Bluegrass at the Governor's Inn

ROCHESTER — Returning for an eight-year anniversary performance, Cecil Abels of The New England Bluegrass Band will play at The Governor's Inn and The Café twice this weekend — Friday and Sunday — as part of the Inn's Summer Music Series. Abels will play his acoustic solo set on Friday, July 29, from 7-10 p.m. on the front lawn of the Inn's restaurant and then with his full bluegrass band on Sunday, July 31, from 4-7 p.m. from the gardens of The Café.

The New England Bluegrass Band is recognized as one of the most talented bluegrass groups performing in the New England region today. Led by the band's founder Cecil — aka "Mr. Sippy" — Abels, the band has become renowned among audiences across the U.S. and Europe. Bluegrass Unlimited referred to the New England Bluegrass Band CD as the "Best in Bluegrass." Abels started the band almost 20 years ago with stellar musicians, Gary Filgate, Pete Soukas, Lincoln Meyers and Roger Williams. Since the beginning, the band has become known as the best in New England. Touring Europe in 2005, the band has become a training ground for some of the U. S. finest bluegrass musicians, including graduates of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, as well as some of New England's best touring musicians. Band members include: Cecil Abels (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Jon Ross on mandolin and vocals, Dave Talmage on fiddle and vocals, Amanda Kowalski on bass and fine young Grace Van Hoft on banjo and vocals.

Thursday night at The Governor's Inn features weekly artists Matt Gelinas and "Hopeless Folk," from 6-9 p.m. Friday night Cecil Abels will perform solo as part of a weekly acoustic series featuring different artists each week. As a solo performer, Cecil relies on his talent as a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and performer of folk music with strong musical connections to his home roots in Mississippi. His music has been said to touch people in an uplifting and lasting way. A talented and positive performer who lifts up and entertains audiences, Cecil also informs audiences of the cultural and historical context within his music. Singing tenor, lead and baritone, his range is as expansive as his music influences and interests. Playing guitar, mandolin, ukulele and acoustic bass, Cecil reaches multilevel audiences with talent and musical insights.

The Summer Music Series is brought forth by Center Stage Sponsor MetroCast. Other sponsors for the Music Series are Associates in Family Dentistry, Federal Savings Bank, Spence and Mathews Insurance, Bourque's Flooring, Animal Health Center, Burke's Tree Service, artstream and Studley Flower Gardens.

All music events at The Governor's Inn and Café are free, but donations are appreciated and many of the bands have CDs for sale. The full evening menu of Spaulding Steak and Ale is available at all four evenings of music. To click band links and view the full schedule of the three-month lineup visit www.governorsinn.com, or call the Inn at 332-0107 for more information.

‘Girl Howdy’ brings classic Honky Tonk and retro swing to Governor’s Inn

ROCHESTER – Playing music from the honky-tonk era spanning the late 1940’s to the early 1960’s, the five piece band Girl Howdy coming to The Governor’s Inn this Sunday, July 24 plays songs from such legends as Hank Williams, Kitty Wells, Loretta Lynn, Ray Prices, the Davis Sisters and Buck Owens. Hogwild for raw, retro twang, this band plows through their music with energy, enthusiasm, and utter devotion.

With Girl Howdy, girls rule … all three front men are in fact women: Betsy-Dawn Williams on banjo and fiddle, Paula Bradley on piano, and Rose Sinclair on sliding steel guitar. To keep the women on beat, Brian Rost backs on bass and Texas dancehall veteran drummer Billy Nadeau holds the rythem. With all its ‘gurl-power,’ however, the band is primarily characterized by sweet harmonies, sliding steel, and sawing fiddle to bring an infectious honky-tonk groove, country swing genuine jukebox sound. Girl Howdy has been bringing this nostalgia on tours across the country and to Europe. The concert will be held Sunday from 4 to 7pm at The Café at The Governor’s Inn, as part of The Governor’s free Summer Music Series, which features music on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings as well.

