Donna the Buffalo On Tour, New Album In The Works With Producer Rob Fraboni

(Left to right: David McCracken, Jeb Puryear, Tara Nevins, Mark Raudabaugh, Kyle Spark). Photo by Chris Mortenson from the band’s recent appearance on Jam in The Van

Distinctive, Groove-heavy, and Danceable,
Donna The Buffalo Recording New Album with Producer Rob Fraboni

 

Spring and Summer Tour Dates Announced!

ASHEVILLE, NC — Donna the Buffalo is joining forces with legendary Producer/ Engineer Rob Fraboni to record their next album February 2018 at Sonic Ranch in El Paso, TX. It is one of the world’s largest residential recording studios and is built around an 80-year-old hacienda and pecan orchard right along the border. Fraboni is well known for his work with Bob Dylan, The Band, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Tim Hardin, The Beach Boys, Joe Cocker, and Bonnie Raitt, and as Vice President at Island Records where he oversaw the remastering of the entire Bob Marley catalog. He produced the soundtrack on Martin Scorsese‘s groundbreaking concert movie, The Last Waltz, which included an all-star cast of famous rock and roll performers. He built and designed the legendary Shangri-La studios in Malibu to the specification of Bob Dylan and the Band. Referred to as a “genius” by Keith Richards in his bestselling autobiography Life.

Rob Fraboni, Tara Nevins, and Jeb Puryer at Sonic Ranch. Photo by Bess Greenberg

Known as one of the most dynamic and determined bands continuously touring America since 1989, Pittsburgh City Paper says, “Though it will always be hard to pinpoint the key to an act’s staying power, distinctiveness and consistency surely can’t hurt. Donna the Buffalo has carved out a niche; it has weathered trends, and even made some of its own by being unapologetically itself.” Donna the Buffalo is Jeb Puryear (vocals, electric guitar) and Tara Nevins (vocals, fiddle, guitar, accordion, scrubboard) joined by David McCracken (B3 Hammond organ, Hohner Clavinet & piano), Kyle Spark (bass) and Mark Raudabaugh (drums).

Donna the Buffalo drew their original inspiration from a cherished part of the American heritage: the old-time music festivals of the south that drew entire towns and counties together. Not only was it playing music at these events, it was the vibe and the togetherness that bonded the people that attended. The Erie Times says, “They craft spirit-soaring songs with distinct sensibilities: Nevins’ songs are unfailingly melodic, brisk and buoyant, powered by her reassuring, wisdom-soaked vocals and ever-present fiddle and accordion. Puryear’s songs accentuate the groove, his exceptional guitar work and sly, Dylan-like way with lyrics.”

Donna the Buffalo’s fanbase, The Herd, will be excited to hear the news of the upcoming album since their most recent album, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, came out nearly five years ago in the spring of 2013. All Music Guide says of it, “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 released ten albums and are affiliated with several others including  two solo albums from Nevins including 2011’s Wood and Stone (produced by Larry Campbell in Levon Helm Studios) and Mule to Ride in 1999,  Puryear’s 2007 solo album Hopes and Dreams, and a 2003 release, Wait Til Spring, with Jim Lauderdale. The band’s 2008 release, Silverlined, as well as the 2013 release, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, (both on Sugar Hill Records) did well on the Americana Music Chart, each placing well into the top ten.

“Donna the Buffalo knows a thing or two about rhythm, says New Haven Register. “Cajun, zydeco and old-time rhythms. A bit of reggae rhythm. Various guitar and fiddle rhythms. The rhythm of traveling by bus year after year for more than a quarter-century now, criss-crossing America… over and over again.”

The band’s tour kicks back up in New York City at at the City Winery in mid-March before a show at Ransom Steele Tavern near their hometown in the Finger Lakes region of New York state. They’ll be sunny Florida for the Suwannee Spring Reunion in March and the Peace River Revival in early April. They’ve got a plethora of shows lined up including two festivals which they started and are still the driving force behind: Spring Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival in Pittsboro in North Carolina in May and The Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival in Trumansburg, New York in July, as well as other great festivals like MerleFest, Old Settlers Music Festival, Edinboro Music & Arts Fest, Buttermilk Jamboree, Blue Heron Music Festival, and more!

Donna the Buffalo on Tour
3/16 Fri – City Winery – New York, NY
3/17 Sat – Ransom Steele Tavern – Apalachin, NY
3/24-25 Sat-Sun – Suwannee Spring Reunion – Live Oak, FL
4/6 Fri – Terra Fermata – Stuart, FL
4/7 Sat – Peace River Revival – Punta Gorda, FL
4/14 Sat – Loaded Up and Truckin @ Oskar Blues Brewery – Hendersonville, NC
4/19-20 Thu-Fri – Old Settlers Music Festival – Driftwood, TX
4/21 Sat – Blue Moon Saloon and Guest House – Lafayette, LA
4/26-29 Thu-Sun – MerleFest – Wilkesboro, NC
5/3-6 Thu-Sun – Spring Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival – Pittsboro, NC
5/11 Fri – The Dock – Ithaca, NY
5/12 Sat – Narrows Center for the Arts – Fall River, MA
5/13 Sun – Infinity Hall – Norfolk, CT
5/17 Thu – Edinboro Music & Arts Fest – Edinboro, PA
5/18 Fri – The Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA
5/19 Sat – The State Theatre – Falls Church, VA
5/20 Sun – Edinboro Music & Arts Fest – Edinboro, PA
6/16 Sat – Buttermilk Jamboree – Delton, MI
7/6-8 Fri-Sun – Blue Heron Music Festival – Sherman, NY
7/19-22 Thu-Sun – Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival – Trumansburg, NY
8/16 Thu – Daryl’s House Club – Pawling, NY
8/17 Fri – Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots Festival – Manchester, VT
8/18 Sat – Hickory Festival – Wellsboro, PA
8/24 Fri – Evanston SPACE – Evanston, IL
8/25 Sat – Porcupine Mountains Music Festival – Ontonagon, MI
9/15 Sat – Harwich Cranberry Jam – Harwich, MA

 

“Swing That Thing” Live on Jam in The Van –> 

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

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Donna The Buffalo Unveils New Music Video and Fall/Winter Tour!

