November 11, 2008 Newsletter
Greetings to Banjo Dan fans worldwide, and thanks once again for your interest in our band and your support for authentic acoustic music.
The big news this month – the REALLY big news – is that we have an all-new website at www.banjodan.com. Our friend Dan Axtell has done an incredible job building it from the ground up, and we're tremendously grateful for his good work on our behalf.
Please visit the site first chance you get. You'll find it full of information on the band, with loads of photos, music samples, links to other sites of interest, and a whole lot more. In fact, we'd love to hear what you think of it. Send me an email at banjodan@pshift.com. How does it look; can you find your way around easily; does it deliver what you want from a website in terms of band info, how to book a show, how to order CDs? Can you find and follow the schedule OK? Are there other features you'd like to see? I'd love to hear from you – we're trying to make this the most attractive, helpful and easily-navigated music site it can be.
In fact, while you're at it, you can send me any little anecdote you'd like to share about Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys. How long have you followed the band? What do you like about us and our music? (Come on, there must be something!) What else should we be doing? Where in your area should we be performing? We're thinking of setting up a little dialog section if we can, and we may be quoting some of your input on our Reviews page. So don't be shy – be involved!
Let me also point out that at the far right of the navigation bar you'll find a link for The Sky Blue Boys. As most of you know, my brother Willy and I love playing not only bluegrass music but other traditional American styles as well. The link will take you to another whole new web site, which you can also find directly at www.skyblueboys.com. We'll be posting these newsletters on both sites, but from now on schedules for the two groups will appear exclusively on the appropriate website.
And speaking of schedules, let me quickly mention the few shows remaining in 2008. Saturday, November 15 The Sky Blue Boys will be at The Music Box in Craftsbury, Vermont for a 7:30 PM concert. This is an absolutely wonderful little music hall, one of our very favorite places to play. www.themusicboxvt.org
Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys will play their final two shows on the last day of the year, appearing at First Night Burlington (www.firstnightburlington.com) at 5 and 7 PM at the Unitarian Church and then at First Night St. Johnsbury (www.firstnightstj.com) at 10 and 11 PM at the North Church. We hope you can join us at one of these joyous celebrations.
With the holidays on the near horizon, we'd like to remind you to consider the gift of music. In fact, to celebrate the coming of a new year and a new era in our country, we're offering some package deals on our CDs. You'll find a complete listing of available recordings on our web site, and we're always delighted to fill your order a CD or two at our usual reasonable prices. But check out these holiday specials:
- One Fire in the Sugarhouse plus one Like a River (Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys' two current CDs) for just $25 plus $3 postage and packaging -- a total of $28, reduced from $34.
- One Music in the Air plus one With Friends Like These (The Sky Blue Boys' recent CD plus a reissue of the brothers' great bluegrass album from 1979) for the same $28 total, reduced from $33.
- The full set of Banjo Dan's Songs of Vermont: I'll Take the Hills, The Catamount is Back and Mystery and Memories, normally $49 for just $35, postpaid.
- Both Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys reissues, Snowfall and Green Mountain Skyline, normally $32, for just $25, postpaid.
How can you beat these deals, folks? If you'd like to get in on the action, send your order along with a check to Banjo Dan at 23 Roberts Street, Montpelier, VT 05602. Canadian customers, please remember we can accept only US funds, and you'll need to add an extra $2 per order.
OK, that's probably it for this year. Here's wishing you all a great holiday season and a new year full of peace, good health and good music.
Banjo Dan