Dear Friends--

I'm delighted to announce that the Reed Island Rounders will be back in Pittburgh for two 8:00 pm house concerts on Friday, April 24--at our house in Mt. Lebanon-- and Saturday, April 25--at the home of Bill and Judy Locke in Peter's Twp.

The Reed Island Rounders (Betty Vornbrock, Billy Cornette, and Diane Jones) are known for the variety of their music, from the foot-stomping dance tunes of the Blue Ridge to romantic waltzes. From the dark and lonesome mountain tunes of a solo fiddle or duet with the banjo, or a chilling ballad, they evoke the soul of Appalachian life. These folks are equally at home in a dance hall or a concert stage.

Betty and Diane will also be holding workshops in fiddle and banjo, respectively, from noon  to 4:00 pm with a break for lunch. A lot of you expressed interest in taking workshops from these talented old-time musicians. If you haven't already, now is the time to reserve your workshop space!

In her intermediate fiddle workshop, Betty will be emphasizing bow control, rhythms, accents & phrasing, through a few of her favorite weird tunes and tunings. Bring tuners, recorders, & an extension cord if you can.

Banjo instructor Diane Jones will be "cramming everything into your heads and fingers that she possibly can in one day. Bring tuners, recorders, & an extension cord if you can." 

Betty is an accomplished old time fiddler, regularly taking first place prizes in fiddle contests at Mount Airy Fiddler's Convention , Carolina's Homecoming, the West Virginia State Folk Festival,  and Fiddler's Grove. Betty is a regular instructor at  Augusta Heritage Workshops' "Old-Time" theme week, and is co-teacher & facilitator for J.P. Fraley's "Dream Retreat" an intensive weekend workshop with J.P. Her influences include include West Virginia fiddlers Wilson Douglas, Melvin Wine, John Johnson, Sarah Singleton, Clark Kessinger and Burl and Edn Hammons; Kentucky fiddlers JP Fraley, Ed Haley, W.M. Stepp, and Snake Chapman; and, more locally to the Blue Ridge, Ralph Blizard, Tommy Jarrell, and Henry Reed.

Diane is known for her distinctive rhythmic banjo style. Also a regular prize-winner in banjo contests, she has studied with West Virginia masters Dwight Diller, Dave Bing, Melvin Wine, Gerry Milnes, Sarah Singleton, and Glen Smith. Diane loves teaching, and is well-known as an excellent old-time banjo teacher. She is a regular instructor at  the Augusta Heritage Workshops, Dwight Diller's Banjo Camp, and the John C. Campbell Folk School.

For more information or to sign up for either workhsop or to reserve a spot for the house concert that evening, please email me at amtrimble@... or call me or my dear hubby, Curt Cooper, at 412-343-0498. More information on the Rounders can be found at http://www.reedisland.com/RIR/

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Annie Trimble
Pittsburgh