This page is devoted to listing bands and musicians that play at contra dances. URLs and e-mail addresses are listed when available. New entries, additional information, and changes in information are always welcome. Links to other pages in the www.contradancelinks.com web site are listed at the bottom of the page.

New links are simply new to me, not necessarily new to the World Wide Web. Change in URL means that a link has changed its WWW address or URL.

• Ted Crane provides information and e-mail addresses for a number of bands that play at the Ithaca, New York area dances.
• There is contact information on bands performing for LCD in Yardley.
• Jared Gottlieb provides information about the callers and bands performing at the various sites in Colorado.
• Harold, as part of the California Dance Cooperative, provides a wide range of contact information for a number of bands in the Central California area.
• William R. Ellis provides information about a number of bands and callers in Florida.
• Sharon Rempert gives descriptions and contact information for bands, musicians, and callers in Texas.
• Richard Hart maintains a web page with information about callers and musicians in New Hampshire.
• The CONNtra CONNection lists contra dance bands in Connecticut.
• The Chattahoochee Country Dancers in the Atlanta area have information about area bands and callers and those that visit.
• The Portland Country Dance Community includes information about bands and callers in the Pacific Northwest.
• The Princeton (New Jersey) Country Dancers has a page of links and information for bands, musicians and callers which play at the Princeton dance. Change in URL (January 18, 2008)
• The California Dance Co-op in Los Angeles has listings of bands in the area.
• The Spokane Folklore Society provides a list of bands including contra dance groups.
• The Folk Federation of Tasmania has information about dance bands in Tasmania. New entry (March 27, 2008)
• Martin Kiff maintains lists of:
  • English Ceilidh Bands
  • English Folk Dance Bands
  • Scottish Ceilidh Band
    for the webfeet site.
• Set and Turn Single has listings of bands in England, but you'll have to research which ones play for contra dances.
• Down Home Dancing has a list of bands from the Sacramento and San Francisco areas. New entry (March 8, 2008)
• Jeff Spero, on his site, has a list of regional (southern CA) bands. New entry (March 8, 2008)
• The Corvallis Folklore Society has listings for bands in the Pacific Northwest. New entry (April 26, 2008)
• D. E. Pauley keeps track of bands from Florida along with bands that have visited. New entry (April 26, 2008)

0-9

• 3 O'Clock Shadow is a Ex-Post-Neo Contradance Experience! from the San Francisco Bay area. MySpace page.
• The 3rdSunday String Band is a group of dynamic Chicago musicians dedicated to the preservation and performance of Traditional American Music.

A

• Acoustic Mayhem, based in Iowa City, Iowa plays rollicking tunes, dancing tunes, sing along songs, and a repertoire that ranges from country to Cajun to classical this band entertains everyone from 3 to 103.
• The Adobe Brothers play at contra dances in the Albuquerque, New Mexico area. (e-mail only)
• Afro Shillelagh is a mix of old-time fiddle tunes, beat in West African percussion and stir with a Celtic stick with a pinches of music from Brittany, Sweden and Quebec. It is based in Vancouver.
• Airdance, a New England contra dance band, has gone through various incarnations but now includes features Rodney Miller (fiddle), Elvie Miller (piano, accordion), Owen Morrison (guitar, mandolin), and Michael Ayles (flute, tenor banjo, guitar).
• Aisling is a Columbus, Ohio Irish traditional music band playing all of the dance music of Ireland: jigs, reels, polkas, hornpipes, slipjigs, marches, and set dances. MySpace page. Slight change in URL (February 17, 2008) Added MySpace page (February 17, 2008)
• The Albuquerque Megaband is an open band that plays at the 3rd Saturday dance in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
• All Strung Out is unique combination of musicians (Jimmy Drury on piano and Bruce Kanagaki on fiddle) has resulted in a wonderful sound for San Antonio.
• Amarillis features Maro Avakian, Donna Isaac and Allison Thompson and has a CD, "Waltzing in the Trees". They are based in Pennsylvania.
• Amazon Creek is an American Celtic band from Eugene, Oregon which plays for contradances and other fun occasions. Their music is rooted in the traditional dance music of Ireland, and Scotland, with strong influence from North American sources and includes strands of Central European, French, and Middle Eastern music.
• The Amidons play music, tells stories and call dances and are from Brattleboro, VT. MySpace page for Peter Amidon. MySpace page for Mary Alice Amidon.
• Sam Amidon, fiddler with Assembly and other groups of musicians now has his own web site. He is based in Vermont and New York. MySpace page.
• Stefan John Amidon plays percussion and other instruments in bands including Magic Foot and Assembly. He lives in Ohio. New entry (January 10, 2008)
• Anam Cara unites four players from the Charlotte, North Carolina area with many collective years of performance experience. Instruments played include the bodhran, guitar, trumpet, mandolin, concertina, doumbek, and fiddle.
• Greg Anderson is a contradance musician living and working in the great state of Maine since 1983, has played the hammered dulcimer since 1977, and plays the band with Scrod Pudding, BAJA and The Foot in the Door String Band.
• Kevin J. Anderson plays piano with a number of people on the West Coast. Change of URL (March 8, 2008)
• Ants in the Pantry is from Asheville, North Carolina and includes Laurie Fisher - Fiddle, Sid Heilbraun - Keyboards, Skip Metheny - Percussion, John Culp - Mandolin, and Barbara Groh - Caller.
• The Appalachian Celtic Consort plays traditional Irish and Scottish music mostly, but also a little old-time and some original compositions with a mix of the local flavor and is based in Charleston, West Virginia.
• Apple Crisp is a modern contra dance band, based in the Boston, Massachusetts area, featuring teen pianist, Jonathan Fagan. Apple Crisp also has the only vibraphonist playing contras (that they know of!)
• Arabesque plays Arabic and Irish acoustic music on flute and various string instruments for dances and other events in Oklahoma and elsewhere. MySpace page.
• Assembly, formerly known as Popcorn Behavior, is Sam Amidon, Stefan Amidon, Keith Murphy and Thomas Barlett. They are based in New England.
• Atlantic Bridge, including Allan Carr, Jane Rothfield and Ken Sweeney play in New York State.
• From Vermont, Atlantic Crossing plays music carried to northern New England and eastern Canada during the European immigration of the last three centuries. MySpace page.
• The California version of Atlantic Crossing was started in 1987 to share traditional music from both sides of the Atlantic and points beyond. Over the years, they have played traditional American music from the Appalachians and Louisiana, the Balkans and Middle East, and now, are playing primarily Celtic music.
• The Atlas Stringband plays old-time southern music in Seattle, Washington. MySpace page.
• Rachel Aucoin is a pianist who plays in band Tidal Wave (Raz-de-Mar&ecutee) and with other musicians and groups. She is based in Quebec. New entry (May 7, 2008)
• Aunt Lu & The Oakland County All-Stars come from White Lake, Michigan.
• Seth Austen & Beverly Woods play an eclectic variety of international folk music styles including Celtic, Appalachian, Klezmer, eastern European and more on a fantastic array of acoustic instruments combining over 100 resonating strings and are based in New Hampshire.
• The Avant Gardeners include Laura Light, Dave Wiesler, Dan Sebring, and George Paul and are based in Charlottesville, VA.
• Michael Ayles is a Montreal-based musician specializing in the traditional music of Ireland and Quebec and plays with the groups La Part du Queteux and Garton's Crimson Avengers.

