Lucy Allen & Marshall Goers: News

Hello Friends and Fans,

Lots of music happening this month with different musical configurations.  First, thanks to all of you who signed up for news of the BattleAxe Band, more on that in a minute. 

September started with the BattleAxe Band at the Saturday Market to a wonderful crowd. Marshall headed up to the Rockbridge Festival the next weekend, enjoying the company of old time music enthusiasts.  On September 17, we had a great evening playing music at the always wonderful Cafe @ Williams Hardware.

We ended the month playing a contradance with Briggs and Nancy Hamilton as the Wolf Moon String band. The dance was a benefit for Furman's Environmental Action Group, and they were raising funds to help stop mountaintop removal.  A fun evening with wonderful instruction/callling by Tamara McGovern and sound by Danny Henderson.

October brings new adventures--the BattleAxe band will be playing October 8 at the TD Saturday Market, on October 15th at FALL FOR GREENVILLE (not on the FFG website, but this is a Do Not Miss event!), and on Oct 22 at the Cafe at Williams Hardware.

Lucy and Marshall will be starting recording for a NEW CD this month, too. A Children's music CD; let us know if you're interested and we'll start a list of pre-orders.   We are honored to be providing music for a friend's wedding. Marshall is also making plans for both individual and band competition at Brevard's Halloweenfest; Lucy is as yet undecided....

Thanks for all your support live and through emails.  Hope to see you at a show soon!

Howdy Friends & Fans:  Wow!  Hard to believe it's almost Labor Day & the start of Fall is right around the corner.

We're happy the weather is just a bit cooler. We had a great time at the Appalachian String Band Festival this year, seeing old friends and  new, and picking up a few new tunes as well.

Hope many of you are planning to attend our benefit concert at the Handlebar this evening.  It's to help our friends raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  The group we're helping, the Hobnobbers, will participate in the MS 150 bike ride coming up later this fall. 

Lucy & her gal pals (the Battleaxe String Band) are playing at the TD Bank Saturday Market this weekend.  They are a terrific group of musicians and excude a lot of good energy.  Come on out & enjoy the fun!  Lucy, Amy, Michele & Nancy always put on a great show.

We'll be back at the Cafe @ Williams Hardware on Saturday September 17 from 6:30 to 8:30pm.  It's a great venue with good food and a fine selection of adult beverages.  A family friendly environment & a pleasant place to spend an evening.

On September 30, we're helping folks at Furman raise money for their Environmental Action Group (EAG) by playing a benefit contra dance with our friends, Briggs & Nancy Hamilton. Together we are the Wolf Moon String Band.  So, if you're organizing a dance & want some good music, give us a call. 

 Hope to see you all soon.  Have a great Labor Day weekend and a great month!

Hello Friends and Fans,

Great to see folks at the Wayne Henderson festival last month. It's held the 3rd Saturday in June, at Grayson Highlands Park, one of the prettiest places for a festival!

We have a lot of opportunities to play music this month, and there is no admission charge for any of them! What a great bargain. So come on by, whether at the market or the Cafe, we'd love to see you.

One new place we're playing is at the Tater Shed in Simpsonville. It's named after the place where sweet potatoes used to be stored. It's an outdoor venue, but if we have yet another late afternoon/evening thunderstorm, they do have a rain location close by so either way the show will go on!   It's near Simpsonville City Park and the new Fine Arts Center in Simpsonville.

Marshall is pleased to be teaching at the Young Appalachian Musicians (YAM) camp the last week in July. He'll be helping some of the youngsters to become better guitar pickers.

Hello Friends and Fans,

For musical theatre lovers, the header comes from Lucy's childhood, when her parents would take her to musicals on a regular basis. She had seen well over 50 plays, musicals, musical comedies before she reached high school.

May had some musical magic in it. At the end of the month, Lucy and Amy Buckingham played at a quickly organized house concert in Pittsboro NC, at the home of Lucy's longtime friend and music buddy Laine Lipson.   The event was enough of a success that the Lipsons plan for more house concerts, and possibly return visit from Lucy with Marshall and perhaps the BattleAxe Band.

Marshall and Lucy also enjoyed playing at Carl Sandburg Home for their annual folk festival, followed by a short hike and a great set by John McCutcheon.

