Black Twig Pickers

Exploring the stringways of our corner of the mountains, eternal one-song and Turkey in the Straw.

We're reeling from the death in December of our longtime pal Jack Rose, with whom we made a record and toured the UK (and played some Virginia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina shows in the States) last year.

We're playing some memorial shows in February, and really, we'll be playing memorials for a long, long time.

We've about completed the next Black Twig album and hope it'll come out this year. And we're talking about a pontoonload of shows with Charlie Parr, and aother trip to the UK. And we're honored to be continuing the monthly dance gig at the Floyd Country Store. It'll be the final Friday through at least October, with our slot starting at 7:30 p.m. We're also delighted to continue our monthly bar gig at the Cellar. Check the schedule page here or over at Myspace, and come out if you can.

BOOKING/PROMO: Download the (very old) Black Twigs' one-sheet. There'll be a new one posted someday, yep. And here's some larger photos: one, two, three.  More of these soon too.

There are more photos, including some with Jack, over on the downloads page.

Some MP3s from "Hobo Handshake":

• Boatsman
• Paint Bank
• Old Joe Clark

There are new songs from the Black Twigs album with Jack Rose, more songs from "Hobo Handshake," more pics and other such e-ephemera on the always (ahem) recently refreshed Black Twig Pickers Myspace site.

And VHF Records has sound samples up here and here and here.

Contact the Black Twig Pickers at band@blacktwigpickers.org.

From 2009: NEW ALBUM OUT w/Jack Rose: Black Twig Pickers and globe-trotting, Virginian-turned-Philadelphian six-string finger-picking ace Jack Rose team up for a full album of guit/harmonica/banjo/fiddle/washboard fury, building on (and demolishing, frankly) the work Mike and Nathan did with Jack on his Dr. Ragtime & Pals album. Working with Jack stretched us in some new directions and we're delighted with the results. Album is a long-playing LP available right here in the catalog.

And from 2008, the Black Twig Pickers "Hobo Handshake" CD (vhf 108). A few accolades:

-- "Exciting old-time music at its finest" -- Bluegrass Unlimited

-- "One of southwest Virginia's best old-time acts, yet they might as well be playing balls-out boogie rock." -- Justin Farrar, Strawberry Flats

(To order, click here for VHF Records.)