Progressive bluegrass quartet, the Henhouse Prowlers, announce the release of their new album, The Departure today.

For Henhouse Prowlers, the way that this album was created was a departure from the “normal” way they have made records in the past. The sense of collaboration and camaraderie that came out of the recording session was musically powerful and resolute. Especially in light of the isolation and uncertainty of the past year.

Every beginning has an end. Every end, a new beginning. Every departure, has an arrival.

The Departure was recorded and mixed by Jacob Belser at Primary Sound Studios, Bloomington, Indiana. 

Mastered by Randy LeRoy at Tonal Park, Takoma Park, Maryland. With production assistant, John Rice. 

All songs arranged and produced by Henhouse Prowlers.

The Henhouse Prowlers are: Chris Dollar; (guitar and vocals), Jon Goldfine; (bass and vocals), Jake Howard; (mandolin and vocals), and Ben Wright; (banjo and vocals).

The original illustrations and album design for The Departure, are created by Bob Delevante of Delevante Studios in Nashville.

Henhouse Prowlers released acclaimed first single track, Short Branch Saloon, on March 26, from their forthcoming album, The Departure, on all streaming digital platforms.

Written by banjoist, Ben Wright – the song, Short Branch Saloon tells of a tragic story that occurred in Neenah, Wisconsin just weeks before the Henhouse Prowlers performed there; still fresh on the minds of bar patrons who shared the saga, with them.

You can watch the Henhouse Prowlers talk about the inspiration behind Short Branch Saloon, and their songwriting craft in this video, marking the release of the new track. https://youtu.be/4fjfMO4qQJ8

Upcoming noteworthy shows include:

May 29 – City Winery Chicago – The Departure Album Release Shows

May 30 – City Winery Chicago – The Departure Album Release Shows

June 4 – The Station Inn – Nashville, Tennessee

June 5 – John Hartford Memorial Festival – Morgantown, Indiana 

August 20 – Blue Ox Music Festival – Eau Claire, Wisconsin

September 5 – Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival – Woodstown, New Jersey

Minneapolis based, indie folk artist, Humbird releases their new album, Still Life, to the world today. Siri Undlin, the singer-songwriter behind the Humbird moniker, has creatively collaborated with producer Adelyn (Addie) Strei and longtime bandmates Pete Quirsfeld and Pat Keen on their beautifully reflective, sophomore, full length record.

Still Life was created during the long months of 2020 – a time of isolation, and unrest in many forms in the outside world. Still Life is about a house – each song a different room where ordinary things happen, where the quiet moments of our lives unfold. Still Life is also about what happens outside of a house. It weaves through the rippling events that took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2020 – a chronicle of a city reckoning with anger, grief, and white supremacy while our society watched. 

Still Life is also an accident – a collection of songs that exist together to reflect a particular moment and a specific place. It is about survival and kitchen utensils, broken hearts and taco trucks. It’s about a pink bicycle strewn on the sidewalk. It is a letter to the future. Inside this record, Humbird wants you to smell the lilacs in the front yard and the tear gas in the streets. Humbird wants you to hear how hope is actually a verb. Humbird believes this record is grounded in the charms and tribulations of the domestic, but travels the whims of imagination into the strange and infinite abyss of inner realms, too. 
 
More tangibly, Siri Undli wrote Still Life in her yellow bedroom. And then she walked across the hallway to her friend and producer, Addie Strei’s yellow bedroom, where she recorded and produced the songs. Experimenting with synth sounds, arrangements, and sonic worlds to create a safe and honest place for the songs to exist. They wanted to invite people into the house, into the home of their own bodies, where they spent so much time.

Music in Minnesota eloquently states, “Still Life is a wishing well that is constructed for everyone to gather around and toss your penny in. Each song became a residence for stories to be heard and for burdens to be lifted. Now being released from its four walls, the album is a reflection of deep friendships, artistic respect, and a love of togetherness.”

Still Life has already received enthusiastic praise from within the folk world – awarded as a 2021 Kerrville Folk Fest’s New Folk Winners, where Humbird performed at the Kerrville Folk Festival in September, 2021.

With No Depression highlighting Humbird’s Still Life, as one of the top album releases the week of October 15, 2021.

