Erika, Rachel, and Chloe Tietjen are sisters from Oakland, California. Performing as the T Sisters, they
captivate audiences with tight harmonies, inventive arrangements, and plenty of sass. They play originals
and covers that touch on elements of folk, gospel, country, and R & B.
Their music calls to mind classic girl groups of the past: from the Andrews Sisters to The Ronettes to
the sirens in O Brother, Where Art Thou. At their captivating live shows, the T Sisters perform in the
country tradition: with upright bass, mandolin, banjo, and guitar -- and sometimes, their own
arresting brand of a cappella.
More at www.tsisters.com or download the latest album, Kindred Lines,
at tsisters.bandcamp.com/yum
Molly’s Revenge is a dynamic, acoustic Celtic band known for its unique and infectious enthusiasm.
The classic combination of bagpipes, whistle, and fiddle is set against a backdrop of guitar, bodhrán,
and mandola accompaniment, which guarantees an enjoyable experience for all fans of traditional acoustic music.
Their arrangements of Celtic jigs and reels bring these dance tunes up to date with a driving, hard-edged
accent that always leaves audiences shouting for more.
Over the course of their 15 years together, Molly’s Revenge has performed at many of the top folk
festivals and performing arts events in the USA, and prestigious events in Australia, Scotland, and China.
The group is joined by special guest, International Scottish fiddle champion, Rebecca Lomnicky.
Rebecca Lomnicky started violin at the age of five, and soon after found her calling was Scottish fiddle music.
By 2005, she had won the Junior Division of the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Competition, which was judged
by three judges including Bonnie Rideout, and a year later released her first solo album, "The Call," which
met great praise from Dirty Linen Magazine. In 2009, Rebecca won the the highest award in Scottish fiddling,
the Glenfiddich International Scottish Fiddle Championship at Blair Castle, Scotland. She was the only non-Scot,
and the youngest person to have ever won the championship. Rebecca has been invited to play at Scottish
festivals and gatherings throughout the United States, has performed with many notable players, and
regularly tours in a duo with Molly’s Revenge piper, David Brewer.
More at: www.mollysrevenge.com/.
and www.rebeccalomnicky.com
The Dustbowl Revival is a Venice, California-based collective that merges old school bluegrass, gospel, pre-war
blues and the hot swing of New Orleans to form a spicy roots cocktail. Voted best live band in LA by The
LA Weekly, each show on their barn storming tours promises to be a white-knuckle ride through the history of
American folk music that rarely stays just on the stage.
In LA they have recently played the Ford Amphitheater and The Wiltern, supported Lake Street Dive, Preservation
Hall Jazz Band and Trombone Shorty, and will be releasing a live album in June recorded at the famed Troubadour.
More at www.dustbowlrevival.com/
The LA Blue Grasshoppers are a UCLA-based ensemble dedicated to the teaching and performance of the old-time
and bluegrass musical traditions. The band is led by Jeffrey Riggs, a dual Ph.D. candidate in Musicology
and Slavic Languages and Literatures, and a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who plays banjo and
mandolin in the ensemble. Lead guitarist Cory McClintic is an Aerospace Engineering student who performs in
a variety of guitar styles including rock, jazz, and blues in addition to bluegrass. On fiddle and vocals
is violin performance student Zoë Merrill. Michelle Oglevie, an Ethnomusicology student,
singer-songwriter, and guitarist, plays rhythm guitar and sings lead and backup vocals. And Noah Yanicki,
a Master&rsdquo;s student in bass performance, holds down the low end.
Winners of the band competition at Topanga in 2013 and 2014, the Hoppers are honored to be featured
on the main stage this year.
More at:
bluegrasshoppers.wix.com/bluegrasshoppers/.
The Railroad Stage will host the "Sing-Offs and the Intermediate Fiddle Playoffs in the morning.
Returned from living in Scotland, and in the midst of recording their second album together, duo performers
David Brewer of the popular Celtic band Molly’s Revenge, and Scotland’s International Fiddle
Champion, Rebecca Lomnicky, perform captivating Scottish music which bridges the gap between the fiddle &
bagpipe music of Scotland - two worlds united, into one heartfelt & rousing concert.
