Herb Applin passes
Herb Applin, New England bluegrass pioneer from the 1960s, has died. He passed away quietly at Sunny Acres Nursing and Rehab in Chelmsford, MA on June 29, surrounded by his family. He was 86 years of age. Born Henry Herbert Applin in Boston on April 10, 1938, he became involved in bluegrass shortly after starting […]
Joe Val Festival returning to Boston?
Bluegrass lovers in the northeastern US have been mourning the demise of the big Joe Val Bluegrass Festival, held this past 15 years at the Sheraton Hotel in Framingham, MA. Managed by the Boston Bluegrass Union, and dedicated to the memory of the region’s premier bluegrass star, the festival has not been hosted since February […]
Joe Val Festival shakes off New England winter
If the calendar says it’s time for the Joe Val Bluegrass Festival in the Boston suburbs, it’s usually safe to bet on snow. This year, though, you would have lost that bet. Mother Nature provided the perfect backdrop for the 34th annual edition of the festival that many bluegrassers eagerly dream about on long, cold [...] IBMA Songwriters Workshop at Joe Val ’19
Members of the IBMA Songwriters Committee will conduct a workshop next weekend during the 34th annual Joe Val Bluegrass Festival in Framingham, MA. Three members of the committee, Rick Lang, David Morris, and Dawn Kenney, will lead the workshop, which will will be held on Saturday, February 16 at 3:00 p.m. All three have had multiple songs [...] Sunday images from Joe Val 2018
Kids Academy on stage at the 2018 Joe Val Bluegrass Festival - photo © Tara Linhardt Sunday of the Joe Val Festival had loads more great bands on the stages, plus workshops, and jams, but also is the big stage debut for the kids at the Joe Val Kids Academy. The kids and their teachers [...] Saturday images from Joe Val 2018
Saturday at the Joe Val Festival was jammed packed with hot bands on the stages, loads of workshops, and lots of pickin' in all sorts of areas of the hotel. Bands came from all over the country and one had come from Europe. Red Wine is a bluegrass band from Italy, and were a blast [...] Friday photos from Joe Val 2018
The 33rd annual Joe Val Bluegrass Festival took place this last weekend in Framingham, Massachussetts. It still reigns as one of the biggest bluegrass events of the year in the northeastern US. The festival is organized by the Boston Bluegrass Union, which has been working hard for 42 years organizing events, as well as providing [...] Sunday at Joe Val ’17
Sunday is still a rockin' day at the Joe Val Bluegrass Festival with some great bluegrass legends taking the Main Stage, and fresh new faces and regional faces being spotlighted on the Showcase Stage. Workshops and jams, of course, continue pulling people in and the Kids Academy takes over the stage letting folks see the [...] Saturday at Joe Val 2017
Moonshine Falls at Joe Val Bluegrass Festival (2/18/17) - photo © Tara Linhardt Saturday was a really big day at the Joe Val Bluegrass Festival, packed full with all sorts of great workshops, monitored slow jams, spontaneous jam sessions throughout the hotel rooms and lobbies, and of course great musical acts on the Showcase Stage [...] Joe Val Bluegrass Festival 2017
The Joe Val Bluegrass Festival is definitely one of the main events of the bluegrass calendar for pickers, students, and fans of bluegrass anywhere in the northeast region of the US. Folks come in from all over to see favorite bands, plus new bands on the scene, to take one of the over 50 workshops [...] 