Past 2004 - 05 concerts...
 

October 9

Jim Hurst and Missy Raines
The first concert of the season is going to be hot and beautiful! Guitarist Jim Hurst and bassist Missy Raines are two of today's most creative and compelling performers in acoustic music. Their unique sound is both sensitive and powerful. Together, they draw on their varied musical experiences to create a diverse blend of original, new acoustic, bluegrass, swing, and country blues.  Missy was voted "Bass Player of the Year" by the International Bluegrass Music Association for 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 and Jim was the IBMA Guitar Player of the year for 2001 and 2002.
On the web: www.jimhurst.com/jim&missy.htm

October 16

The Raisin Pickers
The Raisin Pickers hails from Manchester Michigan, a historical little town along the River Raisin, of course! And much like this river, the path of the Raisin Pickers has stretched from Upper Canada to Branson, MO, Nebraska, and West Virginia. They won a blue ribbon at the Appalachian String Band Festival in West Virginia, have opened the Ark's Ann Arbor Folk Festival, recorded four records over the years and spearheaded a new festival (Riverfolk Festival) in their hometown. Members include Mark Palms on clawhammer banjo, guitar and vocals, his wife Carol Palms on string bass, fiddle and vocals, and David Mosher on mandolin, fiddle, guitar and vocals. The band will be joined by Step dancer, Sheila Graziano, who brings traditional clogging from Appalachia and step dances from the British Isles and Canada. Sheila creates her own choreography to the Raisin Pickers show. From her varied tempos in the fiddle tune "Falls of Richmond" to her lively French Canadian version of "Little Billy Wilson," Sheila adds "energy in motion" to the Raisin Pickers show.   www.raisinpicker.com
 

October 23

Laurie McClain
Laurie wrote her first song at age eighteen, and has now been writing and performing folk music for over 25 years. She spent the first 17 of those years just playing in nearly every bar in Lincoln, Nebraska.  Laurie released the CD, “The Trumpet Vine” last year as a tribute to Kate Wolf.  She's singing Kate Wolf brand new, and Kate's ghost is smiling at every note. Join us for an evening of disarming humor and passionate performance as Laurie sings our favorite Kate Wolf songs.   www.lauriemcclain.com

October 30

Artisan
Artisan is Hilary Spencer, Jacey Bedford and Brian Bedford, three friends who decided to sing together for fun way back in 1984 in deepest, darkest Yorkshire. "It was pure luck," says Jacey, "Our voices blended so well, right from the start, that we had lots of encouragement from friends and that prompted us to work really hard. Within a couple of years we were being invited to festivals and events all over Britain. By 1988 we were getting so much work that we either had to give up singing or give up the day-jobs. Finally in 1989 we became full-time vocal harmonists."  Since they hit the road they've taken their own brand of harmony and humor round Britain, Europe, Canada, the USA, Australia and Hong Kong. Here’s what their fans say: "Like the music, the banter is very skillful - some of it is clearly premeditated, the rest of it is spontaneous tomfoolery. They are unashamedly entertainers."  "The harmony work is sharp and unfussy, the words are worth listening to, the tunes are good and the group convey a real energy and enthusiasm in their singing." www.artifact.demon.co.uk

November 13

Lare Williams and the New Direction Bluegrass Band
Although you won't find the Blue Ridge Mountains in Michigan, you can still hear a resounding voice full of spirit & enthusiasm singing high lonesome bluegrass songs. From the age of two, Lare Williams has been performing on stage with his family band and with friends in the bluegrass community. Now, at age 26, Lare is breaking into the touring bluegrass circuit. Lare has the kind of talent your instincts immediately recognize as the best- singing, picking, song writing, entertaining and performing. www.larewilliams.com
 

