Category Archives: Green Willow News

New announcements from Green Willow

Upcoming Green Willow Concerts, Green Willow News

Alan Reid (4/27/2023)

Thursday, April 27, 2023 @ 7:00 pm

Lower Brandywine Presbyterian Church
101 Old Kennett Road
Wilmington, Delaware 19807

Advanced Reserved Tickets: $27.00
Tickets Purchased at Door: $29.00
17 & under: FREE when accompanied by paying adult

Doors open at 6:30 pm.  Cash, check or credit card accepted for payment at door. Light refreshments will be available for purchase. No alcoholic beverages permitted. Ample parking available. See below for information on obtaining reserved seats for this show.

Alan Reid

Glasgow-born Alan Reid has been taking Scottish folk music all over the world since 1975. He joined the fledgling Battlefield Band in 1969 while studying at Strathclyde University and subsequently recorded almost 30 albums with this hard-working and enduring band, in that time garnering a reputation for his playing and his singing.  His groundbreaking keyboard work helped cement the band’s reputation as one of the most influential Celtic bands of its generation. With the band Alan toured the world, bringing Scottish traditional music to audiences in five continents and playing in many prestigious music festivals and venues. Along with former Battlefield Band colleagues he was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame in November 2016 in recognition of their contribution to Scots traditional music.

​He began composing songs and tunes in the 1980s and from 1990 was the band’s principal songwriter. His songs are noted for their strong storytelling element whilst being firmly grounded in Scots history and tradition. His songbook ”Martyrs, Rogues and Worthies”, was published in 2001 and in 2009 he was nominated in the ‘Composer of the Year’ category at the Scots Traditional Music Awards. 

In recent years Alan has taught Scots Song at the prestigious annual “Swannanoa Gathering” in North Carolina, USA. He was also a guest artist in the Linn Records mammoth 12 CD recording of the songs of Robert Burns, Scotland’s beloved National Poet, whose poems, songs and music have endured over the centuries.

For more about Alan, visit https://www.alansongsreid.com

Advanced/Reserved Seating

To obtain advanced, reserved seats for this show we ask that you make advance payment in one of the following ways:

By check – mail a check for the amount of your ticket purchase ($27.00 per adult ticket) to us at Green Willow Folk Club, PO Box 350, Rockland DE 19732-0350. Please make checks payable to “Green Willow”. We recommend you include a note verifying the number of tickets you wish to purchase as well as a contact phone number and/or email address in case we need to conform any information with you. We will also use this contact info to confirm your reservation and purchase. We ask that you make sure your check arrives at our PO box no later than Monday, April 24, 2023.

By PayPal – send us payment for your reservations via PayPal. The best way to identify us on PayPal is via our email address reservations@greenwillow.org. Please include a note with your electronic payment confirming the number of tickets you are purchasing ($27.00 per adult ticket).

For questions and/or clarifications, please feel free to contact us at (610) 566-4932 or info@greenwillow.org.

Green Willow News

Tommy Sands (& Lisa Gutkin!)

Hello Friends,

A reminder that we will be presenting Tommy Sands tomorrow evening at 7:30 pm at the Blue Ball Barn – our first concert since February, 2020.

And, if Tommy isn’t enough of an attraction as it is, we learned this week that he is being joined on this tour by the fabulous fiddler Lisa Gutkin, whom no doubt many of you recall from previous appearances with us.

We have closed advance reservations for this show (and thanks to all who reserved), but there will be seats available at the door for $28.00.

For full info, visit:

http://www.greenwillow.org/2022/09/20/tommy-sands-10-27-2022/

We look forward to communing with you again,

Cheers,

Green Willow

Green Willow News

Concert Cancellation – Tannahill Weavers, April 28, 2020

We have been notified by the Tannahill Weavers that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic their entire upcoming US tour, including their scheduled show with us on April 28, 2020, has been cancelled. We are working with the band in the hope of rescheduling this concert.

We remain hopeful that the situation will have improved enough in a few weeks that we will be able to hold our scheduled show on May 20, 2020 featuring DuoDuo. We will update you on any and all developments relating to these shows.

