Bookings and albums: Dan Lindner, 23 Roberts Street, Montpelier, VT 05602; 802-223-6965. banjodan@pshift.com
2007 Newsletter Archive
Ordering and contact information on this page may be outdated.
Nov. 26, 2007 Newsletter
First, the good news. Our friend Jon Glik has received a much-needed transplant and is out of immediate danger. He still faces a long recovery and enormous medical expenses. You can still help out -- and enjoy some wonderful music -- by ordering a CD of "With Friends Like These" by The Lindner Brothers (Banjo Dan and Willy) featuring Jon Glik on fiddle. See our 11/13 Flash bulletin for ordering details. And thank you once again.
More good news. Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys are in the studio right now recording a CD full of great new original songs, fan favorites and a few surprises. We're looking forward to a release early next year, and will keep you posted.
With the holiday shopping season underway, let us suggest the gift of music. That is to say, don't forget to order some of our CDs. With resources going into the new project, we've let some of the old items slide, but we still have plenty to choose from. Recent issues include "Like a River" (Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys), "Mystery and Memories" (Banjo Dan's Songs of Vermont, Volume III) and "Music in the Air (Sky Blue Boys -- Banjo Dan and Willy), all for $17 ppd. Re-releases on CD include "Snowfall," "Green Moutain Skyline plus 5," "I'll Take the Hills," and "The Catamount is Back," all for $16 ppd. More info is available at our website, www.banjodan.com, but be sure to send your order to my new address, Banjo Dan, 23 Roberts Street, Montpelier, VT 05602.
Finally, we'd like to encourage all our Vermont friends to join us at First Night Burlington, where we'll be ringing out the old year with two show at the College Street Congregational Church, at 5 and 9 PM.
Thanks again for your support of real, live music. If we don't see you on New Year's Eve, we'll look for you on the bluegrass trail in 2008. Be well -- Banjo Dan
Nov. 12, 2007 Newsletter Flash
Dear friends of Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys:
We're sending this special "Flash" announcement to alert you to an emergency in our musical community -- and to give you the opportunity to help. Our dear friend Jon Glik, who both recorded and performed with members of the Plowboys, is seriously ill and in need of expensive medical treatment. And we can all help, right now – by listening to music!
Some of you may remember a 1980 vinyl release by the Lindner Brothers (Banjo Dan and Willy) entitled "With Friends Like These." Featured on that LP, along with Plowboy bassist Sam Blagden, Dobro player Dan Mahoney, and vocalists Mike Ziegler, Nancy Mosher and Jaye Lindner, was fiddler par excellence Jon Glik. Willy and Sam had played with Jon as part of Frank Wakefield's Good Ol' Boys, but Jon's credentials extend well beyond, to tours and recording sessions with the likes of David Grisman, Del McCoury, Bob Paisley and others. Jon is truly one of bluegrass music's unsung heroes, sometimes referred to as "legendary," in part because he has been under-recorded. His presence on the "Friends" session helped light a fire under the whole crew, which was already at the top of its game.
The album offers up a dozen driving, exciting and soulful numbers including the fiery instrumental "Oat Mountain," Dan’s epic seafaring tale “Widow’s Walk,” Willy's "Blue Sea Blues" (later recorded by Taj Mahal and Breakaway), Jon's own rousing fiddle tune "Rumney's Rum," an obscure but lovely gospel entitled "The Holy Hills of Heaven" and many more. You’ll hear excellent performances, including wonderful Dobro work by Dan Mahoney (also “under-recorded”), and you won't hear any better bluegrass fiddling -- anywhere.
"With Friends Like These" is now, for the first time ever, available in CD format. Willy and Dan are offering this special-issue re-release to friends and fans of Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys for $22, with ALL PROFITS GOING DIRECTLY TO JON GLIK'S MEDICAL FUND. (If you care to send a little extra, as some folks have already done, every additional nickel will go right to Jon.)
For this project alone, Willy is handling all orders. Please send your check for $22 (or more) per CD to
Willy Lindner
343 Sierra Lavin Road
Barre, VT 05641
For further information you may contact Willy at WillLind@aol.com (note the three L's in a row, and write "Jon Glik" on the subject line).
This is a medical emergency, and every little bit helps. Thanks – you're going to love the music.
Sept. 18, 2007 Newsletter
Hello friends. As the leaves begin to turn here in beautiful bucolic Vermont, Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys are winding up another summer touring season. We've played for a lot of fine folks around New England, and we'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for turning off the tube and coming out to support live music and those of us foolish enough to try to make a living at it. We're really grateful for all the friends and fans who make up our audience, purchase our CDs, and stay with us over the years. And we're talking a lot of years. This month we celebrate our 35th anniversary! I guess the bluegrass is really flowing in our veins (visualize that if you can) -- it's been a long haul and worth every mile.
