New North String Band at Mandan, November 14, 2009

Saturday November 14th the New North String Band from Eau Claire, Wisconsin will be in Mandan, ND at the Mysteria Theater for an evening concert at 7:00 pm. This hard-driving 5-piece bluegrass band is on the return leg of a South and North Dakota tour, heading home.

The band was a headliner at the Missouri River Bluegrass Festival at Cross Ranch State Park this past June where they made many new fans and friends. Their sharp dressing set them apart from the rest of the performers.

Evie Andrus recently caught up with Jake Henry, band leader, lead vocalist, and mandolin player for the group.

EA: “Jake, great to see you’re coming back to North Dakota. What were your impressions when you played the festival this summer?”

JH: "It was great; we loved the (Link) cabin and all the friendly people that we met."

EA: “What do you think about coming back?”

JH: "We are happy to be getting out into the Dakotas, to see friends we made this summer and have fun playing for some new people too. We know Minnesota and Wisconsin pretty well so it is fun to be playing in North Dakota."

EA: “You were saying your recent CD has won some awards.”

JH: “The CD we had at Cross Ranch was our first recording and was only a couple weeks old at that time. Since then four of those songs have gone on to win awards:
"River Bottom Blues"- National Americana Compilation CD
"Liquor and Love"- 3rd place in a songwriting competition in Wisconsin
"Nine Miles Lonesome"- Top 10 in a national songwriting competition
"Billy in the Lowground" (vocal) - 1st place at the Winfield songwriting competition in the general category which had over 100 entries and we got to perform the song on stage.”

More info on the group can be found at www. thenewnorthstringband.com

You will want to make a reservation for the concert and meal (701-663-2900). The Mysteria Restaurant and Dinner Theater is becoming a great venue to host bluegrass concerts. The building, constructed in 1936, served the community by showing Hollywood films for many years from the 1930's on. The building has served a few other businesses since.

The new restaurant boasts a talented chef (Tyler) who has designed menus for both quick & casual or fine dining. You can get a quick lunch or a fantastic romantic dinner in the facility Wednesday through Saturday.

The theater is active with entertainment on the weekends or by special reservation. In the month that this project has been open, the theater has already hosted area corporations, associations, and private parties of all sizes. Come on out and support the music!

B.A.N.D. Raffles Bluegrass Stars Quilt

Tickets for a queen sized quilt featuring bluegrass instruments and quilted with a pattern of bluegrass instruments and musical notes are being sold by the members of the Bluegrass Association of North Dakota.

The "Bluegrass Stars" quilt is being raffled by B.A.N.D. as a fundraiser for the Association. The money will be used to support bluegrass music events in the North Dakota. The tickets are $1 each or six tickets for $5. The drawing will be held in Bismarck on January 10, 2010. You need not be present to win.

If you would like to buy tickets, contact Barb Headrick at pbheadroom@bis.midco.net or call 701-258-0290. If you would like to sell tickets, contact Barb also for that!

B.A.N.D. 2009-2010 Bluegrass Jamming Schedule

All B.A.N.D.-sponsored Bluegrass jams are free of charge and open to the public and feature harmony singing along with the traditional bluegrass instruments, acoustic guitar, 5-string banjo, fiddle, mandolin, Dobro guitar, and acoustic upright bass. Listeners are always welcome, although the jams are not designed to be entertainment for spectators.

Litchville MonthlyBluegrass JamAcoustic-only2nd Saturday of the month September - May1:00 - 5:00 pmLitchville ElementaryQuestions: call John @ 701-762-4891

Bismarck Monthly Bluegrass JamAcoustic-only2nd Sunday of the month, September - May1:00 pm - 5:00 pmGateway Mall Questions: call Pat @ 701-258-0290

Jamestown WeeklyBluegrass JamAcoustic-onlyThursday evenings7:00 pm - 9:00 pmAtonement Lutheran Church1009 12th Avenue NE(near the new High School)
Call John @ 701-952-4618 for more info.

