Tumbleweed Festival 2008 List of Performers and Bios (As of August 22. A few last-minute changes are possible) Carl Allen, from Seattle, will join John and Micki Perry for a set of Woody Guthrie's "songs to grow on" for kids and adults. He's also half of The Wanderers. An Daire Academy of the Celtic Arts is our award-winning local Irish dance troupe. They continue to wow audiences with their grace, beauty and exciting choreography. Badger Mountain Dry Band is the Tri-Cities' only progressive bluegrass band, Jim Honeyman, John April, Joe Smart, Chuck Peden, and Kurt Gustafson have generously supported Tumbleweed with benefit concerts and unpaid labor over the years. MJ Bishop is an acoustic folk/country musician from Seattle. She produces a big sound armed with only a guitar and her vocal chords. She also performs with ThorNton Creek. Sandy Bly and Bev Stewart love to share songs, so they'll lead a song circle -- bring songs and choruses to share! The two friends come from the Portland area. Bold Horizon is a dynamic folk trio performing eclectic and slightly irreverent nautical and old- time music as well as a few pop tunes from the 50s and 60s. Dan Roberts, Steve Akerman and Tom Rawson's instrumental arsenal includes banjos, mandolins, mandola, fiddle, mountain dulcimers, spoons, and guitars. Patricia Briggs is a best-selling author of fantasy novels. Her 2008 novel Iron Kissed, which features shape-changing VW mechanic Mercy Thompson, has a Tumbleweed tie: in one scene a werewolf singer-songwriter performs on our own River Stage!. Patty will present a workshop on dark creatures in folklore. Seattle's Burgundy Pearl comprises Ron Dalton and Peggy Sullivan. They play a blend of vintage acoustic music. Jack Brown is a music teacher and professional singer-songwriter-guitarist from Boise. He is a finalist in our songwriting contest. Campbell Road is a two-generation family band made up of Dan and Barbara Tuttle of Peshastin, their daughter Jessamyn Tuttle and her husband Jon Nauert of Mount Vernon. They perform traditional and contemporary music of Ireland and Scotland on flute, bouzouki, fiddle, guitar, and bodhran. Michael Carlos writes music that ranges from full-throttle rock, to Latin-influenced music in Spanish, to acoustic ballads with strings. Accomplished on the guitar, keyboard, and accordion, he will be joined by Kevin Fox on bass, Sergio Cuevas on drums, Vern Smith on percussion, and Cathie Lau on cello. Cat Loves Crow is a musical duo performing folk, old-time, bluegrass, and Russian music. Joe and Karena Prater are versatile singers, instrumentalists, and songwriters from western Washington. Karena is a finalist in the songwriting contest. The Tri-Cities' own Chinese Folk Dance Group will offer a mix of dances from Asia's two largest countries. Ling Ling Wu and her husband John Heaney are the anchor of the group. Constellation's Crew sings sea songs in support of the USS Constellation, one of the last of the existing war ships berthed in Baltimore, Maryland. The crew includes Hank Cramer, Mike and Val James, Burt Meyer, Davey Halaka, Steve Akerman, Michelle Cameron, Josie Solseng, and as many singers as they can squeeze on the stage. Hank Cramer, from Winthrop, is one of the West Coast's favorite folk singers. He is well-known for his huge bass voice, wry humor, and wide repertoire. In addition to performing and leading workshops, he'll emcee the Saturday night concert. Clark Crouch began working as a cowboy in 1940 when he was only 12 years old and wrote his first cowboy poem the same year. This former Richland councilman has published four books of poetry. He now lives in Bothell. The Cutters, from Seattle sing and play Celtic, maritime, and North American songs in stunning harmonies, backed by guitar, banjo, fiddle and bass. The band includes Philip Morgan and his children Arwen and Tyler. (Teresa couldn't make it here this year, but she'll be back!) The Dandelion Greens is an acoustic group from Whidbey Island, whose original music portrays the American experience. The group includes Joe Cook on bass, Pete Keating on guitar, Talia Toni Marcus on fiddle and Heidi Schuler on accordion. Nancy K. Dillon's music has been described as "folk twang" and her musical sensibility is strongly influenced by her native Oklahoma roots. She'll be joined by M.J. Bishop on harmonies. DonnaLynn started her musical career in the 1960s at Pendleton Round-Up. She has taken a few detours over the years, but is back with her guitar, writing and performing with her husband Terry Davis. The Eclectic Cloggers are a Seattle-based dance group whose high-energy performances are rooted in the traditional clog dancing of the southern Appalachians. They'll dance to the music of a Tri-Cities band, Growling Old Women. Electric Bonsai Band - not electric and not a band! It's Andrew Ratshin, with his acoustic guitar. Hilary Field and Patrice O'Neill perform a lovely set of lullabies from around the world. Hilary Field is a