2011 Festival Performers

LAURIE LEWIS & THE RIGHT HANDS (1:20PM – 2:00PM & 5:00PM – 5:40PM)

Legend is not always loud. Particularly in the beneath-the-radar substreams of American folk music and bluegrass, it is bestowed more by whispered word-of-mouth, over years and decades, than by the hurried hype and ballyhoo of the pop mainstream. You can't measure Laurie Lewis's 30-year career with the usual commercial yardsticks. She has won a Grammy ("True Life Blues: The Songs of Bill Monroe," 1997), and twice been named Female Vocalist of the Year by the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association). If you listen down the backroads of acoustic Americana, however, you'll soon realize this soft-spoken, sweet-singing California fiddler, singer and songwriter is something very special. Says IBMA executive director Dan Hays, "Judging by the respect she has among fans and her peers in the industry, Laurie is one of the pre-eminent bluegrass and Americana artists of our time." It is hard to tell whether her being a woman or a Californian impacted the music more, but what is clear is that she is a pivotal figure in transforming the music from a regional genre into a truly international musical language. "She's opened a lot of doors for our music," says Hays. "There were certainly female artists in bluegrass before her, but to do what she's done with her own unique style, as opposed to mimicking her male counterparts, she's been a real pioneer in that regard. It goes beyond her just being a woman, though she's set a wonderful example for female artists. Her whole approach to music has had a positive influence throughout the country."

Tom Rozum joined forces with Laurie in 1986, and his versatility and diverse musical influences come to the fore every night on stage with the band. He plays primarily mandolin with the band, but is also an accomplished fiddle, mandola, and guitar player. His background as a rock and swing musician adds a uniquely satisfying flavor to the band. His rhythmic approach to mandolin especially punctuates the band’s repertoire, adding to their on-stage shows a verve and excitement that has become a distinctive feature of their performances. Tom is a fine lead vocalist, the ideal harmony partner for Laurie, and occasionally functions as the comic foil for on-stage goings-on whenever things get too weighty.

Chad Manning has won plaudits as the fiddler with the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience, & is a much-sought-after teacher, and greatly in demand as a session player. He has been playing fiddle since the age of 8, and toured the NW extensively with his family’s band, Homeward Bound. As a teenager he twice won Washington State Junior Fiddle Championships. He also placed in the top five in the Junior and Adult divisions at the National Old Time Fiddler’s Contest in Weiser, Idaho. Through adolescence and his college years, Chad immersed himself in the styles of fiddle masters from different genres (including old-time, Western Swing, and bluegrass). In the late 1990s, Laurie heard him playing at the Berkeley Farmers’ Market, and they’ve been scheming on a way to play music together ever since. Their hopes are finally realized with this edition of The Right Hands. Chad’s fiery yet sweet fiddling is a perfect addition to Laurie’s music.

Andrew Conklin is a composer, guitarist, double bassist, sound artist, and teacher. Andrew grew up near Philadelphia, in Wyndmoor, PA, and studied jazz guitar with Philadelphia shredder Ed Scott. He attended Oberlin College, emerging with a bachelor’s degree in jazz guitar. He has written pieces for orchestra, chamber ensemble, jazz band, and choir, and his music has been performed across the nation by groups ranging from the Oberlin Jazz Septet to the Germantown Friends School Choir. His bass-playing combines perfect timing with a playful sensibility that allows him to craft lines that knit the ensemble together seamlessly; his occasional solos are real gems of melodic invention and rhythmic intensity.

Patrick Sauber, a native of Arcadia, CA, has been playing old-time, Cajun, and bluegrass music ever since he can remember. His introduction to performing came at the knee of his father, old-time master fiddler and claw-hammer banjo player Tom Sauber, a stalwart of the traditional music scene in Southern California. Patrick has developed a keen ear, unusual depth to his playing, technical expertise, and an encyclopedic knowledge of traditional music forms that is rare in one so young. He has recorded or performed with many artists, including Doc Watson, Herb Pedersen, Weird Al Yankovic, The Limeliters, Richard Greene, Christ Stuart & Backcountry, Dirk Powell, and many others. In 2003, Christopher Guest asked Patrick to be the banjo player in The New Main Street Singers in the folk-music satire movie, A Mighty Wind. Patrick also played on the soundtrack CD and toured with the film’s cast. A formidable talent on banjo, Cajun accordion, mandolin, and guitar (“He’s the kind of guy who could probably get music out of anything he puts his hands on,” says Laurie), he primarily plays banjo in The Right Hands, also taking a tasty turn on guitar and accordion on selected numbers.

