instrumentalist, Mauricio is well versed in charango, guitar, zampoña, native American flutes, percussion, and vocals just to name a few. Mauricio’s solo debut CD “Fields of War and Peace” was released in 2000. Mauricio has been playing with VdP since nearly its inception. When he is not busy joking about his vegetarian charango or working away at his day job as a chemist, you can catch him soloing at Salsa Havana in Atlanta on Friday evenings.
Siobhan Brennan began playing Latin rhythms in the ’80s while living in Washinton,D.C. Siobhan is a self-taught guitarist whose exposure to the Andean style of music spans the U.S., Bolivia and Chile. Upon her return to the States and moving to Atlanta, she joined up with founding member Cristian Zamora to begin the first version of VdP. Siobhan currently lives in Atlanta.
Cristian Zamora, a native of viña del Mar, Chile, is one of the founding members of VdP. Since his arrival in the U.S., Cristian has evolved into an exceptional quena and zampoña performer. He is also well versed in the art of playing charango and guitar. When he is not playing, he enjoys designing and building his own furniture.
Heather Hart began playing violin at the age of five. As a classical musician, she has performed as an orchestral and chamber musician throughout the Southeast U.S. and Europe. Heather holds degrees in music performance from the North Carolina School of the Arts, Oberlin Conservatory and Florida State University. She enjoys listening to and playing different styles of music and was excited to join Vientos del Pueblo in 2008. She currently freelances and teaches in the Atlanta area.
July 19, 2014
LILAC WINE
![Lilac Wine](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Lilac-Wine-300x231.jpg)
Lilac Wine is best described as a sweet and heady musical recipe. The main ingredients are unexpected song choices, skillful musicianship and adventurous arrangements that magically combine into music that both alluring and hypnotic for the listener. For Rob Henson, founding member and bassist, Lilac Wine provides the ideal ensemble that can passionately play many musical genres other than the typical jazz and folk styles most commonly associated with acoustic groups.
As one of Atlanta’s most versatile musicians, Rob has played and/or recorded as a bass player with a wide array of musical groups including the Yacht Rock Revue, the Atlanta Symphony, Telegram, the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, Jukebox Fiasco, the Atlanta Ballet, and numerous singer-songwriters such as Shawn Mullins, David Ryan Harris and Vince Gill. From 2006 – 2012 Rob recorded and toured the United States with singer/songwriter Corey Smith, playing over 150 shows a year, as well as recording five studio albums, and opening for legendary acts such as ZZ Top, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Snoop Dog, and Eric Church.
In late 2013, Rob recruited first-call guitarist, singer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist Grant Reynolds to be the Swiss army knife of the future Lilac Wine lineup. Relocating from LA to his hometown of Atlanta in 2008, Grant has worked with many respected local music artists including Heather Luttrell, Brian Collins Band, Gareth Asher, Davin McCoy, Lefty Williams Band, Francisco Vidal, Sonia Leigh, and Yacht Rock Schooner. Known for his technical proficiency, adaptability, and well-rounded musicality, Grant also co-founded the electrifying Reynolds & Williams Band with Joel Williams (former Zac Brown Band guitarist), and has most recently toured and recorded with Collective Soul frontman Ed Roland’s new endeavor, “Ed Roland & the Sweet Tea Project.”
In sharp contrast to Grant and Rob, music in the beginning for vocalist Larissa Mia was simply a means of escape, as opposed to expression. Lilac Wine is really her first band – just a year ago she would only sing in private at home. Along with teaching herself how to play the guitar, Larissa’s curiosity for public performance came only after graduating from Vanderbilt University and returning to Atlanta to start a career in HR. She soon came to the conclusion that she would much rather sing than do anything else and decided to take her talent to the next level by performing at Atlanta-area open mic competitions. At one such event, fate would introduce to her Rob and Grant. Her voice was soulful and sultry, like mist on a cool damp night.
JIM CULLITON & ROB HENSON DUO
![Jim Culliton & Rob Henson Duo](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Jim-Culliton-Rob-Henson-Duo-300x300.jpg)
The spirited duo of multi-instrumentalist Jim Culliton and bassist Rob Henson have performed together throughout Georgia over the past decade with their unique blend of instrumental string music. Their underlying philosophy of no stylistic boundaries always keeps the music fresh and exciting.
Along with Rob, whose background is described above, the duo features Jim Culliton, an accomplished musician who plays banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, bass and more. Jim plays many venues in the Atlanta area and is also a gifted teacher who frequently leads workshops and classes in bluegrass and other playing styles. Jim and Rob will perform some of the original compositions from Jim’s 2000 release CD recording Everyday A New Life on Ladybug Records and put their own twist on songs by other artists.
Jim Culliton has performing experience at The Fox Theatre, Symphony Hall, and many other concert venues. This versatile multi-instrumentalist is one of the early innovators in the New String Acoustic Movement, incorporating jazz, bluegrass, world music, rock, and classical with occasional vocals in the mix. Put all of this in a high speed blender and you get truly a innovative, entertaining, and dynamic musician. Jim was chosen to be a Musician in Residence for the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities, as well as a former instructor of music at Huntingdon College and Auburn University (AUM).
June 21, 2014
DANA COOPER
![danacooper](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/danacooper-300x225.jpg)
Out of the heartland of America, Dana Cooper dedicated himself to a life of music over 40 years ago. This song poet engages and inspires audiences around the world with his quick wit, insightful stories and commanding presence. He has performed on Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage and the Kerrville Folk Festival where he was nominated for their Hall of Fame. Cooper’s songs have been recorded by top-notch artists such as bluegrass star Claire Lynch; Irish vocalist Maura O’Connell; and luminary songwriters Pierce Pettis and Susan Werner. Cooper’s mixture of flat-picking, finger-picking and percussive strumming style is legend among other guitarists. An expressive singer his voice is ageless evoking a rich lifetime of experience.
At 12 he sang, played drums, guitar and harmonica in local bands. By 13 he began writing his own songs and at 16 he performed regularly at the prestigious Vanguard Coffeehouse in Kansas City. His deep love and commitment to a life of music drew Cooper away from an art scholarship. Cooper took to the road touring Midwest college coffeehouses for one year then sold an electric guitar and his entire record collection to buy a one-way ticket to Los Angeles. Four months later he was signed to Elektra Records where his first album was released in 1973.
Cooper eventually moved to Texas writing, performing and recording with Shake Russell in the late 70s and with his own power trio, DC3 during the early 80s. Returning to his roots as a solo performer Cooper relocated to Nashville in 1988. He has become an integral figure in the Music City songwriting community collaborating with renowned writers such as Tom Kimmel, Sally Barris, Kim Carnes and Don Henry. Cooper has been invited to participate in songwriting workshops from Belfast to Copenhagen to Austin.
His prolific endeavors have resulted in 20 albums. The critically acclaimed Miracle Mile on Compass Records was nominated for a Nashville Music Award as “Best Pop Album” and was chosen by Performing Songwriter magazine as one of the top DIY recordings for the year. Harry Truman Built a Road was named one of the best records of 2002 by The Tennessean and was also chosen as one of the top twelve DIY recordings for that year. Made of Mud released on King Easy Records in 2005 won Cooper the “Best Male Songwriter Award” by Indie Acoustic Project. Working with co-producer/guitarist Thomm Jutz, Cooper recently released The Conjurer which features some of the bluesiest, rawest music of his career. Grammy-award-winning singer/songwriter Kim Carnes, who also co-wrote the opening song, “Enough”, joins Cooper on vocals. Dana Cooper continues to tour the United States and Europe gaining new fans wherever he goes.
For more information about Dana Cooper, visit his website at www.danacoopermusic.com.
GEORGE HERGEN
![George Hergen](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/8-300x199.jpg)
“Captain George” Hergen was born and raised in New York City. He found his way into Greenwich Village at an early age and has been singing and playing ever since. George bases his performance around the music and performers of the 60s folk revival period. He has played at folk clubs, festivals, coffeehouses, pubs, taverns, schools and at private homes and parties all along the Eastern seaboard. Opening at Fiddlers Green on June 21st, he will be appearing with a pair of his many musical friends.
“Sandyman Flynn” is a former songwriter from music row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville and a founding member of the band Cullowee that toured nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s/80s. The “Sandyman” has been performing along with Captain George for over 25 years (often as the duo “The Irish Brothers”).
Also joining Captain George, Louis Robinson is a British singer/songwriter. In a long career, he has played at every major folk venue in England, including folk clubs and festivals around the British Isles and Europe. He has performed on BBC radio and TV, and his songs have been recorded by artists in the UK and the USA. Louis is based in Atlanta.
May 17, 2014
MINDY SIMMONS
![Mindy_Simmons](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Mindy_Simmons-300x281.jpg)
A dose of singer/songwriter Mindy Simmons is just what the laugh doctor ordered. She is truly a great performer who guides her audience down the bumpy road of life smiling all the way. She combines quick wit and charm with a voice that moves flawlessly from satin smooth to gutsy, creating a memorable performance that feels like an evening with your best friend.
A seasoned professional, Mindy has toured nationwide since 1980. Her repertoire is a soulful combination of originals and standards that has shaped her career to become a successful artist selling thousands of her CD’s to her growing loyal fan base.
Mindy energizes her audiences with her delightful interaction and broad emotional performances. She is especially adept at engaging an audience with her witty banter between songs as well as her songs themselves, which show a finely crafted detail mixed with some pathos and healthy doses of humor.
Based in Sarasota, Florida, Mindy continues to be a mainstay performer at major folk festivals throughout the State of Florida. The Florida Folk Festival, the Gamble Rogers Music Festival and the Sarasota Folk Festival. In her 30 years as an entertainer Mindy has shared concert stages with many other great performers. Among them Loudin Wainwright III, Cliff Eberhardt, Cosy Sheridan, Asleep At The Wheel, Albert King, Vance Gilbert and John Hammond Jr.
“Think, Carol Burnett meets Peggy Lee and you’ve got Mindy Simmons.” Says producer Mitch Lind of the Riverhawk Music Festival, “This Lady combines wit and fun with a bluesy mood that can erupt into a musical barnstorm at any moment. She is cool…and in charge of her audience!” Margaret Longhill of the Will McLean Music Festival adds, “Mindy is one of our favorite festival performers. Year after year she never fails to surprise and delight our audiences. We love Miss Mindy Lou!”
For more information about Mindy Simmons, visit her website at www.mindysimmons.com.
April 19, 2014
LAUREN LAPOINTE
![lauren-lapointe](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/lauren-lapointe-300x229.jpg)
Lauren Lapointe is a Savannah, GA-¬based singer/songwriter who has been gaining recognition across the country for her soulful songs, unique voice, and strong live performances. Her third and newest CD, “Superhero” was produced by Thomm Jutz (Nanci Griffith, Mary Gauthier) in Nashville and features twelve original Americana, roots¬rock, pop, and old country songs supported by world-¬class musicians. Lauren is, as one of her songs puts it, a “Canadian Belle.” She was born and raised in Eastern Canada but chooses to make her home in Savannah – the gracious home of Southern hospitality.
Her album, “Superhero” debuted at #6 on the Cashbox Magazine/Roots Music Report’s Georgia Airplay chart and #16 on the Cashbox Magazine/Root’s Music Report’s Country/Americana Internet Airplay Top 50. It has since been played on over 100 stations in the U.S. and is receiving much international radio play as well. Leicester Bangs in the UK described it as “an engaging combination of classic country, narrative songwriting, and plentiful hooks.” In November 2013 Lufthansa Airlines selected her song “The Ghost of Elvis” for their inflight program.
Lapointe continues to make a name for herself as a strong and versatile live performer and has played at many renowned listening rooms across the nation including the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, the Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, the Jefferson Freedom Cafe in Ft. Worth, TX, and Anderson Fair in Houston, TX.
What do others say of her work? “This is just pure, honest music here, created with talent and passion and deserving of wider spread notice,” says Music Morsals. “An excellent album (“Superhero”) by a gifted songwriter,” says Fatea Records of the UK. “A great talent!” ¬ says Steve Young (songwriter of “Seven Bridges Road” recorded by the Eagles and “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” recorded by Waylon Jennings). “An acclaimed live performer…Lapointe has definitive gifts with melody and lyrics,”¬ says Kathleen Wehle of ¬ Southeast Performer Magazine. “A gifted and openhearted storyteller with a flair for melody,” says Sloan Wainwright, Derby Disc Music recording artist.
For more information about Lauren Lapointe, go to www.laurenl.com.
HARM ‘N ME!
![Harm_and_Me-_Press_images](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Harm_and_Me-_Press_images-300x166.png)
The acoustic duo of Harmon Koeltz and Laura Monk bring with them an eclectic musical background and a collection of well-loved (and not the same old often heard!) tunes. With graceful harmonies and a unique guitar style, Harm ‘n’ Me delivers a menagerie of songs ranging from old standards to current hits; covering a unique mix of genres including pop,jazz, rock, Americana, folk and classics. While you won’t hear any Mozart (unless a “young’n” requests Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!) don’t be surprised if a little Louis Jordan turns up right after The Rolling Stones.
Laura Monk, an Atlanta native and lead singer with Americana band, High Cotton, has joined Harmon Koeltz, originally from Louisville, Kentucky, but in Atlanta since 1961 (making him an honorary native) in this sideline venture of an intimate delivery of cover tunes. Harm plays and sings as well with the group, Harm’s Way. Both have a wealth of musical experience in performance.
