The Infamous Stringdusters

The Infamous Stringdusters are next up on the playbill of Bluegrass Legends Concerts in Evanston, Ill., which bills itself as “the only running bluegrass and acoustic music concert series in the Chicago area that features national headline bluegrass talent.

Tickets are now on sale for the Stringdusters’ show, scheduled for 8 p.m. Sept. 22 at the American Legion Music Hall, home of the series concerts.

Schooled in tradition yet able to stretch out in jam band style improvisation, endowed with razor-sharp vocals, fiery instrumental abilities and a rapidly growing repertoire of well-crafted original songs and tunes, the Infamous Stringdusters* are as fresh an addition to the bluegrass - make that, the music - scene as has come along in many a year.”They’re young, bright, articulate, immensely talented, and they can sing in the old style or in their own style,” says award-winning Blue Highway guitarist, singer and songwriter Tim Stafford, who produced “Fork In The Road,” the sextet’s February 2007 debut for Sugar Hill.

According to the band’s publicist, “Untangling the threads of the *Infamous Stringdusters*’ origin is nearly impossible, thanks to the breadth of professional associations and friendships that brought its members together in various combinations. Still, a few highlights are worth noting. From the joint tenure that Andy Hall, Jeremy Garrett and Jesse Cobb shared in three-time IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year Ronnie Bowman’s band, The Committee; to the initial encounter between Hall, Chris Eldridge and Chris Pandolfi in Boston, where Hall had graduated from the Berklee School of Music not long before Pandolfi became the first student there admitted with the banjo as his principal instrument; to the lengthy search that resulted in Colorado jamgrass mainstay Travis Book’s joining the band.

“As deep as their individual experience runs, the Infamous Stringdusters are quick to assert that the band is more than the sum of its parts. After a furiously busy year and a half on the road, they’re attuned enough to one another that they complete each others’ sentences. Their closeness of mind and prodigious talents make for tight, quick-moving live shows that sparkle with an infectious energy.”

Tickets for their Sept. 22 show are available by calling 847-573-0443.

Other upcoming shows for the Chicago area concert series are the James King Band and Dan Paisley and The Southern Grass on Oct. 19; the annual Christmas Party with David Davis and the Warrior River Boys on Dec. 15; and The Larry Stephenson Band on Jan. 18.

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Kenny and Amanda Smith

The 21st annual Greater Downstate Indoor Bluegrass Music Festival in Springfield, Ill., routinely draws a stellar lineup of stars, and following suit, a large gathering of bluegrass fans.This year’s festival is Nov. 9-11 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, just off Interstate 55 ( Exit 94) in Illinois’s capital city.

As has become standard in this festival’s first two decades, the 2007 edition will feature a large guitar and instrument show with several dealers offering new, used and vintage wares.

Appearing this year are Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper featuring Audie Blaylock, the Grascals, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, J.D. Crowe & the New South, [Nothin’ Fancy, Dry Branch Fire Squad, the Dale Ann Bradley Band, The Bankester Family, Kenny & Amanda Smith, The Peasall Sisters and Bobby Hicks.

Hicks is also offering a fiddle camp, limited to 15 intermediate and above level players, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the festival’s opening day. Registration information is available at 217-243-3159, or info@bluegrassmidwest.com.

The festival is promoted by Terry and Jan Lease of Jacksonville, Ill. The Leases are the driving force behind Midwest Bluegrass Festivals, which sponsors several shows annually in the greater Illinois area.

Details of the Springfield festival, including room reservation and ticket sales information, are available at www.bluegrassmidwest.com

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Thrill of the Grill Competitors

ARTHUR, Ill. — Bluegrass and barbecue may have gotten to be too good a thing in the small central Illinois town of Arthur.For the past few years, the east central Illinois community played host to a weekend, sanctioned barbecue contest coupled with a big bluegrass jam. Trouble is too many folks came to town to cook and watch the professional , semi-pro and amateur barbecue teams and to pick bluegrass.

As a result, the two events are being split this year into different weekends. This year’s Chet Kingery Memorial Bluegrass Jam will be held on Sept. 29 in downtown Arthur. Each year, more than 100 pickers have shown up for the event,and organizers expect another good turnout this year, despite being split off from the smell of hickory smoke and slow-roasted ribs.

The Arthur Downtown Merchants Committee sponsors the event, which is named after the late Chet Kingery, an amateur but quite avid bluegrasser.

Meanwhile, the Thrill of the Grill competition will return to Arthur’s downtown area on Oct.. 12 and 13. It is an official Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned event as well as the Illinois state BBQ contest.

In its short history, the event — now know as the Central Illinois Braggin’ Rights BBQ — attracts between 45 and 50 of the best BBQ teams from across the country. These teams will be vying for trophies and cash prizes in excess of $7,000.

This year’s “Thrill of the Grill” also includes other amateur divisions. For children, there is the “Kids Q”. Children under the age of 18 can compete and have fun cooking chicken wings.

And, keeping the bluegrass and BBQ tradition somewhat alive, organizers are still planning to have bluegrass coupled with this year’s event. But it will be stage entertainment only featuring regional bands.

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Arcola, Illinois - This year’s Illinois State Old-Time Fiddle Contest will be held Sept. 2 at Rockome Gardens, an Amish-themed tourist spot near Arcola in east central Illinois. Grand prize to the Open Champion is $250, along with a trophy and a traveling trophy. Cash prizes are paid through fifth place in the open category.

Other categories are for fiddlers over 70, beginners 10 years old and younger and junior for fiddles ages 11 to 19. First-place winners in the junior and senior divisions are eligible to enter the open competition.

The registration fee is $4 before Aug. 29 and $6 on the day of the contest. Registrations can be made by calling 217-795-2035 or 217-268-4106.

Contest sponsor, Illinois Old Time Fiddlers, also maintains a Web presence at http://www.myspace.com/illinoisoldtimefiddlers.

Information about Rockome Gardens is available at http://www.rockome.com

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Illinois State Fair’s annual fiddle and banjo contest will be held Saturday (Aug. 11) on the Springfield fairground’s Lincoln Stage. Both contests are split into three age divisions: junior for those 16 and younger; 17 to 59 years old; and a senior division for those 60 and older.

First-place prize money ranges from $200 to $150, with cash awarded to the top three finishers in each class. No entry fee is required to enter the contest, but contestants must pay their own admission to the fairgrounds. Contestants may enter the day of the contest, starting at 9 a.m. Registration will close at 10:15 a.m.

Each contestant must play two tunes of their choice, one being a hoe down and the other a waltz. No more than three accompanists will be allowed per contestant and electric amplification is a no-no.

Fiddle players cannot perform “Black Mountain Rag,” “Orange Blossom Special” and “Listen to the Mockingbird.”

Judging will be on the following abilities: rhythm and timing, creativity, authenticity and taste, expression and execution.

The order of performance for contestants will be posted at the Lincoln Stage one hour prior to competition.

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