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Valley Main Stage
Michael Martin Murphey - Lone Cowboy Concert
JAH Boogie's NATTY NATION
JJ's Zydeco Paydirt
Richie Yurkovich & Polkarioty
Noble Surfers
Bacon Equity
Sue Hulsether and the Kettle Creek String Band
New Arkdale Ramblers
Synister Dane and the Kickapoo Disco Cosmonuts
Ghostface Cow
Sweet Grass & Sage
The Tercels
Michael Martin Murphey Lone Cowboy Concert
America's #1 selling Cowboy Music singer
Six Gold Records
The Hits: Wildfire, What's Forever For, A Long Line of Love, Carolina In the Pines, Still Taking Chances, From the Word Go, Cowboy Logic, Geronimo's Cadillac, I'm Gonna Miss You Girl
BMI Award for 4 Million plays of "Wildfire"
performing on the Valley Main Stage, Saturday, 8:00 - 9:30 pm
Michael Martin Murphey, "the singing cowboy poet", is not only the number one, best-selling singer/songwriter of American Cowboy Music; he's one of the world's most respected singer/songwriters in the Pop and Country-Western fields.
Murphey is the world's most prominent musical representative of the Western horseman, the horse rancher, cattle rancher, and cowboy. He's also a lover of the outdoors, with a strong commitment to issues regarding farmers and ranchers, open space, and management of natural resources.
Although Murphey did have some love-song related hits, these were mostly penned by other writers. Much of his own work involves nature and his respect for all things living and the universe at large.
As an almost completely self-taught musician, Murphey spent his time in California in the mid 1960s making connections with other musicians. One of these associations was with the Monkees who recorded one his songs. This was the start of a lifelong career as a songwriter for others.
In the late 60s his band with Owen "Boomer" Castleman, The Lewis & Clark Expedition, was musically blazing new trails by combining country, pop, and folk with a western flair. In 1972, Kenny Rogers and the First Edition recorded Murphey's idea for a concept album revolving around a ghost town in the Mojave Desert. Entitled The Ballad of Calico, the album was critically acclaimed and won Murphey some notice.
In 1970, when Murphey moved back to Texas he was the first signer/songwriter of the Austin based "Texas music scene" to be signed to a major record label. After Willie Nelson visited one of Murphey's performances in Austin, he got rid of his suit and tie, grew long hair and a beard like Murphey's, and played the Armadillo World Headquarters as Murphey's opening act. Murphey inspired many Texas-based musicians to stick to their home state while playing the world.
In 1972, Murphey released his debut album entitled Geronimo's Cadillac. The album was produced by Bob Johnston (who also produced Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Simon and Garfunkel, and Leonard Cohen) which made the critical world pay attention to Murphey as a serious songwriter. Rolling Stone Magazine immediately proclaimed, "On the strength of his first album alone, Michael Murphey is the best new songwriter in the country." Murphey's morphing from the blues, country, pop ballad, rock and roll, bluegrass, western-swing, cowboy music, and jazz left many people struggling with what to call his music.
In May 1975, Murphey's story song, "Wildfire", reached No. 1 on the radio and records chart, No. 3 on Billboards Pop Chart, and No. 1 on all Adult Contemporary Charts.
"Carolina in the Pines", Murphey's follow-up single, contained a banjo solo, helping raise the profile of the instrument. The timelessness of the song is evidenced by the fact that it went to No. 21 on the pop charts in 1975 and a re-recorded version with John McEuen and Ricky Skaggs was Top 10 on the country charts ten years later.
Murphey's next album, Swans Against The Sun, contains one of his greatest compositions, "Renegade", which features McEuen on slide guitar, Charlie Daniels on electric guitar, and the vocals of John Denver, Jeff Hanna, Willie Nelson, and Tracy Nelson.
In the early 1980s, Murphey recorded a watershed album called Michael Martin Murphey. His self-penned single "Still Taking Chances" was one of the first love songs he ever wrote. Ironically, 12 years after his first hit in pop music, Murphey was awarded Best New Artist by the Academy of Country Music in 1983, beating out George Strait.
