PKB (Pete Kartsounes Band) is thrilled to announce they will be performing at the 2nd Annual John Hartford Memorial Festival, held at the historic Bill Monroe Music Park and Campground in Bean Blossom, IN. The festival will be May 31 - June 2, 2012, and will consist of three days of music on two stages. While the festival is in its infancy, it's an honor to be a part of celebrating the life and music of legend John Hartford. The campground is ideal for this celebration, and includes hot showers, flush toilets, a playground, fishing lake (no permit required), cabins, vendors, and golf cart rentals to provide festival-goers an elevated experience. And if you're looking for more adventure, Brown County State Park is just down the road.

Don't miss this great festival experience as we celebrate John Hartford, his legacy, and the transformation of music that has occurred from his influence. Get your tickets early at www.johnhartfordmemfest.com, and we'll see you there.

Pull out your beach attire and join PKB (Pete Kartsounes Band) at the Fox Theatre on Saturday, January 7 for a Winter Beach Party featuring PKB-Electric with Dr. Phil Good and Smack Thompson opening the show. This is PKB’s first headline performance at the Fox Theatre in Boulder, CO, and we’re planning to party down Hawaiian style. We have an incredible lighting designer, dancers, and many surprise guests to keep you moving, grooving, and wanting more.

PKB is looking very forward to the show. “This is the bands first headlining show at the Fox, and it’s one of our all-time favorite places to play,” said Pete. “The venue has great sound and lights, yet still provides an intimate vibe and setting. Hands down, it’s one of the best places to put on a great show!”

We are planning a flavorful show with many special guests. PKB will be an all-electric band with Matt Flaherty joining us. Matt has been in the lineup a lot lately and is a force to be reckoned with on the electric guitar.

Fans can expect a diverse performance with twists and turns of musical delight. “This show is going to journey into all the genres of Pete Kartsounes Music,” said Pete. “Some blues and funk to make you dance and some slamgrass with very special guests that will make you dance even harder,” he continued. “It’s also a Winter Beach Party, so we are going to turn up the heat and really get down! All who come out to this show are sure to have a great time. Aloha!”

Spread the good word and share the warmth. Gather your family and friends on Saturday, January 7, enjoy a nice dinner together and then head over to the Fox Theatre for a hot night of music and dancing. Don’t forget your beach attire, which is always fun to wear. We’ll see you there for an epic show and experience!

Don't delay, get your tickets today; they are only $8 each ($10 for under 21). Please visit www.foxtheatre.com.

"The Only Way I Know" digital album has been discounted close to 50% for the holidays, from now through Christmas day. To say thank you for all your support and an amazing year, the entire album can be downloaded for only $7! As Pete's newest album, "The Only Way I Know," captures yet another side of his diverse artistic expression. The soulful album is an eclectic fusion of folk and rock, accented by unique arrangements and a variety of instruments. It features his band (PKB) and many additional talented artists, including Jeremy Garrett of The Infamous Stringdusters on fiddle, Anders Beck of Greensky Bluegrass on dobro, and Bill McKay of Leftover Salmon playing the B3 Hammond Organ. Pete’s warm, consuming vocals convey the depth and raw emotion of his carefully-crafted lyrics, weaving a tail of hope through every song, while encouraging belief in our dreams, ourselves, and a better "Tomorrow."

Don’t miss your opportunity to download one of Pete’s greatest albums for half off! Visit this link today and share it with those you love: www.cdbaby.com/cd/petekartsounes2

On December 8, 2011, hundreds of East Chicago children received a special visit from Colorado-based singer/songwriter Pete Kartsounes. Traveling from Denver, Pete talked to the fourth grade students at Lincoln Elementary about the universal language of music, the connection between peace and happiness in music and nature, respecting each other, and the importance of giving to others and being around good people to continue excelling and improving in your life. Surrounded by many eager students, he explained the different genre of music and styles and how they can all work together to make something wonderful. He played his original music (by popular demand) while the students participated by snapping or clapping along.

