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HAWAII BLUEGRASS FRIENDS FACEBOOK GROUP! If you are interested in bluegrass, traditional acoustic and old-time music in the Hawaiian Islands, check out the HAWAII BLUEGRASS FRIENDS Facebook group! There are now over 100 people in this group. Join today and connect with pickers and grinners on YOUR island! Check it out at www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=137605476884.

BANDS & EVENTS: What are YOUR favorite Hawai`i bluegrass bands and artists up to these days? Where can you hear the Saloon Pilots, the Celtic Waves, Gordon Freitas, the Voggy Mountain Ramblers or the Happy Enchalada? Visit www.bluegrasshawaii.com/bands.html for links to local artists' websites, sound samples and schedules! And check out www.bluegrasshawaii.com/events.html for recurring events hosted by other traditional music societies in Hawai`i!

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ALL ISLANDS

DON'T MISS THESE OTHER COOL EVENTS!

• Contradancers Of Hawaii (O`ahu)
• Traditional Music Jam (TradJam)--O`ahu
• Contradancing on the Big Island
• First Saturday Pickin' & Potluck (Big Island)
• Pickin' In The Park (Kaua`i)
• Folksong Circle on Maui
• Contradancing on Maui

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ON O`AHU:

GORDON FREITAS

Hawaii's beloved folk troubador, the one and only GORDON FREITAS, is one of our favorite singer/songwriters. With years entertaining on cruise ships under his belt, Gordo can find a song for ANY occasion or mood or crowd!

According to his official biography, Gordon Freitas is a world-traveled native Hawaiian from the little coffee-pickin' town of Holualoa, Kona on the Big Island. He is often joined by several of his friends, in a configuration of kama`aina he calls LOCAL FOLK. Gordo has a LOT of friends, and they are, without exception, fabulously talented musicians! If you're able to catch Gordon in any of his shows, you will be very glad you did! Check out his schedule at gordonfreitas.com.

ON O`AHU:

THE SALOON PILOTS

Our favorite crackers! Lesley Kline on fiddle and vocals, Kilin Reece on guitar and vocals, Paul Sato on banjo and vocals, and doghouse bassman Alex Morrison deliver a heapin' helpin' of progressive, traditional, and original bluegrass! Bill Griffin of California's legendary Cache Valley Drifters is now contributing mandolin and vocals! Mmmmm tasty! Check out their blog at www.MySpace.com/SaloonPilots for their appearance schedule, photos, music, tall tales and more! They appear regularly at several venues on O`ahu; try to catch one of their shows!

And don't forget: you, too, can hire the Saloon Pilots for your private (or public) event! They can perform in several different capacities, ranging from good, clean family fun to loud, low-down, and danceable. They can also provide a professional sound system, and even teach your guests how to squaredance! Contact Paul at paulsato@hotmail.com.

ON O`AHU:

THE CELTIC WAVES

The Celtic Waves play a lively blend of traditional jigs and reels with a sprinkling of slow airs and songs that lend an Irish pub feel to the music. Performed on acoustic instruments, their repertoire ranges from rollicking, newly composed tunes to lyrical 17th-century harp compositions. Band members include Clark Ratliffe on Irish flute and whistles; Katie McClellen on harp, mandolin, whistle, and vocals; Lawson Cannon on guitar and vocals; Susan Reinhart on bodhran, African Djembe, acoustic bass and vocals; and Kevin Craven on fiddle and vocals. They are sometimes joined by fiddler Lisa Gomes. The Waves appear regularly at several venues on O`ahu! Visit their website and find out where they're appearing at http://celticwaves.net/. For bookings, contact Clark Ratliffe at clark@celticwaves.net.

ON O`AHU:

LISA GOMES

Her awe-inspiring career as a fiddler for hire has taken her all over the world, but lucky for us, LISA GOMES calls Hawai`i her home! Lisa grew up near Woodstock, New York, playing classical music. After graduating from Vassar College with a degree in psychology, she bought a one-way ticket to Taiwan to learn Chinese. While prepared to learn a new language and culture, she ended up learning something unexpected ? how to play music by ear!

