Phestival Photo Pheast - Part II

Here's the second part of my Phestival Photo Pheast, a collection of pictures taken at bluegrass festivals during the summer of 2008. I've included lots of the individuals who are nominated in one way or another for IBMA awards or who were involved in first rate performances during our summer of bluegrass festivals. I'm still looking for requests, so if you have any, post them here or on the forums. - Ted

Rob Ickes of Blue Highway (MACC)

Chris West of Blue Moon Rising (Podunk)

Matt Menafee of Cadillac Sky (Otis Mtn.)

Claire Lynch (Podunk)

Jaime Dailey (Podunk)

Dale Ann Bradley (Podunk)

Ron Stewart of Dan Tyminski (Jenny Brook)

Justin Moses of Dan Tyminski (Jenny Brook)

Banjo Spectacular
Bill Keith, Mark Johnson, Alan Munde, Ron Block, Tony Trischka, Ned Luberecki

Bo McCarty & Sammy Shelor (MACC)

J.D. Crowe backstage at MACC

Eric and Leigh Gibson (Jenny Brook)

The Grascals (MACC)

Jason Davis of Grasstowne (MACC)

Kym Warner of The Greencards (Otis Mtn.)

Steve Dilling of IIIrd Tyme Out (MACC)

Travis Book of the Infamous Stringdusters (Podunk)

The Infamous Stringdusters workshop at Podunk

Rickey Wasson w/J.D. Crowe (MACC)

Jackson, Cordle, and Salley (Podunk)

Kristen Scott Benson of Larry Stephenson (MACC)
Brandon Rickman of LRB (Podunk)
changing string on the fly

Don Rigsby & Michael Cleveland of Longview (MACC)

Sammy Shelor & Russell Moore (MACC)

Peter Rowan (Podunk)

That's it for today. I'll post another set in a couple of days. Meanwhile, please send me any requests for pictures I might have of your favorites, either as a comment on the blog or at any of the forums where I post.

Phestival Photo Pheast - Part I

I've collected about 150 photographs from the more than 6000 I took at festivals this summer and put together a portfolio to present during the next couple of weeks. They're not in any particular order, and I selected them as moments my camera caught. I'd be happy to entertain requests for images if you want to suggest some.

Banjo Workshop (Podunk)
Joe Mullins, Ron Block, Mark Johnson, Alan Munde, Tony Trischka,
Ned Luberecki, Pete Wernick, Bill Keith

Bill Knowlton (Jenny Brook)

Shawn Lane of Blue Highway (MACC)

Bradley Walker (MACC)

Ross Homes & Matt Menafee of Cadillac Sky (Otis Mtn.)

Mark Schatz of Claire Lynch Band (Podunk)

Jim Hurst of Clair Lynch Band (Podunk)

Darrin Vincent (Podunk)

Dale Ann Bradley (Podunk)

Dan Paisley (Jenny Brook)

Ron Stewart of Dan Tyminski (Jenny Brook)

Adam Steffey & Dan Tyminski (Jenny Brook)

Dan Tyminski (Jenny Brook)

David Parmley (Jenny Brook)

Pete Wernick and John Weissberger (Podunk)

Tim Shelton of New Found Road (Podunk)

Hunter Berry backstage (Podunk)

Bradley Walker, Carl Jackson, Harley Allen backstage (MACC)

Ernie Thacker (MACC)

Leigh Gibson (Jenny Brook)

Terry Smith of The Grascals (MACC)

Steve Gulley of Grasstowne (MACC)

Phil Leadbetter of Grasstowne (MACC)

Harley Allen (MACC)

Andy Falco of the Infamous Stringdusters (Podunk)

More in a few days. Any requests?

Darin Aldridge/Brooke Justice Gospel CD - Review

Brooke Justice & Darin Aldridge

Pinecastle Records has released a new all Gospel CD called “I’ll Go With You” by Darin Aldridge and Brook Justice. The thirteen songs on this album express the deep faith, sense of longing for salvation, and belief in its reality through songs of praise, faith, yearning, and assurance. Aldridge is well known in bluegrass circles as a vocalist and fine multi-instrumentalist specializing in mandolin who currently plays with the Circuit Riders. His career includes a stint with the Country Gentlemen during the last few years of Charlie Waller’s life. Brooke Justice, Darin’s fiancée, has been singing gospel with him for some time and recently they appeared at their first festival doing a mixed program of bluegrass Gospel and secular music, which was very well received. Joining them on this disk are longtime Blueridge bassist Eddie Biggerstaff, Chris Bryant on banjo, and Perry Woodie on Dobro who are all members of their regular band. Guests on this disk include: fiddler Alan Johnson, percussionist David Rhyme, Reggie Harris on guitar, Harold Simpson on bass, as well members of the Circuit Riders Jaret Carter and Billy Gee.

The Aldridge/Justice Quintet
Chris Bryant, Eddie Biggerstaff, Perry Woodie, Brooke, Darin

Aldridge has a clear and pleasant but rather light and reedy voice reminiscent of Vince Gill. His mandolin playing is almost without peer. He belongs in the top ranks of bluegrass mandolinists. Justice has a powerful high alto voice so strong she must often stand away from the microphone in performance. Together, their voices form a fine blend. Two of the songs in “I’ll Be With You” were written by Aldridge or Aldridge and Justice as a team. Two traditional gospel tunes were arranged by them for this CD. The disk open with “Get Down and Pray,” a lively call to worship emphasizing the power of prayer to bring peace and salvation. The driving beat complements the strong harmony in this rousing bluegrass song. “This Man,” a quieter and more reflective song accompanied primarily by guitar and Dobro, emphasizes the importance of Jesus as God of salvation and man at once, as well as the importance of faith. Alan Johnson’s fiddle solo helps maintain the worshipful approach of the song. Aldridge has arranged “Precious Jesus” and “Sacred Lamb,” two traditional Gospel songs. The addition of a gentle drum and piano background on “Precious Jesus” add to the peaceful love and understanding in the song. Justice’s voice in “Sacred Lamb” rings out the faith that Jesus knows your inner self, and that he suffered for all humanity. The clarity of her voice speaks of an unmistakable truth in her conviction. Aldridge’s compositions and arrangements communicate the peace and certainty of belief.

