Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen

Frank on the cover of MANDOLIN MAGAZINE

Check out the latest issue of Mandolin Magazine. There’s a nice interview and the tune “Dirty Kitchen” is transcribed into tab and notation for easy learning.

Alaska Bound – FAIRBANKS – ANCHORAGE – JUNEAU – KODIAK

That’s right… We are headed to Alaska mid January. Fairbanks will be our first stop. Check out our friends at Acoustic Adventures for details about our first show up there.

The whole tour is posted on the SCHEDULE page.

If you are in Alaska, come heat it up with us!

Happy New Year…

Happy Thanksgiving

We are thankful for family, friends and fans!

Upcoming Show

Danny Booth to Dirty Kitchen

These last handful of weeks have been quite busy. Two tradeshows in Nashville and a number of performances to boot. In the midst of it all we have been rehearsing and auditioning bass players/vocalists. 

You may have seen Steve Roy from Portland, Maine filling in or Tony Mowell from Kingsport, Tennessee holding it down… or maybe even Ralph Gordon . All three of them did a wonderful job of learning and performing our material! A number of other talented bass players showed interest and even auditioned.

The fourth and final prospective bass man that filled in is originally from Anchorage, Alaska -Danny Booth. He has been playing with Spring Creek from Colorado for over a year. Before that, Kathy Kallick and his band 49 Special. We asked him if he could fill in for a couple of weeks while Spring Creek was off. He did such a wonderful job we had to offer him the position. He talked it over with everyone on the Spring Creek team and decided Dirty Kitchen was his new home. His first show as an official member will be at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, California December 1st.

Frank - “We are so excited to have such a powerhouse join the band! Danny is not only an incredible musician and singer, but a first rate human being. I was only 18 years old when I moved to Alaska and started playing music with his dad Greg. Dan continually got better on the bass, guitar and mandolin. He even took a couple of mandolin lessons from me at one point. Only a teenager, Dan became proficient enough to start playing in the band his dad and I played in, Rank Strangers. I was fortunate enough to watch him grow into the professional musician he is today. I am thrilled and honored to have someone that is like family be in the band.”

Danny - ”I am thrilled to become a part of Frank’s band. I have known Frank since I was a kid back in Alaska, and to join him in his musical adventures is a dream come true. I am really looking forward to creating some amazing music with him, Mike and Lincoln.”

“…I would like to thank Spring Creek for their friendship and support over the last year and a half. They are all outstanding musicians and individuals, and it will be tough to leave them and beautiful Colorado. I wish them the best of luck in all their endeavors, music and otherwise.”

A little about Danny…

Hailing from the Chugach mountains near Anchorage, Alaska, Danny Booth grew up in a thriving bluegrass and country music family and community. His first “gig” was at age 12 with Doug Dillard and Ginger Boatwright at a bluegrass camp concert. Heavily influenced by his father Greg, a master of pedal steel, dobro and banjo, Danny soon graduated to join his dad in the seminal Alaskan bluegrass band, Rank Strangers. There he met an 18 year old fiddler/mandolinist named Frank Solivan. To most people, growing up in Alaska doesn’t suggest a strong musical background, but they haven’t heard Dan or Frank!

Danny’s own style and sound has been influenced by some of the greatest bassists of acoustic music: Todd Phillips, Mike Bub, Mark Shatz, Barry Bales, Byron House and Edgar Meyer. His supportive bass lines are laden with excellent timing, feel, powerful tone and fluid technique. Danny recalls, “My dad was never shy about telling me when something didn’t work… that gave me the perfectionist attitude I have today.” 

In addition to Danny’s impeccable bass playing, he is a remarkable singer. He’s known for his powerful lead and seamlessly blended harmony vocals. “Working with Kathy Kallick taught me a lot about blending harmonies. Combining voices is like rubbing two sticks together – when done correctly it can catch on fire!”

Danny has toured with the Kathy Kallick Band, Laurie Lewis, Spring Creek, Bearfoot, and even performed with Dr. Ralph Stanley. He is the newest member of Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen and brings his own musical voice and vision to this rising band. Stand by to be blown away when Danny Booth gets up to the mic.

IBMA World of Bluegrass/Bluegrass Unlimited

Mike Munford graces Banjo Newsletter!

Make sure to pick up the September issue of Banjo NewsLetter…

Our own Mike Munford is on the cover!

“Mike Munford, the mega-talented banjo picker with Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, will grace the September cover of Banjo NewsLetter. The issue will also feature an in-depth interview with Mike conducted by regular BNL contributor Ira Gitlin, a highly-regarded picker in his own right.”

Big Weekend

Hill Country BBQ, Philly Folk Fest and Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival

We have a busy weekend ahead starting with a local show right in downtown Washington, DC. Hill Country BBQ is a fairly new venue/restaurant that features music 7 nights a week! We are honored to play this Friday night, August 19th at 9:30pm. Get your tickets HERE. They have killer BBQ!

Then we head to Philadelphia on Saturday, August 20th to play the 50th annual Philadelphia Folk Festival. We can’t wait to lay some hard driving music on them! Check their schedule HERE for when we play.

The final performance this weekend is at the Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival. Come on out and say howdy!

See you down the road…