B

• The Back Porch Rockers are a family band from Lilburn, Georgia playing Irish fiddle tunes, Southern Banjo tunes, traditional Appalachian music, and old-time Gospel.
• Back Up and Push (Ontario) has been the Hamilton Country Dancers for more than a dozen years and has a repertoire which focuses on the traditional music of the British Isles and French Canada.
• When they were in existence, Back Up and Push played old-time fiddle tunes, honky-tonk, blues, early country, and even some originals and was based in Pennsylvania. Bob Taylor hosts the page.
• Bad Mandos and the Women Who Love Them is based in and play in a variety of venues in North Carolina. (e-mail only)
• One of the hottest bunch of musicians in the Pacific Northwest: Bag o' Tricks, a contra dance band, and their (almost) mirror image, the English country dance band, Tricky Brits, include Dave Bartley, Anita Anderson, and Sande Gillette (Bag o' Tricks), and sweet tunes, new and traditional, when Betsy Cooper joins the band and they morph into Tricky Brits.
• Ed Baggot is a fiddler in Huntsville, Alabama.
• Baile Daire, from Raleigh, North Carolina, plays at Inis Cairde ceili dances and numerous private functions including weddings and parties and plays occasionally at a contra dance, too.
• Balance and Swing is based in Colorado and includes Susan Reading playing fiddle, Tina Gugeler on hammered dulcimer, and John Reading on piano/keyboard. They perform a variety of music blending jigs, reels, hambos, waltzes, and other traditional styles from New England, Europe, and Scandinavia.
• Bambi in the Headlights is a new band out of Dallas, Texas.
• The Band du Jour is western Pennsylvania's source for live "traditional" dance music including Exciting arrangements of Irish, New England, French Canadian, and old-time Appalachian tunes.
• The Band O'Goshen is of the Indiana Goshen. (e-mail only)
• Eric J. Anderson and Lee Anne Welch are Bandemonium, a fiddle and piano duo from California and no relation to the East Coast based Big Bandemonium.
• The Boston-based Bare Necessities play music for English Country and contra dances and feature Earl Gaddis and Mary Lea (violin and viola), Peter Barnes (flute and whistles), and Jacqueline Schwab (piano).
• The Barking Bulldogs play intense and cheerful American old time music for square and contra dances in Denmark with roots in different music styles from American old time music through Scandinavian and Celtic folk music to bluegrass music. MySpace page.
• Since its inception in 1991, The Barn Owl Band, its mainstay gig has ben playing for dances in Ames, Iowa, but it has brought its new sound of the traditional American string band to other locales and included new compositions that add to the tradition.
• Peter Barnes is a musician, especially known for his work on piano and flute and author of books on English Country Dance Tunes and piano accompaniment and is based in New England. MySpace page.
• Barnstorm, featuring Sharon and Bruce Hartmann, Chris Campbell and Billy Jickell, play at dances across Florida.
• The Barnstormers play at contra dances in the Eugene, Oregon area. (e-mail only)
• The Doctor of Stuntology, Sam Bartlett who plays with a number of contra musicians and other types, has a site featuring his works. He is based in Indiana.
• Cathy Barton and Dave Para play a range of music from the lively dance tunes they have collected in their home region to old ballads to new songs. They are based in Missouri.
• The Bay Area Fiddlers play at the Dunedin, Florida dance on a regular basis. If you play an acoustic instrument, including fiddle (violin), guitar, banjo, mandolin, bass, piano, harmonica, and dulcimer you are invited to come join them. New entry (January 3, 2008)
• Based in New Mexico and playing at a variety of dances including contra dances, the Bayou Seco sound energetically captures the spirit of the Southwest USA today.
• Washington State based Randal Bays plays Irish fiddle and fingerstyle guitar with a number of musicians and appears at contra dances from time to time.
• The Beat Greens play driving rhythms with no MSG or trans-fats in Maine.
• The description of the players in the Vermont band Beeswax Sheepskin reads as follows: Roger Kahle navigates skillfully between Irish, old-time, swing, and French Canadian styles, Chuck Corman (of The Moving Violations) holds down the low end of the fort with his rock solid bass and dumbek accompaniment and sweet fiddle (Ethan Hazzard-Watkins) and clarinet (Anna Patton) melodies round out the Beeswax sound.
• Ian Bell plays fiddle for concerts, square dances and contra dances and also tells stories at venues in Southern Ontario and elsewhere.
• Mandolin player Michael Mayerfeld Bell is a former member of bands such as The Fiddleheads and the Barn Owl Band has composed tunes recorded by the latter, Fool's Gold and Wild Asparagus. He is based in Wisconsin.
• David Combs, David Sealander and Daryl Lopez comprise Bellows Fellows a group from Idaho Falls, Idaho.
• Bellows, Scratchitt, and Pluckitt play at ceilidhs & barn dances in the Nottingham, England area.
• The Berea Castoffs, composed of Alice White, Al White, Atossa Kramer, David Witherspoon and occasionally Elise Melrood play on most 4th Saturdays each month at the Berea, Kentucky dance.
• The Berlin Country Orchestra plays on a regular basis in Berlin, Massachusetts and other locations.
• The Beverwyck String Band first convened in Albany, NY and soon found themselves playing for dancing girl scouts. They worked their way up to sweaty adults and have subsequently found themselves on the dance and performance stages around the northeast (Old Songs, Falcon Ridge, Clearwater, etc).
• Big Bad Contra is a dance band from the UK playing mostly in the East Midlands for Contra evenings, and including many American and French-Canadian tunes in its repertoire.
• Big Bandemonium featuring Lise Brown, Van Kaynor, Keith Murphy, Dave Langford, Corey DiMario, Brian Bender, Adam Scott, Peter Barnes, and Becky Tracy is based in Massachusetts.
• Big Medicine plays string band music of the rural South: old-time melodies and mountain harmonies, ancient ballads and archaic fiddle tunes, heart songs, hollers, hymns, and a touch of early bluegrass. MySpace page.
• Big Moose, composed of David Quimby, Jim Vekasi, Emma Watson, David Towle, Charlie Richardson, Ruth Grierson, Chuck Donnelly and Keith Davis play at the Bar Harbor dance in Maine. (e-mail only) New entry (April 21, 2008)
• Big Table features prominent players from both the southern and northern dance music traditions. From this blend emerges a strong rhythmic groove over which the fiddle and accordian dance together. The group is based in New England.
• Northcentral Pennsylvania's Black Bear Crossing's repertoire includes tunes found in the Celtic lands of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, selections with an Eastern European flavor, as well as traditional and Old Timey American favorites.
• Black Hairy Possum is community band that plays "Old Tyme, Appalachian, Celtic and Traditional Music with just a touch (ting!) of the unorthodox." and enjoys playing for Contra Dances. They hail from Northeast Missouri, USA.
• Black River Ironworks plays at dances in Ohio and neighboring areas. (e-mail only) New entry (April 19, 2008)
• Montpelier, Vermont's Sarah Blair is plays fiddle as a member of The Sevens and plays with other musicians and at dances from time to time.
• Rex Blazer plays music with a variety of musicians and bands and is based in Alaska.
• Blue Jersey is a contra-dance string band from Princeton, NJ with Frank Ruck, Ellen Ruck, Louise McClure and Mike Sutton. New entry (January 16, 2008)
• The Blue Ridge Rounders are a hard driving, fun loving old time stringband whose music rides the cusp of the old mountain way to the traditional bluegrass sound based in Stecoah Valley, North Carolina.
• While specializing in cowboy/western music, bluegrass, and the folk songs of the west, Blue Sage Trio plays, on occasion, at contra dances, especially in Idaho and Utah.
• While Michigan's Blue Water Ramblers mostly sing extraordinary folk music, they occasionally do play at a contra dance.
• Bluegrass Stomp for dances and other events as a duet, trio or a full bluegrass band. They are based in California.
• Blunn Creek traditional New England contra dance tunes and modern creations throughout Texas. Sharon Rempert gives the info.
• Greg Boardman plays violin, but also on viola, cello and bass, at dances and other events in Maine and elsewhere.
• The Body Snatchers feature Frank Hoppe and Joe Wack and are based in California. (e-mail only) New entry (April 27, 2008)
• The Bog Wanderers is a ceili band that plays for Irish country dancing but also plays music for contra dances. They are based in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. area. New entry (April 26, 2008)
• The Bogue Sounds played in Morehead, North Carolina on May 5, 2007.
• The Boise ContraBand is an ensemble of talented musicians who play new and used Celtic music in and around Boise, Idaho. Change in URL (March 4, 2008)
• Bondeaux Redux plays oldtime wangy twangy music with gumption in Augusta, ME. (e-mail only).
• Bonnie Insull and Richard Scher play together as Bonfire, by themselves or with other musicians from time to time. The band is based in California. (e-mail only) New entry (April 27, 2008)
• Born Old is Doug Van Gundy and Paul Gartner. They have been playing together since 1997, and have learned or stolen from the best traditional musicians in the state of West Virginia. They play traditional old-time music from West Virginia with occasional forays into early country music from the 78 rpm era. New entry (February 17, 2008)
• While the initial focus of Boru, a San Antonio, Texas band, was music in the Irish tradition, the set list now draws from a much more varied body of musical traditions.
• The Boulder Bogtrotters are an eclectic dance band playing a sometimes mystifying variety of instruments. They indulge in a mix of southern Appalachian, New England, Celtic, Ragtime and other tunes with energy and abandon and are based in Boulder, Colorado. (e-mail only)
• Bob Bovee and Gail Heil play everything from square dance tunes to authentic cowboy songs to yodels & tin pan alley favorites and are based in Minnesota.
• The Bow Rockers include Nancy Neithammer on fiddle, Rusty Neithammer on fiddle, banjo, and guitar, Paul Sidlick on banjo and guitar, Margaret Sidlick on banjo and uke, and Tom Shaffer on bass. Their focus is on Southern Appalachian old-time string band music. They are based in Pennsylvania.
• The Bowdoinham String Band plays at venues from dances to farmers' markets and tunes from Irish and Scottish to American roots from the South and West. The band is based in Maine.
• Ryan Bowers plays instruments ranging from the bodhran to the bass for contra dance and bluegrass bands along with some singing gigs in Alaska.
• Adam Boyce is a caller and musician from Williamstown, Vermont. (e-mail only)
• The Boys of the Hoc'k play intstrumental interpretations of Irish traditional music weaving together lively jigs and reels, stately hornpipes, and haunting airs to bring the sounds of Ireland to the hills of Appalachia and to their home base in Ohio.
• Bo Bradham is a fiddler in Virginia.
• Mary Cay Brass has been playing for traditional New England contra dances all over the country since the early 1980's on both piano and accordion. She is based in southern Vermont.
• The Briar Pickers, is an old-time string band based in Jacksonville, Florida for over 6 years. Although their primary interest has been playing Celtic/Irish/Fiddle tunes for Contra Dances, they also draw from their musical experiences and have expanded their talented resources to include some Jazz, Swing, and even some Classical tunes.
• The Bristol Players, featuring Edward Jay on accordion and Fiona Barrow on fiddle, play at conta dances in England and the United States. MySpace page. New entry (January 2, 2008)
• Brittany Bay is an acoustic quartet from Cincinnati, Ohio which draws upon music from New England, the British Isles, and French Canada and takes a new approach to the traditional folk dance music.
• Ashley Broder is known for her work on mandolin, guitar, and violin and plays at a contra dance every once and a while. She is based in Asheville, North Carolina. MySpace page.
• The Broken String Band plays on a frequent basis in Bozeman, Montana. (e-mail only)
• Lise Brown is a saxophonist, flutist, arranger, composer and is well-known for work in the bands Big Bandemonium and Dark Carnival. She is based in Western Massachusetts.
• Matt Brown plays old-time traditional music on fiddle with a variety of musicians and performers and is based in Pennsylvania. MySpace page.
• The Brook String Farm Band plays on a regular basis at the dances in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
• Dave Brown played with Wild Thyme for a number of years and now plays with ConTradition and Skylark. He is based in England.
• Members of the Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin based Bubble and Squeak play for dances there along with weddings, private parties and receptions.
• The Buckle Busters play avant-garde music for archaic times and are based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• An traditional Celtic band from Georgia, The Buddy O'Reilly Band plays the occasional contra dance. Sarah Vegotsky maintains the page.
• Christa Burch gives voice and plays bodhran for the band, the California band, The Syncopaths.
• The Burning Desire String Band, was started over 25 years to work with caller Frederick Park, with music from Southern Appalachian big sets and squares to smooth New England contras and quadrilles, yes, and even to the blues! The band is based in Swannanoa, North Carolina.
• The Bursledon Village Band is based near Southampton on the South Coast of the U.K.
• The Bushwood Mill Band plays at concerts, jams, and dances in and around Chaptico, Maryland.
• Buzzstep is a Kentucky-based contra dance band including Cary Ravitz on fiddle, Richard King on piano, and Steve Bennett on drums. New entry (April 20, 2008)
• While Buzzard's Bayou plays mostly zydeco and cajun music, the Cape Cod, Massachusetts based band also plays at an occasional contra dance.

