[ From Butch Ross ] Spring Tour! OH, IN, PA, KY --A new Book!-- New Album Update

[Butch Ross]

It’s taken me literally all day to get this thing written but there’s a lot
to tell. I’ve been out of sight, but doing anything but relaxing. Here’s
what’s inside.

1. Spring Tour
2. New Beginner Book
3. Album Update
4. Help me get on Prairie Home Companion

1. SPRING TOUR
The spring tour still has some free dates in it and I’ll be in
Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana for most of it. If you’re in these states
and would like to me to come to your club, for a workshop or a house
concert, drop me a line at butch at butchross.com
This need not be a big event; a few folks and a place to stay can very
often make the whole thing worth my while. Especially, if I’m only a couple
of hours away (maybe too far for you to come to me, but nothing for me to
come to you)

Friday, May 4th - 5ish Free but RSVP preferred.
Festival kickoff potluck at the shelter house in McKinley Field Park, 1661
Goodale Blvd., Columbus, OH 43212 (Grandview Heights).
Not really a gig or workshop, just a potluck/jam session/hangout with
dulcimer folk. It’s a lot of fun. Contact Doug Snapp for more information.
dougsnapp at gmail.com or 614 313-6424

May 4-6, 2012
Central Ohio Folk Festival
Battelle-Darby Creek Park - Columbus, OH
My sixth year at this great festival!
Check website for workshop times dates and costs.
http://cfms-inc.org/

Thursday, May 10, 2012 – 7pm Free (pass the hat)
Webster’s Bookstore Cafe
133 E Beaver Ave, State College PA 16801
http://www.webstersbookstorecafe.com/
814-272-1410
My first time here, if you got peeps in the area, send ‘em my way.

Friday, May 11, 2012 – 8pm $16.50 (Reservations Recommended)
Godfrey Daniels - Possibilities of the Mountain Dulcimer.
Alf Bashore opens
7 E. 4th St. Bethlehem, PA  18015-1601
http://www.godfreydaniels.org/
610-867-2390
Another first, one for the bucket list, tell your friends and carpool!

May 12, 2012 – EARLY SHOW! 3pm
Lili's Coffee Shop
3138 Dobson Street
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (United States) 15219
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lili-CoffeeShop/135261526501378
412.682.3600
Co-bill w/Panther Hollow String Band (pantherhollowstringband.wordpress.com)

May 13, 2012 – 5:30pm
Dulcimer Workshop
Zion United Church of Christ
2332 Sherwood Lane, Norwood, Ohio (United States) 45212

May 13, 2012 – 7pm Leo Coffeehouse
Zion United Church of Christ
2332 Sherwood Lane, Norwood, Ohio (United States) 45212


May 16, 2012 – 7pm Free
J.K. O'Donnell's
121 W. Wayne Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana (United States) 46802
I’d say come for the food anyway, that I’ll be there is just a bonus.

May 19, 2012 – A day of FREE Dulcimer Workshops at the Intergenerational
Center
214 W. Jefferson St. Berea, KY, 40403

9:30 – 11am Workshop I – Rhythms Beyond 4/4 (explore waltzes, hornpipes,
jigs and more) All levels encouraged.
11-1 lunch on your own.
1 – 2pm Post lunch Q&A; ask me your dulcimer questions!
2 – 3:30pm Workshop II – Different levels playing together. Arrangements so
folks of all levels can play the same songs together. All levels encouraged.

Contact Adrian at Madison.dulcimers at gmail.com or Nancy 859 624-2721


May 19, 2012 - 6:30pm $20 suggested donation
Richmond, KY
House Concert at the home of Tommy and Nancy Adams
Contact Nancy Adams to RSVP: 859 624-2721
THIS SHOW WILL LIKELY SELL OUT!

And still to come…
May 26, 2012 workshops and concert at The Pickin’ Porch
Wood-n-Strings Dulcimer Shop - Townsend, TN
May 27, 2012 - The Acoustic Coffeehouse in Johnson City, TN
Jun 17-24, 2012 - Kentucky Music Week in Bardstown, KY
(New location and a new hotel, PLUS Jerry Rockwell and Joellen Lapidus will
be there)

2. New beginner’s book: All The Strings, All The Time
Inspired by Danny Shepherd’s excellent “Mountain Dulcimer for Children (and
the young at heart),” this is a book of 21 well-known traditional tunes,
arranged in order of difficulty from super easy to
not-terribly-hard-at-all. It’s a simple, but thorough way to get a solid
start playing the mountain dulcimer.

