Starting this month:

Portsmouth Singer/Songwriter Festival, April 20 – 22, 2012, Portsmouth Music Hall Historic Theatre and the Loft, http://www.themusichall.org/calendar/program/portsmouth_singer_songwriter_festival call box office at 603-436-2400. Features Merle Haggard, Rosanne Cash and many more!!

New England Folk Festival April 20 -22, 2012,Mansfield, MA www.neffa.org

Bluegrass on the Bogs, May 18 – 20, 2012 Jellystone Cape Cod at Maple Park 290 Glen Charlie Rd., East Wareham, MA 02538, call 508-280-4825 www.capecodjellystone.com 508-295-4945

Strawberry Park Bluegrass Festival, May 31-June 1-2-3, 2012 (Preston City, CT) www.strawberryparkcampground.com WUMB Music Festival, UMass, Boston, June 3, 2012, noon – 7 PM, call 617-287-6911 M-F 10 AM – 4 PM, http://wumbmusicfest.org

Seacoast Irish Festival, June 2012, date TBA, Dover, NH www.seacoastirishfestival.org

Bluegrass on the Farm Festival, June 12, Halifax, MA, info: 781-336-9711

Blistered Fingers Family Bluegrass Festival, June 14-17, 2012, Litchfield, ME www.blisteredfingers.com

Somersworth International Children’s Festival, Somersworth, NH, June TBA, http://www.nhfestivals.org/

Acton Bluegrass Festival Car Show & BBQ Cook-off, June 16, 2012 Noon to 10:00 pm 25 Ledge Rock Way, Acton, MA 978-929-6640 $10

Maine Blues Festival, Naples, June 17, www.mainebluesfestival.com/

Jenny Brook Family Bluegrass Festival June 20 – 24, 2012, Tunbridge Fairgrounds, VT www.jennybrookfestival.com/

Granite State Music Festival June 22-23, 2012, a two day, non camping, non-profit festival held in Concord, New Hampshire June 23-24, 2012. Thirty-odd bands, 1,500 fans and two days of live, local music on the bank of the Merrimack River. http://granitestatemusicfest.org/

Old Songs Festival, June 22-23-24, 2012, Altamont Fairgrounds, Altamont, NY 518-765-2815 www.oldsongs.org/festival

Madrid Bluegrass River Festival, June 22-23-24, 2012, Community Center Park, Madrid, NY 315-322-4093 madridbluegrassriverfestival.com

New Bedford (MA) Summerfest, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, New Bedford, Massachusetts, July 6, 7, 8, 2012; http://www.newbedfordsummerfest.com/

Prescott Park Concert Series, includes Americana, Jazz, Folk, Country, Rhythm and Roots and Kids Fest. No 2012 updates at this time – check out http://prescottpark.org Mineral Springs

Footstomping Festival, July 7-8, 2012 Stafford Springs, CT www.mineralspringscampground.com

Basin Bluegrass Festival July 12-15, 2012, 91 Charberry Lane, Brandon, VT www.basinbluegrassfestival.com. More info – call (802) 247-3275. After July 4, 2009- call (802) 236-1096

Connecticut Americana Music Festival, July 14, 2012, Chester Meeting House, 4 Liberty Street, Chester, CT 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm 860-526-4777 $15

North Atlantic Blues Festival, Rockland, ME, July 14-15, 2012, www.northatlanticbluesfestival.com Whites Beach Bluegrass Festival, July 20-22, Brunswick, ME, For more info or advance ticket: Whites Beach and Campground, PO Box 696, Brunswick, Maine 04011 Phone 207-729-0415 info@whitesbeachandcampground.com

Maine Celtic Celebration, July 20 – 22, 2012, Belfast, ME, http://www.mainecelticcelebration.com/

Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival, Saturday, July 21, 2011, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Look Park, North Hampton, MA, www.glasgowlands.org

Ossippee Valley Music Festival, July 26-29, 2012, S. Hiram, ME, Info: Ossipee Valley Bluegrass Association, P.O. Box 593, S. Hiram, Maine 04020. Phone 207 625-8656. www.ossipeevalley.com/

Lowell Folk Festival, July 27-29, Lowell, MA, 978-970-5000, www.lowellfolkfestival.org/

Lake Paran Bluegrass Festival - July 27-28-29, 2012 Lake Paran Entrance Rd off Houghton Lane, N. Bennington, VT 802-447-7959

The Pemi Valley Bluegrass Festival, The new location is the Benton family’s Sugar Shack Campground in Thornton, NH. August 2 – 5, 2012 For info: Pemi Valley Productions, P.O. Box 1320, Campton NH 03223. For information, call (603) 726-3471 or email admin@pemivalleybluegrass.com

Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival - August 2-3-4-5, 2012 Dodd Stadium, 14 Stott Avenue, Norwich, CT www.podunkbluegrass.net

Lake Champlain Bluegrass Festival, returning 2013, none this year, Alburg, VT, Info: Please visit our web page at www.lakechamplainmusic.com or call 802-482-7766 or info@lakechamplainmusic.com

Saddleback Mountain Bluegrass Festival, August 10-11, 2012, Saddleback, ME info: http://www.saddlebackmaine.com/bluegrass Line up includes the McCourys, Sam Bush and more.