Groove-heavy and Danceable,
Donna The Buffalo Announce Fall, NYE, and Winter Tour!

Music Video For “Across The Way” Unveiled

“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.” —All Music Guide

ASHEVILLE, NC — Donna the Buffalo is delighted to release a music video for their original song “Across The Way” along with a slew of tour dates for this Fall and Winter! The song breathes fresh air with lyrics written by Jeb Puryear, “Do you think that a smile matters… Do you think a song can change the world… If you do then let it play… All these things happen… Across the way… Do you believe in magic… I do… Every day… It’s right where you’re standing… Across the way.”

Known as one of the most dynamic and determined bands continuously touring America for nearly thirty years, Donna the Buffalo has created a community environment at their shows through their distinctive, groove-heavy, and danceable music. With roots in old time fiddle music that evolved into a soulful electric American mix infused with elements of cajun/ zydeco, rock, folk, reggae, and country, Donna’s music often contains social and moral responsibility as core beliefs, and they are just simply fun to get out and celebrate life with.

Donna the Buffalo is Jeb Puryear (vocals, electric guitar) and Tara Nevins (vocals, guitar, fiddle, accordion, scrubboard) joined by David McCracken (Hammond organ, Hohner Clavinet & piano), Kyle Spark (bass) and Mark Raudabaugh (drums).

Donna the Buffalo is excited to announce their Fall and Winter upcoming tour dates. They’ll be in the NorthEast in mid-September before heading south for a few shows including a performance at the historic Bijou Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee and Deep Water Soul Fest in Hot Springs, North Carolina and their very own Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival in Pittsboro, North Carolina. In mid-October they return to Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in northern Florida for the Suwannee Roots Revival before returning north for shows in Binghamton and Tarrytown, New York.

In November they bring their new bus out west for shows in Fort Collins and Nederland, Colorado, then on to the Moab Folk Festival in Utah, as well as appearance at the Musical Instruments Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. They’ll travel up the coast of California for six shows including Pappy and Harriet’s in Pioneertown and the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. Mid-month on they explore the NorthWest a bit more with shows in Eugene, Seattle, Portland, and Missoula. The band returns home and has a few shows in New York State in early December, along with a show at the new Boston City Winery!

Donna the Buffalo’s New Year’s run brings them back to Florida starting off December 29 at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall and then two nights (Including New Year’s Eve) at Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa. After a day of rest on New Year’s Day, they loop through Key West, Boca Raton, Orlando, Charleston, and Saxapahaw, NC.

Their Winter tour has more to be announced and already includes shows in Washington DC, Charlottesville, Atlanta, Charlotte, Saranac Lake, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh. Stay tuned for more dates to be added →  www.donnathebuffalo.com/on-the-road.

Donna the Buffalo Fall / Winter Tour
9/14 Thu – Infinity Hall – Hartford, CT
9/15 Fri – New Hope Winery – New Hope, PA
9/16 Sat – Harwich Cranberry Arts & Music Festival – Harwich, MA
9/22 Fri – Bijou Theatre – Knoxville, TN
9/23 Sat – Deep Water Soul Fest – Hot Springs, NC
10/5-8 Thu-Sun – Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival – Pittsboro, NC
10/13-15 Fri-Sun – Suwannee Roots Revival – Live Oak, FL
10/20 Fri – Touch of Texas – Binghamton, NY
10/21 Sat – Tarrytown Music Hall – Tarrytown, NY
11/2 Thu –  Hodi’s Half Note – Fort Collins, CO
11/3 Fri – The Caribou Room – Nederland, CO
11/4 Sat – Moab Folk Festival – Moab, UT
11/5 Sun – Musical Instruments Museum – Phoenix, AZ
11/8 Wed – Saint Rocke – Hermosa Beach, CA
11/9 Thu – Pappy and Harriet’s – Pioneertown, CA
11/10 Fri – Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
11/11 Sat – The Catalyst Atrium – Santa Cruz, CA
11/12 Sun – Hopmonk Tavern – Sebastopol, CA
11/14 Tue – Humboldt Brews – Arcata, CA
11/15 Wed – WOW Hall – Eugene, OR
11/16 Thu – Tractor Tavern – Seattle, WA
11/17 Fri – Mississippi Studios – Portland, OR
11/18 Sat – Top Hat Lounge – Missoula, MT
12/1 Fri – Cohoes Music Hall – Cohoes, NY
12/2 Sat – City Winery – Boston, MA
12/8 Fri – The Westcott Theater – Syracuse, NY
12/9 Sat – Anthology – Rochester, NY
12/29 Fri – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall – Ponte Vedra, FL
12/30-31 Sat-Sun – Skipper’s – Tampa, FL
1/2/18 Tue – Green Parrot – Key West, FL
1/3 Wed – The Funky Biscuit – Boca Raton, FL
1/4 Thu – The Social – Orlando, FL
1/5 Fri – The Charleston Pour House – Charleston, SC
1/6 Sat – Haw River Ballroom – Saxapahaw, NC
1/19 Fri – The Hamilton Live – Washington, DC
1/20 Sat – Jefferson Theater – Charlottesville, VA
1/26 Fri – City Winery – Atlanta, GA
1/27 Sat – Neighborhood Theater – Charlotte, NC
2/8 Thu – The Waterhole – Saranac Lake, NY
2/9 Fri – Tralf Music Hall – Buffalo, NY
2/10 Sat – Rex Theater – Pittsburgh, PA

More shows to be announced at www.donnathebuffalo.com/on-the-road

 

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Finger Lakes GrassRoots Culture Camp Schedule Announced! Music, Workshops & More

GrassRoots Culture Camp at Trumansburg Fairgrounds on July 16-19

Four Days of Music and Dance Workshops
Leading Up to The 27th Annual Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival in Trumansburg, NY

See the full lineup and schedule →  www.grassrootsfest.org/culture-camp-1-1/

TRUMANSBURG, NY —  Over the past few decades, the Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance has grown to be more than just a single event in Trumansburg, NY and this year the latest addition to the roster returns for its sophomore year: the GrassRoots Culture Camp 2017 runs from Sunday through Wednesday, July 16-19, the four days leading up to the 27th annual GrassRoots Festival which takes place July 20-23. Both the camp and the festival are held at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds.