gifted classical guitarist and Patrice O'Neill is a songwriter and vocalist. First Steal a Chicken will take you on a world tour with their mix of Celtic, Balkan, and Middle Eastern music. Jennifer Olson plays harp and dulcimer, her dad, Perry Campbell, plays guitar, Brian Olson plays percussion, and Jerry Fugate plays exotic instruments that we don't know how to spell. Ron Greene's music speaks to just about everyone: rockers, rappers, girls, guys, young and old. His debut CD, "Sketches" was released earlier this year. He comes from Coeur d'Alene. Michael Guthrie is a Seattle singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Among other things, he plays acoustic and steel guitars and banjolin. The Hayburners are Jennifer Spector and Dave Tieman, an award-winning, singer-songwriter duo from Renton. They perform rootsy folk and jazz tunes on guitar and mandolin. Eric Herman plays cool music for kids in fun, funny shows that involve the whole audience. His music has been featured nationally on radio, TV, and online. He tours all over the country but lives right here in Richland. Michael "Hawkeye" Herman is a one-man history of blues, a noteworthy guitar player, and inimitable communicator. Hawkeye is from Ashland, Oregon. Rocci Hildum is a storyteller from Wenatchee who reminds us that storytelling speaks to adults as well as children. Rocci shares his easy, gentle telling style with groups in schools, libraries, camps, and churches. The Hot Heads of Gypsy jazz is a talented Tri-City trio playing acoustic jazz in the style of Django Reinhardt. Doug Rice and Joe Smart play guitar and Kurt Gustafson plays stand-up bass. They all keep busy around town in various combos and bands, and together they are red hot! California's Jay Howlett proudly delivers the great roots sound of Americana music. Jay's songs tell stories reminiscent of Harry Chapin. The award-winning songwriter is a finalist in our contest this year. He'll be joined onstage by Rolfe Wyer on bass. The music of Humphrey, Hartman & Cameron is about the stuff of life, from chocolate to love to goose poop. Janet Humphrey and Mary Hartman sing tight harmonies with guitar and banjo, while Michelle Cameron creatively weaves in her cello. Janet is a song contest finalist. Kelly Inez is a teenage singer-songwriter from Richland. Her music is folk-influenced rock with an edge. Welcome her to her first performance at Tumbleweed! Agnes Ingarra is a Filipino-Italian singer-songwriter from Seattle. Her music is a modern blend of blues and pop. Agnes has been performing professionally since she was just 15, and she's all of 22 now. Mike and Val James, from Port Townsend, have a broad musical style ranging from traditional folk and maritime to jazz and blues. They've been singing together for more than 20 years. Larry Johnson is a talented songwriter from Port Townsend. His crisp, fluid guitar playing, coupled with his often whispery vocals, have touched more than one heart. Larry is a finalist in our songwriting contest. Seattle's Scott Katz and Katie Peterson are masters of comic songs. Scott calls himself an "insensitive singer-songwriter," but Katie is real nice! They are based in Seattle. Spokane's Keeler, Melvin, & Morse are a trio of strong, solo performers. Brad Keeler, Laddie Ray Melvin, and "Lonesome" Lyle Morse have banded together to perform acoustic roots music and originals. They play guitar, mandolin, and harmonica. Paul Knight, from the Tri-Cities will lead a workshop on playing harmonica and guitar at the same time. He also plays in Uncle Joe's Banjo Band. Jeff Knoch started playing guitar and singing at age 13 and never stopped. He is an engaging showman, bringing audiences along on a roller coaster ride of ballads and wacky tunes. He's from Lynwood, Washington, and is a song contest finalist. Ed Kramer hails from Boulder, Colorado. He is a 5-string banjo virtuoso who has mastered a variety of styles from gentle frailing to lightning-fast 3 finger picking on bluegrass and jazz. Anita LaFranchi teaches dance lessons in Seattle when she isn't editing Victory Review. She will teach workshops on waltz and line dancing. Robyn Landis is an award-winning songwriter from Vashon Island who has accumulated over 30 awards in the past few years. She is a passionate activist on numerous issues, and a highly literate enthusiast of words and song. Seattle's Larry and Lynette say the folk tradition connects us all. Their love of music developed when they were young, and now they're partners in harmony and in life. Steve Lefebvre, of Yakima, plays the blues. His selections are mainly traditional delta blues, but he adds a few newer songs and his own unique slant and sense of humor. Lindsay Street is a Bellingham, Washington group who plays traditional North Atlantic tunes with a touch of Northwest flavor. The band is Robin Elwood on accordion, Jean Rogers on guitar, Elizabeth Elton on fiddle, Bryan Early on bodhran, and Patricia Chambers on