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Permalink Reply by Truckstop Darlin' on January 8, 2012 at 3:52pm

We are trying to raise funds to finish our 2nd record!  CHeck out our campaign to see how you can help!  Thankshttp://http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1476248521/truckstop-dar...

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Permalink Reply by Banjo Sandwich on March 12, 2012 at 9:31am

This is worthy of posting: Banjo conceptualist Ryan Cavanaugh is raising money for a new jazz-fusion banjo album called Back Country to the Future, inspired by his roots in bluegrass and Americana music to be recorded with fusion legends Bill Evans (sax), Mark Egan (bass) and Joel Rosenblatt (drums). Please donate if you can, share wherever you can. http://igg.me/p/70325

 

Called “one of the best technical players ever,” by banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck, Ryan tours internationally with Bill Evans and has performed and or/recorded with Warren Haynes, Bill Evans, Medeski Martin and Wood, fusion trumpet icon Randy Brecker, and many others.

 

Ryan says:

 Dear patron, 

 

The days of record labels funding artist projects are all but gone.

Independent artists such as myself are forced to seek out production budgets through other means.  If it weren't for patrons some of the world’s most beautiful music may never have been heard. Please help us reach our goal in making some great new music!  

 

Sincerely,

Ryan Cavanaugh  

 

 

If you haven't heard of Ryan before, check out these videos

In Nashville at Music City Roots:

 

Playing Jigs with his teacher Rex McGee:

 

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Permalink Reply by Sara Syms on April 16, 2012 at 7:35pm

Hang Onto Me (rehearsal at Montana Studio) from sara syms on Vimeo.

Hi guys! What an awesome thread as there is so much undiscovered talent out there and there is nothing better than discovering new artists! My name is Sara Syms and I am a singer/songwriter working incredibly hard on my upcoming album. We just got back from Dreamland Studios up in woodstock and tracked the band live in a 19th century church which has hosted such artists as Pat Metheny, The Band, 10,000 Maniacs, Herbie Hancock, and current artists The Fleet Foxes and Beach House.

We also got the opportunity to work with an incredibly talented engineer, Matthew Cullen who has worked with Ray LaMontagne, My Morning Jacket, Madeline Peyroux and Rachael Yamagata to name a few. This album is so important to me and I would love if you could take a sec and check it out! Nice to meet you all. Looking forward to many more discussions.

Cheers, Sara :)

http://www.indiegogo.com/sarasyms

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Permalink Reply by RP N10 on May 14, 2012 at 4:13pm

Jan Bell's kickstarter is still looking for backers.  Details below and at kickstarter.com

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ABOUT THIS PROJECT

'Dream of the Miner's Child' is dedicated to my Grandad (in the photo above). Its an album with many special guests, including my band The Maybelles. I'm often asked 'What's an English girl doing in New York City playing country music?' I've set out to answer that question and tie together my Yorkshire roots, with the folk music and arts community I'm part of in America for the last twenty years. There are songs by emerging and established American and British songwriters; a couple of traditional folk songs; and a number of my own.

Music as a way of telling stories and bringing people together made a life long impact on me during the year long miners strike of 1984. I'd see big strapping men singing on the picket lines, even on a bitter cold morning. Billy Bragg played a rowdy room at a fundraiser, and when he launched into 'Between the Wars' (which I cover on the album), he brought us all around in one unified understanding. Grandad went down the mine as a teenager, and had worked there forty five years at the time of the strike. There are songs about him and village life on the album.

There are many special guests on this recording: Melissa Carper (co-founder of The Maybelles) and her Austin,Texas band The Carper Family. Folks I've been playing with a few years now: Jolie Holland, Samantha Parton (of The Be Good Tanyas), Rima Fand (Luminescent Orchestrii), Will Scott,  Megan Palmer,,Philippa Thompson and Hilary Hawke. Friends from the road include Truckstop Honeymoon,  Salty Pink,  Casey Neill, and fellow English woman Juliet Russell,who leads mass choirs, and works wonders on an old Celtic ballad on the album. I'm also joined on a song about a Birmingham coal miner (which could be set in England as easily as Alabama), by one of my heroes, the legendary Alice Gerrard.

As a fan of Loretta Lynn, I was led to the songs of Jean Ritchie who in turn led me to stories about 'Coal Mining Diva' Aunt Molly Jackson, (who I wrote a song about using her words from a letter she sent to Sing Out! folk magazine). When I heard songs by Hazel and Alice I felt right at home in the stories they told.

I'm often drawn to songs that turn out to be written by folks from Kentucky coal miner stock, such as "You'll never leave Harlan Alive" by Darrell Scott, which The Maybelles often play. That song hits home and echoes the life of a Yorkshire family as well. I've learned that throughout Appalachia, folks have ancestors who migrated to America from northern England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

Many songs traveled with them, such as the title track which started life in South Wales in 1907. Following an accident where over 100 miner's perished "Don't Go Down in the Mines, Dad" was penned by Welshmen Robert Donnelly and Will Geddes. It was "recomposed" by the blind Alabama Evangelist Rev. Andrew Jenkins, in 1925.  Later that year Vernon Dalhart recorded it as 'Dream of the Miner's Child'. Its since been covered by Ralph Stanley, and Doc Watson among others. You can find out more about the history of this song in Archie Green's landmark dissertation Only a Miner.

Following such mining disasters many Welsh miner's - including Grandad Williams family went across the Pennine Mountains to South Yorkshire. The word was that the Fitzwilliam family there, owned and operated the safest pits in the country. Songs from the 'Land of Poet's and Singers' as Wales is known, were now venturing across the Atlantic as well.

Maybe growing up in Yorkshire is what sets Jan Bell apart from the run of local lady folkies. Or maybe its the slide guitars, harmonicas, mandolins and banjos. Dark, old timey spareness......Gorgeous  - Chuck Eddy as Senior Editor, VILLAGE VOICE.

Produced and engineered by Jason Mercer at Stoop Sale Recordings. Mixed atSaltlands in DUMBO, NYC. (Several Guest engineers around the country as well). Jason has worked with Ani Difranco, Ron Sexsmith, Rick Moranis, BareNaked Ladies, Tony Scherr, Jesse Harris. He lives and works in Brooklyn, playing music and recording with Matt Keating, Jenifer Jackson, Annie Keating, Mike Ferrio, Jack Grace, Clarence Bucaro, Mary and The Strays, and Ana Egge.

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