Rebecca Lomnicky and David Brewer each delved into the traditions of their respective instruments, living
and studying in the highlands of Scotland, and have forged their duo in the spirit of merging these two
similar but very different worlds to create a new seamless sound which is both kinetic, and full of passion.
In this concert, the duo explores this classic repertoire with ever-changing combinations of fiddle, bagpipes,
guitar, bodhran, and penny-whistle.
More at: www.rebeccalomnicky.com
www.davidbrewermusic.com
John Weed and Stuart Mason play traditional tunes and songs that explore the musical
connections between Ireland and America, with tastes of Scotland, Canada, and more. On fiddle, guitar,
mandola, and banjo they bridge the Atlantic to summon a music that resonates with the listener of today.
With the well-known Celtic powerhouse Molly’s Revenge , Stuart Mason and John Weed have appeared
on festival stages from Glasgow, Scotland to Shanghai, China. Both are also members of the old-time
bluegrass group Little Black Train with Kenny Blackwell, and Celtic group Story Road with
Colleen Raney and Johnny B. Connolly.
John Weed has lived in Ireland and immersed himself in the traditional styles of Clare and Donegal. The
result is an old-time Irish fiddling style that compliments his forays into bluegrass, swing, and other
American music. A classically trained violinist, John leverages his understanding of the instrument
to coax emotion from every tune. He has returned to Ireland many times to hone his skills
and collect tunes at their source.
Stuart Mason was born in the hills of West Virginia and has been playing traditional music on stage for
over 35 years. He is known for his authentic vocals, driving backing on guitar and mandola in alternate
tunings, and inability to hold his whiskey. On banjo he plays in the older clawhammer and two-finger styles.
Stuart has won awards for traditional singing (Goleta Old-Time Fiddler’s Convention), mandola
(Topanga Banjo•Fiddle Contest), and songwriting (West Coast Songwriter’s Association).
Deeply rooted in Americana, Stuart’s original songs are the inevitable result of the years he
spent immersed in traditional music.
More at: stuartmasonmusic.com and a nice
video:Oil in my Vessell
2015 marks the Centenary of the execution of Joe Hill by firing squad in Salt Lake City, Utah, November 19, 1915.
Ross Altman takes such milestones to heart and this year is no exception. For the 55th annual
Topanga Banjo•Fiddle Contest and Folk Festival Ross reaches all the way back to the Little Red
Songbook - first published in 1910 and never out of print since - and celebrates the music of America’s
labor troubadour - Joe Hill - and the Industrial Workers of the World.
From Joe Hill to U. Utah Phillips, the IWW organized and won “the first strike that sang”
the Bread and Roses Strike of 1912 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, fanned the flames of discontent and inspired
the imagination of working people and artists throughout the 20th Century.
Singer-Songfighter Ross Altman embodies this tradition and carries on their legacy of folk music that makes a
difference. A former professor who left the classroom for the stage only to turn the stage into a classroom,
he makes a living singing songs and telling stories that, in H.L. Mencken’s words, “comfort the afflicted,
and afflict the comfortable.”
Ross performs his own brand of pure, unsweetened, unfiltered and unplugged folk music on picket lines, in
school assemblies, hospitals, retirement homes, senior centers, folk festivals, sit-ins and freedom marches,
antiwar rallies, human rights demonstrations, churches, synagogues and libraries with his six-and-twelve
string guitars, five-string long-neck banjo and harmonicas.
Ross is a recording artist for his own label - Grey Goose Music - staff writer and columnist for FolkWorks,
president of the Santa Monica Traditional Folk Music Club, a member of musician’s union Local 47 (AFL-CIO),
and the Topanga Banjo•Fiddle Contest’s 2010 Music Legend Award winner. Find out why Joe Hill endured
throughout the 20th century and still matters in the 21st.