March 15, 2014
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
![BoAF](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/BoAF-300x233.jpg)
Birds of a Feather is an artistic collaboration between Dr. Mary Crowell and Teresa Gibson Powell, who also perform together in the Pegasus Award winning folk band, Three Weird Sisters. Close friends, Mary and Teresa missed performing together when their Three Weird Sisters bandmates moved away from the South, so the formation of Birds of a Feather was their way of solving that problem. They borrow from the material used in their other collaborations, and incorporate their own original songs as well as select covers of tunes by artists they admire.
Mary lives in Athens, Alabama. She has taught piano and composition for twenty plus years; she also plays clarinet, bass clarinet, and is learning to play the cello. She has taught music theory, piano, and music appreciation at Calhoun Community College in Decatur, Alabama, but currently maintains a private studio where she teaches piano and composition. Mary also composes, transcribes, and arranges music and enjoys accompanying. She loves playing Rachmaninov, Chopin, Gershwin, Bach and jazz standards; practicing yoga, gardening; and gaming with good friends. Mary Crowell has a B.A. in piano performance from Huntingdon College, M.M. in musicology from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and a D.M.A. in music composition — also from the University of Alabama.
Teresa lives in Decatur, Georgia. She plays electric and upright bass, guitar, and trumpet and is known for her deep love of vocal harmony. Teresa is an avid music fan and an advocate for the independent musician. She is co-owner of Portal Production, Ltd., a company that provides management and website services to musicians. She is also a partner in the Atlanta-Athens based agency Artist Marketing & Promotion (AMP), which she joined in 2013. Teresa has a B.S. in Music Business from Full Sail University where she graduated summa cum laude. In her free time, Teresa enjoys gardening, cooking, yoga, reading and live music.
LASHBROOKS
![Lashbrookspreferred](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Lashbrookspreferred-300x268.jpg)
From different parts of the country and different musical backgrounds, Husband and Wife – Singer / Songwriter Duo, Troy and Rhonda Lashbrooks, find a way to blend two lifetimes of music into one magical recipe – like ‘sweet corn’ and ‘apple pie’ to the ears.
The ‘Contemporary Folk’ sound of LASHBROOKS is delivered with passionate and skillful guitar, soulful vocals, and rich harmonies. Their music tells a story of heartbreak, soul-searching, starting over, and the triumphant in the pursuit of happiness, dreams fulfilled and true love!
The debut release of LashBrooks – ‘Out of the Shadows’ is an emotional and exciting musical journey, intentionally produced with a simple and raw approach, emphasizing the purity and honesty of the songs. Receiving rave reviews, ‘Out of the Shadows’ has opened doors for LASHBROOKS to share their music with many venues across the region
Hear some of their music at www.lashbrooksmusic.com.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
(An AAFFM Special Edition Concert)
CASTLEBAY
![Castlebay](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Castlebay.png)
Maine’s premier Celtic folk duo, Castlebay, will be performing a special two-hour concert at an “extra edition” Fiddler’s Green on Sunday, February 16th. “What’s Castlebay all about? Seafaring, the darkness and lightness of the coast of Maine, the rhythm of the tides”, says Peter Spectre, marine author.
Castlebay treats the audience to a musical journey through time and across the Atlantic. blending the timeless traditions of Maine’s nautical legacy and it’s poignant Celtic heritage. Both Julia Lane and Fred Gosbee are fine, expressive vocalists as well as talented instrumentalists, delivering songs with emotion, exuberance and both traditional and contemporary musical sensibilities. Celtic harp, guitar, fiddle, and woodwinds are used ensemble and as vocal support. Having a deep appreciation for the unique character of their home state of Maine, as well as the Celtic lands, Castlebay weaves history, legend and experience into their personable performance style.
“Julia Lane and Fred Gosbee shared more than their talent with our audience. They shared as well their keen sense for Maine humor and their love for the music they perform,” reports The uNi Coffeehouse in Springfield, MA.
Since 1984 Castlebay has created a body of work which celebrates Maine’s maritime heritage and environment. Known for their intelligent arrangements of traditional music, they have also received critical praise for their evocative original compositions; Gosbee for his finely crafted narrative ballads and Lane for her imagery and beautiful melodies. In the time-honored art of meaningful songwriting, they give new voice to an ancient tradition. Many of their songs have as themes the lives of those who live by the sea, not only the deep water sailors, but also the shipwrights, coasters, fisherman and their wives. These are the people who established Maine as a maritime legend and who continue to build that legend with their daily lives of skill, hard work and pride.
Among their two dozen recording releases, Lane and Gosbee have written, recorded and produced two albums of completely original music- Song of the Sea and The Ballad of Cappy John.
Castlebay performs frequently at festivals, museums, schools and folk clubs both at home and abroad including over ten years at the International Festival of the Sea in England and Scotland; The Edinburgh Folk Festival, Scotland; Bethlehem Musikfest, PA; Mystic Seaport, CT; St. Mary’s City, MD as well as local events such as Windjammer Days, OPSail 2000, Wooden Boat Festival and the Maine Lobster Festival. They have presented workshops on maritime life and music to thousands of children and adults on both sides of the Atlantic. They were commissioned to write the music for a full-length concert program, Sang O the Solway, which was presented several times throughout Scotland and their music has been used on Turner Broadcasting’s Portrait of America series.
Visit Castlebay’s website at www.castlebay.net.
February 15, 2014
BOB BAKERT
![Bob-Bakert](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Bob-Bakert.jpg)
Bob Bakert was born in Buffalo, NY in 1950 to a home that loved music. As a teenager, he began to play and sing many of the musical genre of his time. Finding college not to his liking, Bob teamed up with David Nehrboss and formed a popular local acoustic duo called “Gold”. They performed at he “Bitter End” in NYC and the “Riverboat” coffee house in Toronto, along with the likes of Dave Van Ronk, Biff Rose, Don McClean and other famous folk acts of the day.
Bob played clubs and bars in Buffalo until 1974 when he moved to Atlanta. During the 1970’s Bob was encouraged by music industry mogul Bill Lowery who told Bob that “maybe once a year we find someone who can write a song and this year you are it.” Highly encouraged, Bob wrote and wrote. Many of the songs from that era can be heard on Bob’s first album simply titled “Bob Bakert.” Bob went on to record a second album in the late 1970’s called “Romance.” Bob continued his formal education as well as the study of voice and guitar. In 1983, Bob was offered a job in business and took it. For the next 20 years Bob continued to play out sporadically all the while playing, writing and studying guitar with as much passion as ever.
While looking for a guitar as a gift, Bob, who was playing mostly electric guitar at this time, was bit by the acoustic, singer-songwriter bug again. In 2009 Bob discovered Ragamuffin Music in Roswell and started playing at the open mics. Initially dusting off old originals and covers, Bob started writing songs again and has recorded several of them including “Spanish Rain,” “I’ve Been Thinking,” “Jeanne’s Song” and “Partners.” Bob continues to appear at many Atlanta area venues playing with a number of musical collaborators and featuring both folk and jazz.
Visit Bob’s website at www.bobbakert.com.
KEVIN SPEARS
![Kevin-Spears](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Kevin-Spears-230x300.png)
Considered one of the best kalimba players alive today, Kevin Spears’ musical gifts have astounded audiences around the world and rewritten the book on what’s possible on this exotic musical instrument. His blinding skill and musical creativity are often compared to innovative legends like Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix and Les Paul among others. His uncanny ability to play multiple musical and percussive ideas simultaneously in a live setting is iconic, pure and simple.
For his unique playing style and groundbreaking work as a kalimba innovator, the largest kalimba distributor in the world honored Kevin by releasing the “Kevin Spears Style Kalimba”. In addition to being a gifted musical artist, inventor, instrument builder and mixed media artist, Spears performs internationally including a recent tour of Japan and has worked with and/or opened for artists such as: India Arie, Eric Benet, Victor Wooten, Count Mbutu (of the Derek Trucks Band), Arrested Development, Steven Kent, Jeff Sipe, Toubab Krewe, Colonel Bruce Hampton, Richard Smith (guitarist for Earth, Wind and Fire), Vinx, Epizo Bangoura, Mamadou Doumbia, Jhelisa Anderson, Moziak (of Fela Kuti Band) and Divinity (bassist for Beyonce).
Drawing from many musical influences from around the world, Spears uniquely mixes these styles into a mesmerizing and musical experience all his own. Such was the case as Kevin ended his rousing performance among music industry professionals at the 50th anniversary of the Percussive Arts Society International Convention receiving a standing ovation. Kevin Spears music bridges Africa to America from Jazz to Rock, Funk to Flamenco with a powerful infusion of spirituality.
AfroPop Worldwide says, “Spears utilizes the traditional African instrument and tweaks it to create a soulful, funky sound that would make Stevie Wonder smile.” “To say Kevin “KalimbaMan” Spears is a master kalimba player would be an understatement. Kevin takes the kalimba to new realms by creating full, multi layered sonic soundscapes, complete with drums, bass lines, chords and melodies all played simultaneously with extreme beauty and precision,” says Eric Sands of ORANGE Amps USA. Mark Holdaway of Kalimba Magic.com sums it up by saying, “Kevin Spears is the Real Deal.”
Visit Kevin’s YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/kalimbaman.
January 18, 2014
OUT OF THE RAIN
![Out of the Rain](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Out-of-the-Rain-284x300.jpg)
Opening for Angela Easterling is a popular local folk duo, “Out of the Rain” known for their innovative arrangements and unusually expressive power. Ron Hipp has been known in the Atlanta area as an accomplished solo artist and he is supported by Carol Statella who has played and sung in various groups over the years. Their joining forces to regularly perform and record music together has created a compelling, poignant sound that is both timeless and fresh.
Ron is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist/singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A native of Atlanta, he’s been performing both solo and in various band combinations since about the age of 16. His rich baritone voice, consummate fingerpicking, and mesmerizing songs make his shows a memorable experience. Ron has graced many a recording project by other artists over the years as a studio musician, and has many CD cover photos to his credit.
Carol (string player/singer) has played in backup orchestras for Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson. As a music journalist, she interviewed Robert Shaw for a national publication and also spent several years as an announcer/producer in public radio. In the classical performance realm, Carol has played in the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, and sang for seventeen seasons with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus/Chamber Chorus. Ron and Carol have known each other and crossed paths musically for a decade and a half, through many artistic and personal evolutions. Their sound together has been described as warm, eloquent, and vivid. Onstage, Ron and Carol draw audiences in with artful musicality, occasionally inane humor, and absolute focus on inviting the listener into the depths of a song. “Out of The Rain” released Ron’s first album of original songs and instrumentals titled Two Hearts, which has received international folk radio airplay and glowing reviews from press and concert presenters. “Ron Hipp and Carol Statella have crafted a musically delightful, emotionally involving work with Two Hearts … it deserves a spot on your CD shelf,” says Rich Warren of Sing Out! Magazine.
ANGELA EASTERLING
![Angela Easterling](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/angela_easterling_photo_credit_jon_holloway-200x300.jpg)
Angela Easterling was raised in the South Carolina foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Much of her childhood was spent on the Greer, SC farm that has been in her family since 1791, seven generations. She embraced her heritage as a writer and an artist on her debut album, “Earning Her Wings”, chosen as “Americana Pick of the Year” by Smart Choice Music. Her second album, “BlackTop Road”, made its debut on the Americana top 40 chart, where it remained for seven weeks. Its title song tells of her family’s struggle to hold onto their farmland in the face of widespread development and represented a bold new step in her singing and songwriting.
Angela was named a 2009 & 2010 Kerrville New Folk Finalist, a 2011 Telluride Troubadour and a 2012 Wildflower Performing Songwriter Finalist. The Boston Herald cited her song “The Picture” as “Best Political Country Song” in their 2009 Year’s best music. Angela’s music was featured in commercials (Southwestern Bell) and several of her songs were used in the series “Horsepower” on Animal Planet. She appeared alongside music legend Charlie Louvin on WSM radio’s “Music City Roots Live from the Loveless” show and was invited to appear on the WSM-hosted stage at the 2010 CMA Music Festival/Fan Fair, where her entire set was broadcast live. Angela has appeared on the nationally broadcast public radio program “Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know” , the popular ETV show “Making It Grow” and was also recently interviewed by noted NPR journalist Bob Edwards. She has received much airplay on Sirius/XM “Outlaw Country” channel and was invited to perform at the Smithsonian Institution’s exhibit New Harmonies: Celebrating American Root’s Music. Angela constantly tours the east coast, both solo and duo and has appeared with her crowd-pleasing band, The Beguilers at numerous town fairs and music festivals throughout the Southeast.
Angela recently welcomed the birth of her first child, in March 2013, and is composing songs for her fifth album, to be recorded later this year. Roger McGuinn, founder of the Byrds, called her “a bright shining star on the horizon!” and went on to say, “Her gift is so special. Her CD BlackTop Road brought me back to the time the Byrds recorded “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” – tradition meets youthful exuberance.” For more info on Angela, visit www.angelaeasterling.com.
December 21, 2013
BARASZU BROTHERS
![band_photo_Dan_Baraszu](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Dan_Baraszu.jpg)
Detroit born Guitarist/Composer Dan Baraszu also started playing guitar at the age of nine. Early in his career, he explored many different styles of music, but when he first heard the genius of jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, Dan devoted himself to becoming a die-hard jazz artist. His major influences include guitarists Joe Pass, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny and John Scofield as well as other instrumentalists like Bill Evans, Horace Silver, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Charlie Parker.
In addition to listening and transcribing the works of the “masters of the jazz”, he was formally educated in music, receiving his Bachelor’s degree from the Berklee College of Music, where he majored in Jazz Composition and Arranging . Dan also received his Masters degree from the University of Miami with a major in Jazz Pedagogy.
