Starting this month:

Portsmouth Singer/Songwriter Festival, April 20 – 22, 2012, Portsmouth Music Hall Historic Theatre and the Loft, http://www.themusichall.org/calendar/program/portsmouth_singer_songwriter_festival call box office at 603-436-2400. Features Merle Haggard, Rosanne Cash and many more!!

New England Folk Festival April 20 -22, 2012,Mansfield, MA www.neffa.org

Bluegrass on the Bogs, May 18 – 20, 2012 Jellystone Cape Cod at Maple Park 290 Glen Charlie Rd., East Wareham, MA 02538, call 508-280-4825 www.capecodjellystone.com 508-295-4945

Strawberry Park Bluegrass Festival, May 31-June 1-2-3, 2012 (Preston City, CT) www.strawberryparkcampground.com WUMB Music Festival, UMass, Boston, June 3, 2012, noon – 7 PM, call 617-287-6911 M-F 10 AM – 4 PM, http://wumbmusicfest.org

Seacoast Irish Festival, June 2012, date TBA, Dover, NH www.seacoastirishfestival.org

Bluegrass on the Farm Festival, June 12, Halifax, MA, info: 781-336-9711

Blistered Fingers Family Bluegrass Festival, June 14-17, 2012, Litchfield, ME www.blisteredfingers.com

Somersworth International Children’s Festival, Somersworth, NH, June TBA, http://www.nhfestivals.org/

Acton Bluegrass Festival Car Show & BBQ Cook-off, June 16, 2012 Noon to 10:00 pm 25 Ledge Rock Way, Acton, MA 978-929-6640 $10

Maine Blues Festival, Naples, June 17, www.mainebluesfestival.com/

Jenny Brook Family Bluegrass Festival June 20 – 24, 2012, Tunbridge Fairgrounds, VT www.jennybrookfestival.com/

Granite State Music Festival June 22-23, 2012, a two day, non camping, non-profit festival held in Concord, New Hampshire June 23-24, 2012. Thirty-odd bands, 1,500 fans and two days of live, local music on the bank of the Merrimack River. http://granitestatemusicfest.org/

Old Songs Festival, June 22-23-24, 2012, Altamont Fairgrounds, Altamont, NY 518-765-2815 www.oldsongs.org/festival

Madrid Bluegrass River Festival, June 22-23-24, 2012, Community Center Park, Madrid, NY 315-322-4093 madridbluegrassriverfestival.com

New Bedford (MA) Summerfest, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, New Bedford, Massachusetts, July 6, 7, 8, 2012; http://www.newbedfordsummerfest.com/

Prescott Park Concert Series, includes Americana, Jazz, Folk, Country, Rhythm and Roots and Kids Fest. No 2012 updates at this time – check out http://prescottpark.org Mineral Springs

Footstomping Festival, July 7-8, 2012 Stafford Springs, CT www.mineralspringscampground.com

Basin Bluegrass Festival July 12-15, 2012, 91 Charberry Lane, Brandon, VT www.basinbluegrassfestival.com. More info – call (802) 247-3275. After July 4, 2009- call (802) 236-1096

Connecticut Americana Music Festival, July 14, 2012, Chester Meeting House, 4 Liberty Street, Chester, CT 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm 860-526-4777 $15

North Atlantic Blues Festival, Rockland, ME, July 14-15, 2012, www.northatlanticbluesfestival.com Whites Beach Bluegrass Festival, July 20-22, Brunswick, ME, For more info or advance ticket: Whites Beach and Campground, PO Box 696, Brunswick, Maine 04011 Phone 207-729-0415 info@whitesbeachandcampground.com

Maine Celtic Celebration, July 20 – 22, 2012, Belfast, ME, http://www.mainecelticcelebration.com/

Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival, Saturday, July 21, 2011, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Look Park, North Hampton, MA, www.glasgowlands.org

Ossippee Valley Music Festival, July 26-29, 2012, S. Hiram, ME, Info: Ossipee Valley Bluegrass Association, P.O. Box 593, S. Hiram, Maine 04020. Phone 207 625-8656. www.ossipeevalley.com/

Lowell Folk Festival, July 27-29, Lowell, MA, 978-970-5000, www.lowellfolkfestival.org/

Lake Paran Bluegrass Festival - July 27-28-29, 2012 Lake Paran Entrance Rd off Houghton Lane, N. Bennington, VT 802-447-7959

The Pemi Valley Bluegrass Festival, The new location is the Benton family’s Sugar Shack Campground in Thornton, NH. August 2 – 5, 2012 For info: Pemi Valley Productions, P.O. Box 1320, Campton NH 03223. For information, call (603) 726-3471 or email admin@pemivalleybluegrass.com

Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival - August 2-3-4-5, 2012 Dodd Stadium, 14 Stott Avenue, Norwich, CT www.podunkbluegrass.net

Lake Champlain Bluegrass Festival, returning 2013, none this year, Alburg, VT, Info: Please visit our web page at www.lakechamplainmusic.com or call 802-482-7766 or info@lakechamplainmusic.com

Saddleback Mountain Bluegrass Festival, August 10-11, 2012, Saddleback, ME info: http://www.saddlebackmaine.com/bluegrass Line up includes the McCourys, Sam Bush and more.