The Current 89.FM, featured the single track, Plum Sky as the “Song of the Day”, claiming “the song as a new step for the singer-songwriter, with her vocals accompanied by big, brooding drums.”

“Still Life offers a delicate balance – a yin and yang – with soothing, meditative instrumentation paired with more pressing, thought-provoking lyrics, layered on top. Each song on the album melts into the next seamlessly, and captures your attention. The album offers a sense of tranquility and a simultaneous sense of change and urgency. Still Life forces you to listen and really hear.” – Music Mecca

“Humbird’s music is warm and dynamic. Siri Undlin’s soothing vocals and engaging lyrics sit perfectly on top of a lush, sonic landscape that speaks for itself with feeling and atmosphere.” – The Homegrown Show / BOBFM

Catch Humbird On Tour:

October 22 – The Mabel Tainter Theater – Menomonie, Wisconsin
November 3 – Artist in Residence – The Icehouse – Minneapolis, Minnesota
November 10 – Artist in Residence – The Icehouse – Minneapolis, Minnesota
November 11 – The Bur Oak – Madison, Wisconsin
November 12 – Bishop Hill Creative Commons – Bishop Hill, Illinois
November 13 – Old Town School of Folk Music – Chicago, Illinois
November 14 – Linneman’s Riverwest Inn – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
November 17 – Artist in Residence – The Icehouse – Minneapolis, Minnesota
November 24 – Artist in Residence – The Icehouse – Minneapolis, Minnesota

Still Life can be streamed or purchased on Amazon Music, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Google Play, iTunes, Pandora, and Spotify – CDs and LPs on Amazon.com and www.humbirdmusic.com

Still Life Track Listing:
Hymn For Whom
Summer Storm For Charlotte
May
Plum Sky
Heavy
Standing In The Way
Stone Giant
Pink Moon For John Prine
My Pillow Is A River
On The Day We Are Together Again

The progressive bluegrass and Americana quartet Barbaro, release their new EP, Under the Covers, to the world today, with all proceeds from the EP to benefit the charitable organization, Our Saviour’s Community Services of Minneapolis.

The concept behind Under the Covers is one of camaraderie and respect amongst fellow artists and musicians from the Midwest and across the country. Barbaro felt compelled by the challenging events of 2020 to reach out to their musical friends and produce a dedicated collection of personally meaningful cover songs for an essential cause.

Under the Covers features guest artists, Tommy Maher of Fireside Collective, Ernest Brusabardis IV of Chicken Wire Empire, Adam Roszkiewicz of Front Country, Kaytee Callahan of Gully Boys, Siri Undlin of Humbird, and the late Max Graham of Kind Country.

The Current 89.3FM, debuted the new single, "Dark Turn of Mind", with host, Mike Pengra featuring it on the Radio Heartland programming.

Released on October 22 – The first single track, "Dark Turn of Mind", is a beautiful, collaboration with Barbaro, Siri Undlin of Humbird on vocals, and Adam Roszkiewicz of Front Country on mandolin. The Gillian Welch song provides a compositional space conducive to Barbaro’s sound. Barbaro knew that Siri’s powerful vocals would produce a moving and original take on this song.

Recently, the Minneapolis Star Tribune featured Barbaro as a “‘Minnesota band freshening up the bluegrass scene’, and the new EP as a charity project to help Minneapolis recover from the chaos of 2020. All proceeds from it go to Our Saviour's Community Services of Minneapolis. Said Shelstad, ‘It was important for us for it to be a charity doing very tangible, hands-on work in the community.’”

This is a special project for Barbaro, as Our Saviour’s Community Services in Minneapolis is a local organization close their hearts. With so many social challenges and inequities coming to a head in the summer of 2020, Barbaro found it important to give back to their own community.

“With the desire to recognize and support the tangible and impactful work that Our Saviour’s Community Services does in our own backyards, we felt strongly about dedicating the new Under the Covers EP as an opportunity to support this organization. We learned what it means to be good neighbors this year”, say Barbaro.

Our Saviour’s Community Services is a secular nonprofit in South Minneapolis that operates two programs: The English Learning Center and Our Saviour’s Housing. Welcoming students from many educational backgrounds, the English Learning Center offers free, culturally sensitive English education and citizenship preparation to adult learners. Our Saviour’s Housing offers person-centered, low-barrier supportive housing services and emergency shelter; it is a place where people can expect to find hope, community, and dignified services.