![band_photo_Brian_Baraszu](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Brian_Baraszu-300x300.jpg)
Dan currently resides in the Atlanta area where he leads his own groups and works as a freelance guitarist. In November 2005 he signed with Blue Canoe Records and released his debut CD as a leader entitled “Nightfall”. Baraszu’s CD is receiving considerable traditional radio airplay on jazz stations across the country and overseas as well as internet radio and satellite, cable and subscription services.
Although Dan has appeared in groups or various sizes and membership, his appearance at Fiddler’s Green will be with his brother, Brian Baraszu, on percussion. Video of Dan Baraszu: http://youtu.be/J5g0XoBVwZ8
Dan will be joined by his brother, Brian Baraszu.
JONI BISHOP
![band_photo_Joni_Bishop](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Joni_Bishop-300x279.jpg)
Joni Bishop is a true artist, both in the fields of music and visual art. Her introduction to the world of music began when she got her first guitar at age nine and discovered the folk/ roots music of singers like Mississippi John Hurt and Elizabeth Cotton. Not only did the music captivate her, but the faces on the LP jackets as well. It was then that she began to develop a love for both music and art and to discover her own gifts for writing songs, singing, playing finger-style guitar, and for sketching pencil portraits of the musicians she loved to hear.
Since those early days, Joni’s career as a singer-songwriter has become well established on the American folk music scene. She has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and in Europe. Her distinctive songwriting-vocal-guitar style won her recognition in many noted song festivals here and abroad and landed her a staff-writing deal with Galleon Music Publishing Co. in Los Angeles before arriving in Nashville in 1989. She was a New Folk winner in the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas, has recorded for CBS Records, BWE Records and released five CDs on her own independent label Polestar Records. Joni’s songs have been recorded by other artists as well like Crystal Gayle.
As a visual artist, Joni had her first solo art show, “Roots, Rhythm & Gospel”, in Nashville in 1998, where she exhibited over 40 of her folk-art Jazz/Blues/Gospel portraits of some of her most beloved subjects: the musicians and singers whose music has influenced, uplifted and inspired her through the years – Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Rev. Gary Davis, and the great gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, to name a few. Her work has been shown throughout the Southeast United States in conjunction with her concert tours in places like New Orleans, Memphis and Washington DC. Joni is based in Nashville where she continues to write music, record and paint. Having completed her fifth CD, ‘Steal Away Home’, a folk-gospel collection of spirituals that includes a booklet of her art illustrations, Joni is currently busy working on a new CD of original music and a multi-media theatre piece that will incorporate elements of art, music and film.
Video: http://youtu.be/kQ7UD87jkE8
Website: jonibishop.com
November 16, 2013
BANNA DE DHA AND THE HUNGRY MONKS
![bannadedha](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/bannadedha-300x292.jpg)
Banna de dhá features the duo of Tom Morley on fiddle and Hazel Ketchum on guitar and vocals. The Irish phrase translates simply as “band of two,” but the musical whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Taking their inspiration from great Irish Traditional music duos (such as Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill),Banna de dhá uses the vast repertoire of Irish instrumental and vocal music as their starting point, adding music from other folk traditions such as American Old Time and French-Canadian, while keeping it all fresh and unique with unexpected improvisational turns.
The dynamic musical connection and creativity between the two musicians in banna de dhá assure audiences that they’ll take a unique trip through a Celtic landscape together, one that will never be repeated exactly the same way twice. The duo’s first CD was released in July 2013 and is getting considerable air play.
THE HUNGRY MONKS
![thehungrymonks](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/thehungrymonks.png)
The Hungry Monks are centered around the creative talents of Hazel Ketchum on guitar, percussion and vocals, and John Holenko on mandolin, guitar and vocals. Hazel and John are joined by Bob Culver on violin, guitar and keys and by John Kennedy on bass. The Hungry Monks have performed in clubs, at contra dances, festivals, and concert series. Ketchum and Holenko have been playing music together for more than 25 years and have been featured on television and radio throughout the naqtion. Featuring guitars, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, whistle, bohdran, and vocals, the Hungry Monks perform Traditional, Contemporary, and Original acoustic songs and instrumentals drawing on a wide range of influences including Medieval & Renaissance, Celtic, Folk, Blues, Classical and Jazz. Combining strong original songs and instrumental compositions with an ear toward improvisation, The Hungry Monks weave a rich tapestry of sound, melodic and rhythmic, grounded in the folk traditions of many cultures. Combined with the traditions and technique of Western Classical Music, this eclectic mix produces an interesting ensemble sound featuring acoustic sounds and beautiful vocals. The Hungry Monks have released several CD recordings on their own label, Hungry Monk Recordings. As well as being active performers, The Hungry Monks are music educators and publish their own work through Hungry Monk Publications.
September 21, 2013
THE OLD FOLKERS
Do you enjoy the music of the 1950’s and 60’s Folk Revival? Do you miss those classics from the Weavers; the Kingston Trio; Peter, Paul and Mary; the Highwaymen; Ian & Sylvia; the Limeliters; Tom Paxton and the other greats of that era? Well, that’s what you can expect from The Old Folkers … with a little Smothers Brothers-type shtick thrown in.
The Old Folkers are Hank Weisman (vocals and guitar) and John Powers (vocals, bass and mandolin). Hank was head of the Savannah Folk Music Society and both created and hosted the Society’s monthly coffeehouse-style concert,” First Friday for Folk Music” for over 15 years. Hank learned guitar from a New York Greenwhich Village folk singer at age six and developed as a folksinger during the years of the Folk Revival. In addition to many solo gigs, Hank was part of the Yeomen (with Dell Hoyt), sang with college classmate Charlie Lull, performed in Atlanta with Buddy Allen and was part of Savannah’s Bimah Blues Band. Since returning to the Atlanta area, Hank leads a folk music sing-a-long at Steve’s Live Music each Tuesday evening.
John Powers teamed-up with Hank in Savannah after many years in the bluegrass, folk and other musical genres. A multi-instrumentalist, John is also a prolific song writer. With Hank’s relocation two years ago, John carries on with his current group, Roll On Rodney, but he and Hank enjoy periodic reunions like this one.
GRANT PEEPLES
“I’m a LeftNeck… I’m a vegetarian that watches NASCAR, a tree-hugger that keeps a gun under the seat,” says singer and poet Grant Peeples. This finger-in-your-eye styled songwriter and seventh generation Floridian is a former expatriate. He spent eleven years on a tiny island off the coast of Nicaragua, where he installed the island’s first flushing toilet. He returned in 2006 to a very different homeland. Much of his songwriting is a response to what he found when he returned.
His latest release, Prior Convictions (2012) was produced by legendary roots icon Gurf Morlix. John Conquest of 3rd Coast Music reviewed the record and observed: “Unusually literate, unusually honest…he’s the only songwriter I’ve ever called ruthless…” Another critic – Grant’s mother – finds his songs…”disturbing.”
Unique in many regards, he has a voice that No Depression says “sounds like a ’57 Chevy with glass mufflers…” He was dubbed a “guitar-slinging poet” by Music News Nashville. Routes & Branches call his songs “smart, strong lyrics that mean something and say it in a way you haven’t heard before.”
His 2012 tour included performances at The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okema, OK, The Living Room in New York City, and The Triple Door in Seattle. Fans of the sometimes unpredictable (but always entertaining) troubadour’s music will not be disappointed as he performs his usual mix of socio-political anthems and insightful ballads, and offers a sneak listen to songs from his work in progress, a new record to be released in 2014.
August 17, 2013
REDWINE JAM
Despite its name, “Redwine Jam” is not a sweet alcoholic concoction suitable for spreading on toast. Still, folk music fans around Atlanta find it appetizing and heady! Redwine Jam is a musical act consisting of Chris and Carol Moser, sometimes joined by musically gifted friends. At Fiddler’s Green they’ll be proudly performing with guitar/bass virtuoso Skip Romaner.
Chris and Carol are veteran semi-professional musicians best known in recent years for leading the Celtic music band Barney’s Goat. As Redwine Jam they offer an eclectic mix of North American and Celtic folk music, both traditional and contemporary. They play a wide array of instruments including guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, flute, recorder, mountain dulcimer, and bodhran (Celtic drum).
A Redwine Jam performance can carry the audience on an emotional rollercoaster complete with high-spirited roots music, wry humor, gripping story songs, love ballads, and the sheer joy of homemade music. Whether performing as a duo or with other musicians who add their own spices to the mix, Chris and Carol make an evening with Redwine Jam a delectable treat.
FRICTION FARM
The “new folk” duo, Friction Farm is guitarist / vocalist Aidan Quinn and bassist/vocalist Christine Stay. The duo spent much of 2012 traveling. For Aidan and Christine that meant a lot of reading. They decided to turn it into a project, discussing the book, seeing where the story would take them, and writing a song. It was fun and frustrating, invigorating and exhausting, but always interesting.
The experience led to the duo’s latest album, I Read Your Book. Mark Dann, Neale Eckstein and Tom Prasada-Rao produced, recorded and played. There are some fantastic guest musicians on the CD; Pat Wictor, Deni Bonet, Tim Burlingame and Marshal Rosenberg.
Friction Farm’s previous album, Every Mile Is A Memory, earned the duo a spot as Kerrville New Folk Finalists and Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists in 2011. They continue to combine storytelling, social commentary and humor to create songs of everyday life, local heroes and quirky observations.
“Friction Farm’s live performance is full of funny and poignant stories, spontaneous diversions, audience participation, good music, and lots of fun.” – Pine Island Eagle
July 20, 2013
CLASSIC JAZZ DUO
Frank Hamilton is a multi-instrumentalist, vocal-ist and song collector who has played a seminal roll in the evolution of American Folk Music. As the Teaching Co-Founder of The Old Town School of Folk Music in 1957, he taught the future leader of The Byrds, Roger McGuinn, to play guitar and banjo. Living in Los Angeles in the 70’s, he played with many well-known artists and taught so many of the musicians up and coming at that time. Click here to learn more.
William Rappaport, originally from Evanston, IL, began play-ing the clarinet at the age of nine. He studied with Chicago Symphony Orchestra clarinetist Walter Wollwage, received his Bachelor of Music degree with Distinction from Indiana University, and studied with Robert Marcellus, principal clar-inetist of the Cleveland Orchestra. Summer musical activities have included the Blossom and Aspen music festivals, and the Music Academy of the West. Click here to learn more.
HARM’S WAY
Harm’s Way performs with rich harmony, con-viction, and a sense of humor. The trio is com-posed of Harmon Koeltz, Phil Griffin and Scott Boze. While the group has been together over ten years, some of the mem-bers have been performing together all of their adult lives. Their music is influenced by several genres: roots, Americana, folk, blues, and more.
This acoustic driven group relies on tight harmonies, thoughtful songs and lyrics, and a belief that the music should be shared. These guys have fun performing and can be found at festivals, private events, restaurants, coffee shops, corporate events, and church functions.
As with most groups, members occasionally join or leave or re-join the group. But, the core members have been playing music together since before Woodstock. They have fun playing, check their egos at the door, and while they take the music very seriously, don’t take themselves seriously at all!
June 15, 2013
DAVID LEINWEBER
![david_leinweber](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/david_leinweber1-300x189.png)
David Leinweber plays a wide variety of venues and musical styles, ranging from rock, to blues, to folk, to gospel. Known as the “Flatpicking Professor”, Dr. Leinweber, a faculty member of Emory at Oxford, highlighted the Scottish Bluegrass Association Festival in Perth, Scotland and performs widely at regional acoustic music festivals in the South. He has shared the stage with many fine musicians and often appears as part of the Silverbird Duo. His influences include Dylan, Neil Young, The Dead, Clapton, Norman Blake and Doc Watson. Leinweber has taught piano and guitar for 25 years and has extensive experience as a studio musician, a songwriter, and an arranger. In addition to his solo efforts, he has performed on many records, de-mos, and CDs by other artists. His music has been featured on radio and in many concerts throughout the Atlanta area. As one reviewer said, “(his CD) resonates with honest simplicity as well as musical and poetic talent.” Another reviewer commented, “Great picking combines with good songwriting. What more could you ask?”
LARRY MANGUM
Singer/songwriter Larry Mangum hails from Jacksonville, Florida and has nearly 3,000 performances over four decades as a folk, rock, country and Americana artist. For over 100 years somebody from Larry’s North Carolina family has been playing. Larry’s Mom, Kate was Randy Travis’ guitar teacher and Uncle Homer was a member of the legendary WBT Briar-hoppers! A Floridian since 1970, known for his butter-smooth voice, Larry has released seven albums of original music and 2 live albums since 1980. An award winning songwriter, Larry writes from a keen sense of observation and experience capturing the moments that reveal the human truths that bind us all together. Larry’s songs place you on an emotional roller coaster touching the heart, the mind and the soul that staying with the you long after the show. Larry makes regular appearances at the Florida Folk Festival (featured per-former in 2010), the Will McLean Festival (featured performer 2010), the South Florida Folk Festival, the Sarasota Folk Festival, the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival, Barberville, the Lake County Folk Festival, Riverhawk and many more. He is also host and co-founder of THE SONGWRITERS’ CIRCLE in Jacksonville – a monthly program featuring many of the best regional and national touring acts. Larry’s concert appearances with music legends include the late Waylon Jennings, Roger McGuinn, The Texas Playboys, Billy Joe Shaver, Vassar Clements, Ray Price, Martina McBride, Juice Newton, Steve Young, Gene Watson, T.G. Sheppard, T. Graham Brown, Alabama and many more. After years of high quality performances at festivals, country clubs, fairs and honky tonks, Larry Mangum has become one of the premiere performers in Florida!