November

20

David Massengill
“I tell true stories about friends and family," David says. "Basically true . . . or," he adds after a pause and a smile, "stories I made up about friends and family."  As distinctive a performer as he is a writer, David Massengill accompanies himself mainly on the Appalachian dulcimer, which he slings over his shoulder like an electric guitar. He has achieved a virtuosity on the traditional instrument that enables him to wring from its few strings music of a complexity and richness far beyond anything it was ever meant to produce, drawing the listener in to his lyrical imagery and the close-up focus on human foibles and experience that is the substance of his best songs.  Some examples: Jesus escapes from a mental hospital, history's greatest villains gather for a dinner party, a New York restaurant kitchen crew saves an illegal alien cook from the immigration man, a young woman and a bandit fall in love as he robs her … These are just some of the vividly imagined scenes and characters David will share will us as we approach Thanksgiving- very timely! See you there.  www.davidmassengill.com

November 27

Mike Agranoff
Mike Agranoff is a folk performer who has legions of stalwart fans from all the wildly varied categories under the heading “folk.” He draws his material from sources as diverse as traditional ballads and fiddle tunes, Tin Pan Alley, contemporaries in the Folk World, and his own witty pen. He delivers the essence of songs with a skilled hand on guitar and concertina and an occasional sly twinkle in the eye (watch for it) in anticipation of some of the most horrible parodies ever perpetrated on an unsuspecting audience. A signature feature of Mike’s performances are his inclusion of some heart-stopping spoken word pieces that rivet the listener to unforgettable stories.
www.mikeagranoff.com

December 11

Blue Water Ramblers Christmas Party
Ring in the holidays with the Blue Water Ramblers! GRFAS and the Ramblers are continuing our 20 year tradition of Christmas carols and seasonal songs. As always, there will also be surprises, guest artists, wackiness and may even more subpoenas under the tree! Be ready to sing all your favorite Yuletide tunes.  www.bluewaterramblers.com  Sample songs in mp3 format: Wreck of the Julie Plante and All My Life's a Circle

January 8

Open Mic Night

Open mike is an old folk society tradition that encourages living room and basement pickers to come out to the public and show what they have learned.  This open mike will be emceed by Alan Exoo, formerly of Beats Settin' Home and now with Kinsfolk.  You will get the opportunity to sing 1-3 songs, depending on how many people are signed up.  Turns will schedule as first come, first served, both in advance or on the night of the event.  Come on out, both players and listeners, and share in the musical fellowship!  Get signed up to perform by contacting Alan at: 616-458-5446 or by emailing al@kinsfolk.org.
 

January 15

With a mp3 player and a fast connection you may download and preview these songs by Art and Cathy...

Distant Land to Roam 2.2 MB

Beautiful Home on the Banks of the River 2.3 MB

Tempy Roll Down Your Bangs 2.6 MB or these songs from Joe...

The Thinnest Man 2.2 MB

Drive Dull Cares Away 3.2 MB

Art Lang and Cathy Ciolac with Joe Hickerson
Art says, “We play and sing mostly traditional music with much of our favorite material coming from the old time Appalachian tradition. We perform many Carter Family songs and other old time country duets. We also perform contemporary folk music, especially those songs that we find to be particularly meaningful. Our music truly spans the centuries and runs the gamut of human emotion.”  Art plays banjo, guitar, fiddle, harmonica, and other odd instruments such as the fretless gourd banjo. Cathy plays the Appalachian dulcimer and autoharp.  Folk singer Joe Hickerson returns to Grand Rapids after thousands of performances as a folk singer and 35 years at the Library of Congress, where he was the head of the Archive of Folk Song (later the Archive of Folk Culture). According to Hickerson, he’s a "vintage paleo-acoustic pre-plugged folk singer." He’s got a repertoire wider than the Mississippi, replete with ballads, work songs, children’s songs, parodies, sea shanties and most of the rest of the range of folk songs in English, plus an unparalleled knowledge of the history of those songs.  www.artandcathy.com and www.joehickerson.com
 

