YOUR HOSTS

Performing their current album, World Gone Mad, as well as classic songs of The Band, The Weight Band is led by Jim Weider, a 15 year former member of The Band and The Levon Helm Band.  The Weight Band originated in 2013 inside the famed Woodstock barn of Levon Helm.  Jim was inspired by Helm to carry on the musical legacy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group and brought on Brian Mitchell, keyboardist for The Levon Helm Band.  

Years of touring have seen The Weight Band revive “The Woodstock Sound,” keeping the spirit of Americana/Roots Rock alive for audiences of all ages.  They continue to keep the sound vibrant by releasing new music, evidenced by the album World Gone Mad (February 2018.) Their live set features Weight Band songs from the new album as well as fan favorites from The Band’s treasured catalog, including “Up On Cripple Creek,” “The Weight,” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” 

The Weight Band includes Jim Weider (The Band, The Levon Helm Band), Brian Mitchell (The Levon Helm Band), Michael Bram (Jason Mraz), Matt Zeiner (Dickey Betts Band), and Albert Rogers (The Jim Weider Band). The Weight Band complements The Band’s timeless legacy while pushing the music forward for new audiences.

Billboard, Relix Magazine, and others have taken notice, as have generations of The Band fans who have yearned for new material since their last studio release almost 20 years ago. The Boston Globe proclaims World Gone Mad “strikes a chord between past & present,” and the Chicago Tribune says “The Weight carries on where The Band left off.” Goldmine Magazine cited World Gone Mad as one of the best indie albums of 2018, saying the group “effectively revives and recreates The Band’s original rustic sound as a successor [and] keeps that arcane spirit alive!”

The Weight Band - featuring members of The Band and the Levon Helm Band

JIM WEIDER

Jim Weider (guitar, mandolin & vocals) is a former member of The Band. From 1985 to 2000, Weider replaced Robbie Robertson as their lead guitarist, writing songs and performing on their three studio albums, Jericho, High on the Hog, and Jubilation. He toured internationally with original Band members Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, and Rick Danko for fifteen years and was featured with them on numerous albums, films, videos, and in television appearances.

MICHAEL BRAM

Michael Bram (drums & vocals) is a soulful singer and multi-instrumentalist. Bram splits his time drumming for The Weight Band and Jason Mraz. He has been a staple in the New York music scene for almost two decades- other career highlights include working with Willie Nelson and recording tracks with Bob Margolin of The Last Waltz fame.

MATT ZEINER

Matt Zeiner (keyboard & vocals) began his career with Hartford’s Street Temperature band, then hit the road with Matt “Guitar” Murphy of Blues Brothers fame. Zeiner has also toured extensively with Dickey Bett; a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band.

ALBERT ROGERS

Albert Rogers (bass, vocals) has shared the stage with Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, and played in The Jim Weider Band. Rogers has also performed with Sid McGinnis, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Vivino, Albert Lee and many others.

Special Guest Artists

Jackie Greene

Americana and roots singer-songwriter Jackie Greene is a jack-of-all-trades, and an artist who can croon over soulful piano ballads as much as he can shred a bluesy guitar solo (like he did as the lead guitarist for The Black Crowes in 2013). A road warrior and musician's musician, Greene's new EP 'The Modern Lives – Vol 2' (out October 2018 on Blue Rose Music) finds him at a new chapter in his life: his first months of fatherhood, time off his relentless touring circuit, and a cross-country move from Brooklyn to his birthplace of Northern California.

This new collection of six original songs is a thematic extension of 'The Modern Lives – Vol 1' EP (released in 2017 on Blue Rose Music), imbued with a Brooklyn basement DIY feel and ethos. He is a student of American music, transfixed upon its progression through time, as well as how regional sounds fit in a contemporary context. Whereas 'Vol 1' saw Greene experiment with the Delta blues as a canvas for his examinations of modern society, 'Vol 2' sees Greene embrace the sounds of the bluegrass and folk tapes of his youth.