C

• Cabernet Sauvignon includes the talents of Karen Ashbrook, David Wiesler, Andrea Hoag and Paul Oorts, each nationally and internationally known in diverse genres, and is based in Maryland.
• Cabin Fever!, a band from Columbia, South Carolina, plays traditional music, mostly for contra dances.
• The Cacklin' Hens & Roosters Too play Old Time Music for dancing, dancing, and dancing in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
• Cactus Canyon is San Antonio's local long-standing contra band, formed in 1985. They've played mostly for contra dances, but have also played for the annual Victorian Gala (and other Fiesta events), the San Antonio Folklife Festival, and for various other public events as well as for the occasional wedding.
• Calenda Maia plays traditional folk music with a modern and sometimes untraditional sensibility. The band is based in Guilford, CT and its repertoire includes tunes and songs ranging from Irish to bluegrass to medieval dance music.
• Calliope Creek (Janet Ashford on violin and Chet Boddy on guitar and banjo) plays sweet and lively Celtic and American folk music for weddings, parties, dances, receptions and fund-raising events in Mendocino.
• Calliope House is rooted in Celtic, old-time and folk traditions and banded together in 2003 in Oklahoma City.
• Along with his regular schedule of concerts and other events, Duncan Cameron occasionally plays at a contra dance in Canada.
• The Canote Brothers, are from Seattle, Washington. Greg on fiddle, and Jere on guitar, and both on banjo ukes, perform zany concerts, play for dances, lead songs and promote a good time! New entry (April 27, 2008)
• The Cantrells feature Al and Emily Cantrell and play bluegrass, western, western swing, Irish fiddle tunes, original contradance tunes, jazz standards, and even an occasional Broadway "hit." They are based in Tennessee. MySpace page. Added MySpace page (February 3, 2008)
• Wayne Cantwell of Del City, Oklahoma, occasionally plays at contra dances. MySpace page.
• Julianne Carney has performed with Jay Z at Radio City Music Hall but also plays fiddle at barn dances in New York City.
• Bonnie Carol plays the hammered and fretted dulcimers as well as bodhrÖn, folk drums and hand percussion as a soloist and as part of some contra dance bands in Colorado.
• The Carolina Chocolate Drops are based in Durham, North Carolina and are a group of young African-American stringband musicians that have come to together to play the rich tradition of fiddle and banjo music in Carolinas' piedmont. MySpace page.
• Carolina Gator Gumbo is your Carolina Connection Cajun Band. John Bishop maintains the site.
• Deb Carstensen has, since 1991 performed with various bands including Highstrung, Celtic Fair, All in Good Time, Conundrum, Unstrung Heroes and Deb and the Pariahs with what some call a "Denver" style of Celtic music because there are influences creeping in from old timey music and other traditional Colorado music styles.
• Cascade Crossing plays contra dance music that touches on many styles of music, from baroque to klezmer to hard driving reels to smooth mysterious jigs and is based in Oregon and Washington State.
• While it is rare now for Hanneke Cassel to play at a contra dance, this Boston based fiddler has played them in the past. MySpace page.
• Catharsis (Maine edition) (Paul D'Alessio, Michele Roy, Zeba Weidler, & Fred White) unleashes their high-grade traditional music at festivals, squaredances, contradances, and special events from coast to coast. Catharsis regularly plays at dance halls throughout their home state of Maine, and they work with some of New England's finest callers. (e-mail only)
• The The Cat's Whiskers Barn Dance Band plays ceilidhs, barn dances and hoe-downs right across England, from Northumberland to Southampton and from Essex to Wessex.
• Cattywampas with Tim Cape (fiddle), Scott Russell (guitar), Pete Senkowski (bass), plays in the Atlanta, Georgia area. (e-mail only)
• The Celery City Sodbusters are based in Kalamazoo, Michigan and play at dances in the area. (e-mail only)
• The Celtibillies are a versatile performance and dance band from Virginia. The band includes Becky Barlow, Jack Hinshelwood, Bob Thomas, Jeff Hofman and Tim Sauls. Their music celebrates the connection between the traditions of Appalachia and Celtic Britain.
• In his "Celtic Traditional Music Bands in Fairbanks (and Alaska)" page, Gary Newman supplies information about Celtic Confusion.
• Pat Ryan's Celtic Junket is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and performs statewide at contra dances, festivals, and other events.
• The Celtic Knots are from Connecticut and include Cynthia Eller, Dana Plazcek, Casie Runkle and Jeff Friedman.
• Celtic Mist, featuring Steve Hedges, Mark Moschell and Will Watt played at the Indianapolis, Indiana dance on February 19, 2008.
• Celticladda is Randy Miller's contra dance band, with Tom Hodgson and Eric Anderson and is based in New Hampshire and plays melodic, vibrant, exciting dance music with a Celtic twist.
• Colorado's Ceol Ceili includes Steve Hart, Kari Wilson, Heidi McClure, and Ron Sommers and play Celtic music and then some. MySpace page.
• Ceol Cridhe are three musicians based in Frankfort, Kentucky, begins a concert. Jack Twombly, Bob Cox, and Bryn Bowen Cox share a love and passion for the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, as well as the lesser-known Celtic cultures of Brittany and Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
• Les Chauffeurs á pieds travel as their name suggests: by the stomp and tap of their feet. Since they have been taping out their jigs and reels in Quebec and abroad. MySpace page.
• Changeling is the Celtic music duo of guitarist/singer Karl Clark Colón and fiddler Deborah Clark Colón.
• Presenting traditional and original songs and tunes in Québécois, Cajun French, and English, Chanterelle is based in western Massachusetts.
• The Chelsea String Band, named after a neighborhood in Manhattan and featuring Alan Friend, Michaela Hamilton and Dotty Moore, play at contra dances along with their other gigs.
• From St. Louis, Missouri, the band, Chicks with Guns features Barbara Weathers, Billy Mathews, and Tom Hall.
• Although based in Boston, Childsplay has members from at least seven states and two countries who play instruments made by Bob Childs. MySpace page.
• Chilli Jam plays on a regular basis at the dance in Wellington, New Zealand.
• Chopped Liver is a Santa Barbara / Los Angeles based band featuring Michael Mendelson on fiddle, Jeff Spero on piano, Suzanne Duffy on flute and Bill Flores on mandolin, banjo, dobro and tenor sax. They play music from many traditions (including quite a few original compositions) with a driving groove and shameless improvisation.
• The Chordwood String Band are five good friends from the Seattle area who play lively and entertaining old-time music for contra and square dances, festivals, fairs and parties.
• The Circle of Friends Dance Band is the resident band for the Home on the Range Community Dance Association and has performed widely throughout northern Minnesota since 1996. Circle of Friends plays traditional American and Irish music for contra dances, house dances, weddings, concerts, and other special occasions.
• Ciunas is a San Diego area band of four young musicians sharing the tradition and innovation of Celtic music. MySpace page.
• While Clan White Thorn plays mostly at Civil War (United States) dances, it does play at the occasional contra dance.
• The Clayfoot Strutters play contra dance music from the New England, Appalachian, Irish, Quebecois and other traditions, laid over a hot bed of Texas swing, Cajun, Zydeco, and Afropop. They are primarily based in Vermont but play coast to coast
• The Clearfork Valley String Band is an Ohio based band with members spanning three generations. The band performs traditional fiddle-based music with a purity that transcends trends and gimmicks. New entry (February 17, 2008)
• Clusterfolk is based in Arizona and primarily plays for Contradance, but does a wide variety of Irish and Celtic tunes.
• Flynn Cohen has played with musicians and groups including Adrienne Young & Little Sadie, Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble, Joe Derrane & Frank Ferrell, and Lissa Schneckenburger. He is based in Massachusetts.
• From the Pennsylvania/New Jersey area, Col. Mike's Dance Band is composed of John Krumm, Bob Pasquarello, and Bob Stein. (e-mail only)
• The Cold River Band consists of Marcos Levy, Mary Barron, and Eric Baierlein, and their repertoire ranges from the Celtic traditions to traditional music from South America and Europe.
• The Ohio band, Colerain Connection plays American traditional dance tunes as well as music from the Anglo & Celtic heritages and a variety of International dance tunes for different types of events.
• Matt Combs plays fiddle and mandolin with the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble, groups such as Sub-ID and has taught at the Blair School of Music and Mark O'Connor's Fiddle Camp. He is based in Nashville, Tennessee. MySpace page.
• Sarah Comer plays fiddle for contra dances along at other venues and teaches private lessons and a beginning American fiddle class in the Puyallup, Washington area. MySpace page. Change of URL (March 8, 2008)
• Comes When Called played in Tampa, Florida on May 10, 2008 and features Kathie Aagard (fiddle), Rich Crew (recorder), Susan Marynowski (piano and percussion), and John McEwen (banjo).
• The Common Taters have a bunch of fun playing and singing traditional old-time stringband music for dances, festivals, weddings, and other events in the Chicago area.
• Based in Oakland, California, the Compound Meters (e-mail only)
• The Commotions, featuring Mat Clark, Sara Hiebert Burch, John Krumm & Pete Soloway played at the Glenside, Pennsylvania dance on February 22, 2007.
• Confluence from Olean NY, consists of Nadine Dyskant-Miller on flute and foot percussion and Barbara Dyskant on keyboards and features music of Quebec, Ireland, New England, Europe, and elsewhere, plus contemporary sounds and rhythms and original material.
• Liz Constable plays in The Sevens, Rumbelstrip, Chanterelle, and the Blue Ox Swing Band. She is based in New Hampshire. MySpace page.
• The Contra Banditos play traditional New England Contra Dance music with just a twist of Lemon! i.e. We might throw in the Texas Tango (David Lindley) or Bob Dylans I'll Be Your Baby Tonight (in waltz time of course) just for the fun of it here or there (there being Groton, Massachusetts).
• Contra Loco features Pan Chan on fiddle, banjo and mandolin, Barb Kirchner on piano, Phil Pitha on accordion and Rudi as "the loco dog". The band is based in Massachusetts.
• The Contra Mantra is Barb Schmid and Ryck Kaiser on fiddles and Jill Smith on piano. The band plays Appalachian tunes and is based in south central Pennsylvania. (e-mail only)
• The Contra Rebels is an old-time southern-style band led by York County fiddler Todd Clewell, with Henry Koretzky on guitar and mandolin. The group specializes in playing contradances and square dances in a circuit ranging from New York to Georgia, and is often augmented by banjo and bass.
• Contraband (U.K.) is based in Kent. The band's repertoire includes traditional folk music, our own compositions, Irish, traditional American and even some Scottish tunes with many "new" tunes and arrangements being introduced.
• From Brasstown, North Carolina, Contraindicated plays in the Carolinas and other nearby states. (e-mail only)
• The Contradictions is Laurie Hart on fiddle, Rick Manning on fiddle and mandolin, Tom Hodgson on guitar, and Dave Davies on bass and vocals. They offer an eclectic mix of fiddle tunes and songs from American and European traditions. They are headquartered in New York State. Change of URL (January 18, 2008)
• The Pacific Coast version of the ContraDictions consists of Ann and Jim Kosinski, Barbara Whitney, and Patty McCollom. They are based in California.
• ConTradition features Dave Brown on fiddle, Julia Day on keyboards and Shane Day on accordion and plays everything from Playford to contra in the UK.
• Contranella is composed of father and daughter John and Meg Wobus with Charley Beller and is based in Syracuse, New York area.
• The Contraptions are a Philadelphia based contra band and have had fun playing together since June 2006.
• Maine's Contrapuntal Iguanas plays music for contra dances & parties and features Maggie Robinson (fiddle), Glen Loper (Mandolin) Jeff Raymond (guitar) and Tony Simmons (bass). (e-mail only)
• Hailing from West Virginia, the Contrarians are comfortable in a variety of styles and traditions: Celtic, New England, swing, and of course, old-time (Appalachian). They also write original material. With rhythmic variety, occasional glimpses of ethnic music, and unique improvisations, dancers let loose and never lose interest in the music. MySpace page.
• Contratopia, featuring John Goodin on the mandolin, Eric Sessions on the fiddle, Patrice Pakiz on keyboard, oboe, and percussion, and Pat O'Loughlin on concertina and banjo, is based in Minnesota.
• Contrazz combines the improvisational style and solos of a jazz band with a repertoire of traditional Celtic, Quebecois and American old-time music for dances in North Carolina.
• The Cooper Street Classics play on a regular basis in Memphis, Tennessee. (e-mail only)
• Corkscrew are an entertaining established band providing music and fun for all ages. The band is based in Poole in Dorset, England. New entry (May 3, 2008)
• The Corndrinkers include Tom Duffee (banjo), Barbara Kuhns (fiddle), Linda Scutt (fiddle), Doug Smith (guitar), and Al Turnbull (bass), are based in the Springfield-Troy area of southwestern Ohio and have played for more than 25 years. You should be able to contact them by e-mail.
• Andi Hearn and Davey Mathias are the members of Corner House, based in Columbia, South Carolina and playing Irish traditional music in the Carolinas.
• Back in the first few years of the century, fiddler Laura Cortese played at contra dances, but these days she is better known for touring nationally with indie rock/folk drummer Neil Cleary. She is based in Massachusetts. MySpace page.
• The Cosmic Otters are the Chicago based duo of Jonathan Whitall on fiddle and Meg Dedolph on guitar playing Celtic music for contra dancing.MySpace page. Added MySpace page (May 3, 2008)
• While John Cote started playing the guitar following the chops of Eddie Van Halen, he has added traditional dance music, mandolin and fiddle while living in Maine. MySpace page. New entry (April 27, 2008)
• The Coyote Contraband with Bill Trainor, Arlene Jamar, Char Berta, Frank Gallardo, David Wright, and Susan Jones and caller Bob O'Brien, play American old-time, Irish, New England, French-Canadian, and other dance music in the Sacramento, California area.
• The Crabapples are a contra dance band from Monterey, California.
• The Crested Hens are the Celtic Band of Montana's Bitterroot Valley and plays at dances in the area.
• Crooked Kilt, based in Spokane, Washington, is a unique source of Celtic and other styles of music.
• Crooked Stovepipe remains available for parties, dances, junkets etc. in Portland, Maine. (e-mail only)
• Crossing the Millstone, including Michael Bell on fiddle, Jane McCarty on whistles, Larry Koplik on piano, and John MacDonald on mandolin and recorder, played at the Princeton, New Jersey dance on a regular basis. Slight change in URL (January 18, 2008)
• Bill Porter and Maniac Mikey are the members of the Atlanta-based Crosstown Traffic. (e-mail only)
• Crowfoot, featuring Adam Broome, Jaige Trudel and Nicholas Williams plays contemporary dance music from the Celtic traditions and is based in Maine. MySpace site.
• The Cumberland Tenderfoots play for dances and other events in Nashville, Tennessee.
• Bill and Patti Cummings are a duo that play Old Time from the mountains of North Carolina, Cajun String Band music from the Southwestern prairies of Louisiana, Irish, and Scottish music from Cape Breton (Celtic) from Arizona to Kansas and Missouri. (e-mail only)
• From Central California, the Curmudgeons (e-mail only)
• The Currawong Bush Band plays traditional Australian bush music for bush dances and other events in and around Sydney. New entry (March 27, 2008)