Culture Camp is an incredible opportunity to attend four days of music and dance workshops led by many of the favorite GrassRoots performers including instructors from Donna The Buffalo, Driftwood, The Horseflies, Preston Frank and His Zydeco Family Band, Keith Secola, Balfa Toujours, Los Texmaniacs, Big Mean Sound Machine, Jennie Lowe Stearns, The Blind Spots, Richie and Rosie, Bobby Henrie and The Goners, and many more!

Culture Camp Coordinator and co-founding member of Donna the Buffalo, Tara Nevins, says, “GrassRoots Culture Camp offers first hand learning experience with masters of traditional and contemporary art forms, including music, dance, visual arts, and culinary arts in a fun and positive setting, promoting community and the importance of tradition and culture in our society.”

The workshops, along with themed nightly dinners and dances, provide an opportunity to immerse oneself in an intimate learning experience and to enjoy a few extra days of fun before the festival begins. Workshops include fiddle, banjo, guitar, the art of guitar and cello, bass, mandolin, accordion, improvisation, singing, children’s sing song, country songs old and new, cajun songs, songwriting, father and son duo, Native Americana, the spirit of the native american drum, Moog synthesizers, Afrobeat drumset rhythms & concepts, bodhran, scrubboard, triangle, dance, acrylic painting, yoga, youth percussion, and youth square dance. Advanced musicians as well as beginners are welcome!

PREVIOUS CULTURE CAMP ATTENDEES SAY:

“What an amazing experience Culture Camp turned out to be! Rarely is there an opportunity to immerse yourself in music while learning how to make it. The nightly shows in the dance tent were fabulous! The dinner cuisine was superb! My favorite workshops were Songwriting and Duet Singing. I left Culture Camp feeling inspired and energized!” –Phyllis Atwell

“In all honesty, last year’s Culture Camp was a major life experience for me. I was able to work and jam with with professionals, such as Jeb Puryear. At my level of playing as an adult learner, I never thought that I would have had that opportunity. I received individualized instruction from the very talented Joey Arcuri of Driftwood. I don’t think I’ve put down my upright bass since. I look forward to Culture Camp to rejuvenate the inspiration and motivation for another whole year. Culture Camp is such a beautiful way to ease into the excitement of the music festival….the feeding of my soul through music, education, arts, culture, and friends that have become family.” –Ni Lu

“My Culture Camp participation was a combination of learning, experiencing, and interacting with people up close and feeling the joy of what they do and bring to GrassRoots. It’s truly rewarding!” –Jeffrey Schriber

Watch Tara Nevins (of Donna The Buffalo) talk about GrassRoots Culture Camp

WORKSHOPS WITH INSTRUCTORS FROM:
Donna The Buffalo
Driftwood
The Horseflies
Preston Frank and His Zydeco Family Band
Keith Secola
Balfa Toujours
Los Texmaniacs
Big Mean Sound Machine
Jennie Lowe Stearns
The Blind Spots
Richie and Rosie
Bobby Henrie and The Goners
Jones Benally
Laila Belle
The Grady Girls
plus many more…..

NIGHTLY DANCES (Open to the public)

Sunday July 16th – Bobby Henrie and The Goners (rarified rockabilly, swing and everything in between)

Monday July 17th – Balfa Toujours – (“Balfa Always”, carrying on the legacy and tradition of the Balfa Brothers. Cajun music at it’s best.)

Tuesday July 18th – Los Texmaniacs – (Grammy-winning Conjunto band, incorporating elements from rock & roll and jazz while still honoring the roots of Conjunto Tejano)

Wednesday July 19th – Preston Frank and His Zydeco Family Band – (From Soileau, Louisiana, the finest in Creole/Zydeco music)

TICKETS AND DETAILS

ALL INCLUSIVE 4-DAY ADMISSION – $125 – This ticket includes four days of workshops plus nightly dinners & dances. Youth (15 and under) $65

SINGLE DAY FULL ADMISSION – $40 – This ticket includes one day of workshops plus nightly dinners & dances.
DINNER & DANCE ONLY – ONE NIGHT – $30 – 6:30 PM each night

DANCE ONLY – ONE NIGHT – $15  – 8:30 PM each night

CAMPING OPTIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR AN ADDITION FEE

LOCATION: Trumansburg Fairgrounds, Rt 96, Trumansburg, NY 14886. Info: (607) 387-5090

 

Listen to an interview with GrassRoots Culture Camp Coordinator Tara Nevins on WHCU radio  → http://whcuradio.com/morning-newswatch/grassroots-culture-camp/

You can find the event on Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/1766466600330369/

FOR COMPLETE GRASSROOTS CULTURE CAMP INFORMATION, THE SCHEDULE, TICKETS PRICES, AND FURTHER DETAILS, GO TO: www.grassrootsfest.org/culture-camp-1-1/

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Donna the Buffalo Performs at MerleFest 2017 – Groove-heavy & Danceable

This year at MerleFest, Donna the Buffalo plays sets on multiple stages:
Watson Stage Saturday Night Jam with Donna the Buffalo and Special Guests!
Sets on the Americana Stage, The Dance Tent, and The Hillside Stage.

Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear also make an appearance in the Walker Center Stage as part of Docabilly Blues Blowout with Mitch Greenhill, T. Michael Coleman, Jeff Little, Jorma Kaukonen, Jim Avett, and Pat McInerney.
See DtB’s Full MerleFest Schedule Below

www.donnathebuffalo.com
www.merlefest.org

Known as one of the most dynamic and determined bands continuously touring America for nearly thirty years, Donna the Buffalo has created a community environment at their shows through their distinctive, groove-heavy, and danceable music. With roots in old time fiddle music that evolved into a soulful electric American mix infused with elements of cajun/ zydeco, rock, folk, reggae, and country, Donna’s music often contains social and moral responsibility as core beliefs, and they are just simply fun to get out and celebrate life with.

“Donna the Buffalo… amazing swirl of squeezebox, Hammond organ, fiddle and pulsing electric guitar… Their hippified Zydeco sound first reached my eager ears at MerleFest ages ago when they were stirring the Dance Tent into a swirl of sweat and energy,” says Music City Roots’ Craig Havighurst. “They’re as fine a band for close listening as they are for a party – a sound that’s been honed and practiced since 1989. Jeb Puyear and Tara Nevins share vocal and songwriting duties with he on Stratocaster and she on fiddle or sometimes Cajun rubboard. They don’t make news very often; they just play and tour and play and tour.

Donna the Buffalo first started playing MerleFest in 1994. It was the year the entrance was moved to it’s current location and new stages (like the Dance Tent) were added to help the growing festival. Learn more about the event’s history at Wilkesboro Journal-Patriot in their 2012 History of MerleFest series.

In 2000, MTV.com wrote, “Along with such true-bluegrass names as Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, Sam Bush, and Laurie Lewis & Her Bluegrass Pals, some odd monikers show up on the schedule for this weekend’s MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC… Odd as in Donna the Buffalo… Bands such as Donna the Buffalo… have often found themselves at odds with folk purists, but they’ve been accepted over the years at MerleFest and are just now finding summer homes at other festivals.”

“I think the festivals have broadened their scope. MerleFest was always pretty broad,” Donna the Buffalo frontwoman Tara Nevins said to MTV in 2000. “They’re having us this year for the dance [stage]… we fit because they’re broadening, but we also fit because we have a lot of roots stuff right in there… I feel there’s a thread between all that, whether it’s country, old time — the roots. So it’s exploring the thread between the idea of one world, one music community, one roots thing.”

Mountain Times’ Derek Halsey wrote in 2016, “Donna The Buffalo became a perennial favorite at MerleFest long ago. The rootsy and diverse jamband, based in upstate New York, has made a point of being a part of the North Carolina festival scene over the years and their appearance in North Wilkesboro every April has become a tried and true tradition.”

“We love playing in the Dance Tent as it is a fun set,” Nevins said in the interview with Halsey. “It has been a very long time. I can’t remember the first year that we played at MerleFest… We definitely feel like we’re a part of the MerleFest family and we love the festival and always look forward to it.” In 2016 Donna the Buffalo was honored to host the late-night Saturday night Midnight Jam for the first time (Mipso hosts in 2017).

Now, in 2017, this broad range of talent shines through honoring MerleFest’s roots and branches with a stellar lineup that includes, Transatlantic Sessions (hosted by Jerry Douglas and Aly Bain with special guests James Taylor, Sarah Jarosz, John Doyle), The Avett Brothers, Zac Brown Band, Bela Fleck, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Del McCoury Band, Leftover Salmon, Sam Bush Band, The Earls of Leicester featuring Jerry Douglas, Peter Rowan, Steep Canyon Rangers, The Kruger Brothers, Jorma Kaukonen, The Steel Wheels, Mipso, Scythian, Chatham County Line, Sierra Hull, I Draw Slow, Jim Lauderdale, Bryan Sutton Band, Donna the Buffalo, The Waybacks, David Holt, Pete and Joan Wernick, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, Claire Lynch, Front Country, The Stray Birds and lots more!

This year at MerleFest, Donna the Buffalo is stacked with sets on multiple stages including closing out the Watson Stage for a Saturday Night Jam with Donna the Buffalo and Special Guests! They also have sets on the Americana Stage, The Dance Tent, and The Hillside Stage. Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear also make an appearance in the Walker Center Stage as part of Docabilly Blues Blowout with Mitch Greenhill, T. Michael Coleman, Jeff Little, Jorma Kaukonen, Jim Avett, and Pat McInerney.

Donna the Buffalo is Jeb Puryear (vocals, electric guitar) and Tara Nevins (vocals, guitar, fiddle, accordion, scrubboard) joined by David McCracken (Hammond organ, Hohner 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.”

Their old school purple Eagle tour bus, however, was something that just wouldn’t “go.” Well known to The Herd across the country as the band travels spends over half of each year on the road, they put 1 million miles on the original engine traveling from coast to coast; from their home in Trumansburg on down to Suwannee, from MerleFest to Mcdowell Mountain, from Blue Heron to Grand Targhee, and every fine venue in between. Over mountains, through valleys, across plains, and desert, their bus enables Donna the Buffalo to share their music with you all.

Earlier this year, they successfully funded a new tour bus through GoFundMe raising over $85,000 in just a few weeks. “We thank you all for your continued support, love, and friendship. It means the world to us. We can’t do this without you and we can’t thank you enough. Peace and Love Always,” says Donna the Buffalo.

With their new bus equipped for the road, they have embarked on tour throughout the states and are thrilled to be returning to MerleFest in 2017!

Donna the Buffalo Full MerleFest Schedule:

Friday: Americana Stage: Donna the Buffalo
1:30 PM – 2:15 PM

Friday: Walker Center Stage: Docabilly Blues Blowout with Mitch Greenhill, T. Michael Coleman, Jeff Little, Jorma Kaukonen, Jim Avett, Tara Nevins, Jeb Puryear, and Pat McInerney
3:45 PM – 4:30 PM

Friday: Dance Tent: Freestyle Dance with Donna the Buffalo
5:15 PM – 6:00 PM

Saturday: Autograph Booth: Autograph Session with Donna the Buffalo
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

Saturday: Creekside Stage: Tara Nevins is joining in on Memories of The Watson Family hosted by T. Michael Coleman with Watson Family Friends
12:00 PM-1:30 PM

Saturday: Dance Tent: Saturday Night Dance Party with Donna the Buffalo
7:00 PM – 8:15 PM

Saturday: Watson Stage: Saturday Night Jam with Donna the Buffalo and Special Guests
9:45 PM – 11:15 PM

Donna the Buffalo will also be part of the Midnight Jam on Saturday in The Walker Center, hosted by Mipso.

