Everybody check out Greg's newly re-designed Web site at www.OldTimeStrings.com and let him know if you think it's mighty fine or what, listen to a four tracks from the Ganz Hall Recital (which will soon be released on CD) ... or just say "Hi."

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Mike Casey - Elementary Fiddling

For beginners, intermediates and even advanced fiddlers, OPFMB co-founder Mike Casey presents his original method for violin technique including more than 30 fiddle tunes and much more. Click the link above for details and an online order form. Or call Mike Casey Music directly by dialing 708 780 0332.

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Definitive performance or what?

Jimmy Martin - 1994 - Freeborn Man

Whew! Now you can certainly see and hear why this man was and still is a true legend.

Mighty Fine Concert in Evanston

Bluegrass Legends Concerts are produced in cooperation with the American Legion Music Hall of Evanston. The 2006 Fall series marks [ its ] 8th year of presenting the nation’s top acoustic bluegrass talent and folk-roots opening acts in an all-ages, non-smoking concert setting for families.

Seating is limited as the concerts are designed to be intimate and personal. Everyone is encouraged meet the performers and learn about our rich American musical heritage.

Mighty Fine (and Long) List of Fests

Bluegrass Festivals

This list just keeps on going and going and going. It's got great links. But it fails to accurately list the home state of each listing (they're arranged by date).

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On Tyme: I'll Be No Stranger There

I found this link from the NIBA.org site - that's the Northern Illinois Bluegrass Association.

+ = Mighty Fine World Record!
Old Town School World's Largest Music Lesson - August 7th, 2007

The Old Town School of Folk Music is poised to enter the Guinness Book of World Records! Guitar players of every level are welcome to join the Old Town School guitar faculty at the Welles Park Gazebo to learn basic chords and play two songs in full unison.

The current record holder for the world's largest music lesson involved 539 participants being taught to play the harmonica by Roland van Straaten at Camlog Biotechnologies Congress in Montreux, Switzerland on May 12, 2006. We're hoping to register 2,000 participants (not that we have anything against the Swiss, but let's beat them good).

Check in at 6pm for a lesson starting promptly at 7:30pm.

The first 1000 registered participants are automatically entered in a drawing to win a beautiful Martin 00X1 guitar, accessories, and a free Old Town School group class! (drawing will be held immediately following the lesson. Must be present to win.)

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Early notice: Mighty Fine Carter Family Tribute Concert

Event Detail Concerts & Events

The swansong of the Secret Country series [ at the Old Town School ] is an all-star celebration of the weird and wonderful music of the Carter Family. A.P. (whose 114th birthday falls December 15), Sara, and Maybelle gave country music a canon ("Wildwood Flower," "Wabash Cannonball," "Keep On The Sunnyside," just for starters), and their timeless recordings, hard with the stoicism of poor Southern Baptists but sparkling with crystalline melody and sly syncopation, both revere and reimagine the folk music of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Those two poles will guide new interpretations by Danny Barnes, Joy White, Casey Driessen, Kelly Hogan, Bill Kirchen, Scott Ligon, Robbie Fulks, and a secret guest TBA. Carter Family biographer Charles Hirshberg will be on hand to provide historical color.

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July 13-14, 2007
Jim and Mary will be performing with the Grosso Family Band at Camp Euforia in Lone Tree, Iowa. They'll be doing a one hour set at 3:00pm on Saturday.
Click here for details and directions

Event Detail Concerts & Events
Here's a mighty fine double bill. Ollabelle is a New York-based roots-folk-gospel band with multiple lead vocalists and string band instrumentalists.

They take their name from Ola Belle Reed, the great West Virginia songwriter/banjoist who wrote, among many, "High on a Mountain." Ollabelle the band is also known for one particular member, Amy Helm, whose dad is vocalist/drummer/mandolinist Levon Helm of The Band.

The warm up act, King Wilkie, is much more of a straight-up string band playing Bluegrass with an old time tilt. They're from Virginia, they wear suits, they play at Merlefest and they've released at least one superb CD. This show is on August 10th. Advance tickets are on sale via The Old Town School and the usual outlets.

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From the dept. of Where're They Now?

Official Ticketmaster site. Richie Furay Band : Chris Hillman W/Herb Pedersen - Park West

Richie Furay Band : Chris Hillman W/Herb Pedersen
Sat, Jul 28 at 7:30pm
Great country-rock bands of the 70s were largely led by great bluegrass upstarts from the 60s. Chris Hillman is certainly a poster child for the lot of 'em - from the Byrds to the Burrito Bros. and beyond.

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Upcoming Events at Fitzgerald's

Open Mic in the Club
Tue, Jul 10 at 9:00pm
Once a month the open mic is on the big stage. If you ever wanted to check out Jack, Bob and Miguel ... or even better, join 'em ... under the hot lights and beefy sound system, this would be the night. It's still (almost) all acoustic, so grab your favorite stringed instrument and join the jam.

CJ Chenier & his Red Hot Louisiana Band
Fri, Jul 13
It's a Zydeco Party with one of the original and finest Creole Soul bands from the Bayou lands!

Sonny Landreth
Thu, Jul 26 & Fri, Jul 27
The electric bottleneck blues maestro is in town to tape a TV show. So he's playing two nights at Fitz's. The magic of seeing Landreth is his tasteful approach to electric slide guitar that remains free of "blooz bar band" cliches.

Jim Lauderdale
Fri, Aug 3
A true wordsmith, singer-songwriter, sometime producer and collaborator who has shared stage and studio with everyone from Ralph Stanley to Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris. Last year's bluegrass album was a critical success, but he's equally adept at classic country styles as well.

The Blasters
Sat, Aug 4
Back between 1980 and 1984 there were two neo-rockabilly bands vying for supremacy: New York's Stray Cats and LA's Blasters. Fans of each band practically came to blows (as did the members of the bands at one point). High energy, house-rockin' rockabilly is the rule of the night with Phil Alvin's amazing Teflon-throated singing.

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