If you live anywhere near northeastern New Hampshire, please come to our final 2007 concert. It's THIS SATURDAY, September 22, at the beautiful St. Kieran's Art Center in Berlin, NH. Show time is 7 PM, with tickets available at the door. St. Kieran's is in a marvelous old church near the center of town; detailed directions are available from the web site, www.stkieranarts.org. We'd love to see you there.
A lot of new folks signed up for our Newsletter list, and although I promised to email you with info on our CDs, I'm sure I dropped that ball a few times. Those of you who have all the Banjo Dan CDs you can handle can stop reading right now, but those interested in ordering CDs by mail should read on.
You can order direct by sending a check to Banjo Dan, [see ordering info], include:
Like a River -- an historic collection of 19 most-requested songs from our early LPs, cassettes and CDs, with a 16-page booklet full of old photos, posters, and band history.
Music in the Air -- a collection of old-time country songs in the "brothers duet" tradition by The Sky Blue Boys (Banjo Dan and Willy Lindner)
Mystery and Memories -- Banjo Dan's Songs of Vermont, Volume III, with the Plowboys and a host of other phenomenal musicians.
We also have the following re-issues from earlier days,
for $16 each, some available in CD format for the first time:
Snowfall -- our landmark first LP.
Green Mountain Skyline -- our landmark last LP, plus 5 bonus tracks previously unreleased.
I'll Take the Hills -- Banjo Dan's Songs of Vermont, Vol. I.
And that's it. Some Rust,,,Runs Good is now out of print, but we're working up a set of great songs for a possible new CD. We'll keep you posted.
Thanks again, and if we don't see you before New Year's Eve (when, by the way, we'll be appearing at First Night Burlington), we'll be looking for you in 2008.
-Banjo Dan
June 20, 2007 Newsletter
Hi again, friends. Here’s a quick update on a couple of upcoming shows.
Details for all other shows, listed in the June 7 summer Newsletter, are now posted on our web site, www.banjodan.com, along with info on our many must-buy CDs.
See you this summer – Banjo Dan
April 25, 2007 Newsletter
Hi, folks. Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys have been working on a lot of new original songs over the cold months, and can’t wait to try them out on you. I’ll give you a preliminary summer schedule in a minute, but before I forget let me mention that this Saturday, April 28, we’ll be playing at the Maple Festival in St. Albans, VT, from 2-4 on the green at the center of town. This is a fun family event celebrating Vermont’s most famous product, and it’s free! Rain or shine.
Before the Plowboys swing into summer The Sky Blue Boys (Banjo Dan and Willy Lindner) have a series of upcoming shows I’d like to tell you about. For some good old-fashioned acoustic country music check out the following.
May 10 and 11: The Sawyer Memorial, Greene, Maine. Thursday 5/10 at 7 PM and Friday 5/11 at 2 PM and 7 PM. [207-946-5311].
May 12: Maine Discovery Museum, 74 Main Street in Bangor, 1:30 PM [207-262-7200], for children and adults.
May 12: Wayside Theatre, Dexter, Maine, 7 PM [207-924-8813].
May 18: Kingdom Coffeehouse at the North Woods Center, E. Charleston, VT, 7 PM. 802-723-6551. Please join us for a great show in one of the best little rooms in Vermont.
June 1: Woodsville, NH, 6 PM, free concert at the bandstand.
[The Sky Blue Boys will also be at the Vermont History Expo, Tunbridge, VT on June 24. Details pending.]
OK, you’ve had a good dose of old-time pre-bluegrass music. Now here’s a preliminary summer schedule for Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys:
June 9, Rattling Brook Bluegrass Festival, Belvidere, VT. A classic.
June 21: Rusty Parker Memorial Park, Waterbury VT – free concert, 6:30 PM.
June 23: Green Mountain Chew Chew Food and Music Festival, on the waterfront in Burlington, VT. A great all-day event. We play at 4 PM. www.greenmountainchewchew.com.
July 1: Mount Washington, NH. A great new music festival; I’ll give you details in a later Newsletter. What we know now is that the Plowboys as headliners will play a couple of evening shows; the Sky Blue Boys will also be doing a set or two earlier in the afternoon.
July 19: Lewiston, Maine, noon, free concert at Fountain Park on Mill Street.
July 19: Lincoln Street Center, Rockland, Maine, evening. Details pending.
July 20: Deertrees Theatre, Harrison, ME, 8 PM. www.deertreestheatre.org 207-583-6747.
July 21: St. Lawrence Arts and Community Center, Portland, ME, 8 PM. www.stlawrencearts.org. 207-347-7177.
July 22: Vinalhaven, ME, Smith Hokanson Memorial Hall, 7:30 PM. nwarren@Vhaven.sad8.k12.me.us for details.
July 26: Lebanon, NH, town green. 603-448-5121.