Sunday: Hillside Stage: Donna the Buffalo
11:15 AM – 12:00 PM

MerleFest has unveiled the 2017 MerleFest mobile app, now available for download for free. It features the MerleFest lineup and stage schedules, artist biographies, map, announcements, social media links and more.

The app allows users to plan for their entire MerleFest experience. A bonus for MerleFest fans: once downloaded, the app will be fully functional without having connection to phone service. Just visit your app store and search MerleFest and you can have the schedule in your hands before you even get on site!

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

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Help Donna the Buffalo Get a New Bus! Perform with the Band, House Concerts, Tickets

Help Donna the Buffalo Get a New Bus!
Perform with the Band, House Concerts, Tickets

More information → www.gofundme.com/donnathebuffalo

Trumansburg, NY — One of the most dynamic and determined bands continuously touring America for since 1989, Donna the Buffalo has created a community environment at their shows through their distinctive, groove-heavy, and danceable music. Donna the Buffalo is a band for the people that is accessible, positive, and memorable. With roots in old time fiddle music that evolved into a soulful electric American mix infused with elements of cajun/ zydeco, rock, folk, reggae, and country, Donna’s music often contains social and moral responsibility as core beliefs, and they are just simply fun to get out and celebrate life with.

Donna the Buffalo is founding members Jeb Puryear and Tara Nevins joined by David McCracken, Kyle Spark, and Mark Raudabaugh. “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.”

After over a decade of service and after delivering the band safely to over a thousand gigs, it is time to retire their beloved purple Eagle tour bus. Being on the road for over 25 years, the band spends nearly half the year on the bus. At this point they cannot continue doing what they do without buying a new bus.

They put 1 million miles on the original engine traveling from coast to coast; from their home in Trumansburg on down to Suwannee, from MerleFest to Mcdowell Mountain, from Blue Heron to Grand Targhee, and every fine venue in between. Over mountains, through valleys, across plains, and desert, our bus has enabled Donna the Buffalo to share their music with you all.

In the last 6 months they have replaced the engine twice. At this point, with yet another round of mechanical issues due to the bus’s age, they are struggling to make it to their shows. The time has come. Jeb Puryear says, “We have no choice but to buy a new bus.”

Owning and maintaining a bus is no small feat. Jeb, along with the bands driver Loi Cao, Jordy Risk, and many others through the years have worked extremely hard to maintain the bus and keep everyone safe on the road. Tara says, “We appreciate everyone’s devotion, love, and hard greasy grueling work to keep us in our purple bus on the road all of these years.”

“We love our bus and we are sad to see it go” All of the band agrees saying, “We have wonderful memories with you all because of that bus. We will carry this love on to the new bus.”

The band’s manager, Ben Greenberg, has started a GoFundMe page to help make it happen→ www.gofundme.com/donnathebuffalo. All money raised will be used directly towards the purchase of the new bus. They have been shopping steadily and we have found one that they are very excited about.

From the moment the band posted the campaign to social media, within 24 hours over 20k was raised. Tara says, “We are feeling the love so strongly! I can’t even express how much we appreciate this. We are feeling incredible gratitude and love! And it’s only the beginning! Thank you so very much from all of us! This means so much to us! We are sending you love back big time! We can get there, I hope we can! We can’t wait to drive in our new bus out west down south, up north, and east! Love and thank you to all! I know we can do this!”

Levels of donations range from $25 for a signed copy of their next studio album when released to house concerts with Tara and Jeb to performing a song with the band and a lifetime guest list for two. They have been in the studio a handful of days already this year and are planning on returning this winter to lay down more track. More news will be forthcoming about the next studio release. There are also a couple of Herd Getaway Lottery entry levels for one person or a couple for the possibility of winning a weekend on the bus with the band, a private meet & greet and cocktails with Tara and Jeb including show tickets, a private songwriting session with Tara and Jeb, dinner and cocktails for two with Tara and Jeb, guest list for a year or two for two people, box seta, t-shirts, mugs, hats, a weekend on the bus. All of the levels are named after songs that have become fan favorites over the years.

“We thank you all for your continued support, love, and friendship. It means the world to us. We can’t do this without you and we can’t thank you enough. Peace and Love Always,” Donna the Buffalo.

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

 

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Donna the Buffalo Announce Winter 2016 Tour Dates

Donna the Buffalo Announce Winter 2016 Tour Dates
Distinctive, groove-heavy, and danceable,
Donna the Buffalo is a band for the people

One of the most dynamic and determined bands continuously touring America for since 1989, Donna the Buffalo has created a community environment at their shows through their distinctive, groove-heavy, and danceable music.

Donna the Buffalo is happy to announce their new year’s and winter tour for 2016! They travel into Florida leading up to the  New Year with a show in Ponte Vedra Beach on the 30th of December and they ring in the new year on NYE at Skipper’s in Tampa. They continue on in early January through Stuart, Boca Raton, Key West, and Orlando before heading back up north for stops in Saxapahaw, NC as well as Charlottesville, and Richmond, Virginia before a short break.

The tour picks back up again at The Hamilton in Washington, DC on January, 22nd as they travel south to play Asheville’s Orange Peel the following day. The following Thursday they meet up with Ben Cohen (Co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s) for another Stampede show – this one Free – in Plymouth, NH on the 28th. That weekend they roam the northeast with shows in Jim Thorpe, Buffalo, and Infinity Hall in Norfolk. In early February they hit the Brooklyn Bowl, Club Helsinki Hudson, the Narrow center for the Arts in Fall River and the Bull Run Concert Series near Boston, MA. Inventive New York City-based band, City of the Sun will open along select winter shows.

