Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work to Release Full Live Concert CD & DVD 12/10

 

A Sound Lab Studios Production, Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work, LIVE to Release as a Full Live Concert CD & DVD on Tuesday, Dec 10th

Based in Asheville, NC, Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work have been mainstays in the SouthEastern roots music scene for several years, and now the band is back again with the release of Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work, LIVE. In collaboration with Sound Lab Studios, the band recorded two nights at The Lexington Ave Brewery in Asheville in full Dolby digital surround sound in high definition on multiple cameras. Distilled now into both CD and DVD formats Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work, LIVE shows the band in their most raw, intense, and revelatory release to date and releases nationally on Tuesday, December 10, 2013.

Watch Pierce Edens Perform “Money” LIVE by Sound Lab Studios →

Singing, performing, and recording for several years, the songs of Pierce Edens resonate from a calling sparked within him to share a story. It’s a story inspired by old-time tunes, a rock and roll fever, and the downright rural, gritty mountain life of his upbringing. It doesn’t seem to matter whether he is singing a haunting, foothill-influenced ballad with a modern Americana twist, or writing a 21st century stomp-and-clap that calls back to the Appalachian churches, it all gets entangled in his unique storytelling.

“There are few who can touch Edens as a singer or as a songwriter,“ says Bold Life’s Robin Tolleson. “He’s blessed with a soulful, resonant growl that seems to mix Johnny Cash, Eddie Vedder and Citizen Cope.” It’s an eclectic mélange of sounds exemplifying the fact that this man can’t be contained by any one genre; he’s an American musical anomaly.

“Pierce Edens heard old-timey mountain music until his teens; that’s when he was steeped in punk and grunge. Both inform his music. His shadowy baritone has a dark, jazzy canter reminiscent of Tom Waits, while the percolating strings below it veer from bluegrass to closing-time cabaret,” says Indy Week. “The punk manifests in the rebellious free-spirited nature of ‘Montana’ as Edens demands, ‘Don’t speak, don’t think, just take my hand and come with. We can work out the details later, if we work them out at all.’”

Along with Pierce Edens’ lead vocals and acoustic guitar, The Dirty Work includes Matt Smith (pedal steel and electric guitar), Jesse James Hongisto (upright bass), Dane Rand (drums and percussion), and Jim Aaron (Harmonica). Special guest musicians on the DVD include Jacob Rodriguez (saxophone) and Justin Ray (trumpet).

Sound Lab Studios is an Asheville-based media production company that is a partnership between More Chi Films and Golden Manatee Productions. The footage was directed and edited by Peter Lutz; produced by Adam Johnson & Peter Lutz, with audio recording & mixing by Adam Johnson and front of house sound by Sean Mack. Greg Herman for the album artwork and digital motion design. For more information about Sound Lab, please visit http://www.soundlabstudios.com.

More information about Pierce Edens and his tour dates can be found at www.pierceedens.com.

CD & DVD* Track listing:
Jailhouse
Pretty
Montana
Good Man
Creeping Vines
Trouble
Money
Mischief
Can’t Sleep
Baby Doll
Ghost on the Radio
Black Shiny Shoes
Let it rain

*DVD also includes special features and additional solo performances of the songs “Queen of Hearts” and “Train Tracks”.

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Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work Release Full Live Concert CD & DVD- Screening at Fine Arts Theater 11/21; Concert at Isis 11/22

Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work Release Full Live Concert CD & DVD
 Screening at Fine Arts Theater 11/21; Concert at Isis 11/22

A Sound Lab Studios Production, Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work, LIVE
Releases Locally in Asheville on CD and DVD this November

DVD SCREENING:
The Fine Arts Theater
Thursday, November 21st
$5, doors 8pm, show 9pm
(828) 232-1536  — 36 Biltmore Ave  Asheville, NC 28801
http://fineartstheatre.com

RELEASE PARTY CONCERT
Isis Music Hall
Friday, November 22nd
$8 adv/ $10 dos; doors 8pm, show 9pm
(828) 575-2737 —  743 Haywood Rd., Asheville, NC 28806
http://isisasheville.com

Based in Asheville, NC, Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work have been mainstays in the SouthEastern roots music scene for several years, and now the band is back again with the release of Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work, LIVE, a live performance DVD and CD collection. It will release locally with a preview of the DVD at the Fine Arts Theater in downtown Asheville the night of Thursday, November 21, 2103. The band will perform a release party concert on Friday, November 22nd at the Isis Music Hall in West Asheville. Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work are intent on celebrating in full force; fans of the band can expect to see them at their best both on the big screen and in the flesh over the course of two hot ticketed evenings.

