Main Stage Lineup
Kenny and Amanda Smith Band
Saturday, August 28 from 12:00 - 12:45 pm
and 9:00 - 9:45 pm
Sunday, August 29 from 10:00 - 10:45 am
The Kenny and Amanda Smith Band is one of the most highly respected Bluegrass bands in the industry, with the group winning International Bluegrass Music Association's Emerging Artist of the Year Award in 2003 and Kenny twice winning IBMA's Guitarist of the Year. When Kenny started his music career, he performed Southern Gospel music with his cousin at area churches where they began to build a loyal following. It was during this time that Kenny made his conversion to Christianity and eventually he moved into the Bluegrass genre with the Lonesome River Band but his heart stayed with his Christian roots. At a concert, Kenny met fellow Bluegrass artist Amanda, who had been praying to meet a Christian man who liked to play music. Their band debuted in 2001 and became of the most innovative new acts in Bluegrass music. Now they are poised to breakout into the Christian market where they will take their Bluegrass Gospel sound to churches and concert halls across the country fulfilling a ten-year dream of sharing the Lord's message through song.
The Orpheus Supertones
Friday, August 27 from 9:00 - 9:45 pm
Saturday, August 28 from 3:00 - 3:45 pm
The Orpheus Supertones are one of the best-kept secrets of traditional American music.
The band features Walt Koken, fabled in song and story for his fiery fiddling and hot banjo picking. Koken is the founder of the Highwoods Stringband and an inspiration to banjo players and fiddlers worldwide.
With Walt are Clare Milliner, genius of traditional American fiddle tunes, Pete Peterson, banjo picker and singer extraordinaire, and Kellie Allen, traditional singer and guitarist. Each one of them is an award-winning musician in his or her own right. Together, the Orpheus Supertones are top flight in old-time music, twin fiddles a-flailing, vocal harmonies a-blazing, hot banjo and guitar licks a-rocking your world.
The Eureka Times Standard said: "The band displays a familiarity that draws the audience in right off the bat. 'Just pretend we?re in the living room', Koken says, 'having a few drinks and playing a few tunes.' Oh, but don't be fooled by the just-folks, easy demeanor. These people are take-no-prisoner, downright hot musicians."
Bluegrass Unlimited said: "Orpheus Supertones have captured the essence of early country music."
The Badly Bent
Saturday, August 28 from 1:00 - 1:45 pm
and 8:00 - 8:45 pm
Sunday, August 29 from 9:00 - 9:45 am
The Badly Bent has been entrenched in the bluegrass music scene since 1997. Based in Durango, Colorado, The Badly Bent has proven its musicianship through the winning of prestigious music competitions and receiving accolades from many of its peers in the bluegrass industry. These boys are not newcomers to either the bluegrass scene or performing in front of large audiences.
The Badly Bent does not present itself as one of the new pseudo-bluegrass jam bands. Although their musical prowess allows them to explore the edges of traditional music, the listener will find that the music never strays far from the roots established by the fathers of the genre. Their love for the genuine bluegrass sound is so evident every time they take the stage. And, that emotion is totally contagious with the audience. Everyone has a good time. But, don't be surprised when they pull a song out of the hat that everyone says, "Now, where have I heard that before?" Their repertoire will please even the most discriminating listener.
Bayou Seco
Friday, August 27 from 8:00 - 8:45 pm
Saturday, August 28 from 4:00 - 4:45 pm
We, Bayou Seco, have collected music from older traditional American musicians for most of our lives and we have learned to play many of their tunes and songs. We have especially focused on Cajun music in SW Louisiana and, since 1980, we have learned from traditional Hispanic, Cowboy, and Tohono O'Odham musicians in New Mexico and Arizona. Both of us play fiddle and guitar and sing. Ken also plays one and three row diatonic accordions, 5-string banjo (fretless and freted), harmonica, and mandolin.
Albuquerque Weekly Alibi - "Their ongoing music education has afforded them a unique insight into the traditional folk music of many of the cultures scattered about the Southwestern United States, in turn allowing them to enrich the lives of others through a rich repetoire of song and dance. While it is convenient to call BAYOU SECO a cajun band, anyone who has experienced their live sets or recordings know there's much more to it than that. Their music is an amalgam."
