Founding members Jason Walsmith and Mike Butterworth join us. Originally playing acoustic music, this band branched more into the roots rock genre, but they return to their original acoustic presentation as they join us for this very special “unplugged” show. If you’ve never seen them, you’ll be amazed the poetry and storytelling in Mike’s songs and wowed by the magic of Jason’s, whose self-avowed goal is to someday compose the simplest, yet most aching, love song ever. If you have heard them before, you’re in for a real treat as they open themselves up through this stripped-down presentation.

Over the past 15 years, these two singer/songwriters from Iowa have share their wit and wisdom with hundreds of thousands of fans. Through 6 CD releases, Jason and Mike have been a songwriting unit, skillfully evoking the romance, introspection and uncertainty of living life on one’s own terms in the 21st Century. Their latest CD, The Ghost Inside These Halls, chronicles all the things that go along with embarking on your 30s, wives, kids, house payments and the like. “The beautiful thing is our fans have grown up with us, so it makes it even easier for them to relate to at least something in every song,” Butterworth says.

The performances are never canned. There are no set lists. Expect to go on an improvisational musical journey of unexpected segues, humorous reflections, stories and songs. Songs about lovers, outcasts, healing, loss, mystery, spirit, murder and redemption.

Conoscenti commands an array of instruments: acoustic and electric 6 & 12 string guitar, steel guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, percussion, flute, recorder, mandolin, banjo and didgeridoo. Through his expert picking style and wildly imaginative uses of capos and open-tuning, Conoscenti gets sounds from his guitar that you just have to experience to believe.

Kort McCumber (www.kortmccumber.com) seamlessly blends folk, bluegrass, roots rock and Americana to create music to move you and make you move. When joined by his band, McCumberland Gap, it's a full-on "Original Americana Hootenanny"!

Kort is, in fact, a songwriter, a singer, a guitar player, a classically-trained pianist & cellist, a harmonica player, mandolin, banjo & bouzouki player, and, best of all, all-around good guy from Jacksonville, Florida. At the heart of it all is the music-- the noticeable strain of one genre and the hidden thread of another; a richly woven tapestry of folk, country, bluegrass, singer-songwriter, rock, roll and reverent. New songs with a hint of old that belies his years. And that's just what comes through on the records.

Live, it all takes on a more vigorous verve. "You never know where the next great memory is gonna come from," he often says, "And that's what makes it so easy to get up for each and every show." Kort currently resides in Boulder, Colorado, and his energy and enthusiasm never wane. With five CD's completed and more on the way, his library speaks for itself. Good songs well rendered. That's what you're in store for. And that's what you'll get. Good songs from a good guy who seems to just keep getting better.

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With one listen, you can hear that they were both raised in Texas. Even "The Flying A" symbol they use is the official Adamson family cattle brand.

Their style combines a unique blend of rocking Country, mixed with breath taking ballads, "Texified Jazz" and good old Southern Blues that is sure to keep your audiences wanting more.

“Hilary is a petite beauty with a set of pipes…”
- Barker House Concerts

Admired as a sly humorist and an innovative guitarist, Chuck Pyle has performed for the Colorado Legislature, on Austin City Limits, and at Bill Gates' home. He's had his songs recorded by John Denver, Chris LeDoux, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band & Jerry Jeff Walker. He sees what's best about America, writing songs about love lost & love found, forgetful cowboys, heroic highway patrolmen, and brain stems gone "critical".

When reviewers first gave him the "Zen Cowboy" moniker, he decided to, as he says, "Always ride the horse in the direction it's going," and took the nickname to heart, shaving his head and blending his upbeat perspective with old-fashioned horse sense. He mixes infectiously hummable melodies with straight-from-the-saddle poetry, quoting bumper stickers, proverbs, world leaders and old cowboys. 

Chuck Pyle came from Iowa in 1965 when, "Boulder was mostly gravel streets", and resides on the front range of Colorado. He does 100 dates a year all across the country, playing festivals and theaters, coffeehouses and house concerts. We’re proud he’s made Acoustic Alley one of his stops this year.

