Anyone not familiar with the music of Bill Staines is in for a special treat.
Last Dance Productions is pleased to welcome Bill Staines to one of the great listening rooms in town, the New England Folk Music Archives. The event takes place on on Wednesday, July 17th at 7pm. We’ll have a conversation with Bill recording his thoughts about the Folk Scene in New England over the past years that will be deposited into our growing oral history collection.
After the conversation we’ll be treated to a performance by Bill Staines.
For more than forty years, Bill Staines has traveled back and forth across North America, singing his songs and delighting audiences at festivals, folksong societies, colleges, concerts, clubs, and coffeehouses. A New England native, Bill became involved with the Boston-Cambridge folk scene in the early 1960′s and for a time, emceed the Sunday Hootenanny at the legendary Club 47 in Cambridge. Bill quickly became a popular performer in the Boston area. From the time in 1971 when a reviewer from the Boston Phoenix stated that he was “simply Boston’s best performer”, Bill has continually appeared on folk music radio listener polls as one of the top all time favorite folk artists. Now, well into his fifth decade as a folk performer, he has gained an international reputation as a gifted songwriter and performer.
The Lowell Folk Festival strives to present the very finest traditional artists from across the country. Festival stages reverberate with the sounds of traditional music more often heard in homes, social clubs, dance halls, and annual celebrations.
You’re invited now to place Lowell Folk Festival 2013 on your calendar. The dates are Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28 in downtown Lowell.
Last Dance Productions is thrilled to be part of the production team for the festival.
The New England Folk Music Archives is thrilled to have Deborah Holland and Cidny Bullens perform this special benefit concert.
Produced by Last Dance Productions, only 40 tickets will be sold for this performance.
DEBORAH HOLLAND was introduced to the world as the lead singer and songwriter of Animal Logic, (with Stewart Copeland of The Police and jazz bassist Stanley Clarke). She went on to record 4 solo albums, 2 with the folk-Americana “super-group” The Refugees, scored 5 films, and wrote and performed dozens of songs for film and TV. Her new solo album, VANCOUVER, was released on June 4th, 2013 and is already getting airplay on over 75 US and Canadian radio stations.
CIDNY BULLENS began a music career touring with Elton John and in the studio with mega-hit songwriter/producer Bob Crewe. A 30+ career includes the breakthrough hit “Survivor”, (Grammy nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance), three lead vocals as part of the Grease movie soundtrack album (also Grammy-nominated), and 6 critically acclaimed albums featuring a who’s who of Americana artists including Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, Rodney Crowell, Bryan Adams, Beth Nielsen Chapman, John Hiatt, Steve Earle, and Emmylou Harris, and Delbert McClinton. In 2007, Cidny formed the super-trio The Refugees.
The Lowell Folk Festival. There’s so much to eat, play and discover at this year’s 29th Annual Lowell Folk Festival! This year’s festival features five stages of traditional music, authentic crafts demonstrations, ethnic foods, art and children’s activities.
The Festival is always the last full weekend in July. We look forward to seeing you July 24-26, 2015 in downtown Lowell!
Peter Asher of Peter & Gordon joins forces with Jeremy Clyde of Chad & Jeremy to star together in an unforgettable evening of music and memories. This “storytellers” style evening features songs and stories from their sixties heyday as recording artists to Jeremy’s success on stage, television (Downton Abbey) and film (The Iron Lady) and Peter’s Grammy-Winning career as Producer and manager of the likes of James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt and more.
Their respective British Invasion duos were collectively responsible for 30 Billboard chart hits. From the Chad & Jeremy catalog, they bring you “Distant Shores”, “Yesterday’s Gone” “Willow Weep For Me”, “Before and After”, “A Summer Song” and more. From the Peter & Gordon songbook comes “Woman”, “I Go To Pieces”, “I Don’t Want To See You Again”, “Lady Godiva”, “A World Without Love” and more.
Don’t miss this special opportunity to hear the stories behind the lives and music of these two legendary duos from the era that wiped clean and drew again the face of popular culture.
Presented by Last Dance Productions
33rd Lowell Folk Festival
The Lowell Folk Festival continues to provide the finest in traditional music, craft, foodways and more in downtown Lowell. This annual celebration is the best in traditional folk music, artisan crafts and ethnic foods, and will be returning to downtown Lowell with a full lineup beginning with the traditional parade of nations from Lowell’s City Hall Plaza to Boarding House Park. The free festival offers something for people of all ages all within the heart of Lowell National Historical Park.
80’s Tribute St80um to perform at Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA, September 27 for a special funder for the Concil for Children.
