Blackstone Valley Bluegrass

NEXT PERFORMANCE

ValleyCAST
Summer Concert Series


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This program is supported in part by a grant from the Leicester Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

The Blackstone Valley, often referred to as the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, runs from Worcester, MA to Providence, RI. In the 1800's many of the farming communities here turned to the Blackstone River, one of the most powerful rivers in the country, to lead the way to a new way of life. Mills were built all along the river and employed thousands of people. Canals were constructed, then the railroads, and the turnpikes.

Blackstone Valley Bluegrass was formed the summer of 1998 and the original band members all had ties to the area, so the band was aptly named Blackstone Valley Bluegrass, following a tradition in bluegrass music for naming yourself after your locality. Dan retired from the band and Tim joined in 2018 and immediately contributed two original songs. In 2021 Ken announced he was retiring from his day job, selling his house and moving to Florida. Soon after Dave announced his retirement from the band to focus on his D-String instrument repair business and his original guitar music.

We then decided to preserve this version of the band by recording a new album. Tim and his wife Vicki's original song, Passenger Train, is the title track of our new CD which is available in CD format at our performances or through digital download and streaming.

In the spring of 2022 Peter Tillotson became the bassist for us and shortly thereafter Pete Fein took over the banjo playing and a new version of Blackstone Valley Bluegrass was born.