Fun Holiday Benefits with Larry and Jenny Keel!

All year long, Larry and Jenny Keel & friends support lots of great causes including the cause AGAINST mountaintop removal with Appalachian Voices; pick up an “I Love Mountains” sticker at one of their shows!  Last weekend, on Nov 27th, Larry and his brother Gary Keel played the Annual Toys for Tots Party to benefit the Rappahannock Council on Domestic Violence. The Keels are involved in two other music-filled benefits for the holiday season as well -see below for press release details- please join them if you’re in the areas!

The Work’s 9th Annual Christmas Jam Benefit Show Saturday, December 18th

The Greenville based, six-piece band The Work return to The Handlebar again for their 9th Annual Christmas Jam Benefit Show, an Upstate tradition since 2002. This Feature Holiday Event will take place on Saturday, December 18, 2010 at The Handlebar in Greenville, SC and all proceeds raised go to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas, a “home away from home for families of critically ill children receiving treatment at area hospitals.”

This year’s Christmas Jam will feature music by The Work, with performances by a veritable treasure trove of guest musicians. And this is part of the allure of the event, the ever changing line-up of musicians. According to Craig Sorrells, “every Christmas Jam brings great memories for me with the completely unusual arrangement of musicians that come and perform with us.” The band is very excited about this year’s line- up as it includes such world renowned musicians as: Larry & Jenny Keel, Curtis Burch (New Grass Revival), Tom Gray (Delta Moon), and many more to be announced. Also joining this year will be several regional & local musicians including, but not limited to the Shane Pruitt Band, Doug Jones (Cravin’ Melon), Jonathan Lloyd, Jeff Holland, Violet & The Beauredarde’s, Tez Sherrard, plus many others. As well, there will be special surprise guest musicians making appearances during Christmas Jam.

In its previous 8 years of operation, The Work’s Christmas Jam has raised $40,000 for local charities.

www.handlebar-online.com

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Keller Williams’10th Annual SPCA Benefit on Sunday December 26th

Before the NYE run kicks-off, Keller Williams brings his three-set extravaganza to his hometown of Fredericksburg, VA for his annual holiday concert to benefit the SPCA. To celebrate the ten year anniversary of the event, which will take place on December 26 at the Fredericksburg Field House, Keller has invited local marching band Elby Brass to join the show for set break music. 100% of the concert’s profits will go to support The Fredericksburg Regional SPCA. Less than 3% of The Fredericksburg Regional SPCA’s budget is received from the City of Fredericksburg, forcing the branch to rely almost solely on individual and corporate donations and fundraising events like this. The Fredericksburg Regional SPCA is a “no-kill” shelter whose mission is to tackle the problem of pet overpopulation through education, adoption, rehabilitation and spay/neuter.

• Set I will be reggae, dub and funk versions of Keller favorites with Jay Starling on keys, Mark D on drums and Keller on bass
• Set II will feature the bluegrass stylings of Larry Keel on guitar and his wife Jenny on bass with Keller playing his mini twelve-string (wanna-be mandolin) guitar.
• And Set III will be old school Keller on acoustic guitar with his trademark looped-out dance grooves. Big screen video visuals will be provided by Scott Sunn.

Find out more about Keller’s holiday tour here.

Show Specifics:
Sunday, Dec. 26th, 2010
Fredericksburg Regional SPCA Benefit
Fredericksburg Field House in Fredericksburg, VA
Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm
$25, All ages
www.fredfieldhouse.com

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Show Cancellation: The Herman Clan Postpones SE Tour Due to Family Emergency; Bobby Miller & the Virginia DareDevils Play in Their Honor at MoDaddy’s 12/2

SHOW CANCELLATION: Vince Herman’s mother and father are both gravely ill and he will be unable to perform the SouthEast run of shows with The Herman Clan. Please keep Vince, Colin, Silas and their family in your prayers this holiday season. Bobby Miller and the Virginia DareDevils will be performing in their honor for the MoDaddy’s show this Thursday Dec. 2nd in Asheville.