IF YOU PURCHASED ADVANCE TICKETS TO OUR APRIL 28TH SHOW


Those who purchased online through Brown Paper Tickets will receive a notification from them with instructions as to how to receive a refund

If you sent a check for your tickets to our Rockland post office box, we will issue you a refund check which will be mailed to you.

WE CAN USE YOUR HELP!

This is, of course, a difficult time for all of us, not just here in the Delaware Valley, but around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic is having a severe effect not only on traveling performers in arts and music,  but also on the arts organizations that sponsor their shows – many of which – like Green Willow and our partner organization, the Grand Opera House – are non-profit entities. The Grand has likewise cancelled/postponed several of their shows, and has invited those who have purchased advance tickets to donate their purchase in lieu of a refund.

In similar fashion, Green Willow also invites you to consider donating your ticket purchase. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and will be more than happy to send you a receipt for your contribution to helping the arts/music scene through the current crisis.

Let us know at info@greenwillow.org if you would like to do this. Or, you can go to http://www.greenwillow.org/donate-to-green-willow/. On that page you will find a button that will take you to a secure PayPal site at which you can make a donation via credit card. (A link to this site is also in the menu bar at top on our home page at greenwillow.org)

From all of us here at Green Willow, we thank you for your ongoing support, and earnestly hope that this is the last concert we will ever have to cancel. We will keep you updated as things develop.

Thanks,
Green Willow

Green Willow News

Concert Cancellation – Maire & CHris, 3/24/20

As we monitor the ongoing developments relating to the COVID-19 virus situation, we believe it is in the best interests of the safety and health of our audience, performers, volunteers and venue staff to cancel our scheduled show on March 24, 2020 featuring Maire Ni Chatasaigh and Chris Newman. We will communicate with Maire and Chris with regards to rescheduling this show for a future date.

We remain hopeful that the situation will have improved enough in a month’s time that we will be able to hold our scheduled shows on April 28, 2020 (Tannahill Weavers) and May 20, 2020 (DuoDuo). We will update you on any and all developments relating to these shows.

IF YOU PURCHASED ADVANCE TICKETS TO OUR MARCH 24TH SHOW


Those who purchased online through Brown Paper Tickets will receive a refund in the form of a credit back to the credit card you used to purchase the tickets with. This refund should arrive with 3-5 business days. Please let us know at info@greenwillow.org if you do not receive this credit by then.

If you sent a check for your tickets to our Rockland post office box, we will issue you a refund check which will be mailed to you.

WE CAN USE YOUR HELP!

This is, of course, a difficult time for all of us, not just here in the Delaware Valley, but around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic is having a severe effect not only on traveling performers in arts and music,  but also on the arts organizations that sponsor their shows – many of which – like Green Willow and our partner organization, the Grand Opera House – are non-profit entities. The Grand has likewise cancelled/postponed several of their shows, and has invited those who have purchased advance tickets to donate their purchase in lieu of a refund.

In similar fashion, Green Willow also invites you to consider donating your ticket purchase. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and will be more than happy to send you a receipt for your contribution to helping the arts/music scene through the current crisis.

Let us know at info@greenwillow.org if you would like to do this. Or, you can go to http://www.greenwillow.org/donate-to-green-willow/. On that page you will find a button that will take you to a secure PayPal site at which you can make a donation via credit card. (A link to this site is also in the menu bar at top on our home page at greenwillow.org)

From all of us here at Green Willow, we thank you for your ongoing support, and earnestly hope that this is the last concert we will ever have to cancel. We will keep you updated as things develop.

Thanks,
Green Willow

Video, Green Willow News, Blast From The Past

Jim Malcolm – “Suzi Wollenberg” (3/21/2019)

Following the sudden passing of longtime Green Willow president and artistic director Suzi Wollenberg in August, 2009, Jim Malcolm wrote a tribute to her which he recorded on his 2011 album Sparkling Flash. Jim performs the song here as part of his appearance for us at the Blue Ball Barn in Wilmington, Delaware on March 21, 2019.