May 18, 2013
BLACKFOOT DAISY
![Blackfoot Daisy](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Blackfoot-Daisy.jpg)
Blackfoot daisies are hearty wild flowers that grow on the prairies of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. You can find them growing naturally in the Texas Blackland prairie, which runs from the Red River to the Texas‐Oklahoma border. Blackfoot Daisy is also a duo, and sometimes a trio, that plays original, Americana style music. The band is based in Norcross and includes Don Sechelski, Wendy DuMond and Adam Sechelski. They have been from Texas to Atlanta to New Orleans to Chicago and now back to Atlanta again, “still chasing the buffalo,”, Wendy DuMond, and (when we are lucky) Adam Sechelski.
People who begin their lives in these wide‐open and windy places tend to be a bit haunted by them throughout their lives. And perhaps this is why Don, Wendy, and Adam seemed to fit like a glove and hand. We are a little haunted by the beauty and solitude of the prairie. And our music is tinged with the prairie wind, the shifting of tall grasses, the sound of crickets, and a lonesome train whistle drifting through the night with music that conjures up images and sounds of the prairie.
JONI MITCHELL TRIBUTE
The Joni Mitchell tribute is channeled by five women whose music and lives have been greatly influenced by this folk icon. They include:
Heidi Pollyea, is a singer/songwriter/keyboardist/guitarist and local private music instructor. Her music is heavily shaped by introspectively poignant artists like James Taylor, Carol King and Joni Mitchell as well as soulful, groove‐oriented performers like Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt and Billy Preston. (heidipollyea.com)
Kim Chamberlain discovered her voice through the lilting, haunting voice and lyrics of Joni Mitchell. Kim now performs as a vocalist and clarinetist in the jazz duo called Bright Moments with guitarist‐husband, Dave. She also joins Heidi in Body and Soul for weddings, corporate events and private parties.
Alexis Vear is singer/songwriter and fine artist who sees images, and uses them to communicate messages through many creations, transported through song. She currently has released two albums, and is preparing for her third. Alexis has received airplay on NPR. She is working diligently to communicate her music and its messages to as many people as she can reach.
Margot Bernstein began teaching guitar at age 13 and performing professionally at 16. Both a singer/songwriter and a jazz vocalist, her U.S. and International performances have included New York City’s Catch a Rising Star, Gerde’s Folk City, Carly Simon’s Hot Tin Roof on Martha’s Vineyard, and a soundtrack for PBS; in Atlanta, she has appeared at The Freight Room, Eddie’s Attic, Dante’s Down the Hatch and Inman Park & Yellow Daisy Festivals. Susan Rutherford plays keyboards, guitar, and mandolin in a rock n’ roll cover band, The Split Levels, but says she “is keeping her day job.” The gals will be joined in this tribute by percussionist Paul Pendery.
April 20, 2013
RONNDA CADLE
As a solo guitar instrumentalist, Ronnda Cadle is known for the melodic hooks she coaxes from her guitar. With over 20 years experience playing her original compositions before live audiences across the U.S., this musician from Camano Island, WA has developed a devoted fan base. She has shared the stage with many other well-known musicians including Sarah Bettens, Al Petteway, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Mother’s Finest, Patty Larkin and 2003 American Music Award Winner, Moe Loughran. Ronnda’s style fuses heartfelt emotional content with masterful guitar work. She perfected her craft while listening to guitarists whom she considers her greatest mentors – Nancy Wilson of Heart, Caroline Aiken, and Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls. Ronnda says, “I wouldn’t be the player I am today if it were not for these strong and amazing women. I hope to bring my own voice to the generations of women musicians to follow.”
Cadle is in the process of recording her third release with former Windham Hill Founder and Producer William Ackerman at his Imaginary Road Studios in Vermont. Her latest release ‘After’ with the String Poets has been featured on the Public Radio International program Echoes playlist and has had several songs selected for the PBS television program and online site Roadtrip Nation.
Visit Ronnda’s website at www.ronndacadle.com!
GIBSON WILBANKS
![GibsonWilbanks](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/GibsonWilbanks-300x191.jpg)
When Carly Gibson and BJ Wilbanks first began collaborating musically during the summer of 2011, it was like milk chocolate meeting peanut butter…a beautiful and tasty combination! Up to that point, they had each been pursuing separate solo singer/songwriter careers. Pairing up as Gibson Wilbanks, they have combined their considerable songwriting and musical skills to create the unique and popular Southern bluesy sound that helped them to win the coveted songwriter’s open mic at Eddie’s Attic in December of 2011. Think Gregg Allman meets Bonnie Raitt meets Michael Hedges with a dash of Al Green–in short, an entertaining and joyful experience not to be missed! Gibson Wilbanks are currently in the studio working on their first album together.
About Carly: Carly Gibson is an experienced singer-songwriter and guitarist who has been playing professionally since the age of fifteen. She has shared the stage with many fine musicians, including Caroline Aiken, Donna Hopkins, Diane Durrett, Ralph Roddenbery, Tommy Talton, Geoff Achison, Jeff Sipe (Phil Lesh & Friends, Aquarium Rescue Unit), Chris Hicks (Marshall Tucker Band), Randall Bramlett (Gregg Allman, Steve Winwood), and Greg Robert (Kansas). Carly released her debut EP “Heavy Water” in 2010. She teaches private guitar lessons and is currently a level 4 student in the guitar program at the Atlanta Institute of Music.
About BJ: A home-grown Georgia native, BJ Wilbanks creates blues-infused music reminiscent of a bygone era, combining deeply-rooted Delta blues, country, funk, soul, and acoustic Southern rock to create a sound that is familiar, yet uniquely his own. His heartwarming tales of heartache, love, and home combine artfully with an engaging live performance that, in one moment, can sit you back in your chair and in the next, rock you right back out of it! Wilbanks crafts his distinctive sound with his trusty old acoustic guitar, often accompanied by finger slide or harmonica. His original songs range from break-your-heart romantic to stomp-your-foot grooving, merging back-porch soul rhythm with a gospel vocal overtone and a slanky, steady beat. He’ll often sling his guitar over his lap to play a slide tune that evokes the image of old field working men and chase it with a contrasting tune filled with sweet strumming, gentle singing and smooth picking.
Discerning music fans agree that there is no disputing BJ’s considerable songwriting chops; his catchy tunes sport meaningful lyrics that emote heartache, love, values, family, and home–all grounded in the tradition of deeply rooted blues.
Visit www.gibsonwilbanks.com!
March 16, 2013
THE IRISH BROTHERS
![The_Irish_Brothers](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The_Irish_Brothers-300x226.jpg)
Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen are a unique team. Sandyman comes from the mountains of western North Carolina; the Captain hailing from the canyons of New York City. Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville. George honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material. Their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the ‘new country’ – from traditional Irish ballads, to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
KEVIN SPEARS
![Kevin-Spears](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Kevin-Spears-230x300.png)
For a rare and special treat, Fiddler’s Green audiences will be delighted by the music of Kevin Spears, a local master of the kalimba or thumb piano. The thumb piano is a plucked instrument, common throughout the sub-Saharan region of Africa. Considered by many as one of the best kalimba players alive today, Kevin’s musical gifts have astounded audiences around the world and rewritten what is possible on this exotic instrument. Spears’ blinding skill and musical creativity are often compared to innovative legends such as Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix and Les Paul among others and his uncanny ability to play multiple musical and percussive ideas simultaneously in a live setting is iconic, pure and simple.
The opportunity to enjoy such a special night of music is something Fiddler’s Green audiences will surely never forget.
February 16, 2013
OUT OF THE RAIN
![Out of the Rain](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Out-of-the-Rain-284x300.jpg)
An acoustic finger-style guitarist, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Ron Hipp has performed in a variety of styles since his mid-teens. His expressive baritone voice, consummate fingerpicking, and mesmerizing songs make his shows an unforgettable experience. Ron has contributed to recording projects by other artists over the years as a studio musician and has many CD cover photos to his credit.
Carol Statella, a multi-instrumentalist/singer, has played in backup orchestras for Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson. She’s also been a music journalist and worked as a public radio announcer, and performed with the Atlanta Opera Orchestra and Atlanta Symphony Chorus.
Ron and Carol have known each other and crossed paths musically for a decade and a half, through many artistic and personal evolutions. Their sound together has been described as eloquent and vivid. Onstage, Ron and Carol draw audiences in with artful musicality, occasionally inane humor, and absolute focus on inviting the listener into the depths of a song.
A folk duo with a warm, evocative approach, their debut album, “Two Hearts” has received positive notices in print (notably Sing Out! Magazine), been played on radio programs internationally, and charted on the Roots Music Report. “Ron Hipp and Carol Statella have crafted a musically delightful, emotionally involving work with Two Hearts…reminds me how melodic and ear-pleasing a CD can be; it deserves a spot on your CD shelf, “ says Rich Warren of Sing Out! Magazine.
DOC STEPHIE RAE
![band_photo_Stephie_Rae](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Stephie_Rae-300x180.jpg)
Doc Stephie Rae is an award-winning Singer/Songwriter and acoustic guitarist, playing solo, and with her duo, trio and band, Moonlight Riders. She has a music degree in voice performance and is a multi-instrumentalist, usually playing acoustic rhythm guitar. She will be accompanied by singer/songwriter/guitarist Johnny Scales at Fiddler’s Green.
Doc Stephie Rae writes and sings to uplift the vibration of the universe, and positively affect the listener deep within using evocative lyrics, entrancing melodies, captivating story lines and engaging rhythms. Due to her sweet yet powerful voice, Stephie Rae is called “The Singing Angel” by her peers, and her fans say, “Stephie Rae’s voice doesn’t come from her mouth, it comes from her heart and soul.” As an entertainer, her live performances activate the audience with humor and real life stories behind the songs that listeners can relate to.
It is evident she sounds similar to and is influenced by a wide variety of styles and singers such as Sarah McLachlan, Alison Krauss, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris (thus her nickname in Nashville, “Bonnie Lou Harris”), Linda Ronstadt, Karen Carpenter and Carole King. Her other influences include Eva Cassidy, Norah Jones, John Denver, Jackson Brown, John Hiatt, Dan Fogelberg, Eric Clapton, The Eagles, The Beatles, Southern Rock, among other classics.
Stephie Rae specializes in writing, performing and recording custom songs for clients’ special loved ones and occasions, such as weddings, anniversaries, life stories, holidays, romantic serenades, reality or comedy, etc. While she writes in any genre, her typical styles include Americana, Folk, Blues, Bluegrass, Swing, Shuffle, Caribbean, and Alternative Country.
January 19, 2013
HOTLANTA TRIO
![band_photo_hotlantatrio](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_hotlantatrio.gif)
For great music and lots of fun, let the Hotlanta Trio set your feet firmly on Bourbon Street in Old New Orleans. You’ll experience every bit of the joy, energy, and humor of that early American Jazz called Dixieland. Songs from Fats Waller, Hoagy Carmichael, Louie Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, plus many old favorites like “Sweet Georgia Brown”, “Royal Garden Blues”, “Hard Hearted Hannah”, and “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In” are all part of Hotlanta’s musical treat.
Stop in to enjoy the great vocals from banjo player Bill Rutan, and that wonderful solid bass from tuba player Hal Johnson and clarinetist Don Erdman provides added color when he brings along his soprano, tenor, and baritone saxophones. What a glorious way to bring in the year 2013! For more information, visit http://www.hotlantajazz.com.
CULLITON, DEAN AND LLOYD
![band_photo_CullitonDeanLloyd](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_CullitonDeanLloyd.jpg)
Eclectic acoustic instrumentals and vocals, from high-energy tunes to engaging ballads, performed by three of the area’s elite players, that is Culliton, Dean and Lloyd. Leader Jim Culliton is a local professional musician highly acclaimed for his virtuosity on various acoustic instruments in genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz.
Musical diversity and virtuosity are the hallmarks of this group. Culliton is well known as an instrumental wizard and he sprinkles his own charming original songs and tunes along with the classics. Jim organizes live bluegrass and traditional music for the weekly Sunday brunch at RIRA Irish pub in Midtown. He also offers private lessons in guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and bass. Click here for more information!
December 15, 2012
BARNEY’S GOAT
![band_photo_Barneys_Goat_2012](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Barneys_Goat_2012.jpg)
Opening the evening will be the always delightful Barney’s Goat. The group borrows its eccentric name from an Irish folk tune and members of the Atlanta-based folk ensemble value a healthy dose of blarney within an evening of music. Whether performing the Irish and Scottish songs that are their specialty, their unusual repertoire of American material, or both, these spirited entertainers love nothing more than to spin a good yarn through song.
Moving effortlessly from ribald pub songs to poetic and tragic ballads, they sprinkle in wry humor and running commentary to keep their audience on an emotional rollercoaster. Unlike most other local Celtic groups, they do mostly songs, with some instrumentals in the mix. They play a wide array of instruments: six-string and 12-string guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, recorder, mountain dulcimer, bass, and bodhran (Celtic drum). Since forming in 1992, Barney’s Goat has gained a strong local following from frequent appearances at coffeehouses, folk festivals, other cultural events, retirement homes, and private parties. Their 2009 CD is (imaginatively titled) Barney’s Goat. The group consists of Chris and Carol Moser and Phil Matteson. This month they’ll perform a Yuletide set of seasonal folk songs from Ireland, the British Isles and North America. Included will be Phil’s venerated rendition of John McCutcheon’s Christmas in the Trenches — a Fiddler’s Green tradition of longstanding.
