New Projects...

Hello everybody,

  Wanted to let you all know that the Dust Busters has undergone a transformation!  Fiddler Craig Judelman is pursuing other projects including opening his own excellent venue/store in Brooklyn called Cool Pony.


  Eli and Walker have continued with the band, but under a new name - they are now called the Down Hill Strugglers.  Check it out at the new website www.DownHillStrugglers.com!

  They are now playing with fiddler/multi-instrumentalist Jackson Lynch and continuing to play with longtime collaborator John Cohen.  To hear some recordings with the new lineup, check out their Soundcloud page at www.soundcloud.com/downhillstrugglers.

No Depression Magazine Interview

Hello everybody,

Here’s an interview with John Cohen and Eli Smith for the No Depression roots music magazine about the Dust Busters album “Old Man Below” recently out on the Smithsonian Folkways label.  The interview was done by Chris Mateer who has the excellent Uprooted Music Revue blog site: http://www.uprootedmusicrevue.com.



The Dust Busters and John Cohen (of The New Lost City Ramblers) recently released their new album, Old Man Below, on the legendary Smithsonian Folkwayslabel. I am thrilled to present this interview with John Cohen and Eli Smith (of The Dust Busters) regarding their friendship, admiration for old time music, and musical collaboration together.

Eli, before we dig into The Dust Busters’ work with John Cohen, I’d like to ask you if you can you discuss your own personal musical history with the work of The New Lost City Ramblers and John Cohen?

Eli Smith: I’ve been very appreciative of the New Lost City Ramblers and John Cohen’s work in particular as a musician, field recordist, photographer and film maker for years.
I first became acquainted with the New Lost City Ramblers’ and John Cohen’s work when I was first starting out as a musician and fan of folk, blues and old time music back in high school in the late 1990′s. I loved the sound of the New Lost City Ramblers, thought and still think they are an incredible band and I also greatly appreciated the information about their sources for their music.
The Ramblers led me back to the original recorded sources of the music and those recordings have in turn become the core of my favorite music. I also greatly appreciate the field work that each of the Ramblers, of most particular note: John Cohen’s work in recording and making known Roscoe Holcomb, Wade Ward, Frank Proffitt and so many others.

Can you discuss what drew you to this genre of music initially and what keeps it fresh to you?

John: I first got involved with old time music in 1948 when I first heard re-issues of 1920s string band recordings. It was music that excited me, and music I could perform, or learn to play it. It still excites me today, and the challenges I felt in 1948 are still with me.
There is a quality of music contained in the old stuff that is lost in today’s music scene (it  has  been lost throughout the Folksong movement and revival.) It’s lost quality is what fed the New Lost City Ramblers for 50 years, and continues to feed me  today.

Eli: I liked music since I was a kid and I started playing guitar when I was quite young. However, it was not until my high school era when I heard old time music and authentic American folk music that I really cared about music specifically. I had heard music on the radio and television, my parent’s listened to some music around the house, but I didn’t care about any of it too much. I thought it was my fault that I couldn’t like any of that plastic garbage you hear everywhere.
Music is very close to the human soul, and when I heard old folk music that really spoke to me it hit me real hard. The music gave me a clarity in my mind that I required, and it was a lot of fun! And if you listened to the words you could learn a lot about some gritty subjects, about getting through life, and one can connect with people and history that you don’t hear about or get to feel anywhere else.

You met and toured together before the release of Old Man Below. I’d like to dig into your back story including how you met, hit it off, and what led up to your collaboration.
… Read More At: http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/blogs/interview-john-cohen-new-lost-city-ramblers-and-eli-smith-dust

Woody Guthrie Centennial Concert

We are very pleased to be included on the following concert, comin' up at Brooklyn College.  Gonna be fun!  

THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND
Welcome Woody Guthrie back to Brooklyn!

