NEWBURYPORT — If you love folk music, you are in for some memorable evenings this fall at the Belleville Roots Music Series with Molly Tuttle and Tony Trischka leading off with concerts in October.
Tuttle, who broke into playing bluegrass at festivals when she was 11 years old, has performed at Belleville before, a decade ago, in a show that featured rising stars. Her concert at the Belleville Congregational Church this year will be at 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 7.
The Northern Californian discovered the bluegrass thanks to her father, a music teacher, who played several instruments, and her grandfather, who played the banjo for her when she visited his Illinois farm.
Roots’ founder Ken Irwin calls her “one of the most compelling new voices in the roots world.” Like her father, Tuttle plays multiple instruments and writes many of her own songs. On her new album Crooked Tree with her new band Golden Highway, Tuttle brings her imagination to tales of free spirits and outlaws, weed farmers and cowgirls in an album that is both forward-thinking and steeped in bluegrass heritage.
Golden Highway features bluegrass virtuosos Dominick Leslie on the mandolin, Kyle Tuttle on the banjo, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on the fiddle and Shelby Means on the bass.
The New York Times declared Trischka as “the father of modern bluegrass.” He has achieved legendary status during his more than 50 years, inspiring generations of acoustic musicians, including Bela Fleck, Alison Brown and Noam Pikelny.
Trischka, who will perform at the church at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22, has recorded 17 albums, including one that celebrates some never heard before songs of Earl Scruggs, whom Triscka performed and recorded with. He also recorded with Pete Seeger, William S. Burroughs, The Allman Brothers, Alison Kraus, Miley Cyrus and Van Dyke Parks.
A Grammy nominee, Trischka was recently inducted into the American Banjo Museum’s Hall of Fame. He produced Steve Martin’s Rare Bird Alert, featuring Paul McCartney and The Chicks, and was the musical director and associate producer of PBS’s The Banjo Project.
In 2019, he made his Grand Ole Opry debut and celebrated the 10-year anniversary of his Tony Trischka School of Banjo on the ArtistWorks platform, the online banjo home for students around the world.
His Deep Dive Earl Scruggs show features Michael Daves, Maddie Witler, Brittany Haas and Jared Engel.
And if that is not enough fun for a fall, the award-winning band Le Vent du Nord is returning to the Roots music series for the third time. A leading force in Québec’s exciting and progressive Francophone folk movement, the group’s vast repertoire features rhythmic and soulful music, rooted in the Celtic diaspora. Since launching in August 2002, Le Vent du Nord has performed more than 2,000 concerts on four continents.
Le Vent du Nord will perform in Newburyport at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5.
Belleville Roots is a non-profit organization that supports the maintenance and restoration of the historic Belleville church buildings. Sponsors and advertisers are welcome. It also accepts tax-deductible donations at Belleville Roots Music Series, 300 High Street, Newburyport, MA 01950.