Singing, performing, and recording for several years, the songs of Pierce Edens resonate from a calling sparked within him to share a story. It’s a story inspired by old-time tunes, a rock and roll fever, and the downright rural, gritty mountain life of his upbringing. It doesn’t seem to matter whether he is singing a haunting, foothill-influenced ballad with a modern Americana twist, or writing a 21st century stomp-and-clap that calls back to the Appalachian churches, it all gets entangled in his unique storytelling.

Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work. Photo by Studio 828 Photography.

“There are few who can touch Edens as a singer or as a songwriter,“ says Bold Life’s Robin Tolleson. “He’s blessed with a soulful, resonant growl that seems to mix Johnny Cash, Eddie Vedder and Citizen Cope.” It’s an eclectic mélange of sounds exemplifying the fact that this man can’t be contained by any one genre; he’s an American musical anomaly.

“Asheville’s Pierce Edens heard old-timey mountain music until his teens; that’s when he was steeped in punk and grunge. Both inform his music. His shadowy baritone has a dark, jazzy canter reminiscent of Tom Waits, while the percolating strings below it veer from bluegrass to closing-time cabaret,” says Indy Week. “The punk manifests in the rebellious free-spirited nature of ‘Montana’ as Edens demands, ‘Don’t speak, don’t think, just take my hand and come with. We can work out the details later, if we work them out at all.’”

Along with Pierce Edens’ lead vocals and acoustic guitar, The Dirty Work includes Matt Smith (pedal steel and electric guitar), Jesse James Hongisto (upright bass), Dane Rand (drums and percussion), and Jim Aaron (Harmonica). Special guest musicians on the DVD include Jacob Rodriguez (saxophone) and Justin Ray (trumpet).

In collaboration with Sound Lab Studios, the band recorded two nights at The Lexington Ave Brewery in Asheville in full Dolby digital surround sound in high definition on multiple cameras. Distilled now into both CD and DVD formats Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work, LIVE shows the band in their most raw, intense, and revelatory release to date and releases nationally on Tuesday, December 10, 2013.

Sound Lab Studios is an Asheville-based media production company that is a partnership between More Chi Films and Golden Manatee Productions. The footage was directed and edited by Peter Lutz; produced by Adam Johnson & Peter Lutz, with audio recording & mixing by Adam Johnson and front of house sound by Sean Mack. Greg Herman for the album artwork and digital motion design. For more information about Sound Lab, please visit http://www.soundlabstudios.com.

More information about Pierce Edens and his tour dates can be found at www.pierceedens.com.

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John Cloyd Miller (Red June) Wins MerleFest’s Chris Austin Songwriting Contest: “Cloud of Dust” Places #1 in Bluegrass

John Cloyd Miller (Red June) Wins 2013
MerleFest’s Chris Austin Songwriting Contest

“Cloud of Dust” Places #1 in Bluegrass Category

John Cloyd Miller won first place in the 21st annual Chris Austin Songwriting Contest in the bluegrass category at MerleFest 2013. Miller is a vocalist, guitarist and mandolin player for the Asheville-based band, Red June, a nationally touring acoustic Americana trio that includes his wife, fiddler and vocalist Natalya Weinstein, and multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Will Straughan. The winning song, “Cloud of Dust,” appears on Red June’s 2012 sophomore release, Beauty Will Come.

“‘Cloud of Dust’ highlights the frustrations and resolve of a young man during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.” John says, “This song tells the story of what happens when we abuse our land.” Red June kicked off 2013 with the release of a music video for the song which features powerful archival footage from the Dust Bowl.

John Cloyd Miller. Photo by Terry Manier.

Acclaimed NC traditional musician, Riley Baugus, says, “John’s music reminds me of being in the Blue Ridge Mountains, high on a hill all alone and hearing the sound of the mountains coming from all around and filling your soul with the feeling that everything is just right in that place. His voice is strong and pure and harkens back to a time when there was no need for electronic enhancement and tuning adjustments. In short, John is the real thing and is just incredible.”

The Chris Austin Songwriting Contest offers songwriters the opportunity to have their original songs heard by a panel of professional songwriters and others from the Nashville music industry. The 2013 winners were chosen from more than 700 entries. Winners in the Bluegrass category included 1st Place – John Cloyd Miller’s “Cloud of Dust” (Asheville, NC); 2nd Place – Todd Grebe’s “Master of My Destiny”  (Nashville, Tenn.); and 3rd Place – Aaron Burdett’s “Magpie (Saluda, NC). Previous winners of the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest include Gillian Welch, Tift Merritt, Michael Reno Harrell, Adrienne Young, Martha Scanlan, David Via and Johnny Williams.

