sic on the banjo from that time until about 1910 or 1920. Classic style banjo served as a musical bridge linking traditions of the mid-19th century to the then revo-lutionary new popular sounds of ragtime music that took the United States by storm beginning in 1898 with the publication of Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag.” Most of the pieces played in clas-sic style sound very much like banjo versions of ragtime piano music.

When you go back further in time, you find the banjo right in the center of the birth of Ameri-can popular music in the mid-1800’s, joining Anglo and Afri-can-American traditions to create a distinctly American musical path. And if you go back even a bit further in time, you come to understand that banjo-type instru-ments have been a part of African music making for hundreds of years.

I’m excited about bringing this deep banjo history to Madi-son, Sunday, March 6, (details on pg. 3) with my concert presen-tation that I call “The Banjo in America.” I’ve performed this show all over the world for the last fifteen years and if you’re interested in just about any kind of American music, from blues to ragtime, jazz to rock’n’roll and, of course, bluegrass, you’ll find the banjo is right in the center of it! This is a great show to bring a friend or a loved one who isn’t so sure about your own love of blue-grass or the banjo, as you’ll both hear the connection between blue-grass and these other great Ameri-can music styles. And you’ll learn more about the Beatles’ connec-tion to the banjo! I’ll see you there! Bill Evans, bevans@nativeandfine.com

I’m writing this at about midnight from my home in Berkeley, California (or as we call it out here, the “Madison of the West”), lis-tening to Paul McCartney singing Steve Martin’s beau-tiful composition “Best Love,” a great track from Steve’s new CD Rare Bird Alert. I can’t believe that I’m hearing a Beatle sing with bluegrass accompaniment! It’s amazing how things sometimes come around in a full circle! But let me explain a bit…

I’m 54 years old and the Beatles’ appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show on Febru-ary 9, 1964 changed me for-ever. (My love for the five-string banjo developed a few years later and these days in my show, I’ll typically com-bine the two by playing a medley of Beatles songs.)

Besides this new Steve Martin song, there’s another Beatle connection to the banjo. Several years ago, I learned that John Lennon’s first instrument was the five-string, at least technically speaking. John became ex-cited about music about the same time that I became ex-cited about playing banjo - at age fourteen. The music that initially lit the spark for him was skiffle music, a pre-rock’n’roll music played in England that featured madly strummed guitars, banjos, washboards and washtub basses (Lonnie Donnigan’s “Rock Island Line” is the “Rocky Top” of skiffle music - go to iTunes to hear skiffle music’s connection to the music of the American folk revival and, yes, bluegrass!).

John found a guitar but didn’t know how to tune it nor did any of his school friends. However, his mother, Julia, played five-string banjo in what is now called the classic style and when John

showed up on her doorstep with his guitar, she tuned it as if it were a banjo. If you take a look at some of the earliest photos of John’s high school skiffle band, the Quarrymen, you will see John fretting banjo position chords on the guitar.

What an awesome fact! If John had actually con-verted to the five-string banjo, I think the Beatles would have been much more popular than they became, but that’s another story…

The fact that Julia Stanley played banjo in the classic style connects the Beatles, however indirectly, to what I like to call “deep banjo history.” The classic banjo style originated in the United States around 1865 and was one of the most popular ways of playing mu-

Fireball Mail

• Bill Evans Banjo in America Con-cert and Work-shop

• Fiddle tune for guitar, fiddle and mandolin

• Alan Munde and Adam Granger in April

• Jam and open mic events

• Member band schedule

Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association, Inc. Newsletter

Banjo in America Concert

March/April 2011

Inside this issue:

Banjo in America concert and work-

shop

3

Red-Haired Boy music and tab

4-5

Munde and Granger concert

6

The Hangin’ of Fid-dling Joe Coleman

8

Member band info. 10

Jam and open mic events

11

Member band sechedule

12

Bill Evans, banjo player and instructor extraordi-naire!