Marshall held the inaugural jam of Fiddlin' at Frodos, at the Frodo's Pizza at Cherrydale, which was well attended. What's not to like?  A jam that includes food and beer options!  The next one will be on June 23rd.

Much of June we will be spending at a number of summer festivals.  So, we don't have many set performances this month, but invite you to come and enjoy the informal jam sessions.  July is looking like fun, so stay tuned!  We have three shows in two days on the weekend of July 8 & 9.

Thanks for your support of live music.

Howdy Music Lovers:

We just got back from a wonderful few days at Merlefest, the Southeast’s finest Americana music festival.  Duly inspired, we are looking forward to some fun events this month and hope you all will come out and share them with us.

Lucy will be teaming with Amy Buckingham, Michele Turner, and Nancy Hamilton (aka the Battleaxe Band) for a performance at the Café @ Williams Hardware on Saturday May 7 from 6 to 8pm.  This dynamic group has won the Hagood Mill Upcountry Folklife Festival band competition the last two years.  Featuring instrumental excellence and strong vocal arrangements, they are sure to provide a fine evening of entertainment.

Marshall and his buddies with Square Root will be playing at the Carolina First Saturday Market in downtown Greenville on Saturday May 14.  Lucy will join in for a few tunes later that morning.  Come on by and say howdy and we’ll play you all some tunes.

On Saturday May 21, Marshall will be joining Briggs and Nancy Hamilton for a partial reunion of the Piedmont String Sawyers.  Marshall, Briggs and Nancy will be participating in the Annual Enchanted Chalice Renaissance Faire at the Greenville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.  Should be a good time!   We’ll be playing from 5:00 to 5:45pm.  Other music will be taking place throughout the day.

The Jam at Jim’s will be taking place on the second and fourth Thursday (May 12 and 26) from 7 to 9 pm at Jim Clinton’s Violin Shop in Taylors, for those who have a hankering to play along on some old time tunes.  Come on out and share a tune!

And on Monday May 30, Lucy and Marshall are pleased to be returning to the Carl Sandburg Home, as participants in their annual Folk Festival. We’ll be playing at 11 am, John McCutcheon will be performing at 2pm and the festival is FREE.

Hope to see you all sometime this month!

Lucy & Marshall

Hello Friends and Fans!

We've been away from public performance for a while now, but that is definitely changing! We spent some of the cooler weather working on a few new tunes and songs (not as much as we hoped, but its all good). Marshall spent a weekend at a fiddle workshop taught by Betty Vornbrock so he is working on some new tunes and enhanced bowing techniques as well.

April already started out with Marshall doing a musical program at Hunt Meadows Elementary School and with a trip down to Greenwood to accompany Jennie Wakefield teach some dance students the delights of contradancing.  We arrived at the dance workshop early enough to see some instruction in African dance as well, which looked like a heck of a lot of fun.

Coming up we'll be playing for a couple private events for Upcountry Friends and Interim Hospice, then back to the Cafe at Williams Hardware for a show on April 16th. And go ahead and mark your calendars for same place to see a rare public performance of the BattleAxe Band on May 7th!

Marshall and Square Root will be celebrating early spring produce by playing at the Easley Farmer's Market on April 23rd, and Lucy will be returning to emcee at Merlefest at the end of the month.

The Jam at Jim's (oldtime edition) continues on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays each month, and there is some talk that an Irish session may be added on the alternate Thursdays. Stay tuned for more on that development!  All are welcome; an informal place to play tunes.

Thanks for supporting live music! Hope to see you at a show (or a jam).

Happy New Year to friends and fans!

We had a great time playing Christmas tunes, then "Breaking up Christmas," and now happy to be moving on to new tunes and old.  We're also watching the weather closely as The Big Snow of 2011 is predicted to be here soon, so checking the radar frequently.   No worries, though, we've stocked up on bread, milk, and coffee.

This month there's a lot of variety to choose from--participate at the Jam at Jim's, dance at Furman, listen and dine in Traveler's Rest, and/or check out the art on Pendleton Street. Come to one or all!

And if that isn't enough, we encourage you to listen to the Oldtime music at Hagood Mill on January 15th hosted by and including music by our friends Bob and Amy Buckingham.

