Larry Keel’s Experienced is Out Today! Featuring Guests Sam Bush, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan

Larry Keel’s Experienced Out TODAY Friday, February 26, 2016!
Experienced is a blazing journey of music
featuring Larry Keel, Jenny Keel, and Will Lee
with special guests:
Sam Bush, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, Keller Williams, Jason Carter,
Mike Guggino, and Anders Beck

LEXINGTON, VA —  Flatpicking guitar phenom Larry Keel dazzles music-lovers once more with his 15th self-released album Experienced, out today, February 26, 2016. Del McCoury says, “Larry Keel is a triple threat… songwriter, guitar player, entertainer. He can do it all.” The album is an entirely original work that showcases both Larry’s and bandmate Will Lee’s exceptional songwriting, singing and jaw-dropping instrumental performances, accompanied by Keel’s equally talented wife Jenny Keel on upright bass and harmony vocals.

Experienced is available now at Keel’s web store (http://larrykeel.com/products-page/) and CD Baby (http://bit.ly/LarryKeel_Experienced_CDBaby).

Added to the raw sophistication of Keel’s progressive acoustic style are several guest-musician-friends who appear on various tracks of Experienced, a list of artists that reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of icons and new stars including Sam Bush, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, Keller Williams, Jason Carter (The Del McCoury Band), Mike Guggino (Steep Canyon Rangers), and Anders Beck (Greensky Bluegrass). The album was recorded at Wally Cleaver Studio in Fredericksburg, VA with engineer (and guest drummer) Jeff Covert and mastered by the award-winning industry great Bill Wolf (Willie Nelson, Tony Rice, Doc Watson) in Arlington, VA.

The seven tracks on Experienced reflect Keel’s musical personality, from frenzied and raunchy to mystical and sensitive, and through it all, Keel’s honest attitude shines, fearlessly and with throttle wide-open. “I love me some Keels. There is a certain genuine authenticity that Larry and Jenny possess,” says Keller Williams. “When we get together, our wonder-powers unite to form a giant, impenetrable sphere of open-minded, Appalachian psychedelic goodness.” Sam Bush (who plays mandolin and fiddle on the fiery opening track “Ripchord”) exclaims, ‘Enjoy the music… Larry does!”

Kind Words About Experienced

Experienced is on the rise on the Americana Music Association’s radio chart and currently at #25!

“Experienced jimmies into your soul” —No Depression, Amos Perrine

“Few people can get away with describing their music as an ‘experience.’ But then again, few words come close to actually describing the music of Larry Keel. To see Larry Keel perform is to have just that: a unique, singular experience that cannot be duplicated.” —Bluegrass Today, Brian Paul Swenk

“The Keels are the next generation of pickers, and the way they invite legends like Del (McCoury) and Sam (Bush) into their songs adds a punch to music that already punches you in the gut, a punch that makes you want to giddy up, to stand-up, to throw your hands up and slam your boot wearing feet in the ground and shout ‘Hallelujah’” —Relix Magazine’s Peter Shapiro
Relix Magazine presented world premiere of Experienced
which is available to stream through the end of the day of the album release

“Not that many artists get to album number 15 in their career. With Experienced… Larry Keel hits that milestone… and he does so with more than a little help from his friends.” —Folk Alley premiered the song “Fill ’em Up Again.”

“[Keel] keeps things interesting by offering genre-bending novellas that demand attention and then subsequently, if not inevitably, satisfy it. The guy is simply too good to allow anyone a sense of comfort. Don’t dare click the stop button — you never know what might be coming around the playlist.”
—Frederick News-Post, Colin McGuire

“Always innovative and pushing boundaries, I was eager to see what type of magic Larry Keel could pull off with a list of guests that included Keller Williams, Del McCoury, and Sam Bush… To say that this album lived up to it’s hype would be an understatement. Every guest was utilized in a way that showcased their most impressive talents, yet this still clearly felt like a Larry Keel album the whole way through.” —Music Marauders, Mitch Melheim

“Keel’s record is beautiful–I love how the rawness of his voice (and playing) really lets the soul shine through the arrangements! I’ve always liked how he can go from sweet and sentimental to dirty and greasy and back.
I especially liked the song ‘Memories’” —Oliver Wood, The Wood Brothers
The Bluegrass Situation Premiered the song “Memories.”

“The album alternates from the sweet nostalgia of ‘Memories’ to the rough and raw ‘Fill ‘Em Up Again,’ to the spooky spirit-filled ‘Warrior,’ complete with Native American chanting from Rowan, similar to his work on ‘Land of the Navajo’ from the first ‘Old and In the Way’ album.” —Mountain Times, Jeff Eason

“It is clear just how much heart was put into each and every word written, and every note sang and played. It also seemed that Keel took the time to write songs that fit well with the musical stylings of his guests.”
—NYS Music, Amy Lieberman

“Bluegrass, Americana, and everything else that sounds good”
—The Lonesome Road Review, Larry Stephens

“Experienced… represents an exploration of American roots music
with folk and blues making appearances on the record.”
—Americana Review, Jason Gartshore

“Listening to the new Larry Keel album Experienced is a revelation. It is a look at what music can be when stripped of preconceptions and when a blend of bluegrass, deep woods psychedelia and moonshine combine.”
—Consider Collective, Eric Rayburn

“Experienced is an album you’ll want to experience again and again.”
—Wildman Steve, The Corner News

Experienced Track Listing:

1. Ripchord [Lee] 6:09  w/ Sam Bush
   2. ‘Lil Miss [Keel] 4:22
   3. Memories [The Keels]  4:00
   4. Fill’em Up Again [Lee] 2:55 w/ Del McCoury, Jason Carter, Mike Guggino
   5. Miles and Miles [Keel] 4:37 w/ Keller Williams
   6. The Warrior 4:38  [Keel] w/ Peter Rowan
   7. Another Summer Day [Lee] 4:47 w/ Anders Beck, Jeff Covert*All tracks with The Larry Keel Experience:
   Larry Keel, Will Lee, and Jenny Keel

   Find out more and stay up to date with news from Larry Keel at www.larrykeel.com, www.twitter.com/LarryKeel, www.facebook.com/LarryKeelFishinAndPickin.

