The Freight is proud to host tonight's kickoff to the Berkeley Old Time Music Convention. Featuring Berkeley's own shining stars of traditional American music, Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin -- plus the Earl White Band and the Thompson String Ticklers -- this evening is guaranteed to plant a grin on your face and a song in your heart!

Two-time Grammy nominees, Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin cook up a skillful blend of bluegrass, folk, and old-time country that has won the hearts of fans throughout the world. Two of the most acclaimed singers in traditional American music, Jody and Kate possess an amazing ability to capture the essence of a tune: digging straight to the heart of a song, they provide a masterful setting for their soulful harmonies with superb fiddle, guitar, banjo, and mandolin playing. As usual, no one puts it better than Utah Phillips: "If the great swirling mass of folk music has a solid persistent unwavering center, that is who Kate and Jody are."

The driving old-time sound of the Earl White Band is led, in high gear, by fiddler Earl White, who's known for his energetic style and his arsenal of unusual tunes (not to mention his fabulous clog dancing). This dynamic quartet of old-time music veterans also features Dan Warrick on guitar, Brendan Doyle on banjo, and Martha Hawthorne on bass and harmony vocals.

Adding to tonight's musical excitement is the fast, wild '20s and '30s ragtime and slinky blues of the Thompson String Ticklers, featuring those stalwarts of the local traditional music scene, red-hot fiddler Suzy and guitarist Eric Thompson, plus Dave Murray on mandolin, Dan Kluger on banjo and ukulele, Dan Warrick on guitar, and Ben Sigelman on cello.

Well, what in tarnation are you waiting for? Come on over 'cuz we're gonna have us some good music!