Since they played their first ABL RoundUp in 1994, the String Dusters have been one of my favorite ABL bands. They were well practiced when they played their one hour set at the Parting Glass for the ABL on November 20th. (I believe Bill said it was their 62nd show of 2005!)

The member of this quartet with the longest tenure is our newsletter editor Bill Healy - on mostly banjo, with some guitar and mandolin as called for. Newest member is former ABL president and former newsletter editor, Fred Woodward on bass. Fred first played for the ABL with the Irish bluegrass group, Dooley. Neil Yetwin plays guitar and is a third lead voice in the band. Barry Weinstein is their very accomplished fiddle player.

They obviously love to play their music, and their years together have resulted in a relaxed stage presence and smooth performance. Their skillful use of the single mic makes their show visually interesting, and produces a sound that is pleasant to listen to technically. I really enjoy their selection of songs.

There are several aspects of String Duster music that place them in my "favorites" list. One of their specialties is those cowboy songs that they do so well. At this particular show, we were treated to Neil’s "Colorado Trail." An excellent fiddler is reason enough to search out a band. We heard plenty of Barry’s fiddle at this show. As well as his show pieces, "Listen to the Mockingbird" and "Orange Blossom Special,"we got to hear a couple of traditional pieces, "Whiskey Before Breakfast" and "Ragtime Annie." The highlight fiddle tune for me was "Hell Among the Yearlings." I’ll be sure to request that the next time I hear them. The ultimate reason that I enjoy this band is that I am a big fan of Bill’s voice - especially on those old Jimmie Rodgers tunes like "California Blues." Put it all together, and you’ve got a group I continue to enjoy listening to, again and again.

If you missed our November show but are now convinced that you have to hear the String Dusters as soon as possible, you should check our their web site: www.rare-books.com/stringdusters.htm They play often, including two regular monthly coffeehouses in Schenectady (fun venues.) And we can look forward to hearing them at the 2006 RoundUp - only a "few" weeks away.