Presentations:
The String Dusters have prepared formal presentations for use in schools, libraries, and museums. They combine lectures and live music that is entertaining as well as informative. Each show is approximately two hours long. Bill Healy has been a long-time student of folk and country music as well as a performer, and has an M.A. in Folklore from UCLA. Neil Yetwin is a noted local historian, and the author of more than one hundred articles. Currently available programs are:
From Folk Music to Bluegrass: Origins of an American Musical Style. Bluegrass music is riding a wave of popularity at the moment in concerts, movies, television, and radio. It is a unique American musical form in that it is the creation of one man, mandolinist Bill Monroe. It was conceived by Monroe and developed by the talented members of his band, the Bluegrass Boys, before being copied and spread by others. The String Dusters present Bill Monroe’s synthesis of old-time fiddle tunes, ballads and songs, blues, and string band music that developed into the supercharged form of country music and evolved from a personal style to a musical genre.
The Railroad in American Song: A Record of American History. The development of the railroad in America mirrored the nation’s westward expansion, and appear in all forms of traditional music - ballads, work songs, and blues - as well as country music, jazz, and American popular music. Famous trains, railroad disasters, and hoboes are popular topics for songs, and the String Dusters present a wide range of songs and the stories behind them.
Please contact us at stringdusters1@aol.com for further information.