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Larry Keel Brings New Album ‘Experienced’ (Ft. Sam Bush, Del McCoury) On the Road

Larry Keel Brings New Album ‘Experienced’ On the Road
With Tour Dates In The NE & SE States

Larry Keel Independently Releases Experienced on Friday, February 26, 2016
A blazing journey of music featuring special guests:
Sam Bush, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, Keller Williams, Jason Carter, Mike Guggino, and Anders Beck

LEXINGTON, VA —  Flatpicking guitar phenom Larry Keel is set to release a his 15th album, Experienced, on February 26, 2016. Keel has a variety of musical formats swirling around the calendar each year: look out for his core band, The Larry Keel Experience (featuring Will Lee on 5 string banjo and vocals and Jenny Keel on upright bass and vocal harmonies). They are set to embark on an album release tour starting in late February with stops throughout the north and south eastern States including a couple of sets at Suwannee Springfest in Live Oak, FL and a lot of pickin’ gig on at Aiken Bluegrass Festival in South Carolina. See Larry’s full list of tour dates below including a few early February dates with Keller & the Keels, as well as All-star shows in Hawaii leading up to Valentine’s Day and at Winter Wondergrass in Vail in mid-February.

Experienced includes seven tracks and is an entirely original work that showcases both Larry’s and bandmate Will Lee’s exceptional songwriting, singing and jaw-dropping instrumental performances, accompanied by Keel’s equally talented wife Jenny Keel on upright bass and harmony vocals. It was recorded at Wally Cleaver Studio in Fredericksburg, VA with engineer (and guest drummer) Jeff Covert and mastered by the award-winning industry great Bill Wolf (Willie Nelson, Tony Rice, Doc Watson) in Arlington, VA.

Added to the raw sophistication of Keel’s progressive acoustic style are several guest-musician-friends who appear on various tracks of Experienced, a list of artists that reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of icons and new stars including Sam Bush, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, Keller Williams, Jason Carter (The Del McCoury Band), Mike Guggino (Steep Canyon Rangers), and Anders Beck (Greensky Bluegrass). According to Larry, “This project is a collection of my songs and Will Lee’s music, developed further with the amazing talents of some of our musician friends and heroes. Very real. Very fresh.”

Larry Keel On Tour with Experienced 2016

Keller & the Keels
2/04 Thu – Plaza Live – Orlando, FL*
2/05 Fri – Jannus Live – St. Petersburg, FL*
2/06 Sat – b.e. easy Music & Arts Festival – Lake Worth, FL

The Keels w/ Special Guests
2/12-13 Fri-Sat – Charleys Restaurant and Saloon – Paia, HI
2/19-20 Fri-Sat – WinterWonderGrass – Vail, CO

The Larry Keel Experience
2/26 Fri – Shepherdstown Opera House – Shepherdstown, WV
2/27 Sat – Gypsy Sally’s – Washington, DC
3/03 Thu – Rabbit Hole – Charlotte, NC ^
3/04 Fri – Charleston Pour House – Charleston, SC ^
3/05 Sat – Tifton Rhythm & Ribs Festival – Tifton, GA
3/18-19 Fri-Sat – Suwannee Springfest – Live Oak, FL
3/24 Thu – The Jefferson Theater – Charlottesville, NC <
3/25 Fri – Asheville Music Hall – Asheville, NC
3/30 Wed – Plain Folk Cafe – Pleasant Plain, OH
4/2 Sat – Woodlands Tavern – Columbus, OH
4/3 Sun – Elk Creek Cafe – Millheim, PA
5/7 Sat – Sleepy Creek Spring Ding on the Potomac – Berkeley Springs, WV

The Keels w/ Special Guests
5/13-14 Fri-Sat – – Aiken Bluegrass Festival – Aiken, SC >

*w/ Yonder Mountain String Band
^ w/ Jon Stickley Trio
< w/ The Woodshedders
> Friday LKE set, Sat Keller and Keels as well as Larry Keel All-star jam with Vince Herman, Mimi Naja, Paul Hoffman, Anders Beck and more!

More date TBA! Stay tuned to www.larrykeel.com.

What folks are saying about Experienced

“Keel’s record is beautiful–I love how the rawness of his voice (and playing) really lets the soul shine through the arrangements! I’ve always liked how he can go from sweet and sentimental to dirty and greasy and back. I especially liked the song ‘Memories’” —Oliver Wood, The Wood Brothers

“Larry Keel is one of my favorite artists..his new cd has grit, warmth, vision, and is so real. Which is what makes this band the most kick ass band to ever raise hell this side of the old dominion.”
—Chance McCoy, Old Crow Medicine Show

“Experienced jimmies into your soul” — No Depression, Amos Perrine

“Listening to the new Larry Keel album Experienced is a revelation. It is a look at what music can be when stripped of preconceptions and when a blend of bluegrass, deep woods psychedelia and moonshine combine.” —Consider Collective, Eric Rayburn

“The album alternates from the sweet nostalgia of ‘Memories’ to the rough and raw ‘Fill ‘Em Up Again,’ to the spooky spirit-filled ‘Warrior,’ complete with Native American chanting from Rowan, similar to his work on ‘Land of the Navajo’ from the first ‘Old and In the Way’ album.”  —Mountain Times/ Watauga Democrat, Jeff Eason

“Not that many artists get to album number 15 in their career. With Experienced (due out February 26), flatpicking phenom Larry Keel hits that milestone… and he does so with more than a little help from his friends.” –Kelly McCartney, Folk Alley premiered the song “Fill ’em Up Again.” Stream it here → www.folkalley.com/archives/001465.php

The Bluegrass Situation Premiered the song “Memories.” Stream it here → www.thebluegrasssituation.com/read/listen-larry-keel-memories  

“Larry Keel is a true original, be it traditional, progressive, improv- he does it all and with such joy. I love jamming with Keel. Enjoy the music, Larry does.”–Sam Bush

“Larry Keel, the Bluegrass Warrior, has kept the flame of mountain alive with intensity and clarity of singing and fiery guitar picking! Larry and Jenny both have big-ears and wide listening to open their music up to a growing young audience” —Peter Rowan

Find out more and stay up to date with news from Larry Keel at www.larrykeel.com, www.twitter.com/LarryKeel, www.facebook.com/LarryKeelFishinAndPickin.