Hope everyone has a wonderful, prosperous 2011, and hope to see you at a show!

Hello friends and fans,

Just a quick update for where we'll be playing--2 times this Saturday, and again at the beginning of October.

We had a really nice time at the Fraley Fest at Carter Caves State Park in Olive Hill KY this past weekend. Beautiful place and a nice little festival. Highly recommended.

Thanks to all who came out to the Benefit Concert for the National MS Society--we raised over $1000.00 toward helping folks with MS. And thanks to those who came to our other shows, too. Always nice to see familiar faces along with making new friends.

As always, thanks for supporting Live Music!

Hello friends and fans,

Gosh it's hot! Good time to be inside if you haven't acclimated to this weather.  We got home Sunday night from a week in Clifftop, WV at the Appalachian String Band Festival, with daytime temps in the 80s, and needing blankets at night. It was glorious.

Anyway, have some fun shows coming up this month and over Labor Day weekend.   Square Root will be at the Easley Farmers Market this Saturday, so you can stop by and see Marshall and Gregg while you're buying produce if in the area.

Saturday night is our special house concert/MS fundraiser at the Goodwins. It is ALMOST SOLD OUT, so if you haven't yet made your reservation, please call or email Gale SOON!  For those who have already responded, thank you so much for your support.

With Marshall out of town for a few days, Lucy will be playing with 2 different configurations of the Saluda River Gals--at Scratch for their Pizza Palooza! party and then again at the Carolina First Saturday Market in downtown Greenville.

We close out the month back at the Pumpkintown Opry, a really fun evening with dinner (usually chicken, ribs, salad, dessert) and a variety show with music, skits, dancing wait staff.

Over Labor Day we're excited to be playing at the Cafe at Williams Hardware in Travelers Rest.

Hope to see you at a show!  Thanks for supporting Live Music.

Our friends Gale and Dexter Goodwin will be opening their home (and hearts) to host a benefit concert by Lucy and Marshall. The concert is a fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  All funds raised will go to this worthy organization. Both Gale and Lucy have had family members affected by this disease.

 

 Gale and Dexter live in a lovely house in the shadow of Paris Mountain. They can accommodate up to 75 folks, so please make a reservation, as we think the spots will fill up quickly!  The entrance fee is a check made out to the National MS Society.  There will be a basket at the door for donations.

When: August 14th, 2010

 

Time: Door open, gather for food and friendship 7pm

         Music starts at 8 pm

         Optional jam session after the concert (bring an instrument)

 

Where: 275 Phillips Trail, Greenville SC 29609

 

What to Bring: Donation to National MS Society, Beverage of your choice

 

RSVP:   galegoodwin@gmail.com

 

 

If you can't make it but wish to make a contribution, you may make a donation online.

Donate on Lucy's site online at:

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/Lucy_Allen or

Donate on Marshall's site online at:

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/NCPBikeEvents?px=8467298&pg=personal&fr_id=13801

 

Thank you! Hope to see you at the show.

Howdy Folks!

We have a lot of musical activity coming up this month. Actually, we did last month, too.  We played at the Songwriter Showcase at Hagood Mill on June 19th and had a great time--apologies for not sending out a notice to let you know about it, but thanks to those who were there.

June was filled with lots of music events not related to our usual performances.  Marshall attended both the Mt. Airy Fiddlers Convention and the Grayson County Fiddlers Convention in Elk Creek VA, where he enjoyed seeing friends, playing a lot of music and learning some new tunes.  He competed in the folk song at Mount Airy & the lap dulcimer competition at both festivals.  It was a good time & an opportunity to try some things out on a new audience.

Lucy attended the Blue Ridge Old-Time Music Week at Mars Hill College, primarily as a massage therapist, but also took some mandolin and banjo lessons. The miniclass on beginning mando was taught by Adam Tanner, and if you want to learn that instrument, and live in the Asheville area, he is a top-notch teacher.  Chip Arnold continued giving Lucy tips on 2-finger, index-lead banjo picking, and she started working on Cold Frosty Morn.  Don't expect to see her playing either of those in public soon, but possibly on down the road.

Lucy's loves of music and massage were highlighted in an article published in Making Music magazine. She was interviewed a few months ago for the article.

