http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html MIKE + RUTHY: News / Blog Jannis' PHPRss class - http://www.jannis.to/ Thu, 02 Dec 2010 12:01:15 -0800 http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#22
We wanted to let everyone know about a new series we're booking in New York City called "Mike Ruthy's Folk City."

The series will feature the best acoustic based talent that we can wrangle into the Cornelia St Cafe on the 4th Wednesday of every month.

Our inaugural event on Sept 22nd featured and all-star cast including Jefferson Hamer, Nina Violet, and Rusty Belle.

October 27th we're presenting an evening with the Jay Ungar & Molly Mason Family Band

(November we're breaking for Thanksgiving)

December 22nd features old-time stringband duo The Pearly Snaps and Team Love singer/songwriter David Dondero.

January 26th the incomparable neo-vaudevillian geniuses: The Wiyos.

"Music is the effervescence"

- Mike]]> http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#22 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 :: Million to One :: Available now - MIKE + RUTHY - News / Blog http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#21
Even with all the radio and publicity support we've been receiving we're still finding that the best publicity is good-ol-fashioned word of mouth.

So, as we sit (ever so briefly!) at home, in the midst of this rather EPIC cd release tour, we're calling on you again!

We're looking for "street team" volunteers in each town willing to hang posters and generally be our town crier. Someone in each town to act as our local promoter and help get out the word.

In return you will receive two tickets to our show and our undying appreciation!

Is it a deal?

Check out our dates listed below and if you're willing act as our "folky on the ground" in a particular city please email mikeandruthy@gmail.com with your name and address and how many posters you think you can realistically put up (it's usually between 5 - 15) and we'll send some out right away.

Thank You!

Mike Ruthy

Tour Dates 2010:

Wednesday, September 29th Lizard Lounge, Cambridge, MA
Thursday, September 30th Dream Away Lodge, Becket, MA
Friday, October 1st Hooker-Dunham Theater, Brattleboro, VT
Saturday, October 2nd Pine Hill Folk Arts Festival, Pine Hill, NY
Saturday, October 9th O Festival, Kingston, NY
Wednesday, October 13th IMT , Takoma Park, MD
Thursday, October 14th 37th & Zen, Norfolk, VA
Friday, October 15th, Hillsborough, NC Woodcrest Farm House Concert
Saturday, October 16th UU Coffeehouse, Columbia, SC
Tuesday, October 19th Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa, FL
Thursday, October 21-23, Magnolia Festival, Live Oak, FL
Tuesday, October 26th Purple Fiddle, Thomas, WV
Wednesday, October 27th Cornelia Street Cafe, NYC
"Mike Ruthy's Folk City" w/ Jay Ungar & Molly Mason Family Band
Friday, October 29th, Peter Nein Gallery, Pottsville, PA
Saturday, October 30th Tusten Theater, Narrowsburg, NY
Thursday, November 4th Irving Plaza New York, NY
Thursday, November 11th Mountain Music, Tehachapi, CA
Friday, November 12th Center for Folk Music, Encino, CA
Saturday, November 13th San Diego Folk Heritage, San Diego, CA
Sunday, November 14th, Soho, Santa Barbara, CA
Wed. November 17th, Steynberg Gallery, San Luis Obispo
Thursday, November 18th, Roost House, Carmel, CA
Friday, November 19th, Make-out Room, SF
Saturday, November 20th, Crepe Place, Santa Cruz, CA
Saturday, December 11th Jenkins Family House Concert, New York, NY
Wednesday, December 22nd Cornelia St Cafe, New York, NY
"Mike Ruthy's Folk City" w/ David Dondero]]> http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#21 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 :: Million to One :: Available now - MIKE + RUTHY - News / Blog http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#20 Million to One
By: Emma Dessau

When an album manages to capture a different and distinct sound with each track, the extraordinary talents of its artists, both as a team and individually, are displayed. On their newest release Million to One, Mike Ruthy, former members of The Mammals, demonstrate their love for folk music by paying homage to the numerous forms it can take. The album varies from the indie-rock harmonized opener "End of Time" to songs featuring Mike or Ruthy alone on lead vocals, such as "Who's Who," a honky-tonk style tune sung primarily by Mike. While many folk-rock and Americana bands simply copy their influences, Mike Ruthy have succeeded in mixing the new with the old seamlessly, calling to mind the proficiency of Yo La Tengo in their heyday.