KNIGHTSONG
![band_photo_KnightSong](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_KnightSong.jpg)
KnightSong is an a cappella vocal group specializing in classical Renaisssance madrigals and they also perform music from throughout the ages to the present. The group was formed by Pat Buonodono, Brad Ketch and Keith Duggan in 1989. They perform year-round for public and private gatherings and regularly at charitable events and senior living centers. KnightSong has performed for a number of years at the Georgia Shakespeare Festival and “Christmas Candlelight Nights” at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. In 2011, KnightSong traveled to Denver to perform for the Bethany Festival of Faith and the Arts. KnightSong currently has four CDs available and music may be found on CDbaby, iTunes, and Amazon.
November 17, 2012
BRISA
![band_photo_Barbara_Hotz](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Barbara_Hotz.jpg)
Barbara Hotz and Ron Hutchins are Brisa which means “Breeze” in Spanish. They perform a lovely mixture of cover and original tunes with a South American flair and are favorites at many venues and events. Most recently Ron and Barbara have been holding court at Zen Tea in the Brookhaven area.
Barbara sings and plays guitar, harmonica and percussion. Using her bilingual skills, she serves as a Spanish interpreter at Children’s Health care of Atlanta. She combines these skills with her love of singing and playing guitar to fashion authentic ballads from South of the border.
Ron is equally talented on guitar, percussion and backing vocals. They are sure to kick off the evening with both enchantment and a lil’ spice! Come and enjoy a great meal while being treated to exciting acoustic music.
More on Brisa here: www.facebook.com/brisamusica
LASHBROOKS
![Lashbrookspreferred](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Lashbrookspreferred-300x268.jpg)
The LashBrooks blending two lifetimes of music and multiple musical genres to create a sound of their own, LASHBROOKS perform a full-sounding acoustic show, steeped in rich harmonies, soulful vocals, and exciting guitar. The duo is husband and wife, singer/songwriters Rhonda and Troy LashBrook.
Rhonda spent several years in Nashville, Tennessee in the music business and eventually returned to her first love – writing and singing her own music. She cut her teeth on gospel, bluegrass and folk music and hit the stage performing show tunes in college.
Troy grew up with the sounds of the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and a guitar-playing father that influenced his love for the guitar and for good music, whatever the style. Traveling in various bands throughout the 80’s and ‘woodshedding’ in the 90’s, Troy’s talent was undeniable and recognized by the many venues he played throughout the country. His passion for performing was renewed when he met Rhonda, and he brings that passion along with his fun- loving personality and amazing talent to the stage Their first full length CD is due out in January.
More on LashBrooks here: www.reverbnation.com/lashbrooksmusic2.
October 20, 2012
JERRY BRUNNER AND CYNDI CRAVEN AND BRUCE GILBERT
![band_photo_bruce-cyn-jer-peaceOPT](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_bruce-cyn-jer-peaceOPT.png)
Jerry Brunner and Cyndi Craven have been sharing their music with Atlanta audiences and beyond since the ’60s and ’70s, respectively. They’ve been playing together since the ’80s. In 2008, Bruce Gilbert came all the way from California (with a piano on his knee), where he’d been wowing the music scene since the ’60s, and met up with Cyndi and Jerry. Serious musical magic began to happen. Come experience the results of profound friendship, heaping helpings of creativity, and decades of noodling on pianos and guitars…
JAMES TAYLOR TRIBUTE
![band_photo_James_Taylor](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_James_Taylor.png)
James Taylor PhotoLast year Bob Bakert and Ragamuffin Music Hall staged a wonderful evening where several performers offered their renditions of favorite James Taylor songs. It all went so well that Fiddler’s Green decided to offer a JT nite “redo” that includes many of the same artists from the original show.
The following artists will be performing in this Fiddler’s second set, and will be joined by Bruce and Cyndi from the first set to round out a fabulous night that you will hear about for a long time.. so don’t be the one to miss it!
Bob Bakert: Plays acoustic and electric guitars, writes and sings original music as well as carefully selected covers. Bob has a breadth of experience both in performing and organizing musical shows including the widely acclaimed series on the 1st Sat of the month called the Hungry Ear Coffeehouse and held at the Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Sandy Springs. His music runs from Americana folk music to progressive jazz. With 45 years of stage experience, he brings energy to every performance and his music is given a treatment you may not have heard before but will surely enjoy.
Ashley Harris: Performs a melting pot of Contemporary Country, Soft Rock and Inspirational music. Her influences include Amy Grant, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, and Sheryl Crow. She was 94.9 the Bulls artist pick of the year in 2009, was nominated for best female vocalist by Georgia Country.com in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and her CD An Unfinished Woman has garnered chart topping honors. Ashley and her husband are known and beloved owners of the Ragamuffin Music Hall and Music Teaching studio in historic Roswell.
Paul Pendery: A singer songwriter from the folk tradition, whose stories and performance style are clearly influenced by time spent in Texas, the Great Northwest, Appalachia and the Deep South. His guitar playing is solid and percussive, which provides the perfect backdrop for his rich and expressive voice. The results are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, but always entertaining .
Heidi Pollyea: An Atlanta based singer/songwriter/ keyboardist/guitarist who also teaches privately and is an avid animal advocate. Her music is inspired by folk/rock artists such as James Taylor, Carole King, Linda Rondstadt, Shawn Colvin and Michael McDonald, as well as R&B stylists like Billy Preston and Marvin Gaye with jazzers such as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays thrown in for good measure.
Louis Robinson: A British singer/songwriter acoustic guitar player based in Atlanta, GA USA. He also teaches, produces shows and performs in and around the Atlanta area. In a long career, he has played at every major folk venue in England, including folk clubs and festivals around the British Isles and Europe. He has performed on BBC radio and TV, and his songs have been recorded by artists in the UK and the USA.
Fred Watts: Fred says..”I was born a poor black child”, Steve Martin. (Just kidding) Fred began playing piano at 6, but traded it for the guitar in high school. He was fortunate enough to be in the musical production company, “Up With People”, for two years and has performed in all of the lower 48 states, Canada, Mexico, Europe and the half-time show of Super Bowl X. Fred began songwriting in his teens and still finds writing to be the most rewarding musical experience. He enjoys a full life with his wonderful wife and a houseful of great kids.
September 15, 2012
ROSS AND HARM
![band_photo_ross_and_harm](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_ross_and_harm.jpg)
Ross and Harm are made up of Ross Pead and Harmon Koeltz. These two friends entertain their audiences with a brand of acoustic driven folk/pop that includes a smattering of blues and old time favorites. Harmon, a drummer turned acoustic guitar wielding balladeer, can also be found performing around town as the leader of the group Harm’s way. Ross is a Georgia native from Waycross who’s focus has been acoustic blues and slide guitar, and is known for interpreting the songs of Willie McTell, Tampa Red, Howlin’Wolf and many of the other masters of American Roots Music. They are a smooth and soulful pair, sure to kick off another musical fiesta at September’s Fiddler’s Green
Harmon Koeltz is the founding member of Harm’s Way and a frequent performer around the area with Harm’s Way, solo, or with other performers. Originally a drummer, he discovered acoustic guitar and a love of performing. House parties, jams and other musical events led to the formation of Harm’s Way which performs regularly. The music is acoustic driven folk/ pop with a sprinkling of blues, singer- songwriter, and old favorites sprinkled in. Harmon and Ross were introduced by a mutual friend, also a musician, at a jam/ party held on the shores of Lake Lanier. Their paths kept crossing, they jammed together, and started playing together. Ross frequently joins Harm’s Way as that group expands from four to five members. While he enjoys fronting the group that he co-founded, he appreciates the opportunity to make music with his friends.
Ross Pead a/k/a Peadboy hails from Fairburn, Georgia. A Georgia native, Peadboy was born in lazy, swampy Waycross, Georgia. Although his focus has been acoustic blues and slide guitar, Ross is equally at home with Americana, roots, folk, and pop. For a repertoire that reflects a deep and wide association with the roots musics of the southern “peoples” of the United States, Peadboy says “come on in my kitchen.” Meanwhile, he is carrying the songs of Willie McTell, Tampa Red, Howlin’ Wolf and many of the other masters of American Roots Music. Peadboy has been a regular performer in tributes to artists as divergent as Howlin’ Wolf, Gram Parsons, and “Mr.” Frank Edwards. His guitar style has been described as a little Muddy Waters, a little Dire Straits, a little RC Cola, Moon Pie, watermelon guitar style. Ironically, Ross started out as a drummer also.
THE 5 O’CLOCK SHADOWS
![band_photo_5_oclock_shadows](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_5_oclock_shadows.jpg)
The 5 O’Clock Shadows are the favored house band of the local weekly storytelling/musical event known as Little 5@5 (held in Candler Park in the delightful Dobbins Hall ~ a coffeehouse style room at the Epworth Methodist Church).
Rob Lanford, a founding “Shadows” member, describes the 5 piece group as follows: Southern Grow’d, Picked Fresh, Washed, Shook up, Squeezed, and served Hot! Steeped in regional roots from Jacksonville to Atlanta, these are not musicians who try to emulate a folky sound authentically, they ARE music of authentic experience. Charlie Walker, Bob Winstead, John Truttier, Paul Turgeon, and Rob Lanford have listened to the Florida Boys while Granny Harris dipped her snuff, gone the Cracker games, played as teenaged white boys in black clubs of Atlanta in the early sixties and with the likes of Betts and Oakley (of the Allman Bros.) They know their southern blues heritage from bottleneck to slap back and will share their love of this great style with Fiddler’s audiences as the second act of the September 15th show.
August 18, 2012
JOHNNY ROQUEMORE AND THE APOSTLES OF BLUEGRASS
![Apostles of Bluegrass](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Apostles-of-Bluegrass.png)
Opening the August Fiddler’s Green show will be the up beat music and off beat lyrics of The Apostles of Bluegrass. Led by Johnny Roquemore, a Georgia native, returned home after many years on the West Coast to be dubbed Creative Loafing Magazine critics’ choice for “Best Local Singer/Songwriter” and to live on the family farm in Mansfield.
From the highest-minded church revivals to the lowest honky tonk dives, on television and radio the hard driving bluegrass and humorous original songs consistently amuse their audiences.
Playing banjo, mandolin and harmonica, John Nipper is a native to Newton County Ga. He gave up bicycle motocross to save his fingers for music.
Originally from the Chicago area, Dave Ross plays the big blue upright bass and the dobro. Sadly he received a banjo for his eleventh birthday and hasn’t been the same since.
The Apostles of Bluegrass show has consistently amused audiences by delivering their quirky renditions of both cherished traditional music and highly original compositions. Come see what all the fuss is about! More about the Apostles here: www.apostlesofbluegrass.com/
KEVIN SPEARS
![Kevin-Spears](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Kevin-Spears-230x300.png)
For a rare and special treat, Fiddler’s Green audiences will be delighted by the music of Kevin Spears, a local master of the kalimba or thumb piano. The thumb piano is plucked instrument, common throughout the sub saharan region of Africa. Considered by many as one of the best kalimba players alive today, Kevin’s musical gifts have astounded audiences around the world and rewritten what is possible on this exotic instrument.
Kevin has teamed up with Grammy winning percussionist Count M’Butu of the Derek Trucks Band to form a dynamic world fusion duo called Rhythm Nomadic and has worked with and/or opened for artists such as: India Arie, Eric Benet, Victor Wooten, Arrested Development, Toubab Krewe, Col. Bruce Hampton, Richard Smith (guitarist for Earth, Wind and Fire), , Vinx, Mamadou Doumbia (of Salif Keita band), Epizo Bangoura, Jhelisa Anderson, Yonrico Scott (of Derek Trucks Band), Moziak (of Fela Kuti) and Divinity (bassist for Beyonce).
Spears’ blinding skill and musical creativity are often compared to innovative legends such as Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix and Les Paul among others and his uncanny ability to play multiple musical and percussive ideas simultaneously in a live setting is iconic, pure and simple. The opportunity to enjoy such a special night of music is something Fiddler’s Green audiences will surely never forget.
July 21, 2012
SIX SIRENS OF SONG PERFORM AT FIDDLER’S GREEN
![band_photo_Suzy_Schultz](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Suzy_Schultz.jpg)
![band_photo_Barbara_Hotz (1)](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Barbara_Hotz-1.jpg)
![band_photo_Heidi_Pollyea](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Heidi_Pollyea.jpg)
![band_photo_Ashley_Filip](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Ashley_Filip.jpg)
![band_photo_Allison_Adams](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Allison_Adams.jpg)
![band_photo_Cyndi_Craven](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Cyndi_Craven.jpg)
Six of Atlanta’s finest female singer/songwriters and acoustic players will join forces to present an exquisite musical evening “in the round”. The performances will feature the rich alto voice and infectious song stylings of acclaimed acoustic music veteran Cyndi Craven; the country comfort and velvet voiced vocals of Allison Adams; words and melodies to melt your soul from the beautiful Ashley Filip; a sampling of Latin American song and spice from our resident red-head, Ms. Barbara Hotz; and a little bit of everything else to make up the “funky folk” of Fiddler’s own Heidi Pollyea.
These gals all sing, write and play many instruments between them including acoustic guitar, mandolin, ukelele, concertina, keyboards and good ol’ hand percussion.
