r these days. Del plays a uke that's made like a National steel guitar, with inlays on the fretboard. It's a gorgeous instrument and she plays the living daylights out of it. May 29 - 31 ~~ Fifth Annual Mountain Jam Hunter Mountain, NY www.mountainjam.com • Gov't Mule • Allman Brothers Band • Michael Franti & Spearhead • Umphrey's McGee • Coheed & Cambria • The Derek Trucks Band • The Hold Steady • BK3 Featuring Bill Kreutzmann • Martin Sexton • Richie Havens • Girl Talk • Gomez • Gene Ween Band • Tea Leaf Green • Railroad Earth • Jackie Greene • John Medeski • Karl Denson's Tiny Universe • Porter Batiste Stoltz • Brett Dennen • Eric Krasno & Chapter 2 • The Lee Boys • Marco Benevento Trio • Rhett Miller • U-Melt • Alberta Cross • Macpodz • The Brew • Black Taxi • Joey Eppard • The Trapps • BuzzUniverse • Stoney Clove Lane • Pimps of Joytime • Machan • Hot Day at the Zoo • Joe Pug • Jennie Arnau • The Movement  The Fifth Annual Mountain Jam has a whole lot of Trucks, both in the Allman Brothers Band and in the Derek Trucks Band. Derek plays in both. His father Butch, of course is a member of the Allmans. We only recently discovered Derek (tch, tch -- my bad; Yikes! What an oversight!). We've downloaded two albums off of trusty eMusic and will get more wherever we can. He's a monster on both electric and acoustic. Mostly bluesy, sometimes the sound veers off into jazz and it sounds like hearing Jeff Beck again, for the first time, with a few new twists and turns. Martin Sexton will provide the vocal pyrotechnics. Things get a bit more laid back when Californian Brett Dennen plays that folk/pop we've been hearing everywhere we tune in or stream our music these days. We suspect that with the line-up we see here, attendees will swear they can feel Hunter Mountain shake. May 28-31 ~~ Strawberry Park Bluegrass Festival 42 Pierce Rd, Preston, CT (860) 886-1944 www.strawberrypark.net/bluegrass.htm • Rhonda Vincent & The Rage • Lonesome River Band • Dale Ann Bradley • Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper • The Gibson Brothers • Dry Branch Fire Squad • The Greencards •Jonathan Edwards • Kenny & Amanda Smith • Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass • The Kruger Brothers • Josh Williams Band • Amy Gallatin • The Farewell Drifters • The Boston Boys • Girl Howdy • The Kennedys • Red Molly • Tracy Grammer At Strawberry Park Bluegrass Festival, we see a great cross-section of singer/songwriters and straight-up bluegrass. The Kennedys, Red Molly, the Greencards and Tracy Grammer actually provide some of both and Rhonda Vincent gives us a full dose of the high lonesome. June 7 ~~ With a Little Help from My Friends An Outdoor Music And Arts Celebration To Benefit The Appel Farm Rising Young Artist Camp Scholarship Fund Appel Farm Arts & Music Center/Elmer, NJ www.appelfarm.org 800/394-1211 2pm - 6pm • Guy Davis • Vance Gilbert • John Gorka • The Guggenheim Grotto • The Neilds • Livingston Taylor • Jeffrey Gaines • Grey Eye Glances • Gillian Grassie • The Kennedys • Phil Roy The one-day benefit for Appel Farm "With a Little Help from My Friends” supplants the actual festival this year. On hand to lend a hand are some old friends, The Kennedys and Vance Gilbert (start laughter now -- avoid the last-minute rush). John Gorka can be expected to include both humor and poignancy in his repertoire (does anyone ever get tired of hearing John? We don't). June 11-14 ~~ Roots on The River 2009 The 10th Annual Fred Eaglesmith Weekend I-91, Exit 6, Bellows Falls, Vermont Info: 866-484-3669, www.rootsontheriver.com • Fred Eaglesmith • Sonny Landreth • Chris Smither • Junior Brown • Bottle Rockets • Hayes Carll • Jeffrey Foucault • Sweetback Sisters • Broken Blossom • Roger Marin Band • Red Molly • Caroline Herring • Josh Maiocco • Ninja Monkey • Spike Dog Tooth  At Roots on the River, Fred Eaglesmith manages to bring in monster talent every year. This