 

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Larry Keel Set to Release ‘Experienced’ w/ Guests Sam Bush, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan & More

Larry Keel Independently Releases Experienced
on Friday, February 26, 2016
A blazing journey of music featuring special guests:
Sam Bush, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, Keller Williams, Jason Carter,
Mike Guggino, and Anders Beck

LEXINGTON, VA —  Flatpicking guitar phenom Larry Keel dazzles music-lovers once more with his 15th self-released album Experienced, due out February 26, 2016. The album is an entirely original work that showcases both Larry’s and bandmate Will Lee’s exceptional songwriting, singing and jaw-dropping instrumental performances, accompanied by Keel’s equally talented wife Jenny Keel on upright bass and harmony vocals. It was recorded at Wally Cleaver Studio in Fredericksburg, VA with engineer (and guest drummer) Jeff Covert and mastered by the award-winning industry great Bill Wolf (Willie Nelson, Tony Rice, Doc Watson) in Arlington, VA.

Added to the raw sophistication of Keel’s progressive acoustic style are several guest-musician-friends who appear on various tracks of Experienced, a list of artists that reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of icons and new stars including Sam Bush, Del McCoury, Peter Rowan, Keller Williams, Jason Carter (The Del McCoury Band), Mike Guggino (Steep Canyon Rangers), and Anders Beck (Greensky Bluegrass). According to Larry, “This project is a collection of my songs and Will Lee’s music, developed further with the amazing talents of some of our musician friends and heroes. Very real. Very fresh.”

The seven tracks on Experienced reflect Keel’s musical personality, from frenzied and raunchy to mystical and sensitive, and through it all, Keel’s honest attitude shines, fearlessly and with throttle wide-open. As Sam Bush (who plays mandolin and fiddle on the fiery opening track “Ripchord”) says, ‘Enjoy the music… Larry does!” “‘Lil Miss” follows up with a cynical gibe at a mock Miss Prim and not-so-proper young lady of modern day society, set to a down and dirty blues-rock riff.

“Memories” (co-written by Larry and Jenny) is the portrait of the artist (Keel) gently swept away by life’s vast gallery of experiences and personal connections, and the poignant emotions that spring from it all. As the third track, it cools down the pace of things, letting the listener settle into the musical journey Keel has orchestrated.

“Larry Keel is a triple threat… songwriter, guitar player, entertainer. He can do it all,” says Del McCoury, who is featured on the playful and rollicking “‘Fill em Up Again” along with Carter and Guggino. “I think what makes Larry so powerful is that he has lived his songs, he’s not sitting in a room trying to write the hit of the week, he’s writing what’s in his heart and on his mind.”

“I love me some Keels. There is a certain genuine authenticity that Larry and Jenny possess,” says Keller Williams. “When we get together, our wonder-powers unite to form a giant, impenetrable sphere of open-minded, Appalachian psychedelic goodness.” Appropriately, Keller plays on the swelling and rolling “Miles and Miles,” which is a sort of metaphoric travel log of life on the road as a musician (and as a human being)… the key being to stay true to one’s own ‘voice’.

“The Warrior” is loosely based on the Carlos Castaneda book The Teachings of Don Juan and the search for knowledge by an old Yaqui Indian brujo. Peter Rowan joins on percussion instruments, yodeling and throat singing, adding a burning tension to the music, as the tale is sung in Keel’s gravely baritone. “The warrior is seeking the power… Standing tall he will never cower… He can see the spirits in the air… He can see the things that are not there.” The musicianship, lyrics and magical production combine to bring the listener down into the depths of the mystics and back out again in revelation.

Following “The Warrior”, the album’s gentle and refreshing closing melody, “Another Summer Day,” emits the feeling of resurfacing into the world, relaxed and carefree to enjoy the daylight and breeze.  The tune was written and sung by Will Lee, with Anders Beck lending his intuitive touch on dobro and Jeff Covert carrying it along with a light drum beat.

“Larry is the yin and the yang,” declares Beck. “He will break your heart with a waltz, but he can also scare the hello out of you in the next song.  He plays on the edge… no, strike that.. he creates genius guitar solos while staring over the edge and laughing maniacally.”

“This studio album was a complete blast to make, from start to finish,” says Jenny Keel. “Larry, Will and I, along with our exceptional engineer Jeff Covert coalesce into a working musical unit that push each other to higher and higher heights of magic, skill, art and energy.  Add to that this cast of guests with all THEIR unique talents, and you have a recording that is pure enjoyment. Every detail of it!”

Throughout his prolific career, Keel has released 15 albums, including Experienced, and is featured on 10 others. Along with those that guest on the new album, Keel has performed with a multitude of top acoustic and electric musicians alive, and some now gone, including Vassar Clements, John Hartford, Tony Rice, Bill Monroe, Bob Weir, Jorma Kaukonen, Little Feat, Trombone Shorty, Railroad Earth, Leftover Salmon and many many others. Larry has written songs being performed by the likes of Del McCoury Band, Infamous Stringdusters and Yonder Mountain String Band and has a tune on Del McCoury’s GRAMMY-winning album The Company We Keep [2005] entitled ‘The Mountain Song.’

