CANCELED - Hi folks: Sorry to say, the Saturday night concert scheduled for tomorrow May 12th has been canceled. Jesse could not get his working VISA in time for this event. Jesse is American, but just married a Canadian and is now living in Canada. There is a full explanation and apology from Jesse on the music forum here http://canaaninstitute.org/mikesmusic/viewtopic.php?p=4769#4769

CANCELED - Paris Texas with Jesse Cobb Saturday May 12th 7:00 pm for a House Concert followed by a music jam at The Canaan Institute (Mike and Raylene’s workshop). Donation for the band $10- RSVP: please email Mike Ludgate to reserve your seats and for directions mike@cinst.org Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/223863414395085/

More events at Canaan Institute: Concerts, Workshops, Jams http://canaaninstitute.org/mn/mus_jamcann.html

Paris Texas (Bobby Henrie & Rick Manning) will be joined by mandolin master Jesse Cobb (founding member of the Infamous Stringdusters) in a house concert at the Canaan Institute. This is a house concert and will be an unplugged performance. Bobby and Rick play an energetic mix of bluegrass with western and string swing music. They are pleased to be joined by Jesse Cobb, a great mandolin player who recently moved to Southern Ontario, near Niagara Falls with his wife and family. Check out some of Jesse’s you tube mando duets with Frank Solivan for a real treat.

Jesse Cobb - Jesse has been playing the mandolin since around age 12 and has recorded on a long list of albums while living in Nashville, as well as being a founding member of The Infamous Stringdusters. He has shared the stage with mandolin heroes like Sam Bush, Dawg, Mike Marshall, Ronnie McCoury, Chris Thile and many others. With The Dusters, Jesse received a Grammy nomination in 2010 for his song Magic #9. He has also recorded on a Grammy winning project with Jim Lauderdale in 2008. Jesse has taught music camps and workshops at festivals throughout the country including, Rockygrass Academy, Wintergrass, Grass Valley, Grand Targhee, and many others. He is currently at work on a mandolin improvisation course based on his own learning process. Jesse is also involved in a few new musical adventures and is working on material for his debut solo album coming later this year.

Rick Manning - Rick is the founder of the new and exceedingly popular “Winter Village Bluegrass Festival” in Ithaca NY, now approaching it’s 3rd year. Rick and Bobby played for years together in Cornerstone, one of Ithaca’s favorite bluegrass and acoustic country bands of the 90s.

Bobby Henrie - Bobby is best known his rockabilly and swing playing in Bobby Henrie and the Goners and Tres Swing. Rick Manning (fiddle) and Bobby played for years together in Cornerstone, one of Ithaca’s favorite bluegrass and acoustic country bands of the 90s.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Jesse+Cobb+mandolin
https://www.facebook.com/mandocobby
http://www.myspace.com/jessecobb
http://www.myspace.com/bobbyhenrieandthegoners
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/cornerstone-p42681
http://wintervillagebluegrass.org/performers.php

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ITHACA NY — Ernie Evans and the Florida State Bluegrass Band for a House Concert followed by a music jam at The Canaan Institute (Mike and Raylene’s workshop) on Wed August 10th 2011 starting at 7:00 pm Donation for the band $15- RSVP: please email Mike Ludgate to reserve your seats and for directions michael@canaaninstitute.org Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=175358642532597

Radio Personality, Singer and Multi Instrumentalist, Ernie Evans is now on tour in 2011 and beyond. Evans, currently on tour with his own group, “The Florida State Bluegrass Band” is making waves throughout the bluegrass world. As a multi instrumentalist, Evans is very picky about who accompanies him on stage making sure his music is interpreted the way it was meant. He has hand selected some of the finest musicians in the southeastern United States that meet and exceed his expectations.

Expect to be entertained by this high energy group of professional performers. Treat your audience to unique renditions of traditional and contemporary bluegrass tunes as they get the experience they came for. If you’re looking for a band to compliment your line up, sound like no other and keep customers looking forward to your next event, choose Ernie Evans and the Florida State Bluegrass Band.