Banjo and…..the Beatles? by Bill Evans

The Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association, Inc. is a non-profit educational organization devoted to the preservation and promotion of bluegrass music, and supported by volunteer efforts. The SWBMAI mission as stated in the by-laws: 1) To promote bluegrass music and musicians 2) To bring together persons of all ages who enjoy singing, playing and listening to bluegrass music 3) To hold regular bluegrass jam sessions 4) To publicize information about bluegrass concerts and festivals 5) To help younger persons obtain instruments and instruction in bluegrass music 6) To introduce bluegrass music to new listeners. SWBMAI Board of Directors President – Julie Cherney, 608-244-2184, cherney@uwalumni.com Vice-President – Jim Hodges, 608-884-4278, thumbpik@charter.net Secretary – Dave Goodwin, yellow.rock@yahoo.com Treasurer – Jon Peik, jrpeik@yahoo.com Attendant Board Members: Jim Knobloch, knobhill@chorus.net Larry Schultz, 608-798-4884, lwschultz@tds.net Lane Venden, 608-442-0315, lanevenden@yahoo.com Bruce Brechtl, bjmjbrec@charter.net Webmaster (non-voting board member) – Scott Knickelbine, swbmai@gmail.com Membership Chair – Larry Schultz Other Member Volunteers: Dave Nance, Bill Malone, Catherine Rhyner, Ellis Bauman, Mary Helmke Contributing Writers: Bill Evans Bob Westfall Dave Goodman Wayne Erbson Board Meetings The board meets monthly. If you would like to attend, contact a board member to determine the date, time and location as they are subject to change. Board Meeting Minutes The Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association, Inc. board meeting minutes are available on line at www.swbmai.org/swbmai-board-minutes/. If you would like minutes mailed to you please send a stamped self-addressed envelope to SWBMAI, P.O. Box 7761, Madison, WI 53707.

Page 2 Fireball Mail Fireball Mail is published bimonthly: January, March, May, July, September, and November. Please send advertising in-quiries, articles, calendar information, photos and let-ters to : Southern Wisconsin Blue-grass Music Association, Inc. P.O. Box 7761 Madison, WI 53707-7761 Attn: Fireball Mail E-mail: cherney@uwalumni.com Deadline for submissions is the 10th of the month preced-ing the month of publication.

Proud Supporter of WORT 89.9 FM Every Tuesday For the Sake of the Song 9:00 am - noon with Jim Schwall Every Wednesday Back to the Country, 9:00 am - noon with Bill Malone Every Friday Mud Acres Bluegrass Spe-cial, 9:00 am - noon with Chris Powers

Embark on an historical musi-cal journey of the banjo with musician, teacher, writer and scholar, Bill Evans on Sun-day, March 6 for The Banjo in America, sponsored by SWBMAI. The Banjo in America concert is a unique presentation designed for the concert stage. Tracing the banjo from its West African roots to the New World, Ev-ans performs musical exam-ples from the 1700’s to the present day on a variety of vintage instruments, explain-ing how the banjo has been at the intersection of African- and Anglo-American musical

and cultural exchange for over 250 years. From an 18th century African dance tune to the music of the Civil War, and from early 20th century ragtime to folk and bluegrass banjo styles, The Banjo in America informs while it en-tertains, exposing audiences to over 200 years of Ameri-can music. Bill hosts the annual Nash-Camp Banjo Retreat with Sonny Osborne and teaches at almost every important music camp in the U.S and the U.K. Come for exceptional instruc-tion at his banjo workshop. Concert, Mar. 6, 8 pm, $15.

High Noon Saloon, 701 E Washington Madison, WI, Buy tickets at www.high-noon.com, or call 608-268-1122. Workshop, Mar. 6, 1:00 - 4:00 pm (description below) Lane’s Lutherie, 2345 At-wood Ave. Madison, WI. $50 for SWBMAI members, $60 for non-members. Go to www.swbmai.org to register or contact Julie at cherney@uwalumni.com or 608-244-2184. For more info. on Bill: www.nativeandfine.com

Banjo in America Concert and Banjo Workshop, Sunday, Mar. 6

Banjo Workshop Theme: Backup Essentials and Sounding Great At Your Next Jam

do what!), fiddle tune and slow-song backup and much more. Tab examples will be presented for everything that will be covered in the session but it's not necessary to read tab well to get a lot out of this workshop. Audio and/or video recording is encour-aged. Who is Bill Evans? The au-thor of Banjo For Dummies, Bill is one of the best blue-grass banjo teachers and workshop leaders in the world. Bill has performed with David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Laurie Lewis, and many other performers in a career that now spans over three decades. He currently tours internationally with six-time National fiddle cham-

pion Megan Lynch. Bill has taught at virtually every banjo camp in the world and hosts his own annual camp with Sonny Osborne, the Nash-Camp Banjo etreat, held out-side of Nashville each fall. He also hosts three popular Acu-Tab Power Pickin' instruc-tional DVDs and is the co-author of Parking Lot Pickers Songbook: Banjo Edition for Mel Bay Publications. He has taught hundreds of students from all over the world, in-cluding Chris Pandolfi (The Infamous Stringdusters), Greg Liszt (Bruce Springsteen, Crooked Still), Jayme Stone and Wes Corbett.