Darin Aldridge

“Trail of Tears” emphasizes Jesus’ humanity and his mother’s sense of loss despite her knowledge of “the plan.” Jaret Carter’s dobro solo soars towards heaven at the end of the song. “Meet Me over on the Other Side” has the lilt of the certainty of the saved meeting again after death. Eddie Biggerstaff’s bass rings out loud and clear. Brooke Justice’s voice clearly communicates the weariness and concern about not being able to face the challenges of life in the opening of “I’ll Go with You,” and then rises to the heights of strength as she sings of God’s saving grace. Her supple and expressive voice communicates great range of emotion with real effectiveness. “Victory is Sweet” begins with an almost dirge-like sense of the weight of the world. Then the chorus comes in with Brooke’s powerful voice leading a vision of the army of God bringing the final victory – a truly rousing song.

Brooke Justice

Mandolin and guitar solos by Darin Aldridge wonderfully complement Brooke Justice’s full throated rendition of the traditional “Wayfaring Stranger.” The other tracks in this CD are equally satisfying for fans of Gospel bluegrass music. Production values and mixing are very good with each instrument and voice highlighted for maximum effect. Both artists manage a range of vocal expression that tells the story of each song through its feelings as well as the lyric. Their take on Gospel songs generally presents an uplifting view of ultimate victory that comes from faith rather than on the suffering lot of each human. There’s more uplift than blood in their presentation of their faith, and this collection captures the two singers and their commitment.

The CD can be purchased directly from Darin Aldridge and Brooke Justice’s by contacting them on their MySpace page. Check out their schedule to see them perform or ask your local promoter to book their band. It will be well worth it.

Second Objective by Mark Frost - Book Review

I don’t usually read in that thriller sub-genre of “spoil the desperate Nazi plot” literature. Since we’ve known for sixty years who won the war, there would seem to be little suspense. Since the subsequent career of the second objective is also well known, the outcome of the book is predetermined when a reader opens it. Another way to approach this book is as a police procedural. As an example of that format, Mark Frost’s The Second Objective does a pretty good job, although at times it reads more like a movie treatment than a novel.

I picked up The Second Objective because I had read and enjoyed three other Frost books. In Grand Slam, Frost treats golfer Bobby Jones’ 1930 grand slam as the unparalled athletic feat it was. The Greatest Game tells the story of golfer Francis Ouimet’s victory in the 1913 U.S. Open, a tale of a poor caddy’s surprising rise to the top of the golf world. Both books were interesting inside views of the world of golf in an earlier age. Frost first novel concerns the life of Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes in The List of Seven, so for me he had a track record that made picking his book an easy choice despite my suspicions about the Nazi theme. Frost has been associated as a writer and producer with major television projects like “Hill Street Blues” and ‘Twin Peaks.”

At the opening of The Second Objective, Colonel Otto Skorzeny, leaves Hitler’s bunker in command of a raiding party charged with infiltrating Allied lines and confusing the enemy as German armies rallied to attack in Germany’s final desperate rally that became the fabled Battle of the Bulge. Certain of the infiltrators were tasked with a second objective, which is detailed and expanded in this novel. Frost’s narrative takes two parallel lines, following charming, roguish psychopath Erich von Leinsdorf and his German/American partner Bernie Osler as they work behind American lines sowing confusing while heading towards Paris to achieve the second objective. They are pursued by Earle Gannit, a New York homicide detective serving in the Criminal Investigation Division of the Allied military police and his partner Ole Carlson as they slowly become aware of a pattern leading them to follow von Leinsdorf and Osler even before they have identified them or their mission. Through a series of close encounters, the two lines begin to merge, the ultimate meeting often short circuited by von Leinsdorf’s willingness to kill without conscience despite Osler’s increasing attempts to leave clues without getting caught in the cross fire.

Gannitt and Carlson pursue their prey across France and Belgium with a bunch of harrowing close close calls and many plot twists. In too many episodes the cinematic nature of the narrative makes The Second Objective seem more like a novelization of a movie or an extended treatment of a movie pitch. I expect this book was optioned for film, but I won’t wait too eagerly for the movie to appear, since most optioned treatments never reach production. Perhaps turning a film treatment into a novel increases the chances of a payday for the author. A larger flaw in this novel lies in the too obvious dropping of certain clues. To work really well, important clues should sneak up on a reader, only becoming clear as clues when they are revealed. Frost’s clues often drop like a bomb when they are planted, rather than insinuating themselves until they explode in a reader’s face.

Finally, The Second Objective is an interesting diversion, but doesn’t rise to the level of must read thriller. Frost has written more interesting pieces about golf, and his Conan Doyle mystery is exciting and intriguing. I’d stay, “Stick to them.”

Blugrass on My iPod

First, let’s get a few things straight. I own every CD that’s been put into my iTunes program and resides on my iPod. When I listen to the iPod, it’s a convenience I use to keep from having to cart roughly 300 CD’s around in our trailer or car. My iPod also plays the songs I’ve chosen to put into my playlist in a more or less random pattern, providing me with programming of my own choice. There’s more breadth on my iPod than there is on any individual channel on my satellite radio, and if I don’t want to listen to a particular cut, I just push a button.

Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald aren’t on my iPod, even though our CD collection includes pretty big gobs of their marvelous work. Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Mary Chapin Carpenter aren’t there either. There’s no classical music on my iPod even though our collection of the classics includes a pretty good basic library of music from the baroque period through the great classical masters to the late nineteenth century. No Billy Joel, Neil Diamond, Ray Charles, or Nat King Cole. No Jerry Jeff Walker, Waylon Jennings, or David Allan Coe. It’s not that I no longer like these people or value their contributions to music in general or my musical taste in particular. Rather, they don’t fit into my current taste. It’s also not that there’s no room on my iPod, either. I’ve only used about a third of the space. I have one major playlist. I call it “Bluegrass.”

How did my current taste develop? Our first music festival was that huge event held each spring in Wilkesboro, NC called Merlefest. We attended our first Merlefest in 2003. We thought it was a bluegrass festival. Early bands making a huge impression on me were Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Darrell Scott, and, always and forever, Doc Watson and his friends. At that first Merlefest, we also heard Del McCoury, Doyle Lawson, Rhonda Vincent. We drank in Vassar Clements, EmmyLou Harris, Norman Blake, and Tim O’Brien. We imbibed The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Asleep at the Wheel as well as Donna the Buffalo. We very much liked lots of what we saw, learned from other performances, and broadened our musical horizons. Bela Fleck was new and different to us, as was Peter Rowan. The former is prodigiously talented and hard to listen to while we found the latter a poseur who left us flat. Through all that, as far as we were concerned, we were at a bluegrass festival and we had a wonderful time. We didn’t stop to categorize; we didn’t label; we liked some and didn’t like some.