Experienced Track Listing:
1. Ripchord [Lee] 6:09  w/ Sam Bush
2. ‘Lil Miss [Keel] 4:22
3. Memories [The Keels]  4:00
4. Fill’em Up Again [Lee] 2:55 w/ Del McCoury, Jason Carter, Mike Guggino
5. Miles and Miles [Keel] 4:37 w/ Keller Williams
6. The Warrior 4:38  [Keel] w/ Peter Rowan
7. Another Summer Day [Lee] 4:47 w/ Anders Beck, Jeff Covert

*All tracks with The Larry Keel Experience: Larry Keel, Will Lee, and Jenny Keel

Find out more and stay up to date with news from Larry Keel at www.larrykeel.com, www.twitter.com/LarryKeel, www.facebook.com/LarryKeelFishinAndPickin.

 

 

 

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Town Mountain & The Larry Keel Experience Play Isis for 4th Annual Holiday Benefit on Sat 12/19

4th Annual Holiday Town Mountain Benefit
with The Larry Keel Experience on Saturday, December 19th
at Isis Restaurant and Music Hall
An annual event that helps provide much needed hunger relief for 1 in 6  of our WNC neighbors, with partial proceeds going to MANNA FoodBank

Town Mountain hosts their 4th Annual Holiday Benefit on Saturday, December 19, 2015 at Isis Music Hall and will be joined by The Larry Keel Experience for the occasion! Tickets for the concert are on sale now and the event typically sells out, so get your tickets early. Doors at 8pm, show at 9pm, $20. 743 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806. More info at www.isisasheville.com

Starting in 2012, local bluegrass ambassadors, Town Mountain, decided they wanted to initiate an annual holiday concert to help fight local hunger. Each year since, they have teamed up with another band and host Isis Restaurant and Music Hall to throw a holiday party featuring some of the best local and regional pickers rotating on stage throughout the evening. In sum total, the Holiday Benefit Concert has raised $7,500 enough money to provide food for 22,500 meals through MANNA FoodBank.

“The WNC music community has always been a strong support system for our work at MANNA FoodBank, whether it is through supporting our special events, our mission, or by raising money to end hunger in Western North Carolina. Over the past three years, this event has helped us provide the food for over 19,500 meals!” MANNA FoodBank says, “When our community works together – a business providing the space for an event, musicians providing entertainment and a reason for gathering, and the people buying tickets to support it – we can accomplish so much. Thank you to every individual who makes this possible. With your help, we can end hunger in WNC.”

Town Mountain’s banjo player and founding member Jesse Langlais decided that he wanted to make this an annual event because of the band’s ties to the area and their desire to give back to the place that has helped launch their music careers. In addition to providing the space free of charge as host of the event, Isis Music Hall has also waived many production costs and been generous enough to donate both in kind and cash contributors to the event each year in order to facilitate the event’s success.

“The need to provide a hot meal and shelter to those in need is ever present. Not only is it something we need to be aware of 365 days a year, it’s something that always stands out around the holiday season,” says Langlais. “This year, partial proceeds will be going to MANNA FoodBank, who work to help 1 in 6 people facing food insecurity in Western North Carolina.”

“We are honored to be part of this annual funding raising event that brings together musicians and community to provide for those that are less fortunate.” Isis’s owner Scott Woody says, “We deeply appreciate the efforts of FATE (Josh Stack) and MANNA for all that they do.”

Town Mountain will have some new tunes to ring in the season! They recorded an impromptu set of two of their favorite songs from the Grateful Dead’s catalog, “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo” and “Big River” at the widely acclaimed Echo Mountain Recording Studios in their hometown of Asheville, NC. The disc is called The Dead Session and comes out on November 13th. This is the Grateful Dead done in Town Mountain’s hard drivin’ style filled with a honky tonk edge and barroom swagger. They will put out their next studio album, produced and engineered by GRAMMY winner Dirk Powell, in 2016. Town Mountain is Robert Greer on vocals and guitar, Jesse Langlais on banjo and vocals, Bobby Britt on fiddle, Phil Barker on mandolin and vocals, and Adam Chaffins on bass.

The Larry Keel Experience will also be playing some new tunes for the celebration from their upcoming album due out in 2016. Larry Keel, widely known as a guitar legend and master fisherman, is an innovative and original acoustic flatpicking guitarist that had broken ground in the genre. Always offering an exhilarating performance, The Larry Keel Experience features Will Lee on soulful, blues-grass 5 string banjo, penetrating vocals, along with exceptional songwriting contributions, and Jenny Keel on upright bass with her impeccable timing along with solid and imaginative bass lines and vocal harmonies.

For more info please visit www.isisasheville.com, www.TownMountain.net, and www.larrykeel.com. For more about MANNA FoodBank please visit  www.mannafoodbank.org .

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Donna the Buffalo Performs at Levon Helm Studios on Fri 9/4

Levon Helm Studios Presents Donna the Buffalo
Friday, September 4, 2015

“There are many meaningful, inspirational, and important happenings on this musical life journey and I will say that having had the great fortune to meet Levon Helm, and play music along side him was at the very top of my list. Levon was a soulful and beautiful spirit through and through, perhaps the most soulful and inspiring musician I’ve ever heard or watched play. I had the great honor of playing the Midnight Ramble after recording ‘Wood And Stone’ [2011] there and I am very excited to be returning to The Barn with Donna The Buffalo. It is a truly special place. A truly hallowed hall.” —Tara Nevins, Donna the Buffalo

Gates 6pm/ Show 8pm; Seating $35/ Standing Room $25
More info at http://levonhelm.com/midnight_ramble.htm
Levon Helm Studios: 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock, NY 12498
845.679.2744

Distinctive, groove-heavy, and danceable,
Donna the Buffalo is a band for the people

Having started in 1989, Donna the Buffalo just passed the marker as their 25th year as a band and have proven to be a true purveyor of American music. What’s the recipe? To be sure, it’s infused with more spices than you’ll find at a Cajun cookout by way of a southern-fried, rockin’ country old-time jamboree. “For the dizzying array of styles and genres with which they work, Donna The Buffalo maintain a surprising level of consistency… over the course of their 25-year career, they retain a sharp focus that has helped them create some truly lasting music…” writes Elmore. “Few groups are this comfortable as performers, and even fewer would take as many risks.”