Adventures in Americana write, "The idiosyncratic song choices give "Under the Covers" the feeling of a great night of karaoke – if instead of a tinny synthesized backing track you had some of the best bluegrass musicians in the Midwest playing live and a bar packed with talented professional singers coming up to perform every song. It brings to mind the recent covers-for-a-cause album by Jason Isbell, Blue. While that album brought together mainly Nashville talents in celebration of songs from Georgia, "Under the Covers"  is a gathering of mostly Minnesota musicians for a local nonprofit that pulls double duty as a provider of both emergency housing services and English language instruction.”

No Depression highlighted Barbaro’s new EP, Under the Covers, on their Now Hear This list of new releases for November 12, 2021.

Barbaro was selected as an Official Showcase Artist for Folk Alliance International 2020, AmericanaFest 2021, and IBMA World of Bluegrass in 2020 and 2021­. With Barbaro being highlighted as one the Top 10 Artists to see at IBMA World of Bluegrass this year.

Barbaro’s musical vision explores their collective life experiences through intricate instrumentation, creatively bending traditional music  into a style that is all their own. The Minneapolis-Winona based rising stars have created their eclectic sound through original songwriting craft, with inspiration derived from bluegrass, jazz and chamber music. Their acclaimed album, "Dressed in Roses", “Stands as a true testament to their musical identity and the sound that has launched one of the Midwest’s most in-demand acoustic acts.”

Under the Covers can be streamed or purchased on Amazon Music, Apple Music, Google Play, iTunes, Pandora, and Spotify.

Go to – www.barbaro.com/underthecovers

Under the Covers Track Listing:
Believe
Dark Turn of Mind
If It Makes You Happy
Jesus, etc.

Blue Ox Music Festival is proud to announce the initial artist lineup for the 9th Blue Ox Music Festival, taking place on June 22, 23, 24, 2023. The festival welcomes back the annual summer pilgrimage of bluegrass, Americana, roots, and folk artists, and their devoted music festival fans; returning to the tall trees and rolling hills of northern Wisconsin.

Presenting three days of music and camping with a genre-weaving, electrifying lineup of heavy hitters including –  The Avett Brothers, Sam Bush Band, Mike Gordon, Charley Crockett, The Infamous Stringdusters, Sierra Hull, Charlie Parr, Kitchen Dwellers, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, The Lowest Pair, Yasmin Williams,  Joshua Ray Walker, Them Coulee Boys, Kyle Tuttle, Rainbow Girls, Henhouse Prowlers, Big Richard, The Last Revel,  Pixie and The Partygrass Boys, Barbaro, Sicard Hollow, Feed the Dog, Stillhouse Junkies, Mama Said String Band,  Wild Goose Chase Cloggers, Jason Dea West, Buffalo Galaxy, The Foxgloves, and Black River Revue. With more artists to be announced.

Pert Near Sandstone will host the Blue Ox Music Festival for its ninth year, in addition to performing for two nights.

The Avett Brothers, left, will perform for the first time at the 2023 Blue Ox Music Festival – as well as guitar virtuoso, Yasmin Williams, right.

As is the heritage of the Blue Ox Music Festival, this year will again celebrate the extraordinary talent of traditional  bluegrass and roots music legends, as well as progressive stars in the making. For the first time, Blue Ox welcomes  to the main stage – three-time GRAMMY Award nominees and North Carolina Music Hall of Fame inductees,  The Avett Brothers, who made mainstream waves with their 2009 major label debut, I And Love And You. The acclaimed  documentary May It Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers co-directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio), chronicles the writing of 2016’s True Sadness. In 2019, the band released their 10th studio album, Closer Than Together, featuring “High Steppin’” which reached #1 on the Americana Radio Singles chart. Their newest album, The Third Gleam, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Americana / Folk Albums chart, #1 on Rock Albums, #1 Vinyl Albums, and “Victory” hit #1 on the Americana Radio Singles chart. In January 2022, Swept Away, a musical inspired by and featuring the music of The Avett Brothers, premiered at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre to rave reviews from audiences and critics.

