MACC Thursday - It Keeps On Gettin' Better

Thursday at MACC (Musicians Against Childhood Cancer) continued to show the generosity of bluegrass musicians and their commitment to supporting a worthy cause. They came to perform and stayed to visit and join their friends on stage and back stage. The spirit the pervades these grounds is electric as they combine to help support the efforts of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. It's impossible to escape the sense that there's something much larger than a bluegrass festival going on here. Meanwhile, today was a musical feast for lovers of traditional bluegrass music.

Rehersal of MACC Children's Band

The Buses Keep on Rolling In

Pine Mountain Railroad

This traditional band opened with a very solid set and then continued when, sadly, one of the bands was unable to appear. The performed with energy and enthusiasm and were well received by the growing early afternoon crowd. The opening act position is always difficult for a band.

Cody Shuler

Jerry Cole

Dale Thomas

Matt Flake

Bill McBee


Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

The appeal of this band goes way beyond a blind musician who has overcome his handicap. Mike

Cleveland is flat out a great fiddler. Supported by a strong band, Mike's grin of pure joy reaches out to everyone who's near him, and the music is universal.

Mike Cleveland

Jesse Brock

Marshall Wilburn

Todd Rakestraw

Noah Wullweber

The Larry Stephenson Band

Larry has one of the purest, cleanest tenor voices in bluegrass. His band straight through is very strong, complementing his voice perfectly. Kristen Scott Benson, especially, provides wonderfully blended harmonies as well as first rate banjo.

Larry Stephenson

Kristen Scott Benson

Kevin Richardson

Kyle Perkins

Dailey & Vincent

Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent, after notable careers with other big time bands have quickly established themselves as a first-rate band in their own right. Featuring a blend of lively bluegrass mixed with heart felt gospel music, they delight their fans and attract new ones at every event.

Jamie Dailey

Darrin Vincent

Jeff Parker

Adam Haynes

Joe Dean, Jr.

Larry Sparks

Larry Sparks represents the second generation of bluegrass greats with his mellow and melodious baritone voice and high quality picking. His band is well designed to support his singing as he reprises familiar songs from his long and distinguished career.

Larry Sparks

Larry D. Sparks

Josh McMurray

Carl Bergerin

Michael Feagan

Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

This exceptional and now historic band made a second day's appearance to huge response from the audience. There isn't a lead singer in bluegrass with a finer voice than Russell Moore nor a band working together with greater cooperation and affection than this one. The addition of Doug Driscoll singing bass on the quartets as well as his "Sixteen Tons" has filled a needed spot and added a legend to their story as bus driver becomes a valued voice in a band.

Russell Moore

Steve Dilling

Edgar Loudermilk

Doug Driscoll

Justen Haynes

The Original Longview Reunion

Longview came together as a recording event and performs only rarely. Darrel Adkins has brought this band together and their appearance was more than worth the effort. Longview maintains the finest elements of traditional bluegrass with a level of excitement that beyond the reach of most bands. Each person in the band has or does front his own band or bands and has an established individual reputation. Without doubt, this is one of the ground breaking bluegrass band, perhaps equal in talent and reach to the fabled Bluegrass Album Band.

Joe Mullins

James King

Don Rigsby

Marshall Wilburn

Dudley Connell

Michael Cleveland

Rhonda Vincent & The Rage

Rhonda Vincent had the unenviable position of closing a long night of great music. She kept the crowd in place with a fine performance and then, as is her usual practice, signed well into the night.

Rhonda Vincent

Hunter Berry (backstage)

Mickey Harris

Kenny Ingram

Darrell Webb

National Anthem and Tribute

In mid-evening Darrel Addkins stopped the proceedings as the superb sound crew played the recording of Kim Fox singing the National Anthem from the "Celebration of Life" CD, bringing the crowd to its feet. Then Dailey & Vincent then took the stage to sing "More Than a Name on the Wall" with great emotional effect.