New Ranchito Readied for DDF07

Just add beer, music, and friends.

August 7th, Kenwood

Dale and Laura and menagerie have now taken over the new Rockin' Heart Ranchito, and are commanding a battalion of elves in frantic preparations for the canine carnival. They’ll be freshly wed and can’t wait to see your smilin’ faces come Saturday the 18th.

Killer '07 Lineup

DDF07 features Kathy Kallick, a Grammy-winning Bluegrass artist who has performed and recorded with Laurie Lewis, Peter Rowan, and Nina Gerber, among other luminaries. Kathy will appear with The Messengers, a band created especially for her Cur-ville appearance.

Sonoma County’s own Solid Air will also perform their musical magic at this year’s Fest. Veterans of the Kate Wolf Festival, Kerrville (the real one), numerous radio and TV appearances, and boasting a brace of quality CDs, Solid Air promises to deliver country-tinged folk-rock that’ll alternately melt your heart and move your bones.

JL Stiles will again be appearing with bassist Rob McClean in the closing spot, playing his unique brand of folk-blues inspired fingerpicking originals. With a little luck, they'll be playing in this year's version of the "living room set" (see pic below), with listeners gathered around fire pits, recapitulating a magical moment from last year's fete.

Back by popular demand will be the dynamic duo of Johnny Harper and Mayne Smith. Johnny has played sideman to Maria Muldaur and many top New Orleans club acts, and is a renowned artist and bandleader in his own right. Mayne is known for his popular duo with Mitch Greenhill, as well as his dobro and steel work with a litany of folkie stars including Tom Russell, Rosalie Sorrels, and Geoff Muldaur. Johnny and Mayne will be drawing from their bottomless trunk of American roots tunes as well as offering up fine original songs.

Michael McNevin also returns to Cur-ville with his engaging presence, brilliant finger-picking, and heart-tugging tunes of everyday tragedy and triumph. McNevin has captured audiences from Kerrville to Telluride and beyond, garnering one award after another, including a Golden Beer at last year’s Dog Days Fest.

Never really having left, Dale Henry Geist will be back at Cur-ville this year with one or more guest sidemen, offering up his distinctive vision of satisfactions that are hard-won, too easily lost, and best savored while they last.