Thomas Jolin - Musician/Instrument Builder/Artist in Residence
"The Gift..... bringing happiness to people through music".... Celebrate Gettysburg Magazine of Tom Jolin, January 2008
Tom Jolin plays traditional American music, mixing vocals with the hammer dulcimer, banjo, button accordion, harmonica and more. He has produced eight recordings.
Tom has been a solo performer since 1978 and released a solo CD in 2003 called “Civilian,” a mix of old timey and civil war tunes. His solo performances are loaded with humor… sometimes intentionally.
In 2007 he was the Arts for a Lifetime Speaker for the Adams County Arts Council. We was also solo performer for the Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Millenium Lecture, which honored Pulitzer Prize winner, John Updike.
He is also an instrument builder. He specializes in the hammer dulcimer, the mountain dulcimer, and the bowed psaltery. His instruments are heard on his albums.
He is a rostered artist for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and a Pennsylvania Humanities Council Commonwealth Speaker/ Performer. He is a sought after Artist in Residence by Pennsylvania schools, having done over 40 Artist in Residence programs.
He was a founding member of The West Orrtanna String Band, a six-member ensemble specializing in old timey string band music from Southern Appalachia. The band was active from 1972 through 1987 and recorded two albums on Revonah Records as well as several short historic folk music segments for National Public Radio. They performed for a variety of venues and traveled from New York to Virginia.
From 1987 to 1998 he performed with the Orrtanna Mountain Steamers, a three-piece ensemble that played a more eclectic style of music reflecting Tom’s new interest in the hammer dulcimer and button accordion. They produced two recordings in 1989 and 1991. The music from these two groups was archived in a 3 CD set called Traditional Music from Orrtanna, with funding provided by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the National Endowments for the Arts, and the Adams County Arts Council. Copies reside with Folkways Smithsonian, the Pennsylvania State Library, the William Penn Museum, and the Adams County Historical Society.
Besides playing solo he currently performs in two ensembles. One ensemble is a duet with Catharine Roth called ORRTANNA. These two musicians have played together since 1974 and have one recording called “You’ve Been a Friend to Me,” released in 1999.
Tom and Slim Harrison, The Barnstormers, have played together since 1980. They perform traditional American music and offer dance calling. They play for a wide variety of events, from folk festivals to schools to weddings. Notably, The Barnstormers played for Vice President Al Gore in 1995 and at the Vijandi Folk Music Festival in Estonia in 2006. They performed at the 2007 Bethlehem Musikfest and are booked for 2008 Germany performances at the Moelln Fest, plus another major German festival to be announced April 9, 2008 and German schools. They are frequently joined by the award winning RockCandy Cloggers, adding dazzling footwork to The Barnstormers performances. Rock Howland and Candy Ranlet also teach clogging and play; Candy on string bass/concertina/jaws harp and Rock on the fiddle. The Barnstormers have 2006 recording called “Promenade Home.” The Barnstormers are rostered performers for Pennsylvania Arts on Tour, www.pennpat.org. Up to 50% of their concert fee/travel can be paid by PennPat.
Tom and his wife Marianne, have five children and reside in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
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PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
1972 – 1987. Founding member of the West Orrtanna String Band, a 6 piece ensemble specializing in the string band music of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. 1987 – 1998. Founding member of the Orrtanna Mountain Steamers, a 3 piece ensemble specializing in old timey, traditional American music. 1978 – Present. Solo performer specializing in traditional American, old timey, and Civil War music.
1980 – Present. The Barnstormers with Slim Harrison, traditional duet.
1999 – Present. Orrtanna with Catharine Roth, traditional duet
2005 – Present. Current performer/presenter for the Pennsylvania Humanities Council on subjects of Traditional American Folk Music and Civil War Music.
1994 – Present. Rostered artist for Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, performing for school audiences throughout Pennsylvania and serving extended periods as a visiting artist in residence for more than 30 school programs; leading students in the building of musical instruments, traditional dance, folksong writing, musical instruction.
