The Bands
The Dave Bulley Band
Rock, folk, blues, jam band. Raucously fun, sing-a-long silly happy serious political, poetic, dance music.
The Jenny Burtis Band
Raised in Vermont, Jenny started out playing classical piano but was bitten by the songwriting bug after college while living in Boston. She picked up the guitar, joined a songwriting group and attended open mics. Since then, she has played bars, festivals and listening rooms on the east and west coasts. Her acoustic guitar is at the center of her performance, and her songs offer an honest look at life and loss, always with an eye toward humor and redemption. She weaves classical music influences into her songwriting, favoring the Romantic tradition, and has been influenced by a variety of artists including Jane Siberry, Shawn Colvin, and English singer songwriters like Nick Drake and Olivia Chaney. Her band traverses a variety of emotional landscapes, from the tenderness of a revelation to the downbeat drive of rock n roll. She has just finished recording her first album. It includes the band as well as other local musicians including singer songwriter Lui Collins, saxophonist Rick Page, dobro player Charlie Conant, and multi-instrumentalist Dom Lewis, and will be released in the spring of 2023.
Her band members include:
Klon Koehler: who has played electric bass onstage and in the studio with folk singers, power trios and jam bands. He has played at the White House and the Shea Theater; recorded in NYC and Turners Falls. His bass lines provide a strong and steady foundation for the songs delivered.
Doug Plavin: drummer extraordinaire, who has toured and/or recorded with many musicians from varying genres including Dar Williams, Joan Baez, Michael Gregory Jackson, and Duke Levine, and whose inspired percussion and drumming adds depth and dimension to many of Jenny’s songs.
Geoff Rice: who brings both atmospheric effects and crisp lead guitar, exercising tasteful restraint, always in service to the song. Geoff offers superb musicianship and an attunement to beauty, highlighting the emotional dimension of Jenny’s music.
Doug Waterman
Doug Waterman writes and performs his own songs, music for theatre, and children’s songs. Theatre credits include twelve original songs in a production of “Measure for Measure” set in 1920s Chicago, and his own triptych of scenes and songs based on family, “Home Is a Four-Letter Word.” He has released one CD, Truly Hairy Fairy Tales, a collection of songs based on familiar stories. In a former life Doug consulted in corporate communications, supporting middle and senior level managers. He holds a Masters degree in fiction writing. A native of Wisconsin, Doug wrote his first song in the 10 th grade, about an ill-fated relationship with a past winner of a locally famous beauty contest, Alice in Dairyland. It is the greatest song ever written.
The Love Crumbs
Love Crumbs is a folk-rock and indie group based in Massachusetts. Known for blending poignant lyrics with smashing female vocals.
“There are great singers, and then there are great voices. Voices that grab you from the jump and make you go “Who is this?” Ali from Love Crumbs falls into the latter category” writes Postcard Elba.
Their first two single releases, ‘Cavalcades’ and ‘Ellipses’ garnered the group attention from celebrated outlets like American Songwriter and multiple Spotify Editorial Playlists like Fresh Finds. Since then, the group has shared the bill with acts like Suzanne Vega, Lake Street Dive, Father John Misty, Waxahachie, and Lori McKenna.
“[T]here are some artists so fizzing with potential that their success seems predestined,” Keep Walking Music writes of Love Crumbs. Stay tuned for more releases from Love Crumbs in the summer of 2023.
Hampshire County Fiddlers
The valley's afterschool fiddle group for kids ages 8-14 playing tunes from America, Ireland, Scotland, Quebec and beyond.
Peter Nabut's BArnrocket imagineers
The barnRocket Imagineers, play John Lennon's "Imagine" in its entirety,
Peter “Petey” Nabut is a singer/songwriter multi-instrumentalist.
Theatrical sound designer, composer and audio engineer. Exhibiting a serious case of “pick your favorite musical style” indecision, here, Petey is playing guitar and is lead instigator of The barnRocket Imagineers.
Klon Koehler - Electric bass. Mixing rhythm and melody since 1968.
Dan Belmont on keyboards. Musical theater director and arranger of the Off-Off Broadway Castillo Theater (1993-2001) where he arranged music for over 20 productions. Dan has written scores for three original musicals, and performed on the original cast recording of Sally and Tom: The American Way.Here in the Valley, Dan performs jazz with saxophonist Steve Kurtz and with The Free Range Cats. Dan has played with pop country band Southern Voice and Motown band, The Soul Sensations. Currently he plays keys with Shenanigans with Friends, a singer-songwriter and country band.
On "lead" guitar: Kip "just kip" Dresser, long-term Franklin County open mic host and front/sideman, formerly of Sweet Rachel and Three Feet Thick, currently with Curly Fingers DuPree, the Tommy Fuentes Band, and Kip and the Trip.