percussion, whistle, and mandolin. Los Bailadores del Sol is a dance troupe from Yakima, formed in 1981, who perform traditional Mexican folkloric dance. Their mission is to encourage education and cultural awareness through the costumes, music, and history associated with traditional dance. The Mike Lundstrom Trio plays a soulful blend of folk, jazz, and blues. Mike plays dobro and is joined by John Weeks on violin and viola, and Ron Clark on bass and mandolin. Portland's Mo Mack is a folksinger and country song collector steeped in traditional music. He grew up playing bluegrass and now plays folk, gospel, and country western. Dan Maher, from Pullman, hosts Northwest Public Radio's Inland Folk program and promotes folk music around the region. He is well known for his unlimited collection of folk songs and his boundless energy. Steve Mason is a singer-songwriter who is entertaining, friendly, funny, warm, and diverse. Listen to one song, and you'll stay for the whole set. He comes to us from western Washington. Dorian Michael, from Templeton, California, is an amazing finger-style guitarist and a frequent visitor to Tumbleweed and 3RFS concerts. Stephen Miller is a self-taught singer-songwriter who will be a senior at Richland High School this year. Goosebump-inducing lyrics, melodious guitar, and smoky vocals are sure to please a wide array of musical tastes. Morgan and Graves (Bob and Linda, respectively) are an acoustic duo from Seattle. They play guitar and fiddle. Arwen Morgan is a familiar face and voice here at Tumbleweed, since she has performed in The Cutters for years. This year she'll perform a solo set. Tyler Morgan is a young folk and rock musician who will appear solo this year for the first time at Tumbleweed. He also plays bass with The Cutters Mountain Thyme is Peter Blake on guitar, Skip Nelson on bass, Sara Blake on harmonica, Dick Ramsey on banjo and Patricia Ramsey on voice. They sing a variety of folk and kids' music. They are based in Monroe, Washington. Mike Murray is a singer and writer of quirky and original songs. He lives in Port Townsend and will be joined by Elizabeth Gale on fiddle. Sherry Nevins is a dance caller from Seattle who says contra dancing is BIG FUN! Even if you've never danced before, she invites you to join her workshop and come to the Sunday night dance. Tim Noah has won a whole bunch of Emmy Awards for his work on children's TV. He is well known as a performer for children, but also sings soulful originals for adults. He lives in Snohomish. Larry Pattis is a master composer, arranger, and guitarist. He has played the Montreal International Jazz Festival even though he doesn't play jazz! Larry lives in Creswell, Oregon. John and Micki Perry have been singing together for audiences of all ages for over 40 years. John plays guitar and banjo and Micki plays autoharp. Timothy Platt is a finger-style guitarist who has performed throughout the Northwest. He comes from Rathdrum, Idaho and this is his second appearance at Tumbleweed. Jim Portillo grew up loving music and eventually that love overflowed into performing. His specialty is acoustic folk and country and he has written some original songs. Sue Quigley is a Seattle singer-songwriter who flavors her roots music with a touch of grit and poignant lyrics. She has been selected to play the prestigious Rockrgrl Conference in Seattle and "Chick Singer Night" at the famous Bitter End in New York. Cindy Rakowski is a local dance fanatic and caller. Seattle's Tom Rawson is a master of warmth and wit that draws his audience to feel and participate in his music. Like the great Pete Seeger, Tom is at the top of his craft. T.R. Ritchie is an award-winning writer who resides in Moab Utah. He has won numerous songwriting competitions, and is a finalist in ours this year. Chris Roe, from Seattle, is known for her strong voice, harp, and button accordion. Chris performs new and traditional songs from the U.S., Scotland, Ireland, and beyond. Last year she won our songwriting competition with her a capella song, "The Gates of Troy." The Great Sanger and Didele, renowned Seamen of the Inland Empire, inflict entertainment on an unwary public. They are known for their silly songs of the sea and musical prowess, and they are sometimes known as Kurt and Kent Mesford. Shanghaied on the Willamette, Portland's favorite nautical duo, performs songs "plundered from land and sea," specializing in traditional music of the sea and waterways. Jonathan Lay plays guitar and bodhran; Gordy Euler plays banjo, fiddle, and mandolin. Mary Sisk is a Richland storyteller who collects tales from many cultures. Her gentle, captivating style entrances audiences of all ages at schools, libraries, and festivals around Washington and Oregon. Mike Skalstad is a singer-songwriter and guitarist from Kennewick. Paying tribute to his roots in folk and rock, he creates thought-provoking lyrics about life and its journey. Skweez the Weezle is the Tri-Cities' favorite