Grammy Award Winner Laurie Lewis performed at our 2009 Festival. We’re elated she’s been able to return this year with the Right Hands

www.laurielewis.com

THE STAIRWELL SISTERS (2:30PM - 3:10PM, plus A DANCE SET FROM 5:40PM – 6:20PM)

Producer Lloyd Maines recalls hearing The Stairwell Sisters for the first time: “I happened upon this tribe of women musicians, playing old-time string music, with the power and excitement of a great rock band.” Tribe of women indeed! Evie Ladin explains what holds sway with the sisters, themes similarly found in one of their early influences, Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard: “not exactly the sweet and tender ladies, but the stand up for yourself and face the world kind of women.” Which is exactly the kind of women that make up The Stairwell Sisters - Evie, Stephanie Prausnitz. Lisa Berman, Martha Hawthorne, and Sue Sandlin are career women, organizers, activists and mamas; making ends meet working and living in San Francisco. They also happen to crank out acoustic, old-time music with a punk-rock intensity. Somehow, between raising children, working and releasing records, they’ve taken their band to some rather well-regarded places – appearing on A Prairie Home Companion, festival stages from Lincoln Center (NYC) and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (SF) to Celtic Connections (UK), and many points in between. The Stairwell Sisters come from varied musical backgrounds, some from acoustic traditions, others through amped-up rock and roll. Sue Sandlin says hearing Flatt and Scruggs brought her back to the country music her family loved, “It was akin to the hair-raising excitement I felt the first time I heard The Clash as a teenager.” The Sisters are all about bringing that excitement to the stage.

Lauded for infectious shows that combine buck-dancing with balladry and sass, these women unfailingly play their instruments hell-bent to drive the music.

The Stairwell Sisters performed at our first Festival in 2006 and we’re thrilled to have them return this year.

www.stairwellsisters.com

PAT ICKES & BOUND TO RIDE (12:40PM – 1:20PM AND 3:40PM - 4:20PM)

These local favorites are scheduled to perform for the 5th year at the Old Time Bluegrass Festival. The harmonies and strength of their musical talents shine, and the fact that they come from Lake County makes us even more proud and excited to have them back.

Patrick Ickes picks the five-string banjo with the hard-driving licks that anchor the band to its bluegrass roots. Born in San Francisco to the musical Ickes family, Patrick taught himself how to pick on his Grandpa's banjo at age twelve.

Phil Cornish is a mandolin player, songwriter and lead vocalist who is turning heads with his crisp, tasteful mando style, cutting-edge melodies and "born singin’ bluegrass" voice. He grew up in San Jose where he listened to his dad sing and play bluegrass for more than twenty years.

Larry Chung is a multi-instrumentalist who has always loved playing music. Born and raised in rural Illinois, Larry played classical violin and piano and eventually moved to the Bay Area to attend college at Stanford University. Over the next several years, he taught himself the guitar, the banjo, the mandolin, the Dobro, and the double bass.

Elida Ickes provides solid rhythm as bass player and vocalist. While living in Millbrae, CA, Elida played with several SF Bay Area bands. Soon after moving to Twain Harte, in the Motherlode area of the Sierra's, she joined an all-female band playing music of the Gold Rush Era and also plays with a group called Fiddle's Etc.

www.boundtoridebluegrass.com

FUR DIXON & STEVE WERNER (4:20pm - 5:00pm)

“With old-time elements penetrating [their music], it is evident that the foundations laid down by Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family are still being built on to this day in the most stunning way possible.”
-- Maverick Magazine Review.