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Boulder Acoustic Society
Thursday May 8, 2008 www.boulderacousticsociety.net   Contemporary string instrumental and vocal quartet that defies any simple description Opening Act:  Benton Roark

Back by popular demand. It's hard a to put a finger on their style which is probably why we like them so much. All we can say is that when you bring together violins, bass, guitar, ukuleles, drums and an accordion; then mix it with a great sense of the history of Americana music; and finally add a truly professional, yet relaxed stage presence you get an experience you won't soon forget. 

Dakota Blonde Saturday, April 19

Photo by MaryLynn Gillaspie

Dakota Blonde

Well-known, local acoustic trio

This vibrant acoustic "trio" is made up of Mary Huckins (yes, from South Dakota) whose sweet strong vocals are the linchpin holding the group together, the smooth steady guitar playing and cool harmonies of Don Pinnella (nope, not blonde) and the charming acoustic bass work and humor of Tony Raddell. Performing originals and covers that are a unique combination of folk, bluegrass, and country with a little Celtic tinge - the trio nails their tight harmonies. They are an unusual group - they met through their careers in music therapy, working with children and adolescents who are emotionally troubled. That special capacity for empathy could explain the titanium bond the band quickly makes with their audience. All three come from musical families, and their charm stems both from the music they play and from the family feeling they bring into any concert hall or venue. Their shows are very personal! You'll walk away feeling like you've always known them. Dakota Blonde has shared the stage with Nickel Creek, John McEuen, Jimmy Ibbotson, Pete Huttlinger, Tony Furtado, Jim Horn, John Sommers, Jim Salestrom, Firefall, Mollie O'Brien and the list goes on. They also played in festivals along with folks like Emmylou Harris, Nanci Griffith, David Crosby, Lucy Kaplansky and Greg Brown. 

Mary Huckins' song "Somebody's Brother" received top honors in the 2001 Walnut Valley Festival songwriters showcase in Winfield, Kansas and her song "Dig Real Deep" recently received top honors in the Chris Austin Song Contest at MerleFest in Wilkboro, N.C. The group was again honored to make it into the final round of the Independent Record Label Awards this past year. They are certainly on their way up! 

Newcomer has garnered critical acclaim in recent years from the music media (Rolling Stone, USA Today, Acoustic Guitar) and by sharing the stage with a variety other performers, including Alison Krauss and Union Station, Bonnie Raitt, Rosanne Cash and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

“As a writer, I feel that we don’t have anything to give the world but the truth, we really don’t,” she says. “It’s obvious in a song or a story or poem when someone is speaking the truth and when they put their finger right on something real. You know it. You hear a song with that quality and it hits you at about chest level. And we also know when an artist is candy-coating it or saying something just for shock value. We hear so much of the lie everyday. So when someone makes a really true and sincere human statement it is powerful. It rings like a shot. As an artist that’s my goal.”

Ken Gaines and Karen Mal
Thursday March 20, 2008 www.kengaines.com and www.karenmal.com  Acoustic singer/songwriters with a kick-ass mandolin—join us for a “post-St. Patrick’s Day” celebration

Some sell themselves for money
Some sell themselves for love
Some give their lives to pleasure
or some power from above.
If my grandchildren wonder
what I did with my life
Say I sold it for a song.
— Ken Gaines from "For a Song"

When you bring together a seasoned singer/songwriter from Houston with a musician/actor/director hailing originally from New England, what more can you say? 

Ken Gaines has the goal of writing great songs in just about every genre and style. You won't be able to put a finger on what he does from sweet lyrical ballads, to double entendre blues, to swingin' jazz, and redneck rock. "For all of the great songs that have been written I belong to a wonderful group of people who believe there are at least as many great ones still to be written." His voice has the range to cover all of these styles and his supple guitar work lays down arrangements instead of just chords. His lyrics are both powerful and poetic and highlight his skills as a story teller and observer of life.

Karen Mal, in three short years, has gone from a virtual unknown on the Austin acoustic music scene to one of the most sought-after performers around, both as a solo artist and as a sideman for others on mandolin, guitar, and harmony vocals. Originally from New England, more recently from Wisconsin, Karen worked in regional theatre for several years as an actor and musical director/composer before settling in Austin, Texas to play music full-time. She has lived and worked in places from Manhattan to Memphis, from Wisconsin to California, and toured in 40 states.