year's theme must be "Guitar Heaven." Headliners include Sonny Landreth, Chris Smither and Junior Brown. Red Molly is here, still on their world domination tour, conquering the planet one festival at a time. The Bottle Rockets have a punked-up rockabilly sound that brings to mind Gene Vincent and the Ramones in a blender. It works for me. June 4-7 ~~ 13th Annual Blast From the Bayou at Strawberry Park Strawberry Park, 42 Pierce Road, Preston, CT 06365 (860) 886-1944, Toll-free: (888) 794-7944, www.strawberrypark.net/cajun_zydeco.htm • Geno Delafose • Pine Leaf Boys • Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys • Jesse Lege • Li'l Anne & Hot Cayenne • Brian Jack • Feufollet • Dennis Stroughmatt & Creole Stomp • RedLine Zydeco • The Subdudes • The Iguanas Blast from the Bayou at Strawberry Park lives up to its name. Louisiana in the house, for sure. The Subdudes, from New Orleans are an easy-rockin' group that raise audience spirits. Lil' Anne and Hot Cayenne are a high voltage zydeco band that brings the party with them wherever they go. We already know how high Steve Riley sets the bar for Cajun music. The Iguanas, also from New Orleans can combine elements of jazz and Latin music. June 20 & 21 ~~ Clearwater Music and Environmental Festival The Great Hudson River Revival Croton Point Park, in Westchester County, NY www.clearwater.org • Susan Tedeschi • Arlo Guthrie • Richie Havens • Old Crow Medicine Show • The Persuasions • Alejandro Escovedo • Pete Seeger • A.C. Newman • Elvis Perkins in Dearland • Dr. Dog • Allison Moorer • Tao Rodriguez-Seeger • Cornmeal • Jay Ungar and Molly Mason • Mike & Ruthy • Jennie Arnau • Sleepy Hollow String Band • MacTalla Mór • Work 'o The Weavers • The Dirty Stay Out Skifflers • Dan Einbender • Gillen & Turk • Hope Machine • Evy Mayer • Rick Nestler • Melissa • Ortquist • Sarah Underhill & Friends • Stout • Linda Richards • Sol "Roundman" Weber • Dog on Fleas • The Kids From Room 12 • Roger the Jesterr • Elizabeth Mitchell & You Are My Flowerr • Kenny Young & the Eggplants• Rik Palieri • Something to Say Cafér • Baba Jamal Koram • Louise Omoto Kessel • Storycrafters • Walkabout Clearwater Chorus More artists to be announced... Clearwater Festival will be a highlight for Pete Seeger's 90th year on the planet. We'll miss the big party at Madison Square Garden, so we're glad we make it to both days of Clearwater every year. This festival might represent Pete's crowning achievement in spurring the cleanup of the Hudson River. The line-up is pretty spectacular. Pete, as always, will be performing, leading the audience in those epic sing-alongs. Groups that celebrate Pete's philosophical and political bent will be there, like Work 'o the Weavers and Hope Machine. Old Crow Medicine Show has an old-timey, bluegrassy sound and they're not afraid to tackle social themes. Richie Havens has been here a few times before and casts his mystical, humanist net over the proceedings Blues icon Susan Tedeschi will add some electricity to the occasion. We don't know if Alejandro Escovedo will be strapping on his telecaster for his appearance here, but we've seen him play acoustic before and it's still a major event when he steps onto any stage. We believe that this will be the first appearance for Steve Earle's wife, Allison Moorer. We suspect her political leaning must be left-of-center, considering who's she's married to. Steve himself would be a natural for Clearwater, but we don't want to know what his asking price is these days. Of course, Arlo Guthrie fits in here, hand-in-glove, seeing as how his old man, Woody, is kind of the North Star for all this folk music stuff.  