January 19, Saturday 7:30 pm Mark LeGrand and the Lovesick Bandits

This group brings the timeless sounds of honky-tonk music with some of the classic tunes by Johnny Cash, Buck Owens and Hank Williams, as well as Mark’s finely crafted originals. Mark has been performing in Vermont since 1967. William Craig of the Valley News says, “ LeGrand writes songs (Hank) Williams might well have sent to the top of a different era’s country charts…”
He is joined by Dan Haley on guitar and Shrimp on percussion. Dan studied jazz in Portland, Ore and became a mainstay of the music scene. Later, Dan went to Germany and was part of an acoustic rock trio. In 2000 he moved to Vermont and hooked up with LeGrand. He is a master at delivering the swinging, rocking, boppin’ and bluesin’ sound.
Shrimp performed R & B, gospel and jazz in the NYC area then came north and found Mark and a place to play the music he grew up with and loved as a kid.
Find out more about them at www.marklegrand.com
Warm up in January for $10 with these fellows!

February 9, Saturday 7:30 pm Damn Yankee String Band

This band, self-described as: Southern Fried and hard-boiled, consists of Sarah Hotchkiss on fiddle, banjo and vocals, John Mowad on fiddle, guitar, banjo and vocals and Jen Wells on upright bass. They play old time mountain music, vintage country and hillbilly jazz ( a combo of string band, swing & country music to John’s flashy fingerpickin’ guitar work. They are cutting new territory with their own form of R & B: Rhythm and Banjo!
Sarah and John are well-know fiddle teachers and John is a composer himself.
The repertoire is eclectic, ranging from West Virginia mountain music, to Jimmy Rogers and Hank Williams, to rock ‘n roll. A foot-stompin’ evening to be sure. For $10.
Check out their website at http://dysb.home.att.net

SPECIAL WORKSHOP: March 29, Saturday 4 pm Learn to Clog with Ann Whiting

Ann is a bright, energetic dancer with an infectious enthusiasm that attracts people of all ages. Clogging and step dancing since 1979, she has performed with the Green Mountain Cloggers and the Kitchen Sync Cloggers and studied with stepdancers Lisa Beaudoin and Benoit Bourque (French Canadian), Judy Waymouth (Ottoawa Valley) and Mary Janet MacDonald (Cape Breton).
She is an endlessly creative choreographer, teacher and stylist, and an inspiring solo performer.
Come and spend a mud season afternoon with her! Get some exercise for your body & soul. Find out the difference between stepdancing and clogging.
She will be teaching popular Appalachian clogging steps that are called the basic, lone ranger, Bertha, big kick, chug, Eddy. It works best if people wear leather soled shoes. Sneakers don't allow you to slide your feet across the floor very well.

The workshop will last about an hour and costs $10
Find out more about Ann at www.awclogger.com

March 29, Saturday 7:30 pm Clogging performance with Ann Whiting
MUSIC with Mark Sustic (upright Bass, fiddle))
Frank Heyburn (fiddle)
And some young fiddlers from Fiddleheads!

Ann will be clogging to the live music of Mark Sustic, Frank Heyburn and three of the Fiddleheads, Roland Clark, Hannah Crary, and Sasha Ross-Becker. Mark ( who plays several string instruments and fiddle all his life) is the teacher and mentor of Fiddleheads, a group of young people interested in learning and performing traditional fiddle tunes. The tunes they play highlight the Yankee, French, Irish, Scottish and other cultures of Northern Vermont. They have recorded 2 CDs as a group, and several members have been part of other recording projects. Many of you have seen Roland Clark here at The Music Box already as a guest fiddler with the Mud City Ramblers.
As for watching Ann clog, all that needs to be said is, "Over the past few years, as a musician who works with Ann, I've marveled at the passion and creativity that she brings to clogging and stepdance. She's like a kid in a candy store as she is continually coming up with new ways to play at her art, whether it be new steps, juggling scarves, or tapping shoes worn on the hands. In a performance, Ann's enthusiasm is contagious and her sense of play never fails to draw in an audience and send them away smiling. All of this coupled with a large helping of skill and grace add up to a recipe for high energy fleet-footed fun." (Rick Klein of Atlantic Crossing)
This will be a high energy night brimming with talent.
Check out Ann’s website www.awclogger.com and the Fiddleheads at www.fiddleheads.org