Ken and Karen re-join us at Acoustic Alley after their very successful show last March, so join us for a wonderful evening of song and storytelling. 

Wild Mountain Celts

February 13, 2008 www.shamrocker.com An evening of Irish Song and Dance to benefit Heritage Irish Stepdancers

The Wild Mountain Celts is the celtic folk band version of well-known Irish rockers, The Indulgers. Hailing from Boulder, Colorado, the band's members are Damien McCarron guitar and vocals, Renee Fine violin, and Mike Nile guitar, mandolin, whistle, accordian, and vocal. Damien hails from Dublin and released his solo CD "Damien Promise - A Matter of Indulgence" in the early 90's. Renee Fine performed with the Boulder Symphony as well as several "mountain rock bands" around the Boulder area since the mid 80's. Mike Nile played bass with the legendary rock band "Spirit" for 13 years prior to relocating from Malibu California to Colorado and forming "The Indulgers" with Damien and Renee as well as Pat Murphy (drums) and Chris Murtaugh (bass). The Wild Mountain Celts were formed to focus on more of the stripped down "acoustic - folk - traditional style celtic music" not touched on by The Indulgers. The "Wild Mountain Celts" drive home a good-time pub sound mixing a bit of that "wild tornado rhythm" with a celtic melody.

In this special performance, Wild Mountain Celts will be joined by championship dancers from local Irish Dance Schoool, Heritage Irish Stepdancers, to provide a well-rounded evening of Irish entertainment. Proceeds from this concert will go to benefit the Heritage Irish Stepdancers school.

Contemporary singer/songwriter/keyboard player

Her voice is often described as haunting and ethereal, but it's the writing that really separates Amilia from the rest of the new generation of literary songwriters. Likened by one critic to a French chanteuse in a candle-lit cafe, her songs set a mood. They are intimate and visual, like walking into a movie. It's some kind of strange potion, but one that's perfect for that midnight ride with the windows down. There is an edge, a turbulence, in many of the places Amilia writes about, but not all of them. Her songwriting fuses together the different places she calls home- the languid textures of rural Pennsylvania, the swing and melody of Texas Americana, with the back alley bite of LA.

Given the cinematic quality of her music, it makes sense that Spicer’s songs can be heard in several movies. Equally at home from the cozy confines of Hollywood's Hotel Cafe, to the Kennedy Center in DC, Spicer’s defiant poetry never gets lost in the mix.

Though Amilia might be best known for her more poetic works, her live shows are really where she shines - you get to see all the layers coexisting there on the stage. There, after the cerebral lyrics and deep chasms left by the last, barely audible line, she invites the band up and reveals a quirky, light-hearted humor, either by her homespun stories or her left-of-center ditties.

One of Denver’s favorite songwriter/musicians with an incredibly sultry voice

The light in her eyes must be what Rebecca Folsom is talking about when she says, “The untamed light is what lays hidden beneath all those layers of domesticated ‘sit and stay’ conditioning.” She laughs, and then adds, “Those are the layers I want to peel back, to reveal the Shine!”

It’s been written of Rebecca that her sound is sultry, but she might change that word and make it “soultry”. Performing for thousands at Red Rocks and before a packed house of 6,000 in Nashville sparked faith in her dreams, and forced her to admit that she was transcending her previously held self-conceptions. Her career path in music has been organic, growing from performances at local clubs and coffeehouses, to raising the bar during her international tour, playing on BBC in Northern Ireland..

Her songs invite us to reflect on life’s choices and dance with them. Whether she sings a cappella or with a full band is not the point for Rebecca. A true professional, she likes to shake things up to fit the situation, and to keep herself fresh. The important thing is that she wants us to care about the brilliance of this life. She wants us to remove whatever dulls us, to climb out of our inhibitions and, as she says, “Let’s be too much!”