In 1982, Murphey's treatment of the beautiful ballad "What's Forever For?" went Pop Top 20. In 1985, he performed with the New Mexico Symphony in a concept show he titled, "A Night in the American West". This performance lead to hundreds of performances with American and Canadian symphonies.
His now-gold Cowboy Songs album, the first gold album of Cowboy Music since Marty Robins, sparked a whole series of albums and many awards for his accomplishments in the Western and Cowboy Music field.
Murphey founded and trademarked a Western cultural festival in Colorado called Westfest in 1987, later expanding to other states. Like the Buffalo Bill and his Wild West shows of old, Murphey has become synonymous with American West showmanship, culture, lifestyle, and scholarship.
Michael also broke ground with an innovative concert concept called "Cowboy Christmas" in 1987, which has become a trademarked touring show and musical concept for him. The event is now world-famous, due to Murphey's tireless praise for this tradition.
Michael Martin Murphey's latest CD, Heartland Cowboy, Cowboy Songs Vol. 5 is inspired by life on his ranch and his real experiences working as an activist and artist in American ranching and farming. The album is the definitive homage to the tillers of the land and riders of the range, telling the story of our nation's farmers, ranchers, and rural citizens. The single 'Close To the Land' was chosen to be the theme for the new PBS show America's Heartland. Heartland Cowboy is a poetic defense of the people of the land, and a tribute to the beauty of the cultures who live close to nature.
Murphey has been a guest of honor and performer at virtually every important Western event and festival of his time. He has also received awards for his accomplishments in many fields. The award for which he is most honored is the Golden Smokey Award, given to him by the Department of Interior for his tireless work in conservation and wildlands fire awareness. Other awards include six Gold Albums, Charlie Russell Award for Western Heritage, 5 "Wrangler" awards from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum and Cowboy Hall of Fame, Academy of Country Music, Rock Music Awards, Academy of Western Music Award for Best Album and Song, Governor of New Mexico's Outstanding Achievement Award, Outstanding Son of Texas Award by the Texas Legislature, BMI Awards for Radio Airplay, and special citation for Outstanding Contribution to the State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for his work on public awareness of Wisconsin Trails.
The last Saturday in July every year is the National Day of the Cowboy (www.nationaldayofthecowboy.org). The mission of the National Day of the Cowboy Organization is to contribute to the preservation of America's Cowboy heritage so that the history and culture which the day honors, can be shared and perpetuated for the public good, through education, the arts, celebrations, gatherings, rodeos, and community activities. The National Day of the Cowboy happens to be July 26th this year, the night of Michael Martin Murphey's performance at the Kickapoo Country Fair!
JAH Boogie's NATTY NATION
(Madison, WI)
www.myspace.com/NATTYNATION
www.nattynation.com
performing on the Valley Main Stage, Saturday, 10:00 - midnight
Roots, rock, reggae, funk, dancehall, dub, and more—this is the unique blend of music that is JAH Boogie's NATTY NATION. 2008 marks their 13th anniversary of keeping the positive messages of their unique indigenous Wisconsin reggae beats throbbing through the heartland. They bring 13 years of performance experience, 13 years of songs from a great original 40 song music catalog, and a 13-year fan base.
JAH Boogie's NATTY NATION has experience playing festivals, events, and other venues from coast to coast. The band has performed at hundreds of other clubs, theaters, & outdoor music festivals, including the Taste of Madison, UW Stevens Point Eco-Fair, the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair in Custer, WI, Harvest Fest in Minnesota, Madison's Freakfest 2007, and Habitat for Humanity's 100th House Celebration. Their messages of peace, love, and community are earth & people friendly.
In July of 2006 JAH Boogie & the rest of the NATTY Crew took some time off to work on other musical projects. After an 11 month hiatus, JAH Boogie is back with renewed energy, spirit, and excitement to spread the positive vibration that's been ringing out since NATTY's inception in 1995. In this new version, he's stepping out from behind the bass to rock the mic alone, engaging the crowd that much more.