April 19, Saturday, 8 pm Paul Asbell

From his early years, playing blues on Chicago's South Side, to his present multi-faceted career based out of Northern Vermont, Paul has earned an underground reputation as a true "musician's musician." He has played and recorded with Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, Otis Rush, Magic Sam, Earl Hooker, Lightnin' Slim, Paul Butterfield and many others.
He moved to Vermont in the heady "back-to-the-land" days of 1971. But he soon started playing with many artists including Rosalie Sorrells, Mary McCaslin and Bobby McFerrin. In 1981 he joined with others to form the Big Joe Burrell and the Unknown Blues Band.
Many venues have welcomed him. The last few years he has been receiving enthusiastic welcomes playing all-acoustic solo concerts in the Northeast, California and Nashville. His debut solo album, "Steel-String Americana" brings original twists to old-timey country-based themes. It is a knockout.
This guy can play. How does he make his fingers go that fast and smooth?
In SEVEN DAYS magazine gave him the Best Musician of 2004 Award. Also, in 2004, he worked with Patti Casey in producing an album of old standard that Patti sings to his accompaniement entitled "Just an Old Sweet Song. "From blues, to standards, to jazz, to folk. This man is a wizard on the guitar. To find out more about him check out www.paulasbell.com
And come see those fingers fly for $10.

May 17, Saturday, 8 pm Lewis Franco and Susannah Blachly

Lewis has been called one of Vermont’s finest songwriters by Robert Resnik of Vermont Public Radio. His songs are social commentary, whimsy, and delight. He is a fixture on the Vermont music scene playing with The Missing Cats who do gypsy swing and jive swing, also with The Gross domestic products, and the duo you’ll see this night with Susannah Blachly. He started playing guitar back in the 1970’s doing rock. Now he does mainly acoustic guitar. He has songs which delight young and old alike, which, with his usual wit he says, “It’s not just Pop music…it’s Mom & Pop music.” Lewis, as you can see, will entertain you with more than just music.
The other end of this duo, Susannah Blachly began studying classical violin at age 7. After college she stopped but regained the passion after a lesson with Vermont legend, Pete Sutherland in 2000. She has been composing songs and creating music ever since, producing two dynamic CDs. Her 2004 release was voted one of the top ten Vermont albums by Seven Days (Burlington’s arts and news weekly). She also plays in other bands: also in The Gross Domestic Products, and in the trio, Wagtail.
More info? Try www.lewisfranco.com and www.susannahblachly.com.
A fun night for $10.

June 7, Saturday 8 pm BENEFIT CONCERT FOR THE MUSIC BOX, $8 for the Music Box!
with Janice LaDuke and David Gilles of Lennoxville, Quebec
joined by Lisa Sammet, of The Music Box

The Music Box is a nonprofit organization and runs solely on what is earned at the door. Last year the series just broke even, so if you enjoy having great live music close to home, come on out and support The Music Box by attending this benefit concert. You will feel good about lending your support and get a fine evening of folk music to boot!
Janice and David have performed twice at The Music Box. David plays guitar and mandolin, Janice plays upright bass. They have a repertoire that includes old gospel numbers to Gillian Welch. They are the folks who put on the Church St Café concerts in Lennoxville, Quebec and they have been performing and putting on music over the border for years.
They will be joined by Lisa Sammet who runs the Music Box. She has been a professional storyteller and musician for over 30 years. She is on the Vermont State Library list of performers. She combines storytelling with music, playing guitar and the Appalachian Lap Dulcimer.
Come on out for a good time for a good cause