This will be a special Fundraiser for The Council for Children. The Council is a local all-volunteer non-profit with programs benefiting nearly 2000 local children every year. The programs include Christmas is for Kids, a gift drive filling Christmas wishes of new toys and clothes to 1000 local children; Nicky O Foundation which gives scholarships to students interested in the arts; day care scholarships; 100 backpacks given to local park and rec departments each summer for children who need towels, sunscreen and water bottles; 75 back-to-school backpacks with supplies; a summer lunch food drive which collects 10,000 servings of food plus cash to help feed children on local playgrounds all summer who would otherwise go without a healthy meal.
St80um
Yes… Pronounced, Stadium
An 80s Tribute band of the best stadium style, 1980’s Rock and Roll. Journey, Foreigner, Styx, Boston, Bon Jovi, etc bringing you a full concert experience show using the original instrument sounds.
Guitar – Ted Solgot
Keyboards – Nate Goulet
Bass – “Smokin” Joe Tommasiello
Drums – Greg Vartanian
Lead Vocals – Amy Hansen
Patio Records presents The Healing Garden Concert, a live celebration to raise funds for the creation of a magnificent Healing Garden at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA. Featuring Mile Twelve, J.P. Cormier w/ Bill Elliott and introducing Kelly Hill w/ Scott Neubert.
Mile Twelve
Although their sound is rooted in traditional bluegrass, Mile Twelve surveys a broader landscape on their newest album, City on a Hill. All five band members bring their own influences and observations into the music, resulting in a project that feels contemporary, thoughtfully crafted, and relevant. Produced by Bryan Sutton and engineered by Ben Surratt, City on a Hill follows significant recognition from the bluegrass community, including three IBMA Momentum Awards. With members based in Boston and Nashville, the lineup includes David Benedict (mandolin), Catherine “BB” Bowness (banjo), Bronwyn Keith-Hynes (fiddle), Evan Murphy (acoustic guitar, lead vocals), and Nate Sabat (bass, lead vocals).
J.P. Cormier
At the age of 5, JP began teaching himself to play the guitar. At 9, he won his first guitar competition against 30 other players 4 times his age. By his mid teens, he was playing a variety of stringed instruments, including the fiddle, mandolin and banjo. He recorded his first album of bluegrass instrumentals at 16, which led to 10 years of living and performing in the US. His time there included many memorable nights at the Grand Ole Opry with artists such as Waylon Jennings, Marty Stuart, Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe, Charlie Louvin and Vince Gill.
Since returning to Canada, JP has released over a dozen award-winning albums. His impressive body of work has earned him a loyal fan base and multiple award nominations and wins. He continues to dazzle and delight audiences while performing 250 shows a year
Kelly Hill
Kelly Hill was born and raised in Waltham, Massachusetts. She began performing at an early age and continued to hone her acting skill throughout her high school and college years graduating from Brandeis University with a degree in Theater Arts.
After taking a break from performing for a number of years and raising two amazing boys, Kelly began thinking about the next chapter in her life. Her good friend Terry Eagan suggested they do an album together. Terry introduced her to Scott Neubert and the three of them embarked on her first album.
Find out about more great shows here.
Gary Backstrom, founder, and frontman of the legendary Boston-based Jiggle The Handle, brings you Rhythm Of The Saints – an all-star tribute to Paul Simon. This seven-piece band featuring members of Jiggle The Handle, Max Creek, and The Heavy Metal Horns flawlessly navigate the musical library of Paul Simon’s solo carrier. The show features all the hits you would hope to hear, including “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover”, “Still Crazy After All These Years,” “Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes,” and so many more!
Kathy Mattea and Suzy Bogguss Ticket Info Here.
Friends since their early days in Nashville, they had only found a few opportunities to collaborate musically along the way, most notably with Teach Your Children, their Grammy-nominated track from 1994’s Red, Hot + Country compilation. They have “threatened” for years, and the fans have clamored for this pairing. Now, the wait is over. Longtime friends Kathy Mattea and Suzy Bogguss have individually carved out careers in popular music with a multitude of hits spanning over two decades. Suzy’s Outbound Plane, Aces, and Someday Soon are among the many songs beloved by music fans around the world, as are Where’ve You Been?, 455 Rocket, and Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses from Kathy’s deep well of material.
Kathy Mattea
Hailed by The Washington Post as “one of Nashville’s finest song interpreters,” Kathy Mattea has enjoyed much success and acclaim during her 35-year career in Country, Bluegrass and Folk music, including 2 Grammy wins, 4 CMA Awards, 4 #1 country singles, and five gold albums (plus a platinum Greatest Hits collection)
Suzy Bogguss
Suzy began her career in the 1980s as a solo singer. In the 1990s, six of her songs were Top 10 hits, three albums were certified gold, and one album received a platinum certification. She won Top New Female Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music and the Horizon Award from the Country Music Association.