As a special treat, the songwriters will be joined by the noted artist and only partially closeted musician Suzy Schultz, who will grace the stage and embellish many of the evening’s selections with flute,cello and/or vocal accompaniment.
So much talent~so little time. Don’t miss what is sure to be a very special evening!
Photo of Cyndi Craven
Cyndi Craven
http://cyndicravenmusic.com/
Photo of Allison Adams
Allison Adams
http://allisonadamsmusic.com/site/
Photo of Ashley Filip
Ashley Filip
http://www.myspace.com/ashleyfilip
Photo of Heidi Pollyea
Heidi Pollyea
http://www.reverbnation.com/heidipmusic
Photo of Barbara Hotz
Barbara Hotz
Photo of Suzy Schultz
Suzy Schultz
http://www.myspace.com/suzyschultz
June 16, 2012
KIM AND DAVID CHAMBERLAIN
![band_photo_chamberlands](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_chamberlands.jpg)
Kim and David Chamberlain are a husband and wife guitar/vocal/and clarinet duo known as Bright Moments. They perform classic jazz standards from the Great American Songbook in a way that makes an evening sparkle with gentle ambiance. David delights any crowd with his humor and affable nature, not to mention his meticulous attention to guitar tone and song arrangement. When he graces audiences with his singing as well as his exquisite playing, it provides some of the most charming moments in their set.
Having said that, Kim is a vocal powerhouse that just happens to also play the heck outta the clarinet. She is warm and inviting, fabulous enough to act the “Diva” but never does. Kim will remind you of your best friend – or at the very least, the one you wish you had. Bright Moments are amongst Fiddler’s Green’s favorites so don’t miss the chance to enjoy them at the show on Saturday June 16th from 8-9pm.
Kim Chamberlain – Vocalist/Clarinetist
David Chamberlain – Guitarist/Vocalist
http://www.gigmasters.com/Jazz-Duo/brightmoments/
CARLY GIBSON
![4674185261_4d2966e3b6_z](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/4674185261_4d2966e3b6_z-300x233.jpg)
In the music world, Carly Gibson is what you would call a triple threat. She not only composes soulful and sophisticated music, she also sings beautifully and plays a mean acoustic guitar. Carly may be young but she sports an old soul. Carly picked up the guitar at the age of 12 and has rarely put it down.
Her music resonates with the flavors that reflect her own diverse musical tastes and influences including such songwriter/performers as Caroline Aiken, Paula Cole, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Tori Amos. Carly’s 2010 debut EP, Heavy Water, is available through her website at carlygibson.net. Although Carly can be found performing all over the southeast region in many different configurations, the Fiddler’s Green audiences will be delighted to experience the special harmonic melding unique to family members who sing together.
In this case (and you won’t believe it when you see her!), Carly will be joined by her mother … the also talented and lovely Teresa Powell. If you don’t know who Carly Gibson and Teresa Powell are yet, you certainly will soon so don’t miss the chance to enjoy them for the second set at Fiddler’s Green on June 16th from 9:15-10:15pm.
More on Carly Gibson here: www.carlygibson.net.
May 19, 2012
CULLITON, DEAN AND LLOYD
![band_photo_CullitonDeanLloyd](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_CullitonDeanLloyd.jpg)
Eclectic acoustic instrumentals and vocals, from high-energy tunes to engaging ballads, performed by three of the area’s elite players. Leader Jim Culliton is a local professional musician highly acclaimed for his virtuosity on various acoustic instruments, in genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz.
Musical diversity and virtuosity are the hallmarks of this group.
Professional musician Jim Culliton is well known to many AAFFM members as a wizard on guitar and other instruments. He performs genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz, sprinkling in his own charming original songs and tunes. Jim organizes live bluegrass and traditional music for the weekly Sunday brunch at RIRA Irish pub in midtown. He offers private lessons in guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and bass. For more info: (404) 298-5057.
HOTLANTA TRIO
![band_photo_Hotlanta_Trio](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_Hotlanta_Trio.jpg)
For Great Music & Lots of Fun let the Hotlanta Trio set your feet firmly on Bourbon Street in Old New Orleans. You’ll experience every bit of the joy, energy, and humor of that early American Jazz called Dixieland. Songs from Fats Waller, Hoagy Carmichael, Louie Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, plus many old favorites like “Sweet Georgia Brown”, “Royal Garden Blues”, “Hard Hearted Hannah”, and “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In” are all part of Hotlanta’s musical treat.
Stop in to enjoy the great vocals from our banjo player Bill Rutan, and that wonderful solid bass from our tuba player Hal Johnson, and clarinetist Don Erdman provides added color when he brings along his soprano, tenor, and baritone saxophones!
More info at: www.hotlantajazz.com/pages/trio.html.
April 21, 2012
PAUL PENDERY AND HEIDI POLLYEA
![band_photo_paul_pendery](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_paul_pendery.jpg)
Paul Pendery is a singer songwriter from the folk tradition. His stories and performance style are clearly influenced by time spent in Texas, the Great Northwest, Appalachia and the Deep South. His guitar playing is solid and percussive, which provides the perfect backdrop for his rich and expressive voice. The results are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, but always entertaining.
![band_photo_heiei_pollyea](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_heiei_pollyea.jpg)
Heidi Pollyea is a singer/songwriter Atlanta, Georgia. If pressed, she might coin her music as “funky folk. She plays both keyboards and guitar, and her original songs and personalized renditions of classic favorites will definitely make you want to sing and dance along! If you enjoy Carole King, Linda Rondstadt, Shawn Colvin, Michael McDonald or Billy Preston – she’s one not to be missed! Heidi is also known for her accomplishments as a degreed private voice, piano guitar, songwriting and music theory instructor and her love of and dedication to animals – especially dogs!
THE SPLIT LEVELS
![band_photo_split_levels](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_split_levels.jpg)
The Split Levels were formed in Atlanta two years ago when a few friends decided to jam together “just for fun”. The resulting musical magic soon took on a life of its own and now Split Levels performances are in high demand! With a delightful mix of contemporary and traditional favorites performed on a variety of instruments with both guy and gal lead and harmony vocals, this group provides a little something for everyone. The Split Levels are: Jean Whichard – lead guitar and vocals, Susan Rutherford – keyboard, vocals, mandolin, guitar and percussion, Michael Hester – bass, Richard Gess – drums, Michael Kidd – lead vocals and rhythm guitar.
March 17, 2012
YOUTH FOR YOUTH & FRIENDS
The opening act for this evening will be Youth For Youth & Friends ( Y4Y). This is a FABULOUS group of young people ages 11-17 spearheaded by and featuring Felipe Soares age 11 on drums, Anthony “Malik” Compton age 12 on bass and rising starlet Sydney Rhame age 13 on vocals who will be joined by some guest singers (including Emma Bales and Joanna Benshoof both age 15) and instrumentalists sure to amaze the Fiddler’s Green audience.
THE IRISH BROTHERS
![The_Irish_Brothers](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The_Irish_Brothers-300x226.jpg)
The Irish Brothers are Sandy “Sandyman” Flynn and “Captain” George Hergen. This is a unique team – Sandyman comes from the mountains Western North Carolina with the Captain hailing from the canyons of New York City. The two started performing together twenty-five years ago when they worked “suit” jobs at IBM. Both draw from their Irish heritage for material – their music practically maps the Irish cultural integration into the “new country” – from traditional Irish ballads, to original songs of love, drinking, revolution and redemption.
Sandy is a former songwriter on Music Row (Tree-Sony/ATV) in Nashville, and a founding member of the band Cullowhee, that toured nationally and internationally for ten years in the 70s/80s. George started singing and playing after his first visit to New York”s Greenwich Village in the mid-1960s. George honed his craft by traveling throughout Ireland with the great Tommy Makem. The team received the name “Irish Brothers” following a performance at The Folk Alliance several years ago in Memphis, Tennessee.
See also: www.sandymanflynn.com and www.gorddcymru.org/atlanta/music/cmd/hergen_george.htm.
November 19 , 2011
SARA GREY AND KIERON MEANS
![band_photo_sara_grey](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_sara_grey.jpg)
Welcome internationally acclaimed folk singer/musicians Sara Grey and Kieron Means for this month’s performance. For those not yet familiar with Sara Grey, she’s an American living in Scotland, where she has studied traditional Scottish song for many years. She and her son Kieron Means have traced the roots of Scottish songs to America and Canada and will be showing the links across the Atlantic by singing bits of Scottish versions while concentrating on singing the American versions. They will perform at Fiddler’s Green thanks to a grant to AAFFM from the Georgia Humanities Council.
Please see their excellent website: www.saragrey.net for bios and samples of their music. More info here: News Release.
June 18, 2011
VERONIKA JACKSON
![Veronika-Jackson](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Veronika-Jackson-298x300.jpg)
Veronika Jackson is one of the finest acoustic folk blues artist in the southeast region. Performing for folk festivals, music halls and community events she has traveled as far as France and back to the northeast regions entertaining many diverse audiences.
Her smooth strong expressive singing voice captures the audience right away and is accompanied by her clean piedmont style guitar picking, which is just what needed to back up her engaging performance.
She is called brave as she stands alone with her guitar and engage the audience with her presence and her performance.
http://www.veronikajackson.com/4.html
KING RICHARD’S SUNDAY BEST
![band_photo_kingrichardssundaybest](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_kingrichardssundaybest.jpg)
King Richard’s Sunday Best is not a very good band. Sure, when Atlanta-based musicians Evan Tyor and Luke McGinnis teamed up to form this ludicrously christened duo, they were told by their girlfriends and numerous family members that they were excellent. The phrases “That sounds nice”, and “wonderful potential!” were even thrown around. In reality, their music is full of tacky, confusing chord progressions, and annoyingly poetic lyrics. Add cellist Simon Reiter to the mix, and it becomes even worse. I mean seriously, who likes the cello?
Then along came some girl, who can’t even play anything (except kazoo). She just stands there and sings. Ok, so, it is rather interesting to see 9 or so instruments being played by 4 people… And yes, they play covers of your favorite songs, with beautiful harmonies and original instrumentation. Fine, they also write really catchy songs. But if you hear King Richard’s Sunday Best and consider it good music, you need to reconsider your taste. Hell, you probably also like The Beatles. Get a life.
Evan Tyor — Guitar, Ukulele, Bass Drum, Piano,
Luke McGinnis — Ukulele, Percussion, Mandolin, Piano, Xylophone, Guitar,
Simon Reiter — Cello, Gong, Percussion,
Jessie Lane — Vocals, Percussion, Kazoo
Joshua Orbulous — Vocals, theremin
http://www.myspace.com/kingrichardssundaybest
May 21, 2011
CAMERON HORNE
![band_photo_cameron_horne](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_cameron_horne.jpg)
Cameron Horne is excited about the opportunity to do a solo set featuring his original songs at this month’s
Fiddler’s Green CoffeEhouse.
He most recently played with local group Scribblin’ Jones.
BITSYLAND STRING BAND
![band_photo_bitsyland_string_band](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_bitsyland_string_band.jpg)
Bitsyland String Band – Music and humor guaranteed to make you laugh and tap your toes! Fiddle tunes, pop standards, gospel, and a touch of bluegrass…
Edwin Hall (guitar, mandolin, banjo and vocals), a native of southeastern Kentucky, uses his bent for humor to emcee the Band.
Rachel Friday (upright bass), an Alabama native, is a long-time fan of old-time and folk music. She formerly played bass with the sounds of Appalachia and banjo with an all-girl band, the Sugar Beats.
Ross Friedman (banjo, guitar, and vocals) and Teresa Friedman (mandolin, guitar, and vocals) bring their life-long love of folk music to the sound of our group. This husband and wife team provides close vocal harmony and sparkling instrumental work for every performance.
Dan Byrd (fiddle, banjo, and vocals), a native of mid-town Atlanta and a veteran of the Atlanta area old-time music scene, is capable on most of the traditional string instruments and uses his gift of humor and showmanship to enhance the show.
http://www.bitsyland.com/Bitsyland_Site/Welcome.html
KIM AND DAVID CHAMBERLAIN
![band_photo_chamberlands](https://aaffm.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/band_photo_chamberlands.jpg)
Photo of Kim and David ChamberlandKim and David Chamberlain – Bright Moments,(formerly known as “Your Parents”) is a guitar/vocal/and clarinet duo. They perform classic jazz standards from the Great American Songbook in a way that will make our Coffeehouse sparkle with gentle ambiance. This husband and wife team has a chemistry that creates a relaxed and intimate atmosphere just right for Fiddler’s Green!
Kim’s vocal style has been compared to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn or Diane Schuur. She has a warm rich vocal tone with a very wide range, and is able to tackle just about any tune with sparkle and charm. Her clarinet playing adds a beautiful contrast for variety, giving the duo a lot of bang for the buck. She also adds flute on some of the pair’s songs to add even more flavor.
Dave’s archtop guitar playing is fluid and full of energy. Always keying into the subtle nuances of the phrase and the feeling of the lyric, he is the supportive backbone of the duo. Dave sometimes joins Kim to share vocals as well. Kim and Dave’s Bright Moments tonight memorable and fun.
Kim Chamberlain – Vocalist/Clarinetist
David Chamberlain – Guitarist/Vocalist
http://www.gigmasters.com/Jazz-Duo/brightmoments/
April 16, 2011
DOC STOVALL & JERRY WARREN
Doc Stovall is a professional entertainer who provides musical entertainment as well as discussions of the origins of traditional cowboy music as it relates to the Western music we enjoy today.
Stovall also presents programs and conducts seminars on the writing and recitation of cowboy poetry. He traces the roots back to the beginnings of this phenomenon at the “back of the wagon” on the trail drives north to the rails.
