Volume 41 No. 9 September 2015 MAD FOLK WILL AGAIN BE SPONSORSING A STAGE AT WILLY STREET FAIR FOR ITS EIGHTH YEAR ON SEPTEMBER 19th & 20th! by Darlene Buhler The “Folk Stage” debuted at the Willy •they’ve played music together since Currently working on his fourth solo al- Street Fair (WSF) in 2008 and the Madison 1964, bum and planning more tours for 2016, Folk Music Society is excited to be hosting •divorced, remarried other people and Harty shows no signs of slowing down. this stage for the 8th year! We will again are best of friends, His live shows prove that good story tell- be located in front of Madison Sourdough •have released 19 recordings and four ing combined with journeyman musician- at 916 Williamson Street. The line-up for songbooks, and ship is as American as music gets. these two days are: •have played everywhere from A Prai- www.JoshHarty.com Saturday – September 19th rie Home Companion to the Wisconsin 2:00 – 2:45 – Lou & Peter Berryman State Coroners’ convention, and from the And our final set on Saturday will be 3:00 – 4:00 - Josh Harty Kennedy Center in Washington, DC to the the music of Brother Rye, they are making 5:00 – 6:00 - Brother Rye Sheboygan Bratfest; Berkeley’s Freight & their second appearance at Willy Street Salvage, The Ark in Ann Arbor, and New Fair, and are becoming quite popular at Sunday – September 20th York’s Caffe Lena have hosted them. not only their own gigs around town, 12:00 – 1:00 - Songwriters in the Round Or as Rich Warren, WFMT, Chicago but have also been a driving force on the Featuring John Jacobs, John says: “The Berrymans are indescribable. festival scene in Madison, playing at Mar- Petty (All Good Things) and Dana Perry No one in or out of the folk music world quette Waterfront Festival last year and 2:00 – 3:00 Madpolecats sounds or writes like them. At first listen- just finished playing the popular Sugar 3:30 – 4:30 – Blake Thomas ing the uninitiated may wonder how two Maple Festival in August. 5:00 – 6:00 – Samuel Llanas such goofy people achieved not merely They play America music, driven by success, but adulation. Then like they slide guitar and rock sensibility. They have We have so much talent here in Madi- have done to everyone else, the Berry- found the perfect blend of Delta blues, son and the surrounding area. Some of mans sneak into your mind and stage a country, and folk styles, leading them in our local musicians have moved out of coup.” More info about them at: www. their well-tailored sound. Madison, but we have pulled them back louandpeter.com here, because no one can resist the Willy Our middle set on Saturday will be the Sunday our stage kicks off the festival Street Fair. music of Josh Harty. Josh is a singer/song- right after the parade. We have a special We will kick off the whole festival on writer and is originally from Fargo, ND, he in the round showcase highlighting some Saturday and everyone on our Saturday had made his home in Madison for over talent we have found at the open mics stage has played past Willy Street Fairs and a decade and now calls the road home. right here in Madison! So to celebrate knows what a great time it is, that they However, he too has a love for Madison open mics and make you aware of the tal- have all said yes when we asked them to and The Willy Street Fair so this road show ent that is out there, let us introduce you to come back! We start the festival with Lou is back! He grew up singing and later play- John, Dana and John… & Peter Berryman. Although they are on ing guitar with his dad from the age of 6, Folk by Design, John Petty exemplifies the road travelling with their music they touring the Midwest performing at senior an adherence to tradition. Twisting and still have Madison as their home base, centers, churches and small-town festivals. bending the faithful genre as he sees fit; and when asked to come play our stage, These days he still spends most of the year John puts a unique spin on the time-hon- they made sure their travels brought them on the road, spending less time in Wiscon- ored sound, through a fresh batch of influ- back to Madison in time for Willy Street sin than he’d like. Since he last performed ences including alt rock, indie, folk, and Fair… and if you are new to this town, let at Willy St. Fair he has released two duo pop. Using different techniques, Petty has me tell you a little about them: Lou & Pe- albums while zig-zagging across America a sound unlike most traditional Folk art- ter Berryman are a songwriting duo with a several times and taking four trips to Eu- ists. He