Acoustic music “without borders”

Borderdrive is bringing a fresh and exhilarating sound to the world of acoustic music. 1999 National Mandolin Champion Anthony Hannigan and Jillian Brosnan founded the band with the belief that music is borderless and not bound by the rules of a particular style. This “without borders” approach allows the group to blend the best forms of acoustic music into an original, captivating sound. Influences include swing, bluegrass, Celtic, ragtime, jazz, classical, Appalachian, pop, and others. 

Anthony, an award winning mandolin player and multi-instrumentalist, brings to the group a virtuostic and innovative style some compare to Chris Thile. While Jillian adds the sparkling sounds of flute, pennywhistle, and a broad vocal range that give Borderdrive its unique sound. The two perform a high-energy show as a duo or incorporate a full band to accentuate their distinctive style. Keep listening for this exciting band as they continue to create a new and dazzling sound.

The Winstons, Mollie O’Brien and Rich Moore

Thursday, October 11, 2007

www.thewinstons.com	www.mollieobrien.com	Rich Moore

Two well-known, local singer/songwriter duos

Originally from Buffalo, New York, Cheryl and Andy Winston met and began playing music together while attending college in nearby Fredonia, New York, where, individually, they were regulars on the coffee house scene. College was the setting for what was to be a life-changing event: their first gig as a duo, which was, to say the least, auspicious. "We opened for Little Feat," recalls Cheryl. "We got the word four hours before the show." "So, we cut classes, slapped on new strings and worked up some tunes," says Andy. "That was the very first time we played together."

After that triumphant experience there was marriage and a move to Boulder, Colorado, where THE WINSTONS languished for a time in unsatisfying careers. Finally, THE WINSTONS woke up to the error of their ways and recommitted themselves to music.

Mollie O’Brien has a voice the way Groucho Marx had a sense of humor, the way Secretariat had legs, and the way Elizabeth Taylor has eyes (or husbands). Try to imagine one without the other--impossible. Singing is as natural to Mollie as walking or talking. Her voice is a natural extension of herself. Anything she can imagine, she can communicate in song.

Jazz, R&B, blues, gospel, southern mountain traditional — you name it. And she approaches each with an ease that makes you think she was steeped in the style since the first time a note left her throat. 

Rich Moore is well-known and well-loved in Colorado's acoustic music family and has lived and performed here for over 25 years. He made his reputation early on as bassist and guitarist with stellar local outfits like The Solid Senders, and in recent years has been the rhythmic bedrock for Pete Wernick's Live Five, Celeste Krenz, and with ensembles fronted by his wife, the internationally-esteemed vocalist Mollie O'Brien. He is guitarist of choice for folk legend Tom Paxton, who invariably requests Moore as a sideman for his Colorado shows and says of Rich’s playing: 

"Whenever I'm trying to work out a guitar arrangement I inevitably come to a point where I ask myself, 'How would Rich play this?' Then I laugh at my pretensions to greatness and go back to my usual plunk, plunk style. Fact is, Rich plays the way I hear it in my head. I just wish my hands heard it that way, too."

Kort McCumber seamlessly blends folk, bluegrass, roots rock and Americana to create music to move you and make you move. When joined by his band, McCumberland Gap, it's a full-on "Original Americana Hootenanny"!

Kort is, in fact, a songwriter, a singer, a guitar player, a classically-trained pianist & cellist, a harmonica player, mandolin, banjo & bouzouki player, and, best of all, all-around good guy from Jacksonville, Florida. At the heart of it all is the music-- the noticeable strain of one genre and the hidden thread of another; a richly woven tapestry of folk, country, bluegrass, singer-songwriter, rock, roll and reverent. New songs with a hint of old that belies his years. And that's just what comes through on the records.

Live, it all takes on a more vigorous verve. "You never know where the next great memory is gonna come from," he often says, "And that's what makes it so easy to get up for each and every show." Kort currently resides in Boulder, Colorado, and his energy and enthusiasm never wane. With five CD's completed and more on the way, his library speaks for itself. Good songs well rendered. That's what you're in store for. And that's what you'll get. Good songs from a good guy who seems to just keep getting better.