Rediscover the heart and soul of the working class. The story of the IWW is the international story of freedom
itself and it’s a story that must be sung to be fully realized. Ross Altman brings it to life
with the most colorful characters ever to walk the stage of the American labor movement - including one-eyed
silver miner Big Bill Haywood, Rebel Girl Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Swedish immigrant Joseph Hillstrom,
who became Joe Hill, “The Man Who Never Died.”
Ross Altman may be reached at greygoosemusic@aol.com
Get on board at the Railroad Stage and visit Ross at his Web site,
http://www.ultimate.com/altman
The Pavilion Stage will host the Beginning Instrument competitions in the morning.
Rocky Neck Bluegrass Band is a Southern California based group featuring Devitt Feeley, Lydia Veilleux,
and Craig Ferguson. They got their start in the bluegrass music field by winning first place in the
2009 Topanga Banjo•Fiddle Contest Band Competition. In January of 2012 they took first place in
the California Bluegrass Association’s “Great 48 Showcase Showdown,” competing against
the top bluegrass bands from across the state and earning a spot in the Father’s Day Festival
in Grass Valley.
Their first recording, “Rocky Neck Bluegrass Band,” released in November of 2010, was
recorded in a 1920’s cabin in the mountain community of Big Bear, CA, and was mastered by
legendary bluegrass engineer Billy Wolf in Arlington, VA. The album has been receiving regular
airplay on radio stations across the country.
They have also appeared on 2 episodes of WETV’s “My Fair Wedding” with David
Tutera as well as in a cover story photo spread in C Magazine’s wedding edition.
Please visit the band web site: www.rockyneckbluegrass.com/
For the last nine years a group of dedicated Old-Time musicians have been putting on a traditional Old-Time festival leading up to the Topanga Banjo•Fiddle contest. This year the group is excited to put together a best of show for Topanga! Stop by and catch a round-robin of some of the best Old Time music from the L.A. area and beyond!
Mike is a founding member and advisory board member for the Western Music Association. His background includes Broadcasting for KCRW and KCSN FM in Los Angeles & KBBQ in Ventura, Ca. Mike was one of three that began the McCabes Concert Series in 1969 and began performing at Topanga with the band Trailmix back in 1980. Mike and Trailmix perform traditional and contemporary Cowboy and Western Swing. Mike regularly hosts the Cowboy Music and Poetry segment at the Topanga Banjo•Fiddle Contest.
Sidewinder band mates Ken Wilcox, Mark Jackson, Bruce Huntington, and Tom Wolverton return to the Topanga
Banjo•Fiddle Contest after a successful and crowd-pleasing performance at last year’s event.
Featuring an exciting blend of Original, Roots and Americana, Sidewinder plays Western, Bluegrass, folk,
train songs and many originals written by Mark, Tom, and Bruce. Sidewinder performances are known
for outstanding versatility and musicianship, and polished vocals and solid three and four-part harmonies.
Be prepared for a high energy performance with musical versatility, solid harmonies, and just good old fashion fun.
"Sidewinder, the Finest Music West of the Pecos."
Fred Sokolow is best known as the author of over a hundred and fifty instructional books and DVDs for
guitar, banjo, Dobro, mandolin, lap steel and ukulele, that are sold all over the world. Fred has long been
a well-known West Coast multi-string performer and recording artist, particularly on the acoustic music scene.
He has led bluegrass, jazz and rock bands and has been sideman for musical luminaries like Bobbie Gentry,
Jim Stafford, Tom Paxton, Jody Stecher, The Limeliters and Ian Whitcomb. He has also played in many TV
and movie soundtracks and in commercials and "'other people’s recordings" too numerous to list.
The diverse musical genres covered in his books and DVDs, along with several bluegrass, jazz and rock CDs he has
released, demonstrate his mastery of many musical styles. Whether he's playing Delta bottleneck blues,
bluegrass or old-time banjo, 30s swing guitar or screaming rock solos, he does it with authenticity and passion.
Fred’s West Coast Corral is comprised of his musical cronies of many years, all very accomplished players
who get together to play Western Swing, that great musical hybrid of country, swing and blues, whenever the opportunity arises!