Wachusett Valley Folk Festival, Wachusett Village Inn, Westminster, MA, August 19, 2012, www.wachusettmusic.com/wachusett-valley-folk-festival/

Blistered Fingers Bluegrass Festival, August 23-26, 2012, Litchfield, ME, email: blist-f@blisteredfingers.com

The American Folk Festival, Bangor, ME, August 24-26, 2012, Only $10 a day!, www.americanfolkfestival.com/

Essex Music Festival August 25, 2012 (Essex, MA) http://www.essexmusicfestival.com/

Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass Special, August 30-31, Sept. 1-2, 2012 Brunswick, ME www.thomaspointbeach.com/special

Babb’s Bluegrass Festival, Sept. 8, 2012 Babb’s Park, 434 Babb’s Road, West Suffield, CT 06093. 11:00 AM until 8:00 PM. Art Sorensen at (860) 844-8526

NH Highland Games, Loon Mountain, Sept. 21-23, 2012, www.nhscot.org Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival, Sept. 29-30, 2012, www.newenglandfolknetwork.org/pmff

Beantown Jazz Festival, Boston, MA, Sept 29, 2012, 617-747-8601, http://beantownjazz.org/about.html

Park Slope Old Time Bluegrass Jamboree. Sept 28-29, 2012 at 53 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn NY reamsjames@earthlink.net

Nutmeg Dulcimer Festival, Oct. 26-27, 2012, United Methodist Church On the Green in Milford, CT www.nutmegdulcimer.com/ 203-661-0503

This premier bluegrass music festival commemorates the legacy of Joe Val -who is arguably one of the finest bluegrass musicians to emerge from New England. In 2006, the Joe Val Bluegrass Festival received the “Event of the Year” award from the International Bluegrass Music Association.

Tickets
Early Bird tickets are now on sale.  Click here to order yours

Festival Lineup
Here is a tentative lineup for the 25th Joe Val Bluegrass Festival.

1. Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver
2. JD Crowe and the New South
3. Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper
4. Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass
5. Special Consensus
6. The Josh Williams Band
7. Buddy Merriam and Back Roads
8. The Spinney Brothers
9. While Mountain Bluegrass
10. Acoustic Blue
11. Joe Sings Joe
12. Berklee Bluegrass
13. Bluegrass Gospel Project
14. Sierra Hull and Highway 111

Sandra Brennan, All Music Guide wrote:

Singer/songwriter Joe Val was a prominent traditional bluegrass musician and leader of the New England Bluegrass Boys. A native of Everett, Massachusetts, he was born Joseph Valiante, and his interest in bluegrass started in his early teens. He was influenced by fiddler Tex Logan, who had come north to study at M.I.T. and wound up giving the young performer his stage name. Val started out as a guitar player, but also mastered the banjo and the mandolin. He got his professional start playing with the Radio Rangers, and later joined the Berkshire Mountain Boys; with the progressive Charles River Valley Boys, Val recorded a distinguished album of bluegrass-adapted Beatles songs in 1967. Although Val played with progressive groups, he himself continued to favor a more traditional bluegrass sound; to this end, he founded the New England Bluegrass Boys in 1970 with guitarist Herb Applin, banjo player Bob French and bass player Bob Tidwell. The following year, they made their debut album. Although the group underwent many personnel changes over the next decade, Val was able to produce a remarkably consistent sound over the course of numerous albums. Sadly, Joe Val was stricken with cancer in the 1980s just as his band was beginning to achieve wider recognition; his last performance was in late 1984, and he died on June 11, 1985.

Raven Hill Orchard (Certified Organic)
255 Ossipee Hill Rd.
E. Waterboro, ME 04030
(207)247-4455

The event will occur this Memorial Day Weekend (Saturday, Sunday and Monday) from 9am-6pm. The Goodtime Stringband will be providing fun live music from noon-3pm on Monday.

There will be Face Painting, Pony Rides, Horse Drawn Wagon Rides
and Nature Talks. Not to mention Raven Hill Orchard Treats! Including pumpkin chip cookies, whoopie pies, smoothies, Raven Hill Freshly Roasted Coffee, frozen lattes, hot dogs, cider donuts and apple cider (hot or cold)!

The Orchard is 35 Minutes from Portland and Kennebunkport in a beautiful country setting. Bring lawn chairs or blankets and have a picnic among the blossoms!

For more information visit www.ravenhillorchard.com
View Map

http://www.goodtimestringband.com/mp3/ShebegandShemore.mp3

Here’s an MP3 of the band performing Jay Ungar’s composition Ashoken Farewell.  

http://www.goodtimestringband.com/mp3/ashoken.mp3

Filmmaker Ken Burns heard Ungar’s original Ashokan Farewell and was moved by it. He used it in two of his films: The Civil War, and his 1985 documentary Huey Long.

You might be interested in reading our earlier post about some of the wedding venues we’ve performed at. Click here to check it out

We are also perfectly happy to give advice to folks looking to have live music on their special day. Even if we aren’t available we can certainly recommend other bands that might be!

Note: Several of the folks in the Goodtime Stringband also perform with Amy Black and the Red Clay Rascals. This group plays more of mix of roots, rockabilly and rock music.

Drop us line – the info we’ll provide is free… but not cheap!!!