high-energy Celtic band. They play original and traditional Celtic music. David Lanigan plays bagpipes, bouzouki, and whistle, Troy Hanford plays guitar, and Mike Day plays bodhran and djembe. Sky in the Road is a trio from Portland known for 3-part harmony and award-winning songwriting. Rahmana Wiest plays harmonium, Dan Rhiger plays guitar and bouzouki, and Dean Warner plays guitar and mandolin. Dan is a finalist in our songwriting contest. So They Say Storytellers are a Tri-Cities storytelling group that includes Kelly Reed, Joyce Willis, and Connie Farr. Storytelling is an art that people of all ages can enjoy. Thaddeus Spae is a talented composer and multi-instrumentalist from Seattle. With his late wife Sandabeth, he performed for many years as Amber Tide. Thaddeus's compositions have been featured everywhere from NPR to Broadway. Peggy Sullivan & Hard Times Delivery play American music from the time between the World Wars. Ted Briggs-Comstock and Ron Dalton add dobro and banjo to Peggy's guitar and vocals. The band comes from Seattle. Sultana Dancers, a local dance troupe, will perform middle-eastern dancing with the Tri-Cities Drum Circle. They will lead a workshop on belly dancing, but they warn you: you might get addicted! Adam Sweeney is a young singer-songwriter who has recently returned to Portland after a few years in the Boston folk scene. His songs invite comparisons to folk revival poets like Paul Simon and Cat Stevens. Sweet Potatoes is Miche Baker-Harvey on fiddle and Jay Finkelstein on guitar. The Seattle- based band plays a mix of high energy Metis, Quebecois, northern and southern tunes, all carefully phrased for contra dancing. ThorNton Creek is a Seattle band whose music oozes out of the cracks between Neil Young, Wilco, and John Prine. Their songs are written by Thornton Bowman, who plays guitar. MJ Bishop adds mandolin and accordion and Don Miller chimes in on lap steel guitar. Three Rivers Dulcimer Society is a local group of acoustic music-lovers founded in 2003. They welcome all ages, abilities, and acoustic instruments! You can print tunes for their workshop from their website http://www.threeriversdulcimersociety.net. Troupe du Soleil is a local dance group performing traditional and contemporary belly dance. You'll love their performance and workshop -- whether your belly is big or small, female or male. Seattle-based trio Uncle Bonsai began singing their always-memorable, and often-twisted songs in the 1980s. They disbanded in 1989, but have re-formed with current members Andrew Ratshin, Arni Adler, and Patrice O'Neill. Their songs are original vignettes of the wonder and misery of life, delivered with rapid-fire lyrics and exquisite harmony. Uncle Joe's Banjo Band presents old-time American music that you've probably heard before but perhaps forgotten. The local band includes Paul Knight, Debby Hembree, Chris Mesford, Phil Cathy, and Kurt Mesford. Marshall Veal, from Vancouver B.C., writes and performs for children and the adults they grow into. He is "cheerful in all weather and never shirks a task!" Steve Wacker is a Seattle singer-songwriter who performs on guitar and harmonica. His easygoing performance style and slightly off-kilter sense of humor keep things breezy on stage. He's a finalist in our songwriting contest. Ken Waldman is Alaska's "fiddling poet." He tours all over the continent, playing his music for kids and more. He'll be joined by "the Secret Visitors," who are - well, we can't say! The Wanderers are Bill Murlin and Carl Allen, a duo who have been performing together since 1959. Their straight-up, sweet-sounding folk music pleases baby-boomers and their progeny. Watch the Sky! is a Seattle area Celtic band made up of Jan Glanister on bodhran and dumbek, Chris Glanister on whistle, Michael Crowley on bass, and Joe Wagner on guitar. Their instrumentation and harmonies are warm and full of traditional Celtic verve. Wes Weddell once traveled around Washington state digging up local history and composing folk songs based on his findings. The young Seattle resident was a winner in our songwriting contest in 2006. Betsy Wellings is a singer-songwriter who also sings Latin American music. Her song lyrics are philosophical, poetic and humorous. She lives in Olympia. The Whateverly Brothers sing homemade, three-layer harmonies with instrumental frosting. Dan Roberts, Chris Glanister, and Matthew Moeller claim "no musical style is sacred." Wiggle Like a Fish is Richland's Tory Christensen and friends. Tory's a dad, singer, songwriter, performer, and school counselor who loves to perform for kids. He is a finalist in the songwriting contest. Brendan Wires plays touchstyle bass, which means he plays the bass like a piano! He comes to us from western Washington. Ye Merrie Greenwood Gypsies are members of the Ye Merrie Greenwood Players, who put on the Greenwood Faire in June. They blend sound, movement, and costumes to create a performance that's beautifully untamed.