“The talent this year was amazing!” says Laurie Brintle-Jarvis, coordinator of the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest. “They gave an inspirational performance on the Cabin Stage on Friday evening, sharing their talents and enthusiasm with the crowd.” For more details about the contest, visit www.MerleFest.org/ChrisAustinSongwritingContest.

In 2012, Red June made their MerleFest debut, performing at the 25th anniversary festival. Later that year they released their second full-length album, Beauty Will Come, and performed at numerous shows and festivals across the country including Music City Roots, Suwannee Springfest, Beartrap Summer Festival, and Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival. The band was selected for an official showcase at The Station Inn in Nashville at the Americana Music Association conference, and was featured in the October 2012 issue of Southern Living magazine with Douglas Rogers writing, “Bands like Old Crow Medicine Show, The Avett Brothers, and Red June have recently put the sounds of Appalachia back on the map.”

Red June at MerleFest by Will Sparklin

A native of Hickory, NC, Miller’s musical background includes deep roots in bluegrass. A self-taught musician, he grew up listening to his grandfather, legendary bluegrass fiddler and NC Folk Heritage Award winner, Jim Shumate. After graduating from Appalachian State University, Miller moved to Utah and joined the bluegrass band Lo-Fi Breakdown. Eventually the band relocated to Asheville, NC, and continued to perform until early 2009. Around that same time, Miller, Weinstein, and Straughan formed Red June (named after an heirloom apple variety), a group that emphasizes songwriting while combining elements of bluegrass, old-time, country and American roots music.

“Beauty Will Come by Red June just may be the most stunningly gorgeous country album in years. Everything about it: from the exquisite three-part harmonies and acoustic loveliness of the mandolin, fiddle, guitar and upright bass…This is the epitome of Americana…” says Mike Greenblatt with Rant’n’Roll Aquarian Weekly.

For more information, visit www.redjunemusic.com or www.johncloydmiller.com.

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Red June Releases “Beauty Will Come” Releases Today!

Red June releases their second full length album, “Beauty Will Come” TODAY Tuesday, June 5th!

CD Baby
iTunes

Red June is Will Straughan on resonator guitar, vocals and guitar; Natalya Weinstein on fiddle and vocals; and John Cloyd Miller on mandolin, vocals and guitar. Red June is based in Asheville, NC.

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Hear Red June on WFDD’s Triad Arts Up Close in Studio A w/ David Ford
www.wfdd.org
Today at 8:35am and again 5:44pm EST
It will re-air on Friday, June 8 at 1:00pm EST

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What the Press is Saying About “Beauty Will Come”

“It’s natural, organic fresh air cool mountain stream music that strikes the right chord. It’s music meant to be played on the back porch at sundown while the coffee’s a ‘brewin’ and the soup is heatin’ up. This is the epitome of Americana and you probably won’t hear it on stupid ‘country’ radio” –Mike Greenblatt, Rant’n’Roll Aquarian Weekly

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“They can kick it with a reel, squeeze a country turnip until it bleeds, and tell a folk tale as well as most anybody, but where they really shine is their songwriting…” –Frank Gutch, Jr., FAME Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange

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“I gotta say, this CD is INCREDIBLE!!! I loved it. It is full of wonderful songwriting, beautiful vocals and remarkable instrument work.”–Riley Baugus

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“With equal parts Celtic, old timey, trad country, and contemporary folk, Red June typifies what modern folk music is all about” –Steven Stone, AudiophileReview.com

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“a diverse yet cohesive mix of original Americana tunes; North Carolina style… soulful, rootsy and eclectic mountain music.” —Awaiting the Flood

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“undeniably charming” –JC, 3rd Coast Music

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“… airtight harmony that will impress even the toughest critic. Listen to their vocal blend on “I’m Willing To Try,” and you may need to have your jaw surgically removed from the floor – they are that good!” –Chuck Dauphin, Music News Nashville

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“From git-down instrumentals to lovely waltzes, even a set of Irish reels, every piece is played with confidence and soul.” —Fiddle Freak

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“The single vocal microphone they situated around might as well have been a campfire as they performed with such grace and a true reverence for those who chose to spend some time with them.” –Scott T. Horowitz, The Upful Life and Times, Suwannee Springfest Review

