Buffalo busker

A young violinist takes to the streets, bringing klezmer music to the western New York city.

Don Helms suffers heart attack

Don Helms, who was a key part of Hank Williams' sound is recuperating from a heart attack, it's reported here.

Don has been very active, attending steel guitar conventions regularly. We wish him a speedy recovery.

Speedy Krise is honored at gathering

Some day I hope to make the Gathering of Resonateurs in North Carolina. The Gathering and its tribute to Speedy Krise made the local press.

"They are young and stupid..."

That's the takeaway from this article on an attack on a northern California street musician.

Imagine that

Sioux Falls, SD, merchants hire street musicians to play downtown and civilization doesn't crumble. In fact, folks seem to like it.
In New Haven, the Chapel Merchants Association is hiring musicians and performers for Saturdays in good weather. I'll be there Aug. 2 and 9.

Connecticut Blues Challenge

Jon Swift and I have been accepted into the Connecticut Blues Society Blues Challege in the solo/duo category. The preliminaries will be in late October and early November, and the winner will represent the Society at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in February.
The band competition has been under way. See the society home page for schedule information.

Jerry Douglas - artist in residence at HOF

Congratulations to Jerry Douglas for being named an artist in residence at the Country Music Hall of Fame. According to the official announcement, "Dobro in hand, Douglas will host four memorable evenings in August and September, each carefully curated by the artist to illustrate different facets of his glittering career. He will hold court in the Museum’s Ford Theater on August 19 and 27, and September 16 and 30; each show begins at 7 p.m."

I wish a little more care with spelling had been shown in the the announcement's headline:

“Dobbro’s matchless contemporary master,” JERRY DOUGLAS TO LIVEN FORD THEATER as Country Music Hall of Fame^® and Museum’s 2008 ARTIST-IN-RESIDNECE

Tickets ($30) will be on sale exclusively to Museum members July 14-20 (a one-year Museum membership is $25 for adults, $10 for youths). Tickets will go on sale to the public at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, July 21 and should be purchased online at www.countrymusichalloffame.com. For more information, call (615) 416-2001. Museum doors open at 6:00 p.m. for the 7:00 p.m. shows.