Festival Season is a 2 CD album that was released in April of 2021 by “Dolly and the Devil”. It was recorded in the summer of 2020 over four different sessions that were held in Virginia and North Carolina. From the liner notes: “Dolly & the Devil” is a pseudonym for a collection of musicians spearheaded by Joanne & Rick Davidson. The name came to life during the making of “Festival Season” with Al Tharp & friends, a two-volume concept album. We hope the artist & album name provokes thought and the spirit of bringing people together.”    

When they refer to a “concept album,” this is the imagery that Joanne and Rick intended to evoke: “Imagine another afternoon with good friends at an old-time string band festival, warm and familiar, yet fresh with adventure, energy, and anticipation. The afternoon descends into evening shadows. Campsites pulse with fiddles, banjos, guitars, and driving bass. Take a stroll and pop into a nearby campsite, have a listen, then wander to another camp, and repeat. As late evening restlessness stirs, various jams drift apart, new jams form, flowing into the depth of night, and repeat. Each jam, campsite, blend of instruments, players, choice of key and tunes, each tune played, is unique, a different thing.” (taken from liner notes)

With 39 tracks and a variety of lineups, this album has a place in everyone’s Old Time collection. Start with traditional standards such as Bonaparte’s Retreat and Give The Fiddler A Dram. Then move to classic tunes from W.H. Stepp (Dolly)  and The Skillet Lickers (Rocky Pallet). Then listen to tunes from Snake Chapman (Half Irish) and Tommy Jarrell (Fisher’s Hornpipe). Add in originals from Ira Bernstein (Chips & Sauce), Jane Rothfield (Zoe In The Pines), and Nancy Sluys (Foggy Dawn), and it is not an understatement to say that there is something for everyone. The CD liner notes detail where the tunes originated, as well as the individual musicians on each track.

Our own* Dale Stansberry plays on several tracks. Here’s what he had to say about his recording session: “...the experience was interesting and a bit challenging. We recorded in the middle of COVID, so my session took place outside under a gazebo while wearing masks and spaced out as much as we reasonably could be. Nancy Sluys graciously invited us to record at a 100 acre farm in Virginia that she owns, so there was very little ambient noise (aside from occasional chirping birds!). The original plan was to record over three days, but Al Tharp (who was going to do sound) came down with something (not COVID, thankfully) and had to bail. At the last minute, Joseph DeJarnette (aka "Joe Bass") was called in to run sound, but he was only available for one day. So... we crammed three days worth of recording into one very long day. (I've never played old time music so early in the morning!) I was personally surprised how well the sound quality for our session turned out - a testament to Joe Bass's skills. Despite the long day, we still jammed late into the night/morning! It was a great time with great friends!”

*Ed. Note: We will always consider Dale “our own.” He is doing well at his new home in New Mexico.

Rick Davidson tells us that the four sessions produced more than 51 tunes that were deemed worthy of putting on a CD, so it quickly became clear that a double album was possible. These tunes were painstakingly narrowed down to the 39 tracks that appear on the 2 discs. 

Rick also shared the exciting news that Dolly & the Devil will release a new concept album in the summer of 2025, titled “Parquet Seating,” which features contributions from more than 20 musicians who will create “... a sonic evening of six acts at an Old Time opera house, complete with a grand finale of string bands.”

Rick added that in the fall of 2025, more new tunes, in what he called a shorter version of “Festival Season” titled “Can You Dance,” will become available. 

“Festival Season” has been released as a 2 CD set with all 39 tracks, and also as two separate albums, “Festival Season Volume One (Dolly)” with 20 tracks, and “Festival Season Volume 2 (the Devil)” with 19 tracks. In 2023, the single, “Bitter Creek,” was released, which was recorded during the original sessions. All tracks are available for streaming. Here is the YouTube link to the full album. Here is the full album on Bandcamp.