Donna the Buffalo. Photo by Bill Davis.

Donna the Buffalo is Jeb Puryear (vocals, electric guitar) and Tara Nevins (vocals, guitar, fiddle, accordion, scrubboard) joined by David McCracken (Hammond organ, Honer Clavinet & piano), Kyle Spark (bass) and Mark Raudabaugh (drums). “It’s been really fun with this lineup,” Puryear says. “You get to the point where you’re playing on a really high level, things are clicking and it’s like turning on the key to a really good car. It just goes.”

“You have to do just what you want to do, and everyone likes different things,” Nevins says. “Both Jeb and I come from this background of old-time fiddle music, which is very natural, very real, very under-produced, and all about coming from the gut—flying by the seat of your pants. So we have that in us, too.”

Donna the Buffalo has also announced The Stampede: A tour to raise awareness to the inappropriate use of corporate money in politics. They’ve joined forces with Ben Cohen, Co-Founder of Ben & Jerry’s, who has started stamping slogans on currency in protest (stampstampede.org). “As a band, we have made a long term commitment to join this burgeoning movement,” says Jeb Puryear. “It is clear to us that we will never get significant government action on issues like healthcare, student debt, wall street banks, the environment, and corporate tax evasion until we outlaw legalized corporate bribery of our politicians.”

They are joining forces with legendary American roots music troubadour Peter Rowan to kick off The Stampede in the Fall of 2015 and are looking to snowball the tour into the election year to raise awareness to the topic. Peter Rowan says, “At last, it comes around again; making music with Donna the Buffalo, one of my favorites.”

All Music Guide says their most recent album, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday (2013 Sugar Hill Records), “highlights everything this consistent band does, and it has a warm, live-sounding production… This is what 21st century Americana sounds like, a little bit of this and that from anywhere wrapped up into a poignant, jamming dance reel, a place where the past and history meet easily in the immediate now and everybody feels like dancing.”

Donna the Buffalo has toured the nation for over twenty five years with an ever-evolving grassroots sound and plans to keep on doing so for many years to come.

For more information and tour dates, please visit www.donnathebuffalo.com
facebook.com/donnathebuffalo and twitter.com/donnathebuffalo

What folks are saying about Donn the Buffalo:

“Multi-instrumentalist Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear, both ace guitarists, split vocals and writing for this band that’s country, old-timey, rock and roll, and well, just all around great. Best tune? Pick any one.” —Vintage Guitar

“I first encountered DtB at MerleFest in the late 1990s. They were to me an unknown band with a weird name in the dance tent. I got seduced by Tara Nevins’ accordion and swishy beats and next thing I knew I was soaked with sweat and losing myself. They’re the EDM of Americana.“ —Music City Roots’ Craig Havighurst

“Initially inspired by Appalachian string music, they’ve since incorporated folk, pop, soul, zydeco, and psychedelic rock. Meanwhile, Jeb Puryear’s reedy tenor and Tara Nevins’ husky comely croon complement each other with their earthy charm, yet as songwriters they each possess their own distinct character.” ––Charleston Scene

“The beauty of Donna’s presentation and the secret of their success and longevity is the purely organic way they weave genres together without diluting them. Many bands can’t generate this kind of enthusiasm and energy in half as much time and with half as many albums that Donna the Buffalo have over twentysomething years and ten studio albums.” —Cleveland Scene

“They’ve got some real chops in just about every department.” —The Nashville Scene

“Donna the Buffalo is quite simply one of the groovin’est bands in America — a bona-fide American institution.” —New Haven Register

For more information and tour dates, please visit www.donnathebuffalo.com
facebook.com/donnathebuffalo and twitter.com/donnathebuffalo

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Larry Keel Experience w/ Jeff Sipe at Oskar Blues’ 3rd Annual NYE Hootenanny in Brevard, NC along with Jeremy Garrett, Travis Book, Steve “Big Daddy” McMurry, Mike Guggino & Jon Stickley Trio

The Larry Keel Experience with Jeff Sipe
at the 3rd Annual New Year’s Eve Hootenanny at Oskar Blues
Wednesday, December 31 at Oskar Blues Brewery in Brevard, NC

The New Year’s Eve Experience:
The Larry Keel Experience with Jeff Sipe
PLUS
Jeremy Garrett & Travis Book (of the Infamous Stringdusters)
Steve “Big Daddy” McMurry (of Acoustic Syndicate)
Mike Guggino (of the Steep Canyon Rangers)
AND THE
Jon Stickley Trio

Show Details:
This event is 21+ only; 7pm ‘til after the beer drops
$30 adv/ $40 dos, Locals-only $20 tickets for a limited time at the Tasty Weasel
Package ticket includes entry to the CANuary 1st Hangover Brunch at the Oskar Blues REEB Ranch in Hendersonville, NC on 1/1/15 -$100

Oskar Blues Brewery
342 Mountain Industrial Dr Brevard, NC 28712
http://brew.oskarblues.com/events/nye-brevard

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

The Larry Keel Experience is excited that Jeff Sipe is joining the band for the evening to perform at The 3rd Annual Holiday Hootenanny at Oskar Blues Brewery in Brevard, NC on Wednesday, December 31, 2014. Based in Lexington, VA, the Larry Keel Experience is Larry Keel on acoustic guitar and lead vocals, Jenny Keel on stand up bass and harmony vocals, and Will Lee on Banjo and lead vocals. Also performing for NYE are Jeremy Garrett & Travis Book (of the Infamous Stringdusters), Steve “Big Daddy” McMurry (of Acoustic Syndicate), Mike Guggino (of the Steep Canyon Rangers), and the Jon Stickley Trio.

