FLYING UNDER RADAR LLC
PO Box 653, Bellows Falls, VT 05101
802-463-3669 phone, 802-463-3677 fax
flyradar@sover.net

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What: Sixth Annual Roots on the River Music Festival/Fred Eaglesmith Weekend
Where: Bellows Falls, Vermont, Exit 6, I-91
When: June 9-12, 2005
Who: Over forty roots music performers, including James McMurtry, The Mammals, Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Hayes Carll, Lynn Miles, Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez, Mary Gauthier, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Washboard Hank, Fred Eaglesmith and the Flying Squirrels, Fred Eaglesmith and the Smoking Losers and Fred Eaglesmith and the Flathead Noodlers.
Why: Because great, original music in a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere is a good thing.

April 26, 2005---For Immediate Release

ROOTS ON THE RIVER MUSIC FESTIVAL TO FLOW THROUGH BELLOWS FALLS, JUNE 9-12, 2005

The Sixth Annual Roots on the River Music Festival is coming to Bellows Falls June 9-12. What's roots music? "It's a broad term that encompasses any music that springs from tradition," explains promoter Charlie Hunter. "It can be bluesy, folky, bluegrassy or anything else - our festival comes in more at the twangy country-folk side of things." Performers hail from places like Texas, Louisiana and Southern Ontario, and the audience from Holland, the UK, Australia, half of the US and Canada.

For one weekend in June, Bellows Falls becomes a hotbed of roots music with the festival drawing hundreds of locals and visitors alike. Ticket prices are reasonable (a weekend pass for four days of music is $79, day tickets range from $25 to $35), the food is inexpensive and the parking is free. The vibe is relaxed, the performers approachable, often mingling freely with the audience, and people return year after year.

Roots on the River is the brainchild of Hunter and Canadian troubadour Fred Eaglesmith. The two work together on a series of music trains across Canada, and Hunter and Eaglesmith share a love of small towns and rural life,"realness" in music and a dislike of corporate culture, values reflected in how they've chosen to build the festival. "No big names," says Eaglesmith. "No big prices. No big deal. Bottled water's a dollar and the beer they serve is Long Trail. It's pretty straightforward." Participants wind up the weekend with a Street Hockey Tournament at the nearby Walpole Inn across the river in New Hampshire. "We've had a problem with ringers," says Eaglesmith, "so this year we've instituted a new rule - you have to have been to one of the shows in order to play.

And what a lineup the shows have! Performers this year include a large Texas contingent - lyric icon and guitar slinger James McMurtry and his hard-driving band, fast-rising Hayes Carll (a festival favorite for the last three years), Austin legends Vince Bell and Troy Campbell and the guitar and fiddle duo of Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez (Taylor has a fascinating resume - author of The Troggs proto-headbanger "Wild Thing" and Juice Newton's pop-country standard "Angel of the Morning" as well as being actor John Voight's brother and a former professional card-sharp). Neo-traditional string band the Mammals, dark Canadian chanteuse Lynn Miles, the Vermont phenomenon Grace Potter and the Nocturnals ("she's getting popular enough to build her own festival," opines Hunter), Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Mary Gauthier (whose major-label debut "Mercy Now" has been getting uniform raves), ebullient emcee Washboard Hank and of course the crowd-pleasing music and stories of Eaglesmith himself are a few other highlights.

Roots on the River takes place rain or shine (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday shows are tented, while Sunday's concert takes place in the 200-year-old Rockingham Meeting House), just off Interstate 91 at Exit 6. Advance tickets are available at http://www.rootsontheriver.com, 1-800-THE-TICK, Northampton Box Office, Brattleboro Books, Heartstone Books (Putney), Village Square Books (Bellows Falls), Chester Music Shoppe, Morning Star Cafe (Springfield), Toadstool Books (Keene, NH), Music Matters (W. Lebanon, NH). Kids under twelve 1/2 price at door only; babes in arms free. For more information, call 802-463-3669 or visit http://www.rootsontheriver.com.

Underwriting by SoVerNet, Long Trail Brewing, Farrell Distributing, Grassy Hill Productions, 93.9 The River, The Message for the Week, The Rockingham Arts and Museum Project, Readmore and The Walpole Inn.

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To arrange interviews, obtain publicity photographs or music samples of the performing artists, please contact artists©– record labels, or contact Charlie Hunter at flyradar@sover.net, 802-463-3669.