Banjo Dan and the Mid-Nite Plowboys

 

2000 Newsletters and Schedule

June 26, 2000 News Flash!
 Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys are pleased and proud to announce the release of their latest and greatest recording, “Some rust...runs good.” Hot off the press, this brand new CD -- also available on cassette -- is chock-full of the songs our fans have been requesting for years. The fifteen selections include Logging Man, Elizabeth, Miserlou, Stagolee, and other Plowboy favorites, plus some new songs we think you’re really going to enjoy. With Big Al in great voice, the Lindner Bros. picking the daylights out of the 5 and the 8, with Jon Henry singing high and loud as only he can, and David “Gus” Gusakov supplying some wonderful fiddle work, I think we’ve put together the most interesting, varied and dynamic album of our long and semi-illustrious career. You’re going to want at least one copy of this great new recording, and we invite you to print out the order form below, or just send your check to Banjo Dan, c/o Alan Davis, PO Box 171, South Strafford, VT 05070. CDs and $16 and cassettes are $11, and we’ll cover the postage.

NEWSLETTER MAY 2000
 Say hey! It's Willy Mays' birthday, and I'm sitting in Chuck Eller's magnificent recording studio in Charlotte, Vermont, with long-time partners Al Davis and Willy Lindner. The daffodils are in bloom and the control room window frames a perfect view of Camel's Hump, but we're not here to admire the scenery. We're listening and occasionally helping or hindering as Chuck mixes the 15 tunes just recorded for our new CD. Folks, it's sounding good. With Big Al in great voice, the Lindner Bros. picking the daylights out of the 5 and the 8, with Jon Henry singing high and loud as only he can, and David "Gus" Gusakov supplying some wonderful fiddle work, I think we've put together the most interesting, varied and dynamic album of our career. We've included several of the songs you've been asking for, along with a number of new tunes we think you'll really enjoy. Oh yeah, the title: Some rust...runs good. You'll get it when you see the old car on the front cover.

We're expecting a release around June 15, and as email subscribers you'll be the first to know. We'll send you a notice and ordering info, so you can be the first kid on your block. We'll also update you on other recordings we still have in stock.

Now, suppose you wanted want to catch the Plowboys live and in person. Your best bet would be to get married this summer, or get yourself invited to somebody else's wedding. We'll probably be there. I can't remember ever having so many wedding receptions and private parties to play in one season. Hey, it's going to be a lot of fun, but it also means fewer public concerts over the next several months. But here's what we've got, and we sure hope you'll come out and see us.

Note: this schedule was updated June 20, 2000

You might also be interested to know the New Bremen Town Musicians will be appearing in concert at the Federated Church in Williamstown, VT at 7:30 on June 3. The Lindner Bros, Banjo Dan and Willy, will be playing old-time duet music at the Ethan Allen Homestead in Burlington, VT at the annual festival on July 8.

Remember to visit our web site (see header) for additions to the gig list, info on Banjo Dan recordings, background on some of our songs, and banjo trivia. We're deeply indebted to our friend Dan Axtell for developing and maintaining this site on our behalf.

Well, I'm almost out of room, but Al wanted me to be sure to mention how he rescued his dog Boswell from an icy pond this winter, how Jon Henry attained an admirable grade point average in his graduate studies, how Willy's son Travis went for blue hair on the occasion of his rock band's first gig, etc. OK, I know the details of our personal lives are a source of endless fascination, but now I really am out of space. We're looking forward to picking and singing for you this summer. See you soon  --Banjo Dan

March 2000 email-update
Hi, friends. Just a quick update for our email subscribers -- that is, those of you who live in or near Vermont. On April 1 (no foolin') Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys will do a show at the Ripton Coffeehouse. From what we've heard this is a terrific listening room; it's over near Bristol/Middlebury -- look hard and you'll find it on the map. The show starts mid-evening, after a warmup act. Then, on April 8, the New Bremen Town Musicians, with Dan and Willy from the Plowboys, along with Matt, Deanna, Nancy and Jaye, will appear in their third annual concert for the Middlesex (near Montpelier) Concert Series, at the church just off Route 2. This is a great setting, good acoustics, good vibes. Starts at 7. We'd love to see you at either of these shows. Our Newsletter with summer listings and other newsworthy items will be on your screen in another month or two. Keep warm and keep it acoustic. See you soon. Dan

 January 2000 email newsletter

Hi, Music Lovers. Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys had a great New Year's eve, playing in both St. Johnsbury and Burlington, making the people happy by ushering in the new millennium with that good old bluegrass music. We hope you had a terrific time wherever you were, and we wish you a wonderful new century.

The Plowboys are entering intensive rehearsal mode for the next few months, and will be announcing an exciting new project in our spring newsletter. Meanwhile, the New Bremen Town Musicians, featuring Banjo Dan and brother Willy, would like to invite you to brave the cold and come out for some lively live music. On January 29 the Bremens will be playing a benefit concert to raise money for scholarships at Central Vermont's music-education center, the Monteverdi Music School. The 8 PM concert, at the Unitarian Church on Main Street, Montpelier, Vermont, also features two of Vermont's top folksingers and best entertainers: Jon Gailmor and Paula Gills. If you're local you can get discounted advance tix at Main Street News in Montpelier; if you're from elsewhere on the globe, you can buy 'em at the door. Feel free to email me if you need more info. This is going to be a really fun evening, and we'd love to see you there.

The Bremens will hit the stage again on April 8 at the Methodist Church in Middlesex, Vermont, for a full concert starting 7 PM. If you haven't heard the Bremens yet, they feature 3 fine femme vocalists (Jaye, Nancy and Deanna), with Dan, Willy and Matt doing the picking.  All kinds of traditional, gospel, bluegrass, international, pop and country songs. This is our third annual Middlesex Concert Series show.  The venue and the vibes are top-drawer. We suggest you brave the mud and come join us.

One more thing. If you love great bluegrass and can walk, ride or beam to Vermont on the weekend of June 30, July 1 & 2, you absolutely MUST come to the Vermont Bluegrass Family Festival! Visit their web site at www.vermontsbluegrassfamily.together.com/ and you'll see, it doesn't get any better than this. We'll see you there if not before. Meanwhile we're working on summer bookings and will be in touch in a few months to fill you in on our schedule. Hasta luego and good luck

 --Banjo Dan

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