Since that time, we’ve come to understand much more of the history of this relatively new form of music we call bluegrass, as well the controversies surrounding it. While we never saw Bill Monroe except on television, we’ve learned about his pioneering creations. We’ve seen and heard Earl Scruggs, but never at the top of his game. We’ve listened to the great concert at Carnegie Hall as well as other noted examples of his body of work. We know the influence these two giants, Monroe and Scruggs, had on the development of bluegrass music and appreciate its genius and creativity. We’ve learned that electric basses are frowned upon, electric guitars – forbidden. Percussion is necessary, but not if it comes from anything that looks like a drum. The cajon, a wooden box with holes in it, may represent a break in the wall. In the end, for some, if Bill Monroe didn’t have it in his band, in his words, it“ ain’t no part o’ nothin’.”

Then there are the widely accepted exceptions to the rules. Doc Watson is bluegrass, even though he often plays rockabilly on his Gallagher and even sings Gershwin. Peter Rowan was once a bluegrass boy playing with Bill Monroe. Apparently, anything he plays these days is acceptable to bluegrass fans. If a song is played with acoustic instruments, especially the hallowed combination of banjo, mandolin, guitar, bass, and, maybe fiddle or resonator guitar, it’s OK. That makes grassed rock and roll just fine, while if it’s amplified…no,no.no. Unusual instrument combinations, even when they sound great, as in Pete Wernick’s band Flexigrass, don’t count. Now there’s new grass, progressive, traditional, Nashville grass, and others I can’t even keep up with. Jackson, Cordle, and Salley, as great a trio of bluegrass songwriters as can be put together today, can have a drum on their CD, but not on their stage at a bluegrass festival. And I’ll save the almost total absence of African Americans from the bluegrass stage and audience, despite their absolute necessity as part of the history, for another blog entry.

So who’s there? In iPod order from Aaron McDaris to The Wilson Family. The greats are there: Flatt & Scruggs, Bill Monroe, the Osborne Brothers, Seldom Scene, The Country Gentlemen, The New Grass Revival. Top current bands have lots of representation: IIIrd Tyme Out, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Lonesome River Band, Del McCoury. New break out bands are there: The Infamous Stringdusters, Cadillac Sky, The Greencards. There are bands that might seem obscure: The Atkinson Family, Big Spike, The New England Bluegrass Band, Adrienne Young, Rick Hayes. I can’t name the all, but you get the idea. My iPod contains dozens of artists, hundreds of disks, and thousands of songs. They add up to a collection I call bluegrass.

In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce wrote, “Ireland is the old sow that eats her own farrow.” Bluegrass adherents fit this description to a T. In subdividing our music into acceptable and unacceptable niches, we seek to destroy it altogether. Recently, the forum Bluegrass Rules has featured a discussion, no…argument, about whether people walked out of a recent Randy Kohrs’ performance at MACC, how many walked, and whether they came back. Really!

Darrell Scott’s “Old Joe Clark,” especially the version by Sam Bush, the old fiddle tune we all pick or at least know, pictures a young healthy slave emerging from the hellish bowels of a slave ship with his gourd banjo clutched in his hand. His spirit floats down the Mississippi River, arrives in New Orleans, infuses the spirit of Dixieland Jazz and eventually infects Bill Monroe with part of the sound that became bluegrass music. As in the old union song Joe Hill, wherever people sing the music and play what’s emerged from it, you’ll find Bill and Charlie Monroe, the Carter Family, Lester and Earl, the Osborne Brothers and the Louvins, and all the others who helped develop the music. Their spirit is in there, and if the spirit is there, then it’s bluegrass, and no amount of grumpy assertions “that ain’t bluegrass” will ever make it not true.

Otis Mtn. Music Festival - Review

The Otis Mountain Music Festival may represent a model for successful contemporary music festivals. Promoter Jeff Allott put together an eclectic selection of varied groups with something to please everyone. From traditional bluegrass groups like regional favorite Big Spike and national touring band Blue Moon Rising to edgier bands like the Biscuit Burners, Cadillac Sky, and the Greencards, Otis Mtn. emerged as an example for promoters of small to mid-sized festivals of how to present a festival.

Diz (emcee)

Otis Mountain is a small ski hill located about two miles outside Elizabethtown, NY along state route 9N. While E-Town is the county seat of Essex County, it offers few amenities for the traveler not prepared to be pretty self-sufficient. There are no chain motels or fast food restaurants, but the region provides several very nice bed and breakfasts and, if you include nearby Keene Valley, plenty of good places to eat and stay. In the short Adirondack summer season, the third weekend in August is perhaps the most packed with events, but Otis Mtn. drew well and, with the exception of a brief thunder shower on Saturday morning, was blessed with good weather. The setting itself offers a delightful natural amphitheater on the side of a gentle slope. The surrounding forest has lots of places of sunny or shaded camping. A traditional Adirondack lean-to and fire pit provide a delightful site for host band Big Spike to support nighttime jamming. With all camping “in the rough,” the site is still superb for a music festival. The decision of the Essex County Fair to move itself to the same weekend as Otis Mtn., may have affected attendance, but the two events appeal to quite different audiences.

Big Spike

Bluegrass Julie & Stacked Deck

Musically, Otis Mtn. had something for everyone. Host band Big Spike performed to their usual level of excellence. Despite the sad passing of mandolinist Neil Rossi’s mother, the band found a more than adequate substitute and laid down to very good sets on Saturday. Furthermore, their availability to host jams at the Rope Toe Stage provided an anchor for those camping at the site and wishing to jam at night. Newly formed Bluegrass Julie and Stacked Deck, a local band with roots in bluegrass and Saranac Lake were performing at their first festival. They led off on Friday afternoon, acquitted themselves well, and some members stayed to enjoy and learn. Two regional bands, both new on the scene, acquitted themselves well with sets on both Friday and Saturday. As readers of this blog know, I like to highlight a local surprise, and both these bands are worth catching and present good opportunities for promoters seeking promising bands.

Jim Gaudet & the RR Boys

Adrenaline Hayride

Jim Gaudet and the RR Boys can best be characterized as a folk/country fusion group performing Gaudet’s well-crafted songs, filled with humor and insight. His instrumental mix might seem off putting to bluegrass or folk purists, featuring as it does both electric bass and guitar, but the music is entertaining and thought provoking. His song “Snowbound” and an audience participation piece called “So Far, So Good,” and "Split Pea Soup" all pleased. The band’s interactions are enjoyable. While well suited to lounge and street events, this band is eager to broaden its audience and contributes good value to the festival scene. Adrenaline Hayride is a high energy bluegrass band with a twist featuring very fine musicians whose sets are diverse and interesting. Band members all have broad experience in bluegrass and country music and three are virtuosos on their instrument who, during their musical journeys have won contests as well as toured with major bands. Their medley of songs from The Wizard of Oz is truly delightful, a real treat.