Donna the Buffalo is the host band for the Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival of Music, Art & Dance in Miami and they’ll be performing throughout the weekend from Thursday-Sunday, February 18-21. Stay tuned for more dates to be announced for late winter and early spring!

Donna the Buffalo is Jeb Puryear (vocals, electric guitar) and Tara Nevins (vocals, guitar, fiddle, accordion, scrubboard) joined by David McCracken (Hammond organ, Hohner 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.”

Donna the Buffalo is a band for the people that is accessible, positive, and memorable. With roots in old time fiddle music that evolved into a soulful electric American mix infused with elements of cajun/ zydeco, rock, folk, reggae, and country. I

“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 Winter Tour 2016
12/30 Wed – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
12/31/15 Thu – Skipper’s Smokehouse – Tampa, FL
1/1/16 Fri – Terra Fermata – Stuart, FL
1/2 Sat – The Funky Biscuit – Boca Raton, FL
1/5-6 Tue-Wed – Green Parrot – Key West, FL
1/7 Thu – Plaza Live – Orlando, FL
1/8 Fri – Haw River Ballroom – Saxapahaw, NC
1/9 Sat – The Jefferson Theater – Charlottesville, VA*
1/10 Sun – Capital Ale House – Richmond, VA
1/22 Fri -The Hamilton – Washington, DC*
1/23 Sat – The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC*
1/28 Thu – Flying Monkey Performance Center – Plymouth, NH#
1/29 Fri – Mauch Chunk Opera House – Jim Thorpe, PA*
1/30 Sat – Buffalo Iron Works – Buffalo, NY*
1/31 Sun – Infinity Hall – Norfolk, CT*
2/3 Wed – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY
2/4 Thu – Club Helsinki Hudson – Hudson, NY
2/5 Fri – Narrows Center For the Arts – Fall River, MA
2/6 Sat – The Bull Run Concert Series – Shirley, MA
2/18-21 Thu-Sun – Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival of Music, Art & Dance – Miami, FL

* w/ City of The Sun opening
# Stampede show with Ben Cohen (Co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s) Free!

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

More about the music →
Jeb talks of his inspiration “rolling off all the great protest songs and the socially conscious music like Bob Marley and The Beatles and Bob Dylan – all of that stuff. So that, to me, is sort of like a tradition to write from that angle as a way of reflecting on what you feel about the world and how you feel it could be better and getting to a different place as a society. There’s also the strength that comes from music and gives you the feeling like you can change those things and make some progress, and then express some of the particulars about what you’d like to change.”

“If there’s a common thread, it’s an up-tempo beat that gets audiences dancing, moving and smiling, even for the more topical songs. That’s part of the point: Sending energy and spreading joy can be political acts… When the band recently went out to the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations, Puryear read a pamphlet that said ‘it’s about the vibration,’ and he agrees.

‘The vibe is going to be the big change, out of a passion for living,”Jeb says said to the Rochester Messenger Post. “Just that kind of energy, something we kind of feel in ourselves.” It’s certainly kept the band rejuvenated, he noted: It’s “having an absolute chemistry that’s creative and can still be exciting over 20-something years.’”

Donna the Buffalo was on tour in the fall of 2015 with The Stampede: A tour to raise awareness to the inappropriate use of corporate money in politics, which garnered press in USA Today and SALON, as well as the support of Occupy Wall Street and Headcount, amongst many others. They joined forces with Ben Cohen, Co-Founder of Ben & Jerry’s, who has started stamping slogans on currency in protest (stampstampede.org). American roots music troubadour Peter Rowan joined in on the tour as well; he says “At last, it comes around again; making music with Donna the Buffalo, one of my favorites.”

“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.”

For more information and complete tour dates, please visit www.donnathebuffalo.com.

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Donna the Buffalo & Peter Rowan with Ben Cohen (Co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s) “United to Stamp $ Out of Politics” on The Stampede Tour

Donna the Buffalo & Peter Rowan with Ben Cohen (Co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s)
“United to Stamp $ Out of Politics” on The Stampede Tour

“This tour is extremely unique. In the 60s and 70s, music and politics were closely related, but it seems like that has been waning in the present. Having the Stampede come through AMH is refreshing, and I think many fans will embrace the opportunity to be a part of something bigger. “
–Becky Blumenthal, Marketing Director at The Ardmore Music Hall

American roots music troubadours, Donna the Buffalo and Peter Rowan, are teaming up with Ben Cohen, Co-Founder of Ben Jerry’s, for a unique tour called “The Stampede.” It is a tour to raise awareness to the inappropriate use of corporate money in politics. With the upcoming election season, this is to help raise awareness of the power of each individual while enjoying a great night of entertainment.

The Stampede is led by Ben Cohen, Co-Founder of Ben and Jerry’s. It uses a simple and effective tactic of rubber stamping messages on paper currency as a demonstration of public demand and outrage. “Since 2000, special interest groups have poured over $11 billion into federal elections. The absurd level of money in politics from corporations and billionaires is raping and corrupting our democracy. The Stampede is a demonstration of public outrage and its working,” stated Cohen.

Tara Nevins says in an interview with Live For Live Music, “Tens of thousands of people are doing it, using the dollars like a political billboard to get the message across, which is an effort to take money out of politics.” Nevins continues, “One of them says ‘Not to be used for bribing politicians’ and you just stamp that on your dollar bill.”

“As a band, we have made a long term commitment to join this burgeoning movement,” says Jeb Puryear of Donna the Buffalo. “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.”

By special arrangement Stampede rubber stamps, which normally sell for $10, will be available at the shows for a suggested donation of $5. Every stamped bill gets seen by 875 people once it goes into circulation. If 3000 stampers stamps three bills a day for a year it will create 2.8 BILLION impressions as the bills go into circulation. To sweeten the deal, FREE Ben & Jerry’s ice cream coupons will be given away in with the purchase of the first fifty stamps sold per show. The Stampede is a project of People Power Initiatives, a Vermont-based 501c3 non-profit organization.