Rodger’s show is an eclectic mix that includes: a dash of traditional tunes, a few cups of finely sifted original tunes, a pound of novelty, and a hefty sprinkle of cowboy swing.
Joe Herrington is a Novelist, Cowboy Poet and Western Storyteller. His stories and poems are homespun and told
in the Western tradition of honor, courage and rugged characters. His stories and poems not only entertain,
but also prod the soul with a truer understanding of the deep values and solid character of the American Cowboy.
He has been nominated seven times Cowboy Poet of the Year, for the Will Rogers award and honored as the
top Western Storyteller in the country.
Bobby Bruce, the Western Swing legend of the Texas Playboys, Leon McAuliffe, Spade Cooley, Tex Williams
& Lawrence Welk Bands, soundtracks and movies will perform on the Pavilion Stage May 17th.
Bobby was recently inducted into the National Fiddlers Hall of Fame and will be playing with
Fred Sokolow, Mike Mahaney, and Lynn Shipley Sokolow.
| 1:00-2:00 | Irish/Scottish Ceilidh Dance, with Aedan McDonnell calling, Frank Hoppe on fiddle, Dave Soyars on guitar and Steve Shapiro on tenor banjo |
| 2:00-3:00 | Contra Dancing with Becky Nankivell. Music by the Rhythm Method String Band featuring Brin Bandy on fiddle, Emil Olguin on guitar, Larry Ullman on bass and Steve Shapiro on banjo, fiddle and mandolin |
| 3:00-4:00 | Square Dance with Susan Michaels calling, music by Bee’s Knees |
Bees Knees is Joe Wack (fiddle), Steve Lewis (banjo), and Laura Osborn (guitar/banjo-uke). Their repertoire is an
eclectic mix of traditional music ranging from high-energy, all-out dance tunes to hauntingly beautiful
melodies from the Southern Appalachian region. Though they’ve only been playing together as a trio since
2008, their old-time music reflects decades of playing for dances, concerts, workshops, parties, and events,
as well as just good old-time music-making with like-minded folks on both sides of the country.
Joe Wack was first enthralled by old time music as an art student in West Virginia University in the early ‘70s.
From that time he has maintained the dual vocations of musician and artist. As a banjo player, he was an
original founder of the still-active WV stringband Stewed Mulligan. Since moving to L.A. in '93, he has worked
as a character designer for “The Simpsons” TV series while remaining immersed in old-time music on fiddle,
banjo, and guitar.
Laura Osborn has been a lifelong musician, performing and teaching flute in the Los Angeles area for almost twenty
years. While enjoying a robust family life with her husband, two children, and two cats, she finds time whenever
possible to play old-time music on guitar, banjo, and banjo-uke.
Steve Lewis has played the 5-string banjo most of his adult life. A veteran of contests, fiddlers’ conventions,
and festivals, Steve has also produced and played for contradances since 1989. He continues to play for dances, both
contra and square with one or another of four old-time bands. For the past eleven years, Steve has led an old-time
jam at the CTMS Folk Music Center in Encino on the first Sunday of each month.
Attention all pickers, grinners, singers, strummers, clappers, yodelers, yowlers and growlers!
Start your day at Topanga right, singing and playing along with your old pal, Steve Werner.
All are welcome to join in on songs we all know and love. It’s good for your lungs and a
tonic for what ails you. All are welcome.
Grizzled Topanga veteran Steve Werner is your average everyday world-traveling
biker-sailor-adventurer-folksinger-songwriter-yodeler. His songs have been sung and recorded all
over the world. Through the years he has shared stages with the likes of Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson,
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Mary McCaslin, Peter Yarrow and many more. His duets with Fur Dixon
produced four albums of pure California folk gold.
"Steve Werner has a way with the word and the strum. He’s a poet and a bearer of a true blue
highway American tradition of songs you can sing-a-long with while rolling along on an adventure
with a pal or someone you love. He makes observations about daily life that just ring. His
songs make me happy. I am proud to call him a friend." Kelly Marie Martin, Triple Chicken Foot
"Always a contender for ‘Nicest Guy in Folk Music,’ Steve Werner is not only a fine musician and
entertainer, he’s always ready to help with a musical endeavor of any sort. He has been a
strong supporter of the Topanga Banjo•Fiddle Contest and Folk Festival for several years and
we hope, for many more." Carl Gage, VP, Topanga Banjo-Fiddle Contest.