Not only does the married couple operate magnificently as a musical talent to be reckoned with, but their combined DIY mentality and drive made Million to One a shared project between Mike Ruthy and their fans. The band created a petition to raise money for their biggest release to date on Kickstarter.com and asked their fans to help them reach a fundraising goal of $5,000. They had no problem quickly meeting and doubling that number and thus released Million to One on their own record label, Humble Abode Music, which is no small feat considering the economic times.

Million to One breathes a love and respect for folk music with each track. It is impossible not to appreciate the hard work that went into what is Mike Ruthy's highest stakes release. Their efforts will not go unappreciated and their beloved and supporting fans will not be disappointed. (Humble Abode Music)]]> http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#20 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 :: Million to One :: Available now - MIKE + RUTHY - News / Blog http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#18
You can order CDs here, at mikeandruthy.com.

Download the album from iTunes.



Preview the album at our Facebok page or (our personal favorite) Bandcamp.com ::: http://www.mikeandruthy.bandcamp.com.

You can also have your favorite local record store special order it for you : )

We're so excited. Enjoy!

- MIKE RUTHY]]> http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#18 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700 :: Million to One :: Available now - MIKE + RUTHY - News / Blog http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#10 Reviewer



Click to enlarge
ARTIST: Mike Ruthy

ALBUM: “Million To One” (Humble Abode Music)

Folk music is a tricky thing — there is an inherent need to be aware of the past and traditions — but if you move forward, like any real artist is prone to do, skeptical eyebrow-raising ensues, with the incessant questioning, “is this folk?” There is a fine line between respecting the past and moving forward, and those that do push ahead are sometimes ostracized, until, of course, time passes and it too becomes traditional.

With “Million To One,” the fine line is obliterated, and a new one drawn, as Mike Ruthy bravely, and more importantly, successfully bring folk music to a new place, while holding on to the timeless traditions of the of the genre, namely, the telling of a story.

Mike Merenda and Ruthy Ungar met in 1998. A New Hampshire native, Merenda had played rock and ska while Woodstock fiddle Unger leaned towards roots. After joining in music and marriage, they’ve played along side Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews and John Melloncamp, and released several of their CDs, as well as with the Mammals.

Recorded close by at the renewed, bustling Dreamland Studios, as well as the long gone and much missed Allaire Studios, “Million To One” was produced by Mike Ruthy and recorded and mixed by Frank Moscowitz. They are featured along with bassist Jose Ayerve and drum shaman Craig Santiago, with pedal steel by Charlie Rose and piano and organ from Ken Maiuri, fiddle giant Jay Ungar even chimed in.

Here the sound is edgy but not over-the-top. “End of Time” is 1960s rock, while with “Covered” they sing about a world “covered in sin” in a bluesy style. “Rise” would be at home on a Mary Chapin-Carpenter record, and “Be the Boss” echoes early electric Dylan. They return to their roots with “As My Eyes Run Wild,” as pure folk as you can get while in the title track “Million To One,” Merenda sings “All of my worries are gone” and you believe him. There’s no doubt this radio ready track could so be a hit.

This is a great, gorgeous record, and that it comes from nearby makes it even better.

Visit www.mikeandruthy.com.

Mike Ruthy and friends will appear at the Tinker Street Cinema Sunday at 8:30 p.m. for the Music at the Movies series. “Million to One” is set for release on Tuesday.