“It’s totally legal and it’s very satisfying to stamp a stack of bills knowing you’re part of a growing grassroots movement putting this message out there,” says Puryear.

Together, we can create a stampede that Congress can’t ignore,” says Ben Cohen the co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. “Some people say that a constitutional amendment is impossible, but nearly every generation has amended the Constitution to protect and expand our democracy. This is our generation’s fight to win.”

The Stampede will continue into the election year with Donna, Ben, and various friends. They kick it off with Grammy-award winner and six-time Grammy nominee Peter Rowan in the fall of 2015.

Peter Rowan’s career spans over five decades, from his early years playing under the tutelage of Bluegrass veteran Bill Monroe, to his time in Old & In the Way and breakout as a solo musician and bandleader, Rowan has built a devoted, international fan base through a solid stream of records, collaborative projects, and constant touring. Rowan often performs as a solo singer-songwriter internationally and stateside he plays in three bands: the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, a quintet featuring Keith Little, Chris Henry, Blaine Sprouse and Paul Knight; Big Twang Theory and its Texas Cousin Twang n Groove, as well as rock band The Free Mexican Air Force.

Donna the Buffalo has played festivals throughout the States with Peter a plethora of times over the years, often collaborating on stage with sit ins and they toured together for a bit about 15 years ago. Peter Rowan says of The Stampede, “At last, it comes around again; making music with Donna the Buffalo, one of my favorites.” For these shows Peter will be playing solo for about 45 minutes then Donna will play a set with Peter joining in at the end.

One of the most dynamic and determined bands continuously touring America for the past 26 years, Donna the Buffalo has created a community environment at their shows through their distinctive, groove-heavy, and danceable music. Donna the Buffalo is a band for the people that is accessible, positive, and memorable. With roots in old time fiddle music that evolved into a soulful electric American mix infused with elements of cajun/ zydeco, rock, folk, reggae, and country, Donna’s music often contains social and moral responsibility as core beliefs, and they are just simply fun to get out and celebrate life with. 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).

The Stampede on Tour:
11/11 Wed – The Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA*
11/12 Thu – Highline Ballroom – New York, NY*
11/13 Fri – The German House – Rochester, NY*
11/14 Sat – The Ridgefield Playhouse – Ridgefield, CT*
11/15 Sun – Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center – Stowe, VT*
11/18 Wed – Ziggy’s By The Sea – Wilmington, NC*
11/19 Thu – Ziggy’s – Winston-Salem, NC*
11/20 Fri – Neighborhood Theatre – Charlotte, NC*
11/21 Sat – Rives Theatre – Martinsville, VA~
11/22  Sun – Bijou Theatre – Knoxville, TN~
12/2 Wed – Mainstage – Morgantown, WV*
12/3 Thu – The Kent Stage – Kent, OH*
12/4 Fri – Old Town School of Folk Music – Chicago, IL*
12/5 Sat – Dakota Jazz Club – Minneapolis, MN ~
12/6 Sun – Stoughton Opera House – Stoughton, WI ~

* Donna the Buffalo & Peter Rowan with Ben Cohen Co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s
~ Donna the Buffalo and Peter Rowan

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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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The Stampede: Donna the Buffalo & Peter Rowan on Tour This Fall “United to Stamp $ Out of Politics” with Ben Cohen (Co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s)

The Stampede: Donna the Buffalo & Peter Rowan on Tour This Fall
“United to Stamp $ Out of Politics”
with Ben Cohen (Co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s)

The Stampede Tour Dates:
11/11 Wed – Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA
11/12 Thu – Highline Ballroom – New York, NY
11/13 Fri – German House – Rochester, NY
11/14 Sat – The Ridgefield Playhouse – Ridgefield, CT
11/15 Sun – Spruce Peak – Stowe, VT
11/18 Wed – Ziggy’s By The Sea – Wilmington, NC
11/19 Thu – Ziggy’s – Winston-Salem, NC
11/20 Fri – The Neighborhood Theatre – Charlotte, NC
12/2 Wed – Mainstage – Morgantown, WV
12/3 Thu – The Kent Stage – Kent, OH
12/4 Fri – Old Town School of Folk Music – Chicago, IL
More dates TBA

American roots music troubadours, Donna the Buffalo and Peter Rowan, are teaming up with Ben Cohen, Co-Founder of Ben Jerry’s, for The Stampede: A tour to raise awareness to the inappropriate use of corporate money in politics. Peter Rowan says, “At last, it comes around again; making music with Donna the Buffalo, one of my favorites.” In the Fall of 2015, The Stampede lands in Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, North Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio, and Illinois. Stay tuned for more dates to be announced.

The Stampede is led by Ben Cohen, Co-Founder of Ben and Jerry’s. It uses a simple and effective tactic of rubber stamping messages on paper currency as a demonstration of public demand and outrage.

“Since 2000, special interest groups have poured over $11 billion into federal elections. The absurd level of money in politics from corporations and billionaires is raping and corrupting our democracy. The Stampede is a demonstration of public outrage and its working,” stated Cohen.

“As a band, we have made a long term commitment to join this burgeoning movement,” says Jeb Puryear of Donna the Buffalo. “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.”

By special arrangement Stampede rubber stamps, which normally sell for $10, will be available at the shows for a suggested donation of $5. Every stamped bill gets seen by 875 people once it goes into circulation. If 3000 stampers stamps three bills a day for a year it will create 2.8 BILLION impressions as the bills go into circulation.

“Its totally legal and it’s very satisfying to stamp a stack of bills knowing you’re part of a growing grassroots movement putting this message out there,” says Puryear.

Donna the Buffalo

About Donna The Buffalo:
www.DonnaTheBuffalo.com

Having started in 1989, Donna the Buffalo has passed the marker as their 25th year as a band and have proven to be a consistent purveyor of American music. “For the dizzying array of styles and genres with which they work, Donna The Buffalo maintain a surprising level of consistency. The New York-based band has played around with folk, zydeco, and many other musical ideas over the course of their 25-year career, but they retain a sharp focus that has helped them create some truly lasting music,” writes Elmore Magazine.