Lisa has successfully played in several genres of folk music, including Irish, Scottish, French, Klezmer, Cajun, blues, and rock. Her performances now include dancing and fiddling for the JigThis School of Irish Dance, Highland Dancers Hawai'i, and The Society of Creative Anacronism (SCA), Barony of the Western Seas. In Honolulu, she has played with The Bones (rock), Irish Hearts, Bon Ton Roule (Cajun/Zydeco), The Swampshakers (Zydeco), The Pleasant Peasant Band (International folkdance music), Sherele (Klezmer), Scott Wallace and The Round-up (country), as well as as a duo with Two Hearts (Irish) with Curtis Vandeloop (opening for Old Blind Dogs in 2004); as Kilts on the Beach (Scottish) with Audrey Knuth (opening for Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas in 2007); and with Jo McGarry (Scottish music and Scotch-tasting)!

She has also guested with the Doolin' Rakes, Celtic Waves, The Honolulu Blues Co-op, The Eric Petersen Band, Gordon Freitas and Local Folk, Don Conover's Irish Band, The Southern String Band (Raleigh, N.C.), Wolgemut (Medieval), Dram (Medieval/Swedish), and Switchback (Irish/Scottish). Those of us who know Lisa well are fairly sure she never sleeps! Check out her website and schedule at www.lisagomes.com.

ON KAUAI:

THE HAPPY ENCHALATA

The Happy Enchalata Bluegrass Band is always ready for fun and music on the island of Kaua`i! They also host a PICKIN' IN THE PARK jam session! The band has six members, and they also have several friends who join them when they can. The band plays at various venues around the Garden Island; visit their website for info. Members of the Happy Enchalata band are Marty Sheffer (mandolin, banjo, guitar and vocals), Denice Sheffer (vocals, percussion), Michael Barretto (vocals, guitar, banjo), Bill Dick (violin) and Larry Heller (box bass and electric bass).

Email HappyEnchalata@yahoo.com or visit http://www.TheHappyEnchalata.com or their MySpace at myspace.com/thehappyenchalata. They're also on www.youtube.com; search on "Enchalata" to find 'em! And remember, you gotta be HAPPY to be a Happy Enchalata!

ON KAUAI:

THE MALAMA PONO ALL-STARS

This band has a great time! Personnel includes Paul Crowe on guitar and vocals; Steven Meredith on harp, cajone and washboard; Jimmy Truillo on dobro, harp and vocals, Ya Kaduce on jaw harp, saw, vocals; Doug Gates on mandolin and sound; Mike Cosmann on banjo, mando and vocals. They make regular appearances in Kapa`a, so check out their website (complete with a few very fun tunes!) at http://www.myspace.com/malamaponoallstars.

ON MAUI:

RANDALL ROSPOND
AND THE HAIKU HILLBILLYS

Check out Randall Rospond and the Haiku Hillbillys and catch some of the finest acoustic and trad-roots music on Maui! For more info, please contact Randall at liquidrosetoons@yahoo.com

The brand-new HAIKU HILLBILLY CD will be released this summer and will contain four new studio recordings, two "live in the studio" cuts engineered by Barry Shannon and Don Lopez, some live recordings from shows in 2007, and "perhaps a little secret moonshine magic for good measure." Ask Randall about Haiku Hillbilly t-shirts (sizes are limited) and his solo cd recorded at Walter's Becker's upcountry studio!

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IMPORTANT: As Bluegrass Hawai`i works on becoming a 501(c)(3) non-profit association, we have been advised by the Internal Revenue Service that we have to do a few things differently. Unfortunately, we will no longer be able to accept classified ads for merchandise. Ads for folks that want to find pickin' partners and jam sessions will still be accepted. If you have any questions, please contact caroline@bluegrasshawaii.com.

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New Facebook Groups for Island Bluegrassers!

If you are interested in bluegrass, traditional acoustic and old-time music in the Hawaiian Islands, you might want to check out a couple of Facebook groups that will enable you to connect with other folks in our community.

The first group is called HAWAII BLUEGRASS FRIENDS and is described as "a forum for bluegrass, acoustic traditional and old-time musicians and music lovers to post information and inquiries about concerts, jam sessions, musicians, instruments, equipment, lessons, educational materials, bands and music events in the state of Hawai`i and the Pacific Rim. Join us and help sow the seeds of bluegrass, traditional, and old-time music here in the Hawaiian Islands and beyond!"

