Ironing Board Sam in Europe, and more!

Ironing Board Sam at Blues To Bop in Switzerland Just after the release of his album Ninth Wonder, Ironing Board Sam has hopped on a plane to Europe in order to play the Blues To Bop festival in Lugano, Switzerland. Blues To Bop, Sam's first European gig as a Music Maker Partner Artist, hosts a variety of free concerts in the Lugano town square. Sam is part of a diverse lineup of musicians, and he's looking forward to playing for new audiences! He'll play three shows, today, tomorrow and Friday. We'll make sure to let you know how Sam's trip to Switzerland was when he gets back - we know the residents of Lugano are in for a treat! More info on Blues To Bop here. Diggin': "Girl" I've seen Leyla McCalla, a Music Maker Next Generation Artist, play live several times, and this is one of my favorites to hear. The song itself is not a happy one, necessarily, but Leyla's mournful cello and plaintive and expressive voice make "Girl" into a track that you'll find yourself humming all day (of course, if you're me, much less in tune than the original.) Leyla's inspiration for her music comes from a variety of traditions, from Haitian Folk songs to jazz to blues. I'm not musically astute enough to hear all of that in "Girl," but what I do know is that its chilling subject and beautiful sound resonates with me, and this song is on repeat while I'm in the office most days. Leyla is playing a show at Mass MoCA for the Fresh Grass Bluegrass Festival, Sunday, September 23rd. If you're in the area, don't miss her live. If you like "Girl," you'll be blown away by the rest of her show. - Corinne Whitney Baker joins MM Staff Whitney has joined Music Maker as our new Community Coordinator. She will be taking over where Cornelius Lewis left off when he headed to Appalachian State University this August, as well as coordinating our social media efforts, working with the website, and helping with PR. We're so thrilled to have Whitney as part of our team! Whitney is a writer, programmer and all-around multimedia storyteller with a passion for local, community-driven stories. She received a BA in multimedia journalism and Spanish from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and has worked as a content producer and web monkey for The Daily Tar Heel, Paste Magazine, the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University and as a member of the Knight-Carnegie Foundation's News21 Fellowship. When not finding ways to tell engaging stories in the ever-shifting Internet medium, she enjoys traveling, playing video and board games and trying new local food and brews. Stop by Facebook or Twitter and welcome Whitney to our team! Coming Up this Fall from Music Maker This Fall Music Maker is doing some exciting things, going some great places, and showcasing some amazing artists. Don't miss a thing! Keep up with us in our online newsletter (and forward to your friends!), on Facebook, on Twitter and on our website! Music Maker is proud to be a sponsor of the Hoppin' John Old-Time and Bluegrass Fiddler's Convention, held September 13th -15th. Programs like Hoppin' John give thousands each year the opportunity to experience live traditional music. More info on Hoppin' John here. Roots N Blues N BBQ is coming up (did you get your tickets yet? If not, click here!) and will feature the Music Maker Blues Revue! Cool John Ferguson, Alabama Slim, Ironing Board Sam, Eddie Tigner, Lil' Joe, Albert White, Nashid Abdul Khaaliq, and Ardie Dean will be performing at this prestigious festival, if you'll be there, give us a shout! In October, Music Maker presents the Music Maker Stage at the Southern Mississippi Roots Festival in partnership with the University of Southern Mississippi. We'll showcase a great lineup of musicians, including Ironing Board Sam, so stay tuned for more info about that! Much more to come from Music Maker - thank you for making it possible! Listen: Leyla McCalla - Girl New MM Partner Artist Jeff Littlejohn of Wilson, NC by Aaron Greenhood Keep up with Music Maker! Support Music Maker, and help keep the music alive!

Upcoming Shows: Click here for more info on upcoming events 8/31 - 9/2 - Ironing Board Sam - Blues To Bop in Lugano, Switzerland 8/31 - Beverly "Guitar" Watkins - Henry's Uptown, Ackworth, GA 9/8 - John Dee Holeman - Harvest Festival, Duke Homestead, Durham, NC 9/7 - 9/9 - Pura Fé - Ohio Lesbian Festival, Pataskala, OH 9/14 - Ironing Board Sam - The Depot, Hillsborough, NC 9/15 - Ironing Board Sam & Big Ron Hunter - Apex Jazz Festival 9/20 - John Dee Holeman & Lightnin' Wells - SOOTS Benefit, Chapel Hill, NC 9/22 - Music Maker Blues Revue - Roots N Blues N BBQ, Columbia, MO 9/23 - Leyla McCalla - Mass MoCA Fresh Grass Bluegrass Festival, North Adams, MA 9/29 - Ironing Board Sam & Drink Small - Sweet Palmetto Festival, Columbia, SC 10/4 - 10/7 - Deer Clan - Shakori Hills Music Festival, Pittsboro, NC 10/13 - Ironing Board Sam, L.C. Ulmer, Ben Peyton, Drew Young Band - Music Maker Stage, Southern Mississippi Roots Festival, Hattiesburg, MS Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc. helps the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain recognition and meet their day to day needs. We present these musical traditions to the world so American culture will flourish and be preserved for future generations.