String Dusters page 2 of 4.
The String Dusters are:
Bill Healy - banjo, mandolin, guitar, dobro:
Bill is the last original member of the String Dusters. He got his
first guitar at the age of twelve, and performed for the first time at a
"hootenanny" (it was the 1960s) barely a year later. Inspired by the folksong
revival of the period, the closest thing he could find on the radio was what he
heard on the country music stations. From the current music it was only a short
step back to the early years as he sought out recordings of the early performers
for inspiration. While attending college he ran a coffeehouse, and promoted folk
festivals and concerts while playing music alone and in various groups. After a
break from performing in the 1980s, he made his return to the stage with the
String Dusters. Fascinated by all kinds of stringed instruments, he has tried to
play most of them, and has built or rebuilt many of those in his collection.
Every now and then you might also see him sitting in with other local country
and bluegrass
bands.
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Riding the rails
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At the Parting Glass
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At the Parting Glass in Saratoga
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At Attanasio's in Scotia
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At the Upper Hudson Bluegrass Festival
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In 1973 with the Bunn Hill String Dusters - Bill Healy, Bob Childs, Vinnie Tufo
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Playing with friends at the Moon & River - Dick Burdo, Bert Wilson, and Barry Weinstein
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Neil Yetwin - guitar: Neil
has put in more than a decade as a member of the band, bring a solid and
powerful rhythm guitar style, a smooth singing voice, and a wide-ranging song
repertoire to the group. After playing in rock bands and performing as a solo
folk singer, a chance late-night encounter with a Jimmie Rodgers song on the
radio changed his life. He is not only a fan of the father of country music, but
also of western singers like Gene Autry and the Sons of the Pioneers. His
repertoire of songs from the 60s and 70s brought some "new" songs to the group,
but he sings some of our oldest ones as well.
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On stage at the Parting Glass
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A big fan of Jimmie Rodgers
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With his hero, Ramblin' Jack Elliott
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Preparing for a career as a singing cowboy
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Exploring the Altamont Fair
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Neil teaches AP Psychology, and is a serious student of human nature
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A serious pose in 1969
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Barry Weinstein - fiddle:
Barry has played the violin since childhood, and his years of experience are
evident whether he is playing a hot fiddle tune or hard-driving bluegrass. Since
he began to concentrate on fiddle music in the mid-1990s (fueled by a visit to
Mark O'Connor's Fiddle camp) he has impressed audiences with his smooth bowing
and superb tone. With more formal training than all the other band members
combined, he is at home in many musical settings from classical to modern
country music. He has also played with modern country groups the North 40 Band
and the Back 40 Band, but
many listeners feel he is at his best playing the acoustic music of the String
Dusters.
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At the Parting Glass
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Fred Woodward - bass: Fred
joined the String Dusters a couple years ago. A veteran of the local music scene, his
talents have enhanced several bands over the past couple decades, including
Dooley and Blue Moon. He is also a past president of the Adirondack
Bluegrass League. Since joining the band, he has added a third singing voice to
the band, and we have discovered his previously overlooked talents as a
songwriter. His abilities on stage and behind the scenes with sound and
recording have added a new dimension to the String Dusters. Fred also plays bass
in the Frank Wakefield Band.
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Moon & River Cafe
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Singing at the Parting Glass
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Moon & River Cafe
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At the Waterford Tugboat Roundup, 2005
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More photos and information on the
next page
 
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