Blue Ox has been honored to have the Sam Bush Band on the lineup each year since the festival began. One of the most celebrated pioneers of progressive bluegrass, Sam Bush has continued to push boundaries since he began his career in the 1960s. The virtuoso mandolinist and fiddler has played with luminaries on the order of Emmylou Harris, Doc and Merle Watson and New Grass Revival. He has released seven albums and a live DVD over the past two  decades. In 2009, the Americana Music Association awarded Sam Bush the Lifetime Achievement Award for  Instrumentalist. His performances are annual highlights of the festival circuit, with Bush’s joyous perennial appearances at the Colorado town’s famed bluegrass fest earning him the appellation “King of Telluride.” 

Another highight of the artist lineup includes guitar virtuoso and progressive rising star, Yasmin Williams, who plays  Blue Ox Music Festival for the first time. Since its release in January 2021, Williams’ album, Urban Driftwood has been praised by numerous publications such as Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, NPR Music, No Depression,  and Paste Magazine.

This year, Blue Ox Music Festival welcomes Phish founding member Mike Gordon, who makes his first appearance at the festival. After founding the jam-band group in 1983, Gordon has gone on to receive kudos for his innovative songwriting for the band, as well as his finely tuned bass playing. Mike has released absorbing solo albums on his own, including 2014’s Overstep. He’s also been associated with the pioneering solo guitarist Leo Kottke on a series of albums that includes 2020’s Noon.

An eclectic musician who draws from country, soul, jazz and blues, Charley Crockett grew up in South Texas and  spent time busking in New Orleans and other locales to perfect his unique hybrid of American music. Charley started out as a bluesman, and his repertoire still includes his interpretations of classic-to-obscure blues songs and his highly  focused original tunes. He’s released 11 studio albums over the past decade, with 2020’s Welcome to Hard Times garnering both critical and fan support. His latest album, 2022’s Lil’ G.L. Presents: Jukebox Charley, features the great  exponent of roots music covering Jerry Reed’s 1967 tune “I Feel for You.” Crockett remains hard-working and  completely his own man in the firmament of Americana music. Blue Ox looks forward to Charley Crockett performing on the main stage this June.

This year attendance will be limited to 5000 tickets, to preserve the intimacy and magic that Blue Ox Music Festival was built upon.

Fans can stay tuned for updates about the 2023 Blue Ox Music Festival and The Pines Music Park, by subscribing to the  newsletters at www.blueoxmusicfestival.com and www.pinesmusicpark.com.

As artists and ambassadors for the festival – members of Pert Near Sandstone, Nate Sipe and Blue Ox MC, Justin Bruhn, produce and host the popular, Road to Blue Ox Podcast. In each episode, Bruhn and Sipe interview performing artists on the Blue Ox lineup, as well as highlighting key information and updates about the festival. Tune in for new Road to Blue Ox Podcast episodes on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher and Pocket Casts. Follow along on  Spotify and be notified as soon as a new episode is released.

About Blue Ox Music Festival – Blue Ox creates and fosters an inclusive sense of artistic community and has become a cornerstone of the cultural renaissance movement in the Eau Claire area. Blue Ox Music Festival at The Pines Music Park boasts 155 acres of pristine forest, walkable trails and green landscaped lawn with music presented across three distinct stages – Main Stage, Saloon Stage, Backwoods Stage.

Since its premiere in the summer of 2015, Blue Ox Music Festival has consistently brought together a lineup of top level regional and national acts that have set the stage and standard of artists for the true music festival fan’s  experience. With the vision of an intimate music and camping experience focused on bluegrass, folk, and Americana roots genres, the 3-day festival creates a unique experience with an impressive lineup of notable artists, in a familial and beautiful outdoor venue setting.

As a family friendly environment, an array of cultural events take place throughout the festival grounds, including  music workshops, morning yoga and meditation, eclectic arts and craft vendors, kids activity stages, as well as an  impressive disc golf course. The variety of quality food and beverages offers something delicious for everyone to enjoy. All ages are welcome. Children 13 and under are free with a paid adult.

Blue Ox Music Festival 2-day and 3-day General Admission Tickets are on sale now – which gives guests access to all  entertainment and Unreserved Tent Camping. Car Camping Passes are available for guests who prefer their car at the camp site next to their tent. Blue Ox Music Festival Reserved RV / Tent sites are still available for purchase, but are in limited supply. Camping accommodations include spaces for RVs, Family and Quiet Camping.