D

• Dadance, featuring Frank Javorsek, Marsha Trochim, Nancy Sell, Paul Schwerdt, Dan McMahon, Pete Gregory & Wayne Slater-Lunsford plays at the Lancaster, California dance on a regular basis. New entry (January 2, 2008)
• The Dancing Bears are a contra dance band from Asheville, North Carolina and feature Daniel Sivalia on fiddle and harmonica, Mark Langner on guitar, John Culp on mandolin and banjo and Skip Metheny on bass.
• Dancing Trout of Pullman, Washington plays foot-stompin contra dance reels and songs to transport you to old-time Appalachia. (e-mail only)
• Santa Barbara's Dannsair plays Irish music with jazz, classical and traditional Irish sensibilities. MySpace page. Added MySpace page (March 8, 2008)
• Dark Carnival is comprised of Mary Lea, Peter Barnes and Lise Brown and plays Irish, Contra, English Country Dance, Waltzes, Swing, Vintage or as Peter Barnes puts it, "we'll-play-whatever-you-throw-at-us-and have-a-good-time-doing-it trio" including rent parties. The band is based in Massachusetts.
• Dark of the Moon, a women's band based in Madison, Wisconsin, plays traditional music from the the British Isles, America, Scandinavia, and other countries for dancing and listening. They specialize in music for contradancing, such as jigs and reels, and also play waltzes, polkas, schottisches, folk songs, and other traditional music. Mary Mullen and Bonnie Gruber provide the information.
• Andy Davis has been dancing since 1976 and playing accordion and calls dances as well as playing banjo and piano since that time. He is based in southern Vermont.
• The work of Peter Davis ranges from the Clayfoot Strutters to Reggie's Red Hot Feetwarmers to many places in between. He is based in New York State.
• The group Deux Francois is based in Tampa, Florida. (e-mail only) New entry (April 26, 2008)
• Living in the Carolinas, David DiGiuseppe is a singer, accordionist, mandolinist, and Irish cittern player.
• Bassist Corey DiMario is based in Brooklyn and plays with a variety of musicians. Change of URL (January 18, 2008)
• Distant Star is based in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area and includes Susie Lorand, Judi Stellar, Bob Pasquarello, & Kathy Talvitie. (e-mail only)
• The Dixie Butterhounds are based in Massachusetts and play southern Appalachian fiddle tunes and songs, though they also branch out into rags and bluesy numbers as well.
• Bob & Lynn Dixon hail from Minneapolis, Minnesota and play as a duo and in bands such as Danebodium.
• The Dog Branch Cats played in Brasstown, North Carolina on February 2, 2008.
• From Connecticut, Dogtown, comprised of Becky Miller (fiddle, piano); Tom Randall (piano, banjo, guitar, mandolin); and Norb Spencer (accordion) play old time country songs, honkey-tonk swing, and hot northern and southern fiddle tunes.
• Ned Boyer, Marie Bruno, Michelle Nosco, Emil Olguin are the members of Dogwood, a Los Angeles, California band. (e-mail only) New entry (April 27, 2008)
• Ruthie Dornfeld, fiddle player, is fluent in a wide range of styles, from Celtic and old-time to Scandinavian and Eastern European and is based in the Pacific Northwest.
• Dot-dot-dash performs live acoustic music in Celtic, Appalachian dance, Old-time and Gypsy-jazz stylings, performing around Virginia's New River Valley. They also have a MySpace site.
• Dragonfly plays wonderfully eclectic collection of trio arrangements of Scottish, Irish, French, Renaissance, and contemporary folk tunes in Binghamton and other parts of upstate New York.
• The Drift is a six piece band playing British and European traditional dance music, mainly in Mid Sussex area of England. Mel Stevens maintains the site.
• Driver Parks Nicely is a Virginia-based band that plays Progressive Medicine Show music- a lively mix of blues, swing and vintage country, gospel, old-time mountain music- whatever it takes for a trio of string band musicians to just hop out of the wagon and get things shakin'. New entry (January 18, 2008)
• Driving With Fergus, is a Northern California band featuring Lewis Santer (guitar and Irish bouzouki) and Vince Wolfe (flute, whistle, pipes, drum) which plays the traditional dance music and songs of Ireland.
• Duck for the Oyster specializes in traditional music for dancing, from 18th and 19th century America as well as a variety of dances from around the world and play a regular dance series in northwestern Wisconsin featuring squares, contras, reels, quadrilles, international, circle and round dances.
• Bill Dudley plays guitar in several old-time and contradance bands in Florida along with engineering, recording and interviewing performers for various sound and radio programs.
• The Dunehoppers are an old-time string band from St. Augustine, Florida.

E

• In Australia, Earthly Delights plays music and lead dances in many traditional styles, they also cross traditional boundaries, mixing medieval and modern instruments and blending Anglo-Celtic, Central European, Latin American and Middle-Eastern melodic, harmonic and rhythmic styles to produce new and exhilarating music. For those that won't be making Down Under in the near future, you can buy "A Box of Earthly Delights", their 2 CD set, which includes instructions for the dances played on the CDs. John Garden supports the site.
• The Eastern Trio is a Maine band whose primary focus is to play traditional music (Celtic music to Southern Appalachian Old Time music as well as contra dance styles from New England and Eastern Canada) for dances. (e-mail only)
• Rachel Eddy plays fiddle, clawhammer banjo and mandolin with fellow old-time and Irish music musicians and is a member of the Morgantown Rounders in West Virginia.
• Rushad Eggleston's interest range from Rock to New Wave to Americana and has played cello with Childsplay, Lissa Schneckenburge and Hanneke Cassel. He is based in Los Angeles, California. New entry (April 27, 2008)
• Eric Eid-Reiner is based in Arlington, Massachusetts and plays at contra dances from time to time but his influences range from traditional fiddle tunes to jazz, from Jewish music to modern folk, from ragtime to the blues.
• einstein's little homunculus plays at an increasing number of contra dances in New England.
• Elderberry Jam played in Greenville, North Carolina on April 12, 2008.
• The Elephants Of Style play in the Pacific northwest and British Columbia. (e-mail only)
• The Elftones play a blend of Irish, Scottish, Canadian, old-time, and original tunes for contra dances, weddings, parties, and just about anywhere people like to twirl and swing and have a great time and are based in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Virgil Sealy provides the information.
• Elixir is a contra dance band that believes in ensuring that the big brass sound plays a role in the music. The band is based in Vermont.
• The Elk Creek Family Band from Sullivan County, Pennsylvania plays at a variety of venues including contra dances.
• The Emeralds are a group of young musicians from Alaska who play everything from Bluegrass to Celtic to jazz.
• The English Contra Dance Band are based in England and feature fiddle players Jackie Allen and Linda Game and piano player Gareth Kiddier. You can also check out their Myspace site.
• Erwynne's Mash is the Erwin family ceilidh band from Oberlin, Ohio. (e-mail only)
• In New Mexico, the Estrotones feature Barbara Herrington, Marjorie Mullany, and Nancy FryeWeaver.
• The Ethnic Connection performs Jewish Klezmer music, as well as Balkan Folk Dance music and is based in Michigan.
• The Eugene Barnstormers play at square dances, contra dances, weddings, parties in and around Eugene, Oregon. New entry (April 26, 2008)
• Euphoria Stringband from Two Foot Falls, Kansas, specializes in Old-Time music.
• Extended Roots is an acoustic band comprised of 13 women from the East (San Francisco) Bay Area playing predominately traditional music from the roots of America such as 'Old-Time', 'Celtic' and 'Bluegrass'. New entry (April 21, 2008)