Heather Cupo is a fine singer and fine gardener from Cummington, MA.
Sean Kimball - is a Singer/ Songwriter and Multi-instrumentalist
"Kim Wachtel Repas' singing evokes the feels. Her whole hearted sound and vibrations create an effect. Leads, harmonies, belting, authentic, honest emotional... ...it's a mysterious thing…what makes a voice? But whatever it is, she has it.”
Jim McCrae - tickles the ivories, sings, plays guitar and hosts open mics regularly at the Voo
J.J. Humphrey is a homegrown Turner’s Falls drummer. He has been drumming in local bands all around the valley for the last 40 years, from original bands like Sweet Rachel, and cover bands like Ruby’s Complaint and with his current band OVERDRIVE.
The Dunbuts
The Dunbuts Family Band consist of Bibi, 10 years old, playing keyboards, ukulele, percussion and singing. Noa, 12 years old plays fiddle, ukulele, guitar and sings, and their parents Emily on guitar and vocals and Peter on anything the band needs. The band was formed in 2020 as there was nothing better for a family cooped up during a pandemic to do than play music together. You will find familiar and new music that spans a lexicon of musical styles with the Dunbuts. Sit back and listen or dance and sing along.
Chica Fuego
Chica Fuego will steal your heart and transport your mind with her captivating vocals and inspirational ukulele.
Based in Cambridge MA, she is thrilled to be playing her first Mud Season!
For more info please visit CFuego.com.
Sparkie Alison
Starting out as a folk artist in the early 70's playing colleges campuses and coffeehouses, Sparkie graduated from college and spent the next nearly 8 years as a touring country artist and songwriter.
Coming off the touring, she went on for her Masters, CAGS and Doctorate playing in classic rock, Celtic, Americana and Klezmer bands as a weekend warrior. She has shared the stage with many wonderful artists including Mary Gauthier, Brooks Williams, comedian Steven Wright, Susan Gibson, Nancy Tucker, Pete Seeger and more. Her song “One Last Kiss” was the first single for Nashville act Moore & Moore, and then was picked up by Texas artist, Jamie Beaver for her first album. The song garnered two songwriter awards and she continues to plug her songs in Nashville and beyond.
Over the years she fronted country rock band, North Country, classic rock bands Chestnut Mare and The Fossils, country band High Strung, The Chesterfield Project, and Yankee Rose, as well as sitting in with many local country and classic rocks bands, and currently co-writing with various artists / genres.
She is the Founder and President of the Massachusetts Songwriter Association, and has served on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Songwriter Association, released 3
full length albums, 3 EP’s, one educational film for public television, written the music to two films, won several songwriter awards and many poetry competitions and wrote one novel: Moon’s Embrace. The second novel is in the works. She continues to perform and lectures on various topics of living life positively, as a public speaker. Her career spans five decades and the musical style continues to evolve from earthy crunchy country to a rockabilly and a bit of blues with a twist. She is a co-founder of the WMass Songwriters Collaborative. Clips of music can be found on Facebook, YouTube and Soundcloud.
Tobi benay
The daughter of a painter and a journalist, Tobi Benay grew up in a world ripe with creativity.
She began writing songs in the 1980’s in a folk style, and music continues to be her passion and her steadfast companion. Her songs combine a variety of rhythms with lyrics that speak to her life experience, the people and places she has known and more! Everything she writes is true…almost! When she’s not playing music, Tobi is in her workshop, creating jewelry: www.tobisznajderman.com, or online, promoting her father’s artwork: www.mariussznajderman.com
THE EQUALITES
Roots Rockers Reggae Soul..recording and consistently performing for over 30 years! A brand and move.
KIP AND THE TRIP
Nova Shipley-Aja
Nova Shipley-Aja
Nova is an aspiring musician spending much of their time performing in musicals, band, chorus, and writing their own songs. They are currently an 8th grader at Great Falls Middle School where they enjoy art class, writing, and music classes. An accomplished beginner, Nova has been learning multiple instruments for only one year including the ukulele and alto saxophone. This is Nova’s first solo ukulele and voice performance and they are excited to share with you an original song. Nova would like to thank their amazing music teacher Ms. Comeau for always inspiring them to practice and keep going. They would also like to thank their mother for always supporting them and being a rock star mom.
Scott Alan Savoy
Singer-songwriter from the Athol, Ma area. I have Been writing, singing and playing guitar since I was 7 years old. I do this because I love it. I write in different genres and when I play covers it's exactly the same....From classic country to new pop and everything in between. My music and event calendar can be found at www.reverbnation.com/scottalansavoy