Southern Exposure

Friday, Sep 21, 2007   Modern and traditional bluegrass Opening Act:  MGD

“If the Banjo were any good, the Beatles would have used it”. This quote came from a well-respected record producer in the 1970’s. Somewhat confused but inspired by these words, Southern Exposure emerged in 1981 and has never looked back. 

With one hand in contemporary bluegrass and the other reeling out some traditional tunes, Southern Exposure can both draw on the past and bring you to the present with a wide array of music put into the bluegrass idiom. Old favorites like “Uncle Pen”, and “Rocky Top”, mixed in with newer gems like “City Of New Orleans”, and ”Carolina In The Pines”, some old fiddle and banjo tunes with a new twist and even a little western swing and Cajun music. 

Sprinkle in a good dose of comedy on stage and you will see why they have cut a trail to concert halls and festivals all over the Rocky Mt. Region. Over the years, Southern Exposure has played major events such as The Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Rocky Grass, and The Black Hills Festival in South Dakota. They have appeared at noteworthy venues around Colorado such as The Arvada CO Center, The Paramount Theatre, The Boulder CO Theatre, Gerald Ford Amphitheatre in Vail, The Greeley Stampede, and are the annual band for The Denver CO Post Train to Cheyenne Frontier Days. Major events include The National Hockey League all-star week in Denver CO, Taste of Colorado, First Night Colorado, a performance at The Air Force Academy, and The KYGO Fourth of July show. 

Jaime sings. He always has. Always wanted to. Except maybe when he was in the fourth grade and Sister Mary Eymard used to traipse him and his two brothers around St. Mary's and force them to harmonize to Maguire Sisters tunes. Fortunately not too long after that he discovered what was going on up the road from the old Rhode Island homestead. And from the first act he ever saw at the Newport Folk Festival, a very young Tom Paxton, he knew what he wanted to do. That.

What followed was at least a lifetime and a half touring the deep South as lead singer for the Truly Dangerous Swamp Band, learning how to drive a truck while sleeping . . . actually, the tour lasted for a pretty constant 8 ½ years . . . the Swamp Band was out there rocking college campuses and clubs from Oxford, Mississippi to New York City, Princeton to Key West, opening shows for Little Feat, Bonnie Raitt, Delbert McClinton, Poco, Roseanne Cash and Vince Gill among others . . .

Living now in Santa Fe, New Mexico and back on the solo acoustic circuit, Jaime has released five solo albums plus his latest, Fool, a compilation album of mostly acoustic tunes for release in the US in on September 15th. Join us as we celebrate the release of Fool!

Albert & Gage Thursday, August 23, 2007   www.albertandgage.com Singer/songwriter duo

In Austin, Texas—a town overflowing with gifted singer/songwriters and guitar heroes—Christine Albert & Chris Gage have a nine year track record of making beautiful music together. Over the course of five duet albums, the duo has demonstrated that disparate backgrounds do not preclude musical soulmates from finding one another.

Their Burnin’ Moonlight album led an Austin Chronicle reviewer to exclaim, “(The songs are) beautifully framed by the duo's intertwined, yearning vocals, leaving a glow as luminous and bright as moonlight itself.” And the Houston Press noted, “From George Jones and Tammy Wynette to Richard and Linda Thompson, male-female duets are one of popular music's most delightful permutations. And the Austin-based duo of Christine Albert and Chris Gage easily slot right in with the best.”

Says Christine of her partner, “Musically, I like to go in lots of different directions”—from country songs to French chansons—“and Chris goes right along with me. It's not just that he plays bluegrass or folk or blues, but that he plays it all with so much integrity.” “After being a sideman for several years I was ready to start my own band again,” recalls Gage. “I wasn't sure exactly how that would manifest, and then I met Christine. What we brought out in each other was magical.”

Onstage, Albert's slender, dark beauty contrasts strikingly with Gage's craggy good looks. How gracefully they complement each other is easily apparent. 