June 20 ~~ Southern Shore Music Festival Carmel Green, Cumberland County Fairgrounds, 3001 Carmel Road, Millville, NJ www.southernshoremusicfestival.com • Arlo Guthrie • Eilen Jewell • Hoots & Hellmouth • 61 North • Nora Whitakker • Nik Everett more to come… We see that Arlo is also going to show up at the Southern Shore Music Festival. He'll probably seem pretty laid-back compared to Hoots and Hellmouth. There aren't too many folk groups with that kind of energy. This is as close as folk gets to punk. June 26 - 28 ~~ Old Songs Festival of Traditional Music & Dance Altamont, NY www.oldsongs.org [P.O. Box 466/ Voorheesville, NY 12186, phone: 518/765-2815, fax 518/765-4193, email: oldsongs@oldsongs.org • Peggy Seeger • Bill Harley • Josh White Jr. • Christine Lavin • Jez Lowe & Kate Bramley • Vanaver Caravan • Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen • Reveillons! • Lea Gilmore • Galitcha • Toby Walker • Louis Killen • Lissa Schneckenburger • Lou & Peter Berryman • John Roberts & Tony Barrand • Bua • Michael Cooney • Bill Smith & Don Woodcock • Peter & Mary Alice Amidon • Asterisk • Double Decker String Band • Festival Jug Band • The Flying Garbanzos • Groovemama • Elizabeth LaPrelle • Jimmy & Ada McCown • Nanne & Ankie & the Hudson Crew • Red Hen • George Ward • Roger the Jester • Paul Rosenberg • Steve Zakon-Anderson • Bill Spence • Jake Thomas Some of the people showing up at Old Songs used to be regulars at Fox Hollow back in the 70's. The old Beers Family spirit still lives on. Louis Killen and Michael Cooney, for example. Sea chantey master Lou Killen seemed as if he was middle-aged back then. We wonder what he's like today. Michael exuded mischievous good humor back then, so he'll fit right in with Christine Lavin who's been known to add a humorous song (or several dozen) to her repertoire. John Roberts and Tony Barrand would sing those wacky English folk ditties back then and here they are, still doing it. There's no Johnny Shines or Reverend Gary Davis, but modern blues master Toby Walker is here to carry the torch onward into the 21st century. July 3-5 ~~ Mariposa Folk Festival Tudhope Park/Orillia, ON, Canada www.mariposafolk.com • Buffy Sainte Marie • The Proclaimers • Luke Doucet • Le Vent du Nord • Steven Page (Barenaked Ladies) • The Skydiggers • Guy Davis • The Dixie Flyers • Valdy • Nancy White • April Verch • Ken Whitely • The Good Lovelies • Royal Wood • Jenn Grant • Ron Douglas • Sheesham & Douglas • Steph Dunn • The John Henrys • The Fugitives • Great Wooden Trio • The Brights • Flashlight Radio • Steppin' in It • Shout Sister Shout Buffy Sainte Marie is one of the headliners at Mariposa this year. We saw her a couple of years ago at Clearwater, still looking young and bursting with energy. She was born in Canada but raised in Maine after being orphaned and adopted. We're sure the Canadians have welcomed her back many times. Multi-instrumentalist Ken Whitely was a hit at the Northeast Folk Alliance Conference a couple of years ago, another of those wonderful discoveries we get to make at NERFA when these folks venture south of the border. April Verch is one of those dazzling fiddlers from the Ontario area. She combines clogging and fiddling, the way many other Canadian fiddlers do. It's one of those favorite summer treats. Guy Davis is one of the American acts that they sneak in for a little balance, I guess, because we let so many of their guys come down and play here. Guy's blues seem to get grittier every time I hear him. July 3-5 ~~ New Bedford Summerfest New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park New Bedford, Mass. 508/997-5231 www.barrel-of-music.com • Roy Book Binder • Benoit Bourque • Susie Burke & Dave Surrette • Bua • Ronny Cox • Dala • Antje Duvekot • Stacy Earle & Mark Stuart • Cliff Eberhardt • Jonathan Edwards Trio • The English Men • Tim Erikson • Stephen Fearing • Bob Franke • Gadelle • John Gorka • Livio Guardi & Wilson Montou • The Kennedys • Louis Killen • Claire Lynch • Lovell Sisters • Harry Manx • Danielle Miraglia • Maria Muldaur • Peter Mulvey • Ellis Paul • Red Hen • Red Molly • Le Reveillons! • Claudia Russell & Bruce




