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The 2008 BLUFF COUNTRY GATHERING, May 15-18, Lanesboro, MN

The Bluff Country Gathering is a four-day event presenting traditional American music, dance and singing styles. Workshops conducted by a staff of nationally acclaimed musicians, singers, dancers and folklorists, are designed to pass along the traditions of old-time music to participants at all levels of experience.

Friday May 16: Open to Public. Concert at Lanesboro Community Center, 8:00 PM
                              Tickets $10.00 at the door. Featuring staff.

Saturday May 17: Open to Public. Barn Dance at Lanesboro Community Center,  8:00 PM
                               Tickets $8.00 at the door. 
                               All dances taught.....No partner necessary.
 

REGISTRATION: Fee for the full weekend is $175 which includes all activities, lunches on Friday and Saturday and brunch on Sunday. Only full registrations are accepted if you wish to take the workshops, no refunds after May 1 . Space is limited and registrations are taken on a first-come/first-served basis.
 

SCHEDULE

Thursday  Potluck supper, 6 pm
                Staff Introductions and Concert, 8 pm

Friday     Workshops, 9 am-5 pm
                Concert (open to the public), 8 pm

Saturday   Workshops, 9 am-5 pm
                 Barn Dance (open to the public), 8 pm

Sunday      Brunch, 9:30 am


Please fill out the full registration form.

Name___________________________________________________________________
Address_________________________________________________________________
Phone_______________________ Email_____________________________
 
Name/address on the roster? (The roster will be available to all students) Yes___ No___
Meals: Veggie___ Meat___   If you have food allergies or special needs, you must notify us before May 1st at
507-498-5452.
Any student age 16 or under must be accompanied by a fully registered parent or guardian.
Interested in volunteering? Most of our registered students help out doing small jobs at the weekend, like setting up tables and chairs for meals and concerts, helping in the kitchen, sitting at the sales table during the public concert or dance, to name a few.
Even the smallest help is greatly appreciated. If you check yes, someone will contact you about matching you to an agreeable task.
Yes, I‘d like to help___ No, not this time___

Checks for registration should be made out to Bluff Country Gathering and mailed to:
       Bluff Country Gathering
       18287 Gap Dr.
       Spring Grove, MN 55974.

Sorry, but we do not accept credit cards.

More info about attending workshops: bobngail@springgrove.coop  or call Gail & Bob at 507-498-5452
Info on housing in Lanesboro, MN: www.lanesboro.com
 

FRIDAY  WORKSHOP

SCHEDULE                  9:00-10:15                      10:30-11:45                        1:45-2:45                         3:00-4:00                        4:15-5:00

Sons of Norway

Fiddle w/ Chirps S

INT/ADV

Fiddle
w/ Brad L

INT/ADV

Old Time Banjo
w/ Tom S

INT/ADV

Fiddle w/ Steph C

INT

Singing with Tom, Brad & Alice

OPEN

Community Ctr.

Council Chambers

Fiddle Basics
w/ Stephanie C

BEG

Basic Backup Guitar w/ Jenny T

BEG
Mandolin
w/ Chirps S

INT

Guitar w/ Steve R

INT/ADV

 

 

Community Ctr.

Kitchen Area

Guitar Basics
w/ Steve R

BEG

Clawhammer Banjo
w/ Steve R

INT

Singing
w/ Mac & Jenny

OPEN

Fiddle
w/ Tom S

INT/ADV

Slow Jam w/?

OPEN

Community Ctr.

Gym

Clawhammer Banjo
w/ Mac T

BEG

OT Harmonica
w/ Dave R

BEG/INT

OT Harmonica
w/ Dave R

INT/ADV

  Calling OT dances w/ Dot K

OPEN

 

SATURDAY  WORKSHOP

SCHEDULE                  9:00-10:15                        10:30-11:45                        1:45-2:45                           3:00-4:00                    4:15-5:00

Sons of Norway

Fiddle
w/ Chirps S

INT/ADV

Fiddle
w/ Brad L

INT/ADV

Fiddle Showcase
w/ Brad, Tom, Steph, Alice, Chirps

OPEN

Singing
w/ Mac and Jenny

OPEN

Slow Jam w/ Mac and Jenny

OPEN

Community Ctr.