The NEW Oskar Blues CHUBurger food truck will be slingin’ the goods throughout the evening and a photobooth will be onsite to capture all of your NYE memories (so that you don’t have to). Hotel specials are available, just check the Oskar Blues website for more info. The Oskar Blues trolley will be making the rounds to local hotels and downtown Brevard to give you a safe ride to and from the Hootenanny. Trips will start at 6 p.m. and the trolley will stop at each stop roughly every 30-40 minutes. Tickets are on sale now and more information is at http://brew.oskarblues.com/events/nye-brevard.

The CAN’uary 1st Hangover Brunch will be hosted the following afternoon at noon at the Oskar Blues REEB Ranch, their new 145-acre farm that is located about 8 miles from the Brevard-based Oskar Blues brewery in Hendersonville, NC. The January 1, 2015 brunch will be hosted by Jeremy Garrett, Travis Book, Sarah Siskind, and Larry & Jenny Keel. Proceeds from the brunch will benefit Oskar Blues CAN’d Aid Foundation. Included in the $80 ticket price (or as part of the NYE package deal) are a Southern-style family-style meal, drinks (including Mama-mosas and Café con FIDY), and the exclusive VIP concert.  Limited tickets are available. The CAN’d Aid Foundation will give an update on their work in our community and the work ahead in 2015.

Larry Keel has had a fantastic 2014 and is excited to celebrate with you! Some highlights include his appearance with Sam Bush at this year’s Lockn’ Festival and he’s been on tour with Yonder Mountain String Band throughout South east, Mid West, North East this fall. He’ll be heading to Puerto Morelos, Mexico w/ all the Bluegrass buddies to play Strings and Sol in Mexico in mid-Dec. Also, stay tuned for more information on an upcoming studio release due out in the spring of 2015 with some very special guests!

Larry Keel is described by some reviewers as the most powerful, innovative and all-out exhilarating acoustic flatpicking guitarist performing today. Keel has absorbed the best lessons from his Bluegrass family upbringing, both sides deeply steeped in the rich mountain music culture and heritage of Southwest Virginia. From there, he has always integrated that solid musical grounding and natural-born talent with his own incomparable approach to flatpicking the guitar and composing original music. He’s also got a knack for choosing interesting and appealing material from all realms of music with guts, whether it’s a tune written by a fellow songwriter/musician friend, or a tasty cover from any number of genres all over the map.

Keel has a variety of musical formats swirling around the calendar each year: look out for his core band, The Larry Keel Experience (featuring Will Lee on soulful, blues-grass 5 string banjo, penetrating vocals and exceptional song-writing contributions and Jenny Keel on upright bass, with impeccable timing, solid yet imaginative bass lines and vocal harmonies). “Hot and fluent bluegrass act showcasing Larry Keel’s dazzling guitar skills and gruff, baritone vocals, wife Jenny’s granite-firm bass guitar work… Good folks, amazing roots music,” writes Tad Dickens with the Roanoke Times.

Other projects of Keel’s include Larry Does Jerry (Keel performing the music of Jerry Garcia), Keller Williams and The Keels, Keel paired with artists such as Drew Emmitt, Danny Barnes, Peter Rowan, Sam Bush, and a multitude of guest spots in great bands on the tour circuit including the Traveling McCourys, Steep Canyon Rangers, Infamous Stringdusters, and Greensky Bluegrass.

The versatility of his talents is pretty irresistible, and has earned Keel the highest respect and billing among the top acoustic musicians alive, and some now gone: Tony Rice, Chris Thile, Vassar Clements, Sam Bush, Del McCoury, John Hartford, Bill Monroe, Peter Rowan, and Darol Anger to name a few. And his fierce, high-spirited energy also appeals to young rockers, jammers and alt country pickers and fans who are equally drawn to Keel’s deep rumbling voice, his earthy and imaginative song-writing, and his down-home-gritty-good-time charm. Keel regularly collaborates with JamBand and Rock giants Yonder Mountain String Band, Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, David Nelson, Little Feat, Rebirth Brass Band, Dirty Dozen Brass, Railroad Earth, members of String Cheese Incident and Leftover Salmon, amongst others.

Throughout his career, Keel has released 14 albums and is featured on 10 others. The most recent release, March 2012, is CLASSIC, the 3rd album recorded by Keel and his powerhouse ensemble, Natural Bridge. The project is filled with originals written variously by Keel, the band members or by musician/song-writer friends. “Classic is not a derivative work stuck in the quagmire of a romanticized past. It’s forward-thinking, spontaneous, audacious, and full of surprises. Fresh. All the Keel’s are doing is watering the seeds the old Masters planted and widening the Circle a little bit,” writes Robert Kimmel with Bluegrass Today.

For Keel the musical mission is always clear: to let technical skill, honest emotion and fearlessness connect the playing and singing to audiences, to entertain and to thoroughly enjoy the experience of creating and sharing in music.

Larry Keel Experience on Tour
11/11 Tue – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC*
11/12 Wed – Higher Ground Ballroom – South Burlington, VT*
11/13 Thu – Paradise Rock Club     Boston, MA*
11/14 Fri –  Theatre of the Living Art – Philadelphia, PA*
11/15 Sat – Brooklyn Bowl Brooklyn, NY*
11/21 Fri – The Lincoln Theatre – Marion, VA
12/05 Fri- The Southern Charlottesville, VA
12/06 Sat – Acoustic Stage Concert Series – Hickory, NC
12/11-15 – Larry Keel at Strings & Sol – Puerto Morelos, Mexico
12/19 Fri – Clementine Cafe – Harrisonburg, VA
12/31 Wed – – Oskar Blues Brewery – Brevard, NC %
01/01/15 Thu – Oskar Blues REEB Ranch – Hendersonville, NC ^

* LKE w/ Yonder Mountain
% LKE w/ Jeff Sipe. Alsoperforming are Jeremy Garrett & Travis Book, Steve “Big Daddy” McMurry, Mike Guggino, and the Jon Stickley Trio
^ The CAN’uary 1st Hangover Brunch with Jeremy Garrett, Travis Book, Sarah Siskind, and Larry & Jenny Keel. Proceeds from the brunch will benefit Oskar Blues CAN’d Aid Foundation.