May 29 - 31 ~~  Fifth Annual Mountain Jam

Hunter Mountain, NY     www.mountainjam.com


• Gov't Mule • Allman Brothers Band • Michael Franti & Spearhead • Umphrey's McGee • Coheed & Cambria • The Derek Trucks Band • The Hold Steady •  BK3 Featuring Bill Kreutzmann • Martin Sexton


• Richie Havens • Girl Talk • Gomez • Gene Ween Band • Tea Leaf Green • Railroad Earth • Jackie Greene •  John Medeski • Karl Denson's Tiny Universe • Porter Batiste Stoltz • Brett Dennen • Eric Krasno & Chapter 2 • The Lee Boys •  Marco Benevento Trio • Rhett Miller • U-Melt • Alberta Cross • Macpodz • The Brew • Black Taxi • Joey Eppard • The Trapps • BuzzUniverse • Stoney Clove Lane • Pimps of Joytime • Machan • Hot Day at the Zoo • Joe Pug • Jennie Arnau • The Movement



















The Fifth Annual Mountain Jam has a whole lot of Trucks, both in the Allman Brothers Band and in the Derek Trucks Band. Derek plays in both. His father Butch, of course is a member of the Allmans.


We only recently discovered Derek (tch, tch -- my bad; Yikes! What an oversight!). We've downloaded two albums off of trusty eMusic and will get more wherever we can. He's a monster on both electric and acoustic. Mostly bluesy, sometimes the sound veers off into jazz and it sounds like hearing Jeff Beck again, for the first time, with a few new twists and turns. Martin Sexton will provide the vocal pyrotechnics. Things get a bit more laid back when Californian Brett Dennen plays that folk/pop we've been hearing everywhere we tune in or stream our music these days. We suspect that with the line-up we see here, attendees will swear they can feel Hunter Mountain shake.




May 28-31 ~~ Strawberry Park Bluegrass Festival

42 Pierce Rd, Preston, CT

(860) 886-1944 

www.strawberrypark.net/bluegrass.htm


• Rhonda Vincent & The Rage • Lonesome River Band • Dale Ann Bradley • Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper • The Gibson Brothers • Dry Branch Fire Squad • The Greencards •Jonathan Edwards • Kenny & Amanda Smith • Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass • The Kruger Brothers • Josh Williams Band • Amy Gallatin • The Farewell Drifters • The Boston Boys  • Girl Howdy • The Kennedys • Red Molly • Tracy Grammer



At Strawberry Park Bluegrass Festival, we see a great cross-section of singer/songwriters and straight-up bluegrass. The Kennedys, Red Molly, the Greencards  and Tracy Grammer actually provide some of both and Rhonda Vincent  gives us a full dose of the high lonesome.




June 7 ~~ With a Little Help from My Friends  

An Outdoor Music And Arts Celebration To Benefit The Appel Farm

Rising Young Artist Camp Scholarship Fund

Appel Farm Arts & Music Center/Elmer, NJ  www.appelfarm.org  800/394-1211   2pm - 6pm


• Guy Davis • Vance Gilbert • John Gorka • The Guggenheim Grotto • The Neilds • Livingston Taylor

• Jeffrey Gaines • Grey Eye Glances • Gillian Grassie • The Kennedys • Phil Roy


The one-day benefit for Appel Farm "With a Little Help from My Friends” supplants the actual festival this year. On hand to lend a hand are some old friends, The Kennedys and Vance Gilbert (start laughter now -- avoid the last-minute rush). John Gorka can be expected to include both humor and poignancy in his repertoire (does anyone ever get tired of hearing John? We don't).