F

• Paul Fackler plays traditional and neo-traditional music on the fiddle. He is based in North Carolina.
• The Fall Creek Delta Boys continue to play on a periodic basis at the Indianapolis, Indiana dance.
• The Falmouth Fiddlers used to sponsor a contra dance on Cape Cod, Massachusetts and still play together in concert and in sessions.
• The band, Far Horizons, plays traditional southern, New England, Cape Breton, bluegrass, celtic reels and jigs and original dance tunes, along with a large variety of waltzes for contra dances and other events in North Carolina.
• The Fast Pesos plays a blend of Appalachian fiddle tunes and songs from the Civil War into the 1920's, as well as music learned from the revivalist string bands 1960's to the present. Photos of the group can be found on a page. You can e-mail Tom Adler for more information.
• Fat Weasel has been playing in Anchorage and around Alaska for a few years now and it features Steve Montooth, guitar; Jason Bent, fiddle; Brian DeMarcus, banjo-bass-caller-clogger; Aileen McInnis, bass; and Christy Williams, vocals and banjo-uke. They play hard driving Appalachian Old Time String Band Music. (e-mail only)
• Faultline features Betsy Branch on fiddle, Bobbi Nikles on fiddle and Paul Kotapis on guitar and mandolin.
• The Feral Brothers is David Lovett's road band. The band plays traditional and original instrumental music in the style of old-time Appalachian The band is based in Knoxville, Tennessee.
• Frank Ferrel plays at a contra dance on occasion along with his many concerts and maintains the traditions of Dudley Square in Boston.
• Fetchin' Cat features Jim Tolles, Scott Russell, and Tim Higgins and is based in Atlanta, Georgia. (e-mail only)
• The Fiddle Fire aka Panning Family Band specializes in traditional, foot stomping fiddle music, as well as gospel bluegrass for events ranging from dances to corporate parties and is based in Michigan.
• Adam Sweet (fiddle) and Brian Bender (piano) comprise Fiddle Hill, a contra dance band based in Western Massachusetts. You can also find them on their Myspace page or on Adam Sweet's MySpace page.
• Fiddle Tunas based in Santa Barbara / San Luis Obispo. Members are Michael Mendelson on fiddle, Amber Roullard-Mueller on piano, and Tom Wolverton on banjo and dobro.
• New Haven's venerable contradance band, The Fiddleheads, include Jim Sirch (banjo, whistles, and bodrhan), Willow Sirch (fiddle), Gary Wikfors (mandolin and mando-ephemera) and Norman Plankey (guitar) with appearances by Colin Healy (fiddle/mandolin) and other local musicians. Norman Plankey designed and maintains the page.
• Fiddlehedz plays at dances and concerts in Maine along with organizing jam sessions. New entry (May 3, 2008)
• The Fiddlerats are Carolien McCaskey, Cole Ingraham, Terrell Liedstrand and Eric Anderson, a new group from northern California. MySpace page.
• FiddleSticks is a Utah family band that performs folk songs and traditional tunes from the Celtic lands, from England, and from America and plays at an occasional contra dance.
• Fiddlin' Around is an all-strings dance band, which would play for the UK's emerging high energy contra dance scene, as well as the English ceilidh circuit.
• The Fiery Gizzard Old Time String Band is based in South Pittsburg, Tennessee occasionally plays at dances along with other events. New entry (April 21, 2008)
• The Figments are a mix of northern and southern styles and repetoires and include Ethan Hazzard-Watkins, Anna Patton and Owen Morrison and is based in Vermont.
• Findhorn, including Steve Hickman, Laura Lengnick, Marty Taylor, Liz Donaldson, and Ralph Gordon play in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. (e-mail only)
• From the Pennsylvania/New Jersey area, Fingerpyx is composed of Enid Diamante, Wes Steenson, Matthew LaRose & Jansen Wendell. (alternate site).
• Finnegan's Awake is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and plays a fine blend of acoustic music with flavors of Irish, Celtic and a pinch of folk.
• The trio Firefly features fiddle and banjo, playing mostly Old Time Southern tunes for contradances, weddings and other events. They are based in Maine. (e-mail only) New entry (April 20, 2008)
• Ethan Hazzard-Watkins, Anna Patton and Seth Houston are the members of the Vermont band Firetruck which makes dance music that's fresh and fiery, and for which they have a great time doing it.
• The Five Dog String Band is based in New Mexico and features Steve Huestis, David Margolin and Rick Olcott.
• Five-Oh! is based in Indianapolis, Indiana and plays at dances in the area. (e-mail only)
• Flapjack plays backwoods acoustic music with a back alley groove and resides in the Toronto, Canada area. MySpace page.
• The Flatland String Band plays at contra dances and other events in Kansas.
• Mark and Hilarie Burhans, Al and Emily Cantrell and Nick Weiland make up the Flexible Flyers and play fiddle tune until every melodic, rhythmic, harmonic and comedic nuance of the tune had been explored, and the players had achieved a blissful trance. The band is based in Ohio.
• The California band Flight Path plays contra dance music from various genres, primarily Old Time and Celtic, but potentially including anything that attracts our interest. Change of URL (March 8, 2008)
• Floorplay, a Charlottesville, Virginia contradance band plays an eclectic mix of French Canadian, Old-time, Klezmer, Swing, and original tunes since the spring of 2007. Change in URL (March 5, 2008)
• Robin Flower and Libby McLaren play for contra dances in northern California.
• The repertoire of Fly By Night starts with upbeat traditional New England contra dance tunes and includes lilting Celtic melodies, funky, rockin' originals, lowdown, driving southern fiddle tunes and dreamy waltzes of varying tempos.
• Flying Fingers is a student run musical ensemble at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, performing traditional folk music from the Scottish-Irish tradition and its descendants in America (old-time, contradance, bluegrass, etc.), with occasional forays into other forms of traditional folk music.
• The Flying Garbanzos are a contra/Celtic band from Berkshire County, Massachusetts and play at lots of dance in western Massachusetts and eastern New York State.
• Flying Jenny, from Birmingham, Alabama includes Jim & Joyce Cauthen and Duncan Blair and plays old-time string band music. The site is maintained by Jim and Joyce Cauthen.
• The Flying Mules plays bluegrass with a little swing, a smidgen of jazz, some rock overtones and, every once and again, especially in the harmonies, a touch of barbershop quartet and the gospel blues in St. Louis, Missouri.
• The Flying Turtles String Band are Tom and Ellen Hogan who play at contra dances, hoedowns or a great nights at a local pub in Florida.
• Portland, Oregon's Foghorn String Band's line-up fiddle, banjo, mandolin, bass and guitar - is reminiscent of early bluegrass, but their powerful approach is whole-heartedly old-time, centered largely by the fiddle. MySpace page.
• Caroline and Dan Hollingshurst compose Folkus Pocus which along with playing at an occasional contra dance play dances and workshops at Cecil Sharp House and clubs around the UK.
• David DiGiuseppe provides information about Footloose a band whose sound draws upon Irish, southern old time, jazz and classical music influences hails from the Chapel Hill, NC area. MySpace page.
• From Central California, For Old Times Sake features Jim Mueller, Amber Roullard-Mueller, W. B. Reid, and Jerry Weinert. (e-mail only)
• Quebecois fiddler Richard Forest has been a member of such groups as Domino and RŽveillons.
• The Forge Mountain Ramblers include Mark Schwartz, Sue Shumaker, Cal Cizek, Rick Gilligan and Dann Neubauer. (e-mail only)
• Forty Story Shack (go to the bottom of the page) is from Driggs, Idaho and was formed in 2007 with members Kent Garwick, Roy Clapper, and Cynthia Stoetzer. New entry (April 21, 2008)
• Four Mile Portage is Brandy Forsman, Tom Maloney and friends and plays at dances in Duluth, Minnesota area. New entry (February 17, 2008)
• Four Potato Stew with members, New Jersey champion Jim West on fiddle, Mark Schaffer on mandolin, Kris Lamb on winds, and Paula Entin-Bayer on piano is the New Jersey Folk Project's own band.
• Based in Sherman Oaks, California, The Four Potatoes (e-mail only)
• Four Shillings Short is rooted in Celtic and American folk, is inspired by Indian Raga and ethnic idioms, and plays a diverse and inventive traditional music adventure. They are based in California, but play all over the country.
• The Franco-Americans are a Rhode Island contra dance band in the French-Canadian Tradition of the Blackstone Valley.
• The Franklin County Fiddlers is comprised of talented high school students from Mt. Blue High School in Farmington, Maine and plays at dances and other events. New entry (April 21, 2008)
• The Free Range Chickens is a Dallas based old time band featuring Ray Quigley on fiddle, Jim Cadorette on mandolin and fiddle, Tevis Kriechbaum on clawhammer banjo, and David Kesterson on guitar.
• The Freight Hoppers are an old-time band based in Bryson City, North Carolina. New entry (January 19, 2008)
• Alan Friend has been playing banjo, guitar and concertina, and singing traditional songs from America and the British Isles for many years. He is a member of the contra dance band "The Contrapolitans." MySpace page.
• Frigate is a band from Maine playing traditional and Americana music with Irish, Scots, and French roots for all occasions on land and sea. (e-mail only)
• Frog Bridge specializes in musical traditions zapped with a contemporary zest and includes Gretchen Koehler (fiddle), Beth Robinson (cello), Matt Bullwinkel (piano/accordion) and newest member Bill Casey (mandolin). The band is based in New York State.
• The Jacksonville, Florida based Full Circle features Veronica and Ted Lane with guest musicians playing Irish, Old Time, Scottish, and English country dance music.
• The Full Moon Country Dance Orchestra continues to play at the at dances in Indiana and thereabouts. You can contact Astrid Otey about the band (e-mail only).
• The Further Adventures includes Ethan Hazzard-Watkins on fiddle, Lydia Ievins on fiddle, Bob Mills on guitar & vocals, and Erica Morse on bass, cello & vocals. It is based in Vermont.