The Biscuit Burners

Billy Cardine

Mary Lucey

Dan Bletz

Odessa Jorgensen

The Biscuit Burners seemed somewhat out of place at Otis Mtn. on Friday evening with their somewhat edgy Appalachian Mountain sound blended with the unusual tones of Billy Cardine’s Chaturangui, a twenty-two stringed Indian variation on the slide guitar, creating an interesting, but often discordant mix. Their Saturday set offered a much more melodic and appealing mix, often to the delight of the audience. Odessa Jorgensen on fiddle and Mary Lucey on bass combine to sing an often keening Appalachian drone. Dan Bletz, a strong flat picker, adds rhythm and virtuosity. Cardine’s varied skills on Dobro, his Indian instrument, and open back banjo are selected to fit the individual piece.

Blue Moon Rising

Chris West

Keith Garrett

Justin Jenkins

Harold Nixon

Blue Moon Rising provided a traditional bluegrass anchor for Saturday’s program. This engaging quartet from Tennessee features the songs of singer/songwriter Chris West and the strong baritone voice of Keith Garrett. Their song selection features pieces easily recognized and triggers an “I didn’t know this was their song” reaction, which should strengthen into instant appreciation and recognition as their reputation widens. Justin Jenkins on banjo adds good value, while Harold Nixon brings his experience with J.D. Crowe and fine bass beat and solos to the mix. Garrett on vocals and mandolin is strong and reliable and his songs like “Moonshine Hard Times” and “Jeffrey’s Hell” add to the mix. West’s “Hanging Tree,” “Another Lonesome Day,” and “I Grew Up Today” represent very good work. Their new CD, One Lonely Shadow, deserves attention and is getting good play on XM radio. Like many hard working and ambitious bands, Blue Moon Rising must endure long, punishing weekend trips to festivals not easily within reach and return to day jobs in their home territory during the week. The commitment and persistence of such bands is one of the true joys of our music and one of the features that make it unique and keep it close to the people.

The Greencards

Carol Young

Kym Warner

Eamon McLoughlin

Jake Stargell

The Greencards had an excellent position in the lineup and delivered completely in both their sets. It’s difficult to characterize The Greencards as Americana, since only one member is an American. They’re not exactly a bluegrass band, although everything they play is informed by their roots in bluegrass. Neither are they folk or country, even though their CD Veridian was nominated for a Grammy award in the country division. The Greencards are simply a flat terrific plugged in acoustic band. Their music is informed by Celtic, bluegrass, blues, and pop influences. Lead singer Carol Young on bass reaches deep inside for her soulful renditions. She’s lowdown and lonesome at once. Fellow Australian Kym Warner on mandolin, bouzouki, ukulele (?) and vocals is intense and talented. He moves to his own beat and moves the band, too. Eamon McLoughlin, a talented fiddle and viola player, comes from England. His backup and solos often reflect his strong Celtic background. Jake Stargell, the lone American in the band, has been traveling with the band for some months now. His guitar solo at the end of their second set raised the intensity of the band and brought sustained cheers from the crowd. At age seventeen, his career will be more than interesting to watch. Often what happens backstage, hidden from the crowd, generates some of the most exciting music at a festival. A jam including members of all four featured bands in late afternoon was a wonder of music and fellowship. The Greencards head into the studio at the end of August and should have a new CD out in the spring.

Cadillac Sky

Bryan Simpson

Matt Menafee

Andy "Panda" Mortiz

Ross Holmes

Mike Jump

Cadillac Sky has been growing and developing over the past several years as its reputation and performance rise increasingly high. Their performance at Otis Mtn. represented new levels of musicianship and maturity. Often criticized for being too loud and somewhat brash, their work at Otis was crisp and clean. Every word of Bryan Simpson’s singing was understandable, while they didn’t give up a bit of their dynamism and electric energy. From directly in front of the stage to high on the hill, their sound was muted enough so each instrument in the ensemble could be heard clearly, yet strong enough to generate and maintain the excitement this band thrives on. Given the often unenviable closing position as the hill became chilly and damp under the full moon, Cadillac Sky held a significant audience and generated plenty of excitement. This band lives in Texas and their music shows strong Texas roots while never straying too far from bluegrass. Matt Menafee is emerging as one of the fine young banjo players, joining the group of innovative pickers including Chris Pandolfi, Noam Pikelny, and others. Ross Holmes is dynamic on fiddle and provides strong vocal harmonies. Andy Moritz on bass is a creative and innovative bass player. When he plays his doghouse bass, it is not only a musical event, but an athletic one also. Mike Jump’s high tenor harmonies and solos as well as his good flat picking and always reliable rhythm guitar are strong and reliable. Fronting the band is Bryan Simpson whose songwriting, singing, and mandolin picking set the tone and maintain the drive of this excellent band, nominated for IBMA emerging artist of the year.

Eamon Practicing

Otis Mtn’s program announced rules about alcohol possession and glass bottles, which were completely ignored during the course of the festival. When a festival announces rules and then enforces them, even to the point of removal, audiences come to know what’s expected and learn to live up to the standard. The foregoing notwithstanding, this festival has so much to recommend it that my comment may seem a bit churlish. The vendors provided an excellent range of food choices with bakery goods, natural foods, and the always delicious firehouse chicken barbecue provided by the Elizabethtown Volunteer Fire Department. The sound was at least adequate, although somewhat slow on the variations of set up needed by quite diverse bands. The largely local audience came with few expectations of what to expect. They heard and appreciated a stunning variety of excellent music and accepted each performer for what he was without excessive criticism. They stand as a pleasant contrast to some pure bluegrass audiences. Otis Mtn’s model of a diverse program keyed to offer something for nearly everyone except the purist may point the way to the future of music festivals as they seek to attract a new audience while preserving the great legacy given to us by the pioneers of bluegrass.

Billy's Chaturangui

Matt Backstage

Raising Kane by Brent Davis - Book Review

I once asked Chris Crutcher, a highly regarded writer of what’s called Young Adult (Y) fiction what made YA fiction YA fiction. He said, only half joking, that it was YA fiction if it was under 250 pages long. By this criterion, Raising Kane qualifies. By any other criteria, it’s just a good book. Raising Kane by Brent Davis is a good read for any kid from about fourth grade up as a novel, and works well for adults as a quickly read novella.

Eddie Kane is a shy twelve year old whose father is a World War II veteran and whose mother is a Mom. Set in Alabama in the mid-1950’s, the book tells the story of Eddie’s joining his uncles’ touring bluegrass band for a summer. It’s clear to those around him that Eddie has “music in him.” At twelve, he’s already an accomplished picker, even though he’s loath to pick in public. He wants to spend the summer playing baseball, but knowing the family needs the money he can earn on the road and wishing to escape the chores of working on the farm, he agrees to pick up his banjo and join his uncles.

