Used to be one of the best kept secrets at LarryFest. The idea started with a group of songwriters who played original songs and covers around a campfire during LarryFest. The gathering became too large, and we decided to create a stage for it. Larry Sebranek initially built a small stage and we entitled it The Songwriter Stage. More to the story...
Little Valley Stage Band Line-Up
LarryFest has always supported new and upcoming performers on the main stage and the little stage. It really was what Doug Sebranek was best at. Booking new music, original music, and upcoming artists that many of us have never heard before. We have a lot of bluegrass of course but also Americana, folk, old time music, old country, original music, jazz and more. As years went by, we gathered quite a large audience in the valley of LarryFest. More incredible writers and players wanted to be on the “little” stage just to be a part of LarryFest.
We decided to change the name of the stage when Larry Sebranek built an even larger well deserved version of our little stage. We called it the Little Valley Stage because it’s initials are LVS or Larry Virgil Sebranek. If you are at the little stage you will see a sign on the side of the stage that says; “Play Your Heart Out” which is a quote from Virgil Sebranek. He would also always tell Dan Sebranek to “play his heart out” and he sure does.
We dedicate the stage to Doug Sebranek, who is no longer with us. The Little Valley Stage now has a life of its own for many years and counting. It doesn't rival the big stage at LarryFest, it accentuates it by adding new and interesting acts different than our main stage to make our fest unique.
 Golden Shoals is a fiddle and guitar duo with a “rousing old-time-style music that’s fueled by acerbic modern-day wit” (-No Depression Magazine). They are no strangers to traditional music, having placed in contests including Clifftop (3rd place 2023, 4th place 2022), Mount Airy, The Grand Masters Fiddlers Championship, and Galax. Often switching instruments between fiddle, two guitars, and banjo. |  Texas Toast is a psychedelic country band that features touring musicians from Jaybone Bell and Restless Light, My Grandma's Cardigan, The People Brothers Band, Barbaro and Sleeping Jesus who have all made their home in beautiful Winona, MN. What started as an old time country band turned into an exploration into music combined with all of our various influences including and not limited to R&B, Psychedelic Jam, Folk, Bluegrass and Pop/Dance. |  Sparrow Smith is well loved for her evocative songwriting, tasteful banjo playing, epic accordion chops, and vintage fashion. A longtime member and leader of multiple bands (most notably Resonant Rogues) with Keith Josiah Smith, her husband and collaborator, Sparrow is stepping into the spotlight under her own name with a highly anticipated new album, Carolina Mountains. The Resonant Rogues have an extensive touring history and a national fanbase. |  Bigtooth Bluegrass is a Madison, WI-based band blending traditional bluegrass with original, high-energy songwriting. Formed by experienced musicians, the group delivers a polished, precise sound that mixes classic tunes with masterly instrumentals. |  Crooked Willow is a Driftless Region-based Folk/Americana/Roots string band formed in 2013, a mainstay performer at LarryFest. Blending bluegrass with jazz, old-timey, and pop, offering a unique "musical cocktail" of original works and reimagined covers. The group often features Elisi Smith-Waller (banjo/vocals), Jessie McDonald (fiddle), and Erik Hanson (bass). |
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 The Iowans are an Americana band featuring first cousins Christina (Pleggenkuhle) Dollhausen and Katie (Pleggenkuhle) Getz, known for their close-knit vocal harmonies, clawhammer banjo, and guitar. Based in the Driftless area (Viroqua, WI), they blend folk, indie, and old-timey styles with jazz influences, often joined by Mat Grewe on bass. |  Fayme Rochelle & The Waxwings are a band specializing in classic country music, known for bringing a "twang" to their performances. Led by Fayme Rochelle and featuring Greg Tooke, the group performs in the Wisconsin and Minnesota regions. |  Born and raised in Wisconsin, Rianna began writing in the stillness of rural life, where storytelling took her outside of her small-town. After a few years in Nashville, she’s back in the Madison area, writing songs that explore how our stories intertwine - growing, shifting, and shaping the way we move through the world together. Her writing is inspired by artists like Kate Wolf, Joni Mitchell, and The Secret Sisters. |  So, one of us gals said to another one of us, "Wouldn't it be fun to have an all-female string band? You know, like Uncle Earl or the Coon Creek Gals, to name the few I can think of?" "HECK YES!" was the resounding reply. So, we recruited a few of our talented musician friends and here we are, the West Fork Gals: Liz Voz and Summer Deal sweetly playing off each other on twin fiddles, Jane Keeley claw hammering the banjo, Kathy Casper on guitar and Terre Van Haren Roddy on stand-up bass. |  Lone Goat Rodeo is Tim Eddy and his collaborators in music: Bill Fiorella, Jessie McDonald, Shawn Neary, and Sean Truskowski. It’s electric. It’s poetic. It’s original. There are three albums to explore: Tim Eddy self-titled along with Fly To Vegas and Barn Cat Funeral by Lone Goat Rodeo. They are streaming everywhere. |
 Hassett Bound Band came to be on a sunny porch in southern Wisconsin, and they bring that vibe to every show. A folksy bluegrass jam band consisting of 6 (sometimes 7) members, they cover traditional bluegrass tunes, contemporary classics, and are hard at work writing originals. You can catch them jamming on a porch near you whenever the sun shines. |  Mary Cortesi & Dan Sebranek are true family members of LarryFest. When they play together on stage, you just know that there will be friends joining on stage, because that's the magic of them playing on stage at Larryfest. |  Simon Cropp is a flatpick guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and country and bluegrass songwriter. His performance is equal parts dive bar bravado and fireside introspection. Simon’s songwriting style is plainspoken storytelling, channeling classic country themes of love, heartbreak, and the landscapes he travels through. Both as a solo act and with his band Slapdash Bluegrass. |  Helen Forsythe was born and raised in Southern Minnesota, playing the banjo and singing songs since she was 7 years old. Based in Northfield, she is both a teacher and a performer of folk and bluegrass banjo playing. |  Pat Wiley is a seasoned songwriter and performer with a “rural, down home” flavor. Pat will be joined by John Wilson as they perform for our annual barn dance. |