G

• Gaelic Fusion is a metamorphicizing band of long time Fairbanks, Alaska Celtic musicians.
• Jessie Gagne-Hall plays fiddle with Wake the Neighbors and a variety of other musicians. She is based in Vermont.
• Garton's Crimson Avengers is working their way onto the contra dance circuit in Canada.
• The Maine duo, Ellen Gawler and Maggie Ericson, are two veterans of the dance music scene who have come together to create a vibrant sound that gets you going! (e-mail only)
• Dan Gellert is based in Dayton, Ohio, sings and plays banjo, guitar, and fiddle at various events including contra dances. MySpace page.
• Gentricorum are a Quebecois band and an energetic and original traditional 'power trio' incorporating the dynamism of today's North American and European folk cultures in their music. MySpace page.
• Along with their other gigs, Georgia's Georgia Mudcats, featuring Tom Ryan, John Grimm, Lisa Deaton, and Pat Shields, occasionally play at a contra dance.
• Get Reel is a Rhode Island based band that plays Traditional Southern tunes for contra dancing--with some spice throughout New England and includes Howie Bursen on banjo, Martin Grosswendt on fiddle, Marie Malchodi on guitar, and Deck Nieforth on harmonica and spoons.
• Rhiannon Giddens calls and plays (fiddle and other instruments) at contra dances and is based in Greensboro, North Carolina. MySpace page.
• The Newton, MA family band Gift of the Marcii is a high-energy contra dance band, using an unusual combination of instruments and a many original tunes to create its unique sound.
• The Gilded Bats are an Iowa City area old-time string band who have been playing together since 2003.
• Paul Gitlitz plays a variety of instruments including violin, mandolin, guitar (acoustic and electric) and tenor banjo and lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
• The Glenelg Full Moon Country Dance Band has been performing traditional Irish and North American acoustic dance music together since 1991 and has played on a regular basis for the dances in Owen Sound, Ontario.
• The Gnu Tones is a Celtic-based contradance ensemble led by State College, Pennsylvania fiddler Bruce Young and anchored by Lancaster pianist Jill Smith. (e-mail only (replace the (at)))
• The Golden Griffon Stringtet is an acoustic, instrumental, square dance & contra dance band from southeast Michigan whose repertoire includes traditional music such as jigs, reels, waltzes and airs from Irish, French-Canadian, New England and Southern/Old Time sources, as well as contemporary dance tunes written in the traditional style and a few contemporary pop melodies that they have corrupted into contra dance tunes.
• Good Parking is the resident band for Leeds (England) Contra Dance. The line-up of fiddles, flute, piano, guitar, and squeeze-boxes depending who comes.
• While best known for his extensive knowledge and work in cowboy music, Skip Gorman also plays old-time and Celtic music on a variety of instruments and at an occasional contra dance. He is based in New Hampshire.
• The Gourdvine String Band plays Contra-Dance, Celtic, and original music from the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. New entry (January 19, 2008)
• Government Contra Act takes a fresh new look at contra dance music from the Scottish Highlands to the NY Jazz Club to the LA Mosh Pit and perhaps the halls of Congress given that the band is from Washington, D.C.
• Government Issue Orchestra is a high energy, driving, oldtime appalachian stringband based out of Portland, Oregon. New entry (April 27, 2008)
• In addition to her solo work, Ellen Gozion plays and tours with three contra dance bands, Toad Hall, Toppish and The Hot Toddies and has played with David Knight, members of Amarillis, The Contrarians, Sylvan's Harvest and others and is well-known in contra dance scene in Pittsburgh.
• Paul and Win Grace can be found performing in a variety of settings all over the United States and Canada, including contra dances, and are based in Missouri.
• Leela and Ellie Grace play mandolin, guitar, fiddle, and banjo and have taught percussive dance styles that include Appalachian clogging, Irish Step Dancing, and Rhythm Tap. They occasionally play at a contra dance and are based in Missouri. MySpace page.
• Grand Picnic, a Brooklyn based band, combines the rhythmic drive of southern old-time tunes with French Canadian and New England fiddle music.
• The Great Bear Trio performs a huge realm of traditional music styles from New England, French-Canada, Ireland, Old-time Appalachia and Scandinavia with a contemporary, world-beat twist, features Kim, Andrew & Noah VanNorstrand and is based in Fulton, New York. MySpace page. Added MySpace page (January 2, 2008)
• Robert Bruce Greene is known as a living exponent of old time Kentucky fiddle music and as an old time banjo player, singer, and collector of traditional Appalachian music and culture. He also plays at contra dances and is based in North Carolina.
• Given it's new recording, The Greenfield Dance Band is hardly dormant. It is generally based in Massachusetts, has a page of information about the band and its members. David Kaynor provides the data.
• Based in Minnesota, Greenwood Tree plays lively and lyrical renditions of traditional music from Ireland, Scotland, England, Canada, and Appalachia. Stu Janis maintains the information.
• The Groovemongers is a band in which world beat meets contra, with Rebecca McCallum on fiddle, C.W. Abbott on mandolin and guitar, and Jane Knoeck on keyboard and accordion, as well as Teilhard Frost on percussion. It operates from Rochester, New York.
• The Grouchy Geezers play for a variety of venues in Colorado and other places. MySpace page.
• Growling Old Geezers (e-mail only) from Central California.
• Pasco, Washington's Growling Old Women is a contra dance band consisting of: fiddler, rhythm piano, rhythm guitar, djembe, bodhran playing Irish, French Canadian, oldtimey music. (e-mail only)
• Tina Gugeler plays hammered dulcimer solo and with a number of bands in the Denver, Colorado area.
• Guys Can Talk include Dan Newton on accordion, Eric Mohring on fiddle, and Larry Siegel on piano and are based in Minnesota and New Hampshire. (e-mail only)
• The Washington D. C. band, Gypsy Meltdown, features Kathy Kerr on fiddle and mandolin, Colleen Reed on flute, saxophone and percussion, and Keith Gillis on guitar, and weaves together old and new melodies from New England, Appalachia, and the British Isles with rhythm, groove and attitude.

H

• The band, Hands4 is based in Portland, Oregon. and plays 99% original music written by band members. The music is in a variety of styles including French Canadian, New England, Celtic, Eastern European, and some Caribbean. Instruments include fiddle, mandolin, keyboard, flute, penny whistle, and percussion.
• Hands Five thrives on the energy that flows from the band to the dancers on a good medley (and back to the band when it all comes together!) and combines some old-time southern style, New England, Celtic, and "Newtime" music in Albuquerque, New Mexico. MySpace page.
• Steve Horn has a page on Happensdance or you look at Sharon Rempert's information about the band.
• Based in Bellingham, Washington, the Happy Valley Sluggers play Old-Time Southern dance music as well as Cajun tunes and include Mike Schway on Fiddle and Cajun Accordion, Laurel Bliss on Guitar and Fiddle, John Clark on Banjo and Guitar, and Ginny Snowe on bass.
• Billy Hardy, while specializing in the fiddle, is a multi-instrumental player who sometimes plays at contra dances. He is based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
• Based in Seattle, the old-time string band Hart & Blech has been playing the traditional music of the Southern Mountains and Plains together since 1985.
• Before you check out the pages about the bands that she is in, visit New York's Laurie Hart's own page. Change in URL (January 18, 2008)
• North Carolina's Beth Hartness plays guitar at contra dances and other events with a variety of musicians.
• The Hawai'i Contra Dance Band plays music in the Celtic tradition, as influenced by the American experience for the dances in Hawai'i.
• Hawks & Owls is an old-time string band based in Michigan.
• Hay 44 is Glen Loper (mandolin, banjo), Rod Pervier (bass), Jaige Trudell (fiddle, cello) and Fred White (guitar, percussion) and is based in Maine. (e-mail only)
• Hazel and the Delta Ramblers play on a regular basis across Louisiana.
• Ethan Hazzard-Watkins plays fiddle in contra dance bands such as Beeswax Sheepskin and Elixir, composes his own tunes (see his A is for Avocado tunebook) and is based in Brattleboro, Vermont. MySpace page.
• Heart's Ease is a 10-member contra dance band from Connecticut playing French-Canadian circle dances, English country dances square dances, Virginia Reels and contra dances.
• Central New York contradance band Hearts Delight consists of David Smukler on fiddle, Laurel Sharp on whistle and recorder, and John Wobus on piano.
• From Michigan, Heartsease (e-mail only) (aka David West & Donna Baird, Chicken Shuckers, etc.).
• The New England band, Heathen Creek, with members Pete Johannsen, Mark Koyama and Maia Rutman plays at dances and festivals throughout the region.
• Matt and Shannon Heaton sometimes play at a contra dance along with gigs featuring their amalgam of Irish traditional, neo-traditional, and original song writing. They are based in the Boston area. MySpace page.
• A fiddler in the band Chanterelle, Donna Hébert, teaches and plays in a variety of venues.
• Hell on the Nine Mile performs an excitingly raw mix of music and dance stemming from Irish, American and Canadian traditions and is based in Charlottesville, Virginia. MySpace page.
• Herbal Remedy is a lively band for all barn dances and folk dances, playing mainly in the West Midlands of England.
• Upright bassist Jeffrey Hersk has been a member of Carnival Knowledge and played with other contra dance musicians. He is based in North Carolina.
• Nat Hewitt is a fiddler from New Hampshire who plays all over the country.
• While Hey! is based on Albuquerque, New Mexico, it has played at other venues in the state and in Colorado. MySpace page.
• Hey Diddle Diddle is comprised of four musicians who perpetuate the exciting traditional music of Ireland and New England by providing lively acoustic music for dances in Western New York and Canada. They are based in Buffalo.
• Hey Wire has been playing old-time music at San Diego contra dances and features Jeff Garvey on fiddle, JoAnn Kopany on banjo, Jerry Schreiber on guitar and Given Harrison on mandolin and upright bass. A second mandolin player, Rick Johnson has begun adding an interesting layer to this group.
• Bill & Libby Hicks play rousing contradance music (as well as vocal oriented concerts)in the upper South and elsewhere.
• High on the Hog is an old time string band from Colorado.
• The Highlander String Band is a collection of Rockingham County (Virginia) musicians playing traditional Appalachian Mountain music, sometimes for contra dances. New entry (January 18, 2008)
• The Hillbillies From Mars have been rocking the contradance scene in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1983. They combine their love and dedication to Celtic and American traditional fiddle music with a healthy dose of their own "folk roots" of rock 'n' roll, swing, Latin and African beats, forging a new tradition of dance music.
• The Hippie-billies, featuring Dan Levenson and Miss Jennifer, have a driving old time sound for a dance or stage show! They are based in Georgia and Arizona.
• The Hobart Old Time String Band plays at an occasional contra dance in Tasmania and other locales in Australia along with their other gigs.
• Erik Hoffman plays fiddle in three California bands, 3 O'Clock Shadow, The OpporTunists and The Repercussions.
• Hope Hoffman composes original fiddle tunes and plays with various groups such as Bowdoinham String Band and Kittlish in Maine.
• Hold the Mustard plays music for English country and contra dances and is based in New Jersey.
• Hold the Wheel features W. B. Reid, Linda Wilson, and Bonnie Zahnow and is based in Washington state. (e-mail only)
• Holy Coyote is an Asheville (North Carolina)/Atlanta (Georgia) contra dance band where New England grace meets Southern heat!
• Homespun Occasions plays for dances at a variety of dances, including schools with students of all ages. They are based in New York State.
• Honk the Moose, based in northern New England and comprised of Nat Hewitt (fiddle and electric guitar), Adam Broome (guitar and cittern) and Seth Houston (piano and guitar), plays a high energy in the groove mix of styles for dances, festivals and events. They offer workshops on instrument technique, improvisation and accompaniment. (e-mail only)
• The Hoosier Recruits are based in Valparaiso, Indiana. (e-mail only)
• The Hoover Uprights play dances and concerts, and in 2001 and 2003 won first prize in the traditional band contest at Clifftop. The band is based in Maryland.
• The Horse Flies feature Judy Hyman, Richie Stearns, Jeff Claus, June Drucker, Taki Masuko, and Rick Hansen and is based in Ithaca, NY. MySpace page.
• While the Hot Club of Derbytown is best known for recreating the hot sounds of vintage jazz produced in Paris in the 1930s and 40s produced by the Quintet of the Hot Club Of France, it also plays at a contra dance on occasion. New entry (February 17, 2008)
• Hot Flashes featuring Nance Cole, Chris Lauer, Phil Levy, and Erika Smith and is based in Santa Barbara. (e-mail only)
• Hot Frogs on the Loose featuring Kelly Harding, John Harding, Bruce Black and June Advincula, play at dances throughout the Carolinas. (e-mail only)
• Ohio's Hotpoint String Band has the recipe for a wall of rhythm, and it is one of the most in-demand contradance bands in the country. MySpace page.
• The Virgina band House Red is Owen Morrison (guitar, mandolin), Shawn Brenneman (piano) and Jonathan Thielen (fiddle) who play energetic, driving dance music to make you wanna move! MySpace page
• Seth Houston plays with a variety of musicians including the band, Lift Ticket, along with significant time with vocal groups and in teaching vocal students and groups. He is presently based in Colorado.
• In Eastern Massachusetts, Cal Howard plays a number of instruments for a number of bands. (e-mail only)
• Thom Howard plays guitar with a variety of musicians at dances in Missouri.
• Ed Howe plays fiddle, electric or otherwise, with folks like John Cote at dances in Maine and the rest of New England. New entry (April 27, 2008)
• The Hungry Monks are centered around the creative talents of Hazel Ketchum and John Holenko and are based in Charleston, South Carolina. MySpace page. Added MySpace page (January 26, 2008)
• Adam Hurt plays elegantly innovative clawhammer banjo on old-time music tunes in Minnesota. MySpace page.
• The Hushpuppies have picked up elements of the sound of the bands on the old recordings, they've captured the feel of the music of the elderly fiddle and banjo players they visit and yet they still sound deliciously like themselves. They are based in Durham, North Carolina.
• Fiddler Judy Hyman is a member of groups such as The Horse Flies, Small Tattoo, and Big Table and is based in New York State. MySpace page.

