Here's my itinerary for the next month. Come let's play some music!

B

July 10-12 Harry Smith Frolic , an Old Time Music festival in Greenfield, MA


July 12-19 Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in NY


July 19-23 Four days of pickin' with my old Maine bluegrass buds


July 23-27 Ossipee Valley Bluegrass Festival Cornish, ME


July 27-August 3 Appalachian String Band Music Festival Clifftop WV


And then back to Maine the week before Labor Day for Thomas Point Beach , of course!

Sounds Great!

Ours is in a different genre, really, but Collings will be on the road with us for this:

July 25, Uncle Calvin's Coffeehouse, Dallas, TX

July 26, House Concert, Forth Worth

July 27-Aug. 1, Swannanoa Gathering, Asheville, NC (or close to Asheville, at Warren Wilson College)

August 10-14 Rocky Mountain Song School (Lyons, CO)

We've got a few other gigs scattered in, but those are the anchors for us...maybe we'll see some forumites around the US...

michael

Michael,

That sounds great, too. Not to mislead: I'm not performing at any of those festivals, but rather just attempting to fill up the waking hours with non-stop music with friends.

I have heard great things about Swannanoa. If gas prices or something else ever preclude my annual New England summer travels, I would love to get over there, and it's just a couple of hours from Wilkes County. Bluegrass will, I think, always be my first love, but the more immersed I get in old time, the more I see what a rich, rich genre it is, as well. Incredible fun, too! What would we do without music, eh?

B

Well, we're working those (my wife teaches voice at Swannanoa, and I'm essentially hanging around with Al Petteway, Scott Ainslee, Brooks Williams, Robin Bullock, Kate Campbell, etc., so I'm just at that one for the ride...I do writing and learn a lot there, but mostly informally by watching.) I don't think it matters so much whether someone is "attending" or "working" anything either of us listed. Everything on both lists is great fun.

The fact is, the summer festival and workshop season is what gives everyone a chance to come out for the joy of the music. I see other musicians at Swannanoa, Rocky Mountain, or Kerrville (which I also didn't mention, because it's already happened this year) that I only see once a year. It's a great reunion.

Swannanoa is great...they run a several week program that includes different genre and instrument training--we're there for the guitar and contemporary folk week. If you do songwriting, Rocky Mountain is most excellent...although both experiences are very different. Swannanoa is on a college campus, and it reflects that culture. Rocky Mountain is a camping place, where you spend 4 days working on songwriting (with some instrument instruction, but mostly songwriting, performance, etc.) prior to the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival. As a camping venue by the St. Vrain River, it also reflects the place and culture one would expect.

Swannanoa is more academic, but excellent instruction and vibe. RMSS is more laid back, contemplative, but also full to the brim with good stuff...you can't lose with either.

So, I'd say that you have a lot to look forward to, and you'll have killer fun...who wouldn't? Enjoy every minute, and be glad for such musical richness. I think we could trade places and both be happy with where we're going.