The female-fronted bluegrass and western swing group, the Goodtime Stringband will be performing at Mickey’s Irish Pub in Lowell, MA this Saturday night May 2nd. This local honky tonkin’ bluegrass band formed with a primary mission to provide fun, danceable “good time” music for weddings and outdoor parties throughout New England. Saturday night will be a rare public performance for the group, so turn off that T.V. and come out and enjoy some good time music!

The group performs songs from such legends as Bob Wills, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and the more contemporary Alison Krauss and Old Crow Medicine Show. You’ll also be sure to hear a few toe-tapping old time banjo and fiddle tunes in the set!

The goodtime female-frontline consist of Corrie Jones on lead vocals and mandolin, Alice Malone on fiddle and Berklee-wonderkin’ Maggie MacKay on banjo. Rhythm is held down by the boys with Bob Sevigny on guitar and Andy Sicard on upright bass.

For more information about the group please visit the band Web site at: www.goodtimestringband.com

Pictures:
http://www.goodtimestringband.com/images/goodtimestringband_1.jpg
http://www.goodtimestringband.com/images/goodtimestringband_3.jpg

Faculty members Matt Glaser, John McGann, and Dave Hollender - by Nick Balkin

I just read an interesting article/post on the Berklee Today blog about bluegrass/old time music’s new found credibilty and the school’s programs impact on the national and local music scene.

Some quotes I found to be interesting:

“That notion of  ’silly hillbilly music’ still lingers, but people stop arguing once they see the chops involved in playing it,” said Mike Ihde, “It’s not a bunch of no-tooth guys hanging out on the porch…  It’s not considered backwoods music anymore.”

and regarding the city of Boston…

“Boston has become the epicenter of an amazing scene,” Said Prof. Matt Glaser “Some of the best young mandolin and banjo players in the world are now studying at Berklee.”

Give the article a read!

Hey Folks! A new Bluegrass Jam will be starting up tonight at Studio 99. The jam will be hosted by Bob Pope (the other Pope), who is an all-around great guy and seasoned veteran of the New Hampshire / Massachusetts bluegrass and folk scenes.

The gathering will be held the third Wednesday of each month (starting April 15th), and will run from 7 pm to 10 pm.

Audience members are encouraged to attend: have a seat, relax, and enjoy the music!

Visit http://www.studio99nashua.com/ for more information.

We want to officially welcome the newest member of the Goodtime family – Maggie MacKay! Maggie grew up in Wolfville, Nova Scotia and currently attends the Berklee College of Music in Boston. In addition to her studies, Maggie is a prolific songwriter who performs and records with other regional musical acts. We are thrilled to have her performing with the Goodtime Stringband!

Mandolin Masters Mike Compton and Skip Gorman come together for an intimate evening at Acoustic Outfitters. Mike Compton, Grammy award winner and former mandolinist with the Nashville Bluegrass Band,is internationally known as a master of the Monroe style technique.  Skip Gorman, known for both his Monroe mandolin prowess and traditional fiddle playing, joins Mike on stage. This evening is not to be missed!

Date:
Thursday April 2nd, 2009
7:00- 9:00 PM

Tickets:
$20 in advance, $25 at the door.
Call for reservations 603 778-9711

Location:

Acoustic Outfitters Music Shop
72 Portsmouth Ave
Stratham Plaza, Route 108
Stratham, NH 03885-2568
(603) 778-9711
aoms@aomusicshop.com

Click here to listen to a recording of Mike and Skip performing together at the Monroe Mandolin Camp in Owensboro, Kentucky in September of 2007.

http://www.andysicard.com/mp3/gorman_compton_16sept06.mp3

Also Skip will be giving a mandolin workshop in Portland, Maine on March 28th from 1-3pm. I don’t have the details on that yet, but the info will be posted soon on Skip’s Web site (http://www.skipgorman.com)

Our next show at the Bull Run in Shirley, MA is – Saturday, March 28. We recently got the CD from our show in September. Take a listen! Amy updated her MySpace page with five live songs. Listen here.

We have a great show prepared for the 28th with some new music including:

• Bob Dylan’s Don’t Think Twice (the Susan Tedeschi version)
• I Feel Lucky by Mary Chapin Carpenter
• The Etta James version of Hound Dog
• The Robert Johnson blues song The Last Fair Deal (done Keb Mo style) and
• I Still Miss Someone by Johnny Cash

Save a few bucks by getting tickets before the show. They are $12 in advance and $15 on the day. You know $6 is a pretty big deal in this economy, so give the Bull Run a call at 877-536-7190!

Just thought you would like to know that The Hot Club Of Cowtown are
coming to the “Me & Thee Coffeehouse” in Marblehead, MA on April 17,
2009.

More information on tickets and times is available at: http://www.meandthee.org

OK, we tried and gave up – have you ever tried to play an Irish/diatonic accordion? As my young nephews would say, “What the what?” Well it’s kind of like a harmonica with buttons and a built-in pair of lungs. Instead of blowing, you push or pull to create different notes. Odd eh?

So I picked up an incredible old Paolo Soprani squeeze box from Marty’s bargain Center in Tyngsboro. Marty is an estate liquidator and local legend – he owns a store up the street from my house on the shores of Lake Mascuppic (www.lakemascuppic.org)

My daughter and I both messed around with this beautiful little squeeze box for a couple of months and despite our best efforts, could not get our heads wrapped around the playing of the instrument. Her musical background is piano, and mine is guitar/mandolin (strings). So it just didn’t click.

I just took some snapshots of the box and listed the instrument for sale on eBay. If you know anyone who might have an interest in giving it a squeeze – please pass along this link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260382749721&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:US:1123

Thanks,

Andy