Here’s more info on the Virginia DareDevils:

The creation of innovative and original music is an ever elusive goal in this day and age. The Virginia DareDevils’ primary mission to do just that is certainly well under way. From its humble beginnings three years ago in the acoustic music hotbed of Asheville, NC, this group of seasoned musical veterans has banded together to create an organic musical stew rooted in traditional melody and tone, layered with improvisational solos, and textured rhythms reminiscent of 40’s Bluegrass and 80’s Newgrass.  With a tip of the hat, as well, to Swing, Old Time, and Psychedelic Rock and Roll, the result is a musical garment unique in style and taste.  Members include Bobby Miller (Mandolin, Lead Vocals), Griff Martin (Guitar, Vocals), Jason Flournoy (Banjo), Rick Cooper (Upright Bass), and Tim Gardner (Fiddle).

Find out more about the Virginia DareDevils’ new release, Brother Adieu, on the Asheville Roots Music Review blog.

Show details:

Bobby Miller and the Virginia DareDevils
MoDaddy’s Bar
Thursday, December 2nd

10pm
828-258-1550
77 Biltmore Ave.
Asheville, NC 28801

http://modaddysbar.com

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Lingua Musica Live Music Talk Show Tuesday, Nov 30th! Tune in or come on out!

Join Lingua Musica LIVE at The Showroom in Spartanburg at 8pm Tuesday, November 30th!

Joe Kendrick will be talking with Paul Riddle, Joe Bennett, David Lee and Jason Perlmutter about the history of music in the Upstate, Piedmont and its impact on the world up to the present day. The  conversation will also cover the topic of about out of print and rare vinyl, as well as LPs in the context of analog recording and instruments.

Spartanburg’s own The Antibodies perform songs in between the topics of conversation with The Pulse dancers as well as a set after Lingua Musica concludes at 9pm.

Lingua Musica streams live to the internet and takes live audience comments as well as through online viewers via the website and twitter.

Here’s a bit more info about the folks involved, click on their images to find out more:

The Antibodies and the Pulse Dancers

“The Antibodies show is like none other that you’ve seen before with music, dance and visuals — think ‘Pulp Fiction’ meets James Bond,” Showroom Director Stephen Long said in an email to the Herald Journal. The Antibodies consists of vocalist Tom Conder, Kevin Jameson on bass, Lee Holroyd on drums and Mark Branyon on guitar. Their influences are diverse, from The Clash to Ravi Shankar to Hank Williams Sr.

David Lee

David Lee was born in Shelby, North Carolina in 1936. In his teenage years, he took up guitar, piano, and poetry. Soon David switched to songwriting and expanded his musical pursuits from there, wearing multiple hats on the local scene while working at the North Lake Country Club in Shelby for several decades. During this time, he launched the Washington Sound record store, founded three record labels–Impel, Washington Sound, and SCOP–and wrote songs and produced a plethora of local talent from R&B, to soul, to African American gospel, country, and pop. His biggest commercial success came in 1971 with his collaboration with Ann Sexton from Greenville, South Carolina. David wrote and produced her debut on Impel, with the great ballad “You’re Letting Me Down,” and it came to the attention of the famous DJ John R. in Nashville who picked it up for reissue on 77 Records. David’s legacy extends much farther than this one 45, as he put out 13 other singles and two albums on his various labels over the years. Paradise of Bachelors Records in Chapel Hill has recently released the first-ever retrospective of his important work, “Said I Had a Vision: Songs & Labels of David Lee, 1960-1988.”

In 2002, while a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Jason Perlmutter began collecting local soul recordings from North and South Carolina. On campus, he also served as a disc jockey and station manager at WXYC-FM, the university’s student-run radio station. In 2005, Perlmutter founded the Carolina Soul website, which serves as a living encyclopedia dedicated to the celebration and rediscovery of soul music from the Carolinas. Later he researched and compiled the 2007/2008 Jazzman/Now-Again “Carolina Funk” release, worked on the North Carolina Arts Council African-American Music Trails project, and co-founded the Paradise of Bachelors reissue record label. Over the years he has also disc jockeyed soul music at spots throughout the Carolinas as well as in Virginia, Washington, DC, and New York City.

