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Stopping by at Longstaff House before a benefit t Florence/Carlton High School.

El Wencho is a powerhouse duo with big sound that relates the Montana lifestyle through
immersive lyrics, catchy melodies and driving rhythms. Their authentic music is an eclectic
fusion of genres that draws on sonic elements from red dirt rock, blues, country, Americana and
polyrhythmic Latin percussion. Purposefully inclusive, their music is a catalyst for storytelling,
laughter and fostering connections with fans. Live shows are an experiential combination of their
dynamic Montana sound, engaging storytelling and comedic flair. Josh and John are supremely
talented musicians and entertainers. Together they form an authentic and charismatic duo that
expertly connects with the audience and delivers an engaging and highly addictive musical
experience.

 Tom Catmull, Dana Cooper, and Jackson Emmer are teaming up for a night of original acoustic music at Longstaff House.  Tom and I put this show together to take advantage of musicians in Montana for songwriting workshops.  Please check these guys out, you will be impressed.

 Tom Catmull is a word enthusiast. They are the larger part of what makes his world go round. He’s spent the last twenty-five years in his adopted hometown of Missoula, MT presenting words in ways to make them as alluring as possible to people who crave such things. The tricks useful to achieving this feat include infectious melody, thoughtful arrangement, storytelling, some finger picking and a clean shirt. The last couple of decades have included seven full length albums, a few television appearances (Montana PBS 11th and Grant), a hundred theaters performances (The Wilma, The Rex, The Roxy, The Dennison, etc), dozens of festivals, countless honkytonks and two ridiculously fun national anthems. He’s been the supporting act for Robert Earl Keen, Charlie Musselwhite, Junior Brown, Asleep at the Wheel and a dozen others. There exists some confidence that his roots driven Americana songs are worthy of your time. Don’t be fooled, though. The acoustic guitar, harmonica and hat are just cheap ploys to get the words out in front of you.

Cooper’s lifelong passion & devotion to music began at age 2 in Kansas City. His father, George, was a huge influence. One of Dana’s earliest memories is of his father taking him to the Calico Cat, popping a coin in the jukebox and listening to Dana sing along with Hank Williams & Ernest Tubb.At age 20 a move to LA resulted in a record deal with Elektra Records where he recorded his first album with members of “The Section” Russ Kunkel and Leleand Sklar, as well as other luminary players Jim Horn, Al Perkins, Jim Gordon, Joe Osborne, and Lee Holdridge. This album still wins accolades today and was recently reissued on the Warner/Japan label.After several years in California and a year recording in Seattle, Cooper moved to Texas where he wrote and performed with Shake Russell. They released several independent albums and one album for Southcoast/MCA.

Jackson Emmer is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer from Carbondale, Colorado. His work blends humor with heartache, and tradition with exploration. Emmer’s writing is often compared to that of John Prine and Guy Clark. He has toured the US since 2009, collaborated with Grammy-winners, and co-written 40+ songs with folk music legend, Tom Paxton. Emmer has opened for Robert Earl Keen, Sierra Ferrell, and Tim McGraw. His work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard, 1200+ Spotify playlists, and 200+ radio stations worldwide.

What can I say, the 3rd show for LAS at LSH!!  Do not (ever) miss these guys, absolute masters.  This is the last show of the season, AND, we are unveiling our new mural by Cecelia Masony!!

The Lonesome Ace Stringband is an old-time band with bluegrass credentials playing some righteous Americana music. There’s a depth of groove and sense of space not often heard in bluegrass today, a level of instrumental interplay uncommon in old-time, and an on-stage rapport that transcends all of this.

Three Canadians lost in the weird and wonderful traditional country music of the American South, the band members Chris Coole (banjo), John Showman (fiddle) and Max Malone (bass) are each journeyman musicians and veterans of some of Canada’s top roots music acts (New Country Rehab, The David Francey Band, The Foggy Hogtown Boys, Fiver).

Wow, another legendary Celtic band at Longstaff House.

Fiddler Malcolm has been called back to Tasmania because of the death of his mother so the band will be playing as a trio.

Looks like another good bunch coming toLongstaff House.