3. Album update:
So, it seems that I’ve been in the beginning stages of recording this
record for over a year now, but finally there is some light at the end of
the tunnel. Demos are beginning to get to the various musicians who will be
playing on the record, and I’m working out arrangements with new
instruments (bass drum, cello, Edison Wax Cylinders) as well as new
techniques (like drone and noter!) that I’m really excited about. I’m sure
I’ve said this before, but musically it will be closer to Moonshiner’s
Atlas, with more original tunes and lots of singing (tho’ I just wrote a
tune today that would be a great fit).

To fund this thing I’m planning on selling pre-release CDs like I did with
Shady Grove, but I’m also kicking around the idea of a Kickstarter
campaign. Kickstarter is a web site where they collect donations for
various projects. Each project has a fiscal goal, and you’re not charged
until the end of the donation period (usually 30 days) AND when I’ve made
the stated goal. I’d love to know what y’all think about that idea.

In any case, stay tuned here. Or—if you do these things—“Like” me on
Facebook, as I’ll be posting new demos there as well.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Butch-Ross/55431615966

4. Help me get on Prairie Home Companion
A fan of mine started this Facebook page, kind of an online petition; to
have me on Garrison Keeler’s long running and much loved show. I think it’s
a great idea, and would be a real hoot if I got to do it. Right now there
are 416 “likes” which is impressive, but not nearly enough to make the
folks at PHC take notice. So, if you Facebook, go here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-want-Butch-Ross-on-Prairie-Home-Companion/132568563454384and
“like” it. And Hurry! Rumor has it that Garrison may retire soon, and
I
don’t think I’ll be able to keep a straight face if the “News from Lake
Woebegone” is read by Ryan Seacrest.

Okay that’s all the news I got. Thanks for reading this far.

C-ya Out there

-Br

Those shows and workshops again…

Friday, May 4th - 5ish Free but RSVP preferred.
Festival kickoff potluck at the shelter house in McKinley Field Park, 1661
Goodale Blvd., Columbus, OH 43212 (Grandview Heights).
Not really a gig or workshop, just a potluck/jam session/hangout with
dulcimer folk. It’s a lot of fun. Contact Doug Snapp for more information.
dougsnapp at gmail.com or 614 313-6424

May 4-6, 2012
Central Ohio Folk Festival
Battelle-Darby Creek Park - Columbus, OH
My sixth year at this great festival!
Check website for workshop times dates and costs.
http://cfms-inc.org/

Thursday, May 10, 2012 – 7pm Free (pass the hat)
Webster’s Bookstore Cafe
133 E Beaver Ave, State College PA 16801
http://www.webstersbookstorecafe.com/
814-272-1410
My first time here, if you got peeps in the area, send ‘em my way.

Friday, May 11, 2012 – 8pm $16.50 (Reservations Recommended)
Godfrey Daniels - Possibilities of the Mountain Dulcimer.
Alf Bashore opens
7 E. 4th St. Bethlehem, PA  18015-1601
http://www.godfreydaniels.org/
610-867-2390
Another first, one for the bucket list, tell your friends and carpool!

May 12, 2012 – EARLY SHOW! 3pm
Lili's Coffee Shop
3138 Dobson Street
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (United States) 15219
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lili-CoffeeShop/135261526501378
412.682.3600
Co-bill w/Panther Hollow String Band (pantherhollowstringband.wordpress.com)

May 13, 2012 – 5:30pm
Dulcimer Workshop
Zion United Church of Christ
2332 Sherwood Lane, Norwood, Ohio (United States) 45212

May 13, 2012 – 7pm Leo Coffeehouse
Zion United Church of Christ
2332 Sherwood Lane, Norwood, Ohio (United States) 45212


May 16, 2012 – 7pm Free
J.K. O'Donnell's
121 W. Wayne Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana (United States) 46802
I’d say come for the food anyway, that I’ll be there is just a bonus.

May 19, 2012 – A day of FREE Dulcimer Workshops at the Intergenerational
Center
214 W. Jefferson St. Berea, KY, 40403

9:30 – 11am Workshop I – Rhythms Beyond 4/4 (explore waltzes, hornpipes,
jigs and more) All levels encouraged.
11-1 lunch on your own.
1 – 2pm Post lunch Q&A; ask me your dulcimer questions!
2 – 3:30pm Workshop II – Different levels playing together. Arrangements so
folks of all levels can play the same songs together. All levels encouraged.

Contact Adrian at Madison.dulcimers at gmail.com or Nancy 859 624-2721

May 19, 2012 - 6:30pm $20 suggested donation
Richmond, KY
House Concert at the home of Tommy and Nancy Adams
Contact Nancy Adams to RSVP: 859 624-2721