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 www.hardtimesbluegrass.com

Mike and Tari Conroy… Present the 6th annual HARDTIMES BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

July 25-26-27, 2014

Welcome to the official home page for the 6th annual Hardtimes Bluegrass Festival. This festival has a “old timey mountain feel” and features traditional bluegrass music. Our festival is an affordable, family friendly gathering in a beautiful setting, that is geared towards having good clean fun while celebrating the sounds of traditional bluegrass music.  Come see us this year!                  

Admission Fees: Adult – $12.00 for the weekend

(3 minutes or 3 days-it’s all the same  price)

12 Years and under – $6.00 for the weekend

Dry Camping – $12.00 for the weekend.

Camping is available in the trees on a first come- first serve basis.

NO RV HOOKUPS ARE AVAILABLE

Food vendors on site

Leashed dogs are allowed.

BRING YOUR LAWN CHAIRS

Festival site opens for camping Thursday, July 24th, 10:00 am

Featured Activities

11 Performing Bands

Pioneers in Montana Bluegrass

Band Contest Awards for “Best Band” and “Most Character”

Kids in Bluegrass

Bluegrass Gospel Sunday Morning

Lots of Jamming

Mike & Tari Conroy

Montana Rockies Bluegrass Association         Just a little reminder to…

come join us for a day of bluegrassin!    (see earlier posting for details)

The Loft is located Downtown Missoula, across from the parking garage, upstairs above the Dance Collective…119 W Main St, Missoula Montana

About the BAND

Phyllis Erck born in Sulpher Springs, Texas where she spent her childhood listening to radio and live jamborees, produced by her father, Lou, who was a popular radio disk jockey on KSST Radio. The family moved north at age 6 to build family business in radio. The business spread across the Rocky Mountain states and the family moved with it. Phyllis’ musical roots were stimulated at an early age in the pews of the Sourthern Baptist church where she learned to sing harmonies with the church choir and with her siblings who all sing. Inspired by her brother Charles’ playing, she took up the Dobro. Phyllis sang throughout high school and college. After college she moved to New England where she found the rich bluegrass music scene and formed close musical relationships with many of the players there. In 1998 she formed the band Blue Angel with Victoria Ginty and recorded the album Dance a Little Closer. In 2002 she returned Montana where she has performed with groups including Ramblin’ Rose, Hot House Tomatoes, The Alley Cats, Blue to the Bone and her current band the Ruby Jewel Band.

Career highlights

• IBMA Awards show with Jerry Douglas – 1 of 2 women in the dobro extravaganza with 50 players onstage celebrating the Grammy award winning album The Great Dobro Sessions
• Noppett Hill Bluegrass Festival – Sang tenor to Del McCoury on stage

Ruby Jewel Band Members

• Phyllis Erck, Dobro and vocals
• Louie Bond, Guitar and vocals
• Roy Gruss, Bass
• Walt Pederson, Drums

8th Annual    Big Sky Big Grass          February 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th   2014

CHECK OUT THE DETAILS ON THIS WEBSITE !!

Here’s a link….http://www.bigskybiggrass.com/about-mc/

There’s also a VERY nice article in the Bozeman paper about it.  http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/go/spotlight/article_c8dbff5e-8a2e-11e3-b0a9-001a4bcf887a.html

Join us at the next MRBA jam… Saturday February 8th at Ruby’s Convention Center, Missoula MT…Tom is gonna run a “SLOW PITCH” circle to help those of us just gettin into the Bluegrass Groove !!!

Ya’ll show up at 2:00 with yer bluegrass instruments and plan on singing and pickin’ all evening long.

Dont forget to bring something really good to share at the pot luck at 6pm, then getting back to the music right after desert!

 SEE YA THERE!!

What’s the most bluegrass fun you can have the weekend after Mother’s Day?

It is the 7th Annual ISBA Spring Super Jam  – whether you camp all weekend or just come for the day, it’s a great weekend of pickin’, music, friends…

Idaho Sawtooth Bluegrass Association

Spring Super Jam

May 16th – 18th

Lewis Clark Resort, Kamiah Idaho

TH Evening Early-bird Potluck, Workshops, Open Mic, Kids in Bluegrass, Outdoor Concert and Jamming, of course.

Lewis Clark Resort – Camper/RV spaces, tent camping, cabins, hotel and on-site restaurant – http://www.lewisclarkresort.com/.

There will also be some food vendors on site.

Additional Lodging & Options

Long Camp RV(one mile from festival site)

Clearwater 12 Motel (2 miles from festival site)

Kamiah Inn Motel – kamiahinn.com

Kamiah Hotel Bar and Grill

Kamiah is located on Hwy 12:

• 4 hours south of Spokane
• 3 hours west of Missoula
• 4 hours east of the Tri-Cities
• 4 hours north of Boise
• The planning committee is accepting bluegrass band requests to fill 6 – 30 minute band slots for the SAT afternoon outdoor concert. If your band would like to showcase, please email:
• Sample of your music (can be an IPad/Smart phone/YouTube video or audio recording)
• Short written introduction andPhoto to be used in advertising.

The Spring Super Jam draws folks from all over Idaho and the surrounding states. It’s the most fun you can have the weekend after Mother’s Day.  Send your band information today to:hmtsmithnid@gmail.com. Deadline: February 15^th (only three weeks). Bands will be notified by February 30^th.

Fine Print: the Spring Jam is not a fund raiser, nor a for-profit festival. Its purpose is to connect musicians and showcase bands.

• ISBA will:

o   Provide a quality sound system for the set – single mic configuration

o   Provide the band with a professional recording (CD) of their set, recorded by Shook Mountain Productions

o   Provide each band member a “high-fashion” ISBA t-shirt or hat – Woohoo!

o   Advertise the concert – posters, Facebook, Organization calendars & email (using  information and pictures, provided by each band)

o   Encourage purchase of band merchandise

• Band will:
• o   Bring band members as represented in promo packet – traditional bluegrass instrumentation (banjo, guitar, bass, mandolin, fiddle and/or dobro)
• o   Play on 30 minute set on SAT, May 17^th, sometime between 3 – 6pm 

 

 

….probably more fun than a pre war martin!!

contact Bill Anderson  bluegrassbill62@yahoo.com

if you love bluegrass…& i know you do…dont miss “The Broken Circle Breakdown”…at the Roxy Theator, Missoula Montana.

Screening Times:

hey everybody!! come on out to the rubys jam tomorrow, saturday the 11th.  Lots of strumming & singing, and  pot-lucking yummy food at 6:00, followed by more music & conversation till wee hours of the mornin’.