Albuquerque Journal - "When they spin out their tunes, magically a time is conjured up when people instinctively got up and danced because they were moved to, because it felt good, not because it was some kind of bizarre bar room mating ritual...There is something instantly recognizable in the songs of BAYOU SECO. It's as if you can hear the foundation that modern music is built upon, singing from underneath."
Arizona Daily Star - "BAYOU SECO emphasizes the rich cross cultural nature of music in general." ... "BAYOU SECO emphasizes the rich cross cultural nature of music in general - a little from here, a touch from there... Divergent musical styles, so well cross-pollinated, they have become hybrids."
Santa Fe Reporter - "The common element of their music is the sheer happiness each song projects."
The Squash Blossom Boys
Saturday, August 28 from 2:00 - 2:45 pm
and 7:00 - 7:45 pm
The Squash Blossom Boys are an eclectic bluegrass quintet from Corrales, New Mexico. Bringing together elements of jazz, rock, reggae, and traditional roots bluegrass, the band creates a unique sound that explores the roots and boundaries of bluegrass music. The band's stylistic versatility lends itself to the demands of multiple audiences and settings. The Squash Blossom Boys have played festivals, performance spaces, bars, restaurants, and moving tractor trailers !! The music of the Squash Blossom Boys is easily accommodated for calm easy listening, as well as upbeat, lively atmospheres. Here is what people are saying about the Squash Blossom Boys:
"These young men are so very talented and stop-in-your-tracks good! Find them and go listen! You will want to jump up and start dancing -- definitely a feel good experience. They give a performance you won't forget. Each of them bring a practiced artistry to the group and you'll have an opportunity to enjoy each of their talents as well as the combined excellence of the group. This is just from getting to listen to them by accident as I was shopping at Whole Foods, I am a fan!"
"The Squash Blossom Boys. They are talented in their instruments. They are a young local blue grass/folk type band and they play at various venues, even La Montanita Co-Op sometimes. Check them out if you ever have the chance. I have a feeling you may enjoy them, I know I did and I have never listened to that type of music."
The Mullanys
Friday, August 27 from 7:00 - 7:45 pm
Saturday, August 28 from 5:00 - 5:45 pm
Jim and Marj Mullany met for the first time at the Santa Fe Banjo and Fiddle Contest in 1987. They fell in love singing and fiddling tunes and encored with marriage and children.
Jim has played banjo, fiddle and guitar since his Virginia high school days, and has played with the old-time group The Nattering Nabobs since the early 1990s. Marj descends from a Texas Panhandle musical family and sang with Albuquerque?s The Estrotones for many years. Both Jim and Marj have played occasionally in The Goatheads, The Little Friskies, The Tune Junkies, and The Love Maggots.
Daughter Maddy was born in 1994 and son Riley followed in 1996. Both children were totally immersed in music from birth. They began playing fiddle and guitar early on and were part of their elementary school?s first and only old-time string band, Abbi And The Kidbobs.
The Mullanys have performed as a family since 2008, mostly for contra dances and parties in New Mexico and Colorado. Now that the younger Mullanys have expanded their interests to include Celtic, French Canadian, and Nordic music, The Mullanys have added these influences to their repertoire of Southern style old-time tunes and Appalachian ballads.
2009 Bluegrass Band Competition Champions -
High Desert Bluegrass
Saturday, August 28 from 9:00 - 9:45 am
Lead vocalist, Vicci Seaton and her guitar playing husband Danny are behind the formation of High Desert Bluegrass. They debuted as a group on December 9, 2008 at San Juan College?s Enterprise Center during a holiday book fair. Although the group has played together informally for years at Bluegrass festivals and jam sessions with larger groups of musicians, they first appeared together at an Ole Time music reunion at Joe Moore Reservoir near Mancos, Colorado. Then they decided to get serious about being a band and practiced sets for their holiday gig. They appeared on KSJE public radio at San Juan College prior to the book fair in an hour long live interview where they played, sang and talked about the roots of Bluegrass music.
Brian Dotson plays banjo and sings harmony and lead, Ed Sullivan on mandolin, Sue Coulter on bass, and Danny Seaton plays rhythm guitar. The tunes range from traditional bluegrass to country and gospel and include such songs as upbeat Bluegrass favorites "Glendale Train", "Going Back to the Blueridge Mountains", and a few original songs.
2009 Old Time Band Competition Champions - Second-String Band
Saturday, August 28 from 10:00 - 10:45 am