 This month, we are returning to a few of our favorite spots -- the Village Cup in Laurens and Downtown Coffehouse and Creamery in Mauldin.  And, we'll also be at the Pumpkintown Opry a couple of Saturday's for their two-hour variety show.   Dinner and a show for $25, including dancing by the wait staff!  Check it out! 

We also hope you'll mark your calendars for a special house concert on August 21. Our friends Gale and Dexter Goodwin are hosting the concert, and it will be a benefit for the MS Breakaway to the Beach. Both Marshall and Lucy will be participating in the 150 mile bike ride in September to raise money and awareness about multiple sclerosis. This is a chance to see us in an intimate setting and contribute to a great cause, too.

Thanks for supporting Live Music!

Hello friends and fans,

We are so grateful for the beautiful weather and flowers blooming after a wet winter.  We missed sending this out for our first two shows of the month--playing at WKBC's Hometown Opry in N. Wilkesboro on Friday, which is always fun; and at Hagood Mill for the first Saturday program.  Hagood is such a great cultural treasure here in the Upstate, and it was a delight to hear JC Owens' fiddling.

We're doing some great gigs together in April. First one is at the Village Cup in its NEW location right on the square in Laurens. We love the atmosphere at the old location, but have heard the new place is even better! Toward the end of the month we'll be playing in Mauldin twice on the same day--at the Garden Club Spring Fling early, and with our friends at Downtown Coffee House in the evening.

May will include some gigs together, and some playing with other folks. Lucy will join the BattleAxe Band for a trip to Village Cup and a dance in Charleston; Marshall will be at the Farmers Market with Square Root, and back at Hagood for a 3rd Saturday Program with his old friend Josh Johnson.  Then, we'll be together for a performance at the Carolina First Farmer's Market over Memorial Day!

We started a Facebook Fan Page and are trying to remember to post events there, too.

Hope you are enjoying the Springtime as much as we are.  We'd love to see you at a gig or two! And Thanks for supporting Live Music!

Howdy Friends & Neighbors!   February came and went so quickly, it's hard to believe we're looking forward to a month that includes the end of winter, Saint Patrick's Day, the beginning of spring, and the end of the first quarter of 2010!  Time flies when you're having fun, I guess!

We're pleased to be participating in the TEDx Greenville Conference on Friday March 5.  The Conference will be at the Carroll A. Campbell Jr. Graduate Engineering Center Auditorium on the Clemson University ICAR Campus from 8:30am to 5:00pm.  More information is available at tedxgreenville.com.  In addition to performing as a duo, we will accompany Paul Anderegg during his flatfoot dancing performance.  Should be a fun and informative day!

On Saturday March 13, we'll be serving up a selection of irish & celtic tunes at Downtown Coffeehouse and Creamery in Greenville to help celebrate the upcoming Saint Patrick's Day.   And, if anyone wants music for a St Patrick's Day event, let us know.   We're free that day!

Hope to see you all somewhere soon!  Have a happy & safe March!

Hello friends and fans,

Hope you're staying warm this winter.  We've had either rain or frozen precipitation almost every weekend so far this year.  We're ready for some nice weekends, at least!

Lucy was looking at the calendar after learning that the Native Americans (not sure which tribe, Wikipedia is a bit vague on that point) name each full moon of the year. We start with Freedom Day on the first, followed by Groundhog day on the 2nd. The Chinese will celebrate their New Year with the new moon of February (Year of the Tiger), which also falls on Valentine's Day, just after Lincoln's Birthday and before the US Gov Holiday, President's Day (which this year is also the same date as Susan B. Anthony Day, Nirvana Day, and in Canada, Family Day).  If you just want to focus on the month, you can celebrate both American Heart Month and Black History Month.  With all of that going on, we all can celebrate something!

We'll be having fun at a couple gigs this month. First, on Friday we'll join the Fine Art Ramblers for a fun evening at the Coffee Underground. Then a week and a day later we'll be at Downtown Coffee House and Creamery in Mauldin to celebrate Chinese New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day.  Red is good for either celebration, in case you're in a quandary as to what to wear.

Hope you have a great month, and we'd love to see you!

Howdy, Everybody!  We hope for a prosperous year in 2010 (Two thousand ten, or Twenty-ten, whichever you prefer)! 