January 22

Claudia Schmidt/Rachael Davis

Claudia has always hated categories. When pressed, she describes herself as a "creative noisemaker," which has irritated some critics but delighted many audiences, who learn to expect anything at a Schmidt concert, hymn, poem, bawdy verse, torch song, satire, and the gamut of emotions. Her live performances are not to be missed. Her musicality is astonishing. Her joy and love of performing are contagious. She can weave the elements of music and stage into a program so unified and full of life that one critic has described a Claudia Schmidt concert as "....a lot like falling in love. You never know what's going to happen next, chances are it's going to be wonderful, every moment is burned into your memory, and you know you'll never be the same again."  www.claudiaschmidt.com

Rachael Davis is coming back after wowing us at the Fun(d) Raiser last May. She's only about this big around but has a voice as big, as sweet and as pure as the great outdoors. Whether singing American standards like "Over the Rainbow", traditional tunes or her own compositions, she has an instinct that both brings out the message in the song and makes it her own. She is thrilled to share the stage with one of her major influences and we are in for an evening of astounding performing by these two women.  www.rachaeldavis.com

January 29

Alan Exoo & Kinsfolk
Kinsfolk names this group well, since it refers to either people of blood relation or people of kindred spirit.  Joining Al Exoo, well known in the Midwest for 35 years of performing, are his wife, Deborah Eid, daughter Rachael Eid-Ries, Lawrence Probes, a former singing partner of Anne Hills, and a veteran singer-fiddler from the Celtic group Amadaun, Bill Nieusma.  From the fine preservationist group Hawks & Owls, award-winning picker Bruce Ling often teams up to add some musical genius.  Al & Deb’s younger boys, Joshua Eid-Ries and Ethan Exoo, also join intermittently on vocals and percussion.. Together they perform music of English speaking and bilingual traditions to appeal to all ages. Their performances have been hailed as fun, interesting, innovative, moving, and artistically excellent. Come and share the fun with the Kinsfolk!  www.kinsfolk.org

February 12

Ralston Bowles and andi & i

It's hard to find many musicians in Grand Rapids' folk and rock scene who don't know Ralston Bowles by his first name, who don't recognize his prodigious songwriting talent, and never miss his performances. Ralston had us rolling last May at the Fun(d) Raiser and will continue the tradition with his unique, hard-hitting take on life in the modern age. www.ralstonbowles.com

andi and i have an amazing touch with the songs they sing.  No, they don't just sing 'em, they craft them, caress them; they create them brand new each time they perform.  Supporting the sweet vocalizing with guitar techniques like you've never seen, andi & i will have us mesmerized. www.andiandi.com

February 19

2:00 PM
Special Afternoon Family Concert
$6 Adults

$4 Children 12 and under, lap sitters: free

Carol Johnson

Spanning 30 years, Carol Johnson has become a fixture in the West Michigan folk scene, loved by kids and adults alike, but especially for her unique gift of writing great children’s songs.  Her best known, “Love Grows One by One” is to be included in an upcoming episode of Sesame Street.  Hundreds of thousands of children have enjoyed, and benefited from, her popular “Music With A Message” assembly program in schools throughout the U.S.  John Varineau of the Grand Rapids Symphony has called her “a writer of the next generation’s traditional folk songs”.  Her concerts are refreshingly informal, interactive, and fun, while always maintaining their purpose of making this world a better place.  She'll be doing old goodies as well as new tunes.  Bring the kids, and the kid-in-you, no matter what your age!  www.caroljohnsonmusic.com

February 19

Mustard’s Retreat

Mustard's Retreat has played for us many times over the years and are favorites, not only in their home base of  Michigan, but throughout the country.  Well respected for their original songs, which cover the spectrum from touching to hilarious, they also do traditional songs, tall tales of stupid frogs and Br’er Rabbit, a runaway tank, wandering cadavers and love gone wrong (and right!).  "Music to cure what ails you!" said the Michigan Times about this multi- instrumented duo.  Come see what the buzz is all about.  www.mustardsretreat.com