David Malachowski is a guitarist, producer and freelance journalist living in Woodstock. The Freeman seeks CDs by local artists or artists appearing locally for review. Please send all CDs (please no CD-Rs or demo CDs) to Daily Freeman c/o Preview, 79 Hurley Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401.


http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2010/07/23/entertainment/doc4c48f0ef93445368526945.txt]]> http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#10 Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700 :: Million to One :: Available now - MIKE + RUTHY - News / Blog http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#11 ]]> http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#11 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700 :: Million to One :: Available now - MIKE + RUTHY - News / Blog http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#13 (We just received this letter from a dear friend and I had to share it with you all. - M)

Hello MJMjr!

THE STORY: So, our new family vehicle has a six disc CD changer....very cool...selling point. About a month ago V was hanging out in the driver's seat (like he loves to do) while I went to get the mail down the road about 30 yards... Upon my return I discovered he had inserted several coins into the CD player... I scolded him appropriately then went and got a pair of tweezers. I retrieved about 78 cents...Unfortunatly, I think he inserted about $1.12 in coins... Now, whenever he asks if he can drive I say, "What's the rule?!" and he replies,"No, no coins in the CD playeew!" SO, now I can't eject the CD's that were in there during the time of the incident and the 4 CD's I had in the CD player are stuck in there for good, or until I get the gumption to call the car place and admit my embarassing mistake in leaving a toddler in the car by himself for more than 15 seconds (I don't think that's covered by the waranty)...

ANYWAY: One of the discs now captive in our CD player is the Million To One prerelease you left with us the last time you were here... I just wanted to tell you that I've listened to your new record dozens and dozens of times and I can't stop listening to it because it get's better every time... It's amazing, absoluely stellar... it's gonna make big waves in the music world upon it's release and if it doesn't I will completely lose my faith in the current music's listening audience and it's perpetrators..... which is dwindling as it is.... So, I just wanted to gush and say 'Good on ya'...' , nice work, congratulations on a job well done and any other cliche associated with a pat on the back that you can imagine... Above all, thanks for putting something honest and genuine out there... It happens every once in a while and I'm lucky if I'm there to notice... It's SO good and I feel like I was in on it for a little bit of the process (early, EARLY sequencing) and I feel like a tiny part of it belongs to me.... So, thanks...you know...for doing what you do....all of it, not just the glamerous stuff....the dirty work, too (you know what I'm talking about)!

Love you guys!]]> http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#13 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0700 :: Million to One :: Available now - MIKE + RUTHY - News / Blog http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#8
Our third Mike Ruthy record, Million to One, is really close to being complete and we're using Kickstarter.com to raise money for a really successful release. Please visit our kickstarter page and check out the video we made about this project. There are lots of reward incentives we're offering for your generous support!

Love,
Mike Ruthy

]]> http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#8 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0700 :: Million to One :: Available now - MIKE + RUTHY - News / Blog http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#14
I said my hello, welcomed them, explained that we may not actually perform until closer to 8:30 (we listed the show as 7pm on our website. They were slightly disappointed that they may have to leave early) and shot off to inhale two slices of Flatbread pizza, put my coat backstage, putz around some more with the camera, pour a beer (donated by the good people at Smuttynose) and returned to the side of my old mentor to reminisce about the old days and to catch up on the new. He was speaking quite well, although slower than he would have liked, and it was simply wonderful to have that time to spend together. It made me want to be in top form for my performance.

The night was kicked off by the inimitable Old Time Dave Talmage who played the Star-Spangled Banner on his fiddle while hoola hooping in rollerblades. He followed that up with the Canadian national anthem. We were rolling.