August 23: Vermont Roots and Reggae Festival, Coventry VT. We’re headlining their bluegrass portion on this first day of the festival, playing at 3:30 PM. www.vtroots.net
August 25: Haskell Opera House, Derby Line VT, 7:30 PM. Tickets at the door and Woodknot Book Shop, Newport VT.
Sept. 2: Bromley Mountain, VT, free outdoor concert 1-4 PM.
Sept. 22: St. Kieran Arts Center, Berlin NH, 7 PM. Kieran@ncia.net.
That’s it for the moment. Our next newsletter will include more details and more shows. Meanwhile, for our many new subscribers, I’ll just briefly list our CDs, all of which are available by mail by sending a check to Banjo Dan, 49 School Street, Vergennes, VT 05491. Current CDs for $17 each: Like a River, Some Rust…Runs Good, Music in the Air (Sky Blue Boys), Mystery and Memories (Banjo Dan’s Songs of VT III), The Catamount is Back! (Songs of VT II). The following re-issues are $16 each: Snowfall, Green Mountain Skyline, and I’ll Take the Hills (Songs of VT I). We pay postage.
Thanks as always for supporting real, live music. See you soon. Banjo Dan
January 31, 2007 Newsletter
Banjo Dan and all his Mid-nite Plowboys are pleased to greet you with best wishes for 2007. The computer here at BD Central has begun the new year by garbling our mailing list. We don’t want to be spam in your eyes, so please accept our apologies if you have received this message unsolicited, and let me know if I should remove you. Also, some folks may have received it twice, and I’d be grateful if you’d advise me of that glitch. Sorry for any hassles; thanks for your help.
Banjo Dan’s latest and last volume of original Vermont songs, “Mystery and Memories,” has been selected by the state’s leading newspaper, the Times-Argus, as “Best Album of 2006.” The Sky Blue Boys’ debut CD, “Music in the Air,” is also winning kudos and enjoying strong airplay around New England. If you haven’t added these gems to your collection, check out the ordering info below.
As usual, certain Plowboys who shall remain nameless are shamelessly soaking up the tropical sun or, worse yet, ambitiously pursuing their day jobs during these cold months. On a happier note, the boys are working up some fine new songs and looking forward to another summer delivering great bluegrass from the heart of Vermont. In fact, Banjo Dan and the gang will be kicking off their summer season early this year, to wit:
April 28: St. Albans, VT, Maple Festival – a great free family event, with rides, concessions, and music all day in the park on Main Street.
We’ll pass along our busy summer schedule in the spring Newsletter. Meanwhile, The Sky Blue Boys, Banjo Dan and Willy, fresh from a series of radio and TV appearances, are looking forward to several shows over the next few months:
Feb.10: Rutland (VT) Coffee House, at the UU Church, 117 West Street, 7:30 PM.
March 18: Dakin Farm, Ferrisbugh, VT, on Rt 7, 1-4 PM. Free maple celebration, complete with sugar on snow.
March 25: St. Mark’s Church, Newport, VT, 4 PM, “Music for a Sunday Afternoon.”
May 10 and 11: The Sawyer Memorial, Greene, Maine. 7 PM on Thursday and Friday evenings, and 2 PM Friday afternoon.
May 12: The Wayside Theatre, Dexter, Maine, 7 PM
This will be the Sky Blue Boys’ first extended tour in Maine, with more dates to be added, and we’d especially like to invite friends of Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys to check out our high-energy all-acoustic old-time country music show.
May 18: Kingdom Coffeehouse, East Charleston, VT, at North Woods Center, 7 PM.
An up-to-date schedule for both the Plowboys and the Sky Blue Boys may always be found on our web site: www.banjodan.com. The site also has information on our recordings, but for those of you new to our Newsletter let me give you a quick listing:
The first five CDs are available for $17.
Like a River – Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys: compilation of most-requested songs from our first 8 releases, 1974-94.
Some Rust…Runs Good – Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys: our most recent album of new stuff, an out-and-out kicker and winner.
Music in the Air – The Sky Blue Boys: great old country duets, ballads and more.
Mystery and Memories – Banjo Dan’s Songs of Vermont, Vol. III, with an all-star cast.
The Catamount is Back! – BD’s Songs of VT, Vol. II: A landmark in the history of the story song.
The next three CDs are re-releases, sold for $16. Packaging is minimal, but the music is all there, sounding better than ever, if that’s possible.
Green Mountain Skyline Plus Five – Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys’ last vinyl LP, finally in CD format, with the addition of five “lost” tracks never before available.
I’ll Take the Hills – Banjo Dan’s Songs of Vermont: The original, and still our best-seller.
Snowfall – Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys’ memorable first release, from 1974 and still requested wherever we appear.
We cover all postage. Just tell us what you want and send your check to Banjo Dan, 49 School Street, Vergennes, VT 05491.
Thanks, and we’ll see you soon. Banjo Dan