Walt Whitman Theater
Brooklyn College, NYC
September 22, 2012

with

JUDY COLLINS
BILLY BRAGG
STEVE EARLE
TONY TRISCHKA BAND
THE KLEZMATICS
JOHN COHEN & THE DUST BUSTERS
MIKE + RUTHY
JAY UNGAR & MOLLY MASON
and special surprise guests!

WALT WHITMAN THEATER
Brooklyn College
2900 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11210

Tickets Onsale now!*Artists subject to change without prior notice

Here's the website for more information: http://www.woody100.com/concerts.htm

"Old Man Below" CD Release Show!

Hello everybody,

  Look out for the Dust Busters' brand new album, "Old Man Below" on the Smithsonian Folkways record label.  We are very proud of it!  We've been working hard on this album which we recorded with our friend John Cohen of the New Lost City Ramblers and are very pleased to see it due out for release on August 14th.  Making a guest appearance on several tracks is another one of our favorite musicians, Frank Fairfield.

  We are playing a CD release concert at the Jalopy Theatre in Brooklyn, NY on Thursday Sept. 6th.  8pm showtime, opening band TBD!  Look out for more details on that show comin' up soon...

  Hope to see ya there,

- The Dust Busters

P.S. for the next few days you can listen to the album for free as a promotion on the No Depression magazine's website:
http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/blogs/exclusive-listen-the-dust-busters-with-john-cohen-on-smithsonian

Hope you will enjoy!

Folk Alliance + Tour Dates in NC and TN

Hello everybody,

Well The Dust Busters are taking a drive down through North Carolina and across Tennessee, playing shows and making our way to the yearly Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis. Once there we will be playing a bunch of showcases including our official show case on the evening of Friday the 24th.... All the information is below. See ya down the road....

Thursday Feb. 16th
All Day Records

112a E. Main Carrboro 27510
Shows starts 8pm
$$ by donation
Opening band: Ezekiel Graves

Friday Feb. 17th

House concert, potluck and old timey dance party...
33 Carolina Lane, Asheville, NC 28801.
$$ by donation
Show starts at 8pm

Sugarfoot Seranaders will be opening (http://sugarfootserenaders.com) 

Dust Busters at 9pm

Sweet-treats and snacks will be provided from Firestorm Cafe.

Saturday Feb. 18th
The Down Home
300 W. Main St. Johnson City, TN
Show starts at 9:00pm - 2 sets
http://www.downhome.com

Sunday Feb. 19th

Afternoon Brunch Concert

Details TBA

Monday Feb. 20th

11am-2pm Old Time String Band workshop at Eastern Tennessee State University

6-9pm “String-Band” class in Gate City

Folk Alliance Conference
Thursday Feb 22nd - Saturday Feb. 25th
Memphis Downtown Marriott, Memphis TN

Showcase Schedule:

Thursday
3:40pm Texas Sugarbaby Room
11:30pm 12x12 room #1928

Friday
Official Showcase is at 7:30pm in the Chattanooga room. 

11:30pm Hootenanny Hall First Timers showcase
12:30am Realistic Recordings room #1926

Saturday
12:30am Trad Room # 1905


More gigs:

Sunday Feb. 26 

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum 

The Museum is located between 4th and 5th Avenue on Demonbreun
Nashville, TN

1-2pm

Free Show**

This show will be a public program as part of the CMHFM instrument demonstration series

Opening for Steve Earle Feb. 6th...

Steve Earle & Allison Moorer w / The Dust Busters - Monday, February 6th.

"Join City Winery in welcoming the very talented Steve Earle for a Winter esidency this January and February. The five-week run will see Steve play a special series of shows, and will feature a roster of invited guest and friends."

We are very excited to be playing at the City Winery with Steve Earle, comin' up on Feb. 6th.  Check it out!

More info at:

http://citywinery.com/events/193329 

City Winery 

155 Varick Street

New York, NY

On Tour in the Pacific North West...

Hello Everybody -

  Here we are again, The Dust Busters - on tour in the Pacific North West!  This time we are very pleased indeed to be on the road with Peter Stampfel and Jeffrey Lewis. It's gonna be a big show!