blends Folk, Bluegrass, Soul, Pop, fairly normal resume: rope (touring through 10+ countries). and Indie/Rock into something that tran- continued from frontpage Mad Folk Concert Tickets When you see this symbol – ee scends what you might not be expecting. wakes, and some of the best street cor- You might describe singer/songwriter ners in the USA! They were nominated for – you’ll know that you’re read- John Jacobs as a musical chameleon. He’s 2 WAMI’s last year for Best New Artist and ing about a Mad Folk sponsored been a guitarist with the classic rock band People Choice. They have been featured event. Advance tickets for Mad Quest, has played in a jazz/pop duo with on MMM 105.5 Studio M with Gabby Folk shows are available online Barb Cheron, has played and sung in the Parsons (http://www2.1055triplem.com/ at www.madfolk.org and at these country rock band Kids in the Candy Store, listen/live-studio-m-mad-polecats). You outlets: and performed in a gospel duo with Ann can find some of their music on our Re- Spencer. He has hosted pop/folk jams at verbNation page at http://www.reverbna- • Orange Tree Imports, 1721 Mon- the Tuvalu Coffeehouse, has performed tion.com/themadpolecats, as well as their roe Street in a variety of acoustic ensembles around facebook page at https://www.facebook. Dane County, and has been a frequent com/mad.polecats#!/the.madpolecats • Spruce Tree Music, 851 East player in the ever-changing open mic cir- And another long-time Madison cuit. His recent passion has been to incor- singer/songwriter who has moved away Johnson porate Spanish guitar and Latin rhythms is back for the festival, Blake Thomas is no into his original songs. Through all these stranger to Madison or Willy Street Fair. Purchase tickets ONLINE for Mad changes, some things have been consis- When asked to come back to play, there Folk concerts via Brown Paper tent: a love of life, a respect for all human- was not so much of a pause, we got an in- Tickets (with $1.62 service ity, and a desire to create music that unites stant yes! So what has he been up to since charge): and inspires. he left Madison? Blake is the co-founder, https://www.brownpapertickets. Madison-based singer and songwriter, host and producer of the podcast Take com/producer/10879 Dana Perry, is a one-woman acoustic band It With You. Set in a watering hole on the You can also purchase advance who shares her music with strangers in shores of Lake Superior this live radio play tickets by mail. Send a stamped self- Midwestern coffee houses regardless of and podcast follows Blake and a colorful addressed envelope with your check the weather outside. With just a guitar, her group of his multi-talented pals, patrons & voice and the tap of her foot on the floor, employees as they stumble through each payable to Mad Folk, PO Box 665, or the slap of her hand against the wood new 60-minute adventure filled with origi- Madison, WI 53701. If all else fails, call grain of her guitar, Perry delivers stripped nal music, laughs, sound effects, conversa- 608-846-9214 for information. down, soul-baring folk songs that cut tion & beer swilling! Find more info and we are going to end our Willy Street Fair through the mundane buzz of everyday listen online at takeitwithyou.org. Blake is set doing it again, join us in welcoming humdrum life…For more: https://www. also a performing songwriter and record- to a Willy Street Fair first time appearance, reverbnation.com/danaperry ing artist and has released several studio and you may remember him when he And what is a festival without The albums including Flatlands (2008). Blake’s was headlining with the Bodeans, Mr. Sam Madpolecats, winners of The Hard Rock work as a composer, writer and actor in- Llanas, who for over 30 years this WAMI Café Chicago’s Rising Star competition, clude two original musicals: Stay Tuned and ASCAP award winning songwriter the Overture Center’s Rising Star’s contest (co-written w/ Mary Fox & Andy Frye) de- has been impressing fans and critics alike and the #1 Reggae band in Wisconsin will buted at Yellow Tree Theatre (Osseo, MN) with his songs and unique voice. During be showcasing their unique form of Rasta- in 2013, Jonah & The Whale (music w/ Da- his storied career, he has shared the stage billy Skunkgrass that has garnered them vid Darrow, produced by 7th House The- with Robbie Robertson, Paul Simon, Neil so much attention! Utilizing an arsenal ater Co.) debuted at The Guthrie Theater Young, Merle Haggard, U2, Bob Dylan, Los of traditional bluegrass instruments The (Minneapolis, MN) in 2014.