Wachusett Valley Folk Festival, Wachusett Village Inn, Westminster, MA, August 19, 2012, www.wachusettmusic.com/wachusett-valley-folk-festival/

Blistered Fingers Bluegrass Festival, August 23-26, 2012, Litchfield, ME, email: blist-f@blisteredfingers.com

The American Folk Festival, Bangor, ME, August 24-26, 2012, Only $10 a day!, www.americanfolkfestival.com/

Essex Music Festival August 25, 2012 (Essex, MA) http://www.essexmusicfestival.com/

Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass Special, August 30-31, Sept. 1-2, 2012 Brunswick, ME www.thomaspointbeach.com/special

Babb’s Bluegrass Festival, Sept. 8, 2012 Babb’s Park, 434 Babb’s Road, West Suffield, CT 06093. 11:00 AM until 8:00 PM. Art Sorensen at (860) 844-8526

NH Highland Games, Loon Mountain, Sept. 21-23, 2012, www.nhscot.org Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival, Sept. 29-30, 2012, www.newenglandfolknetwork.org/pmff

Beantown Jazz Festival, Boston, MA, Sept 29, 2012, 617-747-8601, http://beantownjazz.org/about.html

Park Slope Old Time Bluegrass Jamboree. Sept 28-29, 2012 at 53 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn NY reamsjames@earthlink.net

Nutmeg Dulcimer Festival, Oct. 26-27, 2012, United Methodist Church On the Green in Milford, CT www.nutmegdulcimer.com/ 203-661-0503

Sunday, April 22, 2012, Putney, Vermont, 2 to 5 pm,

Cost: $75

The workshop will start with such basics as the all-important right-hand technique, chop-chord rhythm and getting good tone. Then it will move into Monroe’s toolbox of techniques from the early years onward, including backing up singers, Monroe blues trademarks, playing out of chord voicings and a bit of old-time rhythm and how it affects solo lines. This is hands-on, so come prepared to play!

Skill level: intermediate to advanced, but all interested players are welcome.

Class size is limited, so registration is a must.

For more information on the workshop or to register, email Val Mindel at vmindel@gmail.com.

For more on Mike, check out http://mikecompton.net/

When: Sunday June 19, 1 – 4 pm

Where: Hooker-Dunham Theater and Gallery

139 Main St, Brattleboro, VT

Cost: $75

Preregistration required: email Keith Murphy, deepsea@sover.net.

While some of Russ’ themes are rooted in his work as a bluegrass player, he covers them in a way that speaks to issues of musicianship relevant to everyone and their music. The workshop is for intermediate and advanced players with at least some experience with a flatpick. (Less advanced players may come with the understanding that they may spend more time watching and listening).

Flatpicking: Melody, Tone, Pulse and Expression
The workshop will focus on learning melodies to songs accurately and on how to use the melody to generate strong and interesting solos. Tone, timing and pulse will be emphasized, and coaching provided on how to bring fiddle tunes and song solos to life. We’ll spend time looking at how to play simple melodies beautifully and to use ornamentation to enhance expressiveness. Another core objective of the workshop will be to improve the way you practice. Often players have learned a lot of things to do on the guitar but plateau in terms of actually making it all sound good. We’ll emphasize how to listen to yourself more critically and in more detail-to take a microscope to your playing and very specifically pinpoint rough spots, identify what’s not working, and design ways to fix them.

About Russ Barenberg
In a series of beautifully crafted albums, GRAMMY nominated acoustic guitarist and composer Russ Barenberg has created an “exquisitely original” body of work that joyously integrates bluegrass, jazz, and American/Celtic fiddle and dance traditions. Long at the creative forefront of the acoustic music scene, Russ has collaborated with many of its finest artists, including Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer, Bela Fleck, Alison Krauss, Mark O’Connor and legendary jazz bassist, Charlie Haden. His playing has graced numerous film soundtracks, most notably Ken Burns‘ documentary,The Civil War. Russ’s most recent release, “When at Last,” was nominated for the 2008 GRAMMY for Best Country Instrumental Performance and for the International Bluegrass Music Association Instrumental Album of the Year award.