Folk Tales begins a busy September on the 1st with Nanci Griffith, the Texas songwriter who helped reinvent the folk career after the ‘60s revival. September 8, we two-step next door to Cajun country, and how their rollicking good-time music became the blood-brother of the blues. Read More…

Summer’s winding down. Even if I wasn’t looking at a calendar, I can just feel it – the slight drop in temperature in the morning, the dip in humidity at night. For some people, the seasonal transition signals back to school or back to a regular work routine. For me, it indicates I need to get serious about plotting my annual escape to a snow-free place in January or February, preferably one with coastal sage or Manuka trees. Regardless of the subtle temperature shifts, it’s still technically summer until September 21. I’ll just keep wearing my sandals and enjoying all the summer music until further notice. Read More…

September is my favorite month.  Not just because it’s my birthday month (though it is) but because of the 38th Annual Lowell Banjo & Fiddle Contest.  This is the last event in the Lowell Summer Music Series, and has been for ages.  It’s the Saturday AFTER Labor Day, 9/8, as always, at Boarding House Park in Downtown Lowell.  I hope you’ll come!  I’m emceeing the event, not that that should bias me (but it does) — note this is a part of New England music history.  Bring a lawn chair, 12 – 5pm.  Raindate across the street in the High School.  It’s fun.  Read More…

I was watching a few young girls practice Irish step dancing on my street the other day and that got me to ask, what is a jig? Read More…

I’d like to start this time by thanking all the people who continue to listen to live radio in an environment where computer driven data is the majority of what’s on the air and on the web. As in “oh you like that, here’s some more of the same..” It’s marketing as applied to musical tastes- logical as far as it goes, and certainly good for selling things, but maybe in the longer run is depriving many of us of the challenge of hearing unfamiliar music, and perhaps by extension unfamiliar cultures. Don’t misunderstand, I’ve certainly heard some wonderful stuff I wouldn’t have known was out there through computer selected playlists, but having actual people curating has its advantages, too! Read More…

Whenever September returns I am immediately reminded of one of the Beatles early recordings, so early that our friend Mr. Pete Best is featured on drums. It’s called “September In The Rain,” recorded on January 1, 1962. You can just about bet on that recording being played sometime this month on Breakfast With The Beatles. Read More…

-soooo…it being the first of September, I gather, according to meteorologists, it is now officially autumn…which means it’s a tad easier to come into work Saturday mornings to host Highway 61 Revisited without feeling like I’m missing out on the good weather…which also explains why we’ve found more of you good people tune in for the repeat Sunday evenings during June/July/August… Read More…

I’m looking forward to spending time with you at our WUMB Blues Music Camp in September! As Music Director for the camp I thought you might be interested in learning a little about each instructor, and why I think they’ll be great teachers. Read More…

Have you ever come to SAMW? Would you like to see some of your SAMW friends again?  Would it be fun to give your not-yet-camper friends a glimpse into this wonderful musical and social experience?  Come and join us at the 2019 Reunion!  Or if you have only heard or read online about WUMB’s Summer Acoustic Music Week, this is a great opportunity to learn more. Read More…