(Honesdale, June 1, 2016)…Geared for families with children of all ages—the “young at heart”—the Tunes & Tales portion of the 11th annual Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival on June 18th will feature two popular talents of past years: Native American Little Bear and singer-guitarist Dave Matsinko. Continue reading “Tunes & Tales Brings Back Popular Acts for 2016”
NEW! 2016 Raffle Prizes – Art, Cash & More!
(Honesdale, May 31, 2016)….Raffle-ticket buyers for this year’s Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival can vie for two cash prizes for the first time, along with six other great prizes donated by local businesses. Continue reading “NEW! 2016 Raffle Prizes – Art, Cash & More!”
A Real McCoy Coming to Honesdale for Roots & Rhythm
(Honesdale, May 21, 2016)… They make music not war, but the lead female singer of the band Two-Thirds Goat, is a real McCoy from Eastern Kentucky. And this June, Annalyse McCoy and the rest of her bluesy-country rock band will perform not once but three times in conjunction with Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival on June 18th. Besides opening on the main stage on June 18th at 1:30pm in Central Park, the band will offer a workshop the night before, June 17th, at 7:30pm at Basin and Main, 564 Main Street, Honesdale, and play after Roots & Rhythm at the Late Night Ramble at The Cooperage Project, 1030 Main Street, Honesdale.
“This band has a great sound, and folks will have three opportunities to catch them in town,” says Randy Kohrs, music coordinator for Roots & Rhythm.
The band’s name comes from the fact that two of the three originators of the now-five-member band are Capricorns, the astrological sign with the goat as its symbol. Two-Thirds Goat has been gaining national recognition for its mix of rock and country songs almost from day one. The band’s album, Let It Rise, has been celebrated in American Songwriter Magazine, Austin Town Hall, Elmore Magazine, Mother Church Pew, Surviving the Golden Age and more.
Their first single, “Whiskey Sins,” is described as “a raucous, rocking country song about three loves: Jack, Jim, and Johnny; and the inevitable sins that accompany them.”
“We are really excited that this terrific band is not only offering a music workshop for us, but also sticking around to perform at The Late Night Ramble at The Cooperage Project,” says Kohrs.
Roots & Rhythm, the workshop and the Ramble are all free to the public. The Cooperage will also be offering refreshments for sale when the doors open at 9pm. Music starts at 10pm.
Now marking its 11th year, Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival is a non-profit family-friendly event produced and staffed by volunteers. In addition to the music – Two-Thirds Goat will be followed by The Tall Pines, Sarah Borges and headliner Amy Helm—the festival offers an Artist’s Row and a Food Vendor’s Row, along with activities for children at Tunes & Tales.
The festival is supported by donations and grants, including awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pocono Arts Council. For additional information about the event or to volunteer, visit www.honesdalerootsandrhythm.com.
For more information about Two-Thirds Goat, visit www.twothirdsgoat.com.
Photo: Two-Thirds Goat
Free Workshop, Special Poster by Artist Mark Milroy for R&R
(Honesdale, May 3, 2016)… Nationally-known and locally-based artist Mark Milroy wants to share his passion for woodblock printing with the community for free. Milroy, who produces images hand-carved on wood and printed on a hand-crank press one by one, will offer a no-cost workshop on Saturday, June 11th as part of this year’s Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival. The event will take place at 7pm at The Cooperage Project, 1030 Main Street, Honesdale.
“I will bring many prints but also demonstrate wood block print-making with my press,” says Milroy, noting there is an ah-ha moment when what looks like a mirror image on the wood peels off to be the traditional right-left picture. He admits he’s always been “drawn to the magic of never knowing what you’ll get until you pull that first print.” Continue reading “Free Workshop, Special Poster by Artist Mark Milroy for R&R”
Sarah Borges Joins 2016 R&R Lineup
(Honesdale, April 27, 2016)…Boston-raised Sarah Borges calls her sound “straight up rock and roll.” She and her band, The Broken Singles, join the main stage lineup for the 11th annual Honesdale Roots & Rhythm on June 18th in Honesdale’s Central Park, right before headliner Amy Helm.
Amy Helm to Headline 2016 Roots & Rhythm
(Honesdale, April 11, 2016)…Amy Helm, often described as an exceptionally soulful singer/songwriter and a member of the so-called Woodstock tribe of musicians in nearby New York state, will headline the 11th annual Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival on June 18th.
Helm, who has been a musician in her own right all her life, is the daughter of musical legends: singer/songwriter Libby Titus (she wrote “Love Has No Pride”) and the late musical icon Levon Helm, drummer/vocalist for The Band (“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “Up on Cripple Creek,” “The Weight”). After decades of playing with bands such as the altcountry Ollabelle and with her father, Helm put out her first solo album, “Didn’t It Rain,” in July of last year.
Sign Language Interpreter a First for Honesdale Roots & Rhythm
More people will be able to enjoy Honesdale’s premier free, non-profit, music and arts event, thanks to the engagement of a sign language interpreter. Kim Hodder, Honesdale, has agreed to take the stage at the Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival on Saturday, June 20th, to help expand the festival’s reach to the hearing impaired.