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Red June 2012 “Beauty Will Come” Spring/Summer Tour Dates
6/7 Reynolda House – Winston-Salem NC
6/8 Hickory Unitarian Church – Hickory NC
6/9 Mountain Home Music – Blowing Rock NC
6/14 Live on WNCW’s Studio B @ 1pm – Spindale, NC
6/14 Whitewater Center – Charlotte NC
6/15 Altamont Theatre – Asheville NC
6/21 Marsh Woodwinds Upstairs – Raleigh NC
6/22 Ashland Coffee & Tea – Ashland VA
6/23 The Mainstay – Rock Hall MD
6/26 The Living Room – NYC
6/27 Johnny D’s – Boston MA
6/30 Wesley United Methodist Church – Amherst MA

Find out more and see the complete tour dates at RedJuneMusic.com

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Magnetic Music presents Dehlia Low for 3 shows at The Magnetic Field: November 2nd, 9th &16th!

Tickets available for each show individually ($8), or purchase the 3-Show Bonus Package & come see all 3 shows, plus get a signed poster and a live recording of one of the shows ($24)!

www.themagneticfield.com

Glen Rock Depot, at 372 Depot Street, in the River Arts District of Asheville, NC.

Get tickets here: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2211941978

Dehlia Low formed in late 2007 as part of Asheville, North Carolina’s roots music renaissance. Singers Anya Hinkle (from Blacksburg, VA on fiddle) and Stacy Claude (from Atlanta, GA on guitar) pulled together a group of talented pickers from the region: Aaron Ballance on Dobro (Winston-Salem, NC), Bryan Clendenin on mandolin (Hurricane, WV) and Greg Stiglets on bass (Jackson, MS).

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“The group has taken off like a skyrocket…and deservedly so: in a musical world that doesn’t always treasure creativity, Dehlia Low has staked out a good piece of ground all its own.” ~ Nashville Scene, Jon Weisberger

“Dehlia Low is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the musical world for some time to come!” ~ Music News Nasheville, Chuck Dauphin

Dehlia Low is a band riding high on a wave of musical accomplishment and heartfelt performance. Fans of Americana, bluegrass, or just good country-tinged music would do well to seek them out” ~ Pop Matters, David Maine

“…relying on the warm tones of acoustic guitar, mandolin, upright bass, slide guitar, and not to mention fiddle thumpin’, strummin’ and pickin’ underneath honeysuckle vocal harmonies — the Asheville, N.C., quintet seems like it has rolled straight off a mountainside and right onto a wraparound wooden porch in some summer-grass valley.” ~ Style Weekly, Mike Hilleary

“Dehlia Low’s “Ravens & Crows” is carefully crafted to lure traditional, country, bluegrass and Americana fans. They are generally appealing to all of these genres without alienating anyone, which is hard to do.” ~ Boone Mountain Times, Ashley Wilson

Dehlia low on the web:
www.dehlialow.com
twitter.com/dehlialow
www.reverbnation.com/dehlialow
www.facebook.com/pages/Dehlia-Low

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An Evening with Larry Keel, Danny Barnes and Jenny Keel at Pisgah Brewing on Thurs, October 6th

Original, and from the soul, Larry Keel has surfed the changing tides of traditional bluegrass, country, jam rock, roots reggae, and even the currently emerging indie-alt scene always honoring the pioneers that introduced Bluegrass and Mountain Music into popular culture. Keel is an award-winning Acoustic Americana flatpicking guitarist, well known for his entirely unique song-writing, gravelly voice and lightning fast licks and his band Natural Bridge is “consistently touted as the hottest, most provocative and most entertaining bluegrass band of this decade.”

Mousike Magazine describes Keel’s music as “Steeped in the old-timey and with a gravelly voice as deep and rich as moonshine on a riverbank… Larry’s flat-picking style is as seamless as it is gymnastic and he’s a master at simulating banjo rolls, mandolin runs or even parts that you would normally hear played on a fiddle.” Larry Keel is an ever-evolving musical force that stands in ongoing defiance to all genre expectations. And his fierce, high-spirited energy also appeals to young rockers, jammers, 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. Guitar Player Magazine noted, “When bluegrass guitar greats Tony Rice, Norman Blake, and Beppe Gambeta sing your praises, you must be good.”

Larry Keel will be picking with a variety of players swirling around the calendar for the whole year. For this special evening at Pisgah he will be joined by wife and rock-steady bass player Jenny Keel as well as banjo pickin buddy Danny Barnes.