This will be a practical, easy to understand "hands-on, bring your banjo and let’s pick" kind of workshop that's open to all players but ideally designed for musicians with one or more years of banjo playing experience. We’ll cover practical and easy to learn techniques that you can put to immediate use to hold in your next band rehearsal or jam session. Topics to be dis-cussed include movable chord shapes for vamping, up-the-neck backup using the F and D shapes and the “In The Mood” roll, down-the-neck backup using forward rolls and target tones, how to use Earl Scruggs’ great backup licks to enhance your sound, how to “hear” chord progres-sions, using the capo and back-up aesthetics (when to

March/April 2011 Page 3

Come see Bill play his vintage in-struments Sunday, March 6 at his Banjo in America concert!

Join banjo legend Alan Munde and Minneapolis gui-tarist Adam Granger in Madison on Saturday, April 30, 2011 for work-shops and a concert. Alan and Adam are ex-perienced instructors who have taught at hundreds of workshops throughout the U.S. and abroad. A career musician for 40+ years, Alan is a master bluegrass banjo player, band leader, major recording artist, re-nowned teacher and pro-lific author of instructional materials, all rolled into one. A former Minnesota Blue-grass Guitarist of the Year,

Adam has performed profes-sionally since 1962 and

taught rhythm and lead guitar for 35 years. His book and CD set, Granger’s Fiddle Tunes for Guitar, is the larg-

est collection of fiddle tunes in guitar tablature in the world. Banjo/Guitar workshops: 10am-1pm The Wil-Mar Center 953 Jenifer Street Fee: $60. For information and to regis-ter, contact Carolyn Hegeler (608-238-6863; chegeler@tds.net). Concert: 7 pm High Noon Saloon 701 E. Washington Ave. Tickets: $15/Adv $18/DOS available online at www.high-noon.com and at the High Noon Saloon.

Alan Munde and Adam Granger in Madison, April 30

Page 6 Fireball Mail

Dynamic duo Alan Munde and Adam Granger

Our local bluegrass community suffered a great loss when John Short passed on Christmas day after a tough battle with kidney cancer. A celebration of his life will be held March 13 from 1-4 p.m. at the Café Carpe, 18 S Water Street West Fort Atkinson. John lived life with joy and passion. For more than 25 years, he hosted a jam at the Landmark Saloon in Jefferson. John warmly welcomed and encouraged every-one who showed up. He was an effective mentor because he led by example. He sang bluegrass the way it should be sung---both lead and harmony---and played it the way it should be played. His confidence as a musician was such that he was happy to bring out the best in his fellow musi-cians. He wanted everyone to shine, and he never took himself too seriously. His booming laugh filled the room. Most times, he’d honor requests from the audi-ence, but if it was a tune he really hated, he’d say, “write it on a piece of paper and wrap the paper in a $100 bill and we’ll consider it.”

I played my first-ever bluegrass gig with John and later joined him in the band he named---typical tongue-in-cheek---the Landmark All-Stars, which included Sid Boersma, Dominic Frinzi, Patti Graham and Dave Ward. To open each gig, John would lead us through Fireball Mail, and as I remember that tune now, it makes me

think of John’s pace through life---fast, unstoppable, not wasting a moment.

