United Way Bluegrass Benefit

press release: Sunday, February 9, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.

The Barrymore Theatre presents, and WORT 89.9 FM, Isthmus & Sugar Maple welcome THE 19^TH ANNUAL UNITED WAY BLUEGRASS BENEFIT

featuring

STRINGS TO ROAM (1:00 pm)

DAVE LANDAU: The King of Kids Music (1:40 pm)

Cajun Strangers 2 pm

SORTIN’ THE MAIL (3:00 pm)

SOGGY PRAIRIE (3:45 pm)

CORK & BOTTLE STRING BAND (4:30 pm)

Sound by Audrey Martinovich from Audio for the Arts

Enjoy a stellar lineup of bluegrass bands, while making Dane County a better place for all! Come to the Barrymore Theatre at 1 p.m. Sunday, February 9, for the 19th Annual United Way Bluegrass Benefit. Six bands and performers are volunteering their time and talents with all proceeds going to United Way of Dane County. Longtime United Way advocate Dave Kinney has organized this concert since its inception.

“United Way of Dane County connects so many nonprofits, businesses and residents together and this concert is the perfect way to celebrate that,” said Kinney. “Bring your kids, your friends and yourself to enjoy local bands, as they put on a great show for a great cause.”

Over the last 18 years, this annual concert has grown in popularity among bluegrass fans and families who are looking for kid-friendly activities. Thank you to Barrymore Theatre, Audry Martinovich (Audio for the Arts), WORT 89.9 FM, WVMO 98.7 FM, Isthmus, and the Sugar Maple Music Festival for their partnership.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 5 – 12. Children 5 and under are free.  For families, there is a maximum cost of $20. Tickets are available at the door.

Although Strings to Roam have only been together for a few months, they are no strangers to the Madison roots music scene.  Featuring Annie Emmenegger on guitar (Oak Street Ramblers), Colleen Robinson on bass (Happenstance), Emily Beebe on mandolin (Fresh Country Scrapple, Market Ramblers), Emily Jones on banjo (Bluebirds, The Poor Hearts), Hillary Harder on fiddle (Three-Legged Chair, Five Times Harder) and Stephanie Ramer on resonator guitar (Off the Porch, Prairie Bayou Cajun Band), Strings to Roam puts their own twist on traditional and contemporary tunes with multi-part vocal harmonies and tight instrumental arrangements.

Sortin The Mail (STM) is a 5 piece Bluegrass band taking the Genre to unexplored areas. Five musicians, each with songwriting credentials and with song crafting friends, the band is adding new tunes to the Bluegrass Songbook while still reaching back for the forgotten chestnuts left by the elders. Keepin the “Ass” in Bluegrass.

Voted Madison Area Music Association’s 2019 Children’s Performer of the Year. A former teacher, David Landau has now become regionally famous as the King of Kids Music. He even had to give up his job of shopping mall Santa this year because the kids recognized him. They all asked, “Hey David Landau, when does Santa get here?” Kids and families can enjoy David’s show every Monday night at 5:30pm at the Harmony Bar in Madison. Fun for the kids, totally tolerable for their grown-ups.

A Madison fixture for over 23 years, the Cork ‘n Bottle String Band continues to entertain audiences with good music, smart talk, and beer. They have performed in venues all over Madison, Dane County, and as far away as Milwaukee. They have been offered gigs in other places such as Anchorage Alaska, Nantucket Island, and Nashville Tennessee, but they turned them all down stating their original mission statement: “If it seems hard, let’s not do it.”

Since their humble beginnings in spring 2002, Soggy Prairie has seen a few lineup changes, but one thing has stayed the same: quality, ear-pleasing Bluegrass music, presented with a familiarity that makes you feel like you’re listening to live music in your own living room.