Pete also meet with the kindergarten and first grade students at McKinley Elementary where he explained his guitar and harmonica, what they were made of and what they do. The students enjoyed singing along, clapping along, to Pete's original music and popular holiday songs. Three eager students asked if they could come to the stage and sing with Pete, which was accommodated, and very cute.

The students were very interested and asked great questions, from "what inspires you to write your music," to "what is the guitar made of," and "how does it make the sound," to name a few. And when one student asked if he was rich, he chuckled and gave the students great advice, "if you want to be rich, do not become a musician!"

It was a very rewarding experience for Pete. "I experience great joy by spending time with kids, opening their minds to different ideas about music, nature, the language of music, and how we can make a difference with that," he said. "I am thankful for the opportunity to give back to our youth, share the gift of music, and a positive message with the hopes of enriching their lives."

A special thank you to the School City of East Chicago for hosting Pete at your schools and for the time with your well-behaved, inspired, enthusiastic, bright, and all around great students. The experience touched our hearts and our lives, and hope the children had a memorable time too!

Get your acoustic goodness on at the Harmony Music House tonight, December 3, with Pete Kartsounes and Benny "Burle" Galloway. Two of Colorado's finest singer/songwriters team up to bring you a night of award winning original music, making one heck of a great evening. Pete Kartsounes and Benny "Burle" Galloway have been playing music, writing songs, and working together for over a decade. They are thrilled to be performing in the Harmony House Concert Series, and look forward to seeing you there and doing what they do best... enrich our lives with their original, powerful, soul-grabbing music.

Saturday, December 3
8:00 - 11:00 p.m.

Harmony Music House
2525 1/2 Broadway Street
Boulder, CO 80304

Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 DOS.

Get more information at www.harmonymusichouse.com/concerts

Finish the chores early, gather your family and friends and join us at Ozo Coffee Co. for an evening of music with meaning. The Fall Hike4Cancer Benefit Concert & Silent Auction aims to bring community, nature, music, art, family, friends, and LOTS of love together to make as much of a difference as we can in support of our 2011 beneficiaries and families in need. There will be a HUGE silent auction with many donations from local businesses, restaurants, artists, healers, and straight up AMAZING human beings. There will also be painters, poets, and music by local musicians. Thank you to all the people who are involved, donated, and support this great cause; together we are making a difference in the lives of families dealing with childhood illness, one step at a time.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

5:00 – 10:00 p.m.

Featuring:
Magnolia Row: 5:30 - 6:15 pm
Backwoods Galaxy: 6:30 - 7:15 pm
Pete Kartsounes and Benny ‘Burle’ Galloway: 7:30 - 8:15 pm
She Said String Band: 8:30 - 9:30 pm

Ozo Coffee Co.
1015 Pearl Street
Boulder, CO
(303) 645-4885

PKB is thrilled to be a part of the amazing line up at this year's Yonder Mountain String Band's Harvest Music Festival going down at Mulberry Mountain in Ozark, AR. It's going to be a weekend filled with great music and many friends. Be sure to visit the Harvest Tent at 4:00 pm on Friday for a rockin' PKB set! Tickets are still available! So come on out to the mountain and enjoy one of the best weekends of the year! Learn more at www.yonderharvestfestival.com.

On September 2, PKB rocked the Gold Hill Inn with a special performance! PKB-Pete Kartsounes Band was joined by Joe Lessard (Head For The Hills) on fiddle, Benny "Burle" Galloway on guitar and vocals, Greg Schochet on mandolin, and Lauren Stovall on vocals, along with the band staples Ryan "The Human Metronome" Sapp on drums, and Kevin Malone on the bass. Eric Turner chimed in on the washboard at the end. Listen to the entire show and download it for free... ahhh, the beauty of the internet. Just copy and paste this link: www.archive.org/details/Pkb-PeteKartsounesBand-GoldHillInn-2011-09-02

We want to give a BIG thanks to all who participated in the 4th Annual Hike4Cancer Benefit July 28, 2011 at Oscar Blues in Lyons, CO. We raised close to $2,700 for families dealing with childhood illness, which is going to make a positive impact. You all made a huge difference and we are completely in awe at the turnout. It was a special night and you all made it happen... thank you very much!

