Sad news

According to a recent Facebook post from a family member, the founding father of FMSM, Bill Kuhlman has passed away.  Here are the details for Bill's services: Bill's family will receive friends at Ware Smith Woolever Funeral Chapel, Friday, January 6th from 4:00 - 8:00p.m., 1200 West Wheeler Rd., Midland. On Saturday, January 7th, the funeral services will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 3701 North Jefferson Ave., Midland at 11:00 a.m.


Happy Holidays!

Jolly Hammers is all over the place, as is SUGAR, so check the calendar sidebar on the right-hand side of the page to know who is where when!  You can always shop and decorate at the last minute.  😝🎶

Make plans to be at the FMSM Winter Concert/Sing-along!


You're invited to the FMSM Winter Concert/Sing-along at the
Grace A. Dow Library Auditorium
1710 W. St. Andrews Road in Midland
(next to the Midland Center for the Arts)

Sunday, December 4, 2016 at 2pm

Featuring the Jolly Hammers and Strings
and SUGAR (Saginaw Ukulele Gurus And Rookies)
[along with special guests, Sweet Friends in Music]

Suggested donation is $5, but come, and invite all your friends!

Learn more about FMSM activities on the group's website, www.folkmusicsociety.org

Hammered Dulcimer For Sale!!!


Holidays are approaching!  Maybe you know someone who would love to have this beautiful dulcimer!
Bob Tack 1990, 5,4,15,15 hammered dulcimer, octaves  A ,D, G, and C. 
Double strings over courses, floating spruce sound board.   
All but one string intact, some sign of wear.
Offer includes: 
~ Metal practice stand  
~ Folding stool
~ Music holder  
~ Peg Earl padded carrying case 
~ Six sets of quality hammers  
~ Tuning wrench

$800 plus shipping and handling for the package- Cash sale
Send your email or phone inquiries to krisdgoodwin@gmail.com or 989-513-3246 and I will pass on your information to the seller.  



Who had a blast?


Well, the workshop tents are gone, the instruments have been put away, and the RV's are back home.  Thank you so much to all of you who made the 2016 Midland Folk Music Festival such a wonderful event!  Learn a few more tricks and licks, and plan to be back in August, 2017...


PLEASE! No camping until Monday!!!

OK, it's (almost) Monday, August 22nd, so the fair is over, and you are welcome to come and camp for the festival.  In fact, come soon, so you don't get stuck with neighbors like this! 


Midland County Fair - no FMSM booth this year!

The stars just weren't lining up to staff a booth/tent at the Midland County Fair during the week before the Midland Folk Music Festival, so we will just have to let that effort go for 2016.  Feel free to come to the fair and stroll around with your instrument and some FMSM literature and do some promoting, though!

23rd Annual Midland Folk Music Festival!


Midland Folk Music Festival

23nd Annual Midland Folk Music Festival

August 25 - August 28, 2016


BULLETIN! - The workshop schedule and the schedule of the sing-alongs, jams, and stage show are now posted on the FESTIVAL page!  Just click the festival tab, and see what is in store...

Location: Midland County Fairgrounds (6905 Eastman Rd., Midland, MI)

Admission: $5/member, $10/nonmember (memberships available at the door)

Camping Available: $20/night (includes electricity)

The 2015 Festival was a wonderful reunion of music folk, with loads of workshops, jams, sing-alongs and concerts. The 2016 Festival schedules are now posted on the Midland Folk Music Festival page.

The wheels are in motion, and plans are being planned as you read this note!




Let's Have a Picnic!

Wednesday, June 8th, is the date, and Whiting Forest, 2303 Eastman Avenue is the place.  Bring a potluck dish, your instrument/music, a friend, a pen (to mark your ballot!), and a smile.  Socialize at 5:30, dinner at 6, a brief business meeting to follow, along with election of board members (speeches by candidates are limited to 15 seconds), and then music afterward.  

WASSUP2: Sing-along songs and flash mob songs

If you're planning to attend either the flash mob or the gospel sing-along on Saturday, here are the links to the lead sheets with the words and chords.  Please download them and bring them along.  A limited number of paper copies will be available for a cost at the festival, but there are no guarantees how long they will last.

