WXPN Welcomes The Denison Witmer CD Release concert, with special guests The Beggar Folk and Mike McMonagle – Friday, June 3rd Lancaster, PA – Philadelphia’s taste-making radio station WXPN welcomes International recording artist (and Lancaster Mennonite Graduate) Denison Witmer to his hometown to share a live performance of material from his 8th CD release “The
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by Erin McIntosh I sat down to interview three-fifths of The Slackwater News, a band of boys based out of Lancaster, PA, on an unseasonably warm, fall evening. And a great band of boys they are (being a girl, I feel I’m in the best position to make such a statement). Dan Zdilla (electric guitar
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I attended the most recent Singer/Songwriter Showcase at the Lancaster Dispensing Company (DipCo). The series is put together by Tony Kirchner, the drummer for Slimfit, a Lancaster County band. I got together with Tony recently at Quips Pub to talk about the series, which continues with a show on December 23. FT: So you started
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Shane Speal admits that the first time he ate scrapple, he gagged. “I’m not from around here so I had never heard of it before,” he remembers. Since then, he has become something of an expert on philosophy behind the Pennsylvania delicacy, even if he still doesn’t eat it. “It’s about making something with what
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Part heartache, part victory dance. Meet Kristina Gehman. This emerging songwriter/performer tackles real life issues throughout her blazing debut album “Run Awhile.” On it, Kristina repeatedly testifies to her real life message – that through the joy and sorrow of living, you need to know who you are at the core. Kristina is a singing
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Driving through the town of Steelton, Pennsylvania and you’ll see banners hanging from utility poles that proudly read “many nations, one people.” It’s a truism that could apply to just about any American city, but here it is especially accurate. For over a hundred years, waves of immigrants came to work in the steel mills
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This is the first full-length release from the Mark DeRose Band, following their self-titled EP. Although I’m not usually big on live records, the EP left me wanting to hear more from this group and they do not disappoint.

On their debut CD Vinegar Creek Constituency does not misstep. The group’s vocals are great, built around the lead vocals of guitarist Leonardo DiSanto, and their instrumental work is tight and supportive. Because their instrumentation is that of a traditional bluegrass group, the temptation is to put them in that box (Winning the first Delfest bluegrass band competition doesn’t hurt!), but that doesn’t begin to cover what they do.

The first time I ever heard Perkasie was when they opened for Hackensaw Boys at a CapLive (www.caplivemusic.com) show. I had heard of the Lancaster-based band, but knew nothing about what style of music they play. I didn’t know what to expect, but I have a personal philosophy about always arriving in time for the opening act.