The next Hike4Cancer hike begins Monday, August 8. Pete will be hiking 4 Pass Loop (near Aspen) for 5 days/4 nights. The hike is said to be one of the most beautiful in Colorado and the flowers should be in full bloom and spectacular.

Get involved today! Join one of the hikes or be a sponsor in one by making a donation. Visit the Hike4Cancer web site at www.hike4cancer.org for more information and to make a donation. ALL contributions go to the families dealing with childhood illness.

Again, thank you for your support and for being a part of this wonderful community. We appreciate every one of you! Together we will continue "making a difference one step at a time."

The 4th Annual Hike4Cancer Benefit Show will unfold at Oskar Blues in Lyons, CO on Thursday, July 28, 2011 featuring a rockin’ night of original music by PKB – Pete Kartsounes Band who will be joined by many special guests including Sam Grisman, Dominick Leslie, Kyle Ussery, and more. It is also a Rockygrass Festival kick-off show, so there are sure to be surprise musical guests along the way.

There will be an amazing collection of items for the silent auction and raffle donated by local artists, companies, and organizations. Hike4Cancer Founder, Pete Kartsounes, expressed much gratitude for the show of support from the community. “We are overwhelmed by so many local businesses, restaurants, and artists who have donated their time and items to the cause,” he said.

In 2011, Hike4Cancer is supporting ‘There With Care’ for a third year, and will be taking on a few special initiatives that have touched their hearts and desperately need financial support and awareness. One of these initiatives is providing support to place burial sight markers for children who have lost their battle with cancer and whose families may not be able to afford a grave marker. “We want to help grieving parents and families with a final piece of closure during an unimaginable time,” said Hike4Cancer Secretary Nicole Elmore.

A $10 donation is being requested at the door with additional contributions welcome. Donations may also be made to Hike4Cancer anytime online at www.hike4cancer.org. Every generous dollar donated goes to their beneficiary, ‘There With Care,’ who works directly with the families.

“This is our biggest event of the year, helping us raise awareness and much needed support for the families.” Pete said. “The last three years have been jam packed with community, family, and love for the cause. Together we are all making a difference one step at a time,” he concluded.

Don’t miss this special evening and opportunity to support this important, heart-felt cause. Let’s make this year’s benefit the best one yet!

It's an honor to receive an award for doing what you love, in a place you love, with people you know, and yes, love. Congratulations to Pete for bringing home the 3rd Place Award in this year's Telluride Troubadour Contest for independent singer/songwriters. The prestigious competition in Pete’s home state of Colorado showcases the best songwriters in the country and their original music.

The Preliminary Round for the Finalist took place on Thursday, where Pete played everyone's favorite "While the Band Plays On" and "Memory of Mine." From there he was one of five to advance to the final round on Friday and brought the park to life with "The Last Dance" and "Life Ain't Always Easy" both from his new CD, "The Only Way I Know."

As a finalist in the Troubadour Contest, Pete enjoyed playing on the radio, on the main stage, and around the festival sharing his original, soulful music spiked with a positive message. The 3rd Place Award came with a new guitar, cash, and lots of exposure. He also performed with The Infamous Stringdusters on Saturday, and Andy Falco and his Infamous Friends on Sunday, in addition to seeing and enjoying time with many, many friends. All in all, it was one heck of an amazing experience!

Thank you to all the family, friends, and fans for the support, positive vibes, and messages you sent during the competition and festival. We appreciate each and every one of you (and your messages)! All that we do is for you. May his songs and our spirit brighten your every day.