In the course of the book, Eddie rides in the touring car of his uncles, the Bragger Brothers, as well as fiddler Murray, a young Jewish man who has come to bluegrass through a then typical route, the folk scene in New York City. Riding through the South of the beginnings of the civil rights movement, Eddie is on hand to see a race riot in the city of Montgomery, to see the effects of racial segregation in several different encounters, and to have his experience interpreted through the eyes of his new friend Murray and one of his uncles, a no nonsense racist. Eddie grows to a new understanding of himself and his world while emerging as a musician and a person.

The story unfolds through Brent Davis’ excellent story telling. A bluegrass musician himself, Davis captures the feel and environment of life on the road for bluegrass musicians in the 1950’s, before festivals. In this time period, the great first generation performers like Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs traveled incessantly from town to town, giving performances in tent shows, used car lots, road houses, and American Legion halls. They recorded weekly fifteen minute radio shows at tiny stations throughout the south. If they were successful and lucky, they appeared on the Grand Ol’ Opry and had nearly nationwide listenership. It was a difficult, itinerant life; few survived on the road for very long. Today, most that remains of these early days are a few scratchy recordings and some faded photographs. Brent Davis brings this world to life in a way history books and photo essays only suggest.

Raising Kane by Brent Davis is published by Livingstone Press (University of West Alabama Press) and available from major on-line sources.

Lake Champlain Bluegrass Festival - Review

The Lake Champlain Bluegrass Festival has its seventh annual go around this weekend. While the festival had the bad luck of terrible weather on both Friday and Sunday, we attended on Saturday. There was plenty of mud and mess created by the torrential rains of Friday night, but the mud and muck only added to the flavor of the event. We arrived around 11:00 on Saturday morning and were parked in the far reaches of the lot where there was a little high(er) ground. We could hear fiddle music over the Rosewood sound system as we slogged our way towards the main stage. Vendor’s row was well established; seats and, towards the rear, individual shade tents were set up. We found some open space and placed our chairs a little to the rear of the sound booth with a good view of the stage. A sea of mud separated the seating area from the food vendors as well as the musician’s merchandise tents.

Ron West - Fiddle Contestant

The fiddle contest ended and Big Spike led off seven hours of local and regional bands of varying skill and interest. By investing in three top rank national bands (Del McCoury, IIIrd Tyme Out, and the Gibson Brothers), the promoter of this festival has put himself in the unenviable position of leaving too little margin to provide strong second rank national bands and top regional ones. In booking Del McCoury, as I understand it one of the most expensive touring bands in bluegrass music, Promoter Steve Palmer has boxed himself in. Unfortunately for the festival, McCoury was faced with torrential rains on Friday not, certainly cutting down the day attendance for this festival, a gate promoters count on to make their events profitable.

Neil Rossi & Pete Langdell (Big Spike)

Grass Routes

Banjo Dan & The Mid-Nite Plowboys

Adam Dewey

Lisa, Shelene, and Dick Atkinson

Adam Atkinson

Despite clear, warm weather with some shade provided by the occasional cloud, seven hours of regional bands is quite a lot. Several of them provided interesting and enjoyable sets. My pick for the regional band with the most tuneful and interesting sets goes to The Atkinson Family Band. Coming from Harrisville, NY on the western edge of the Adirondacks, this family band with several non-family members offers original songs by banjo player Dick Atkinson, most of which express yearning for days gone by in interesting and tuneful ways. His song “The Silo Stands Alone” decries the loss of the family farm in a thoughtful and provocative way. He tells me he’s working on another one. Dobro player Chad Darew and mandolin picker Adam Atkinson both do a fine job. Liza Atkinson has a very good voice which blends well with her mother Shalleen’s. Together, the Atikinson Family, while familiar to many in the region is very solid and deserves a wider audience. Dyer Switch, from the Albany area, was entertaining. Their song “Family Business” suggested an alternative source of income when the economy makes jobs scarce, although one wouldn’t necessarily expect folks from the Capital District to lean towards bootlegging. There are probably other more profitable family businesses. The reliable Adam Dewey & Crazy Creek put in a creditable set. Unfortunately, because these deserving bands are not interspersed with higher profile bands, they get less attention than they deserve. Perhaps reserving the opening hour or so for shorter sets by showcase bands, selected after they apply might prove more effective. Showing headliner bands in a back to back to back to back format may be convenient for the big name bands, but slights lesser names as well as members of the audience. After seven hours in the hot sun, attendees with young children are ready to pack up and return home, especially if they are day trippers.

Gibson Brothers Workshop

The Gibson Brothers

Eric

Leigh

Mike Barber

Clayton Campbell

Rick Hayes

The Gibson Brothers are, arguably, the home town band for every festival in New England and New York at which they appear. They draw fans from all over the region just to see them. In fairness to the great IIIrd Tyme Out, The Gibsons should have been the closing band at Lake Champlain. If they had closed, they would have held the substantial numbers of people who left after their second set. The Gibson Brothers’ last three CDs have reached the top of the Bluegrass Unlimited charts, and their most recent album, Iron and Diamonds, is currently #3 with two of the cuts in the top thirty. Their recent tours of the south and the west have introduced them to legions of new fans and several appearances on XM satellite radio have also helped spread their music. They are poised on the edge of reaching the top echelons of touring bands. Leigh and Eric Gibson’s unique brother harmonies and evocative lyrics capture the ear and the imagination of listeners, who usually come away raving. While Eric and Leigh feed off the crowd, creating their set list on the fly, it would seem their first set contained songs of particular attraction to this northeastern crowd. “Railroad Line,” “Iron and Diamonds,” and “The Barn Song,” and “Callie’s Reel” all have strong connections to their northern New York roots and drew loud appreciation from this audience. Gibson Brothers sets almost always draw people to their feet and dancers to the dance area. Band mates Mike Barber, Rick Hayes, and Clayton Campbell each bring their own charm and electricity to a Gibson Brothers show to make for an always first rate show.

