Our friends at ukbluegrass.com have recently published a lengthy piece on guitarist, singer and songwriter John Lowell. John will be on the faculty of the 2008 Sore Fingers bluegrass camp in England, where he will teach songwriting.

The article covers a number of topics, including his ongoing collaboration with British musicians, Dom Harrison and Leon Hunt.

“It’s kind of cool to be in a transatlantic band with technology being what it is today. Ben [Winship] and I recorded our stuff, Dom and Leon recorded their stuff and then we emailed the files to each other so the guys on the opposite side of the pond could add their parts. It all gets put together into music that sounds like we were all in the same room. I’m not sure what the CD will be called, but rest assured it will be something very witty and clever.”

You can read the whole piece at ukbluegrass.com.

Last year the Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival held it’s first annual instructional camp for the three days prior to the festival. The camp was successful and they have organized it again this year. The camp and the festival are both held at the Grand Targhee Resort located within the Caribou/Targhee National Forest in Wyoming.

Having lived in Wyoming for three years I can attest to the beauty and splendor of the setting for this event.

The camp is scheduled for August 7-10, 2007 and boasts an impressive line up of instructors.

• Ben Winship - Mandolin & Camp Director
• Mike Marshall - Mandolin
• Scott Nygaard - Guitar
• Tony Trischka - Banjo
• Brian Wicklund - Fiddle
• Eric Thorin - Bass
• John Lowell - Songwriting

Using bluegrass music as the common language, the camp focus is on teaching individual instrumental skills, group playing and jamming. Each day features morning and afternoon classes on your chosen instrument, elective workshops, jam sessions (both structured and unstructured) and evening performances making this Targhee Institute event extraordinary.

Registration for the camp includes 3 days of meals and lodging. Registration fees range from $700 to just over $900 depending on your willingness to share a room with another student.

For information about the festival and the camp, visit them online at the Grand Targhee Resort website.