A big congratulations to Pete for being selected as a Finalist in the 2011 Telluride Troubadour Contest! Hundreds of songwriters from around the world competed this year for the opportunity to earn one of only 10 spots in the Finalist rounds in this prestigious contest. The nationally-recognized songwriter competition highlights some of the best emerging artists who write, perform, and record their original music independently. With such expansive talent, it’s no easy competition. The Troubadour Contest team stated, “Once again we were knocked out by the hundreds of entries we received from all over the world. The quality and creativity of the entries consistently impressed us.”

The winning hits in the first round were Pete’s original songs “Memory of Mine,” an unreleased song about the North Fork River in Abingdon, VA, and from his newest CD, “Moonlight Romance,” a crowd-pleasing love song with a jazzy feel and enticing lyrics that could have you ‘dancing in the light of the moon.’

It is such an honor for Pete to be chosen as a Finalist and have the opportunity to go on to the final two rounds, and play throughout the festival. While the toughest part of the competition is still ahead, it’s no doubt going to be a ton of fun, while making new friends and doing what we love most… sharing original music with a positive message.

Let’s all join in and wish Pete the best of luck in the final rounds. He will undoubtedly do what he has always done and will always do… create and perform original, soulful music that entertains and enlightens, while providing a helping hand to others.

Visit the Telluride Troubadour Contest web site to view the list of Finalist and listen to one of their songs.

http://www.bluegrass.com/telluride/contests.html

If you’re at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, be sure to stop by the Elk Stage on Thursday, June 16 around Noon to show love and support for these fine artists, and cheer Pete on to winning the competition, with the opportunity to share his music on the main stage on Saturday for about 10,000 happy festivarians. Enjoy the moment friends; this is going to be a year to remember!

It’s been over a year since the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010; leaving the country in ruins and affecting the lives of an estimated three million people. But hope is still fresh in the minds, hearts, and souls of many around the world, including right here in Boulder, CO.

Pete is thrilled to be a part of the new benefit CD, “A Home in Haiti,” featuring his original song, “Sweet Surrender,” off his newest album, “The Only Way I Know.” The Floating Records production, in conjunction with “Collective Hearts for Haiti,” is generating hope for the children of Haiti and raising funds to build a new Children’s Center in Jacmel, Haiti, one of the hardest hit areas, through the gift of music.

From Country-Rock, Americana to alternative rock with “surf-guitar twang,” The CD is filled with great original music, some unreleased, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the children of Jacmel, Haiti.

Construction on the new Children’s Center begins in June 2011, and you can help! Head over to the Floating Records website right now and buy the music at the affordable cost of $10 for the MP3 download or $12 for the CD (includes shipping). It's a tax-deductible donation, and the music is great. Please check out the links on the bottom of the website for more information about Jacmel Children's Center, the partners in this project, and other ways you can help.

www.floatingrecords.com/ahomeinhaiti.com

The forecast for this summer is looking HOT! We're pleased to announce Pete will be joining the Drew Emmitt Band for some shows in 2011. These will be explosive, gripping shows as the two artists combine their talents and take their original music to new levels. Pete and Drew are known to share synergy, high energy, and crisp, complimenting vocals.

Head back to the homepage, where our music player is, to hear them performing together in Pete's original song "Takes Me Home," featuring Drew Emmitt off of Pete's third-studio album "Out of Nowhere." The harmonies are a highlight!

Keep an eye on the calendar to see when and where these shows will be going down. Also be sure to drop by Drew Emmitt's website to learn more at: www.drewemmitt.com.

Pandora Radio listeners can now enjoy the original, soulful sounds of Pete Kartsounes Music. His third studio album, "Out of Nowhere," is playing, and includes a link to purchase the album. The best part is, you can create a 'Pete Kartsounes' channel on Pandora Radio, and add your other favorite musicians and bands, to create a radio station that plays all the music you love. How cool is that? We already added some of our favorites, including Darrell Scott, John Cowan, Tim O'Brien, and Derek Trucks.

