Eind jarig 70 van de vorige eeuw heeft, in het toenmalige "Home of Strictly Country" in Harpel, Bluegrass muziek in Europa een enorme vlucht genomen. Veel Bluegrass muziek liefhebbers zullen zich de geweldige concerten herinneren. Bluegrass muzikanten met grote namen kwamen naar Harpel, waaronder: Charlie Moore, Hot Rize, Joe Val, Del McCoury, Good Ol' Persons, Peter Rowan, Mark O'Connor, Jerry D
ouglas, Dan Crary, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Bob Paisley, Bill Clifton, Red Rector, Don Stover, Kenny Baker & Josh Graves, Missy Raines, Bill Evans, Steve Gilette, White Mountain Bluegrass, Jimmy Gaudreau, Hugh Moffatt, Chris Jones, Béla Fleck, Tony Trishka, Beppe Gambetta, Dick Staber & Judith Chasnoff, Lynn Morris en vele anderen. In 2001 is het "Home of Strictly Country" door brand verwoest. Joke Janssen is in de brand omgekomen. In 2005 was het huis herbouwd, en vanaf die tijd wonen Maarten en Liz Meesters met hun 2 kinderen op de zo bijzonder plek in het mooie Westerwolde in de provincie Groningen. Hun huis hebben zij "Het Blauwe Huis" genoemd. Zij hebben de traditie, het organiseren van huisconcerten, van Liz haar ouders voortgezet zodat ook sinds 2005 veel artiesten concerten hebben verzorgd in Het Blauwe Huis, waaronder: Bill Clifton, Si Kahn, The Looping Brothers, AG & Kate, Chris Jones, Hungry Hill, White Mountain Bluegrass, Hugh Moffatt, Amy Gallatin & Stilwaters, Janos Koolen & Lucas Beukers, Mideando String Quintet, Marius Klein, Close to Home, Janis McCoury & The Wall of Sound en Half a Turn. Er vanuit gaande dat er nog vele artiesten zullen volgen willen we iedereen die muziek een warm hart toedraagt welkom heten bij toekomstige concerten in Het Blauwe Huis in Harpel.
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In the 70's of the last century, Bluegrass music experienced an enormous boost in the then "Home of Strictly Country" in Harpel (NL). Rienk and Joke Janssen started organizing house concerts in their cozy living room. Many Bluegrass music lovers will remember the great concerts. Very famous Bluegrass musicians came to perform in Harpel, including: Charlie Moore, Hot Rize, Joe Val, Del McCoury, Good Ol' Persons, Peter Rowan, Mark O'Connor, Jerry Douglas, Dan Crary, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Bob Paisley, Bill Clifton, Red Rector, Don Stover, Kenny Baker & Josh Graves, Missy Raines, Bill Evans, Steve Gilette, White Mountain Bluegrass, Jimmy Gaudreau, Hugh Moffatt, Chris Jones, Béla Fleck, Tony Trishka, Beppe Gambetta, Dick Staber & Judith Chasnoff, Lynn Morris and many more. In 2001, the "Home of Strictly Country" was destroyed by fire. Joke Janssen, who was in the house, died due to the fire. In 2005 the house was rebuild, and from then on, Maarten and Liz Meesters, and their two children, live in that very special place in the wonderful region "Westerwolde" in the Province of Groningen. They called their place "Het Blauwe Huis". They continued Liz' parents tradition of organizing house concerts. Since 2005 many great musicians performed in "Het Blauwe Huis" including: AG & Kate, Chris Jones, Hungry Hill, White Mountain Bluegrass, Hugh Moffatt, Amy Gallatin & Stilwaters, Janos Koolen & Lucas Beukers, Mideando String Quintet, Marius Klein, Close to Home, Janis McCoury & The Wall of Sound and Half a Turn. Assuming many artists will follow, we like to welcome music lovers at future concerts in "Het Blauwe Huis" in Harpel.
