[ From Butch Ross ] Birmingham Alabama this Friday, massive mid-west/n.e. tour and GOOD NEWS

[Butch Ross]

Look! so much stuff i need a table of contents...

1. Birmingham, AL on Friday
2. Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour
3, Philly Folk Fest
4. Massive Ohio and NE tour.

Let me first say that I'm thrilled that I get to tell you about cool stuff
happening in my life BEFORE it's actually transpired. But before we get to
that, let's talk business...

1. Cool gig in Birmingham, Alabama
Friday, July 23, 7:30pm, $12
Birmingham, AL
Moonlight on the Mountain Concert Series.
co-bill with Eric Sommer
moonlightonthemtn.com

This is my first time in Birmingham and I'll be co-billing with the awesome
Eric Sommers, Eric is who I'm gonna be when I grow up, a true road-dog who
plays acoustic instrumentals, catchy original tunes and blues on about 12
different instruments (sound familiar?). I'll be doing that thing I do, but
I'm telling you this is a great co-bill.

Moonlight on the mountain is a great concert series, but it's my first foray
into Birmingham, so if you live reasonably close, please come. Or if you
know someone who does and would dig it, let 'em know about it. Thank you, as
we say in Chattanooga "pre-si-ate-cha" (well as they say it, I love it here,
but I'm still clearly a Yankee).

2. I am going to be on the Woodsongs Old-time Radio Hour.
Can you say "dream come true" here? Like Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage
or the E-town radio show, this is one of those cool broadcast gigs that
every serious musician pines for. No joking, it's been my dream to be on the
show, since I learned it existed. It is broadcast on over 500 station
nationwide and internationally in 120+ countries, I'm going to be on the
same stage where Leo Kotke, Nickel Creek and Tommy Emmanuel have played (and
recently I might add) can you say "top of the world, ma!"

Which brings me to my next point. even though the show won't air until this
fall, you can listen (and watch it go down live online) Monday, August 9th
at 7pm EST. Even my mom will be huddled around the family iMac as if it were
a Roosevelt fireside chat to listen to the taping live (although really
that's more of an "I love you son" thing that something that actually brings
her pleasure). But you can listen too, for free by tuning into to
http://www.woodsongs.com and clicking 'live webcast' that Monday.

3. The Philadelphia Folk Festival
In what has been the worst kept secret of my life, I am officially
announcing that I will appearing (as a paid performer) at the Philadelphia
Folk Festival. No kidding, scratch this one off the bucket list. This is
like winning a Grammy (if winning a Grammy actually mattered) I can't tell
you how over the moon I am to be involved in this, and you can believe that
I am going to do all I can to BRING IT to the good folks in Schwenksville.
You can be there to see it too, I wanted to give you as much notice as I
could (which honestly isn't that much) so you can make plans to attend. I
highly recommend camping. Not only is festival camping full of great people,
you'll also hear plenty of great music.

4. Massive Northeast and Ohio Tour
I will be traveling from Tennessee to Saint Louis to Philadelphia, BACK to
Ohio and hopefully across New York state before ending with a gig in North
New Jersey opening for BILL STAINES! This extended trip will give me the
opportunity to play areas that I don't get to often enough. If you know of a
great venue along my way, please let me know. Of course, house concerts
always rock and I would love to do dulcimer club workshops and/or private
lessons. House concerts and workshops are always the best since they allow
me to do the most interacting with you guys.

Here's the itinerary so far (note that there are a FEW holes).
Aug. 13-15 The Gateway Dulcimer Festival.
Wed. Aug. 18th J.K. O'Donnell's Irish Ale House. Fort Wayne, IN
Thurs. Aug. 19th Jackie O's Brew House, Athens, Oh
Fri. Aug. 20th Clover Lane Coffeehuse, Harrisburg, PA
Sat. Aug 21 - Sun. Aug 22 THE PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL!
Mon. Aug 23 Brewers-Alley open mic (featured act) Frederick, VA
Tues. Aug 24 Pittsburgh, PA (coffee house in Squirrel Hill)
Wed. Aug 25 The Purple FIddle, Thomas, WV
Thur. Aug 26 TBA
Fri. Aug 27 The Lemon Grove Cafe, Youngstown, OH
Sat. Aug 28 House Concert in Wellington (near Cleavland) Ohio. (Contact me
if you wanna go)
Sun. Aug 29 Guitar House workshop
workshop @ 3:30 concert at 7 also a pot luck dinner at 5.
Mon/Tues Aug 30-31 visiting my parents, who see far too little of me these
days.
Wed. Sept. 1 TBA in NY state
Thur. Sept. 2 TBA in NY state
Fri. Sept. 3 Minstrel Coffeehouse, Morristown, NJ opening for the fabulous
Bill Staines!
Ill be working my way back to Chattanooga via Virginia and North Carolina,
so check butchross.com for more info on that as it arrives.

The TBA dates are pending and/or tentative, but I can be talked into a house
concert, club workshop or just about anything else very easily. And remember
as the dates get close things can change, so check with the venues first.

Ok, that's all the news I got for you this week, I'll remind you about the
Woodsongs show and the tour as they get closer, but I wanted to tell you
about it upfront. Come see me in Birmingham, if you can!

c-ya out there.

--Br
www.butchross.com

"Now I know what a dulcimer is supposed to sound like" —Jake Shimabukuro