Here's our dates:

Jan 19 Seattle, WA

The VERA project
Warren Ave N corner of Republican St. $11 all ages 

8 Dust Busters with Kristin Andreassen

8:45 Jeffrey Lewis

9:30 Peter Stampfel and the Ether Frolic Mob (2 Sets)

Feb 1 Cottage Grove, WA

The Arcade Theater 513 Main St. 7$ 

7 Holy Modal Rounders Sing-A-Long 

8:15 The Dust Busters 

9:15 Jeffrey Lewis

10 Peter Stampfel and the Ether Frolic Mob

Feb 2 Eugene, OR

The Last Stop Cafe 298 Blair Blvd $5 Suggested Donation

6pm Holy Modal Rounders Sing-A-Long 

Sam Bonds Garage 407 Blair Blvd $7

9pm Dust Busters

9:45pm Jeffrey Lewis

10:30pm Peter Stampfel and the Ether Frolic Mob (2 Sets!)

Feb 3 Olympia, WA

The West Bay
1325 West Bay Drive.
Show starts at 9pm
The Dust Busters
Jeffrey Lewis
Peter Stampfel and the Ether Frolic Mob

Feb 4 Bellingham, WA

Pickford Cinema 1318 Bay St. $12, Members $10

9pm The Dust Busters

9:40pm Peter Stampfel and the Ether Frolic Mob 

On Tour Through OH, KY and TN...

Hello everybody,

The Dust Busters are heading out on tour again, this time to the great states of Ohio and Kentucky! We will be on tour from Nov. 15th - Nov. 20th, all the dates are below. We are pleased and honored to be performing at To Sing With You Once More: A musical memorial benefiting the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and the Mike Seeger Scholarship Fund. This concert was organized my Michael Oberst of The Tillers, one of our very favorite bands! It is a tribute to the music and work of Mike Seeger.

The concert will feature:
John Cohen with The Dust Busters, Tracy Schwarz and Ginny Hawker, The Tillers with Uncle Mike Carr, Magnolia Mountain, Clifton Hicks, Rabbit Hash String Band, Ma Crow, Andru Bemis, The Comet Bluegrass Allstars, The Williams Family Band, Davy Jay Sparrow and His Well-Known Famous Drovers, Al Scorch's Country Soul Ensemble, Whiskey Bent Valley Boys, Gerle Haggard, Lee Sexton with John Haywood and Brett Ratliff, Ryan Spearman, Calamity Rain.

Sat, November 19, 2011
Doors: 7:30 pm / Show: 8:00 pm

The Southgate House
Newport, KY
$12.00 - $15.00

[Mike Seeger with some of his instruments]

Here's all of our November tour dates:

Sunday Nov. 13th - Occupy Wall St. benefit concert
The Jalopy Theater
315 Columbia St.
Brooklyn, NY
7pm
$10, all proceeds go to the Occupy Wall St. movement.

Tuesday Nov. 15th - Hiram College, Hiram, OH.
Frohring Recital Hall
11764 Dean St., Hiram
7:30pm

Wednesday Nov. 16th - Gone to the country...

Thursday Nov. 17th - Gerstle's Place - Louisville, KY
3801 Frankfort Ave.  Louisville, KY
9pm
Seth Folsom will play an opening set.

Friday Nov. 18th - Morelock Music, Knoxville, TN
411 S. Gay St.
Knoxville, TN 37902
...a little after 8pm

Saturday Nov. 19th - To Sing With You Once More benefit, Newport, Kentucky
Doors: 7:30 pm / Show: 8:00 pm
The Southgate House
Newport, KY
 $12.00 - $15.00

Sunday Nov. 20th - House Concert with John Cohen
2911 South Park Blvd
Shaker Heights, Cleveland, OH

A Halloween Puppet Show and Costume Squaredance...

The Fabulous Jalopy Theater presents:

A Halloween Puppet Show

and

Costume Squaredance

  

To benefit Occupy Wall St.

