Banjo Dan and the Mid-Nite Plowboys

Archive

2005 Schedule and Newsletters

December 2005

Holiday greetings and best wishes for a peaceful 2006 filled with great LIVE music. After one of our busiest summers in years, some of the Plowboys are back to their day jobs while others are enjoying a long winter’s nap. But behind the scenes we’re plotting and planning for another year full of great music. We intend once again to be touring all around New England and New York; in fact, some concert dates are already set. Our spring Newsletter will provide a full listing of summer shows, along with other late-breaking news.

Although the Plowboys are taking a break for the cold months, the Lindner Brothers are gearing up for a busy winter and spring. Beginning January 1 we’ll be performing as The Sky Blue Boys. With a new name, some excellent new songs, and the same old spirit and energy, we’re set to deliver some great shows in 06. For starters, you might want to mark the following Sky Blue Boys dates on your new calendar:

January 21: Great Falls Club, Middlebury VT – a fine new venue on Frog Hollow Alley (info 802-462-2735)

February 5: Burnham Hall, Lincoln VT – a real nice concert series in a quaint community center. (info 802-453-3175)

April 7: Church Street Café, Lennoxville United Church, Lennoxville, Quebec 8 PM

THERE WILL BE MORE.

Meanwhile, with the holidays coming up you’re sure to need some musical stocking stuffers. And what could be better than a few Banjo Dan CDs? By way of flogging a deceased equine, let me remind you that you can order any or all of the following by sending a check to Banjo Dan, 192 Bird Haven Lane, N. Ferrisburgh, VT 05473. (We cover all postage.)

Some Rust…Runs Good (the latest from Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys) -- $16
Like a River (17 most-requested songs from early Banjo Dan recordings) -- $16
The Catamount is Back! (Banjo Dan’s Songs of Vermont, Vol. II) -- $16
Snowfall (the Plowboys’ first record, from 1974, re-mastered for CD) -- $15
I’ll Take the Hills (Banjo Dan’s Songs of Vermont, Vol. I, re-mastered for CD) -- $15
Green Mountain Skyline (Great semi-obscure 1987 record with bonus tracks, re-mastered for CD) -- $15

Thanks, folks. We’ll see you next year. Best holiday wishes from us all – Banjo Dan

August 22nd update

Well, folks, it’s been a great summer for Banjo Dan and the ’boys. We’ve been all around New England, played some fine festivals and concerts and apparently, based on the number of new names on this mailing list, made a lot of new friends. But the gig list is getting short and Jon Henry just went back to work (he makes part of his living educating young people – scary, ain’t it?), so summer must be winding down. We still have some good shows coming up over the next few weeks, including some not previously listed. It’s going to be a long winter, so please come on out and join us for some good live bluegrass while the weather’s still mild.

• August 27: Bondville Fair, Bondville, VT, 4 PM (free with fair admission)
• Sept 2: Eagle Square Park, Concord NH, 7:30 (free to public)
• Sept 4: Stanley Park, Westfield, MA, 6:30 PM
• Sept 17: Shelburne Farms Harvest Festival, Shelburne, VT – an all-day family event
• Sept 24: Vermont Day at the Eastern States Exposition, Springfield, MA, 4 PM
• Sept 26: Stowe, Vermont, early eve – info from Stowe Performing Arts 802-253-7792
• Oct 1: Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, MA, noon and 2 PM

You can also catch The Lindner Brothers, Banjo Dan and Willy, at the following:

• August 24: Proctorsville Green in Cavendish, VT, 6:30 PM
• Sept 10: Charlotte, VT, 5 PM, for the Charlotte Land Trust – find them online for info

Finally, for the benefit of you new folks, let me provide a list of available CDs:

• Some Rust…Runs Good – our most recent recording -- a dynamic collection of bluegrass from a wide range of sources.
• Like a River – A compilation of most-requested selections from our first 8 albums.
• The Catamount is Back – our second volume of original Vermont songs, featuring the Plowboys and a plethora of special guests

These three are $16 each. The following three popular early albums have been beautifully re-mastered for CD. We sell them with minimal packaging for $15 each:

• Snowfall – our acclaimed first album, from 1974.
• I’ll Take the Hills – our first collection of original Vermont songs.
• Green Mountain Skyline – our last vinyl album, featuring many of our most popular songs, plus 5 bonus selections.