Marshall & I had a great time playing Christmas tunes (and some of our regular stuff) during December at both private and public venues.  Loved being at Smiley's as the last gig before Christmas.  We hope to be back there soon, possibly for a songwriter night.

We're working on some new (or at least recycled) tunes and songs, and dusting off some that we haven't played in awhile.  Our first gig of the year will be back on home turf, at the Downtown Coffee and Creamery on Butler Road in Mauldin.  In early February, we'll be headed back to Coffee Underground and to Hagood Mill.

The BattleAxe Band (Lucy, Amy, Michele, and Nancy) will be playing not one, but TWO dances in January, the first for the new City Dance at St. Mark's Church. This dance replaced the one at the YWCA and is organized by Harvest Moon Folk Society.  The second one is a benefit for the Environmental Action Group at Furman University, with Jennie Wakefield as the caller.

Finally, we want to wish Jim Hurst (our friend and former producer) all the best as he moves to his new solo career after playing with Claire Lynch for so many years.  Jim is a great guitarist & performer and we recommend him to other music lovers.

 We just added links to a bunch of musicians who are in or near Greenville, under Upstate Musicians (and if I missed you, let me know!).

 On a non-musical topic, the Oatmeal may be a very bizarre website, but occasionally has some choice posts.  One is "10 words you need to stop misspelling" Check it out! http://theoatmeal.com/comics/misspelling. 

 Thanks to all for supporting live music.

Seasoned Greetings, Y'all!

We've pulled out our Christmas songs and started practicing for the upcoming holidays. We love learning new info about the songs each year. For instance, this year we learned that Jingle Bells was originally intended as a Thanksgiving Day song, not Christmas. Not that we're likely to be dashing through the snow here in South Carolina on either holiday, but still... An interesting historical item!

Most of the shows this month will feature music for the season, while some will also include our usual eclectic mix of tunes. We're also working on some new tunes and songs and dusting off some old ones to perform at our shows in 2010.

We're thrilled to be heading back to Village Cup and to Christmas at Connemara at the Carl Sandburg Home this month, and we always enjoy the variety Ed Harrison brings to the 3rd Saturday Celebration at Hagood Mill. If you've never been to the Mill, you're missing a treat.

Also sponsored by the Pickens County Cultural Commission is a new exhibit that should be of interest to music lovers--"Story Song and Image" a collaborative project by Glen MIller and John Fowler, combining music and paintings. The show will be at the Pickens County Museum of Art & History from Dec 12 to Feb 12th (other art shows opening that date, too). We've heard quite a bit about this collaboration from both artists, and are really excited to see the project!

Finally, we'll be playing at Smiley's on Dec 19th in the early evening slot (7-9:30ish). We're glad to be playing at this venue, featuring live music 7 nights a week and really great food, too!

Thanks for all your support. Hope all of you enjoy the holidays, and we'd love to see you at a show.

Howdy Folks! We had a lot of fun this past month. October started with Marshall near Brevard at the Cradle of Forestry while Lucy rode her first century (100 miles) on the bike in support of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Thanks to all who donated (and who cheered me on).


We had two nice Sundays at the Upcountry History Museum in downtown Greenville playing some Celtic music. They will soon open an exhibit on WWII and its impact in this region. Should be a powerful exhibit!


We ended the month back at Brevard. Lucy brought home a 3rd place ribbon in Folk Song, and fellow Battle Axe band member Amy Buckingham placed 2nd in fiddle. The band had a great time playing, and with only 3 places awarded, we're sure we tied for 4th! Marshall judged the individual competitions instead of actively participating in them, and joined another band in the evening (another one that tied for 4th).


We only have a few gigs in November, in part due to some family gatherings. The show at Downtown Coffee in Mauldin will be our last event before changing over to music for Christmas. It's a great coffeeshop, featuring Leopard Forest coffee and other treats, so we encourage you to come and support local business and live music.

Dear Friends and Fans,

We're really enjoying the cooler temperatures and watching the leaves starting to change and drop. Lucy is already thinking about the garden she is going to have next year, so she is excited about all of the composting possibilities. Gardening is definitely a growth industry!

