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| Blackstone Valley Bluegrass Band |
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| Saddle River String Band |
Although the fall weather is firmly entrenched on the Island that doesn't mean that summery events don't still happen. This month has a couple of bluegrass events happening that are worthy of note.
First is the Laurie Blue Memorial Bluegrass Festival Nov 2, 3, and 4 at the Loyalist Lakeview Resort in Summerside. This is the third annual event and it promises to be a great time headlined by the Blackstone Valley Bluegrass Band from New England and supported by a long list of local and regional groups.
The second bluegrass event to take place in November is a concert by The Saddle River String Band and One Shot Deal. This show takes place at the B.I.S. Hall on North River Road in Charlottetown on November 17 at 7:30 pm. This event will be a great showcase of Island talent with the Saddle River String Band fresh from an appearance at the PEI Music Awards on November 10.
The Saddle River String Band, who took its name from the Canadian cult film “Road To Saddle River,” has been performing on PEI for the last 5 years with the most recent lineup of Tom Desroches, Troy McArthur, James Phillips and Mike Dixon being a unit for over a year. The band's sound runs the gamut of traditional North Americana sources from pre-war blues, ragtime, country, bluegrass and string band music to the more modern ‘folkie' styles pioneered by such artists as Steve Earle and Neil Young. The boys have played many establishments in both western and eastern PEI including the Landing in Tyne Valley, Kaylee Hall in Poole's Corner & many places in between. They have performed at the Evangeline Bluegrass festival for many years and were a crowd favourite at this year's PEI Bluegrass and Old Time Music festival at Rollo Bay, being voted the Island's top act.
All four have been involved in the Island's musical scene for many years in such bands as the Rattlesnakin' Daddies, The New Drifts, Stone River, the Nathan Wiley Band, Stephane Bouchard & Le Funk 6. As well Troy and James have produced CDs for many of the Island's top artists, including Catherine McLellan and Brooke Miller, under the banner of their SunzaHorse production partnership.
In 2007 Saddle River released their self-titled debut album which boasts 7 original songs about love lost and squandered, poverty and their fair home of Prince Edward Island and also off-the-beaten-track covers of traditional material by blues giants Son House and Mississippi John Hurt and country music pioneers The Carter Family.
“One Shot Deal” is made up of PEI bluegrass veterans Norm Bowser on banjo, dobro and vocals, Ivan Bulger on guitar and vocals, Glenda Johnston on bass and vocals and yours truly on guitar, mandolin and vocals.
Until next time don't forget to support live country and bluegrass music and listen to Bluegrass Island every Sunday evening at 9:00 (or so) on CFCY 95.1 FM and on the net at www. 951fmcfcy.com.
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