We cover all postage. Send a check to Banjo Dan, 192 Bird Haven Lane, N. Ferrisburgh, VT 05473.

Thanks again for your friendship and support. Hope to see you soon. Banjo Dan

Banjo Dan June Update
June 9,  2005

Hi again folks. Banjo Dan here with a few additions and corrections.

1.  First of all, the Lindner Brothers' gig tomorrow evening, June 10, is at the Lakeview (not Lakeside) Inn, in scenic Greensboro, Vermont, 9 to midnight or so.
2. Next, I'd like to invite everyone on our mailing list -- and I do mean everyone, worldwide -- to tune in to Vermont Public Radio this Saturday, June 11, at 9 PM for My Place, a fabulous program which, in host Joel Najman's words, "traces the history and evolution of rock and popular music." I've been a devoted listener for 20 years, and it turns out Joel is also a fan of bluegrass and old-time music. On Saturday we'll be co-hosting a special show tracing the influences of bluegrass on American pop mainstream music. We'll be playing some great songs and sharing some thoughts and insights about the ways bluegrass and popular styles have cross-pollinated. The show can be heard anywhere in the world, streaming on the internet at www.vpr.net -- but only during the actual hour it airs: 9 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Saturday June 11.
3. 3Your source for info on Vermont bluegrass venues, festivals, bands and much more is www.vtbluegrass.org. Sorry I've misled you in the past -- this time I got it right.
4. Tickets for the Plowboys' concert at the Union Christian Church in Plymouth, Vermont on July 17 are available to members of the Coolidge Foundation for $15 and to others for $20. Contact 802-672-3389 or info@calvin-coolidge.org.
5. The area's newest festival, running July 22-24 in Newfane, Vermont, is called the West River Bluegrass Festival. Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys will be there on the 23rd for a big 90-minute show at 2 PM before heading north for one of the world's greatest barbecues (sorry, that's a private affair). We'd love to see you at the festival.
6. On August 13 the Round Top Center for the Arts in Damariscotta will present The Lindner Brothers, Banjo Dan and Willy, with their good-time old-time music show -- not Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys as reported last month. We'd like to invite all our Maine friends to come sample some fine old pre-bluegrass country music, including our famous radio show and a bit of our infamous country comedy.
7. And you folks around the Winnipesaukee region in NH are invited to catch the Lindner Bros at the Tuftonboro Free Library at 4 PM on August 14.
8. The October 1 Plowboys show at Old Sturbridge Village, MA consists of two sets, 12 noon and 2 PM.

That's it for now. Our complete schedule, plus info on recordings, can always be found at www.banjodan.com. We'll see you soon. Banjo Dan

Banjo Dan Spring Newsletter
May 2005 [See corrections in official schedule and June Update above]

Beware: Banjo Dan's bluegrass machine is coming to a concert hall, gazebo, city park or festival near you. The summer's looking good, with shows all around the northeast, and we're hoping you'll take the opportunity to join us for some good lively picking and singing this summer. Let's get right to the concert schedule for both the band and the duo. (Please note below, the Lindner Bros. are playing this Saturday, 5/21, in Ferrisburgh, VT.)

Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys:
***June 17: Nectar's, Main Street, Burlington, VT. A rare nightclub show for the band -- should be a great evening. Last time we played Nectar's was about 25 years ago!
June 18: Rattling Brook Bluegrass Festival, Belvidere, VT.
July 2: Stratton Mountain Bluegrass Festival, Stratton Mountain, VT.
July 10: Sunapee Harbor, NH, 4 PM (info: sherry.merrick@valley.net.
July 14: Schouler Park, North Conway, NH (in front of Conway Scenic Railroad), 7:30 PM (opening band at 6 PM).
July 19: Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA, 6 PM.
July 17: Union Christian Church, Plymouth, VT, 4 PM -- concert open to the public, sponsored by the Coolidge Foundation.