He faced cancer with courage, dignity and a positive attitude. He never com-plained, though we knew he was hurting. He joined us for the last time at the Land-mark in November and picked and sang for two-and-a-half hours, holding nothing back. That day was one last gift from John. It was an honor to know him. John is survived by his wife, Tracey; a daughter, Julie Short of Fort Atkinson; a son, John William Short; stepdaughters, Tamara and Nadyne Belstsner of Madison; granddaughters, Annika and Jenka; mother, Anne Short of Madison; sisters, Anne (Rene') Berblinger of Portland, Ore., and Elizabeth (Stephen) Sanders of Port-land, Maine; brothers, Michael (Monica) Short of Albany, N.Y., and Patrick (Ruth) Short of Portland, Ore In John’s honor, our band, Northern Comfort, has decided to host the Landmark jam. Come join us every second Saturday at the Landmark, 138 South Main, one block south of the Hwy. 12-26 intersection in downtown Jefferson. ---Tony Hozeny

John Short Memorial Jam, March 10 at Café Carpe

2011 Fiddlers’ Contest at Pioneer Village in Saukville chance to prove yourself and fine tune your chops.

Contact:

Frank Petran 533 W. Grand Ave. Port Washington, WI 53074-2102 262-284-3650 mrwoodboat@wi.rr.com

Attention all fiddlers! Rosin up your bows and get ready to participate in the 2011 Old Time Fiddlers’ Contest on July 24, sponsored by the Ozaukee Co. State Historical Society. This con-test will have three catego-ries, Youth, Junior and Adult. If you’ve always wondered how you compare to your fiddling peers, here is a

March/April 2011 Page 7

It was the third Thursday evening in January. My lovely wife, Leslie, aka “Double L”, and I parked on Carroll Street, just a block or so from our destination. With coats fully zipped and gloves squeezed over our hands, we set out to-wards the Brocach. Frozen snow crunched beneath our feet while the frigid air crystal-lized every breath. The glow of the capitol tried to brighten our brisk walk as rays of yellow light re-flected off the slabs of ice on the street and were ruthlessly absorbed by mounds of snow along the sidewalks. It was almost nine o’clock and the frigid downtown streets were surprisingly crowded. “These Madisonians sure love their cold weather,” I thought as I pulled my coat collar over the back of my neck. They also love their live music, which is the reason we ventured out of our warm dwelling on this not-fit-for-human Wiscon-sin January night. The Old Tin Can String Band was performing at the Brocach Irish Pub. A show they perform -- for free, by the way -- the first and third Thursdays of every month. The first thing I noticed upon entering the Brocach was the warmth -- not just the temperature of the air, which was defi-nitely welcome, but the inviting feel of the pub itself. Dark woods, the smell of roasted pork with garlic mashed potatoes, the clanking of glasses, and the laughter of patrons at the bar enjoying a night in Wis-consin’s capital. I stood at the doorway for a second, letting the warm inviting air soak into me.

Then I heard it. The glorious sound of acous-tic music; bass, guitar, mandolin, and fiddle. The Old Tin Can String Band was warming up in the next room. Instinctively, I walked that direction, all memories and thought of the arduous, cold journey I had just under-taken slipping from my consciousness. I had to hear this band! We sat at a table near the front of the room, as close to the stage as possible. With the chalk board menu tempting us with some interesting culinary delights, we ordered some drinks. The list of beers seemed endless but I eventually settled for a Hopolicious. Double L had a Spotted Cow. We clanked glasses, settled back, and waited to be enter-tained. We were not disappointed. And I soon discovered that I had made a false assump-tion -- this is not a band you “listen” to, but rather a band you “experience.” The technical expertise of the members is something most bands can only dream of. Chris Powers is virtually flawless on the mandolin, mandola, and, surprisingly, the bouzouki (when was the last time you heard one of those?). As good as he is on the 8-stringed instruments, it’s easy to forget his impeccable guitar work, which he displays on several numbers. Shauncey Ali handles the violin/fiddle work with a level of perfec-tion I had previously thought was unattain-able. As the winner of the 2008 Wisconsin State Fiddle Contest, Shauncey makes even the most difficult and intricate phrases and passages look easy. And the versatile Pat Spaay keeps the group well grounded with a solid rhythm guitar -- something that is

sometimes overlooked in acoustic bands. Pat is also capable of multi-instrumentation, and plays the banjo on several songs and covers on upright bass when needed. Their repertoire is mostly upbeat, bright, and fun. The vocals are tight and the arrangements usually intricate, dis-playing each member’s virtuosity on their instruments. But as good as all of this is -- and believe me its real good -- the band has an uncanny ability to connect with their audience. Their warmth and camaraderie on stage makes it apparent that these guys really like whet they are doing. Chris’ stories, song explanations, and self-directed jabs at himself and other band members come across as genuine and not rehearsed or scripted. As part of the audience, it sometimes felt as though we were actually part of the act. The band makes you feel you’re important enough to be their friends and not merely just spectators. My suggestion: Get to the Brocach on the first or third Thursday of an upcom-ing month and experience the Old Tin Can String Band. Not only is the food good, the beer cold, and the atmosphere great, but you’ll get to hear one of Madi-son’s premier acoustic bands for free. But heed this warning: if you’re not careful you’ll become addicted to the Old Tin Can String Band. But, then again, like Double L says, “What’s so wrong with that?’ Good question…….

