Ken Bloom: bowed dulcimer, minstrel banjo, guitar, and vocals   Ken given solo concerts all over North America since 1974. These have included appearances at many major Folk Festivals and clubs in the U.S. and Canada. In the past he has been a regular performer at the Vancouver, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Owen Sound, Philadelphia, and Mariposa Festivals as well as appearing in major venues across the country and appearances on A Prairie Home Companion. More recently, his appearances have been closer to home. His North Carolina presentations include: The Stokes Stomp, Hiddenite Center, Turkey Festival (Raeford), Red Springs Highland Games, Mt. Airy Storytelling Festival, and many others. These programs include the traditional music of this country as well as Celtic and Eastern European selections. He usually uses Concert zither, Northumbrian-smallpipes, guitar, clarinet, and Minstrel banjo, but he will often include other instruments and traditions as well. He tries to introduce audiences to unfamiliar sounds in an entertaining way and expand their musical view of our ever-shrinking world.   LIVING HISTORY: Ken also participates in 18th century Living History events, providing period music on period instruments, as well as acting as Sergeant for the Royal Highland Emigrants, 84th Foote. He has presented these programs at National battlefields, Living History sites, Highland Games, and schools all over North and South Carolina, Virginia,Tennessee, and Kentucky. Many of these presentations focus on the role of Scottish Highlanders in the 18th century. this interest in history has led Ken to go back and reconstruct many of the instruments of the time and research the music that would have been played on them. this includes the gourd banjo and a detailed study of early antecedents ofthe mountain dulcimer. Ken's bowed dulcimer is the result of some of these studies.   For more info on Ken's instrument building and his other band Mappamundi
			Harry Bolick: fiddle and vocals.   Harry is one of the best and most prolific tunesmiths working in the genre and a fiery fiddler to boot!   A 20 year veteran of the New York Oldtimey music scene, He has mastered a variety of local fiddling styles from the Southern states in a multitude of differing tunings, and has collected and composed a large number of contemporary fiddle tunes in traditional styles.   More recently, Harry has gone back to his own roots to more fully explore the little known traditions of his native Mississippi. The fiddle music of this state is unique. While other states share many tunes and approaches to playing, the Mississippi tradition stands out for its unusual melodies and rhythms. This unique tradition was really only known to a few collectors and enthusiasts but more recently, thanks to Harry's scholarship and persistent research, it is getting a wider hearing. Having assembled all the available material from a wide range of sources, Harry is making this available to fiddlers and other interested musicians, thus introducing this unique musical tradition to a much wider audience. Mississippi tunes are starting to show up more consistently at fiddler's conventions and gatherings, and Harry's efforts in this area is one of the key factors. Born in Mississippi, he has been always had a focus on the classic fiddle tunes from Mississippi from the recordings in the 1920's. That interest is the focus of his next recording, now in progress.   With his bands The Wooden Nickel, Gridlock, Screaming Lulu, Zombie Lust, Tunesmith, Reel to Reel and Wahoo he has shared his passion for music with large festival crowds of 25,000 and in intimate coffeehouse settings from Massachusetts to North Carolina.   Throughout his career he has further spread the music by teaching individual students and at festival workshops, and from 1988-1990 by teaching Country Fiddle at the New School for Social Research in Manhattan. Additionally from 1987-89, he organized and chaired the open oldtimey sessions which began at the Sun Mountain Cafe.