Lead single "Crazy Comes Easy" showcases Greene's dynamic, multi-instrumental range as he plays slide guitar, organ, bass, and percussion, the guitar licks an appreciative nod to his time in The Black Crowes. Meanwhile, "Good Old Bad Times" highlights Greene as the songwriter as he rattles off lines like "How can somebody find a future? / If they ain't got a foothold in the past?" while taking a critical eye to the idea of nostalgia. Piano ballad "Victim Of The Crime" was one of Jackie's oldest demos up until the feel of these sessions gave him the tools to finish a song that, in his words, was written for his wife before she was his wife. While the title possesses a kind of melodrama, the song itself is tender and heartfelt as he details love's trials and tribulations.

Greene partnered with Academy Award-nominated "king of indie animation" Bill Plympton for a series of music videos for 'The Modern Lives – Vol 1' that would eventually become an animated short film titled 'The Modern Lives.' The film is currently making the rounds at film festivals where it has already won the Jury Award at the USA Film Festival in Dallas, TX, and the Grand Remi Award / Best in Show at WorldFest in Houstin, TX. The short is also being exhibited at the 71st Festival de Cannes/Court Metrage, Melbourne International Animation Festival, and ASIFA-East Festival, amongst others.

Since the release of his critically-acclaimed debut album 'Gone Wanderin',' Greene has built an enduring audience through a relentless touring schedule with the likes of BB King, Mark Knopfler, Susan Tedeschi, and Taj Mahal. He played lead guitar with The Black Crowes on their Layin' Down With #13 World Tour, recorded and toured with Trigger Hippy – his supergroup with Joan Osborne – and in the last four years performed over 300 shows of his own, all while continuing to record and release his solo work. Greene is a frequent member of Phil Lesh & Friends, and sits in with countless other artists including Tedeschi Trucks Band, Govt Mule, Mississippi All-Stars, Amy Helm, Steve Earle, and Bob Weir.

Colin Linden

Colin Linden’s tale is the stuff of legend, the kind told in the Coen brothers’ O Brother Where Art Thou or Inside Llewyn Davis, both of which featured his guitar playing on the soundtracks. That film would begin with an 11-year-old meeting his musical idol Howlin’ Wolf at a matinee show in his native Toronto, accompanied by his mom, who took a picture of the two during a nearly two-hour long conversation before the gig, the legendary bluesman idling over coffee and cigarettes.

“I’m an old man now, and I won’t be around much longer,” Wolf told him. “It’s up to you to carry it on.”

Linden still carries that frayed photograph in his wallet, along with a Sears 5/8” socket wrench in his pocket to play slide guitar. He has taken Wolf’s plea seriously, performing since he was 12 years old, leaving home as a teenager to travel the south at the invitation of Mississippi Sheiks delta blues guitarist Sam Chatmon which took him to Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Memphis and Hollandale, Mississippi, meeting and visiting the sites of his heroes – Brownie McGhee, Muddy Waters, Sippie Wallace, Tampa Red, Blind John Davis, the Rev. Robert Wilkins, Sleepy John Estes and Son House, visiting the landmarks and juke joints, many of which he’s played in during the course of a 45-year career producing and playing blues and roots music. As a singer/guitarist, he’s accompanied everyone from Bruce Cockburn (as his producer and touring musician) to Bob Dylan, Greg Allman, Rihannon Giddens, Pistol Annies, John Prine and more.

Cindy Cashdollar

Cindy Cashdollar grew up in Woodstock, New York. Cashdollar is an old local family name. Her great-uncle Albert Cashdollar was the Town Supervisor and the family ran Locust Grove Dairy. The whole musical community watched as Cindy’s talent swiftly grew on the Dobro and then lap steel as she played with everyone in town during the late 1970s and ‘80s, The demand for her musical touch led her to touring and performing regionally with local Woodstock luminaries Levon Helm, Rick Danko, bluegrass singer John Herald, blues legend Paul Butterfield, and folk heroes Happy & Artie Traum. However, in 1992 her restless musical quest took her to Nashville where she met and landed a job with America’s premiere Western Swing group Asleep At The Wheel, leading her to Austin. Expanding her instrumental prowess to the steel guitar, Cindy’s taste and style added to the band’s sound as she toured and recorded with them for nine years.

