Spring Buds by Dane George

My name is Dane George and I am a mandolinist, step dancer, and handheld percussion enthusiast, bordering on obsessed. I’m quite often tapping out a fiddle tune, without being much of a fiddle player. But why shouldn’t the mandolin steal a bit of that tradition? That’s what you’ll find here in my tunes, mandolin at the heart of every tune, with a few very talented local fiddlers and accompanists thrown in there for good measure.

What I’ve discovered through composing this album is that when I write tunes, there’s usually someone in mind. Moving to America imagines my friend Ben’s family rolling toward the border in a wagon, while Little Movers and Shakers was born out of my nephew’s dance moves and is built for your very own toddler dance party. These melodies mean something to me because of the people behind them, but they’re yours to soundtrack however you see fit.

50% of the proceeds from album sales will be donated to the Pansy Collective, a queer mutual aid organization based in Asheville, North Carolina.

Tracklist

1.	Lynn and Luna	3:05

2.	Alex's Tricks	2:03

3.	Night's at Home with Llew	2:39

4.	Dress Me Up and Kiss Me	2:50

5.	Moving to America	2:14

6.	Mary Frances Crossing a Small Part of the Himalayas	3:41

7.	Brandy de Bill Monroe	2:37

8.	Tune for Kristina	3:44

9.	Little Movers and Shakers	2:51

10.	Fireworks and Fireflies	3:00

11.	Amy’s Tune	2:42

12.	Septic Tank Breakdown	2:19

13.	The Sweet Ones + Billy Scott’s Jig	3:31

14.	Spring Buds + Both Sides Now	7:30

Credits

released May 16, 2025

Produced by Dan MacCormack and Dane George
Engineered, mixed and mastered by Dan MacCormack at Great Harbour Audio, Halifax, Nova Scotia, except Dress Me Up and Kiss Me, recorded by Dane George in his home, and all Mary Beth Carty’s contributions recorded by her in her home studio.
All tunes composed by Dane George, except Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell

Dane George: mandolin (1,3-13), banjo ( 4,7,16), step dance (7,8), podorythmie (4,7), triangle (7), shaker (4,5), jaw Harp (4,5), guitar (14.5)
Dan MacCormack: guitar (7,10,12), banjo (6)
Ellen Kearney: guitar (2,8,14), vocals (14)
Luke Fraser: guitar (6)
Jude Pelley: guitar (9,11)
Ellen Gibling: harp (1,13)
Amy Lounder: fiddle (2,8,12)
Adrianna Ciccone: fiddle (1,11,13)
Sarah Frank: fiddle (6,16)
Mary Beth Carty: accordion (3), guitar (3), shaker (3), bones (9)
Adam Pye: bass fiddle (5, 6, 9, 12, 14)

Album art: Cyd Sparrow @cydsparrow

Dane acknowledges the financial support of the Music Nova Scotia Investment Program and The Province of Nova Scotia.

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