  

Monday Oct 31st 7pm 

@ The Jalopy Theater

315 Columbia St.

BROOKLYN

Hosted by The Dust Busters

Featuring music by:

Jesse Lenat (NY),

The Crow Quill Night Owls (Port Townsend, WA)

Blind Boy Chocolate and The Milk Sheiks (Asheville, NC)

99 'cent Stringband (OWS)

The Dolly Wagglers (Vermont)

and more.

Show starts at 7pm with an hour of short puppet shows by various local puppeters and will go till about 1am. Dance from 9-11pm, called by David Harvey of the Dolly Wagglers.

www.dustbustersmusic.com

www.jalopy.biz                  

About The show and Occupy Movement...

The money from the door will go to buying sleeping pads, coats, blankets and flowers for wall st. This event (like OWS) has no political affiliations. It is simply a way to bring the community together in celebration and support of those putting their lives on the line to remind the goverment that its job is to execute the will of the PEOPLE, not CORPORATIONS!

Prohibition...

For all you fans of the new Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, "Prohibition" documentary, you might also like The Dust Busters, "Prohibition is a Failure" album featuring a great selection of old time songs from that golden era of American history!

CLICK HERE to hear the music and order your copy!

On Tour Through VA, NC and MD

The Dust Busters are taking to the road in early/mid September for a tour through the Upper South, look out!  We'll be playing Saturday Sept. 10th at the Dock Boggs Festival in Norton, VA and have a number of other dates on the way there and the way back, gonna be a bunch of great shows... This will be our second appearance at the Dock Boggs Festival and we're proud to have been invited back!

Wednesday Sept. 7th - Ashland Coffee & Tea - 8pm
100 N. Railroad Avenue
Ashland, VA 23005 - Near Richmond.
http://ashlandcoffeeandtea.com

Thursday Sept. 8th - Sitting in with Frank Fairfield at the Hopscotch Music Festival - 11:30pm at:
Five Star
511 W. Hargett St.
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 833-3311
Age limit: 18+

Friday Sept. 9th - House concert, Asheville, NC.  8pm.   $5 suggested donation, food will be served.
33 Carolina Lane
Asheville, NC 28801

Saturday Sept. 10th - The Dock Boggs Festival - 5pm

Appalachian Traditions Village
6034 Kent Junction Road
Norton, VA 24273
Phone: (276) 431-3338
Phone: (276) 679-0961

Sunday Sept. 11th - The Bywater, playing with The Chocolate Milk Sheiks- 5pm
796 Riverside Drive
Asheville, NC

Monday Sept. 12th - off


Tuesday Sept. 13th - Metro Gallery - 8pm.

1700 North Charles Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21218

Hello everybody,

Just letting you know that The Dust Busters will be appearing at the Racoon County Music Festival in Ohio this weekend, Saturday August 13th at 5pm.  And be sure to check out our friends, The Little Brothers - and amazing country blues string band at 4pm!  Looking forward to it!

Upcoming Concerts

Here's information on what's comin' up...

Like us on Facebook for automatic updates...


Thursday Sept. 6th, 2012: 

The Dust Busters with John Cohen CD release concert for our brand new album, "Old Man Below" on the Smithsonian Folkways label.

Details:
The Jalopy Theatre
315 Columbia St.
Brooklyn, NY
www.Jalopy.biz
718.395.3214Showtime - 8pm
Cover - $10

Opening band TBA...

Saturday Sept. 22nd, 2012:

The Dust Busters and John Cohen are playing a Woody Guthrie 100th birthday tribute show at Brooklyn College on Saturday Sept. 22nd.  The show is organized by Woody's daughter Nora Guthrie.  Also on the bill that night are Arlo Guthrie, Billy Bragg, Steve Earle and Judy Collins. Should be really cool.  Specific details on the show to follow...

Ireland and England Tour June 20th - July 3rd!

Hello everybody, The Dust Busters are on the road again, this time in Ireland and England.  Here’s the dates!  Come say hi if you’re in the area!

