Judy, Melissa and Larry at Buffalo Bill Days 2016

RavensFire enjoyed a perfect Sunday afternoon in Lanesboro at the annual Buffalo Bill Days celebration. We played on the Sylvan Park bandstand after the Grand Parade. Everyone enjoyed shopping at the artist tents, getting lunch from the food vendors, and listening to the music. The folks in Lanesboro really know how to put on a festival.

This time, Melissa put together a new arrangement for the band: Buffalo Gals. She knows good music, and how to create good harmony. The notes she writes for Larry and Judy match their voices perfectly. My personal favorite is the chorus she wrote for Judy’s rendition of Danny Boy. Melissa knows which notes are most comfortable for Judy, and she targets them exactly. The traditional songs feature a unique, but still Irish, sound and the original tunes sparkle with just the right harmonies.

Another favorite of mine, which RavensFire often plays at the end of the set, is Roll and Go. The close harmony on that tune always thrills me. You can hear it on our CD, which several folks picked up at Buffalo Bill Days.

Guy couldn’t make it to the festival, so Larry and Melissa’s grand-daughter took over the job of helping with the set up and tear down. They say she works just as hard as Guy ever does.