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.”

About Peter Rowan:
www.Peter-Rowan.com

Grammy-award winner and six-time Grammy nominee Peter Rowan is a singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades. From his early years playing under the tutelage of Bluegrass veteran Bill Monroe, to his time in Old & In the Way and breakout as a solo musician and bandleader, Rowan has built a devoted, international fan base through a solid stream of records, collaborative projects, and constant touring.

Rowan began his professional career in 1963 as the singer, rhythm guitarist and songwriter for the Bluegrass Boys, led by the founding father of bluegrass, Bill Monroe. “One thing I started to like about the Monroe style was that there was a lot more blues in it than other styles of bluegrass,” reflects Rowan. “It was darker  It had more of an edge to it. And yet it still had the ballad tradition in it, and I loved that.”

Rowan often performs as a solo singer-songwriter internationally and stateside he plays in three bands: the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, a quintet featuring Keith Little, Chris Henry, Blaine Sprouse and Paul Knight; Big Twang Theory and its Texas Cousin Twang n Groove and rock band The Free Mexican Air Force.

About The Stampede:
www.StampStampede.org

The Stampede is tens of thousands of Americans legally stamping messages on our Nation’s currency to #GetMoneyOut of Politics. As the amount of stamped money grows, so does the movement to amend the Constitution. The Stampede is a project of People Power Initiatives, a Vermont-based 501c3 non-profit organization.

There is a national movement afoot to #GetMoneyOut of politics. Over 5 million people have signed petitions in support of a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and our lawmakers are beginning to listen. We’re over 33% of the way to an amendment with 16 states voting for it and 150 Members of Congress support it. Every dollar you stamp will reach 875 people, if you stamp 5 dollars a day for a year, that’s over a million.

“Together, we can create a stampede that Congress can’t ignore,” says Ben Cohen the co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. “Some people say that a constitutional amendment is impossible, but nearly every generation has amended the Constitution to protect and expand our democracy. This is our generation’s fight to win.”

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Donna the Buffalo On Tour Summer 2015, Run in the West Announced

Donna the Buffalo On Tour Summer 2015, Run in the West Announced

ASHEVILLE, NC — Having started in 1989, Donna the Buffalo has passed the marker as their 25th year as a band and have proven to be a consistent purveyor of American music. They kick off their 2015 Summer tour at the Blue Heron Festival in Sherman, NY over the weekend of the 4th of July before heading up to their stomping grounds in Trumansburg, NY to celebrate the 25th annual Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance mid-month, a festival Donna started, and are still the driving force behind. Late July brings them through Rochester, NY and then over to  Kalamazoo, MI and Lander, WY for a couple of shows on their way out West in August for performances in Missoula, MT, a return to the Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival in Wyoming, and then back through Boulder and Denver for a couple of Colorado shows.

Mid-August sees their return East with stops in New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. They have a short break from the road and pick back up again leading into the Fall in mid-September playing in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, and West Virginia, as well as October’s The Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival in North Carolina and Magnolia Fest in Live Oak, FL. Stay tuned for more Fall shows to be announced.

Donna the Buffalo is Jeb Puryear (vocals, electric guitar) and Tara Nevins (vocals, guitar, fiddle, accordion, scrubboard) joined by David McCracken (Hammond B3 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.”

The group draws its inspiration from a cherished part of the American heritage: the old-time music festivals of the south that drew entire towns and counties together. “Those festivals were so explosive, and the community and the feeling of people being with each other, that’s the feeling we were shooting for in our music,” Puryear says. “Donna the Buffalo is an extension of the joy we’ve found.”

Over the years, the band has also built a following that proudly calls itself The Herd, along with a well-deserved reputation for crafting social narratives and slipstream grooves without equal. To merely call this “roots music” does it disservice, for the roots nurtured by Puryear and Nevins run wild, deep and strong—a tribute to how much Donna the Buffalo marries musical trailblazing and tradition.

“It’s a great feeling to promote such a feeling of community, like you’re really part of something that’s happening, like a movement or a positive force…” Nevins says, “All those people that come and follow you and you recognize them and you become friends with them — you’re all moving along for the same purpose. It is powerful. It’s very powerful, actually.”

Donna the Buffalo On Tour
7/3-5 Fri-Sun – Great Blue Heron Music Festival – Sherman, NY
7/16-19 Thu-Sun – GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance – Trumansburg, NY
7/31 Fri – Rochester Public Market – Rochester, NY
8/1 Sat – Bell’s Eccentric Cafe – Kalamazoo, MI
8/4 Tue – Lander Live @ Jaycee Park – Lander, WY
8/6 Thu – Top Hat Lounge – Missoula, MT
8/7 Fri – Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival – Alta, WY
8/8 Sat – Oriental Theater – Denver, CO
8/9 Sun – eTown Hall – Boulder, CO
8/14 Fri – Inspire Moore Winery – Naples, NY
8/15 Sat – Nelson Ledges Quarry Park – Garrettsville, OH
8/18 Tue – Eight Great Tuesdays @ Liberty Park – Erie, PA
9/17 Thu – Stafford Palace Theater – Stafford Spring, CT
9/18 Fri – New Hope Winery – New Hope, PA
9/19 Sat – Tally Ho Theater – Leesburg, VA
9/20 Sun – The Tin Pan – Richmond, VA
9/25 Fri – Towne Crier – Beacon, NY
9/26 Sat – Westcott Theater – Syracuse, NY
9/27 Sun – The American Music Festival for the Lake – Lake George, NY
10/15 Thu – Rose G. Smith Theater – Williamson, WV
10/ 8-11 Thu-Sun – Shakori Hills GrassRoots Fest – Silk Hope, NC
10/17-18 Sat-Sun – Magnolia Fest – Live Oak, FL

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

 

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