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Jeff Austin & The Here and Now Release Free Soundboard Recording; Add Tour Dates

Jeff Austin & The Here and Now Release Free Soundboard Recording; Add Tour Dates

Jeff Austin & The Here and Now (featuring banjoist Danny Barnes and Larry & Jenny Keel) are thrilled to announce the audio release of a soundboard recording of last August’s show at The Elk’s Lodge in Troy, OH as part of the Gentleman of the Road Festival. The download is available for FREE at www.JeffAustin.com.

Here’s Jeff’s recap of the show:

Late in the evening of August 30th, 2013… or, was it early in the morning of August 31st? Danny Barnes, Larry Keel, Jenny Keel and myself were led into the Elk’s Lodge of Troy, Ohio to play a late night show for a packed room of folks who had spent their day in the blazing late summer sun…enjoying themselves to the fullest. We wondered if they had anything left in the tank… By God, did they ever. Through the sweat, the endless toasts, the folks who faded in the heat of the crowded room… I hope you enjoy a few hours of bluegrass fun between me and some of my dearest friends. Late night from Troy…no holding back now, folks.

Live From The Elk’s Lodge Track List:
1. Bluegrass Breakdown
2. Angel With The Golden Hair
3. The Wedding Song
4. The Mountain Song
5. Red Haired Boy
6. On and On
7. Shit Creek
8. Kentucky Mandolin
9. Groundhog
10. Groundspeed
11. Death Trip > Loser > Death Trip
12. Isotope
13. Jesse James
14. Foggy Mountain Special
15. Sitting Alone in the Moonlight > Foggy Mountain Breakdown > Rag Doll
16. Rattler
17. Bone
18. Crow Black Children
19. Wheel Hoss

The Here and Now on this recording is Jeff Austin (mandolin and vocals) with Danny Barnes (banjo and vocals), Larry Keel (guitar and vocals), and Jenny Keel (bass and vocals).

They link up again for several shows in the Midwest in early March 2014 kicking off at the Cabooze in Minneapolis, before heading over to Milwaukee to the Miramar and then along to Chicago’s City Winery. The final show of the run lands them at Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo.

Starting in early May, Jeff will pick back up on tour with Danny Barnes (vocals), Eric Thorin (bass and vocals), and Ross Martin (guitar and vocals). They will be touring together throughout the year and also heading into the studio this March with a number of other friends, heroes and mentors to record an album.

Jeff Austin & The Here and Now on Tour
3/5 – Cabooze – Minneapolis, MN*
3/6 – Miramar Theater – Milwaukee, WI*
3/7 – City Winery (early and late show) – Chicago, IL*
3/8 – Bell’s Brewery – Kalamazoo, MI*
5/8 – Terminal West – Atlanta, GA +
5/9 – Pour House – Charleston, SC +
5/10 – Aiken Bluegrass Festival – Aiken, SC +
6/6 – Riverbend Festival _ Chattanooga, TN +
6/7 – Blue Plum Music Festival – Johnson City, TN +
8/8 – Targhee Bluegrass Festival – Targhee, WY
8/22 – Nedfest – Nederland, CO

* – w/ The Keels and Danny Barnes, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades supports
+ – w/ Danny Barnes, Ross Martin and Eric Thorin

Please visit JeffAustin.com for more information and to download the live show.
Keep up to date with Jeff on facebook.com/JeffAustinOfficial and twitter.com/Jeffreyaustin10.

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Manna Foodbank Bluegrass Holiday Benefit with Town Mountain and Larry Keel & Natural Bridge at Isis on Fri 12/20

Bluegrass Holiday Benefit
Featuring Town Mountain and Larry Keel @ Isis Music Hall
Friday, December 20, 2013
A Portion of the Proceeds will be donated to MANNA FoodBank

Doors 5pm (dinner); show 9pm; $20; All Ages
General Admission Standing :: Some Balcony Seating
828-575-2737
Isis Music Hall 743 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806
www.isisasheville.com

As 2013 comes to a close, Town Mountain is excited to be joining forces with Larry Keel and Natural Bridge at Isis Music Hall on Friday, December 20, 2013 for a Bluegrass Holiday Benefit. A portion of the night’s proceeds will be donated to Manna Foodbank.

In Western North Carolina, more than 100,000 people seek emergency food assistance in a single year – that’s 1 in 6 of our neighbors. Of these, 37,000 are children. Local direct service agencies are facing a rapid increase in request for food assistance as food stamp benefits have recently been cut for many local families. Food banks and other non profits cannot close this food stamp gap without help. These types of events take on more importance as hard working families struggle to make ends meet.

“Something very special happens when volunteers, artists, and local business join together to create an event that entertains,  celebrates community and helps our Western North Carolina neighbors in need,” says Becky Upham, communications director at MANNA FoodBank. “MANNA’s work would not be possible without so many giving people in our community, and we are so grateful.”

Hard Drivin’ Carolina String Band-Town Mountain:
Town Mountain and their lead vocalist, Robert Greer, are honored to have been awarded two 2013 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Momentum Awards. Greer brought home the Momentum Award for “Vocalist of the Year” and Town Mountain takes the honor for “Performance Band of the Year.” The awards cap off a year of fantastic growth for the band which began with the release of their sophomore Pinecastle Records album, Leave the Bottle.

Town Mountain includes Greer on vocals and guitar, Jesse Langlais on banjo and vocals, Bobby Britt on fiddle, Phil Barker on mandolin and vocals and Jake Hopping on bass. Formed out of the fertile music scene found in Asheville, Greer and Langlais met at a jam one evening and they began to piece a band together over the next couple of years. “I’ve been here in Asheville for 12-plus years now and about 15 years ago it really started to blow up as a music town,” says Langlais. “We met through that music scene. “

The sound of Town Mountain can be described as traditional bluegrass, albeit with a rough-hewn side to it that is not too slick or glossy. They are definitely a band of the here-and-now, yet they have a groove that is based on the bluesy and swinging sounds made by the first generation of bluegrass pioneers.