IIIrd Tyme Out

Russell Moore

Steve Dilling

Justin Haynes

Wayne Benson

Doug Driscoll

IIIrd Tyme Out is a fabled band, which has consistently delivered first class music through the years. The band has been seven times IBMA Vocal Group of the Year, while lead singer Russell Moore has been Male Singer of the Year three times. When you mention him to other male bluegrass singers, there is virtual unanimity that Russell Moore is the best. IIIrd Tyme Out’s web site lists all the awards they’ve garnered over the years. It’s a stunning list of recognition for pulling of years of sustained excellence. The band has been through several changes in recent years, and has emerged stronger than ever. The return of Wayne Benson at mandolin and the arrival of Justin Haynes on fiddle and Edgar Loudermilk on bass have cemented their excellence. The discovery of Doug Driscoll at the wheel of the bus to take up the role of singing bass has been a treasure both for his voice and his story. Their set list contains a number of traditional bluegrass songs as well as treatments of songs from other genres grassed into a highly listenable mix. Their unvarnished version of “Only You” as a pop trio is a delightful change of pace showcasing their vocal skills in an a capella version is stunning. Steve Dilling, who carries most of the emceeing chores for the group, keeps the show light and amusing, his smile genuine and friendly to match his manner. IIIrd Tyme Out is a constant delight whenever they perform.

Danby Four Corners Booth

The Lake Champlain Bluegrass Festival has much to recommend it. Held virtually on the Canadian border convenient to both Plattsburgh, NY and Burlington, VT, the location is also easy for Canadian bluegrassers to get to. The banjo and fiddle contests are well established. A good variety of workshops is scheduled for Saturday including a series of slow jams ideal for novice and low intermediate musicians. There is a good variety of food vendors headed by the Alburgh Volunteer Fire Department with a classic chicken barbecue as well as delicious hamburgs and steak sandwiches. The festival comes at just the moment when corn in the north country as at its peak, so don’t miss it. The ice cream vendor offers the best ice cream sold at any bluegrass festival. Linda and Butch Ralph of Danby Four Corners Store sell the highest quality musical instruments as well as more mundane musician’s needs. While the schedule encourages people to attend for one day, a few changes in schedule and booking philosophy could remedy this and propel this festival into the top ranks of New England festivals.

Otis Mtn. Music Festival - Elizabethtown, NY

The Otis Mountain Music Festival will return for the sixth year offering a two day schedule of very high quality bluegrass and Americana music. The festival will run on August 15^th and 16^th at the Otis Mtn. Ski Area between Elizabethtown and New Russia, New York. There is ample rough camping available on the festival grounds, and the web site lists a variety of nearby campgrounds and other accommodations. Ticket information can be found here. The festival site itself is located on the side of a small ski hill and offers an almost ideal natural amphitheater surrounded by trees, but open to the welcome sunshine of the usually clear and crisp August Adirondacks. Promoter Jeff Allot has, once again, brought together a range of excellent national bands and supplemented them with interesting and enjoyable local and regional groups.

Diz (emcee)

The Biscuit Burners

Billy Cardine

Mary Lucey

Dan Bletz

Odessa Jorgensen

The gates open at 5:00 PM on Friday with several local bands featured and The Biscuit Burners headlining the evening. This band has appeared at major Americana events such as Merlefest, Springfest, Bonnaroo, and Rockygrass, and more. Based in Weaverville, NC, they combine plaintive Appalachian sounds with a range of bluegrass, Americana, jazz, and even East Indian sounds. Their instrumentalists include innovative Dobro player Billy Cardine, who also plays a multi-string Indian instrument, lovely fiddler Oddessa Jorgenson, superb flat picker Dan Bletz, and the vocal and spiritual leader of the group, Mary Lucey, who has also written much of their material. Their performance level is both challenging and exciting. The Biscuit Burners will also perform at 1:00 PM on Saturday. Jim Gaudet and the RR Boys play at 7:00 and again on Saturday. Gaudet’s web site describes him as an experienced singer/songwriter who has had a solo career and now returns with an acoustic trio. His bio looks interesting to me, and I look forward to hearing him perform. Cuts on his web site make his music sound interesting and lively. Adrenaline Hayride has a limited web presence, and I haven’t heard them play, but the description makes it sound as if they’re worth hearing. Chris Leske on banjo is a former winner of the World Banjo contest at Winfield, KS. Craig Vance on guitar has played with Doc and Merle Watson and toured internationally with Bill Keith. Dave Bevins has appeared with the Lonesome River Band and won contests on Dobro. While contest winners and ensemble players often differ in their skill sets, this band promises to be lively and interesting. The evening will be opened by weekend emcee Diz Dizacomo will lead off both days with Diz & Friends. His show is entertaining and offers good listening.

Big Spike

Pete Langdell

Bill Gaston

Michael Santossuso

My apologies to Neil Rossi and Freeman Corey

Blue Moon Rising

Chris West

Keith Garret

Justin Jenks
Harold Nixon

Saturday at Otis Mtn. is filled with good music and offers a wide variety of styles and sounds. Festival host band Big Spike leads off after Diz & Friends welcoming set, at 11:00 AM. Big Spike is a traditional bluegrass band that gives very good account of itself. They also gather around a fire pit in front of a traditional Adirondack lean-to for after hour jams and participate in workshops. Otis Mtn. has two workshop stages where interesting and useful workshops are presented during the day. As of this writing they are not yet set, but, in the past, we’ve seen Tony Trischka, Phil Leadbetter, mandolinist Barry Mitterhof, and Sam Bush do great workshops at Otis in an intimate and enjoyable setting. The Biscuit Burners play a second set at 1:00 on Saturday, followed by Blue Moon Rising. Coming from Kentucky and Tennessee, the members of this fine band are the real thing. Singer/songwriter Chris West on lead guitar and vocals and Keith Garret on mandolin and vocals share emceeing duties and singing, each providing fine harmonies for the other. Dustin Jenks on banjo is a very solid Scruggs style picker. Harold Nixon on bass lays down a rock solid beat and contributes interesting and intricate breaks on his big doghouse. The songs deal with traditional subject matter in a modern context. West’s song “The Hanging Tree” is an eloquent and arresting song in which the singer vows to bring down the tree that’s been the instrument of death through generations of tragedy. “Aunt Bertie’s Wingback Chevrolet” by Garret reminds everyone of their love for old cars. This band delivers one great original song after another.

Cadillac Sky

Bryan Simpson

Andy Moritz

Ross Holmes

Mike Jump

Matt Menafee

Cadillac Sky and the Greencards are both headliner bands that exchange lineup placement in their afternoon and evening sets. Each brings a unique contemporary sound to bluegrass and Americana music. Cadillac Sky is the owner of one of the worst web sites in music. It loads slowly and is difficult to navigate. If you’re interested in learning something about them and sampling their music, check out Cadillac Sky’s MySpace page. Despite their web presence, Cadillac Sky is a not to be missed progressive band that delivers high intensity, rock tinged bluegrass music that generates excitement in audiences who stay to hear them. Bryan Simpson on mandolin and lead vocals is lively and upbeat. Mike Jump plays both rhythm and lead guitar and sings lead, providing a maturity and providing balance. Ross Holmes on fiddle is terrific as is Andy “Panda” Moritz, one of the most interesting bass players to watch in the business. Matt Menafee, on banjo, has been mentioned recently in Banjo News Letter in the same sentence as banjo phenoms Chris Pandolfi, Noam Pikelny, and Greg Liszt. This puts him in rare company. The band is based in Texas and comes from a range of musical backgrounds that makes their music interesting and sometimes surprising. They fit easily into the varied format of the Otis Mtn. festival.