Sound clips here. They do a lot of old style southern gospel vocal harmonies in addition to excellent instrumentals: http://floridastatebluegrassband.com/index_files/ernieevansandthefloridastatebluegrassbandpresskit.htm

About the band members …

Ernie Evans — (Guitarist, Vocalist, Arranger, Band Leader ) Ernie’s lengthy resume includes touring internationally most recently as a member of Grammy Nominee, Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, 5-Time Grammy Nominee Vassar Clements, and even with Motown legends “The Platters”. His music has taken him all over the world throughout his career, and when he is not on stage he can be found broadcasting in St. Augustine, FL at WFCF 88.5FM, as well as on World Wide Bluegrass with his co-host, wife, and band mate Debi Evans, on their own shows, airing weekly. Debi has been there through the entire journey learning the trade and building the company from the ground up that they both own and manage called “Evans Media Source”. When it comes to the identity of an artist/musician a specific instrument is tied to an artist name and title branding them for recognition throughout their career. In the case of Ernie Evans, that’s not so easy to do. Evans can play many instruments and sing lead and harmony vocals at a high level giving music what ever it needs when ever it needs it. Couple this with the ability to play many styles of music from Jazz, Pop, Country and more. This skill level has made a major contribution to his ability to lead and orchestrate the now nationally touring band “Florida State Bluegrass Band”. His lengthy resume includes playing most recently as a member of Grammy Nominee Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, 5 Time Grammy Nominee Vassar Clements Band, Southern Lite and Motown legends “The Platters”. His music has taken him all over the world throughout his career and he is not on stage he can be found broadcasting in St. Augustine, FL at WFCF 88.5FM and also on World Wide Bluegrass with his co-host, Wife and band mate Debi Evans on their own shows airing weekly.

Debi Evans — (Bassist, Vocalist) Debi has been a music lover all of her life. She grew up singing and is a fan of many styles of music. Her bass playing has developed very fast and has been recognized by many notable musicians. Her love for music can be heard in her playing and singing, not to mention seeing it in her presence on stage. Debi balances the vocal harmonies and adds a new dimension to The Florida State Bluegrass Band with her sweet lead voice. She is dedicated to practicing and takes performances seriously, while having a blast at the same time.

Lamont Goff — (Mandolin, Vocalist) Lamont grew up in a family that loved bluegrass. Both of his parents sang and played guitar, and his grandfather played guitar and mandolin. One of his earliest memories is playing with toy cars at a bluegrass festival at River Ranch Acres, FL when was 5 or 6 years old. He started playing banjo, guitar, and mandolin when he was 12 or. He loved traditional bluegrass, which he would listen to every Thursday night on the local radio station in Pennsylvania. His parents would have jam sessions at their house, and invite the local pickers to come over about once a month. They would go play out and play at churches, and the local VFW. At 16 he heard Tony Rice’s Manzanita album, music from the New Grass Revival, and David Grisman’s “Dawg” music and soon mandolin became his primary instrument. Lamont has played in a number of bluegrass and folk bands, including US1, Florida Bluegrass Express, Hand Picked, and Lis and Lon Williamson. He was excited to be invited to join the Florida State Bluegrass band early in 2011, and looks forward to making music with this powerful bluegrass band. He also loves Celtic music, and plays mandolin and guitar with “Under the Radar”, a Celtic/Americana trio in Orlando, FL.

Isaac Taylor — (Banjo, Vocalist) Isaac is the youngest band member. He was born a fourth generation Florida boy, in Kissimmee, raised in Vero Beach and home schooled his entire educational career, Isaac graduated from high school in 2009 where he was studying Music Theory at Indian River State College as a Dual Enrolled Student. Music has always been his passion. He started helping his father lead singing in church when he was just four years old. His first love is acapella hymn singing, especially Sacred Harp music, with all of its beautiful harmonies. After watching the movie, Oh, Brother Where Art Thou? , he became inspired to learn more about Bluegrass music. Ralph Stanley, in particular, sparked his interest in the banjo. In 2004, just after Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne, he gladly left behind four years of piano for a new adventure on the five string banjo. With a few teachers showing him the basics early on, he soon discovered that he could learn songs by ear. Isaac plays his banjo every spare minute of the day. If he is not playing, he is researching something about banjos or Bluegrass. His younger siblings are often lulled to sleep at night by its charms.

http://floridastatebluegrassband.com/
http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/email/newsletter/1410956145
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Florida-State-Bluegrass-Band/134453319937509
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1278711506
http://evansbluegrassjournal.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/ernieevans