September was a memorable month, with fun times at our local coffeehouse gigs (Village Cup, Coffee Underground and Downtown Coffee and Creamery). At the Hagood Mill Old Time Fiddlers Convention, Marshall came home with a third place ribbon in the banjo contest and Lucy was in the first-place old time string band. The all-female band, previously the Saluda River Gals, changed its name to the Battle Axe Band, and I guess we lived up to the name, having to duke it out in a playoff for first place. We ended the month up in Statesville, in the very listener-friendly Second Fret run by Lucy's old friend Bob Barber.

October brings a different group of music, with Brevard bookending the month and the Upcountry Museum in the middle.

Thanks for supporting live music! Hope to see you at a show!

Lucy and Marshall

Hard to believe summer is about over and kids are headed back to school! The music festival season is winding down. We spent a muddy but fun time at the Appalachian String Band Festival in Clifftop WV in August, and Marshall is headed to Laurel Bloomery this weekend. Lucy, tired of mud and camping, is getting back to riding the bike in preparation for the MS Bike ride in early October.

We also had a great time playing at the Upcountry History Museum in downtown Greenville. The Dark Corner exhibit is open until Sept 20, coming up next will be an exhibit about WWII and its impact in this area. Anne Blythe, the curator, understands the importance of including local music along with the history and culture and for that we thank her!

In September we'll be kicking off the new music season at The Village Cup in Laurens over Labor Day Weekend, then back in Mauldin. September 12th we'll be joining our friends The Fine Arts Ramblers to celebrate Riverfest, sponsored by Friends of the Reedy. We'll be at the amphitheatre behind the Peace Center downtown. On the 3rd Saturday Lucy will be playing as one of the Saluda River Gals (along with Michele Turner, Amy Buckingham and Nancy Hamilton) at the Hagood Mill's Folklife Festival and Oldtime Fiddling Convention in Pickens. Finally, we'll finish the month back in Statesville, North Carolina at the Second Fret.

Hope to see you soon! Thanks for supporting Live Music!

Hello friends and fans, The June festivals are over, and we had great adventures traveling to various parts of North Carolina and Virginia. Saw some terrific scenery along with hearing great music and seeing friends old and new. Lucy even surprised herself by bringing home a blue ribbon for singing "The Water Is Wide" in the folk song competition at the Grayson County fiddlers convention.

We have a compact set of shows coming up this month, especially this first weekend--should be something for everyone! The show at the Downtown Coffee House and Creamery in Mauldin will be a benefit for BikeMS. On the 4th and on the 17th we'll be sharing the stage with our friends the Fine Art Ramblers (http://www.greenvillesouth.com/ramblers.htm), first at Music in the Woods at Paris Mountain State Park, and later in the Coffee Underground theatre.

On Sunday, July 5th we'll be doing music at the Upcountry History Museum, focusing this time on music from the 18th and 19th centuries and the associated instrumentation. Last but not least, we'll be providing music to the shoppers at the Carolina First Saturday Market in downtown Greenville. Come on out Sat am and pick up some fresh produce.

If you're looking for us in Laurens, the Village Cup has put music on hold till the Fall, so check back later this year!

And thanks for all your support of live music.

Howdy, Friends and Neighbors! We had a fabulous celebration out at Paris Mountain. Thanks to all of you who attended and sent best wishes. (Also thanks to those who wish us the best, even though you never got that 'round tuit' to send word).


We have a few shows coming up this weekend and next we'd like to highlight:


First, we'll be at the Second Fret in Statesville this Friday. It's the owner's birthday so we'll be helping him celebrate that evening. If you're in the area, come check it out! This is also the weekend for Fiddler's Grove, where we'll be visiting with friends and playing lots of music.


On Memorial Day, we're honored to be a part of the annual Carl Sandburg Folk Music Festival at the Carl Sandburg house in Flat Rock. We're playing at 11, though the music starts at 10 am and continues until about 4, with High Windy Band starting around 2:30.


The last Saturday of the month we'll be at a new coffeehouse in Mauldin, Downtown Coffeehouse and Creamery. All donations at that show will go to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Lucy will be riding in the BikeMS ride in Greenville in October.

Hello Friend and Fans!

Since the last note we've had lots of rain (thankfully!) and lots of signs of spring here.