Flash mob songs:  https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ubrqh3pwph3jxy4/AABhyqGTlzejYntsn_rRGk6wa?dl=0

Gospel sing-along songs:  https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ubrqh3pwph3jxy4/AABhyqGTlzejYntsn_rRGk6wa?dl=0

FMSM Winter Concert and WASSUP2...

...are coming soon to a neighborhood near you!

Friday, March 11, and Saturday, March 12, you will have an opportunity to immerse yourself in music at the Midland Free Methodist Church, 5821 Eastman Ave. in Midland.

Friday evening at 7pm is the FMSM winter concert, which will NOT BE HELD AT THE DOW LIBRARY AUDITORIUM, as has been the case previously, but rather in the sanctuary at MFMC, which is about a mile or two north of the Dow Library on the same (west) side of Eastman Ave.  Jolly Hammers and Strings will open the concert, and the headliner is the multi-talented artist and entertainer, Mr. Todd Baio of Chandler, Arizona.  Admission is by your kind donation.  Plan to be there!

The second annual WASSUP! ukulele festival runs concurrently at MFMC from 1pm until 9pm on Friday, and from 9:30am to 9:30pm on Saturday.  Again, there are no tickets to buy or admission fees to pay, but it is your donations that help make this festival possible to have.

Whether you be a uke player, a singer, a curious person with nothing better to do, or an innocent bystander, you are invited to attend.  There will be a ukulele flash mob at the Midland Mall on Saturday at 11:30am, a gospel sing-along at 3pm on Saturday, a ukulele concert at 7pm on Saturday, as well as a silent auction, vendors, a used instrument table, and many other activities all weekend as outlined in the schedule below.  Round up some friends and come join the party! - JH


Friday, March 11, 2016, 1-9pm

1-1:50 - boogie turnaround workshop with Todd Baio

2-2:50 - group strum

2-3:50 - open mic 

3-3:50 - flash mob rehearsal 

4-4:50 - vocal workshop

5-6:45 - dinner (Bob Evans is encouraged, as they are rebating 15% of the bills to help finance the festival - be sure to pick up a Bob Evans flyer at the festival and bring it along!)

7-9 - FMSM folkie concert
    7-7:20 - Jolly Hammers and Strings opens
    7:30-8:45 - folk music by Todd

Saturday - March 12, 2016 - 9:30am - 9:30pm

9:30-10:20 - group strum

9:30-10:20 - Beatles workshop 

10:30-11:10 - flash mob rehearsal 

11:30-11:45 - flash mob  (Centre Court at the Midland Mall)

11:45-1 - lunch at Midland Mall Food Court

1-2:50 - open mic

1-1:50 - PEANUT beginning ukulele workshop 

2-2:50 - group strum 

3-5 - MFMC sacred concert
    3-3:20 - Muzyka! opens
    3:30-4:45 - sacred music by Todd

5-6:30 - dinner (think Bob Evans!!)

7-9 - ukulele concert
    7-7:20 - SUGAR opens
    7:30-8:45 - ukulele music by Todd

9-9:30 - reception, 50/50, silent auction winners





February 26th Mt Haley is ON!

Yes, Midland schools are closed today (2/26/16), but Mt. Haley will take place as scheduled.  A few years ago when we were all in school, it took a lot more than it does today to close schools, huh?  :-)

Get on Board!

Since spring is almost here (don't I wish!), it is time to start thinking about the annual FMSM meeting and picnic!  Of course, included in this topic is the matter of FMSM board elections.  

As is true in the political process, there is no room to complain unless we make our voices heard!  At the least, this means registering to vote (by being a FMSM member), and at a deeper level, considering what each of us can do to make FMSM a better organization.  

Are you in the game, or are you just sitting on the bench?  Please take a moment to think about your part in FMSM.  Each summer, we elect three new board members, and this summer, there is at least one expiring board position that will require a new face and a new voice. 

If you are interested in finding out more about running for one of these board positions, please make this known by sending an e-mail to presidentfmsm@gmail.com.  When everyone is doing what they can do, it keeps FMSM thriving and growing.  When there are too few people carrying too much of the load, things begin to break down and don't function as they should.  Take a few moments to ask yourself "what is my part to play?"

Thanks!!!


Jolly Hammers and Strings at Chippewa Nature Center

JH/S will be playing at Chippewa Nature Center on Saturday afternoon, 1/23/16, from 1-4pm.  All are welcome, be you a listener, a musician, or a bird-watcher!