A native Virginian, Doc has been associated with music most of his life. His earliest influences include the traditional music associated with the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountain areas of the South that was handed down from generation to generation since it’s inception in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.
He is well-known as a Western singer and cowboy poet throughout America, having performed in twenty-five of the fifty states. Honored in 2002 as Georgia’s Official Cowboy Balladeer by the Georgia State Legislature, he has entertained audiences both young and old as he strives to keep alive the history of the West in music and song. In November of 2004, Doc was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame, the first cowboy singer so honored.
JERRY WARREN
Jerry Warren, a cowboy poet and a fourth generation rancher, refers to Tennessee’s Cumberland foothills as home.
Performing across the United States, Jerry Warren is famous for his poignant, heartfelt cowboy poetry. Of course, he draws on his vast experience as a ranch hand and veteran of the rodeo circuit to support the reality of his writings. Jerry also presents traditional pieces by classic cowboy authors as well as contemporary cowboy poets. Sarcasm and wit along with pure nostalgia are featured in his works that audiences find easy to identify with.
Jerry Warren and friend Joel Hayes founded the Georgia Cowboy Poets association. His writings served to get him recognized by the Georgia State Senate as the “Official Cowboy Poet of the State of Georgia”. He and Doc Stovall often perform together. Their tongue-in-cheek performances of their original poetry and music, as well as traditional pieces with their own personal spin make them a much sought after act. He has performed at Elko and Carson City, Nevada and is a regular performer at various WestFest events.
HAGGIS & HOMINY
Haggis & Hominy formed as a trio in 2001 consisting of Laurie Simpson, her husband John, and Peggy Martin. Laurie and John brought to the group their close vocal harmony, guitar, Irish whistle, autoharp, concertina, and hurdy-gurdy. Peggy brought upright bass, lap dulcimer, and bowed dulcimer.
The trio’s vocal and instrumental repertoire includes traditional folk, Celtic, and some of John’s own original songs. Haggis & Hominy has played for Dulcimer Week at the Swannanoa Gathering in North Carolina as well as numerous venues across Georgia. Its members have also performed with other groups in Georgia and as far away as Newport, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. Recently the trio lost John Simpson to brain cancer and has regrouped, for now, as a duo.
“Tonight we want to showcase that magical sound an autoharp and a dulcimer can have when played together, as well as, Laurie’s Singing,” they say. Peggy hopes to soon add her fiddle to their instrumentation.
March 19, 2011
ELISE WITT “Global, Local & Homemade Songs”
A concert with Elise takes listeners on a glorious and rollicking journey, visiting lands of gypsy jazz, smoky cabarets, and funky swing, as well as a capella vocalises and poignant ballads. The producer of the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage calls Elise Witt “a performer to remember with international savvy & personal charm.”
Elise was born in Switzerland, raised in North Carolina, and since 1977 has made her home in Atlanta. She speaks five languages fluently, sings in over a dozen more, and has been a cultural ambassador to South Africa, Italy, Nicaragua, Switzerland, and China. A songwriter and composer, she recently premiered the Elise Witt Choral Series, and has just released Valise, her 11th recording for EMWorld Records. Elise has studied with vocal masters Bobby McFerrin, Rhiannon, and Ysaye Barnwell, and she sang for 20 years with Robert Shaw in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Chorus. Elise has earned a reputation as a masterful educator, encouraging even the shyest singers to revel in their voices.
As a Teaching Artist, she works with students in elementary schools through universities, as well as with professional ensembles and community groups. Her workshops and concerts use music as a language to celebrate our cultural diversity while appreciating our connections as one human family. She is a longtime AAFFM member and advocate, and her concerts are famous for turning audiences (even self-professed “non-singers”) into a glorious chorus.
More about Elise at her website: http://www.elisewitt.com and on YouTube
DEIDRE McCALLA
From the moment Deidre takes the stage, her engaging presence and irresistible blend of folk, country, rock, and pop seize the listeners by the heart and won’t let go.
Deidre McCalla came of age in the fiery blaze of NYC’s folk heyday – a time when Greenwich Village clubs were filled with the likes of Dylan, Baez, and Ochs; a time when Motown ruled the top of the charts and the streets of America screamed with anger and civil unrest. Her first album, Fur Coats and Blue Jeans, was released when Deidre was 19 and a student at Vassar College. With a theater degree tucked under her belt and an acoustic guitar tossed in the back of a battered Buick station wagon, Deidre McCalla hit the proverbial road and never looked back. Deidre later majored in jazz guitar at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and released three albums with the pioneering women’s music label Olivia Records.
More about Deidre on her website: http://deidremccalla.com/ and all over YouTube
February 19, 2011
THE NEARLY NORMAL STRING BAND
The Nearly Normal String Band features Viva and Neil Araki playing an eclectic variety of musical genres, including Blues, bluegrass style, old time (Appalachian), ragtime, contemporary/60’s folk, country blues, and Celtic. Both Neil and Viva play fingerstyle guitar. Neil also flatpicks guitar, and plays fiddle and mandolin. Viva plays old time banjo and sings. They met at a pickin’ party of a mutual friend 23 years ago, and immediately discovered a common love for fingerstyle guitar, BB King, and Doc Watson. Neil has been a blues fan since his college days, and has played in bluegrass bands over the years. Viva fell in love with Joan Baez while taking classical guitar, and that was the end of a promising career as a classical guitarist (doesn’t she wish!). They both began playing guitar as children. They have played weddings, funerals, birthday parties, campgrounds, coffeehouses, music festivals, and the Old Courthouse in Blairsville. Contact them via email at: nearlynormalband@att.net
DAVID LEINWEBER
David Leinweber will be doing a mix of originals and traditionals, including a few songs that were inspired by the great old television show Dark Shadows!
David Leinweber has played in a wide variety of venues and musical styles, ranging from rock, to blues, to folk, to gospel. In both 2006 and 2009 he was featured as the “Flatpicking Professor” Dr. Leinweber at the Scottish Bluegrass Association Festival in Guildtown, Scotland and has also performed widely at regional acoustic music festivals in the South. He has shared the stage with many fine musicians.
Leinweber’s eclectic approach to music entails many influences — Dylan, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Neil Young, The Dead, Clapton, Norman Blake and Doc Watson. Possessing a voluminous repertoire, he loves the singer-songwriter heritage of the sixties and seventies, popular songs, country and bluegrass, rock, and traditional folk music from both North America and the British Isles. Reviews and publications have variously called him as an “expert guitarist,” as a “master of the fingerpicking and flatpicking styles of guitar,” and as a “seriously talented acoustic musician.” He has been described as a “nuanced and mature songwriter” whose songs have a “great hook, unforgettable melody and a great chorus.”
Dr. Leinweber has taught piano and guitar for 25 years. He has extensive experience as a studio musician, as a songwriter, and as an arranger. In addition to his solo efforts, he has performed on many records, demos, and CDs by other artists. His music has been featured on radio and in many concerts throughout the Atlanta area. His original songs on topics ranging from Deadheads, to growing up in Detroit, to the old teleivison program Dark Shadows are always popular. http://www.davidleinweber.com/
MRS. SCHMALTZ & HER KOSMOPOLITAN KLEZTET
Mrs. Schmaltz offers up an eclectic blend of international music, with a particular focus on Yiddish, Klezmer, Eastern European, and Ladino. Lively, festive, and hauntingly beautiful, this music, which is deeply rooted in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, has had a heavy influence on American popular and jazz music. The rich melodies stemming from the Klezmer, Yiddish and Sephardic tradition are timeless in their appeal, and have served as an inspiration to such American music giants as George Gershwin, Benny Goodman, Burt Bacharach, and Stephen Sondheim.
Mrs. Schmaltz a/k/a vocalist Nancy Gaddy and her Kosmopolitan Kleztet — featuring Dave Cooper on guitar and banjo, Vinny Aleandri on accordion and Greg Caregeorge on bass — will present a diverse and boisterous blend of world music to include gypsy jazz, borscht belt classics, Yiddish gems, Middle Eastern melodies and traditional klezmer tunes that will have audiences young and old singing, dancing and partying along.
January 15 , 2011
THE JIM CULLITON TRIO
Eclectic acoustic instrumentals and vocals, from high-energy tunes to engaging ballads, performed by three of the area’s elite players. Leader Jim Culliton is a local professional musican highly acclaimed for his virtuosity on various acoustic instruments, in genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz.
Musical diversity and virtuosity are the hallmarks of The Jim Culliton Trio. Three of the Atlanta area’s most accomplished acoustic musicians perform eclectic acoustic instrumentals and vocals, from high-energy tunes to engaging ballads.
Professional musician Jim Culliton is well known to many AAFFM members as a wizard on guitar and other instruments. He performs genres including folk, old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, pop and jazz, sprinkling in his own charming original songs and tunes. Jim organizes live bluegrass and traditional music for the weekly Sunday brunch at RIRA Irish pub in midtown. He offers private lessons in guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and bass. For more info: (404)298-5057.
RHYTHM RANCH
Western music and cheeky humor from a new group anchored by Berné Poliakoff and Kathleen Hatfield, two members of the beloved all female western band, Cowboy Envy. With bassist/vocalist L.A. “Darn” Tuten and fiddler/vocalist Leah Calvert, Rhythm Ranch delivers dynamic performances filled with wonderful music and great humor, delighting audiences of all ages.
Berné Poliakoff (aka Frenchy) and Kathleen Hatfield (aka Buffalo K) were the lead singers of the hugely popular all female western band, Cowboy Envy. Their work has garnered much praise and multiple awards, including the “Best Harmony” award from the Western Music Association (twice). Their vocals have been described as “heavenly…with harmonies to die for” (Atlanta Journal Constitution). Together, Frenchy and Buffalo K have performed at festivals and concerts from Alaska to South Carolina. Their history has been highlighted by appearances at Spoleto Festival, Detroit Arts Festival, Music Midtown and two concerts at the Kennedy Center. They have toured with The Indigo Girls and performed with numerous acts including Riders in the Sky, Shelby Lynn, Confederate Railroad and Sweethearts Of The Rodeo.
Rhythm Ranch was heartbroken by the passing of their amazing fiddle player and exquisite human being,“Alamo” Al Pieper. Together with their extraordinary bassist/vocalist, L.A. “Darn” Tuten and the supremely talented and lovely Leah Calvert on fiddle and vocals, they hope to keep Al’s beautiful spirit alive. Rhythm Ranch delivers dynamic performances filled with wonderful music and great humor, delighting audiences of all ages. For more info: www.rhythmranch.com
Thursday, December 6, 2007
An AAFFM Special Edition Concert
SPARKY AND RHONDA RUCKER
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition. Sparky Rucker has been performing over forty years and is internationally recognized as a leading folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and author. He accompanies himself with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar, banjo, and spoons. Rhonda Rucker is an accomplished harmonica, piano, banjo, and bones player, and also adds vocal harmonies to their songs.
Sparky and Rhonda are sure to deliver an uplifting presentation of toe-tapping music spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. They take their audience on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a Brer Rabbit tale or their witty commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, slave songs, Appalachian music, spirituals, ballads, work songs, Civil War music, cowboy music, railroad songs, and a few of their own original compositions.
Sparky and Rhonda have numerous recordings, and their 1991 release, Treasures and Tears, was nominated for the W.C. Handy Award for Best Traditional Recording. They have also contributed music to the syndicated television miniseries The Wild West (directed by Keith Merrill). Sparky’s unique renditions of John Henry and Jesse James were used in the National Geographic Society’s 1994 video entitled Storytelling in North America. Sparky Rucker has also appeared on numerous radio programs, including National Public Radio’s Morning Edition, Prairie Home Companion, and Mountain Stage. He also performed in Carry It On and Amazing Grace: Music in America, two videos produced by the Public Broadcasting System.
Sparky is a natural storyteller, having grown up hearing his father, uncles, and other family members endlessly telling tales. Sparky tells stories by himself, but Sparky and Rhonda also tell stories together (in tandem), always adding life and humor to the characters and tricksters in their Brer Rabbit tales, Jack tales, High John the Conqueror stories, preacher tales, and family stories.
“Sparky Rucker is unique! He’ll make you glad to be alive and struggling.” Pete Seeger
See www.sparkyandrhonda.com for more information. See www.eddiesattic.com for information on how to purchase a ticket. Note that AAFFM members will receive a $2 discount off food and drink order (per table) upon presentation of your current AAFFM newsletter with address label attached.
October 27, 2007
BRYAN BOWERS
“Bryan Bowers is more than the finest autoharp player on the circuit today. He’s a great songwriter and singer, a wonderful storyteller and a delightful guy to spend an evening with. And not incidentally, he revolutionized the autoharp…not just how we all play, but retuning and redesigning to a point that nearly every builder and player today is in his debt. I know I am.” — John McCutcheon
From his rather unglamorous beginning as a street singer, Bryan Bowers has become a major artist on the traditional music circuit. He has redefined the autoharp and is also well known as a singer-songwriter. Bryan has a dynamic outgoing personality and an uncanny ability to enchant a crowd in practically any situation. His towering six foot four inch frame can be wild and zany on stage while playing a song like `Dixie’ and five minutes later he can have the same audience singing `Will The Circle Be Unbroken’ in quiet reverence and delight.
For nearly three decades, Bryan Bowers has been to the autoharp what Earl Scruggs was to the five-string banjo. He presents instrumental virtuosity combined with warmth, eloquence, expression and professionalism. He has a technique DVD and eight albums including his new storytelling CD, “September in Alaska .”