Irish Tunes at the Brocach, by Dave Goodwin

The story of the hanging of Fiddlin’ Joe Coleman is enough to send chills up and down your spine. In 1847, near the town of Slate Fork, in Adair County, Kentucky, a shoemaker and fiddler named Joe Coleman was living with his wife, and his wife’s mother and sister. According to some accounts, Joe had been acting erratically and not long after that, someone smothered his mother-in-law to death with a pillow. A few days later, Joe’s wife went into the woods to gather bark and never came back. Joe went searching for his wife in the woods and when he returned, he was carrying her dead body. Some claimed that Joe killed his wife because he knew she suspected him in the death of her mother. His blood stained shoemaker’s knife was later found at the scene of the crime. From the start of the trial, the evidence against Joe Coleman was circumstantial, at best. The case was based solely on the testi-mony of Coleman’s sister-in-law. Apparently, there was bad blood between Coleman and his wife’s sister, and the jury found him guilty in the first degree and sentenced him to die by hang-ing. On the way to his hanging, Coleman reportedly sat on his coffin and played his fiddle as a two-wheeled ox cart slowly carried him to the site where a hastily-built wooden gallows had been con-structed. The slow, dirge-like tune that he played has since been known as “Coleman’s March.” Even as the noose was being tightened around his neck, Joe Cole-man maintained his innocence. Before his sentence was carried out, one legend tells how Joe promised to give his fiddle to any-one in the crowd who could play the tune better than he could. A fiddler named Franz Prewitt stepped forward and took Coleman up on his offer. Before he started fiddling, Prewitt tuned the in-strument into what is called “dead man’s tuning” and managed to out-fiddle Joe Coleman. Minutes before the trap door opened under Joe’s feet, the condemned man handed over his fiddle to its new owner, as the assembled crowd held their breath and waited for justice to be served. Although a little too late, Coleman’s claim of innocence was supported many years later by the deathbed confession of an old lady who admitted to the killing of Joe Coleman’s wife. Immediately after the execution, several of Coleman’s relatives secretly spirited his body away, and somehow managed to bring him back from death’s door. After he regained his health, Cole-man boarded a steamboat that took him down the Cumberland River toward Nashville, Tennessee. From there, Coleman headed out west, and from there, the trail grows cold. Even though Joe Coleman himself was never again seen in East-ern Kentucky, the tune named after him lived on, and is com-monly played today as “Coleman’s March” or “Joe Coleman’s March.” After all these years, the tune still retains its dirge-like rhythm and feel, which is rare in old-time and bluegrass music. Most instrumental tunes are either fast breakdowns, danceable reels, or waltzes. “Coleman’s March” is unique in that respect.

As it turns out, Joe Coleman did not compose the tune that now bears his name. Instead, he reworked an old Celtic tune known as “The Irish Jaunting Car.” No doubt inspired by his own looming execution, he changed the rhythm of the tune from a sprightly dance tune into a mournful dirge. A few years later, at the start of the Civil War, a Englishman named Harry Macarthy was in Jackson, Mississippi at the sign-ing of Mississippi’s Ordinance of Secession. Macarthy took the very same Irish tune that Joe Coleman had played and used it as the melody for a new set of lyrics he recently composed to honor the Confederacy. The result was “The Bonnie Blue Flag.” Next to “Dixie,” it was the most popular tune of the Confederacy. But unlike Joe Coleman’s mournful melody, Harry Macarthy kept the lively and jaunty flavor of the original Celtic tune, which more accurately reflected the early and na-ïve optimism of the Southern cause. As for Macarthy himself, he didn’t stick around long enough to find out if his newly-composed song would help inspire the South to victory. In-stead, he high-tailed it to Pennsylvania and then California, where he spent the rest of the war years far from the fields of battle that he helped to inspire with his song of Southern patri-otism. * * * * * Wayne Erbsen is a performing musician, teacher, author, pub-lisher, recording artist and bluegrass radio host. He has re-corded eighteen CDs and written twenty-eight songbooks and instruction books for banjo, fiddle, mandolin and guitar. His company is Native Ground Books & Music www.nativeground.com. Call or email for free catalog (828) 299-7031 banjo@nativeground.com