Released in 2007, "Out of Nowhere" is a tasteful blend of original music entwined with acoustic overtones and superb musicianship. Many talented artists joined Pete on this project, including Grammy Award Winner Sally Van Meter, Drew Emmitt of Leftover Salmon, Travis Book of The Infamous Stringdusters, and Jeff Austin of Yonder Mountain String Band. The recording was done in Direct Stream Digital (DSD) format by “sound wizard” Gus Skinas, who said, "The songs of Pete Kartsounes rival the caliber of the great songwriters of our time and are prolific beyond description."

Visit www.pandora.com today and have a listen. It'll soon be one of your favorite radio stations on the internet (if it's not already!).

Unplug from the norm and join us in Denver for a rockin' acoustic show with Cracker and special guest Pete Kartsounes at Daniel's Hall at Swallow Hill on Friday, March 25. Save money by purchasing your tickets now at www.swallowhillmusic.org.

Pete is back in the beautiful Hawaiian Islands connecting with friends, enjoying the beach, and playing music, of course. He will once again take the stage with friend Bill Kreutzmann of the Grateful Dead, and other great musicians including Jeff Caldwell and Randy Carnevali for an All-Star Jam "For The Love of Music" on February 14 at Trees Lounge in Kapaa, HI. A great night of original music and classic favorites is in store for the lucky folks who will experience this unique and rare performance. And we thought Hawaii couldn't get any better... but it just did!

Amazing original music can always be expected when Pete Kartsounes and Benny "Burle" Galloway play music together. The former band mates and award-winning songwriters are, once again, reuniting for the 10th Annual Northwest String Summit. The festival is located just outside Portland, OR in the breath-taking canyon of Horning's Hideout, hosted by Yonder Mountain String Band. The 4-day passes are on sale now... and offers the best deal for the best price! Get your tickets early, and join us for one of the best celebrations of 2011.

At the heart of each song lie the lyrics, embodied by the music notes that embrace them. Pete's carefully-crafted lyrics use imagery and life-experiences to connect with listeners and convey positive messages. The lyrics for "The Only Way I Know" have been posted for all to enjoy. Check them out in the "Lyrics" tab.

The celebration has begun for the official release of Pete's new album, "The Only Way I Know," available today. It features a catalog of new songs performed by a cast of superb musicians creating an unforgettable musical journey. Join us at the Laughing Goat tonight with the Pete Kartsounes Trio and dance into the New Year with new music and friends. Happy New Year from all of us at Pete Kartsounes Music; may your year be highlighted with love, health, and success.

Set sail on an inspiring musical journey, fueled by the highly anticipated, self-produced album "The Only Way I Know" by singer/songwriter Pete Kartsounes. Featuring his band and other talented artists, the soulful masterpiece is an eclectic fusion of folk, rock, and blues, with a touch of jazz, sure to brighten your day. Check it out and let us know what you think!

Pete recently asked his friends and fans to help choose the name of the upcoming release. While there was affection for all three choices, "The Only Way I Know" seemed to be the only way to go! Thank you for your support and involvement, as we build our community, one song at a time. Love to you all!

Pete will take the first steps of many as he embarks on a 500-mile hike down the Colorado Trail today, marking the beginning of his 3rd Annual Hike4Cancer Benefit raising donations for critically ill children and their families. 100% of the proceeds go to the children by working with 'There With Care.' Get involved and learn more at: www.hike4cancer.org.

As the tradition continues, Pete Kartsounes & Friends will get the party started at the Northwest String Summit, hosted by Yonder Mountain String Band, Thursday evening around 8 pm at the Beer Garden. Enjoy a brew, and great music while greeting your friends. Get more info. at www.stringsummit.com. See you there!

Anticipation is growing as the new record makes its way to becoming a final masterpiece. The new album will feature all new original songs, many just written this year. The music will be well-complimented by a cast of talented artists working on the project. Long days in the studio will certainly bear its fruit later this summer with its release. Stay tuned!

Listen to an archive of Pete's live performances and download them for free. Check it out and share the music at: www.archive.org.