The new band premiered at the UW Memorial Union Terrace to a standing room only crowd. JAH Boogie's NATTY NATION tore through a set of all original tunes. Their musically hungry fans ate up every second of JAH Boogie and his backing band's tight but fluid, rootsy but funky, beautiful but gritty, righteous but real vibration. It was clear to anyone who was there: NATTY is back.
The NATTY Crew has released four studio albums, The Journey Has Just Begun... (1996), Earth Citizen (1998), LIVE '99-'00 (2000), and INATTY In Jah Music (2003). In addition to the studio albums, a host of full live sets of NATTY NATION performances have been released, as Fan Club Releases 1-5.
To celebrate their return to the music scene, the band released Seth's Picks - Best of 2003-2006 Live, a compilation of the best live recordings from the past 4 years, picked by a longtime friend and fan of the band.
Every JAH Boogie's NATTY NATION performance is a different experience. Their energy is infections, their jams complex and astounding, yet their message is simple—spread the positive vibration. It's hard not to dance at a NATTY live performance.
JJ's Zydeco Paydirt
(Twin Cities, MN/Viola, WI)
www.jjszydecopaydirt.com
www.myspace.com/jjszydecopaydirt
performing on the Valley Main Stage, Sunday, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
The people of southwest Louisiana live life to its fullest, they work hard and they play hard. Zydeco music comes from this part of Louisiana, and the people who play it would be proud of the way their music is performed by JJ's Zydeco Paydirt.
Zydeco is a form of American roots or folk music that evolved during the late 1800s call and response style vocal music of the black and multiracial French speaking Creoles of south and southwest Louisiana. In the early years zydeco music integrated waltzes, shuffles, two-steps, blues, rock and roll, and most dance music forms of the era. Today, the tradition of change and evolution in the music continues always keeping relevant while integrating even more genres like reggae, urban hip-hop, R&B, soul, brass band, ska, rock, Afro-Caribbean and other styles in addition to the traditional forms.
For over ten years, JJ's Zydeco Paydirt has been bringing zydeco music to dance halls, bars, and stages of the Upper Midwest. Paydirt plays this driving dance music along with two-step, both slow and fast, and waltzes thrown in for good measure. Simply put, the music is intensely danceable.
With its regular Sunday night gig at the Half Time Rec in St Paul, JJ's Zydeco Paydirt has built a loyal following amongst the avid dance crowd of the Twin Cities. In addition, Paydirt has performed at the Minnesota State Fair, the Minnesota History Center, The Cabooze, Dixies on Grand, The Cedar Cultural Center, and Fortune Bay Casino in Tower, MN. They have also opened for Buckwheat Zydeco and Beausoleil.
The normal lineup for the band is five pieces: accordion/vocal, guitar, bass, drum and rubboard (a form of a washboard). Who could resist the fast-tempo, one-two punch of the button-box accordion and rubboard?
Their 2003 CD, John Deere Zydeco, features songs with names like "Johnnie Billygoat", "I'm a Farmer", "Born In The Country", and the title track "John Deere Zydeco". What could be better than dancing to songs about farm animals, country life, and tractors?
Richie Yurkovich & Polkarioty
(Willard, WI)
performing on the Valley Main Stage, Saturday, 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Polkarioty is a polka/variety band featuring a blend of many genres. Be it polka, waltz, country, rock, latin, cajun, or just about any other style of music, they play it with enthusiasm, energy, and stage presence bringing the house to its feet with a mix of music and show. As they put it, Polkarioty is "playing tomorrow's polkas...today!"
Richie "The King" Yurkovich has been providing music for polka fans for over 30 years and has recorded over two dozen albums. In 2001 he was inducted into the Ironworld Polka Hall of Fame. His bands have consisted of very talented musicians who have brought individualism, character, and class to the stage. In 2002, Polkarioty was formed with a new sound, a new look, and an energy that set the band on fire! With band member nicknames like "Princess", "Cooter", "Humble Servant", and "Prince Stich" you just know this is a group who's gonna kick some butts and take names later.