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Mark you calendars! We have just booked Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike for a house concert at Canaan Road Thursday June 18. Concert 7:00 to 9:00 pm followed by a bluegrass jam. Valerie and her band are world class bluegrass musicians. We expect this one to sell out. Concert $15- She will be traveling with award winning fiddler Becky Buller http://www.beckybuller.com/ there is an option of private lessons or an intimate workshop late afternoon before the concert: any interest in that? Let us know! Lesson or workshop fee will be additional … DETAILS forthcoming! FORUM THREAD HERE http://canaaninstitute.org/mikesmusic/viewtopic.php?p=2607#2607

RSVP’s expected email Mike for directions and to reserve a seat  michael@canaaninstitute.org?subject=rsvp_house_concert_June18

Website http://www.valeriesmithonline.com/
MySpace http://www.myspace.com/valeriesmithamplibertypike
Videos http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Valerie+Smith+and+Liberty+Pike
Becky Buller http://www.beckybuller.com/

Thanks,

Mike and Raylene

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About Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike

As the twig is bent, so grows the tree. And when that tree is anchored in the fertile hills and dales of west Missouri, you can bet it will be strong enough to withstand a sudden prairie storm, yet beautiful enough to take away your breath when silhouetted by a vivid sunset.

This metaphor aptly describes the music of Valerie Smith as it has seasoned, firmly rooted in the musical soil of her Missouri childhood. One listen to the conviction of Valerie’s voice as she delivers a tune lets you know that she is no hot-house flower, but was raised in a real world of both hardships and joys. Valerie’s delivery can range from the force of a prairie twister to the gentle softness of a spring rain.

Music has always been there for Valerie. It’s the lifeblood that flows through her veins and is part of her earliest memories. No stranger to hard work, her family raised tobacco, potatoes and corn, while her father worked in an auto assembly plant. The child of musical parents, Valerie showed talent at an early age, and soon began singing rousing Baptist hymns in church, and later began to accompany her parents to play her fiddle and sing with local country and bluegrass musicians in her hometown of Holt and the surrounding area. Not only did Valerie learn to sing in front of an audience, but she learned to be an entertainer as well, a skill which has endeared her to thousands of fans across the world.

Missouri is the musical crossroads of the nation, and Valerie heard western music drifting in from the high plains, jazz wafting along the Big Muddy from Kansas City, and the clarion call of bluegrass from the east. A strong desire to learn more and to teach others prompted Valerie to attend the University of Missouri Conservatory of Music in Kansas City, where she received her B.A. in vocal music education and further broadened her musical horizons. While attending school, Valerie was to meet her future husband, Kraig Smith; and as fate would have it, a chance opportunity led Kraig to a job in Nashville shortly after they were married. By then, Valerie had been teaching school in her hometown for two years, and even though she knew she would miss teaching, she felt fate was pulling her toward Tennessee. In 1992 they arrived and settled into their new life.

It didn’t take Valerie long to get into the Nashville music scene, even while holding down a job with an advertising agency, and then teaching middle school music. She formed the acoustic country group “Fresh Cactus” and played extensively in Nashville while honing her songwriting and performance skills. Valerie’s love for bluegrass music never waned, and while attending a festival in Franklin, she met old time musicians Junior and Betty Parker. The Parkers quickly adopted Valerie, and invited her to play with them in the tiny Tennessee hamlet of Bell Buckle. It was here that Valerie met local entrepreneur J. Gregory Heinike, owner of the Bell Buckle Café. Valerie, J. Gregory, and Kraig Smith founded Bell Buckle Records and Valerie recorded her first highly acclaimed CD, “Patchwork Heart” and formed her band, Liberty Pike.

Since then, Valerie’s music has taken her from coast to coast and around the world. She has become an ambassador of bluegrass music and has entertained music lovers in New York, London, Berlin, Dublin, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and hundreds of other venues throughout the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom and Europe. She has been the recipient of IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) awards and has been nominated for a Grammy Award as part of the Ralph Stanley “Clinch Mountain Sweethearts” project, and she has appeared on the famous Grand Ol’ Opry as guest of hall of famer Charlie Louvin.

Valerie, her husband Kraig and daughter, Josie now reside in their adopted hometown of Bell Buckle, Tennessee.