The Hanging of Fiddlin’ Joe Coleman by Wayne Erbsen

Discounted Carolina Chocolate Drops tickets for SWBMAI Members Hurry! A limited number of concert tickets for the Carolina Chocolate Drops are available to SWBMAI members at $15 a piece starting March 8. The tickets are available at Lane’s Lutherie, 2345 Atwood Ave., Madison. Just a few short blocks from the Barrymore Theater.

Is It Time for You to Renew? Your subscription to Fireball Mail only lasts one year from the date of payment. If you’re not certain when you last joined SWBMAI, please contact our Membership Chair, Larry Schultz at 608-798-4884 (or by email at lwschultz@tds.net). To renew, go to www.swbmai.org and click on join. Or submit a check with the appropriate amount to: SWBMAI PO Box 7761 Madison, WI 53707-7761 Individual: $24 Individual senior: $14 Individual student: $14 Family: $34 Band: $64 Business: $75

Above the Town – Jerry Loughney; 262-510-1128, jerry@abovethetown.com Alzen Family Bluegrass Band – Brad Alzen; 715-749-3977, bwalzen@pressenter.com Art Stevenson & High Water – Art Stevenson; 715-884-6996, artstevenson@tds.net Big Cedar – Marty Burch 262-338-6954 or Keith Keehn; 262-338-0538, mdrbears@aol.com The Burie Family -Tiffany Burie; tiffburie@yahoo.com Cream City Bluegrass and Gospel Music – Harvey Riekoff; 262-497-3024, tjbanjo@wi.rr.com, http://creamcitybluegrass.net Down from the Hills – Pat Downing; 608-527-2472, down-home@tds.net, http://personalpages.tds.net/~downhome eleike – Michael Bell; 608-238-2223, mike@michaelmbell.net, www.michaelmbell.net/eleike-presskit.htm The Front Porch Boys – Tom Nowlin; 262-719-2991, dr_geo_@yahoo.com, www.frontporchboys.com The Henhouse Prowlers – Ben Wright; 773-263-5793 promotion@henhouseprowlers.com The High 48s – Eric Christopher; 651-271-4392, eric@thehigh48s.com Kristy Larson Honky Tonk Trio – Kristy Larson 608-255-4427; larsonk@chorus.net, www.kristylarson.com Liberty Bluegrass Band – Jeff Couillard (414-690-0059) www.libertybluegrass.com

Mad City Jug Band—Beverly Hills (608-698-7637) Marty Marrone & Tangled Roots – Marty Marrone; 651-295-1376, marty@tangledrootsbluegrass.com Monroe Crossing – Art Blackburn; 763-213-1349, art@monroecrossing.com New Bad Habits – Chirps Smith; chirpsdot@aol.com Nob Hill Boys – John Fabke; 608-635 8961; johnfabke@hotmail.com, www.nobhillboys.com Northern Comfort – Tony Hozeny; 608-215-7676, thoz-eny46@sbcglobal.net Oak Street Ramblers – Jeff Schoen; 608-669-3991, kunklej@gmail.com Old Cool – Dan Hildebrand; 608-836-3045, dan-raster@gmail.com, www.oldcoolmusic.com ‘Round the Bend – Fred Newmann; 608-238-6863, fnew-mann@wisc.edu Spare Time Bluegrass Band – Bobby Batyko; 608-575-9945, batyko1@tds.net SweetGrass – Trent Cuthbert; 608-658-6353, sweetgrasspickin@gmail.com, www.myspace.com/sweetgrasspickin Truman's Ridge – Bruce Wallace; 815-603-1441, trumansridge@yahoo.com Turtle Creek Ramblers - Ross Thompson; (815 335-1389) Wooden Bridges Bluegrass Band— Mark Thone; martinman272@aim.com

Book a Member Band for Your Next Engagement!