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• Ice Jam is Skip Nodler, Sarah Garland & Seth Danielson, an Alaskan band with a unique combination of hammered dulcimer, banjo and guitar.
• lydia ievins plays fiddle with a wide variety of musicians in numerous venues in New England for contra and English dances.
• The Ill-Mo Boys, consisting of Geoff Seitz on fiddle, Curtis Buckannon on mandolin, and Jim Nelson on guitar play, as you might guess, in Missouri, Illinois, and nearby venues.
• Inishowen repertoire is drawn primarily from the rich musical heritage of the seafaring nations, especially Britain, Ireland, Canada and the United States and is based in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area.
• Based in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, Instant Grits play high energy old-time and bluegrass at contra dances.

J

• The Jackson Pike Skifflers play old-time music for dances and other events and are based in SW Connecticut.
• Jane's Gang, a contra/square dance band, features the driving fiddling of Jane Rothfield with Allan Carr (Guitar), Paul Sidlick (banjo/mandolin) and Geoff Harden (bass) and is based in NY State.
• The Java Junkies have played old-time music for dances in the Lansing, Michigan area since 1998 and include Doug Berch on banjo, Hanno Meingast on fiddle, Larry Johnson on guitar, and Steve Szilagyi on upright bass.
• The California band, Jax, includes Christa Burch, Kira Ott, Steve Shapiro and Jeffery Spero. (e-mail only) New entry (April 27, 2008)
• Jiggermeister plays lively, energetic music from all over the world, combining the traditional sounds of the British Isles and Appalachia with Eastern European scales and modern jazz riffs and is based in Ithaca, NY.
• Jigsaw plays traditional and contemporary folk music from different parts of the world and includes Dan Compton on fiddle, guitar, and button accordion, Clyde Curley on powerhouse mandolin, banjo, and tenor guitar, George Penk on fiddle, and Heather Pinney on piano and is based in Portland, Oregon.
• Jim's Red Pants plays traditional and original folk music, including waltzes, jigs and reels for concerts and dances in Ohio.
• Eric Ryan-Johnson is an Irish fiddler living in Tulsa, Oklahoma and playing with the bands Cavan and Gorm's Cup. He can be reached at ericryanjohnson@earthlink.net.
• Rhys Jones and Christina Wheeler have been been raised in the rich environment of Midwestern old-time fiddling and while they find themselves surrounded by the echoes of their historical and personal influences, they pay homage to them rather than simply repeat that which has come before. They are based in New York City.
• The Portland, Oregon based group Joyride includes Sue Songer's swinging piano, Jeff Kerssen-Griep's flywheel guitar, Kathleen Towers' hot fiddle and Erik Weberg's fluid flute, punchy harmonica and stunning bombarde.
• Jump in the Skillet is a large, Atlanta-based band. (e-mail only)
• Jump Fingers play old-time music in the San Diego area for contra and square dancing.
• Jumpin' The Gun plays no-limits fusion of traditional, celtic, swing, and get-down-boogie contradance music in North Carolina.
• Juniper, featuring Sarah Mitchell, Frances Pisacane and Jasmine Hart play at contra dances in the Tampa area along with their other gigs.
• The Just Desserts Contra Dance Band is the house band for the Flagstaff contra dances every other month.
• Just Plain Folks, a traditional New England barn dance band, based in Boston and includes Hanneke Cassel, Steven Cushing, Casey Driessen, Cathy Goode, Louis Kaplan, Jodi Maranchie, Damaris Rohsenow, Thaddeus Sze, and April Verch and is available for gigs and dances. Steve Cushing supports the site.

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• The Kaimana Ceili Band has played traditional and new tunes, including jigs, reels, waltzes, hornpipes, and airs in the Irish tradition in Hawaii for more than ten years. (e-mail only)
• Ryck Kaiser and Jill Smith are a fiddle and piano duo, playing mostly Appalachian and some Celtic tunes. They are based in south central Pennsylvania. (e-mail only)
• The Kaubells (pronounced "Cowbells") are a 2-person husband and wife (Matt Kaufmann plays the piano, and Holly Bell plays the fiddle) band playing a mix of original and traditional tunes. Additional site. Added additional site (February 3, 2008)
• The Kaubells (pronounced "Cowbells") are a 2-person husband and wife (Matt Kaufmann plays the piano, and Holly Bell plays the fiddle) band playing a mix of original and traditional tunes.
• Living in Massachusetts, you can now find David Kaynor at his new web site. He is a contra dance caller and fiddler and the author of Calling for Beginners by Beginners.
• Kelly's Eye plays for contras, barn dances in England.
• The Kennebec Highlands Band plays a lively variety of Celtic, New England and Old Time Southern tunes for dances and other gatherings. The band is based in Maine. New entry (April 21, 2008)
• Upright bass player, Stuart Kenney, plays with a variety of bands and musicians and has his home base in Greenfield, Massachusetts.
• As they say, KGB is not a spy organization, but a band from Seattle that plays for New England style contradance. Dave Bartley supports the site.
• Kindred Spirits plays music primarily of Renaissance and Celtic origin. using recorders, penny whistle, viola/violin, mandolin, guitar, Celtic harp and cello. The band is based in the Denver, Colorado area.
• Andrew King is a member of the UK bands, Fiddlin' Around and Stomp, along with performing his own singer/songwriter material.
• John Kirk and Trish Miller live near Saratoga Springs, New York and teach and perform traditional music and dance including playing at contra dances. MySpace page. New entry (January 13, 2008)
• Kitchen Chair is based in Ithaca, New York and includes Gail Blake (guitar, mandolin) and Jennifer Dotson (fiddle).
• From Central California, Kitchen Junket features Marci Bunescu, Rick Drake, Linelle Glass, Kristina Huhen, and Carl Magagnosc (e-mail only).
• The Klezmer Contraband plays assorted dances in the Boston area following the long-standing tradition among klezmer musicians of infiltrating all sorts of other dance styles and subverting the music with the high-energy Eastern European sound.
• Along with playing "traditional" Klezmer tunes and swing tunes and an eclectic assortment of folksongs and tunes from other cultures, Klezmos plays an occasional contra dance in the area around Washington, D.C.
• David Andrew Knight plays Scottish fiddle and for contra dances and has been playing since 1991. He is based in Washington, D. C.
• Debby Knight is a contradance fiddler and pianist from eastern Massachusetts. (e-mail only)
• Knotted Chord is a folk dance band and plays a wide variety of folk dance music, suitable for all levels of dance experience and all age groups. Their repertoire covers more than three centuries of English music, as well as a broad range of more recent dances. They have a strong interest in American Contra dance music and can also provide a sprinkling of tunes from most parts of Europe. It is based in Nottingham, England.
• Harry Koretzky has played with groups ranging from High Strung to The Old World Folk Band (klezmer) to the contra dance band, Medicinal Purpose along with playing with Todd Clewell and the Contra Rebels. He is based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. New entry (April 17, 2008)
• Kristina & Her Right-Hand Stars is based in Santa Barbara, California and features Bud Beirhaus on guitar, Kristina Eriksen on accordion and piano, Bill Flores on banjo, dobro, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and saxophone, Tony Johanssen on guitar, bodhran, whistle, and Jack Joshua on bass. (e-mail only)
• The Florida band Kumquat Kapers with Ben Bolker, Bill Dudley, Sarah Mitchell, is based in Gainesville. (e-mail only) New entry (April 26, 2008)
• Kylebrack performs traditional Irish tunes and songs, specializing in the lyric tunes of East Galway and Clare and consists of Alison Arnold (wooden flute), Paul Fackler (fiddle), and Donald Lively (guitar).