February 26

Discovery String Band
In 2003, Paul & Win Grace joined with nationally known central Missouri musicians Cathy Barton, Dave Para and Bob Dyer to form the Discovery String Band. They present: Lewis and Clark: A Musical Voyage of Discovery.  Paul & Win, both being French speakers, brought several French songs and tunes to the group, including a voyageur song, a rowdy low public house dance tune and song (complete with translation!), French Canadian and Metis (mixed French, Native, and Scottish) fiddle tunes. Win has learned Le Pied (seated clogging) and in the long tradition of French Canadian and Metis fiddlers, performs it while playing the accordion. Paul, being the fiddler, of course interprets the Corps' one-eyed Metis fiddler and riverman Pierre Cruzatte.  www.gracefamilymusic.com/discovery
 

March 12

Tracy Grammer
Tracy Grammer is coming to save you. Armed with a few of the sassier members of the string family, and a voice as nuanced and strong as you could hope for, Grammer delivers the songs of the late Dave Carter with a supernatural force that funnels straight through your ear to the deep, deep center of your heart.  With meticulous rhythm and lyrics as familiar as they are puzzling, these songs have an intellectual and emotional edge that most folk music fails to hone. They tell tales spun from an existential cowboy mindset, rife with the beauty of barren landscapes and an awareness of the yet untravelled miles of the soul. The inherent complexity of this music has its grounding in Carter’s lyrics but is
carried to fruition by Grammer’s musicianship.  www.tracygrammer.com

March 19

Fonnmhor
New dance music from the old traditions! With blazing fiddle, persuasive percussion, electric sitar, and featuring the unique song writing of Mike Kirkpatrick (from the Drovers), Fonnmhor exploded across the Celtic music horizon in 2003 and has been electrifying audiences, musicians, and critics ever since. Their highly individualized approach has attracted listeners from both the traditional and contemporary music worlds. Don't miss them!  www.fonnmhor.com

March 26

Bill Staines
Hurrah! Grand Rapids' favorite singer is coming back to welcome spring. Join us for Bill’s wonderful ballads, irresistible melodies, fascinating stories and the most singable choruses in the world.  He weaves a magical blend of wit and gentle humor into his performances.  Bill includes songs ranging from traditional folk tunes to more contemporary country ballads and delights in having the audience participate in many of the numbers.  What else is there to write or say after these two words? Bill Staines!  www.acousticmusic.com/staines

April 9

Josh White Jr.
A master of vocal inflection and involvement, Josh White Jr. pushes his envelope and shows why he is considered one of music's premiere vocalists and performers. In the shadow of his father, Josh White Jr. invokes the presence of the senior, making music for the masses and masses for the music. These simple acoustic renditions will reveal layer after layer of  intricately crafted design; pure, unadulterated chords and notes, along with deeply intense lyrics, characterize each tune.  In other words, Josh is the best: be there!  www.joshwhitejr.com

April 16

Carrie Newcomer
Carrie Newcomer is much more than a musician. She’s a poet, storyteller, snake-charmer, good neighbor, friend and lover, minister of the wide-eyed gospel of hope and grace. In getting to the heart of Carrie Newcomer and her art, it’s perhaps best to start just there—her heart.  “I just have a great love and passion for creating music, for writing, for telling a story,” says Newcomer, who makes no effort to separate her art from the other parts of her life—such as her teaching, her family, her activism, and her spirituality.  She’ll be sharing all that life with us.  www.carrienewcomer.com

April 23

Reedy Buzzards

Old-time Appalachian and gospel, specialize in the tight and lovely harmonies of the great family bands of the past, from the Carter Family to the Everly Brothers. Their shows combine a fresh take on classic country heartbreakers, "brother" songs, blazing guitar and mandolin picking, and gospel music. They present their songs with the driving acoustic rhythms.  www.reedybuzzards.com

April 30

Michael P. Smith
The thing that stands out most in Michael's work is his unpredictable creativity. Just when you think you know where he's going, lyrically or musically, he'll turn a metaphoric corner on you, double back, sneak up behind you and slip a rainbow in your pocket. Those of us who are songwriters or guitar players ... learn why there really are no rules when it comes to the game of music, just the joy of sharing creativity.  We're in for a treat, folks!  www.michaelsmithmusic.com