Fur Dixon is a foot-stomping, sassy cowgirl with musical influences from June and Mother Maybelle Carter, Hazel Dickens and Johnny Cash. She is a gifted, deep and insightful writer, whose songs demolish the gap between old and new, speaking straight to the heart of the listener. Fur's voice is the voice of a dear friend heard across a campfire on a starry night.

Steve Werner is an unrepentant, motorcycle-riding, story-telling, hard-traveling, flat-picking, son of a gun. He's a cowboy-hatted, yodeling troubadour and an award-winning guitar picker, deeply rooted in the traditions of Doc Watson, Norman Blake and Merle Travis.

Hailing from Van Nuys, California, but equally at home anywhere under the western sky, well-traveled California folk favorites Fur and Steve will take you on a rollicking musical joyride through the back roads and highways of the American West. Known for their dazzling two-part harmonies, their spectacular yodeling, awesome guitar picking, wise-cracking humor all serve to compliment their old and new-timey traveling songs. Together, they're a combination that can't be beat, with a show that's fun, heartfelt and drenched in the rich traditions of Bluegrass, Western and good old American folk music.

This duo was a big hit at last year’s festival. We’re delighted they could return.

www.furandsteve.com

MIGHTY CHIPLINGS

Mighty Chipling members Marshall Thiessen, David Thiessen, Jesse Fichman and Adrian Shader cite diverse influences that include Chip Dunbar, Earl Scruggs, Jerry Garcia, Ed Neff, David Grisman, Tony Rice, and Johnny Cash.

Carrying on the old-timey tradition learned from their teacher, Chip Dunbar, these talented teenagers are always a crowd pleaser.

After a year’s absence from our Festival, we’re very pleased they’re back.

Three Deep

Since meeting at the Anderson Marsh Bluegrass Festival three years ago, the trio of local musicians who make up Three Deep have been developing their own unique style that showcases each member's individual talents highlighted by rich three part harmonies.

These ladies have the entire County of Lake represented with Sarah Tichava from Upper Lake, Jill Shaul from Lakeport and Anna McAtee from Middletown.

Their backgrounds and musical interests are as widespread as their county locations - and if you listen closely, you will hear a smidgen of rock and roll and folk wrapped up in their country, gospel and bluegrass sounds.

This trio performed at last year’s festival for the first time and we’re delighted to showcase them again.

TWO ROCK RAMBLERS

Based in Sonoma, the band now consists of five performers: Chris Carney (Lonesome Holler String Band) doing the lead vocals and playing guitar, his wife Kathi on bass, Mark Hogan on mandolin and banjo, Greg Snyder on banjo and Sue Walters on fiddle.

Mark Hogan was a past president and is a current officer of the California Bluegrass Association and founding member of the great bluegrass band "Done Gone".

Sue has performed with the Lonesome Holler String Band and has been playing bluegrass in the S.F. Bay Area for years.

“We are all into the older traditional bluegrass sounds of bands like the Stanley Brothers, the Louisiana Honeydrippers, very early Bill Monroe and all those transitional bands between pure old time music and bluegrass...”

We’re happy to welcome this Sonoma group to our Festival.

 

Local Favorites

Cobb Stompers – Local husband and wife team from Cobb Mountain with Patricia Jekel on Fiddle, Dock Jekel on Banjo, Scott Serena on Guitar and Tamsen Nash on autoharp, play authentic Appalachian music and have been delighting crowds at the Cobb Mountain Coffee Shop and at the Anderson Marsh Old Time Bluegrass Festival for the past few years. www.cobbstompers.com

Clear Lake Clikkers – High Steppin’ fancy footwork describes this group of dancers from Lake County. They are dedicated to furthering clog dancing in the area and will be providing a workshop opportunity at the festival.

Konocti Fiddlers – Lake County residents are familiar with the fiddle skills of Andi Skelton. She is a fine teacher and performer who has played with the Lake County Symphony, various stage productions and past Anderson Marsh Old Time Bluegrass Festivals. She will be joined by some of her students and friends as the KONOCTI FIDDLERS to perform at the festival.

Workshop Schedule