Next up was Avi and Celia who elected to perform "comando" (without amplification) which I 1) respected 2) agreed that it was the right choice. (The room was still on the sparse side and there's something that can be awkward about performing to a very small intimate crowd through a loud PA.) They were great. I had Avi him years ago when he had invited me to his Burlington home via email to cook a nice meal for me and traveling companions (Sarazin Blake and brother, Chris Merenda) when we were playing the Radio Bean a few winters ago. He was a Mammals fan. I remember at the after party that night I became annoyed with him for asking me a whole bunch of music business questions I either couldn't or didn't care to answer and him being shocked that I didn't know all the ins and outs of the publishing world as a "professional musician." I'm still a bit fuzzy on some of it. That shit is complicated! Anyhow, they played a beautiful, well-executed set of mostly originals steeped deeply in an acoustic blues/soul tradition. They had chops and good voices and confidence. I was glad to see them doing so well after wondering about them after that initial very pleasant but slightly awkward first encounter.

We played next and elected to use the PA that our man Dan had worked so hard to set up and had sounding really great. I was excited to be playing through my Ampeg Reverb-oj-jet amplifier (which I usually don't bring on the road) and my brand new analog delay pedal I had purchased earlier that day since my old delay pedal (a great sounding p.o.s I had purchased used in the middle of nowhere NY state so me years ago) had kicked the bucket evening last.

We played real well and got better as it went. By the end we were rocking and more relaxed and people were really being attentive and polite. The room had filled in nicely, too, and everyone for the most part, was very quietly drinking their beer and doing their best to give us their attention and respect. We got a request for "Bored" which we played and ended up being a highlight. Several people commented on it after the show and I even sold an Election Day to a cool drummer named Zack who played in the next band.

After another brief hoola-hooping fiddle interlude by Old Time Dave Talmage Geoff Useless (and band) rocked out as a punk Americana- rock-a-billy outfit complete with pedal steel and fiddle. You couldn't hear the fiddle at all but it blew my mind (again) that roots music has absolutely permeated the punk rock scene and damn well it should have. Apparently their singer used to be in a band called The Guts, one of the best band NAMES I've ever heard of. He played an acoustic guitar through an amp and had a Queers sticker on his axe (the Queers are a nationally touring local legend punk rock band for Exeter, NH with songs such as "Ursula Finally Has Tits" and "I Can't Stop Farting.") It really made me feel at home.

While he wasn't on the bill, another highlight of my evening wa reconnecting with Dan Blakeslee, a Seacoast songwriter now currently living in Somerville, MA who was on the scene gigging, drawing posters and slinging his songs years before I had made my first record. He's an old friend a real inspiration from back in my glory (naive, young, full of piss and vinegar) days. (ie the Skarotum era!)

I mucked around a bit with Dan, we discussed old records, new records, siblings, friends, the Weisman brothers, my brother, etc., etc. traded some music said, "Fuck yeah!" a lot and gave each other many hugs. It felt great.

I joined OTDT for a couple more hoola hoop tweaner numbers. I couldn't compete with his theatrics so I resorted to jumping on a high table with my banjar and whacking away. We played "Nobody's Business" and "Cindy" and Avi and Celia joined in on Dobro and Washboard. It was an honest to God hootenany.

The last band was RockSpring, a hot buttered style jammy bluegrass band that has really come a long way since I saw them at last years Oyster River Festival in Durham, NH. They really started cooking half way through their set and there was lovely feeling in the room. The music wasn't too loud and they could all really play You could tell they all really enjoyed doing playing too. So often when a band is NOT making a living form their music they're having a lot more fun making it.


As things were closing to an end I enjoyed a couple more conversations with new acquaintances over some delicious Smuttynose (I met JT one of the brewers and had a nice chat with him. He was drinking whisky out of a flask which seemed funny at first but makes perfect sense now, looking back on it).

I packed up, shared a few long goodbyes with Tristan and the rest of the crew and drove down the short familiar path back to Durham, NH. Here I sit in my parents kitchen writing this story to you. Good night and good luck.

-Mike

ps
We raised about $1800 for Doctors Without Borders. A matching grant brings the total up to $3600! Thanks to all who came out to support a deserving cause. Go New Hampshire. Go team.]]> http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#14 Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800 :: Million to One :: Available now - MIKE + RUTHY - News / Blog http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#15
We were down there attending the first annual 30A Songwriters Festival which took place at about a dozen small to mid-sized venues along the beautiful coast of Walton County. We had three sets.