SWMBAI jamboree circa 1984. The Kickapoo Cloggers Stone Soup: Maureen Kelly, bass Star Olderman, guitar Mark Kramer, mandolin Greg Fischer, fiddle Karen Gogolicks, banjo Photo submitted by Bruce Nichols.

EVERY MONDAY Bluegrass, Folk & Traditional Country Jam and Open Mic, Dry Bean Saloon, 6:30 - 10:30 pm, 5264 Verona Rd., Madison, WI Host: Dave Bacholl (Info: 608-906-6036) EVERY TUESDAY Instructor-Led Jam Classes at Wil-Mar Center 953 Jenifer St., Madison, WI. 2nd Tuesday at Indie Coffee, 1225 Regent St. Madison SWBMAI sponsored Instruction: 1st Tuesday Jon Peik 7:30 pm; 2nd Tuesday with Chris Powers 7:00 pm at Indie Cof-fee; 3rd Tuesday with David Nance 8:00 pm; 4th Tuesday with Catherine Rhyner and Mary Helmke 7:00 pm; 5th Tuesday with Guest Instructor 7:00 pm. $5.00 instructor donation. (Info: SWBMAIjamclass@gmail.com) 1st & 3rd THURSDAY Apple Holler Bluegrass Jam & BBQ, 6:00 - 9:00 pm; Apple Hol-ler Restaurant, 5006 S. Sylvania Ave., Sturtevant, WI (Info: www.appleholler.com or call 1-800-238-3629) 1st FRIDAY Kenosha Folk Hootenany, 7:00 - 10:00 pm, Anderson Arts Center, 121 66th. St., Kenosha WI 2nd FRIDAY Ron's Old-Time Jam, 1:00 - 4:00 pm, State Bank of Cross Plains, Black Earth Office (lower level meeting room), 1030 Mills Street, Black Earth, WI. Host: Ron Poast (Info: 608-767-2553 or www.ragtime88.com/swotfa ) 3rd FRIDAY Crossroads Open Mic, 7:00 - 9:30 pm, Crossroads Coffeehouse, 2020 Main Street, Cross Plains, WI. Host: Joe Snare (Info: 608-798-2080 or joesnare@tds.net ) 1st & 3rd FRIDAY Harmony Bar & Grill, 10:00 - 11:59 pm, 2201 Atwood Avenue, Madison, WI. No cover. Hosted by Mark & Brian. Call (608) 249-4333. Not held during the summer. 1st SATURDAY Waukesha Church of Christ, 1:00 - 4:00 pm, 2816 Madison St., Waukesha, WI. Host: Pastor Greg (Info: 262-470-3644) Riley Tavern, 2:00 - 5:00 pm, 8205 Klevenville-Riley Road, Ve-rona, WI. Contact Bruce Nichols, 608-273-4807 2nd SATURDAY Freeport Opry Jamboree Acoustic Jam and Stage Show, 12:00 - 6:30 pm, Freeport Moose Lodge, 601 E. South Street, Freeport, IL. Host: Jeff Wagner 815-978-2705 Sept - May R.H. Landmark Saloon, 3:00 - 6:30 pm, 138 S. Main St. Jefferson, WI. Host: Tony Hozeny (608-215-7676) in memory of John Short Spring Green General Store, 3:00 - 6:00 pm, 137 S. Albany St., Spring Green, WI. Host: Paul Bentzen, Doug Lloyd and Michael Connors (Info: 608-588-7070)

1st SUNDAY Fritz's Orfordville Bluegrass Jam, noon - 6:00 pm, American Legion Hall, Highway 213, Orfordville, WI. December's jam will be held on November 28. (Info: Fritz at 608-214- 4286 or the American Legion at 608-879-2013.) Life Spring Coffee Shop, 1:00 - 4:00 pm, 7578 Hwy 51, Minocqua WI. Host: Rich Gadow (Info: 715-588-9498) www.headforthedome.com 2nd SUNDAY Hazelhurst (Yawkey) Town Hall, 1:00 - 5:00 pm, Hwy 51, Hazelhurst, WI. Host: Keith Justice (Info: 715-356-3793) BBMA Bluegrass Jam, 2:00 - 5:00 pm, Borders Books, 8705 N. Port Washington, Fox Point, WI. (Info: 414-540-1427 http://badgerlandbluegrass.org) Bluegrass/Old-Time Jam, 6:00 – 10:00 pm, Shari's Chippewa Club, 106 W. Main Street, Durand, WI. Round robin style, all acoustic, all ability levels. Host: East Hill Bluegrass Band. Info: (715) 672-8785. 3rd SUNDAY Lake Country Jam,1:00 - 4:00 pm. Good Harvest Market, 1850 Meadow Lane, Pewaukee, WI. www. goodharvestmarket.com 4th SUNDAY Viroqua Bluegrass & Gospel Music Association Jam, 1:30 - 4:30 pm, Parkview Manor, 200 Park View Court. (Info: 608-606-4105). . (Info: 608-637-3820) www.viroquabluegrass.com) Attic Acoustic Jam, 2:00 - 4:00 pm, The Attic Books & Coffee, 730 Bodart Street, Green Bay, WI. (Info: 920-435-6515 or www.theatticbooks.com )