Marsh and I had a great time playing celtic tunes to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, and now are working on some fresh tunes and songs for our upcoming shows. Not on our regular calendar, we'll be playing at Piazza Bergamo tomorrow evening (Friday, April 3) from 5:30 to 7:30 pm as part of the City of Greenville's Acoustic Cafe. Our friend Brooke Lauer will be joining us.

We're looking forward to trips to Bear on the Square and Merlefest later in the month. No official gigs there, though we'll be playing some at both. We'll also be joining some friends to play oldtime music during the lunch hour (noon-1) at the Prime of Life Expo at the Carolina First convention Center on May 7th.

As we mentioned earlier, we are having a wedding celebration on May 9th. We have a nice graphic that some of you may have received separately, but we're not yet able to send it in this format. So here is the info! If you'd like to see the pretty version, send me a reply email and I'll send it separately.

Lucy Hawthorne Allen and Marshall Alan Goers

Invite you to A celebration of their Marriage

May 9th, 1-5 pm Potluck picnic and Music Jam

Paris Mountain State Park Picnic Shelter A http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/722.aspx

Please join us to honor this happy occasion. Feel free to bring your hiking boots and go off on a trail for part of the time, or stay late for the Music in the Woods series in the amphitheatre at 6 pm. Or stay late and Jam On!

No gifts, please. Your presence is the greatest gift.

*Note: There is a $2.00 entry fee to the park

In the Calendar are the other shows coming up. Hope to see you sometime soon!

We're enjoying the bright reflection of the snow bringing more light into the house today. An unusual sight here in SC, with welcome moisture to the soil and groundwater table.


Marsh and I had a great February, playing on the radio again in Wilkesboro plus enjoying a Saturday morning open mike at The Second Fret, a great venue in Statesville NC run by my old friend Bob Barber. We'll be playing there on May 22nd. We also got married by a notary public, so we are now officially married. Not to worry about missing it--we'll be having a big celebration, potluck and jam at Paris Mountain State Park on May 9th, so plan ahead and mark your calendars! We'd love to see you all.


We also enjoyed one of the first fiddler's conventions of the year at Appalachian State University and got to catch up with friends. Looking forward to more festivals coming up, including Bear on the Square in Dahlonega in April.


For March, we're focusing our two shows on Celtic tunes, to get folks in the mood for St. Patrick's Day a few days later. According to Answers.Com:


Had it not been for a band of Irish marauders in the fifth century, March 17 might've been plain old Maewyn's Day — because Maewyn wouldn't have changed his name to Patrick, and he likely wouldn't have become a saint. In fact, it wouldn't have been a Day at all.


But as it happened, a certain 16-year-old Welsh lad was kidnapped by those Irish marauders, and during the six years young Maewyn spent in servitude as a shepherd in Ireland he experienced a religious awakening, then spent years studying in a monastery. He took on a new name, Patrick, and a new calling — converting his countrymen to Christianity.


There is more information at that site if you'd like to read more about it. I promise I won't pinch you if you don't wear green, just would love to see y'all at a show!

Happy New Year to you all! Marsh and I had a great time playing Christmas music, but we're very glad to be back to our regular repertoire. Lucy has vowed to write some new songs this year; Marshall is continuing to expand his repertoire, working on some new fiddle tunes and some new ragtime tunes.

On a personal note, Marsh and I got engaged just before Christmas. No date set yet, but we plan to have a big open potluck party and jam to celebrate when the weather is warmer.

We received a call to play in Simpsonville the other day, so for those of you asking when we'll be playing locally again, it will be on Saturday, January 31st! The Wingate Restaurant is now offering music on Saturday nights, and is hoping to expand to Fridays soon, too. Wingate Restaurant offers many menu choices from roasted turkey with all the trimmings to shrimp, cod, burgers, and BBQ.

We'll be back at the Village Cup in Laurens on February 7 and March 14. The latter show will be a show in honor of St. Patrick's Day and will feature our selection of irish & celtic tunes. On February 13, we will be back with our friends at the WKBC Hometown Opry in North
Wilkesboro.

We hope to see as many as you as possible sometime soon!

We will NOT be playing at the Village Cup in Laurens on Saturday. Show was cancelled by the venue. Marshall and I will be back at the Village Cup in Feb and March.