B.A.N.D. is looking for volunteers to host bluegrass jams in new locations in the state. •

B.A.N.D. Board Meeting September 13, 2009

• A B.A.N.D. Board Meeting is scheduled for Sunday September 13 in Bismarck, ND, USA following the Jam Session at the Gateway Mall. The jam concludes at 5:00 pm. The exact time and location of the meeting are being finalized. Call Barb at 701-258-0209 for an update as the weekend draws near.

• The Litchville Bluegrass Jammers have agreed to provide jamming background music for the Valley City, ND, USA Farmers Market at Hinchberger Park (2nd Street NE & 6th Avenue) this summer and fall. The group will play from 10:00 am to noon on the following remaining Saturdays: Sat., Sept. 12; Sat., Sept 19; Sat., Sept 26; Sat., Oct 3; Sat., Oct. 10; Sat., Oct 17; Sat, Oct 24; Sat., Oct. 31 The group receives $100 from the Farmers Market each Saturday they play with the proceeds going toward the 1st Annual Grand Rapids Bluegrass Festival planned for the fall of 2010. Any bluegrassers are welcome to sit in on this all-acoustic jam. In case of bad weather, the jamming will be cancelled. Check with John at 701-762-4891 if you are coming from a great distance or if the weather looks questionable.

ND Bluegrass History Initiative Launched

B.A.N.D. Newsletter Editor John Andrus is asking for help in documenting a history of bluegrass music and musicians in our state. Information will be published in the B.A.N.D. newsletter.

John writes, “We will start with putting together a bluegrass performers listing. We will then add details to write stories of performers of interest to our readers. We would also be interested in photos to publish. Readers are encouraged to send names of musicians to me with as many of the following details as possible:

Performer Name:
Years performed:
Instrument(s) played (on stage):
Singer? Yes or No List parts sung (lead, tenor, baritone, bass)
Hometown:
ND bluegrass groups played with (List years):
Songwriter? Yes or No:
Recordings:
Other Information of interest:-----------------------------------------------------------------

Here is a sample of the form filled out that needs a few details added and maybe some corrections:
Performer Name: Scotty Thompson
Years performed: 1950’s - 1990’s
Instrument(s) played (on stage): Dobro
Singer? No
Hometown: Bottineau, ND
ND bluegrass groups played with (List years):
Cindy & the Turtle Mountain Boys
The Turtle Mountain Stump Jumpers
Scotty & Thelma Thompson
Songwriter? Yes
List significant songs:
For You and For Me (gospel song)
Recordings: LP: Cindy & the Turtle Mountain Boys, Damen Studio, Kansas City, MO.
Cassette: Teardrops Falling in the Snow, 1992
Other Information of interest:
Husband of Thelma Thompson (Cindy of Cindy & the Turtle Mountain Boys)
------------------------------------------------------------------
Info should be sent to John Andrus, Editor
B.A.N.D. Newsletter210 7th Avenue Litchville, ND 58461
or email to ndbluegrass@live.com
Here are some early ND bluegrass groups we hope to profile (please help us add to this list):
Cindy & the Turtle Mountain Boys
The Turtle Mountain Stump Jumpers
Lucifer B. Tykes (SP?)
Paul & Steve Johnson
Friends & Neighbors
Pea Pickers of the Plains
Light at the River

20th Annual Missouri River Bluegrass Festival set for June 18 & 19, 2010

Mark your calendars; the Missouri River Festival will celebrate their 20th year on Friday & Saturday, June 18 & 19, 2010 at Cross Ranch State Park. For more information call 701-762-4891.

Missouri River Bluegrass Festival 09 Picts (Saturday)

2009 Missouri River Bluegrass Festival

Saturday, June 20

Photos by Jill Wiese

The High 48's

Blue Hazard

Simple Infant Men

The New North String Band

The Center Community Band

The Pfliger Sisters