RITZ THEATRE
FOLK FESTIVAL
Special Advance Weekend Passes
Available for $15
Friday, September 18th
6-7 pm The Small Town Girl Band
7-8 pm The James Boys
Saturday, September 19th
3-4 pm Mustang Sally & the Hamjos
4-5pm Sticky Steve & the Pollinators
5-6pm Butch Preston
6-7pm Frank & Lisa Thomas
7-9pm The James Boys
The Ritz Theatre, in Winter Haven, will be hosting their Inaugural Folk Festival on Friday, September 18th and Saturday, September 19th. “We are very excited to host this genre of music at The Ritz Theatre and have a very strong lineup of entertainers for this weekend event” stated Executive Director, Stella Heath.
Small Town Girls will open the event as they take the stage on Friday night from 6:00-7:00pm. They are no strangers to The Ritz as they previously opened for The Bellamy Brothers to a sold out crowd. We welcome back these three talented artists from Frostproof, Ginny Tucker, Paige Castle, and Jade Keever.
The James Boys is next in the lineup as the music will continue with a taste of the East and West Coasts of Florida, from Melbourne and Sarasota. Steve James and James Ladd are new to The Ritz Theatre and will take the stage at 7pm for a two hour trip down memory lane as they play old rock/folk songs by Gram Parsons, Bob Dylan, and other crowd favorites. The set list includes “Bell Bottom Blues”, “Knockin on Heaven’s Door”, “Angel from Montogomery” and at least one original song by each of the musicians.
Known for their acoustic as well as their vocal talents, both musicians have played alongside nationally recognized artists such as Leon Russell, Kentucky Headhunters, Molly Hatchett, Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, the Outlaws, and Marshall Tucker Band, to name a few. In addition, James Ladd has formed the Lucky Dogs Band and written over 100 songs for the Band.
Mustang Sally & the Hamjos takes the stage on Saturday, September 19th, the music begins at 3pm. Sally Anderson & The Hamjos have performed in the major Folk Festivals in Florida as well as concert halls and private & community and charity functions.
The Hamjo Band derives its name from the Hammered Dulcimer’s beautiful range of tone combined with the Banjo’s old-time plucking, done in Appalachian, claw-hammer style. This unique combination, joined by Guitars, Fiddle, Mandolin, Washtub Bass, old-time Percussion, & Vocal Harmonies create an entertaining performance featuring old-time traditional tunes, waltzes, ballads, jigs & reels from the Celtic heritage of immigrants settling in New England and the Appalachian area of America. This type music made its way into Florida’s heritage in the late 1890’s.
The leader of the band, Sally Anderson shared that folks enjoy their music’s variety, tempo, and enthusiasm. The lineup for Mustang Sally and the Hamjos are:
Sally Anderson – Hammered Dulcimer, Vocals, Four time Florida Old-Time Hammered Dulcimer Champion, Dick Prince – Fiddle, Banjo, Guitar, Vocal, Donny Lomnick – Rhythm Guitar, Washboards, Spoons, Bones, Washtub, Bass, Slide Whistle, Kazoo, Dale Johnson – Lead Guitar, Lead Mandolin, Christina Baker – Vocals, Washtub Bass, Cello, Andy Baker – Washtub Bass, Banjo, Kazoo
Sticky Steve & The Pollinators, a local group from Babson Park, will take the stage at 4pm; that have played music together for decades, sure to be the crowds’ favorite.
Sticky Steve is the fiddler in the band and a beekeeper (honey is sticky, got it?) & the Pollinators are a bunch of long-time buddies who are, in reality, at or very near the end of their glory days of pollinating, but still banging out a tune. Their leader has been known to exclaim: “We play Bluegrass instruments!” (followed by a long pause…..) Let’s just say they’re not constrained by one style of music. Something more unique comes out when they play a tune, that is what folk music is about.
This is a unique group: what other band do you know that has 3 Steve’s (none of which go by that name), 3 redheads ( more accurately, 3 former redheads), and 2 brothers and an occasional son (actually he’s a son who is an occasional band member), and one member who is smaller than her instrument. (If her bass had a door, she could live in it.) The band figures they have a couple more good years before members start forgetting to show up for gigs. Until then, they’ll keep cranking out the tunes…… Don’t miss this show beginning at 4pm there is something magical that happens when seven acoustic instruments and musicians get together Enjoy!
Butch Preston will take the stage at 5:00pm at The Ritz Theatre for the first time. An accomplished musician and songwriter who began his musical career in his hometown, Lake Wales. He has been a member of several bands in the Central Florida area. After a 25 year hiatus, he and former members of The Full House Band reunited to play at the Winter Garden Music Fest last year. As a solo set, Butch has appeared at the Winter Garden Music Fest for several years and has performed at the Winter Garden Theatre and many charitable fundraisers around the Central Florida area, including Orlando. His musical style is best described as eclectic and his set list includes many of his original folk compositions.
Frank J. Thomas is a recognized artist that has made significant contributions to art in Florida will entertain us beginning at 6:00pm. In 2013, folk singer Frank J Thomas, a longtime Lake Wales, Florida resident; was inducted in the Florida Artists Hall of Fame. In 1986, the Hall was established by the Florida Legislature. It provides recognition to persons, living or dead, who “made significant contributions to the arts in Florida either as performing or practicing artists in individual disciplines”. The awards recipients show diversity of artistic accomplishments in the state’s “cultural tapestry”. Inductions take place each March during the Florida Heritage Awards. Each honoree receives a commemorative bronze sculpture.
Thomas was inducted into the Artists Hall of Fame along with Gloria Estevan and is one of the top two Folk Singers ever recognized in the State of Florida, with the other being Gamble Rodgers.
The James Boys, Steve James and James Ladd will close out the 2015 Ritz Folk Festival playing an acoustic set beginning at 7:00pm.
This event is made possible in part by Visit Central Florida, Brown Forman, CWS, Bernie Little Distributors, Coca Cola, CSX Railroad, and other Benefactors of The Ritz Theatre.
For more information, or tickets, please go to www.ritzoncentral.com. Tickets are $10 per day, or you can purchase a Two-Day Pass for $15. The Ritz Theatre is a 501 C-3 Not-for-Profit Corporation. For more information, you can call The Ritz Theatre at 863-295-9900. The Ritz Theatre is located at 263 West Central Avenue, Winter Haven.