Polkarioty's performance schedule sees them doing as many as a dozen shows a month all over the Midwest. They play anywhere, in anything, from ballrooms to bars, community centers to casinos, fairs to festivals, and schools to senior centers, with special events and private parties thrown in here and there. Have polka will travel, no dance floor is left empty.
Polkarioty's latest CD, Squeeze Box Man, is out now. Take a little polka variety home with you from the fair.
The Noble Surfers
(Mt. Zion, WI)
Saturday, 5:00- 6:00 pm
The Noble Surfers emerged out of the celebrated beach-bum/surf scene of southwestern Wisconsin. A favorite of the sun-soaked slacker set along the Wisconsin, Mississippi, and Kickapoo rivers, the band has earned a reputation as "the Best in the Midwest" for its dedication to the garage/trash roots of surf psychedelia, as well as its eye-popping on-stage theatrics.
Bacon Equity
(Gays Mills/Viroqua, WI)
Saturday, 3:30 – 4:30 pm
Bacon Equity is a multi-generational band of nearly a dozen family members and friends playing old school reggae, ska, and funk. Formed in 2005 especially for the Kickapoo Country Fair, the band boasts a killer horn section, fat drum and bass, and tight vocal harmonies. While they no longer fry bacon at their gigs, this band certainly cooks.
Sue Hulsether and the Kettle Creek String Band
(Viroqua/Gays Mills, WI)
Sunday, 12:00 – 1:30 pm
Last year’s square dance was such a hit that we’re bringing it back. This time caller Sue Hulsether will be cueing the dancers with her variety of fun dances and the fiddle, banjo, and guitar of the Kettle Creek String Band will provide the old time music. No partners are necessary and beginners are welcomed to join in on the good times. Circle up here, and promenade there, swing your partner at the Country Fair!
New Arkdale Ramblers
(Adams County, WI)
Sunday, 10:00 – 11:30 am
From east of the Wisconsin River, the New Arkdale Ramblers play a selection of bluegrass and gospel that will get Sunday morning started out right. The group features authentic West Virginian high lonesome vocals along with the instrumentation of a driving doghouse bass, banjo, mandolin, and guitar, as well as an occasional old time fiddle interlude.
Synister Dane and the Kickapoo Disco Cosmonuts
(La Farge, WI)
Saturday, 2:00 – 3:00 pm
Synister Dane and the Kickapoo Disco Cosmonuts are three farmers and a produce guy performing wildly sarcastic, irreverent, goofy, sad, and mostly fun(ny) music for farmers and the folks who eat the food they raise. Their rabble-rousing songs are about farmin' in America, environmental concerns, and social commentary. It's populist protest folk, but at the same time it's a lot of fun.
Ghostface Cow
(Minneapolis, MN)
Saturday, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Three ladies from Minneapolis, Ghostface Cow will enchant you with their unique art folk songs. The singer plays drums and lapsteel guitar, amazingly all at the same time. The acoustic bass player uses a mallet and the viola player is like nothing you've heard before. You might even see a hand crank painting machine. Yes, this group of women is something different.
Sweet Grass & Sage
(The hidden valleys of North Crawford County, WI)
Saturday, 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Sweet Grass & Sage is a weave of word, melody and countermelody generated with the ‘soul’ intent of allowing you to feel and consider your connection to the world. Singer/songwriter Ed Schultz plays a free-style finger picking acoustic guitar along with veteran musician Kevin Dohse on mandolin. Their message is one of remembrance and regard for the natural world and social consciousness.
The Tercels
(Driftless, WI)
Saturday, 4:30 & & 7:30 pm between bands
Music comes from many places and so do the Tercels, currently rooted in the driftless region. The Tercels draw upon a rich musical history calling on folk, bluegrass, reggae, blues, and rock. No two sets are ever the same. These musically and stylistically nimble dudes deliver harmonies for traditional music and original songs as well.