The Greencards

Carol Young

Kym Warner

Eamon McLoughlin

Jake Stargell

The Greencards are a trio of musicians who came to this country about four years ago as a bluegrass band, found themselves in the musical hot house of Austin, TX, and morphed into a bluegrass, jazz, blues Americana band that has found wide acceptance in a variety of festival and concert settings. Australian Carol Young, on electric bass and soulful vocals, is in many ways the heart of this band. Her voice has range of sound and emotion, moving from low down dirty to joyful singing out. Young is more than supported by countryman Kym Warner on mandolin and, of all things, bouzouki and Brit Eamon McLoughlin on fiddle and viola, both of whom sing, The Greencards give great value. Billing themselves as a trio, they have also added seventeen year old Jake Stargell, a flatpicking wizard, to their ensemble, making them a truly formidable band, a band to be listened to and cherished.

Podunk - Saturday w/Banjo Spectacular

Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival, held in a city park in the middle of East Hartford, CT, deserves serious attention from bluegrass fans. Promoter Roger Moss, Director of Parks and Recreation in East Hartford, with the support of the city and a strong selection of sponsors, has designed a bluegrass festival with balance, thoughtfulness, and variety. By bringing together Tony Trischka's Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular and turning it into an octuple spectacular, he has really pulled off a major coup. The range of workshops, held in a delightful small pavilion far enough away from the main stage so the sound of performances wasn't too overwhelming, was thoughtfully created and offered excellent opportunities for in depth looks at various elements of bluegrass music and closeup contact with individual artists and groups. An extraordinary off-site seminar for band and performer professional development brought together national authorities to provide in-depth seminars for individual musicians and new bands seeking to take the next step. Offered at the nominal cost of $15.00 for the day, these seminars were a huge value for those electing to participate. Sound, provided by Rosewood Sound was clear and audible throughout the grounds without ever becoming harsh or so loud it was uncomfortable for fans near the front. Never underestimate the importance of good sound, which is always best when least noticed. While we were not able to stay through Sunday, the winner of last year's band competition appearing for a full set on Saturday, suggested the high quality of bands entered. For fans seeking to become early adherants of new bands and promoters wishing to identify new and interesting peformers for their festivals, the Podunk band competition seems a truly useful and entertaining opportunity. Despite nearly two hours of rain and surrounding thunder storms in late afternoon, the festivities were never stopped, and the weather cleared early enough for the sun to dry people's seats and the evening to be a perfect ending for a spectacularly successful day.

Dan Paisley & Southern Grass

The Dan Paisley band, with a new CD out from Rounder Records, is just getting around to receiving the recognition it has long deserved. In the past three or four years this band has recovered from the loss of Dan and Michael Paisley's father Bob and developed its own sound without leaving the precurser band behind. For fans of traditional hard driving bluegrass music, the Paisley band offers the very best singing and instrumental work. Paisley's voice, a distinctive high lonesome sound, excels whether the song be fast and lively or slow and plaintive. There isn't a weak place in its personnel or show.

Dan Paisley

T.J. Lundy

Michael Paisley

Donny Eldreth

Bobby Lundy

Dan Paisley & Bobby Lundy

Blue Moon Rising

Since we first saw Blue Moon Rising, they have supplemented their already fine singing and high quality songs written by Chris West and Keith Garrett with much increased energy and performance values. This elevates them from being a good filler band to near the headliner level. Blue Moon Rising's CDs are good listening and they have become a pleasure to watch in performance. They have become tighter and much more interesting.

Chris West

Keith Garrett

Justin Jenks

Harold Nixon

The Steeldrivers

Arising from the somewhat improbable mixture of rock and alternative country, The Steeldrivers have rapidly penetrated the bluegrass world with a soulful mixture both strange and strikingly familiar. Chris Stapleton's R&B infused soulful sound has become one of the most recognizable voices around, while Tammy Rogers fiddle and singing complement him perfectly. It's taking me a while to accustom myself to their sound and vibe, but the reactions they've garnered in the two successive weeks we've seen them have been thunderingly enthusiastic. I'd be surprised not to see them garner some kind of recognition at IBMA in October.

Chris Stapleton

Tammy Rogers

Richard Bailey

Mike Henderson

Mike Fleming

Banjo Workshop

It's impossible to list the finest banjo players to be found in this small world of bluegrass music. It's easy, however, to say that the eight people brought together for Tony Trischka's Double Banjo Spectacular on the main stage and for this workshop rank among the very best, and most interesting, pickers around. Ranging from most traditional to some of the most creative contemporary players, this group offered dynamite to the thirty of forty enthusiasts who came up to the workshop pavilion for this treat.

The Lineup

Joe Mullins

Ron Block

Mark Johnson (clawhammer)

Alan Munde

Tony Trischka

Ned Luberecki

Pete Wernick

Bill Keith

Joy Kills Sorrow

Winner of last year's band competition, Joy Kills Sorrow presented a range of contemporary bluegrass with skill and grace. Funky to jazz-infused and folky sounds presented with high musicality characterize this new young group.

Larry Stephenson Band

The Larry Stephenson Band offers a combination of Stephenson's fine tenor voice and very good ensemble playing from the entire group. Stephenson is a tested veteran, while most of his band consists of younger, but widely experienced musicians. They never fail to offer a first rate show and to please their fans and people who are hearing them for the first time. Stephenson has been around a long time, but his show remains fresh and lively.

Larry Stephenson

Kristin Scott Benson

Jason Barie

Dustin Benson

Kyle Perkins

Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, and Jerry Salley

Take three of Nashville's most storied songwriters whose roots are firmly in bluegrass, sit them comfortably on three chairs before an audience, and just let them sing their own songs together in rotation. There's a formula for moments to be treasured. In the audience people instantly recognize many of the songs they hear even though they don't necessarily connect them with their composers. A look at the web sites of any of the three reveals catlogs of songs and participation in projects beyond legendary. These three guys have formed a backbone for much of the contemporary quality music scene.