***July 23: Bluegrass Festival, Newfane, VT. This is a brand-new, 3- day festival running July 22-24, just north of Brattleboro. We're playing Saturday only, one glorious long set in the early afternoon. It's great to see a new event like this starting up in Vermont, and we hope a lot of our friends and fans will show up to enjoy the good bluegrass and vibes and support real live music. Additional details from Jake at jgeppert@sover.net.
July 24: Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, Vermont. Greenup Vermont's big 35th Anniversary celebration, an all-day event with 3 great bands.
August 5: Haskell Opera House, Derby Line, VT and Stanstead, Quebec. A fabulous venue, one of our favorite shows every summer.
***August 12: Lake Champlain Bluegrass Festival, Alburg, VT. A wonderful festival with top national and regional talent, running 8/12-14.
August 13: Round Top Center for the Arts, Damariscotta, ME, 8 PM.
August 14: Tuftonboro, NH. Afternoon concert, time tba.
[cancelled]August 19: Hudson River Theater, Hudson, NY. Evening concert. Details: jimsvetz @aol.com.[cancelled]
August 20: Levitt Pavilion, Westport, CT. Free concert starting 8 PM in this beautiful outdoor amphitheater. We don't play often in CT or near NYC -- hope all you old friends from that part of the world will turn out.
August 27: Bondville Fair, Bondville, VT.
Sept. 2: Eagle Square Park, Concord, NH, 7:30.
Sept. 4: Stanley Park, Westfield, MA, 6 PM.
Sept. 17: Shelburne Farms Harvest Festival in Shelburne, VT always falls on the third Saturday of September, so although we haven't yet heard from the organizers, we expect to be back there this year as usual.
Sept. 24: Vermont Day at the Eastern States Exposition, Springfield, MA, 4 PM. We'll be playing on the main concourse, in front of the Vermont pavilion.
Oct. 1: Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, MA, afternoon concert, starting time tba.

The Lindner Brothers -- Banjo Dan and Willy
***May 21 -- THIS SATURDAY, 7 PM -- Willy and I are performing for the town of Ferrisburg to help raise awareness and funds for restoration of the historic Grange recently demolished by fire. The concert is at Charlie and Deanna Shapiro's beautiful new barn on Robinson Road in Ferrisburgh, just off Route 7 a hundred yards north of Rokeby Museum. Look for the balloons of Rt 7 and follow them up the hill.
June 10: Lakeside Inn, Greensboro, VT.
August 10: City Park, Barre, VT, evening.
August 24: Proctorsville, VT, Village Green, 6:30 PM.

We invite you to visit www.banjodan.com if you haven't done so, to check out liner notes from our recordings, propaganda from our publicity materials, banjo jokes, and other information you can hardly live without. You'll find links to other bluegrass sites, including some good bands, festivals, etc., along with Andy Sacher's great site for Vermont bluegrass info, www.vtbluegrass.com.
If you're an old subscriber to this electronic rag you can mark your calendar now and turn off your computer. For you new friends let me just briefly mention our available recordings, all of which can be ordered by sending a check to Banjo Dan, 192 Bird Haven Lane, N. Ferrisburgh, VT 05473. Commercial CD releases ($16 each) include: Some Rust, Runs Good; Like a River; and The Catamount is Back. Older records and tapes re-mastered for CD ($15 each) include: Snowfall; I'll Take the Hills; and Green Mountain Skyline (with 5 extra impossible-to-find selections).
Thanks folks. We'll see you this summer. -Banjo Dan

Banjo Dan Update
April 2005

Thanks to all the folks who have recently signed up for the Banjo Dan Newsletter. This is just a brief note to welcome you new subscribers and get you up to snuff.

First and foremost, Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys will be celebrating spring with a special concert presented by West Street Arts Saturday, April 9 at the historic Grange Hall in West Dummerston, VT. The Grange is 5 miles north of Brattleboro, just off Rt. 30 behind a Mobil. Get your tickets at the door; the concert begins at 7:30. We’d love to see all our friends from southern VT and NH and northern MA turn out for this one.

The summer kicks off for us at the Rattling Brook Bluegrass Festival in Belvidere, VT on June 18. This is a real down-home good-time event, drawing folks from all over New England, and we’re looking forward to a great afternoon of bluegrass.

I’d also like to mention Bluegrass Night every Wednesday (8-11 PM) at the Holiday Inn in S. Burlington, VT. Long-time Vermont bluegrasser Bob Degree launched this series about a half year ago, and it’s just a fine, informal evening featuring a different band each week. Bill Gaston of Rattling Brook Bluegrass is now coordinating the shows. You can check with Bill (bkgaston@verizon.net) for the schedule. Also remember to check in periodically with Andy Sacher’s wonderful website www.vermontbluegrass.org for all kinds of info on bluegrass around the Green Mountain State.