Drummer Paul Riddle was with the Marshall Tucker Band from 1973 – 1983. He was heavily influenced by Buddy Rich and his jazz styling were unique to a rock and roll band and heavily contributed to their unique style of music. He still lives in Spartanburg where he owns a drum stick company, The Carolina Stick Company, and teaches lessons. He occasionally sits in with the Allman Brothers Band and plays in a local band called Throbber.

Joe Bennet was the lead guiratist of 1950’s Rock n Roll group based out of Spartanburg, The Sparkletones, whose story should have been a movie. For a lot of listeners, they were and are what rockabilly music was really all about — four kids from the south, none older than 16 and one as young as 13 when they started, getting together and making fast, sometimes raunchy sounds, literally the soundtrack to their own teen years, and having a lot of fun and getting an adventure out of it. Their music at its best sounded as freewheeling as their approach to it really was, and they were rewarded in October of 1957 with a number 17 placement on the Billboard charts for the only record they ever did chart, “Black Slacks.”

Lingua Musica springs from Joe Kendrick‘s love of music and the spoken word, and is the culmination of his work as a radio host and business owner along with his love of journalism and music, its culture and history.

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Show details at a glance:
8pm, $5
828-669-0816
149 S.Daniel Morgan Ave., Suite 2
Spartanburg SC 29306
www.hub-bub.com/showroom
www.linguamusicalive.com
www.twitter.com/linguamusica

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Not quite traditional, not quite modern. The Herman Clan plays MoDaddy’s in Asheville 12/2!

SHOW CANCELLATION: Vince Herman’s mother and father are both gravely ill and he will be unable to perform. Please keep Vince, Colin, Silas and their family in your prayers this holiday season. Bobby Miller and the Virginia DareDevils will be performing in their honor for the MoDaddy’s show this Thursday Dec. 2nd in Asheville.

The Herman Clan is proud to announce their debut East Coast Tour! Hailing from the music infused—and snow clad—mountains of Colorado, they bring with them a flavor of life and Bluegrass in Nederland, CO. The Herman Clan is a family band led by the one and only Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon & Great American Taxi.

Teaming up with his sons Silas and Colin on guitar and upright bass, respectively, The Herman Clan delivers their own unique and tightly knit interpretation of traditional bluegrass, Americana and beyond. Joining the Herman Clan for this run are:  on Banjo  Jason Flournoy, on B3 Hammond ~ Dave McCracken (Donna the Buffalo), on Mandolin ~ Bobby Miller (Virginia DareDevils), and on Fiddle ~ Zebulon Bowles (Emmit Nershi Band)!

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Larry Keel and Natural Bridge’s Alabama Getaway this weekend!

Image by Neal with the Strutting Duck

Larry Keel and Natural Bridge are heading out for an Alabama Getaway this weekend! The first stop is tonight at 4:30pm CST/ 5:30 EST into Wildman Steve’s Radio Station! They’ll be doing a live session; you can tune in at www.wildmansteve.com.

Tonight’s show (Fri 11/19) is at the print shop/ venue The Standard Deluxe in Waverly, Alabama with the Bibb City Ramblers! You can find out more in the Corner News and on Facebook.  Then, on Saturday, they move on to the Workplay Theater in Birmingham and head on to play Callahan’s in Mobile on Sunday!

Here is an excerpt of the Corner News article:

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Guitar great collaborates in Waverly

by Andrew R. Jones

As far as flat-pickin’ guitar goes, Larry Keel is second to none. The bearded guitar legend has been wowing audiences since a young age and has the credentials to prove it.Born and raised in Southern Virginia, Keel was reared on some of the oldest music that America had to offer. When his Dad and brother began giving him guitar lessons before he was 10 he immediately took to the instrument and the rest is history. 

…

Keel’s recent collaboration with Natural Bridge has spawned two albums of original, high-spirited bluegrass. The group is currently touring in support of their most recent album, “Backwoods,” a collection of tunes that take traditional mountain bluegrass jams and turns them on their head.

…

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE:http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/nightlife/comments/guitar-great-collaborates-in-waverly/

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Here’s a video to get you ready for this flatpickin’ weekend!

