YeeHaw Junction - Friday

Not much text today, just a lot of pictures. The weather improved hugely, as it became quite warm during the day, and even after the sun went down, it never became really chilly. The day featured a variety of highly entertaining bands with some very good music, too. The turnout appears to me to be good.

The Gary Waldrep Band

This band led by Gary Waldrep, a fine banjo picker and singer as well as a first rate entertainer. Mindy Rakestraw has one of the finest voices in bluegrass and deserves wider recognition. The band plays a high proportion of southern gospel bluegrass, which is very popular with audiences in the region.

Gary Waldrep
Mindy Rakestraw

Stan Wildmon

Kenny Townsell

Donna Townsall

Gary Waldrep

The Bluegrass Brothers

This group is noted for its high energy commitment to raw, in-your-face, traditional bluegrass. They are not instrumentally nor vocally refined, but rely on their intensity and energy to sell their act. It works really well for their many fans. Their version of "Grandfather's Clock" with three different players on bass is lots of fun.

Victor Dowdy

Donald Dowdy

Robert Dowdy

Billy Hurt, Jr.

Steve Dowdy

Donald Dowdy

Victor Dowdy

Goldwing Express

This group, hailing from Branson, MO, brings bluegrass music leavened with, perhaps, too much showmanship. When they stick to music and low key double entendre, they can be pretty amusing, but they still seem to feel a need to go over the top. Nevertheless, they have a strong and loyal audience who follow them intently, and a lot of that audience winters in Florida.

Bob Baldridge

Paul

Sean

Stephen

Nothin' Fancy

This band has been together for about ten years and has forged a reputation for good music and humorous, good-natured comedy. Lead singer Mike Andes is also a first rate song writer, and their Country Gentlemen covers are excellent. This season the band seems to have sharpened and freshened its humor.

Mike Andes

Chris Sexton

Gary Faris

Mitchell Davis

Tony Shorter

The Moron Brothers

I had never seen the Moron Brothers before and had no idea what to expect. Promoter Steve Ditmann told me he'd let me find out for myself. Billing themselves at Lardo & Burley, Mike Carr on banjo and Mike Hammond on guitar give a relatively deadpan combination of country humor and solid singing of classic country and bluegrass tunes. Their humor is infectious as the deadpan their way through their act. They provide a solid change of pace in a program of bluegrass music.

Lardo

Burley

The Cunning-Hams

This local group offers a good transition into the dinner hour. Suzanne Langford, who directs the annual fiddle championship at YeeHaw Junction, is a fine fiddler tending towards being a violinist. Dave O'Brien plays four instruments during their performance, and front man Frank Cunningham writes some interesting songs.

Frank Cunningham

Suzanne Langford

Dave O'Brien

Saturday at YeeHaw Junction will offer some repeats from Friday as well as several new groups and the first round of the fiddle contest. Stay tuned for more.

Evan Carl (emcee)