While the Plowboys are getting ready for a big summer of touring around the northeast, we invite you to come out and enjoy a show by the Lindner Brothers – Banjo Dan and Willy. The Bros will be bringing their eclectic good-time old-time music to the following venues:

April 8, 2005: Briggs Carriage Bookstore, Brandon VT, 7 PM.

April 29: Old Firehouse, Tinmouth VT, 7:30 PM.

May 21: fundraising concert and dance in Ferrisburgh (contact me in May for location and time). Proceeds go to the town for rebuilding the beautiful old Grange Hall which was recently destroyed by fire.

June 10: Lakeside Inn, Greensboro, VT.

Sometime in May I’ll be sending you a full-blown Newsletter with the summer touring schedule for Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys. It’s looking good, with appearances in all the New England states (with the exception of Little Rhody) and New York.

Meanwhile remember, if you can’t find our CDs at your local store, you can always order them from Banjo Dan, 192 Bird Haven Lane, N. Ferrisburgh, VT 05473. Titles include Some Rust…Runs Good, Like a River, and The Catamount is Back, all $16 each. The following early albums are also available now on CD: Snowfall, I’ll Take the Hills, and Green Mountain Skyline, all remastered for digital, with simple packaging and all those great old tunes. These are $15 each.

We’ll see you soon. Keep it Good ’n’ Country. –Banjo Dan

Banjo Dan Winter Newsletter
February 2005

Happy late winter. A few days ago we had minus 15 here on the farm, but yesterday we had robins. Bluegrass season can’t be far off.

I’d like to extend a special welcome to our many new subscribers. We really appreciate your interest in our music and will try to keep you up to date on all our shows, recordings and other news. We’re cooking up a pretty good summer tour all around New England, and along about May I’ll be posting our regular Spring Newsletter with all the details. Meanwhile we have some very special shows coming up over the next couple of months, so grab your new calendar and a good ballpoint and make note of the following:

Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys:

March 19: Middle School, St. Johnsbury, VT, 7 PM. This concert is a fundraiser for the local Rotary Club. The school has a very fine auditorium, and we enjoyed a wonderful turnout last year for this event. It’s our first concert of 2005, and we’ve got all that pent-up energy plus some fine new tunes. Come celebrate the waning winter with us.

April 9: Grange Hall, West Dummerston, VT (5 miles north of Brattleboro on Route 30, behind Mobil station). This will be our first concert in the Brattleboro area for some time, and we’re delighted to be working with West Street Arts, a fine organization which presents all kinds of programs in southeastern Vermont. Show time is 7:30 in the historic old Grange Hall. Don’t miss this one if you can!

The Lindner Brothers – Banjo Dan and Willy will be performing their good-time old-time music at the following fine establishments:

Feb. 26: The Black Bear, St. Johnsbury VT (205 Hastings Hill, opposite the bowling alley), 7 PM.

March 11: Kingdom Coffeehouse at the Northwoods Stewardship Center in East Charleston, VT, 7:30 PM. (for directions call 802-723-6551 ext 115 or email outreach@northwoodscenter.org)

April 8: Briggs Carriage Bookstore, 16 Park Street, Brandon, VT, 7 PM.

April 29: The Old Firehouse, Tinmouth, VT, 7:30 PM (info 802-446-2928)

For you new folks, here’s a blatantly commercial advisory: You can mail-order our CDs by sending a check to Banjo Dan, 192 Bird Haven Lane, N. Ferrisburgh, VT 05473.

Currently available are Some Rust...Runs Good (our latest), Like a River (compilation of most-requested songs from early vinyl and cassette albums), and The Catamount is Back (second volume of Vermont songs). These are $16 apiece, including postage. We also have three early recordings now on CD: Snowfall, Green Mountain Skyline, and I'll Take the Hills. Packaging is minimal on these, but the music is all there and sounds better than ever. These three are $15 apiece.

Remember, you can always keep up with the Plowboys by visiting our website at www.banjodan.com. We’ll see you soon.

Banjo Dan