GRAY — The “Americana” sounds of popular band Milltown Roadshow will kick off a summer concert series at Stonehedge on Saturday, July 8.
In the event of bad weather, the show will move inside the Stonehedge barn, a 200-year-old structure surrounded by 85 acres of preserved wilderness that has been developed by owner Russ Jeffords. For his first public concert of the 2017 season, Jeffords says he chose to showcase Milltown Roadshow band because it’s been received so enthusiastically at previous Stonehedge private functions.
“It’s a fantastic band,” says Jeffords, “guaranteed to put on a wonderful performance. No drums or loud electric guitars, just tasteful, enjoyable listening music.”
The seasoned and talented ensemble includes Terry Swett and Jack Jolie from Bridgton, Diane Maddix from Oxford, Jeanine Loubier from Waterford, and John Sparrow from Harrison. Their eclectic mix of songs draws from many genres including folk, country, soft rock, bluegrass, and swing, and also features a number of Terry’s fine original songs.
At the Pine Tree State Country Music Association band competition held earlier this year, Milltown Roadshow was honored with first place trophies in a number of individual and group categories.
Singer/songwriter Terry Swett spent many years performing as a soloist in small bars and cafes, including venues around Nashville’s “Music Row.” Eventually, Swett returned to his western Maine roots and met Nashville-trained flat-picker, Jack Jolie. A Connecticut transplant now residing in South Bridgton, Jack emulated renowned skills of guitar legend Tony Rice; and while a member of Connecticut band Grass Routes he earned great respect in the bluegrass community and beyond.
After a chance meeting at Tucker’s Music Pub in Norway, Swett and Jolie took steps to get better acquainted. “We seemed to naturally complement each other’s musical style and quickly became close friends,” says Terry. “Soon we began playing various gigs to find our groove, appearing regularly with Deborah Stanford from Bridgton as our background singer and Ed Cooper from Sebago playing bass.”
Swett says he labored over a name for his new band because he wanted something that not only had a good ring to it, but also had significant meaning.
“I grew up in Norway and spent much of my adulthood in Bridgton, both of which had evolved away from being vibrant mill towns; and I was envisioning a band which could use any combination of its members, plus occasional invited guests, to take an entertaining show on the road. By combining these two thoughts our name, Milltown Roadshow was born.”
In 2013 Acoustic bass fiddle player John Sparrow began frequently filling in with the band and by 2015 had become its permanent bass player. Originally from Cape Cod, his musical outings in Maine have included appearances with the renowned Judd Strunk plus membership in two regional bluegrass bands, The Danville Junction Boys and The Hemingway Brothers. A multi-instrumentalist, he occasionally surrenders his bass to a bandmate and takes a turn playing mandolin.
Three years ago at the Bridgton Village Folk Festival, Oklahoma native Jeanine Loubier lingered to check out Milltown Roadshow after she performed a set of fiddle tunes. Liking what she heard she happily accepted invitations to sit in at subsequent gigs.
“We immediately recognized that her capable work on fiddle, keyboard, banjo, and mandolin was adding an exciting dimension to our sound,” says Swett, “so before long we asked her to be a permanent member, an invitation we’re extremely grateful to say she humbly accepted.”
Diane “DJ” Maddix, the newest member of Milltown Roadshow, established herself in the local music scene years ago as lead female singer with the well-known Maine country-rock band, Steppin’ Out. With this band, her strong vocals, her passion for well-blended harmony, and her charismatic stage presence earned her awards as “female vocalist of the year” and “female entertainer of the year.”
In 2014 she reconnected with classmate Terry at an Oxford Hills High School reunion, for which they teamed up to perform some duets. It worked out so well they’ve continued singing together ever since.
The Milltown Roadshow is performing at 7 p.m. at the Stonehedge, 342 West Gray Road in Gray. The three-hour concert begins at 7 p.m. and people are asked to bring lawn chairs and blankets. It’s a casual BYOB affair with food available on site, and people who bring instruments are welcome to jam after the show. Tickets are $10.
stonehenge
Milltown Roadshow performs at Stonehenge in Gray on Saturday, July 8.
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