Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival announce first acts
Hank Wangford is performing at the Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival this year.
The Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival will feature some exciting international and homegrown talent from August 23 to 25 this year.
The festival incorporates musicians from all over the world, bringing their take on bluegrass/country music to Dunmore East. Along with a diverse musical programme, the festival features free acts along with fiddle and guitar workshops.
Hank Wangford, the Godfather of the British alternative country music scene, will perform at this years festival with The Messages, a band of Donegal and Cavan musicians, composed of Seanen Brennan (Kila) on guitar, bouzouki and harmonies, Fiona Maria Fitzpatrick on guitar and harmony vocals and Denise Boyle (the Henry Girls and others) on fiddle, mandolin and harmonies.
Hank has been picking at the dark and troubled soul of country music for more than 30 years.
His set along with The Messages at the upcoming gig, will feature songs from his last album 'Holey Holey', and his brand new album 'Promises Promises', plus songs from his back catalogue.
Of Hank's performances the New York Times said: 'If you want originality, something that still has the bite and twang that drained out of so much country, the sharp cutting wit and the rawness of hard country, then there is only one man to see. His name is Hank Wangford.'
Also performing at this year’s event is Ashlee Watkins and Andrew Small, of Southwest Virginia, USA.
The pair evoke a golden era when old-time, bluegrass and country music shared a stage every Saturday night. The duo blend overlooked gems of the past with original material, captivating audiences around the globe with their stirring harmonies and tastefully classic stylings.
Ashlee and Andrew have a steadily growing collection of ribbons from fiddlers' conventions, and as songwriters they have been featured in the IBMA Songwriter Showcase and won first prize in the 29th Annual MerleFest Chris Austin Songwriting Contest.
Lurgan’s Mons Wheeler Big Band also make a welcome return to the festival with their signature rockabilly sound, along with additional acts including Woodbine and Backyard Band with more acts due to be announced.