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Mythbuster ~ Donna the Buffalo’s name

The truth behind the name of Donna the Buffalo: It actually was not a slurred MC… and it was never actually the name of the band.

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They had a session trying to figure out the name of the band and a musician friend, kind of as a joke, suggested, “Dawn of the Buffalo”. The band at the time including Tara and Jeb all herd “Donna the Buffalo” and reacted positively to that.  They knew they wanted “buffalo” in the name and they’re not sure why they liked it, they just did and from the first show on they have been known as “Donna The Buffalo”.

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To hear the REAL story of how DtB got their name listen in to this podcast interview with Jeremiah Greer, DtB interview starts at the top of the 2nd hr.

They talk about the name about at hour 1:15

http://sitdradio.com/archives/2010/jgl.2010.11.14.thefunkyside.mp3

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Donna the Buffalo plays the Tralf & the Oneonta Theatre this weekend!

Donna the Buffalo has a great weekend in store! This Friday, Nov 19th they play the Tralf in Buffalo and then on Saturday they head over to the Oneonta Theatre on Saturday 11/20 for a show with Sim Redmond Band!

Here are a few excerpts from articles for the weekend:

Have You Herd? : Donna the Buffalo Stampedes Tralf

By Erin McNeil

http://www.buffalorising.com/2010/11/have-you-herd-donna-the-buffalo-stampedes-tralf.html

DtB photo by Jim Gevenus

Originating in Trumansburg, NY in 1989, Donna the Buffalo rove the Midwest and Eastern seaboard as one of the few touring roots bands.  The Herd, their self-proclaimed fan base, loyally trails the band as they market their rather eclectic styling.  Eclectic may be an understatement for this ensemble, as their sound is a hybrid of mountain music pervaded with Cajun/zydeco, folk-rock, country-rock, Reggae, and bluegrass.

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Donna the Buffalo has not only been successful with their nine album releases, with their latest, Silverlined in 2008, rising to the number eight spot on the Americana Music Chart, but they have made great contributes to the music and arts world.  Donna the Buffalo is the founder and host band of the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance in Trumansburg, NY.  Due to the sensation of this event, the group helped create the bi-annual Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival in Silk Hope, NC.  Avengers in the grassroots genre, Donna the Buffalo also headlines at the Great Blue Heron Music Festival in Sherman, NY and every fall, are a contributing band to the Magnolia Festival in Live Oaks, FL.  The group also made an appearance in Dave Sale and Bud Selig’s documentary, “On the Bus”.  Their diverse music will also be featured in surrealist artist Yanni Osmond and his partner Spanky the Women Tamer’s upcoming cartoon, “Living Evil”…

Donna the Buffalo is true to their home-grown roots, however, they incorporate a modern zest.  Their barefoot-in-the-grass, feel good, poetic music filters through the heart and soul and thus expands the mind.  Nevins and Puryear’s vocal capabilities are true to the folk art genre, painting a beautiful, spiritual image in the mind.  Their musicality and brilliant use of both traditional and nontraditional instrumentation brings to life the roots of music with the roots of mankind and nature.  It has the warmth of that freedom of driving down an open country road, wind blowing through your hair and fingers, sun gracing your face, fresh air filling your lungs and the sight of nature untainted.  Thus it is much like the phenomenon of ‘loud silence’.

They stay true to themselves, while they continue to evolve in their art.  Their music defines the idea that past meets present, and in turn, contributes to the future with spiritual, deep thought entertainment.  They provide amusement that manages to bring attention to and engage all your senses in response to their meaningful reflections to life and love.

Read the full post here.

and here is another one posted in Art Voice.

Featured Events: See You There! Donna the Buffalo

by Alan Victor

Jeb Puryear and Tara Nevins. Photo by John D Kurc

Donna the Buffalo is not from the city of Buffalo, but the fan base here is so large you’d think they were. Maybe it’s the power of suggestion stemming from the name, but it’s more likely due to Western New York’s penchant for this kind of music—the socially conscious, grassroots jam band stuff that has made groups like .moe, Phish, and Donna so well-loved…

That was 20 or so years ago, and since then they’ve gathered a devoted following known as “the Herd.” Founding members of the Finger Lakes Grassroots Music Festival, Donna the Buffalo is also a co-headliner at the great Blue Heron every year as well as at many other weekend festivals through the midwest and all along the east coast…

Read more: http://artvoice.com/issues/v9n46/syt#ixzz15f4EuPoM

 

 

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Archive: 5 Questions with Larry Keel

Larry Keel and Natural Bridge just played a show at Ft Ashby in WV at the RoadHouse Pub. Jeff Henry from the Appalachian Independent got to sit down with Larry and ask a few questions.  Click here for the original post and a couple photos.