The second group, created specifically for Big Island bluegrassers, is called FRIENDS OF BLUEGRASS IN HAWAII and is described as "a place for bluegrass musicians and music lovers to post concerts, jam sessions and music happenings on the Big Island of Hawaii. We're also here to share our common love of Bluegrass, America's music."

To join these groups, you will need a Facebook account (free!); visit www.facebook.com. Look for these new groups by searching for Hawaii bluegrass in GROUPS; they'll pop up right away!

Bluegrass Videos Online!

See Your Favorites Making Great Music

Carl Carlson is a member of the South East Bluegrass Association, located in Atlanta, GA, and the creator of a WONDERFUL new website called Bluegrass On The Tube, located at http://www.bluegrassonthetube.com. This TOTALLY FREE site is your one-stop source for YouTube music videos by some of the best-loved artists in the bluegrass community... folks like the Del McCoury Band, the Stanley Brothers, Dailey & Vincent, Michael Cleveland, Tony Rice, Rhonda Vincent, the Carter Family, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, the Seldom Scene, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Vince Gill, John Hartford, Vassar Clements, and many, many more!

In addition to FREE direct access to the entire library of videos, Bluegrass On The Tube also offers a free Subscription Service, which delivers a new video to your in-box each day! (Carl promises no spam, with easy opt-in and opt-out). This is one of the most useful and entertaining bluegrass sites I've seen since Barb Diedrich's Bluegrass Lyrics Clearinghouse! HIGHLY recommended to all you bluegrass fanatics out there... don't miss this website!

Saloon Pilots

Appear on Honolulu TV Program

The fabulous SALOON PILOTS made an appearance on KGMB's Honolulu morning news program in early April, to promote the Alison Brown concert they opened. Their performance was so much fun! Check 'em out at http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/15744/104/.

For The Truly Curious:

Historical Bluegrass Photos

Here is a link to some unbelievably wonderful photos from one of the first Country Gentlemen festivals held at Indian Ranch in Webster, Massachusetts back in 1972. These are really great quality photos of some bluegrass music's finest artists, including Ralph Stanley, Peter Rowan, J.D. Crowe, Tony Rice, Keith Whitley, Eddie Adcock, and many more! Note from Caroline: I was very happy to see these photos (sent to me by mandolinist Jimmy Gaudreau, an old friend) because my family was at this festival, and I was seven or eight at the time! The back of my brother's head is featured prominently in about nine of these pictures; I can see my parents in the audience in one, and MY head is in one of 'em, too! Check 'em out at http://frobbi.org/slides/cg1972.

GIVE THE GIFT OF
BLUEGRASS HAWAI`I!

Please visit our store for your gift needs. T-shirts, sweatshirts, license plate frames, magnets, childrens' t-shirts and hoodies, cap-sleeve and ladies' shirts, golfers' shirts, messenger bags... we've got it all! You and your pals will be the coolest cats at any pickin' party with great bluegrass bling-bling--tee-shirts, sweatshirts, mousepads, coffee mugs, pet shirts, baby bibs, bumperstickers... everything you need! A small portion of each purchase will help Bluegrass Hawai`i with its mission: to grow and promote bluegrass & traditional music in the Aloha State. Shop with confidence at Cafe Press!

Join Bluegrass Hawai`i!

Would you like to become a part of one of America's newest bluegrass and traditional music associations? It's easy, it's quick, and it's FREE! Click here to sign up today! It's as simple as that! You'll be added to our mailing list--almost 800 people as of July 2008--and you'll receive periodic email messages about upcoming bluegrass and traditional music events in Hawai`i. (By the way, our mailing list is private; we never sell or trade it with anybody!) Y'all come!

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WE LIKE MIKE!

Our friend Mike Kear in Australia has generously provided us with server space for Bluegrass Hawai`i. Mahalo nui loa, Mike! Mike is the host of a wonderful radio show, heard on the Web by thousands of people all over the world, called Music From Foggy Hollow. It can be heard at http://www.bluegrasscountry.org/. He even interviewed Caroline (that's me!) about Bluegrass Hawai`i, way back in May 2003 when we had our first jam--check it out here.

Mike's Bluegrass Australia pages can be found at http://www.bluegrass.org.au/. Mike hosts this website on his servers and has provided endless encouragement and support for our adventures. On behalf of Bluegrass Hawai`i, THANKS, MIKE!

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