John William Davis Sunday, August 12, 2007  www.losttribedreams.com Singer/songwriter   Opening Act:  Gabrielle Louise

John (William) Davis, thanks to well-placed bribes, extortion schemes, and shameless begging is a 2005 South Florida Folk Festival New Folk winner, a 2004 Kerrville New Folk winner, and winner of the 2002 Swallow Hill Songwriting Competition. He was also a finalist for the Wildflower Songwriting Competition in 2003, but generally stunk more than the bribes could offset that particular outing. His debut album, Dreams of the Lost Tribe, received much critical acclaim (see above). It was one of only nine albums to earn a perfect '10' from Folkwax reviewers. One cut, 'Okefenokee', was runner-up for 'Best Roots Song of 2004' at the Just Plain Folks music awards ceremony in LA in October. Davis has been chosen as a judge for the 2005 Kerrville New Folk competition. Davis remarked on hearing the news, "Hot dang, I can smell them 55-dollar bills already!"

Mack Bailey is a nationally acclaimed singer/songwriter who is gaining an ever-larger audience with his strong, expressive classically trained tenor voice, with an impressive range and pure clean quality. He writes sensitive original songs that express the deepest of human emotion, social conscience, and lighthearted fun. In concerts, he touches the listener's heart and tickles their funny bone. 

Mack performs solo and in two popular folk groups. In early 2004, he became a new member of the world-renowned legendary folk trio, The Limeliters, a beloved group that has entertained audiences all over the world for over 35 years. As a member of The Hard Travelers and "Tribute to John Denver" productions, Mack has sung with dozens of folk and country stars.

"It’s not what you get out of the music, but what the music gets out of you." - Mack Bailey

The Flying A's
Saturday June 23, 2007   Opening Act:  Jamie Michaels www.theflyinas.com  Country Rock, “Texified Jazz” and good old Southern Blues

This powerful duo is one of the rising stars in Texas Music. From the exciting blend of Stuart Adamson's honky-tonk sound, aggressive guitar, distinct vocals and strong songwriting combined with Hilary Claire Adamson's soulful voice and passion filled songs, this duo is gaining momentum throughout the United States.

With one listen, you can hear that they were both raised in Texas. Even "The Flying A" symbol they use is the official Adamson family cattle brand.

Their style combines a unique blend of rocking Country, mixed with breath taking ballads, "Texified Jazz" and good old Southern Blues that is sure to keep your audiences wanting more.

“Hilary is a petite beauty with a set of pipes…”
- Barker House Concerts

Acoustic Eidolon Friday June 22, 2007 www.acousticeidolon.com Contemporary instrumental combining world-class cello and the world’s greatest “double-necked ‘guitjo’” player   From the Vancouver Island MusicFest to the Kerrville Folk Festival, from the Kennedy Center in D.C. to St. Paul's Cathedral in London and the Spandau Theatre in Berlin, Germany, people have been praising the sound of Acoustic Eidolon.

Joe Scott and Hannah Alkire have combined their musical talents to create an exciting new acoustic instrumental sound. Joe plays an instrument he invented: the double-neck guitjo, a custom acoustic guitar with two necks, built exclusively for him. This one-of-a-kind instrument has incredible range and tonal qualities, sounding at times like a piano, dulcimer or beautiful harp. Combine that with Hannah's stunning tone and impeccable cello-playing, and you have the ingredients for some very moving music.

Acoustic Eidolon's recordings are a rich blend of both artists' musical influences and have been described as pure musical poetry. The bell-like quality of Joe's unique double-neck guitjo provides a lovely counterpoint to Hannah's elegantly inspired cello. It is truly a different and enchanting sound. Their live shows are very entertaining and include a few vocal selections, as well as pieces that borrow from Celtic, contemporary, bluegrass and Latin influences.

Boulder Acoustic Society
Saturday May 5, 2007 www.boulderacousticsociety.net Contemporary string instrumental and vocal quartet that defies any simple description

Dakota Blonde
Wednesday, April 25 Dakota Blonde Well-known, local acoustic trio	Photo by MaryLynn Gillaspie

Ken Gaines and Karen Mal
Saturday March 17, 2007 Opening Act:   Jubilant Bridge www.kengaines.com and www.karenmal.com  Acoustic singer/songwriters with a kick-ass mandolin