 

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What was it like working at Tokyo Disneyland?

It was really cool. I learned a lot. A friend was living down in Florida, he sent me word up to Virginia that they were doing auditions for a bluegrass band to go to Tokyo Disneyland. It was something different, I was a mountain boy – had never been out of the mountains before so going to Tokyo was extremely exciting. We got our chops down – playing six shows a day. Each show was a half hour. We’d have a half hour off, then a half hour on. We did this for about six months.

Folks were intrigued by bluegrass and I was intrigued by the Japanese music. I like music (genres) of all flavors everywhere. With a lot of the soldiers being there during WWII there was a pretty big bluegrass following and interest in Tokyo. I met a lot of great musicians there.

What do you like to do while on tour?

I like to do a lot of stuff while on the road – like to sample the great food out there, visit friends all over the country, take in all of the sights like national parks. I like to fish as much as I can, if I have my fishing pole with me and there’s a mudhole somewhere, I’m liable to cast in it.

You’ve played festivals, theaters, pubs, and bars – what do you like about these venues and what brings you back to small towns?

I like all sorts of venues. I like to get a crowd in and get ’em focused in what we’re doing, take their minds off their troubles for a little while… and just have some fun and get the energy level up. No matter where you’re at, if you’re doing your job right (the crowd will love you). As far as coming back to small towns – I just love small town America. That’s what America is – it’s all the people you meet at these places, it’s a beautiful thing.

When will you be back in the area?

We’ll be up in Morgantown in the beginning of December (author note: December 11, 2010 at 123 Pleasant St). We’ll be back in Frostburg in February. I always advise everybody to check out our website (larrykeel.com). That’s what I do… I don’t know where I’m going to be half the time (laughs).

If you could jam with one musician, dead or alive, who would it be?

I’d probably want to play with Miles Davis. He had a whole lot of things figured out in a very simplistic and complicated way. I’m a big admirer of his music.
There are so many of them who have come and passed – Bill Monroe and Django Reignhardt. I try to pay my respects to them while I do my thing.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ORIGINAL POST AND VIEW PHOTOS: http://www.appindie.org/index.php/arts/84-arts-and-leisure/1799-five-questions-with-larry-keel?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed:+AppIndie-AllSections+(All+Articles+on+The+Appalachian+Independent)

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Lingua Musica ~ Live Music Talk Show ~ at the Hub-Bub Showroom on Tues, Nov. 30th // Panelists: Paul Riddle, Joe Bennett, David Lee, & Jason Perlmutter

Lingua Musica ~ Live Music Talk Show

The Hub-Bub Showroom ~ Tues, Nov. 30th

Panelists: Paul Riddle (Marshall Tucker Band),
Joe Bennett (Sparkletones),
David Lee (Performer/Producer),
& Jason Perlmutter (Carolina Soul)

“Spartanburg and the region’s music history” & “Out-of-print vinyl”

Musical Guests: The Antibodies with their dancers, The Pulse

(Spartanburg, NC) Lingua Musica is the first live music talk show to bring online viewers into the conversation with a live studio audience in the Carolinas. Lingua Musica streams live online from The Showroom at the Hub-Bub in Spartanburg on Tuesday, November 30th at 8pm. We also encourage people to come out and enjoy the show in person!

WNCW midday host Joe Kendrick produces and hosts the show, with a rotating cast of musicians, music journalists, and industry professionals as panelists who talk about music news, history, and culture while inviting the live and virtual audience to take part. Kendrick has produced the music-based talk show “What It Is” weekdays on WNCW since October 2007. Lingua Musica is ran independently by Kendrick and few others in the community. The pilot show was held August 12th.

