It’s taken me literally all day to get this thing written but there’s a lot to tell. I’ve been out of sight, but doing anything but relaxing. Here’s what’s inside.
1. Spring Tour
2. New Beginner Book
3. Album Update
4. Help me get on Prairie Home Companion
1. SPRING TOUR
The spring tour still has some free dates in it and I’ll be
in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana for most of it. If you’re in these states and
would like to me to come to your club, for a workshop or a house concert, drop
me a line at butch@butchross.com
This need not be a big event; a few folks and a place to
stay can very often make the whole thing worth my while. Especially, if I’m
only a couple of hours away (maybe too far for you to come to me, but nothing
for me to come to you)
Friday, May 4th - 5ish Free but RSVP preferred.
Festival kickoff potluck at the shelter house in McKinley
Field Park,
1661 Goodale Blvd., Columbus, OH 43212 (Grandview Heights).
1661 Goodale Blvd., Columbus, OH 43212 (Grandview Heights).
Not really a gig or workshop, just a potluck/jam
session/hangout with dulcimer folk. It’s a lot of fun. Contact Doug Snapp for
more information. dougsnapp@gmail.com or 614 313-6424
May 4-6, 2012
Central Ohio Folk Festival
Battelle-Darby Creek Park - Columbus, OH
My sixth year at this great festival!
Check website for workshop times dates and costs.
http://cfms-inc.org/
Thursday, May 10, 2012 – 7pm Free (pass the hat)
Webster’s Bookstore Cafe
133 E Beaver Ave, State College PA 16801
814-272-1410
My first time here, if you got peeps in the area, send ‘em
my way.
Friday, May 11, 2012 – 8pm $16.50 (Reservations Recommended)
Godfrey Daniels - Possibilities of the Mountain Dulcimer.
Alf Bashore opens
7 E. 4th St. Bethlehem, PA 18015-1601
610-867-2390
Another first, one for the bucket list, tell your friends
and carpool!
May 12, 2012 – EARLY SHOW! 3pm
Lili's Coffee Shop
3138 Dobson Street
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (United States) 15219
412.682.3600
Co-bill w/Panther Hollow String Band
(pantherhollowstringband.wordpress.com)
May 13, 2012 – 5:30pm
Dulcimer Workshop
Zion United Church of Christ
2332 Sherwood Lane, Norwood, Ohio (United States) 45212
May 13, 2012 – 7pm Leo Coffeehouse
Zion United Church of Christ
2332 Sherwood Lane, Norwood, Ohio (United States) 45212
May 16, 2012 – 7pm Free
J.K. O'Donnell's
121 W. Wayne Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana (United States) 46802
I’d say come for the food anyway, that I’ll be there is just
a bonus.
May 19, 2012 – A day of FREE Dulcimer Workshops at the
Intergenerational Center
214 W. Jefferson St. Berea, KY, 40403
9:30 – 11am Workshop I – Rhythms Beyond 4/4 (explore
waltzes, hornpipes, jigs and more) All levels encouraged.
11-1 lunch on your own.
1 – 2pm Post lunch Q&A; ask me your dulcimer questions!
2 – 3:30pm Workshop II – Different levels playing together.
Arrangements so folks of all levels can play the same songs together. All
levels encouraged.
Contact Adrian at Madison.dulcimers@gmail.com
or Nancy 859 624-2721
May 19, 2012 - 6:30pm $20 suggested donation
Richmond, KY
House Concert at the home of Tommy and Nancy Adams
Contact Nancy Adams to RSVP: 859 624-2721
THIS SHOW WILL LIKELY SELL OUT!
And still to come…
May 26, 2012 workshops and concert at The Pickin’ Porch
Wood-n-Strings Dulcimer Shop - Townsend, TN
May 27, 2012 - The Acoustic Coffeehouse in Johnson City, TN
Jun 17-24, 2012 - Kentucky Music Week in Bardstown, KY
(New location and a new hotel, PLUS Jerry Rockwell
and Joellen Lapidus will be there)
2. New beginner’s book:
All The Strings, All The Time
Inspired by Danny Shepherd’s excellent “Mountain Dulcimer
for Children (and the young at heart),” this is a book of 21 well-known
traditional tunes, arranged in order of difficulty from super easy to
not-terribly-hard-at-all. It’s a simple, but thorough way to get a solid start
playing the mountain dulcimer.
3. Album update:
So, it seems that I’ve been in the beginning stages of
recording this record for over a year now, but finally there is some light at
the end of the tunnel. Demos are beginning to get to the various musicians who
will be playing on the record, and I’m working out arrangements with new
instruments (bass drum, cello, Edison Wax Cylinders) as well as new techniques
(like drone and noter!) that I’m really excited about. I’m sure I’ve said this
before, but musically it will be closer to Moonshiner’s Atlas, with more original
tunes and lots of singing (tho’ I just wrote a tune today that would be a great
fit).
To fund this thing I’m planning on selling pre-release CDs
like I did with Shady Grove, but I’m also kicking around the idea of a
Kickstarter campaign. Kickstarter is a web site where they collect donations
for various projects. Each project has a fiscal goal, and you’re not charged
until the end of the donation period (usually 30 days) AND when I’ve made the
stated goal. I’d love to know what y’all think about that idea.
In any case, stay tuned here. Or—if you do these
things—“Like” me on Facebook, as I’ll be posting new demos there as well.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Butch-Ross/55431615966
4. Help me get on Prairie Home Companion
A fan of mine started this Facebook page, kind of an online
petition; to have me on Garrison Keilor’s long running and much loved show. I
think it’s a great idea, and would be a real hoot if I got to do it. Right now
there are 416 “likes” which is impressive, but not nearly enough to make the
folks at PHC take notice. So, if you Facebook, go here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-want-Butch-Ross-on-Prairie-Home-Companion/132568563454384
and “like” it. And Hurry! Rumor has it that Garrison may retire soon, and I
don’t think I’ll be able to keep a straight face if the “News from Lake
Woebegone” is read by Ryan Seacrest.
Okay that’s all the news I got. Thanks for reading this far.
C-ya Out there
-Br