Thursday night features weekly artists Matt Gelinas and ‘Hopeless Folk’ from 6 to 9pm. Friday night July 22 brings the acoustic sounds and sweet musical melodies of the duo ‘Brian and Cherrie’ from 7 to 10pm, and on Saturday night July 23 Rochester’s own Art Nicless brings his party rock band – the ‘Nickless Band’ - to the soundstage of the Café from 7 to 10pm.

The Summer Music Series is brought forth by Center Stage Sponsor MetroCast. Other sponsors for the Music Series are Associates in Family Dentistry, Federal Savings Bank, Spence & Mathews Insurance, Bourque's Flooring, Animal Health Center, Burke’s Tree Service, Artstream and Studley’s Flower Gardens.

All music events at The Governor’s Inn and Café are free but donations are appreciated and many of the bands have CDs for sale. The full evening menu of Spaulding Steak & Ale is available at all four evenings of music. To click into band links and view the full schedule of the three-month lineup visit www.governorsinn.com, or call the Inn at 332-0107 for more information.

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Life’s a Beach

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Brownies

A Wedding at the Governor's Inn

Courtesy of New Hampshire Wedding Magazine and Hindsight Wedding Films

RockSpring brings bluegrass to the Governor's

Rockspring

The beat goes on at The Governor’s Inn and Café, now in the fifth weekend of its free Summer Music Series.   Thursday night will feature weekly artists Matt Gelinas and ‘Hopeless Folk,’ followed by a progression of talented music moving from acoustic, to rock, and then a bluegrass blend:

Brian Munger will play the acoustic series on the front lawn of The Governor’s Inn on Friday July 15 from 7 to 10pm.  Munger draws his acoustic influence from Crosby, Stills & Nash; Neil Young; Dan Fogelberg; Jonathan Edwards; Simon & Garfunkel; the Beatles; the Eagles, America, and more!

On Saturday night, July 16, from 7 to 10pm, the Nashville recording artists “Brothers in Arms” band will play from the Café soundstage.  Said to be one of the most powerful and inventive new rock bands to emerge,  Brothers in Arms is a musical concoction of aggressive, melodic, guitar-driven rock & roll with soulfully intense yet tasteful vocals.

Formed in the heart and soul of the Midwest, this Dayton, Ohio band debuted their album  “Dirt On My Bones” showing influences from the heavy classic sounds of Black Sabbath to the soulful grooves of Gov’t Mule and the melodic likes of Brothercane.  These influences have all filtered through their original blend of musical perspective to arrive at their more recent, mature, and eclectic album “Edge of My Mind, ”

Then on Sunday afternoon, July 17, as part of The Sunday Garden Concerts at the Cafe from 4 to 7pm, the music becomes a blissful blend of bluegrass with Rockspring, a high energy five-piece string band that has quickly gained a strong following in the New England region. Combining original songwriting with eclectic cover songs, Rockspring puts on an incredibly entertaining live show that makes people dance out of their shoes!  Blending bluegrass, rock and various other influences, Rockspring not only appeals to bluegrass fans, but also to pop, rock, alternative folk and country fans. It is their unique style that has enabled them to develop a large fan base in New England.

Rockspring has been compared to string band heavyweights Old Crowe Medicine Show and Yonder Mountain String Band.  The band is comprised of Chad Verbeck on guitar and vocals, Mark Aleo on mandolin and vocals, Kyle Tuttle on banjo, Jon Aanestad on fiddle and vocals, and  Rob Wright on upright Bass and vocals.   Over the past year Rockspring finished a debut EP, "Rockspring", and they are currently working on new material for another full length release.  Rockspring has played locally at the Stone Church in Newmarket, NH and the Tupelo Music Hall in Londonderry, NH but the band can be seen in venues all over the Northeast every weekend.

All music events at The Governor’s Inn and Café are free but donations are appreciated and many of the bands have CDs for sale.  The full evening menu of Spaulding Steak & Ale is available at all four evenings of music.   To click into band links and view the full schedule of the three-month lineup visit www.governorsinn.com, or call the Inn at 332-0107 for more information.