Gary Dolinsky

Gary performs songs/music from both sides of the Atlantic. His performance can be a mix of obscure country/Delta blues and Americana (bluegrass, country, Appalachian folk song) to  traditional songs from England, Scotland and Ireland accompanying himself on guitar, Irish bouzouki, & Anglo-Concertina. Much of Gary’s approach to music has been informed by  his immersion in the 1970’s UK folk revival with singers such as : Martin Carthy, John Renbourn, Bert Jansch, John Kirkpatrick, Nick Hart & Nic Jones. Gary’s  guitar style is a hybrid of Doc Watson, American blues players, and open tuning percussive English “folk style” guitar.
Performing  music on stage since 1973, Gary curated his repertoire by performing with dozens of roots based musicians in Massachusetts, New York, California, Connecticut and England.  Formerly of the critically acclaimed folk-duo, COMPASS ROSE, and more recently with The Wild Maple Band, The River Rocks, Woodland Spark Band, The Loose Change Trio & The Fo’C’Sle Four, Gary has performed extensively in the New England coffeehouse, club and festival circuit. Over the decades, Gary Dolinsky has had the pleasure of opening for Chris Smither, Bill Staines, Pete Seeger, Greg Brown, Sally Rogers & Southern Rail.  Some of the many venues Gary has performed at include: Passims, Cafe Lena, The Me & Thee Coffeehouse, The Rhumbline-Gloucester,  The Linden Tree, Johnny D’s- Somerville, The Palms Playhouse - Davis,CA, Proctor’s Theatre - Schenectady.  Gary has also performed at the Old Songs Festival, NY, Gloucester Folklife Festival, MA and the New England Folk Festival, MA.  Gary combines a sensitivity for the music with a warm sense of humor which results in a relaxed, sharing atmosphere.  His choice of songs speak to us of people’s everyday lives, historical eras , and human relationships. These songs often evoke  a sense of the past while telling something about ourselves in the present. A performance by Gary Dolinsky weaves together relaxed humor and audience engagement.

DIRTY LINEN “Gary is well worth inquiring about…incorporating both traditional and originals in his repertoire…instrumentally, some exquisite guitar playing can be heard” METRONOME MAGAZINE BOSTON “ Gary’s smooth baritone vocal proves to be the perfect compliment along with his stellar guitar work”. THE NOISE/TMAX - “Gary Dolinsky masters his guitar providing precise rhythmic pulse and quick melodic sense…crisp guitar sound and he is the storyteller”