Larry Packer

String musician (guitar, violin, viola and mandolin) Larry Packer began his career as teenager accompanying country blues great Paul Geremia. At a performance at Greenwich Village’s Bitter End, he was approached about replacing two members of a band based in NYC called Cat Mother and The All-night Newsboys. The band relocated to Woodstock, where they were heard by Jimi Hendrix’s manager . This led to going on the road with Hendrix for 1968-9, recording their first album with Jimi producing; “Good Old Rock n’ Roll” was a top-20 hit in 1969. The band opened for THE BAND for their first NYC appearance at the Fillmore East on the “Music from Big Pink” tour. They recorded their next record in Haight-Ashbury, sharing the studio with the Grateful Dead, and eventually relocated to Mendocino. Larry left Cat Mother and became lead guitarist with Sha-Na-Na for 1970-71, including appearances in “The Festival Express” and WNET-TV’s “Live at the Fillmore East”, and Flip Wilson’s 1970 X-mas Eve Special. Road gigs with Harry Belafonte, David Bromberg, Steve Goodman, Jerry Jeff Walker, Peter Rowan, Billy Vera, Johnny Maestro, Bill Keith and Jim Rooney, Lou Reed, Kate and Anna McGarrigle’s first U.S. and European tours, Maria Muldaur, Garland Jeffries, Happy and Artie Traum. Larry played with the horns in The Band’s 1975 appearances at NYC’s Palladium and Philly’s Tower Theatre, and joined them again in 1976 for “The Last Waltz” concert and film. He later played with Levon Helm’s Woodstock All-Stars in the mid 80’s along with bandmates Jimmy Weider, Randy Ciarlante, Cindi Cashdollar, Stan Szylest and Frank Campbell. Recordings with all of the above, and many, many others including Phoebe Snow, Jonathan Edwards, David Lasley, John Herald, Sunny Day Real Estate, Space Hog, Tim Hardin, Rosalie Sorrels, Jean Ritchie’s Grammy-nominated “Christmas in Kentucky”, Jay Black, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson,The Band’s “Islands” and “High on The Hog” albums, Hall and Oates’ “Abandoned Luncheonette” album.

He was 2000 Artist-in-Residence at SUNY-Ulster and twice at St. Lawrence University, once with composer David Amram, whose quintet he played with for several years at venues like BAM, Madison Square Garden and Town Hall. As a member of Ed Summerlin’s Contemporary Jazz Ensemble, he was featured in concerts with Ron Carter and Lee Konitz. In 2016, he was inducted into the New York State Blues Hall of Fame along with Rory Block and John Platania. He founded the Woodstock String Quartet, played in the Broadway production of “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”, road shows of “The Robber Bridegroom” with John Goodman as the dashing leading man, including the summer of 1976 at Ford’s Theatre in D.C. .In 1975 Larry can be seen on the 3rd show of the first “Saturday Night Live” season playing a square dance with Dan Ackroyd as caller and John Belushi hurling himself around the stage; years later he played SNL behind Johnny Cash!

For 23 years, Larry has performed and toured with the internationally popular Albany-based Celtic-rock band “Hair of the Dog”, including 9 Ireland tours and appearances at festivals all over the U.S.. He released a solo cd “Eye Of The Sun” on Woodstock Records, assisted by friends like Garth Hudson, Tom “Bones” Malone, the great guitarists Ed Diehl and Steve Burgh, and bassist “Big Mike” Dunn, sadly all 3 are no longer with us. He continues to remain active as sideman and session musician in a wide variety of genres.