Bowers’ creativity and talent have won him induction into Frets Magazine’s First Gallery of the Greats after five years of winning the stringed instrument, open category of the magazine’s readers’ poll. This distinction put Bowers along side other luminaries, such as Chet Atkins, David Grisman, Stephan Grappelli, Itzhak Perlman, Tony Rice, Rob Wasserman and Mark O’Connor, recognized for their personal accomplishments. In 1993, Bryan was inducted into the Autoharp Hall of Fame to stand only with Maybelle Carter, Kilby Snow, and Sara Carter. See www.bryanbowers.com for more information about this wonderful performer.
November 18, 2006
LOU AND PETER BERRYMAN
Lou and Peter Berryman have been performing together since the sixties, and have produced twelve albums of their original music. They blend Midwestern culture with intelligent observation in whimsical and wonderfully accessible performances. They have been compared to Tom Lehrer, Flanders and Swann, and Burns and Allen.
By the eighties, they had established themselves as a prominent feature of the songwriting subculture of Wisconsin’s capital, playing their original material every week for almost ten years in the run-down but trendy music room of Madison’s Club de Wash. They gained national attention with appearances on such programs as Public Radio’s A Prairie Home Companion, and NPR’s Weekend Edition. In 1999 and again in 2001 they were chosen to represent the state of Wisconsin with performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
Regular appearances at festivals and folk music clubs all across the country now serve as venues for the songs contained in their recordings and three songbooks. Their songs have been performed Garrison Keillor, Peggy Seeger, and Peter, Paul and Mary, to mention a few. The popularity of Lou and Peter Berryman is a testament to their intelligent and wickedly funny material that is never bawdy or risque, but is rich with word-play and witty images.
The duo is not to be missed! See their website at www.hometown.aol.com/berrymanp/
August 19, 2006
THE HUNGRY MONKS
The Hungry Monks perform traditional, contemporary, and original acoustic songs and instrumentals in the Celtic tradition on guitars, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, whistle, bohdran, and vocals. They draw from a wide range of influences, including Medieval & Renaissance, folk, blues, classical and jazz. This group combines strong original songs and instrumental compositions with an ear toward improvisation. The Hungry Monks weave a rich tapestry of sound, melodic and rhythmic, grounded in the folk traditions of many cultures. Combined with the traditions and techniques of Western classical music, this eclectic mix produces an exciting blend of acoustic sound and harmonious vocals.
The Hungry Monks, from Charleston SC , combine the creative talents of Hazel Ketchum and John Holenko. Hazel and John have played music together for more than 20 years and have been featured on TV and radio throughout the US . This group has performed in clubs and at contra dances as well as festivals and concert halls. The Hungry Monks have released several CD recordings on their own label, Hungry Monk Recordings. As well as being active performers, The Hungry Monks are music educators and publish their own work through Hungry Monk Publications. See their website at www.hungrymonkmusic.com.
Dirty Linen says, “The songs are mostly original first-person reflections with distinctive melodies and strong, creative accompaniment… a tasty combination of crisp, creative fiddle/ mandolin/guitar instrumentals… a dreamy, melodic fiddle piece that visits several peaceful musical neighborhoods… a lively, percussive reel that includes some hot mandolin improvisations.” Oct/Nov 2004 SING OUT Magazine says, “Ketchum holds great tension and expressiveness in her voice. Ketchum sings as if nothing else in the world matters.”
AMANDA KAPOUSOUZ
The Hungry Monks will be joined for this month’s Fiddler’s Green show by the multi-talented Athens, GA fiddler and singer-songwriter Amanda Kapousouz. Taking her band’s name from the tip cup dangling from her fiddle case, Amanda Kapousouz (aka the Tin Cup Prophette) is no stranger to the stage. Once hailing from New York City , this “busker extraordinaire” entertained thousands of commuters daily on subway platforms for small change. Working her way above ground, Amanda began to play with various bands in the city ranging in style from traditional Irish and heavy metal bluegrass to jazz, Dixieland, and rock-n-roll. She has composed music for modern dance, arranged music for film and toured extensively on the Irish music circuit.
Early this century (or was it late last century), Amanda moved to music-friendly Athens, GA to pursue her own creative work, and has appeared in the Atlanta/Athens area at Smith’s Olde Bar, the 40 Watt, and Eddie’s Attic. She will make her second appearance at the Kansas City Irish Festival this September. Amanda re-joins Hazel and John at this month’s Fiddler’s to perform material from their earlier Celtic/old-time work together in the band, Donnybrook Legacy, as well as material from the Hungry Monks’ CD “Organic Tangerines,” as well as other delightful offerings. See www.tincupprophette.com for more information on Amanda.
Special guests: Mike Simpson and Doug Murray — Mike Simpson is a local multi-instrumentalist and teacher on fiddler, Irish flute, tin whistle, guitar, tenor banjo and bodhran. A former member of The New Road and The Long Drop, Mike has performed at Atlanta Symphony Hall, the High Museum of Art, the Fox Theater, and numerous other venues around Atlanta. Mike is currently the music director of Irish Music Traditions.
Doug Murray is a veteran of the Atlanta traditional music scene. He plays bouzouki (a fairly new instrument to Irish music) and old time banjo. He has played with The New Road, The Buddy O’Reilly Band, Music in the Glen, and other Atlanta area groups, and he has accompanied most of the city’s Irish musicians at one time or another.
April 15, 2006
DAVID LAMOTTE
Fiddlers Green is delighted to welcome singer-songwriter David LaMotte as our feature performer for the April 15 show. A typical evening of performance with David includes everything from lyrically challenging, high-energy percussive songs in strange alternate tunings to more traditional songs of home, hope and inspiration. He weaves the evening together in a fabric of vivid – often hilarious – stories, and throws in an occasional impressive instrumental piece.
In the past fourteen years, David has released eight albums and performed over sixteen hundred shows in forty-five states and ten countries, sharing stages along the way with artists like Arlo Guthrie, Shawn Mullins, Buddy Miles, Gillian Welch, John Gorka, Jez Lowe and David Wilcox. In addition to performing throughout the U.S., David tours Europe almost every year. His three tours to Australia and New Zealand have included mainstage performances at Australia’s National Folk Festival and a spot as the headline act for the 2004 Auckland Folk Festival, the largest folk fest in New Zealand
He was also featured along with Bruce Springsteen, Aimee Mann, Ray Manzarek, Grace Slick and Suzanne Vega on the Songs Inspired By Literature, Chapter 1, a project to benefit adult literacy campaigns. His children’s recording, S.S. Bathtub, recently won its fourth national award, and work is in progress on a children’s book based on the title track.
Aside from being a new husband, touring, promoting his current CD and leading occasional workshops, David’s current passion is a new non-profit corporation he has created to aid Guatemalan schools, PEG (Proyecto para las Escuelas Guatemaltecas).
For more about David, visit his website at www.davidlamotte.com.
SHERI KLING
We are very pleased to welcome Sheri Kling back to the Fiddlers Stage. Sheri is an accomplished singer/songwriter, guitarist and long-time spiritual sojourner whose music—built on rich vocals and dynamic guitar—resonates with a certain organic authenticity that’s heart-rooted and spirit-seeking. Each song is another way of looking at what is real, what is true, and what invites us all into a more passionate and well-lived life.
With her rich voice and distinctive guitar style, Kling has been heard at such acclaimed venues as Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe, Atlanta’s Eddie’s Attic and Variety Playhouse, and many more across the country. Sheri is also developing new audiences through her “Music & Message” speaking engagements, “keynote concerts” and school-based Arts-in-Education programs, while women are responding enthusiastically to her “Waking Woman” celebrations and workshops. Visit Sheri’s website at www.sherikling.com.
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TOM EURE & AMELIA OSBORNE
The folk duo of Tom Eure & Amelia Osborne offer up a heartfelt fusion of Celtic, Appalachian and spiritual influences that instantly has listeners tapping their toes and singing along. The pair believe in the power of music and art, often combining the two into programming designed to inspire creativity, community and justice. These Charlotte NC music and art scene veterans swirl together fiddles, banjos, mandolins, guitars, bodhráns, and rousing vocal harmonies, painting a musical picture that’s fresh and up-lifting. No Depression Magazine said their music “…comes off as the result of genuine artists pouring old wine into new bottles and making listeners believe.”
With a professional musician pedigree in Cajun, Celtic, Old Time, Rock, Gospel, and Americana, Tom & Amelia create a sound that is new yet familiar, risky yet comfortable, with that rare ability to shine a light on the heart. For this special Fiddlers Green December show expect fun and up-lifting tunes from their Christmas album, A Promise Of Hope (2019) which stands as a timeless celebration of the season.
BALALAIKA FANTASIE
The five musicians of Balalaika Fantasie draw their inspiration from their life-long passion for Slavic folk music and their diverse cultural backgrounds. Performing on authentic folk instruments, the Atlanta group’s repertoire includes Slavic, Ukrainian, Gypsy and Jewish folk music.
Angelina Galashenkova-Reed (domra) has toured the world as a soloist with the Andreyev Russian Folk Orchestra of St. Petersburg, performing with them at Carnegie Hall’s 100th anniversary. A virtuoso of the three-string domra, she is a winner of the prestigious “Cup of the North” competition, and holds the title of “Laureate of International Competitions of Professional Folk Artists.”
David C. Cooper (balalaika, domra, vocals) has been recognized by Slavic virtuosi for his artistry as a balalaika soloist. Pennsylvania-born, Mr. Cooper is an authority on Slavic folk instruments (he plays them all), studied conducting and performance at the Glier Institute of Kyiv, Ukraine, and is the artistic director and conductor of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra.
Gregory Carageorge has been a professional contrabass balalaika and string bass player for over 30 years, performing in numerous ethnic music groups such as the Berkeley, CA based Klezmorim and Troika Balalaikas, The Massenkoff Folk Festival, and several very popular touring Greek folk music bands. He was the leader of the house band at New York’s Russian Tea Room, and has appeared with numerous folk, bluegrass, and jazz ensembles.
Natalia Rezvan (tenor domra), before immigrating to the United States in 2008, was concert master for the Folk Instruments Orchestra in Kharkiv, Ukraine. She was a member of that orchestra for 29 years and served as concertmaster for the last 7 years under the direction of Valentina Nikolayevna Belenkaya.
Kiril Chernoff (alto balalaika, prima balalaika, and vocals) grew up playing prima balalaika with the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra since age 13. He studied balalaika under various professionals both here in Atlanta, Georgia as well as in Kirov, and in his birthplace of St Petersburg.
All musicians of Balalaika Fantasie are members of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra.
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THE CUNNINGHAM/HENSON DUO
Guitarist Steve Cunningham and bassist Rob Henson formed a “duo of musical gumbo” to express an artistry separate from their careers as in-demand sidemen and session musicians. The Cunningham / Henson duo offers a unique instrumental approach where they present familiar melodies and songs of all styles in a way that sounds fresh, exciting and at the same time understated.
Steve Cunningham
One of the most in-demand guitarists on the Atlanta scene, Steve has played with Grammy winner Susan Tedeschi, long-time members of the James Brown band, and Grammy Award winner William Bell, as well as opening for Jeff Beck, Barenaked Ladies, Kool and the Gang, Dream Theatre, The Four Tops, Chuck Mangione, and Blondie. Steve is a first-call session player, playing on hundreds of local and national CD releases, TV and radio commercials, and movie soundtracks. He has recorded for Coca-Cola, Ford, IBM, Cartoon Network, Microsoft, CNN, NASCAR and others, as well as recording with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Rob Henson
Equally fluent in the musical styles of rock, jazz, bluegrass and classical, bassist Rob Henson has performed with an incredible diversity of artists such as The Who, Vince Gill, Shawn Mullins, the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, David Ryan Harris, The Atlanta Ballet, The Drifters, and Broadway tours of Wicked and Phantom of the Opera. From 2006 – 2012 Rob recorded and toured the United States with singer/songwriter Corey Smith and played over 150 shows a year. He has recorded 5 CDs, and opened for acts including ZZ Top, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Snoop Dog, and Merle Haggard. Currently Robert manages and leads the very popular Atlanta trio Lilac Wine, delighting audiences with three voices in harmony performing uniquely arranged songs of all genres and elegantly backed by a driving acoustic guitar and a punchy upright bass.
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Rick Diamond
Rick Diamond has always been a writer: short stories in third grade, co-writing his first structurally sound song, “Follow Me,” in eighth grade with band mate Steve Hagler. (Imagine two kids urging the world to follow them… Where to, the playground?) In his late teens and early 20s, Rick wrote a few songs for his Illinois rock band. In his 30s he wrote his first novel — long before he had anything worth saying. In his early 40s he wrote his second novel; and then five years later when he got the nerve up to submit it to a New York literary agent he met at a writers’ conference, he landed a deal and lost a deal all within three weeks. Not one to try harder, he turned his hand to screenwriting and knocked out a couple of movie scripts and then a TV pilot. Then wanting to know what happened to those characters, he wrote nine more episodes. During all those years, Rick managed to write more than a hundred songs about love, life, politics, and whatever else at that moment was bothering him.
Rick Diamond has played in venues from Illinois to New York, from Florida to Tennessee, from one Carolina to the next, from Texas to Alabama, and here in Georgia for more than a few years. His songs can be sampled and downloaded at Rick Diamond Reverbnation and listened to in better fidelity at writersroomcafe.com — but only if you have great big studio monitors for speakers on your computer (seriously, don’t do the phone thing).