Widely regarded as one of the most innovative and genre-bending artists of his craft, Danny Barnes’ musical interests are both varied and adventurous, and he incorporates that versatility into a progressive approach to an instrument that is musically polarizing and steeped in tradition. Although he demonstrates an appreciation for the history of the bluegrass, country, and folk music from which the banjo’s reputation was born, his inventive take is what truly separates him from his contemporaries…using the banjo as his ‘weapon of choice’ to play non-traditional music like rock, fusion, and jazz with electronic percussion and loop elements.

Both the Keels and Barnes have collaborated on stage with the likes of Bela Fleck, Del McCoury, Sam Bush, newgrass stars Yonder Mountain String band, Leftover Salmon, Keller Williams amongst others. When these powerhouse pickers get together, get ready to hear some chops!

Show details at a glance:
Larry Keel, Jenny Keel & Danny Barnes
Pisgah Brewing Company- Inside Taproom
Thursday, October 6, 2011

8pm doors/ 9pm show
$12 adv/ $15 dos
828/669-0190
150 Eastside Drive
Black Mountain, NC 28711
http://pisgahbrewing.com/

www.larrykeel.com
www.dannybarnes.com

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The Birmingham News Reports on Tara Nevins’s version of “Stars Fell on Alabama”

Think you’ve heard too many covers of “Stars Fell on Alabama”? Well, think again.

Tara Nevins, a member of the roots-rock band Donna the Buffalo, has created a unique version of the 1934 jazz standard, adhering to the original lyrics but changing the melody significantly.

Her cover, which appears on Nevins’ new solo album, “Wood and Stone,” makes the tune sound like old-time mountain music, with instrumentation and vocals to match.

Read the Full report here: http://blog.al.com/mcolurso/2011/09/tara_nevins_cover_of_stars_fel.html

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Red June Performs at the Whitehorse in Black Mountain on July 2nd with Mike Compton & Joe Newberry

Red June co-bill with Mike Compton & Joe Newberry

White Horse Black Mountain
Saturday, July 2, 2011
8pm show, $12
828 669-0816
105C Montreat Rd.
Black Mountain, NC 28711
www.whitehorseblackmountain.com

Red June is a dynamic, acoustic trio from Asheville, NC, performing beautifully distilled Americana music. The Red June sound is as versatile and original as the musicians themselves; they touch on bluegrass, roots rock, and traditional country music with powerful harmonies, innovative songwriting and expert musicianship. Red June is Will Straughan on dobro, guitar and vocals, celebrated fiddler and vocalist Natalya Weinstein, and John Cloyd Miller on mandolin, guitar and vocals.

Red June will be performing on Saturday, July 2nd at the Whitehorse in Black Mountain, NC. The show is a double bill show with Mike Compton & Joe Newberry.

“Red June is a combination of heart and harmonies with instrumental and vocal chops at the highest level. And the songwriting…well, bless my soul; and yours, ” states Joe Newberry, acclaimed North Carolina singer/songwriter.

John Cloyd Miller states, “We are really excited and honored to be sharing the bill with Compton & Newberry. Both of these guys are masters of their craft and their music has been hugely influential on us and countless others. Speaking as a mandolin player myself, Mike Compton is THE foremost Monroe-style mandolinist in the world and has taken that style to a new level and a new generation. I can’t say enough about Joe Newberry’s musicianship. His powerful guitar and banjo work, dynamic vocal style, and evocative songwriting have made a lasting impact on me. This duo is not to be missed!”

Veteran musicians Straughan, Miller and Weinstein formed Red June in 2008 after working in other acclaimed groups, namely the Emma Gibbs Band, Lo-Fi Breakdown and Polecat Creek. Members of Red June have shared the stage with countless bluegrass and Americana greats such as James Taylor, Robert Earl Keen, Sam Bush, Donna the Buffalo, Joe Craven, Jim Lauderdale, Del McCoury, Derek Trucks, Alice Gerrard, Jim Shumate and B.B. King, and have performed at festivals across the country including RockyGrass, Grey Fox, Merlefest, Grand Targhee, MagnoliaFest and Shakori Hills.

Red June is partnering with the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project for their Homegrown Tour 2011 to highlight the importance of local, sustainable food systems. To emphasize their “Buy Local” message, Red June, (named after the heirloom apple variety) is donating $1 of each CD sale at live shows in 2011 to the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP). ASAP does critical work in WNC expanding local food markets, supporting farmers, and building healthy communities through connections to local food.