“Roots & Rhythm was founded to bring free music to as many people as possible in our rural part of the country, music many people would not otherwise have an opportunity to enjoy,” says Meica Drake, festival vice-chair, “Kim’s presence will expand our reach and continue to help us fulfill our mission. We’re very pleased to have her on board.”
Hodder, a graduate of Wallenpaupack High School and currently a physical therapist assistant with Wayne Memorial Rehabilitation Services, trained for one year in an Interpreter for the Deaf program at Lackawanna College. “I’m really excited to be a part of the festival this year!” says Hodder.
Hodder will interpret the opening of the festival on the Main Stage at 1:30pm, which includes a proclamation by Honesdale Mayor Jack Bishop, the National Anthem sung by Honesdale High School students and the kick-off performance by singer-songwriter Chrissi Poland. Hodder will return later in the afternoon, after Professor Louie & the Crowmatix and between performances by Alexis P. Suter and her band and the headliner, The Kentucky Headhunters. Hodder will also help announce the winners of the Roots Raffle.
For more information about the festival, visit www.honesdalerootsandrhythm.com or visit the festival on Facebook.
Volunteers Needed for Roots & Rhythm!
Calling all volunteers! Join the crew at Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival this June 20th and play a part in making this free, non-profit, family friendly festival a success. Brian Fulp, Festival chair, is looking for volunteers willing to offer any part of the day from 9am until 11pm.
Volunteer opportunities exist to help set up Central Park (remove signs, clean up, etc), sell Roots gear (t-shirts, hats, etc.), collect donations, tear down and work with the Sustainability Team.
“Our Sustainability Team is a source of great pride for us,” says Fulp, “We are working on being a zero waste festival, and we have already received numerous awards for ‘green activity.’ We ask our food vendors to use compostable materials and we sort trash according to strict recycling rules.
“Volunteers on this team don’t actually handle trash themselves,” Fulp adds, “They just help guide festival-goers to use the right bins for compost, recycling and trash.”
To volunteer, contact Fulp at bfulp@himalayaninstitute.org or by phone 570-309-7860.
Alexis P. Suter Band at Roots & Rhythm – “Powerful blues”
The famous blues musician BB King called Alexis P. Suter a “rare talent.” Levon Helm said, “She is one of those wonderful spirits, she’s got her arms around you; you can feel that.” Alexis P. Suter and her band will take the stage at the 10th annual Honesdale’s Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival right before the headliner, The Kentucky Headhunters, on June 20th—and festival fans can expect the stage to rock!
“Alexis P. Suter is a powerful presence on stage with an amazing bass/baritone voice,” says Randy Kohrs, music coordinator for this year’s festival, adding, “but don’t just take my word for it. She was one of the nominees this year for the prestigious Koko Taylor award at the Blues Music Awards ceremony. That honor goes to the best traditional blues female artist of the year.”
Kohrs describes the two remaining acts lined up for the main stage this year also “electric.” They are Professor Louie & the Crowmatix – “a tasty mix of rhythm and blues and rock”) and the Chrissi Poland, a “soulful siren.”
Honesdale Roots & Rhythm is a free, non-profit, family-friendly event with “lots of fun things to see and do and hear,” says Festival Chair Brian Fulp. “Come on down!”
For more information, visit www.honesdalerootsandrhythm.com.
Photo: Alexis P. Suter coming to Honesdale Roots & Rhythm June 20th!
“Soulful Siren” Offers Free Workshop for Roots & Rhythm
Chrissi Poland isn’t just joining the lineup of main stage bands for the 10th annual Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival. The soulful singer from southern Massachusetts who recently opened a tour for Lady Gaga is also presenting a songwriting workshop at Basin & Main, 564 Main Street, Honesdale, on Saturday, June 20th, the morning of the festival, from 10am -11am.
“Chrissi has graciously agreed to share her thoughts about the songwriting process and how she crafts her music,” said Randy Kohrs, music coordinator for Honesdale Roots & Rhythm. “The workshop will offer participants a chance to dialogue with a singer whose richness and lyrical depth has drawn audiences everywhere. Her voice has been compared to such greats as Aretha Franklin, Carole King and Adele.”
Poland will be part of a star-studded lineup on Saturday, June 20th in Honesdale’s Central Park. She takes the stage about 1:30pm and will be followed by the R&B, Woodstock-based group Professor Louie & the Crowmatix; blues sensation Alexis P. Suter and her band; and finally, the headliners, The Kentucky Headhunters.
“This is the festival’s 10th year of bringing free music to Central Park, and it’s going to be spectacular,” says Brian Fulp, chair of the Festival. “We have many new activities in the works. You don’t want to miss it.”
Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival is a non-profit, family-friendly, all day event that includes laser tag, “Tunes & Tales” storytelling and crafts, food vendors, Artist’s Row and a beer garden offered by the Honesdale Rotary. Local bands kick off the festival at 1:30pm on Main Street. For more information visit honesdaleroots&rhythm.com.
Photo: Chrissi Poland to offer songwriter workshop for Honesdale Roots & Rhythm