Randy Ciarlante

When the Band was offered a record deal by CBS Records in 1990, Levon Helm recruited drummer/vocalist Randy Ciarlante into the Band. He stayed with the group since then, often singing Richard Manuel's parts in the older Band songs, playing bass, and doubling with Levon on drums at their live performances. Ciarlante can be heard on the Band albums from the '90s, Jericho, High on the Hog, and Jubilation.

See Lee Gabites' 1997 interview with Randy Ciarlante for more about Randy's musical background.

BIG YELLOW TAXI

Big Yellow Taxi is a one of a kind musical experience. There is no other ensemble playing the music of Joni Mitchell with the dedication and imagination that BYT brings to every show. Created to explore Joni's amazing music from its early folk roots to her pop masterpieces to her jazz influenced compositions, Big Yellow Taxi brings Joni's music alive. The band features the expressive and soaring voice of Teresa Lorenço. Teresa's vocals pay homage to Joni's sweet, husky, and bell-like voice delivering an emotional journey through Joni's expansive catalog.

The mission of the band is to present a show that immerses the audience in an intimate journey through many of Joni's best loved and most powerful songs: a performance beyond mere imitation, to delve into Joni’s musical intensity and genius, to leave audiences entertained, moved, and elated.

Stony Creek Band

For over 50 years, the Stony Creek Band has been one of the most enduringly popular musical groups in the northeastern United States. The Stony Creek Band has thrilled generations of fans with its high energy blend of rock, folk, country and bluegrass; a sound that has consistently defied description but is “a product of the landscape as authentically upstate as any Hudson River School painting or sculpture by David Smith” and performed in a manner described by one reviewer as “a ferocious ensemble attack; like a runaway train!”.

The Stony Creek Band began with the 1973 meeting of John Strong, a folksinger/guitarist from the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania and Hank Soto, a guitarist and songwriter from the Bavarian Alps of Germany. Along with a bass player the Stony Creek Band began life as a folk trio, touring coffee houses in New York, Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. After moving to the Adirondack mountain hamlet of Stony Creek, NY the band quickly developed into a 7-piece musical powerhouse featuring drums, a rock guitarist, pedal steel guitar and banjo that, for a time, was the little town's largest year-round employer!

In the 1980's the band evolved into its current 5-piece configuration which now includes producer/ singer /songwriter Dave Maswick on bass, blues hall of fame member Mike Lomaestro on drums, and noted bluegrass mandolin virtuoso Fred Lantz. Over the years, the Stony Creek Band has made hundreds (if not thousands) of concert appearances including a live performance on international TV for the closing ceremonies of the Goodwill Winter Games, an appearance at a New York State gubernatorial inauguration, a February outdoor appearance at the 25th anniversary celebration of the “Miracle on Ice” (brrrr) and a live performance on NBC's TODAY show with Meredith Viera and Ann Curry.

Over the last 50 years, the Stony Creek Band has evolved from an acoustic trio with roots in traditional folk and country music to a purveyor of American idioms, and back again. The band's music is the sound of mature, seasoned artists who have outlasted the years and their own baser instincts to mentor and encourage younger artists, enrich their communities and preserve and transmit a living memory. 

With the release of the Stony Creek Band Live! album, the band has successfully captured the proverbial “lightning in a bottle” bringing to fans around the world the sound, raw energy and contagious excitement of the Stony Creek Band’s legendary concert performances. Don’t miss the fun!!!!

Johnny Stevens

Perennial director of electric jams at Camp CC

Lifelong career Songwriter/producer/performing musician. Retired business and sales management Gibson guitars. 

Rich Cahillane

Rich Cahillane is the facilitator of the acoustic Jam at the Roadhouse for Camp Cripple Creek. Rich is a multi-instrumentalist and producer from the hills of Western Massachusetts. He's currently playing guitar and bass with Big Yellow Taxi:The music of Joni Mitchell and guitar with The Riverbenders. He has also been playing bass with the Hooligan Band since the 90's. You can find his original music online at bandcamp on the Cooleyville Records label.