Red June will take their Homegrown Tour out West this July and then up to the Northeast in August. Also, be on the lookout for them at Music City Roots this August as well as Bristol Rhythm and Roots. They are constantly creating new material and are currently planning a follow-up recording to “Remember Me Well,” Their 2010 release which was voted #1 in WNCW’s Regional Top 20 Contest. Find out more at: www.redjunemusic.com.

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Traditional music veterans Mike Compton and Joe Newberry love to play together – and it shows. Although they live far apart, their music makes them seem like they are next-door neighbors. And audiences around the world agree.

Mandolinist extraordinaire Mike Compton grew up in Mississippi, where he was exposed to music at an early age. A prolific composer, he has made a powerful mark in the old-time and bluegrass music worlds, including a fertile association with John Hartford in the Hartford String Band, as a long-time member of the Nashville Bluegrass Band, and with rock legend Elvis Costello. The multiple Grammy Award-winner treasures his memories of a friendship with his mentor, Bill Monroe.

Joe Newberry is a Missouri native and North Carolina transplant who has played music most of his life. Best known for his powerful and innovative banjo playing, he is a prizewinning guitarist, fiddler, and singer as well. In addition to his work with Mike Compton, Joe makes music with the string band Big Medicine, and with old-time music stalwarts Bill Hicks, Mike Craver, and Jim Watson. He writes songs that show up on the Bluegrass charts, does solo and studio work, and teaches and performs at festivals at home and abroad.

Joe and Mike are also members of the Jumpsteady Boys, a band they formed with friends Bruce Molsky and Rafe Stefanini that is taking the traditional music world by storm.

Find out more at: www.mikecompton.net and www.myspace.com/joenewberry.

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Flatpickin’ with the Keel Brothers at the John Allison Public House in Greencastle on 6/24 and Dante’s in Frostburg on 6/25

Original, and from the soul, Larry Keel, an acoustic Americana flatpicker, delivers inventive bluegrass, country, jam rock, roots reggae and indie-alt while always honoring those that introduced Bluegrass and Mountain Music. When Larry and his brother Gary Keel team up, as they occasionally do for live shows and two albums in the past six years, expect lightning-fast flatpicking!

The Keel Brothers music is deeply rooted in their father Jim Keel’s generation and his musical tastes, drawing on selections from the earliest Stanley Brothers, Hank Williams, Doc and Merle Watson, Classic Country Gentlemen, fiddle tunes and flatpicking guitar tunes and old ballads that were always a part of the weekly “jam sessions” of the Keels’ large circle of Bluegrass picker-friends. It was Larry’s older brother Gary (older by 12 years) who taught him to play the guitar at age 7, and bought him his first instrument.

The “Keel Brothers” project is a glimpse into the fantastic family energy that launched young Larry into virtuoso playing by the age of 17. Home Grown Music Network writes about the Keel Brothers album Volume 1, “Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of The Keel Brothers project is the happiness that pervades this recording. It is obvious that the Brothers are having a great time putting down into a permanent “record” these tunes that were absorbed during a youth spent in seizing every waking moment to play music: on the porch, in the kitchen while Mom’s cooking, at family and community picnics, cake walks, VFW benefits. And at night, while the rest of the family and the world’s asleep, Larry and Gary would be closed up in one of their bedrooms picking and recording long into the night.”

Listen to the Keel Brothers here.

Keel Brothers

John Allison Public House
Friday, June 24th, 2011
717-643-0218
104 E. BALTIMORE ST
Greencastle, PA 17225

Dante’s
Saturday, June 25th, 2011
301-639-1734
16 W.Main St.
Frostburg, MD 21532

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Larry Keel and Natural Bridge play the Capital Ale House in Richmond on Friday, April 13rd!

Larry Keel and Natural Bridge head back though Richmond, VA to play the Capital Ale House on Friday April 22nd, 2011.

Style Weekly did a nice preview stating, “Sporting the wildest mutton chop sideburns since Ambrose Burnside, flat picker Larry Keel plays bluegrass Americana that exhibits the kind of technical mastery of acoustic guitar only time can provide. Born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, the veteran player and songwriter — alongside his band, Natural Bridge — has remained a much-respected fixture of the Appalachian musical tradition. With the kind of gruff vocal delivery that could take Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder by surprise…”

Listen in to a wonderful interview podcast with Larry and Jenny Keel on Eternal JamNation here: http://eternaljamnationradio.com/shows/LarryandJennyKeel.mp3

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