Our first was in the round with a Billy Bright, a wonderful singer/mandolinist, with great stage presence, good songs and great chops on the instrument which he played into a microphone instead of going direct. . His mandolin was old, warm and loud and this choice of amplification worked just fine.

The third act was The Smoking Flowers, another husband wife duo with an arsenal of folky instruments who sang great, strong, harmony on their own country fried original songs. Strangely, they looked more like they were from Woodstock and we looked more like we were from Nashville.

When we first arrived the room was packed (the festival was sold out) and a rather timid singer was at the mik doing a rather quiet, downbeat number. I could sense that it was all the crowd could do to button their lips. I also sensed that the sound system situation was going to be less than ideal. What to do in the situation? Come out of the gate fast and furious. We decided to plug our instruments in to keep it simple (which we generally shy away from doing) and to play fast, upbeat songs (Kiss the Break of Day, Four Blue Walls, Beg and Borrow) until we felt we had earned the audience's trust enough to bring it down a notch (Slow Train, As My Eyes Run Wild). The crowd was rowdy, attentive and exuberant which was a wonderful and rare combination. We had left Will back at the ranch with our fairy goddess babysitter, Ronnie, so when the show was we packed up scooted home.

The second set was the following morning. It was a do your own sound scenario which was fine really other than the fact that they only provided three microphones on stands and four cables. We made it work: I played into two mics and Ruthy had a vocal mic and DI.

Again, we opened with rowdy stuff (Cooper's, Tahoe) to let the crowd know that we would not bore them with an hour of "singer/songwriter" material, at least not immediately. It seemed to be the right approach, although a couple ladies in the
front row seemed slightly overwhelmed by my irreverent, rapid fire delivery. (It always baffles me when people sit in the front row with anything other than a huge smile on their face.)

By the time we hit Something's Got a Hold On Me we had the crowd in a wonderful trance. Even the chef in the back of the room put down his gizmos and glued his eyes and ears to the stage. It was a nice moment.

We got a request for 1952, which we obliged, and then took our bow and were treated to an encore. We finished off with I'll Keep It with Mine, packed it up and went back to Will at our Rainy beach ranch.

The third set was definitely the best . It was at 9 pm in a small, dark theater. We arrived as the previous set was winding down and the crowd was very light. We feared the worst. We decided that we could get away with playing into our stereo pair of ATs which took the sound man a minute to adjust to. By the time or set started there was a nice full house. That felt great. We played a fun set which included some brand new songs (Rise, Covered, Goodbye) and some classics that we'd recently dusted off (Tryin' to Remember What City I Know You From, Paper Heart). I sang lead on Tryin which I really enjoyed. Ruthy sang lead on all the recordings of that song so it was sort of a novelty to sing lead on my own song! It was fun. We left that show feeling reenergized about our duo show. It was really the perfect setting for a Mike and Ruthy concert: small, dark, intimate listening room. Someone from the crowd called out, "You two are incredible!" which is always nice to hear. : )

We hustled back home to Willy who was sleeping in Ronnie's arms. Ronnie said it didn't go so well while we were gone (meaning Will walked around the house chanting 'Momma' for an hour) but in the end, all was well. Insanely, we had about an hour to pack and clean up our guest house, an hour to nap and then we packed up Ronnie's Veggie VW at 1AM, drove 3 hours to the Tallahassee airport and boarded a plane at 7:05 for a Memphis layover before catching our flight to NYC.

We slept as much of the flights as possible. When we got to JFK Ruthy thought our battery was dead but it turned out I had forgot to put the car in Park when we had arrived at long term parking originally. My bad. Once that was sorted out we converged, packed up the instruments and headed North to the snowy Catskills, home sweet home.

The End]]> http://mikeandruthy.com/news.html#15 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800 :: Million to One :: Available now - MIKE + RUTHY - News / Blog