Lydia Veilleux hosts American Fiddling Jam with teachers/students of the O’Connor Method. Certified O’Connor Method Teacher and advanced fiddle judge Lydia Veilleux will be hosting a Meet-up and Jam for teachers and students. Bring your fiddles to jam and meet fellow students and teachers! Everybody is welcome, but tunes are focused on the O’Connor method. If you are interested in learning fiddling, get your questions answered by experienced teachers.
The Hollow Trees have been sharing “Folk Music for Families” around California for
eight years now. Their upbeat acoustic Americana music is like a gumbo made with a mix of
bluegrass, western swing, blues, and folk styles, seasoned with a generous helping of fun.
Hailing from Nelsonville, USA, they perform classic standards, strange and wonderful covers and
great original songs. With some luck they’ll be joined by their friend Nelson playing
his homemade banjitar. Come on by and join the hootenanny!
Learn more at www.thehollowtrees.com
The Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles were founded in 1981 after several musicians discovered common musical interest
at the Topanga Banjo•Fiddle Contest and formed the first Strathspey and Reel Society in the United States.
The group provides an opportunity for musicians with little experience in traditional music to get actively
involved and makes it accessible for people coming from a classical background. Over the years, members have ranged
in age from 5 to over 80.
Their music focus centers on the heritage of Scottish fiddle music dating back to the seventeenth century and
many of these early tunes have found their way into the American folk fiddle repertoire. The Scottish Fiddlers
always welcome musicians playing fiddle, cello, guitar, harp and other instruments to join them for rehearsals
and to play at concerts, festivals, Celtic fairs, Scottish games and gatherings, and many other events.
SFLA has also reliably contributed new contestants and volunteers for TBFC.
Internationally known Jan Tappan has directed the Fiddlers for over 25 years. She was the recipient of
the 2014 TBFC Music Legend Award and is a judge on the Main Stage today.
For information on booking the Scottish Fiddlers, or to join, please contact:
info@scottishfiddlers.com
Visit us at www.scottishfiddlers.org.
The regional styles of Scottish fiddling are as diverse as the terrain that makes up Scotland’s countryside - each
full of elegance and power. What defines these styles, as well as what greatly differentiates them from Irish or
old-time fiddling, is in their subtleties of technique, phrasing, and ornamentation. You will get a taste for
Scottish fiddling in this class, as you will hear a North-Eastern strathspey, highland pipe march, West-highland
reel, and learn a tune by ear with the unique gracenotes and bowings which will make it come alive.
Whether you are new to fiddling and would like to learn a Scottish tune, or an already experienced fiddler
looking to see what makes Scottish fiddling so different, this is a great class for you!
Rebecca Lomnicky began playing classical violin and piano at age five, discovered Scottish fiddle music a
few short years later, and in 2005 won the Junior Division of the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Competition.
Following that victory, she recorded her first CD, The Call, praised by “Dirty Linen”"
magazine as “technically masterful, and wonderfully melodic.” In 2009, Rebecca won the 20th
Annual Glenfiddich International Scottish Fiddle Championship held at Blair Castle, Blair Atholl, Scotland.
The invitation only championship - seen as the Grammys of the fiddling world - is widely regarded as the most
prestigious in Scottish fiddle. She has performed in Scotland, Ireland, Italy, China, and across the US,
has been featured on the BBC radio show, Take the Floor, and in 2009, recorded her second CD, Inspired,
with David Brewer.
Rebecca graduated with honors in music and anthropology from Cornell University, after studying at the
University of Edinburgh, and is also one of only a handful of accredited adjudicators for Scottish fiddle
competitions in America.
An intermediate-level session of tunes just as you would hear them in a pub,
led by members of the Scottish Fiddlers. Bring your instruments!