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RECORDINGS
1976: West Orrtanna String Band: “The West Orrtanna String Band.” Revonah Records, NY
1978: West Orrtanna String Band: “An Orrtanna Home Companion.” Revonah Records, NY
1989: Orrtanna Mountain Steamers: “Steam.” RFX1 Studio, Gettysburg, PA
1991: Orrtanna Mountain Steamers: “Wonderment.” Oasis Studio, College Park, MD
1999: Orrtanna: “You’ve Been a Friend to Me.” Stable Studio, Chambersburg, PA
2003: Tom Jolin: “Civilian.” Noteworthy Studio, Gettysburg, PA
2005: Archival Set of WOSB & OMS: “Traditional music from Orrtanna.” Noteworthy Studio, Gettysburg, PA. This is a three CD archival set preserved through funding from the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Adams County Arts Council. This preservation project has copies residing at Folkways/Smithsonian, Pennsylvania State Library, William Penn Museum, and Adams County Historical Society.
2006: Barnstormers: “Promenade Home” RockCandy Studio, Mt. Airy, MD
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SAMPLE OF SOLO PERFORMANCES
2008: Oct. 6, 7, 13, 14 National Apple Harvest Festival
2008: Aug. 11 Cranberry Library, Pittsburgh
2008: Aug. 1 Sewicki Concert (Pittsburgh)
2008: June 18 Gettysburg College Choir Camp
2008: May Falling Springs, Chambersburg Artist in Residence
2008: April Rolling Acres, Littlestown Artist in Residence
2008: April 12 Perry County Arts Council performance
2008: February/March Priestley Elementary, Northumberland Artist in Residence
1992 – Present: Civil War Concerts, Gettysburg, PA average of 35 performances a year, including Road Scholar Program.
2008: Dobbin House 12 performances per year
2007: PA Speaker of the House performance for Millenium Speaker, John Updike
2007: Elizabethtown Library
2007: Washington PA library
2006: Fort Armstrong Folk Festival
2006: Hotel Hershey, Hershey, PA
2006: Bethany Library, Bethany, PA
2006: East Berlin Historical Society, East Berlin, PA
2006: Eisenhower Elementary School Artist in Residence, Gettysburg, PA
2006: Duffield Elementary Artist in Residence
2006: Forbes Road Elementary School Artist in Residence
2004 – 2008: National Apple Harvest Festival (draws almost 100,000 people over 2 weekends)
2005 - 2006: Four Corners Festival
2000 – 2007: Adams County Heritage Festival
1998 – 2005: Nixon Park, York, PA
1999 - 2001, 2005: First Night York, York, PA
2001 – 2005: Rehoboth Beach, DE Bandstand
2001, 2003, 2005: Bethany Beach, DE Bandstand
2005: Adams County Historical Society, Gettysburg, PA
2002 – 2003: First Night Carlisle, Carlisle, PA
2003: Milton Hershey Museum, Hershey, PA
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SAMPLE OF BARNSTORMERS PERFORMANCES
2008: Sept. 27 New Market Days
2008: Aug. 20 Bethany Beach, DE public concert at bandstand
2008: July 29, 30, 31 College of Southern, MD concert series (PennPat)
2008: July 11, 12, 13 Moelln Germany Folk Festival
2008: July 7, 8, 9, 10 Germany School tour
2008: July 3, 4, 5, 6 major Germany Folk Festival TBA April 9, 2008
2008: June 29 Carlisle,PA Summer Concert Series
2008: June 28 York, PA Patriot Days
2008: April 19 Refrew Museum Earthday
2008: April 27 Wildwood Park Wetlands Fest
2008: Saint Francis Xavier School Artist in Residence
2007: Marshall School Harrisburg, PA
2006: Kipona Festival, Harrisburg Pennsylvania
2006: Adams County Unity Festival, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
2006: Amnesty International Concert, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
2006: Vijandi Folk Music Festival, Estonia
1988 – 2008: New Market Days Festival
2004 – 2008: Violet Festival, Dolgeville NY
2004: Festival of Nations
1995: “Taste of Tennessee” at the residence of former Vice president Al Gore.
1982: Smithsonian Institute
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SAMPLE OF ORRTANNA PERFORMANCES
2000 – 2008: East Berlin Colonial Days, East Berlin, PA
1999 – 2008: Hollabaugh Peach Festival
2007: Pennsylvania Commonwealth Arts Awards performance
2007: Gettysburg Preservation Foundation
1999 – 2007: Gettysburg Concert in the Park series.
2006: Conococheague Institute History Festival
2004: Nixon Park, York
2004: Adams County Historical Society, Gettysburg, PA