For this segment of Lingua Musica, we’ll be dwelling on, among other things, Spartanburg and the region’s music history and out-of-print vinyl. November 30th panelists include:

• Joe Bennett of the Sparkletones ~ 1950’s Rock n Roll group based out of Spartanburg
• Paul Riddle of the Marshall Tucker Band ~ Spartanburg based National act
• David Lee~ Hailing from Shelby, NC: Songwriter, performer and recording artist, record label owner, producer, record store proprietor, and all-around impresario
• Jason Perlmutter ~ Carolina Soul Founder; UNC Alumni; collector of obscure soul & funk 45s

The show is an hour long, interspersed with topic conversations and music. It is followed by an hour set from the house band for the evening, The Antibodies and their dancers, The Pulse.

Lingua Musica streams live to the internet and takes live audience comments as well as through online viewers via the website and twitter. The roundtable of panelists are able to respond to the audience as a whole, creating a continuous loop of conversation that connects the “live” and “virtual” audience. Shows will be archived for viewers who are passionate about live music and conversation.

Check out the videos from the world premiere here. Please join us for the Spartanburg premier of Lingua Musica for an evening of music and conversation!

Here’s a video excerpt from one of the previous panels:

Show details at a glance:

Lingua Musica

The Hub-Bub ShowRoom

8pm, price tbd
828-669-0816
149 S.Daniel Morgan Ave., Suite 2
Spartanburg, SC 29306
www.hub-bub.com/showroomwww.linguamusicalive.com
www.twitter.com/linguamusica

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The Herman Clan play Asheville & Greensboro ~ Featuring Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon & Great American Taxi!

SHOW CANCELLATION: Vince Herman’s mother and father are both gravely ill and he will be unable to perform. Please keep Vince, Colin, Silas and their family in your prayers this holiday season. Bobby Miller and the Virginia DareDevils will be performing in their honor for the MoDaddy’s show this Thursday Dec. 2nd in Asheville.

What’s the ideal way to survive those rugged snowy Colorado high mountain winters? If your last name is Herman, then the answer is you PLAY!

The Herman Clan is proud to announce their debut East Coast Tour! Hailing from the music infused—and snow clad—mountains of Colorado, they bring with them a flavor of life and Bluegrass in Nederland, CO. Not quite traditional, not quite modern, the trio recently opened for Tony Trischka at the historic Stage Stop Tavern.

The Herman Clan is a family band led by the one and only Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon & Great American Taxi. Vince sings and plays the mandolin and guitar, always doing what comes naturally to him: delivering unforgettable performances filled with witty humor, smooth guitar licks, and amazing improvised lyrics while pairing this all with amazingly strong song-writing and appreciation for traditional American music.

Teaming up with his sons Silas and Colin on guitar and upright bass, respectively, The Herman Clan delivers their own unique and tightly knit interpretation of traditional bluegrass, Americana and beyond. Silas—though young—is already making waves in the Colorado music scene. With close to ten thousand people looking on, Silas recently shredded the main stage at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and at Red Rocks with LOS—how many 16 year olds can say that!? Colin rounds the trio out on stand-up bass, providing a solid steady foundation for the bands’ engaging picking adventures.

Together the Herman’s deliver a musical flavor all their own , fresh, inspired and all in the family! Come check ‘em out and see one of the best new sounds emerging from the high country of Colorado!

THIS JUST IN: joining the Herman Clan for this run are:  on Banjo  Jason Flournoy, on B3 Hammond ~ Dave McCracken (Donna the Buffalo), on Mandolin ~ Bobby Miller (Virginia DareDevils), and on Fiddle ~ Zebulon Bowles (Emmit Nershi Band)!

The Herman Clan N. Carolina show details:

MoDaddy’s Bar
Thursday, December 2nd

$7, 10pm
828-258-1550
77 Biltmore Ave.
Asheville, NC 28801
http://modaddysbar.com

~AND~

The Blind Tiger
Friday, December 3rd
opening for American Aquarium

$7, 10pm
336-272-9888
2115 Walker Avenue
Greensboro, NC 27403-1655
www.theblindtiger.com

www.vinceherman.com

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