•  Jun 20
  Kenny's Pub
  Lahinch, Co Clare, IRELAND
• Jun 21
  The Old Oak
  Cork, Co Cork, IRELAND
• Jun 22
  Cleere's Pub, Kilkenny
  Kilkenny, IRELAND
  
• Jun 23
  The Crane Bar
  Galway, IRELAND
• Jun 24
  JJ Harlows
  Roscommon, IRELAND
• Jun 25
  WYATT HOTEL
  WESTPORT, CO MAYO, IRELAND
  
• Jun 26
  Mannion's Piub
  Balla, Co Mayo, IRELAND
• Jun 28
  Scout Hut
  Bristol, UNITED KINGDOM
  
• Jun 30
  The Hope
  Brighton, GB
• Jul 1
  Maverick Music Festival
  Suffolk, UK
• Jul 2
  The Deptford Arms
  London, UNITED KINGDOM
  
• Jul 3
  The Masons Arms
  London, UNITED KINGDOM

The Dust Busters to Appear at The Brooklyn Folk Festival!

The Dust Busters will be making their 3rd appearance at The Brooklyn Folk Festival on Saturday June 11th and 9:45pm.  Its gonna be great!  

Here's some more info on the festival:

Brooklyn Folk Festival:

Friday, June 10th- Sunday, June 12th, 2011 at the Jalopy Theater and Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition- Brooklyn, New York.

  Down Home Radio host Eli Smith is proud to announce the 3rd annual Brooklyn Folk Festival, to be held at the Jalopy Theater and Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition in Brooklyn, NY – Friday, June 10th- Sunday, June 12th, 2011.  The festival will feature the best young talent from Brooklyn’s exploding folk music scene as well as luminaries from the generation that made the 1960’s New York City folk music revival.  The music featured will include traditional styles such as old-time string band music, blues, jug band music, traditional music of Mexico, the Balkans and West Africa, North Indian classical music, local songwriters and more!  There will be concerts throughout the day as well as workshops on various musical styles, film screenings and a Sunday afternoon square dance!  This year will also inaugurate the Brooklyn Folk Festival “Banjo Toss.”  The person who throws a banjo the farthest will win a free banjo!

  The festival will feature luminaries such as Grammy Award winner Peter Stampfel of the Holy Modal Rounders and Pat Conte of the Canebrake Rattlers and Secret Museum of Mankind, two of the main creators of the 1960’s folk music scene in Greenwhich Village, but will also feature young Brooklyn based talents such as acclaimed blues musician Blind Boy Paxton, ballad singer Elizabeth Butters, old time string band The Dust Busters, Country singer Alex Battles, songster Feral Foster, and many more.  Radio Jarocho, a Mexican folk music collective will perform a variety of styles of music and dance from across Mexico.  Clifton Hicks of Boone, North Carolina will be making a second appearance at the festival following his debut last year, playing his style of traditional banjo music of the Southern Appalachian mountains. The Brooklyn Folk Festival seeks to exhibit the cultural contributions from a diversity of Brooklyn communities, and in particular seeks to highlight the young talent emerging from those communities.

Come down to The Brooklyn Folk Festival in Redhook Brooklyn over the weekend Friday, June 10th- Sunday, June 12th to hear Brooklyn’s best traditional Folk musicians and song writers.  You will hear banjos, fiddles, mandolins, guitars, people blowing on jugs and harmonicas, a world champion whistler as well as great original songs.  If you want to learn how to play, come down to the afternoon instrumental workshops.  The festival costs $20 per day or $55 for 3 days, including the afternoon workshops and film screenings!  The Brooklyn Folk Festival is co-sponsored by Down Home Radio @ www.DownHomeRadioShow.com & The Jalopy Theater.

Web: www.BrooklynFolkFest.com

The Jalopy Theater is located at

315 Columbia Street

Brooklyn, New York 11231

(718) 395 3214

www.Jalopy.biz

The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition is located at:

499 Van Brunt Street

NY 11231-1048

(718) 596 2507

www.bwac.org