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• The Pennsylvania band, Ladies in the Parlor, delivers old-time fiddle tunes, from laid back southern reels to rocking breakdowns, along with songs in the old time tradition.
• Marnen Laibow-Koser plays piano, fiddle, viola, flute, and recorder for contra dances and is based in upstate New York.
• Lakefront Property is a band from the Lansing, Michigan area. (e-mail only)
• The Lamprey River Band plays regularly in New Hampshire and especially the sea-coast region and southern Maine (Kittery).
• Missouri fiddle player Dave Landreth has a page about old-time tunes, his CD and his other endeavors.
• Dave Langford is a contradance fiddler and guitar player from the metro area of Boston, Massachusetts who plays in The Latter Day Lizards, Big Bandemonium and the mega fiddle band Childsplay.
• Kim and Jim Lansford play old-time music, including music for dances and are based in the Ozarks of Missouri. The Old-Time Herald has a lengthy article about and their careers and music.
• The Last Gaspé including John Kraniak, Paul Biere, Kevin Clark, Amy McFarland, and Maria Terres, play on 2nd Saturdays in Madison.
• The Last Minute String Band sponsors the monthly dance in Glenwood Springs and was formed in the Fall of 2002 and grew out of the efforts of a small group of friends and musicians, all sharing a passion for playing old time acoustic music. The group draws its energy primarily from the musical traditions of early Appalachia, Ireland and Scotland. New entry (January 10, 2008)
• The Latter Day Lizards feature Dave Langford on fiddle/guitar, Bill Tomczak on clarinet/saxophone/banjo uke/dumbek and Peter Barnes on piano/guitar/flute/harmonica. They are, for the most part, based in Massachusetts.
• The Laune Rangers featuring Ryck Kaiser (fiddle), Chad Shambaugh (bodhran), and Jamie Ward (guitar) are based in Pennsylvania.
• Laura and the Lava Lamps, composed of Laura Lengnick, Dave Wiesler and Ralph Gordon are based in the Washington, D.C. area.
• While it is not a major part of his gig list, Jamie Laval does play at contra dances from time to time. He now lives in Asheville, North Carolina. MySpace page.
• Mary Lea plays with the contra dance band, Dark Carnival, and the English Country dance band, Bare Necessities, along with other groups such as Yankee Ingenuity and is known for her recordings of music for couple dances. She is based in Vermont.
• Leaping Lulu plays on a regular basis at the dance in Logan, Utah. MySpace page. Change of main URL (March 5, 2008)
• A native Manitoban, now living in Toronto, fiddle player Anne Lederman plays with bands such as Fiddlesong but is also known for her work preserving the works of Native and Metis fiddlers.
• Peter Leibert is from Connecticut and has been a caller and musician for more than 45 years.
• Leighas is committed to the preservation and transmission of the traditional dance music and cultures of Ireland, Scotland, and their Diaspora in the new world. They are based in the Tidewater region of Virginia. New entry (April 17, 2008)
• Tom Leighton plays at a variety of instruments for dances and concerts in Canada and other countries.
• Lift Ticket includes Rex Blazer on fiddle, Seth Houston on piano and guitar, and C.W. Abbott or T.J. Johnson on mandolin and plays a variety of traditional and original fiddle tunes and while it is based in Florida, plays all over the U.S.
• Lime in the Harp is a traditional string band of musicians who pick, strum, and bow their way through rousing Celtic jigs and reels, jumping New England dance tunes, back-porch southern shuffles, spicy Cajun tunes, plaintive slow airs, and sweet harmonic waltzes in San Diego.
• Little Brown Jug is based in Nebraska and is ready to make it big with its solid, high-energy, "rock your pants off" Old-Time Music! MySpace page.
• The Little Dogs is an old time string band, based in Seattle. Forrest Carroll maintains the page.
• Live Bait is a way downeast-based (Maine) fiddly band, with guitar, banjo, button and piano accordion, bass, whistles, lap steel and mandolin playing hot hot hot fiddle tunes for contra dances, as well as original, traditional and contemporary songs and airs, waltzes, polkas, and more for smelt fries. (e-mail only)
• Amy Larkin, Shirley White and Linda Henry are the members of the Massachusetts-based band, LocoMojo.
• The Lone Star Ceili Band is one of Texas' custodians of traditional Irish music and dance.
• Loose Ends of Flagstaff, Arizona are a contra band playing traditional Irish and Ceili tunes. (e-mail only)
• The Florida incarnation of Loose Shoes is based in Davie. (e-mail only) New entry (April 26, 2008)
• Loose Shoes plays at the Salt Lake City, Utah dances on a regular basis. Actually, they play all over Utah on a regular basis.
• Glen Loper plays mandolin and banjo with the band Rumblestrip, Frigate and Calliope. He is based in Maine. New entry (January 10, 2008)
• The band Los Caballeros con Pantalones del Fuego is based in Melbourne, Florida. (e-mail only) New entry (April 26, 2008)
• Lost on the Turnpike is based in New Jersey/Pennsylvania and includes Chris Carpenter, Enid Diamante, Eve Rantzer, & Eric Roberts. (e-mail only)
• Lost On The Turnpike is Eve Rantzer, piano; Enid Diamante, fiddle; and Chris Carpenter, mandolin, banjo, clarinet, whistle. They play for contras in the Pennsylvania/New Jersey area and are recording a CD which will be available soon. (e-mail only)
• David Lovett plays banjo & guitar in various bands and is based in Tennessee.

M

• Sharon Rempert has a page on The M & M Band featuring fiddler Mimi Rogers from Dallas and pianist Marilyn Cooper from Houston.
• Along with classical, bluegrass, western swing and music of the first half of the second millenium, Eden MacAdam-Somer< plays at contra dances occasionally. She is based in Massachusetts.
• Tom MacKenzie plays music ranging from French Canadian to American Old Time to Scandinavian to Ragtime to Classical. Clarinet Polka on the Dulcimer, why not. Hall of the Mountain King on Banjo, Sure! And he plays at contra dances, too! He is based in Vermont. MySpace page. Added MySpace page (January 13, 2008)
• Tom Norulak maintains a site about Magic Forest, based in Ohio, which performs an eclectic mix of traditional folk songs, modern material, clever originals and vocal gems mined from the parlour tradition of the 19th century.
• Chloe Maryam Maher plays piano with The Contraptions and with other bands and musicians for English, Scottish, and contra dances. She is based in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. New entry (May 3, 2008)
• Based in North Carolina, the Mando Mafia is a large acoustic string-band with a preponderance of mando-family instruments. Julianne Mangin maintains the site.
• Robert Mahony is a dance and tune composer along with one of the organisers of the Canberra Contra Club in Australia. New entry (May 3, 2008)
• Mangrove Green plays traditional Celtic, British and American music on fiddle and piano in upstate New York.
• Mappamundi is a Chapel Hill, North Carolina based band which plays more-or-less traditional music of the Northern Hemisphere and the Current Millennium, but play a huge variety of music. Jane Peppler maintains the site.
• The Marsh Island Band is a traditional string band specializing in Old Time Southern and plays on a regular basis at the Orono, Maine contra dance with more than 26 years of experience. (e-mail only)
• Dave Marshall plays fiddle at jams, sessions, and dances in the Vancover, British Columbia area.
• Vermont's Owen Marshall plays guitar and other instruments and when not playing for contra dances, you may find him out on the dance floor.
• Matching Orange is a three piece band from the Boston area, specializing in traditional folk/fiddle styles and contra dances and playing anything from Bluegrass to Celtic, Cape Breton, Quebecois, Old Time and others. New entry (March 16, 2008)
• The Colin James McCaffrey plays guitar at an occasional contra dance among his other gigs. He is based in Vermont.
• McInnis' Kitchen which plays music in the spirit of a down-home kitchen party, occasionally plays at a contra dance in the Duluth, Minnesota area. New entry (February 17, 2008)
• The McKassons feature Ryan McKasson on fiddle and viola and Cali McKasson playing piano. The band is based in Washington State. MySpace page.
• The McKenzies (Woody & Marcia) are from Blacksburg, Virginia and play music from the Celtic/British Isles, Cape Breton/French Canadian, Southern Appalachian, colonial era (18th century and earlier), American minstrel era (mid 19th century), early American country (1920's to 1940's), lesser-known contemporary folk, originals, children's.
• Katie McNally of Concord, Massachusetts is an active member of the Boston Celtic music scene and can be seen playing with Scottish fiddle band 5 A.M., local contra-dance band, Oh CONTRAire!, and the bluegrass group Boston Road.
• From the Chester County, Pennsylvania area, Medicinal Purpose has played an ever-widening range of dances in the mid-Atlantic region, as well as concerts, festivals, and other settings.
• The Melbourne Colonial Dance Band provides live music for the Colonial Bush Dance held on the first Wednesday of each month and plays tunes suitable for playing for Australian colonial and folk dancing. New entry (March 27, 2008)
• The acoustic folk band Meridian plays on a regular basis in Florida and is based in Jacksonville.
• Composer and musician Eric Merrill plays with a numerous contra dance musicians at times. He is based in West Newton, Massachusetts. MySpace page.
• Merriweather features Peter Martin, Bill Paine, Kathie Aagaard, Wes Maluk , and Terry Maluk and is determined to make you scream on the dance floor, and is based in Florida.
• Metro Luna is a Seattle-based band playing country, rock & swing with an Urban Twist. Peter Langston maintains the site.
• A little information is available about the California band, Michael's Mixed Nuts, made up of some combination of musicians from the Chameleons, often joined by other outstanding musical guests. They play in a variety of styles, from Old-Timey to swing, from Latin to Klezmer, demanding only that the result is fun and danceable. Change of URL (March 9, 2008)
• Microchasm, based in Washington, D.C. features Dave Wiesler on piano, Laura Lengnick on fiddle, Steve Hickman on fiddle, John Devine on guitar, and David Crandall on saxophone and flute. (e-mail only)
• The Mighty Possums, including Joe DeZarn and Alexander Mitchell on fiddles, Tabby Finch on piano, and Ralph Gordon on bass and are based in Washington, DC. (e-mail only for the band)
• Minnesota's Mill City Serenaders repertoire encompasses not only square and contra dance music but also minstrel tunes and songs, fiddle rags, waltzes, polkas, schottisches, and the occasional parlor ballad.
• The Mill Creek String Band plays at dances in the Portland, Oregon area. (e-mail only)
• Elvie Miller plays piano and accordion with a number of musicians and bands while handweaving some fantastic scarves and other items in New Hampshire. MySpace page.
• New Hampshire's Randy Miller is well known for his fiddle tunes, recordings and tune books.
• Rodney Miller is a fiddler and violin maker who was designated a "Master Fiddler" in 1983 by the National Endowment for the Arts. He plays with a variety of musicians and is based in New Hampshire.
• Milliners' Maggot plays traditional music on fiddle and piano, with a focus on Celtic, English and New England tunes for contra and English country dances in upstate New York.
• Celia Millington-Wyckoff plays bass and recorder with Dr. Twamley's Audio Snakes and is based in Pennsylvania.
• Bob Mills plays mandolin, banjo and acoustic and electric guitar for contra dance, old-time and Irish music and recently moved to Vermont.
• The Mink Run Consort are based