Please consider a donation to Green Willow (a non-profit 501(c)3 organization)

Green Willow News, Blast From The Past

Blast From The Past – Kevin Burke (April 21, 2003)

With the approach of our show on April 25 featuring the legendary Kevin Burke, it’s time for another “Blast From The Past” from the Green Willow archives.

Following the closure of O’Friel’s Irish Pub in Wilmington in 2001, where we held our concerts for several years, we were forced to scramble among a number of small venues to hold shows. In 2003 and 2004 we held four concerts at the Buzz Ware Center in Arden, Delaware. The first of these was on April 21, 2003 when we featured Kevin in a solo performance that is to date – as near as we can tell from past records – the only time he has appeared for Green Willow. We’ve reached into the photo archive for a few shots taken at that show by current Green Willow president John Lupton.

Kevin Burke at Buzz Ware Center – 4/21/2003 (Photo by John Lupton)

It has been far too long since we’ve had the opportunity to present this master fiddler, storyteller and showman. If you don’t already have your ticket(s), you can get them directly online (with and advance discount) at burke2019.brownpapertickets.com. For more details on the show, visit greenwillow.org, send email to info@greenwillow.org, or call (610) 566-4932.

Kevin Burke at Buzz Ware Center – 4/21/2003 (Photo by John Lupton)
Green Willow News, Miscellaneous

PLEASE SUPPORT THE “ARTS” ACT (“ARTISTS REQUIRE TIMELY SERVICE”)

SUPPORT THE “ARTS” ACT (“ARTISTS REQUIRE TIMELY SERVICE”)

Although some of the artists presented by the Green Willow Folk Club are US-based, for almost 35 years we have relied heavily on the availability of touring Celtic and British Isles performers from overseas. In recent years, however, there has been an ongoing issue in which many of these performers have been unable to get their required “P” or “O” visas approved by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services within the 14 day period specified in legislation passed by Congress in 1991. On top of this, the available “expedition” of these cases involves a “Premium Processing Service” imposed on a per-case basis by CIS of $1,225, which in most cases is well beyond the resources of most petitioners (including small, non-profit arts organizations like Green Willow).

Legislation to address this problem and reform the performer visa process was recently introduced in bi-partisan fashion by Senators Patrick Leahy (D, Vermont) and Orrin Hatch (R, Utah) in the form of the “Artists Require Timely Service” Act (S. 2466). The link below to Senator Leahy’s website gives a good description of this proposed legislation:

https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-and-hatch-introduce-bipartisan-arts-act-to-speed-processing-of-visas-for-visiting-artists

If you enjoy the opportunity to see a wide variety of artists from around the world perform at your local concert halls, folk clubs, coffee houses and other venues, we encourage you to contact your Senators to express your support for this legislation. The following site provides contact info for all 100 US Senators:

https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

For those of you in the immediate four-state “Green Willow” area, here is the contact info for those Senators:

DELAWARE

The Hon. Senator Thomas R. Carper (D – DE)
513 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-2441
Contact: www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-senator-carper

The Hon. Christopher A. Coons (D – DE)
127A Russell Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-5042
Contact: www.coons.senate.gov/contact

PENNSYLVANIA

The Hon. Senator Robert P. Casey Jr. (D – PA)
393 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-6324
Contact: www.casey.senate.gov/contact/

The Hon. Senator Patrick J. Toomey (R-PA)
248 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-4254
Contact: www.toomey.senate.gov/?p=contact

MARYLAND

The Hon. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D – MD)
509 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-4524
Contact: www.cardin.senate.gov/contact/

The Hon. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D – MD)
110 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-4654
Contact: www.vanhollen.senate.gov/content/contact-senator

NEW JERSEY

The Hon. Senator Cory A. Booker (D – NJ)
359 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-3224
Contact: www.booker.senate.gov/?p=contact

The Hon. Senator Robert Menendez (D – NJ)
528 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-4744
Contact: www.menendez.senate.gov/contact