The Black Twigs profile picture

The Black Twigs

About Me

Starting in a dark alley between the campers at the 1999 Galax Old Fiddlers Convention and named for an archaic apple variety from founding fiddler Ralph Berrier Jr.'s family orchard, the Black Twig Pickers' fiddle/banjo/ guitar/washboard/whatsis racket has sounded in dives, barns, streets and dances from Amsterdam to Atlanta, yet remains solidly rooted in a corner of Southwest Virginia where four other states are closer than the Virginia capital.

Black Twigs cds are available through www.blacktwigpickers.org, vhfrecords.com or midheaven.com, at itunes, emusic and at your finer establishments of the brick-and-mortar variety.

Check out songs on this page, at www.blacktwigpickers.org and at www.vhfrecords.com.

Schedule, news, promo/booking material and info on other Klang Industries family bands at www.blacktwigpickers.org and www.klang.org.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 9/25/2006
Band Website: www.blacktwigpickers.org
Band Members: The Black Twig Action Unit is Isak Howell, Nathan Bowles and Mike Gangloff, but has included Ralph Berrier Jr., Mike Gayheart, Patrick Best, Casey Elder, Frances Little, Lee West, Erica Lipps, Charlie Parr, Jack Rose, Tim Thornton, Old Man Kelly, Eric Lanoue, Tim Van Riper, Dan Crawford, Clayton Hall, Chris Howell, Amy Shea, Sam Linkous, Rich Rittenhouse, Matt Valentine & Erika Elder and more.
Influences: Scads of stomping fiddlers and banjoists and old-time bands, way too many to count or list, but especially those hailing from down around Ararat up to Talcott or a ways farther out, our corner of the mountains (like we own it, right?).Plus some Kentucky obsessions.Plus the Roan Mountain Hilltoppers. Plus the Minutemen.
Sounds Like:

"Exciting old-time music at its finest" -- Bluegrass Unlimited
"Serious barnstorming party music" -- aquarius.com

"Heartbreaking, haunting" -- E-music

"The Black Twigs recapture the golden age of old-time music with all the spirit intact." -- Sing Out! Magazine

"Joyous cacophony!" -- Tom A.

"Denk een betje aan de 'Beggar's Banquet'-periode van The Rolling Stones." -- Konkurrent


Record Label: VHF Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

NEW ALBUM W/JACK ROSE

Long discussed and much expanded over the course of its recording ("a 7-inch!"; "an EP!"; "an EP and 2 7-inches!"; "a whole album!"), the brand new "Jack Rose & the Black Twig Pickers" LP is out now c...
Posted by on Thu, 21 May 2009 10:46:00 GMT

Mick Simmons

Just got news that longtime friend, fellow musician, writer and dancer Mick Simmons died in his sleep this past Monday night over in Rocky Mount after a long struggle with liver disease. His taps, who...
Posted by on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:32:00 GMT

Posting new songs: FIRST UP Jack Rose & Black Twig Pickers

Beginning an overhaul of the posted songs -- first up are four from the soon-to-be-released Jack Rose & the Black Twig Pickers LP, featuring Jack's dreadnought or Weissenborn guitar amid the Black Twi...
Posted by on Sun, 05 Apr 2009 20:24:00 GMT

TWIGS/ROSE IN THE UK

hey all: We're making plans for a week of shows with Jack Rose in the UK in November to celebrate the to-be-released-this-spring Jack Rose & the Black Twig Pickers album (songs posted here soon). The ...
Posted by on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:02:00 GMT

Pennsylvania-bound for a show with Jack Rose

Black Twig Pickers head to Harrisburg, Pa., tomorrow (Saturday, March 14) for a show at the Midtown Arts Center with Jack Rose. Jack'll be playing a solo set, and we'll all be playing a long set toget...
Posted by on Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:56:00 GMT

Playing all weekend in Columbia, Mo. (Feb. 27-March 1)

Black Twig Pickers and many fellow members of the Klang Family descend on Columbia, Mo., this weekend for the True/False film fest, which is to include music from the Twigs, Pelt, the Spiral Joy Band,...
Posted by on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:26:00 GMT

Cellar show is SATURDAY not today.

hey all: the Black Twigs are playing the Cellar in Blacksburg on Saturday, Feb. 7, *not* tonight, Friday. Sorry for the confusion --
Posted by on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:37:00 GMT

a closely observed account of a Twigs/Rose show

from noted rural jams/rock review, American travelogue and hike reporter Mr. J. Farrar of Asheville can be found here (the link's to the Black Twig/Jack Rose show description in the third section of w...
Posted by on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:23:00 GMT

Bound for Floyd and Marlinton

Our version of the music of the (possibly unglued) spheres is set to ensue once more this Friday, Jan. 23, in Floyd and Saturday, Jan. 24, in Marlinton, W.Va., with fiddles, washboards and many, many ...
Posted by on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:59:00 GMT

THANKS!

Thanks so much everyone who came out to last night's Charlie Parr/Rootstone Jug Band/Black Twig/Sue Nees show at Kirk Avenue Music in Roanoke, and thanks also to everyone who helped put it on -- we ha...
Posted by on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:21:00 GMT