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PORCH PICKERS NEWS!
AVAILABLE NOW!
The PORCH PICKERS first CD
"HOT OFF THE PORCH"
Feedback received
October 10, 2007 from Artreach Alliance, Stillwater MN
Summer Tuesdays Planning Committee
Dear Joyce Kramer & The Porch Pickers,
Thank you for your help with Summer Tuesdays this year! On behalf of the planning committee, I wanted to let you know how much we appreciated the time you set aside to play in the marketplace this year. Your performance made our marketplace a great place to hang out and enjoy the evening!
We had a great 5th anniversary summer! The marketplace was busy and the music & movies were great fun. We were fortunate to have only one rainy day during the entire Summer Tuesdays series. We had beautiful weather, a great location and many people made this event a part of their summer. These events drew hundreds of people downtown Stillwater each week to support our local businesses, artists and farmers.
Your generosity of time and talent really made this a success. We hope to see you again next summer!
October 13, 2007
We checked out the website and came away VERY IMPRESSED! Looks great, which makes sense because you folks SOUND great!
Ed and Jean, Roseville MN
March 3, 2008
Well the Bluegrass festival was fantastic. I got to meet Joyce and watched the Porch Pickers on stage- they did wonderful!!! They have a very nice variety of instruments and songs. The vocals were very clear
which made it real easy to sing along with them. Joyce also joined a jam section I was in and she has some really neat songs up her sleeve and her and her husband are fun to watch play off each other - they are cool people!!! I really enjoyed being able to listen to another Autoharpist play!!
March 4, 2008
Hi Joyce & Porchpickers,
I really enjoyed hearing you perform at the March 1st MBOTMA gathering on Saturday afternoon. Your group has an engaging, infectious, sound and a nice blend of familiar gospel & bluegrass tunes. I also liked the way you engaged the audience, inviting them to join along on some songs. I especially liked the instrumental solos by the harmonica & banjo players. You also had some nice vocal harmonies. I especially enjoyed your last tune "Blues Stay away from me". The only thing that bothered me some is that the sound system could have been set up better. Even though I was sitting near the front of the room, I had a hard time hearing the autoharp, especially on solo breaks. But overall, it was a great performance which had me tapping my toes & singing along all the way.
Tony W.
March 6, 2008
Don & Joyce, Ron & I really enjoyed your performance at the Bluegrass Festival. Your group had a great selection of songs that were fun & engaging. Your vocals were clear & it was easy to sing along. This was topped off with your solid instrumentals and solos for the banjo, harmonica & auto harp.
Good job!
Diane
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June 3, 2008
Joyce and the Porch Pickers,
I have visited your web site - GREAT SOUNDS!
Let's keep in touch.
Sharon Provost
Steamboat Minnehaha
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July 15, 2008
Hi Joyce & Don. I am soooo glad that you & the Porch Pickers came to play at our Midsummer's celebration in Menahga, Mn. I think my staff at our store WE GOT SHOES Menahga, Mn. made a very good choice of sponsoring the Porch Pickers to play for us on Sunday afternoon July 13th. I have had overwhelmingly good response for your performance, the people that came out to listen just loved it and everybody had a very good time. I hope to jam with you some time at one of the MBOTMA festivals, I'll be the one carrying the mandolin with a binder twine strap (?)
See You All Soon Bob Hillstrom
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July 22, 2008
You gave an awesome performance July 13 in Menahga. I have had many comment to me on the good music. Thank you. Jan
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May 2, 2009
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November 23, 2009
From a new fan:
Hi Joyce & Porch Pickers:
I was blown away when I heard you folks on Phil Nusbaum's show Saturday. As an Autoharp player myself, I loved to hear your 36-stringer ring out, Joyce. I play with the Uff-Da Mountain Boys, based in Fergus Falls & Osakis.
Now I know I have jammed with you, and I can say this. When I heard that strong Autoharp part right behind the banjo break, I thought to myself, "Gosh, that sounds like something I would play".
Well, I like to think I contributed at least somewhat to your good Autoharpery. I'm proud of you!
Jerry Barney, Fergus Falls, MN
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December 2, 2009
Hi, Joyce & other Porch Pickers:
I just listened several times (& I'm listening as I write) to "Hot off the Porch."
let me throw you some compliments. You folks have a unique sound, with Autoharp, harmonica & banjo passing the leads and accompaniment back & forth.
Joyce, I'm so proud of you, with the big sound you get on the Autoharp and knowledge enough to instinctively know what to do and what not to do, in all cases. You work with the other pickers so very well, and seem to know what to do & what not to do.
Ken's harmonica is really used effectively. That nitty-gritty sound that he gets really fits in nicely with the other instruments. One great example is the first part of "Home Sweet Home," done as a waltz with kind of a campfire sound before bringing the song up to tempo.
I like the effective & authoritative banjo entry in the middle of "..,.Rebel Soldier."
I've heard a lot of versions of "I Overlooked an Orchid" but yours is one of the absolute very best. I love that gentle lead vocal on it.
"When You're Smiling" really comes off great.
Jerry Barney, Fergus Falls, MN