Council Chambers

Fiddle w/ Alice G

BEG

Solo Singing w/ Alice G

OPEN

Basic Backup Guitar
w/ Jenny T

BEG

Fiddle
w/ Stephie C

INT/ADV

Discussion
w/ Tom, Brad, Alice

OPEN

Community Ctr.

Kitchen Area

Harmonica
w/ Dave R

BEG/INT

Fiddle/Guitar
w/ Steve & Steph

INT

Harmonica
w/ Dave R

INT/ADV

Banjo Two Finger Picking w/ Brad L

INT

Harmonica
Rep & Demo
w/ Dave R

OPEN

Community Ctr.

Gym

Banjo w/ Steve R

BEG/INT

Clawhammer Banjo
w/ Mac T

INT

 

 

Mandolin
w/ Chirps S

INT/ADV

 

 

Basic guidelines for the workshop levels:

BEG- Very little experience with your instrument, need basic skills.

INT- Have basic skills, be able to tune your instrument, play scales or chords, play a few tunes.

ADV- Very at ease with your instrument and want to learn tunes quickly, focus on technique.

OPEN- Might consist of a mini-concert, folkloric discussion, a repertoire of tunes to tape, demonstrations of different tunings, etc.

Registered students are free to attend any workshop.

 

STAFF

Mac and Jenny Traynham are a husband and wife duo, native to Virginia, who specialize in the early country duet style of singing and playing old-time country and mountain music, such as that of the Original Carter Family, the Delmore Brothers and The Blue Sky Boys. Their repertoire includes ballads, sweetheart songs, western and gospel numbers.

 

 

 

Tom, Brad and Alice These three musicians are renowned for their contributions to traditional American music. Tom Sauber, Brad Leftwich, and Alice Gerrard are “musicians’ musicians.” Their stunning vocal harmonies over the bedrock of their fiddle, banjo and guitar work cover a range of emotion that can move you by turns to smiles, to dance, or to tears.

 

 

 

 

Stephanie Coleman A senior at Duke University, Stephanie grew up around Chicago learning from the great musicians there. Her fiddling has consistently placed her in the finals at the prestigious Appalachian Stringband Festival fiddle contest at Clifftop, WV. She currently plays dances and performs with the Stephanie Coleman Band.

 


 

Steve Rosen is known for his creative and driving guitar rhythm and stellar melodic
and highly rhythmic banjo playing and is a favorite dance musician at the dances in Chicago and around the Midwest. He is a founding and longtime member of the Volo Bogtrotters, a legendary Midwestern string band. Did we mention what a great singer he is?

 

 

Chirps Smith has played fiddle for more than thirty years, specializing in Midwestern dance tunes. Over the years he has played with the Indian Creek Delta Boys, The Polecats, The Volo Bogtrotters and the New Bad Habits. In 1997 he was recognized by the state of Illinois as a Master Fiddler for their Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program.

 


 

Dave Rice With the old 78 rpm recordings of DeFord Bailey, Dr. Humphrey Bate and others as models, Dave has helped revive the lost art of old-time harmonica, once an integral part of the string band sound. He currently performs solo and with the Hoover Uprights, an award winning stringband. Dave has over ten years experience teaching harmonica. Please bring a C harp to class !

 



 

Dot Kent, from Grayslake, IL, is our dance caller this year. She always brings a bunch of fun dances and she's also a champion clogger, so bring your dancing shoes.


 

Bluff Country Gathering 2000-2004 (Jawbone 005) CD only

 BLUFF COUNTRY GATHERING CD. These are recordings from the 2000-2004 Gatherings and feature great old time fiddle tunes, banjo numbers, and singing. Performers include Geoff Seitz, Jimmy Triplett, Bob Carlin, The Rhythm Rats, Bill Dillof, Bruce Greene, The New Southern Broadcasters, James Bryan, Dan Gellert, Vesta Johnson, Eric and Suzy Thompson, Rayna Gellert, Carl Jones and Beverly Smith and Kerry Blech.

To order, go to Recordings page.