Carl Jackson

Larry Cordle

Jerry Salley

A Few Heartfelt Words
from
Roger Moss (Promoter)

Octuple Banjo Spectacular

Sadly, Cherryholmes, who were scheduled to close Saturday, were detained in Boston's Logan Airport on their return flight from London and were unable to appear. Happily, however, this hole in the time slot provided Tony Trischka and his merry pickers more than two hours to delight the crowd with banjos, banjos, and more banjos. Trischka's band, consisting of Jon Weisberger on bass, Michael Daves on rhythm guitar and vocals, and Mike Barnett on fiddle deserve special recognition for providing backup for all the pickers over the entire period of this fascinating show.

Weissberger, Daves, and Barnett with Ron Block

Mark Johnson

Pete Wernick, Daves, and Tony Trischka

Pete Wernick

Bill Keith

Mike Barnett, Tashina Claridge, and Tony Trischka

Alan Munde

Weissburger, Barnett, Joe Mullins, Daves

Tony Trischka

Podunk Friday

Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival sometimes gets a bad rap because it's located in a public park in the middle of an urban neighborhood. Our schedule is quite busy this weekend, so we only have time to spend two days at Podunk, but we plan on coming to stay longer next year. We pulled off I-84 around ten o'clock and drove through this particular slice of urban America, counting on our handy GPS to get us the right spot. It was a sunny, clear morning and looked to become hot soon. We drove through a varied neighborhood with a range of ethnic restaurants (Vietnamese, Peruvian, Jamaican, Dunkin') that often suggest a well-mixed interesting place. The signs pointed us to a large park. We walked to the festival grounds past a driving range and entered through the gates of a baseball field. We noticed a swimming pool with a large field behind it filled with campers from tents to large RVs. As we set our chairs in front of the gaily decorated bandstand, I glimpsed a KFC sign within walking distance, but the whole aura of the festival area felt relaxed, pleasant, and festive - just the way a festival ought to be. The crowd was, perhaps, a little more diverse than a typical rural setting might generate, but we saw lots of friendly and the familiar faces we're used to encountering when we attend New England festivals.

Gravity

Gravity is a band from Sweden just finishing a US tour. Perhaps their European background or their natural inclinations made their set a good deal more eclectic than many good U.S bluegrass bands, but their picking was good and singer Annasofie Lindstrom's strong and pleasant voice managed good sound alikes of a variety of singers, including Janis Joplin. Musically the group has a full sound and the individual instrumentalists were solid.

Annasofie Lindstrom

Kenneth Kjellgren

Jonas Kjellgren

Auldridge, Lester, and Ferguson

This band apparently only plays together at Podunk, and that's a shame. Mike Auldridge is famed as the original Dobro player with the Seldom Scene and continues to set a standard for others on the rather strange instrument. Emory Lester is a truly fine mandolin picker. His recordings with Mark Johnson are well known. Gary Ferguson has an evocative baritone voice while Marc Roy is a first rate flat picker. Gail Wade sings beautifully and writes good, too.

Mike Auldridge

Marc Roy

Emory Lester

Gary Ferguson

Gail Wade

Carl Shifflet & the Big Country Show

Carl Shifflet's show seeks to recreate the look and style of bluegrass music as it was performed in the early days of the genre. Performing behind a single mic, this band uses the elaborate choreography bands once employed to give solists better sound. Their set is professional and sheds light on the background of the music when it was performed on radio and in small, local halls. Unfortunately, the way they're packed together makes the Sifflet band quite difficult to photograph.

Dale Ann Bradley

IBMA female vocalist of the year Dale Ann Bradley brought her lovely, clear voice and first rate supporting band to Podunk in great shape. Dale Ann continues to become slimmer while not losing a note of quality in her voice. Her simple straight ahead singing only looks simple as she communicates clean, honest emotion and deep religious conviction in her work.

Dale Ann Bradley

Randall Conn

Tim Laughlin

Charles Field

Daily & Vincent

I've become a Daily & Vincent convert. They bring energy and commitment to their mix of strong gospel and secular music. Dailey's high tenor voice is one of the best in bluegrass music. Darrin Vincent contributes strong harmony. Their song "By the Mark" has had wide acclimation and "Not Just a Name on the Wall" never fails to capture the emotions of their audience. Jeff Parker on mandolin, Adam Haynes on fiddle, and the very young Joe Dean, Jr. are all first rate musicians. Dean's bass voice, coming from his slight carriage and young face never fails to both surprise and please. While their act rarely changes from show to show, their presentation is brisk and energetic. Fans respond very positively.

Jamie Dailey

Daily & Darrin Vincent

Jeff Parker

Adam Haynes

Joe Dean, Jr.

Jamie Dailey, Darrin Vincent, & Roger Moss (Promoter)

Claire Lynch Band

Claire Lynch has been around for a while. She announced from the stage that this month marks the 30th anniversary of the first time her picture appeared in Bluegrass Unlimited. Her voice has tremendous range of expression and the band plays bluegrass and swing with
equal skill and enjoyment. Her swingin' "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" is terrific stuff. Backed by a band of individual standouts, this band is truly superb. Jim Hurst flat picks or finger picks with equal ease. He's truly one of the greats, as is Mark Schatz on bass. Schatz' ham bone and clogging along with his marvelous bass versatility is a great crowd pleaser. Jason Thomas on fiddle, while not as spectacular as the other two sidemen, stands out as a first rate fiddler.

Claire Lynch

Jim Hurst

Mark Schatz

Jason Thomas

Pete Wernick Workshop

Pete Wernick is well known as one of the great teachers in the music. His career is so distinquished and varied it can only be very briefly summarized: Hot Rize, IBMA, Banjo Camps, and the well-known jam camps, which encourage players to come out of the closet and learn to jam. His workshop was both interesting and well attended.

Pete Wernick

The Infamous Stringdusters

The Infamous Stringdusters closed the Friday show and also offered an instructive and amusing workshop session. Fresh out of the gate, this young band's first CD won a bunch of IBMA awards and catapulted them into the first rank of progressive bluegrass bands. Each of the players has wide experience as Nashville sidemen as well as strong backgrounds in formal instrument study. Chris Pandolfi was the first banjo graduate of the very fine Berklee School of Music in Boston, where Andy Hall also went. Their music always echoes and recognizes bluegrass sounds and rhythms while extending their sound into unique realms. The Infamous Stringdusters are one of those bands that can be recognized within the first half dozen notes they play. Many of these pictures were taken during their workshop, including several in response to the question, "Do you all play different instruments?"

Jeremy Garret

Andy Falco

Who's Playing What?

Andy Hall

Jesse Cobb and Travis Book