June 11-14 ~~ Roots on The River 2009

The 10th Annual Fred Eaglesmith Weekend

I-91, Exit 6, Bellows Falls, Vermont

Info: 866-484-3669, www.rootsontheriver.com


• Fred Eaglesmith • Sonny Landreth • Chris Smither • Junior Brown • Bottle Rockets • Hayes Carll • Jeffrey Foucault • Sweetback Sisters • Broken Blossom • Roger Marin Band • Red Molly • Caroline Herring • Josh Maiocco • Ninja Monkey • Spike Dog Tooth



















At Roots on the River, Fred Eaglesmith manages to bring in monster talent every year. This year's theme must be "Guitar Heaven." Headliners include  Sonny Landreth, Chris Smither and Junior Brown. Red Molly is here, still on their world domination tour, conquering the planet one festival at a time. The Bottle Rockets have a punked-up rockabilly sound that brings to mind Gene Vincent and the Ramones in a blender. It works for me.




June 4-7 ~~ 13th Annual Blast From the Bayou at Strawberry Park

Strawberry Park, 42 Pierce Road, Preston, CT 06365

(860) 886-1944, Toll-free: (888) 794-7944,  www.strawberrypark.net/cajun_zydeco.htm


• Geno Delafose • Pine Leaf Boys • Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys • Jesse Lege

• Li'l Anne & Hot Cayenne • Brian Jack • Feufollet • Dennis Stroughmatt & Creole Stomp

• RedLine Zydeco • The Subdudes • The Iguanas



Blast from the Bayou at Strawberry Park lives up to its name. Louisiana in the house, for sure.

The Subdudes, from New Orleans are an easy-rockin' group that raise audience spirits.  Lil' Anne

and Hot Cayenne are a high voltage zydeco band that brings the party with them wherever they go.

We already know how high Steve Riley sets the bar for Cajun music. The Iguanas, also from

New Orleans can combine elements of jazz and Latin music.




June 20 & 21 ~~ Clearwater Music and Environmental Festival

The Great Hudson River Revival

Croton Point Park, in Westchester County, NY

www.clearwater.org


• Susan Tedeschi • Arlo Guthrie • Richie Havens • Old Crow Medicine Show • The Persuasions

• Alejandro Escovedo • Pete Seeger • A.C. Newman • Elvis Perkins in Dearland • Dr. Dog • Allison Moorer

• Tao Rodriguez-Seeger • Cornmeal • Jay Ungar and Molly Mason • Mike & Ruthy • Jennie Arnau

• Sleepy Hollow String Band • MacTalla Mór • Work 'o The Weavers • The Dirty Stay Out Skifflers

• Dan Einbender • Gillen & Turk • Hope Machine • Evy Mayer • Rick Nestler • Melissa • Ortquist

• Sarah Underhill & Friends • Stout • Linda Richards • Sol "Roundman" Weber • Dog on Fleas

• The Kids From Room 12 • Roger the Jesterr • Elizabeth Mitchell & You Are My Flowerr

• Kenny Young & the Eggplants• Rik Palieri • Something to Say Cafér • Baba Jamal Koram

• Louise Omoto Kessel • Storycrafters • Walkabout Clearwater Chorus  More artists to be announced...


Clearwater Festival will be a highlight for Pete Seeger's 90th year on the planet. We'll miss the big party at Madison Square Garden, so we're glad we make it to both days of Clearwater every year. This festival might represent Pete's crowning achievement in spurring the cleanup of the Hudson River. The line-up is pretty spectacular.


jp f Good Looking Stripped Singers lb Good Looking Stripped Singers