Jam and Open Mic Events March/April

SWBMAI Member Band Schedules – March/April 2011 MARCH 4 The Alzen Family Bluegrass Band, 10:30 pm, MBOTMA Winter Bluegrass Weekend, Crowne Plaza Hotel,

3131 Campus Drive, Plymouth, MN. http://minnesotabluegrass.org 5 Kristy Larson Honky Tonk Trio, 7:00 pm, Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, 953 Jenifer Street, Madison, WI Oak Street Ramblers, 9:00 pm, The Alchemy, 1980 Atwood Avenue, Madison, WI Monroe Crossing, 2:00 pm, MBOTMA Winter Bluegrass Weekend, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Plymouth, MN SweetGrass, 3:00 pm, MBOTMA Winter Bluegrass Weekend, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Plymouth, MN 12 Turtle Creek Ramblers, 9:30 am, Northwoods Care Centre, 2250 Pearl Street, Belvidere, IL Turtle Creek Ramblers, 11:30 am, The Brick Cafe & Gallery, 615 S. State Street, Belvidere, IL Turtle Creek Ramblers, 1:30 am, Maple Crest Care Centre, 4452 Squaw Prairie Rood., Belvidere, IL 17 SpareTime Bluegrass Band, 6:00 pm, The Frequency, 121 W. Main Street, Madison, WI 18 Turtle Creek Ramblers, 2:00 pm, NorthPointe Terrace, 5601 East Rockton Road, Roscoe, IL Monroe Crossing, 7:00 pm, Prairie du Chien HS Auditorium, 800 E. Crawford Street, Prairie du Chien, WI Oak Street Ramblers, 7:30 pm, The Malt House, 2609 E. Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 25 Northern Comfort, 7:00 pm, Licari’s, 1405 Emil Street, Madison, WI 27 Monroe Crossing, 3:00 pm, Bluegrass Mass, First Presbyterian Church, 505 Franklin, Waterloo, IA APRIL 2 Oak Street Ramblers, 9:00 pm, The Alchemy, 1980 Atwood Avenue, Madison, WI Oak Street Ramblers, 9:00 pm, The Alchemy Cafe, 1980 Atwood Avenue, Madison, WI Turtle Creek Ramblers, 11:30 am, The Brick Cafe & Gallery, 615 S. State Street, Belvidere, IL Turtle Creek Ramblers, 1:30 am, Maple Crest Care Centre, 4452 Squaw Prairie Rood., Belvidere, IL 9 Turtle Creek Ramblers, 9:30 am, Northwoods Care Centre, 2250 Pearl Street, Belvidere, IL

Turtle Creek Ramblers, 11:30 am, The Brick Cafe & Gallery, 615 S. State Street, Belvidere, IL Turtle Creek Ramblers, 1:30 am, Maple Crest Care Center, 4452 Squaw Prairie Rood., Belvidere, IL 16 Turtle Creek Ramblers, 2:00 pm, NorthPointe Terrace, 5601 East Rockton Road, Roscoe, IL 18 Oak Street Ramblers, 7:30 pm, The Malt House, 2609 E. Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 21 SpareTime Bluegrass Band, 6:00 pm, The Frequency, 121 W. Main Street, Madison, WI

The Fireball Mail is a publication of the Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association, Inc. Visit our web site at www.swbmai.org

Send change of address to: Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association Inc. P.O. Box 7761 Madison, WI 53707-7761 Attn: Fireball Mail