“The Pine Hearts are totally rad! They’re one of the best new bands on the scene. The singing, picking and songwriting is fabtastic and organic. Two thumbs up!” — Charles Humphrey III (Songs From The Road Band)

Just beneath the eaves of Washington’s Cascade Mountains, The Pine Hearts are combining wood, ore and soul to channel the colossal, organic spirit of the untamed Pacific Northwest. Their sound, like the environment around them, is ever-changing, harnessing classic country songwriting, the powerful emotive themes of experimental folk, and the blazing-fast pickin’ rhythms of traditional Appalachian bluegrass — all the while staying rooted to their rock-n-roll backgrounds.

“A catchy, peppy mixture of folk, indie and jamgrass” — Bluegrass Today

BIOGRAPHY

Kendl Winter and Palmer T. Lee are two kindred spirits who first met on the banks of the Mississippi while touring the Midwest festival circuit. Born and raised in Arkansas, Winter found herself drawn to the evergreens and damp air of the Pacific Northwest, as well as the boundless music scene of Olympia, Washington. She released three solo records on Olympia-based indie label, K Records, and performed in ramblin’ folk bands and anarchic punk bands before serendipitously meeting Palmer T. Lee in 2013. Lee had built his first banjo when he was 19 from pieces he inherited and began cutting his teeth fronting Minneapolis string bands before convincing Winter that they should form a banjo duo. Now, as The Lowest Pair, they have recorded and released five albums together, relentlessly toured North America, and ventured to the UK twice, playing over 500 live shows over the past five years.

After each releasing solo albums via Conor Oberst’s Team Love Records in 2018, Winter and Lee began working on The Lowest Pair’s forthcoming 10- song set, The Perfect Plan. As a songwriting team, the duo tends to see artistic sparks all around them — in poems, people, ideas, experiences – and throughout the process of writing these new songs, they felt the need to push their creative limits. They turned to producer Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes who took them to ARC Studios in Omaha, Nebraska, and set them in a soundscape backed by a slate of session players that lifts the album from simple folk into spirited Americana and beyond. Clawhammer banjo and acoustic guitar still hold the heart of The Lowest Pair, but the fleshed-out sound of The Perfect Plan leans gently into Winter’s punk past, as well as the sonic playground of her mind, to set the band down a new path on their musical journey.

The Birds are returning for a 3rd show at Longstaff House!!

Birds of Play is an Americawna Roots quartet based in the San Juan Mountains of Southwestern Colorado. Their distinct sound is rooted in and inspired by their connection to the land in which they reside. The band features multi- instrumentalists and songwriters Alex Paul on Guitar, Upright Bass, Mandolin and Vocals; Eric Shedd on Upright Bass, Mandolin, Guitar and Vocals; Anneke Dean on Violin, Guitar and Vocals and Jack Tolan on Guitar, Mandolin, Electric Bass and Vocals.

Their arrangements and compositions are a reflection of their vast and teaming pools of inspiration from artists such as Wood Brothers, Punch Brothers and Andrew Bird. Birds of Play’s high-caliber musicianship and song craft are laced with imagination and a vibrant, intuitive understanding of the human condition – while their live shows weave together an intricate tapestry of place, authenticity, magic, and humor.

Four years into this journey, Birds of Play are venturing further out of the nest to create community and bring people together to share in universal themes of love, connection, and wonder. With an uplifting and joyous exuberance – and a fourth studio album on the horizon for release this summer – these four dear friends are riding the thermals of their creativity to ever-greater heights.

Straight from Hardtimes Bluegrass Festival…….The Johnny Campbell Band is a 5-piece traditional bluegrass band that has toured the country for over 10 years. The band features Nashville locals Johnny Campbell (fiddle), Jeff Burke (mandolin), Terry Eldrige (bass), Phyllis Erck (banjo), and Luke Munday (guitar).

While many contemporary bands have taken a modern approach to the music, Johnny stays true to traditional bluegrass melodies, note for note. The band’s diverse approach to the set list appeals to everyone from Baby Boomers to Millennials, surprising each end of the spectrum with a love for the unfamiliar and impressing new fans with their deep-rooted knowledge of this time-honored style. Johnny, an enthusiastic and charismatic award-winning fiddler, started Johnny Campbell Band in Nashville, TN in 2012. Good vibes, high energy, great tunes, a flair for drama, and a memorable performance make Johnny Campbell Band a must-catch act out of the booming Nashville music scene.