Upcoming Bluegrass Related Events

Grammy-winning banjo phenom with her band “Like James Taylor’s voice or B.B. King’s guitar, Alison Brown’s banjo is an instrument possessed of a unique sonic signature and an inescapable beauty…. an artist who never ceases to delight.” — Billboard Magazine One of the most multi-faceted minds in roots music, Alison Brown is a Grammy-winning musician, Grammy-nominated producer, former investment banker (with an A.B. from Harvard and an M.B.A. from UCLA), and co-founder of The Compass Records Group which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2023. Alison and her band have toured extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad with stops at some of music’s most prestigious venues, including Newport Folk Festival, The Kennedy Center, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, The Cambridge Folk Festival (England), Celtic Connections (Scotland), Dublin National Concert Hall (Ireland), Galway Arts Festival (Ireland) and Verbier Music Festival (Switzerland).  Although Alison began her musical career as a teenager in the Southern California bluegrass scene, she has built a reputation as one of today’s most forward thinking and innovative banjo players. She is known for taking the instrument far beyond its Appalachian roots by blending bluegrass and jazz influences into a sonic tapestry that has earned praise and recognition from a variety of national tastemakers including The Wall Street Journal, CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, and USA Today. On her new release, aptly titled On Banjo, Alison continues her musical explorations on a set of original compositions that explore the range of the banjo.  The album features an eclectic cast of collaborators including Steve Martin, Kronos Quartet, Sharon Isbin, Anat Cohen, Sierra Hull, Stuart Duncan and members of the Alison Brown Quintet.  Alison is the recipient of the USA Artists Fellowship in Music and the Distinguished Achievement Award … Read More »

GuitartownCT presents bluegrass greats Joe Walsh and Grant Gordy in concert on Saturday, October 21 at 7:30 PM. The show is at Café Amici, 1640 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, CT. Tickets are $35 at guitartownct.com. Joe and Grant are at the top of their game. They bring tons of talent and years of experience at the highest levels of contemporary acoustic music, playing with David Grisman, The Gibson Brothers, and everyone in between. Joe Walsh continues to be the glue that holds New England’s young acoustic musicians together, and Grant has a similar role in Brooklyn. Café Amici features a full menu of delicious Italian food. Come early for dinner, make a dinner reservation at 203-848-1682.

Celebrate fall with Bluegrass and the world’s best home baked blueberry buckle! What could be better? Southern Rail brings their upbeat brand of Bluegrass and happy mayhem to Wrentham's popular OCC Coffeehouse on Saturday October 28 from 7-9 pm. This promises to be a packed house, featuring high-energy exuberant bluegrass with lush harmonies, irrepressible good humor, and sparkling banjo, guitar and mandolin.

“Black Opry has grown beyond its blog origins to be a force of change and a leader in the movement to bring racial equity to country music.” —Rolling Stone Black Opry is a showcase for Black artists and fans of country, blues, folk, and Americana music. One of the most valuable aspects of traditional music is its versatility and diversity in sound, and these remarkable young artists explore all of the intersections of these genres and beyond. According to founder Holly G: “No matter what it’s for or where we are, there’s an intense feeling of home, created simply by us being in the same room and celebrating this music that we all love. That feeling resonates throughout whatever space we are in, and it never fails to feel like a healing experience.” The concert will feature three writers performing in the round.

Celebrate the season with Bluegrass and an amazing fall menu and open bar. What could be better? Southern Rail brings their upbeat brand of Bluegrass and happy mayhem to Shirley's renowned Bull Run Restaurant on Saturday Nov. 4 from 8-10 pm. This promises to be another packed house, featuring high-energy exuberant bluegrass with lush harmonies, irrepressible good humor, and sparkling banjo, guitar and mandolin. The concert will be held in the upstairs Ballroom.  Last year's concert was a sell-out, so reserve your tickets now!  

“If you like your bluegrass served with a little punch, attitude, grit and gravy … Damn Tall Buildings will slide in nice as a welcome edition to your listening rotation. Bluegrass at heart, but pulling from a wide range of influences including swing, ragtime, jazz, and even a hint of contemporary perspective in the songwriting, they offer virtually unmatched energy and enthusiasm, underpinned by intelligent songs that don’t skimp on the infectiousness…” – Savingcountrymusic.com Witty & engaging, Damn Tall Buildings’ energizing music finds beauty and glory in the mundane workaday struggle of everyday life: time keeps passing and the seasons come and go, you scroll too much, you smoke too much, you lose yourself, only to sit with yourself & find yourself again, you laugh with your friends, and you look out the window & dream about what else might be out there. It all keeps coming around. You carry on, intent on flourishing and thriving. This is what Damn Tall Buildings sings about, what they seek to share with their audience.

The Honey Dewdrops fill their fifth album with heart, and their sincere, stripped-down songwriting is just the kind of music we need more of. This music is sweet to the ears, easy on the heart, and will stick in your mind for some time to come.