“I feel like we’re closer to original bluegrass than a lot of bands out there today,” says Langlais. “I listened to a radio show recently that featured Ricky Skaggs and he flat-out said that Bill Monroe influenced rock and roll. He said that folks like Elvis and Carl Perkins and those guys were looking up to Bill Monroe. So, I feel like our band has a lot of that influence as well, of the blues and early rock. If you go back and listen to Monroe pre-Chuck Berry, those are Chuck Berry licks. A lot of music in the 1940s and 50s was so over-lapping. It is easy to put genre labels on it today, 60 years later. But to be honest, it was all so new and it was influencing each other at the same time.”

Town Mountain will release a new album in 2014 and will ride the wave of their newfound momentum with appearances at many venues and festivals around the country as the new year unfolds.  More information and tour dates can be found at www.townmountain.net.

Flatpicking Legend Larry Keel:
Larry Keel is described by some reviewers as the most powerful, innovative and all-out exhilarating acoustic flatpicking guitarist performing today. Keel has absorbed the best lessons from his Bluegrass family upbringing, both sides deeply steeped in the rich mountain music culture and heritage of Southwest Virginia. From there, he has always integrated that solid musical grounding and natural-born talent with his own incomparable approach to flatpicking the guitar and composing original music. He’s also got a knack for choosing interesting and appealing material from all realms of music with guts, whether it’s a tune written by a fellow song-writer/musician friend, or a tasty cover from any number of genres all over the map.

Joining Keel to make up Natural Bridge are the vastly talented Mark Schimick on mandolin and vocals, Larry’s life-long picker pal (and fishing phenom) Will Lee on soulful, blues-grass style 5-string banjo and penetrating lead vocals, and wife Jenny Keel with her impeccable timing and solid, yet imaginative bass lines as well as tenor vocal harmonies.

Throughout his career, Keel has released 14 albums and is featured on 10 others. The most recent release, CLASSIC (2012) is the 3rd album recorded by Keel and his powerhouse ensemble, Natural Bridge. The project is filled with originals written variously by Keel, the band members or by musician/song-writer friends. For more about Larry Keel and Natural Bridge, please visit www.LarryKeel.com.

Manna Foodbank:
MANNA FoodBank is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving Western North Carolina since 1983. As an accredited member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, the mission of MANNA FoodBank is to involve, educate, and unite people in the work of ending hunger in Western North Carolina. MANNA serves 221 non-profit member agencies in 16 Western North Carolina counties and distributed more than 11 million pounds of food in 2012. To view MANNA’s Annual Report for 2012, or for more information, visit MANNAFoodbank.org or call 828-299-FOOD.

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Jeff Austin Adds Dates To Summer Tour

Jeff Austin Adds Dates To Summer Tour

Mandolinist, vocalist and songwriter Jeff Austin is on tour this summer with various friends while not on the road with Yonder Mountain String Band. This weekend Jeff Austin & Friends (Allie Kral, Danny Barnes and Eric Thorin) play Friday August 23rd in Jackson Hole, WY and Sunday, August 25th at NedFest in Colorado.

As Jeff heads towards the eastern part of the country, he will join forces with The Here and Now, featuring banjoist Danny Barnes and Larry & Jenny Keel on guitar and bass. This special late summer tour starts in the midwest near Chicago and loops through The Midwest before heading heading south and then over to over to Oklahoma.

More details have emerged for Jeff Austin & The Here and Now’s sets at the Mumford and Sons Gentlemen of the Road Troy Stopover Downtown Street Festival in Ohio with a daytime set on the Market Street Stage and late-night set at Elks Lodge on Friday, August 30th and a late-night set on Saturday, August 31st at the Market Street Stage. For more about the GOTD

Jeff Austin on Tour:

Jeff Austin & Friends
Featuring Allie Kral, Danny Barnes and Eric Thorin
8/23 Fri – Jackson Hole Live – Jackson Hole, WY*
8/25 Sun – NedFest – Nederland, Co*

Jeff Austin and The Here & Now
The Here & Now Features Danny Barnes and Larry and Jenny Keel
8/28 Wed – Durty Nellie’s – Palatine, IL
8/29 Thu – The Bluebird – Bloomington, IN
8/30 Fri – Mumford and Sons Gentlemen of the Road Troy Stopover Downtown Street Festival – Troy, OH
4:30pm-5:30pm @ Market Street Stage & 11:45pm-2:00am @ Elks Lodge
8/31 Sat – Mumford and Sons Gentlemen of the Road Troy Stopover Downtown Street Festival – Troy, OH
12:00am-1:00am @ Market Street Stage
9/1 Sun – Diamonds in Upper Highlands- Louisville, KY
9/2 Mon – Avondale Brewing Co. – Birmingham, AL
9/4 Wed – Old Rock House – St. Louis, MO
9/5 Thu – The Shrine – Tulsa, OK *Austin & Barnes duo show
9/6 Fri – Cottonwood Flats – Mumford and Sons Gentlemen of the Road – Guthrie, OK
9/7 Sat – Cottonwood Flats – Mumford and Sons Gentlemen of the Road – Guthrie, OK

Take a look at JeffAustin.com for further information and to download a free EP of Jeff Austin & The Here and Now.

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Lingua Musica Interviews with Larry and Jenny Keel!

Lingua Musica Interviews with Larry and Jenny Keel!

Erin Scholze with Dreamspider Publicity interviews Larry and Jenny Keel at Pisgah Brewing in Black Mountain, NC on October 6, 2011. The Keels talk about their music workshops which combine songwriting with trout and bass fishing, their upcoming album, playing with Steve McMurry, Gove Scrivenor, Jeff Mosier, Caroline Pond, Keller Williams and more. This video as filmed and edited by Tony Preston and is copyright Luminescence 2011.

http://larrykeel.com/
http://www.fishinandpickin.com/
http://dreamspider.net/
http://amrmediaproductions.com/
http://linguamusicalive.com/

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