Friday, July 1, 2011

Musicians Against Childhood Cancer - 2011 - Preview



 Musicians Against Childhood Cancer kicks off its twelfth edition on Wednesday, July 20th and runs for four days at Hoover-Y Park in Lockbourne, Ohio just south of Columbus, closing on Saturday night with the famous MACC Opry bringing wonderfully entertaining combinations of musicians together in a grand finale, all for the benefit of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN and the YMCA.  Over the past eleven years, the MACC has contributed nearly $600,000 to St. Jude and the YMCA to benefit children around the world. 


Mandy Adkins, Promoters Darrell and Phylis Adkins eighteen year old daughter, succumbed to a brain stem tumor on November 25, 2000.  Out of their grief and knowledge of Mandy's love of the bluegrass music she grew up with, they re-dedicated the festival they had been running for many years into a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to defeat childhood cancer, committing the money they raised to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital where Mandy had been treated.  Musicians attending the MACC donate their performances and all funds beyond expenses go to St. Jude. 

Darrell Adkins

The Music
 This year, during the four days of MACC, thirty-six bands will perform, including classic performances from bands put together for this festival as well as many of the top bands in bluegrass music.  This year there will be several performers new to MACC.

Bill Yates and the Country Gentlemen Tribute Band

Bill Yates toured with Charlie Waller and the Country Gentlemen for many years as Waller's bassist. In recent years he's assembled a Country Gentlemen tribute band featuring Mike Phipps, whose voice eerily resembles Waller's as the band plays familiar songs from the well loved Country Gentlemen catalog.  

Mike Phipps

Balsam Range

This exciting band from Haywood County, NC has released two highly regarded CD's in the past three years. Their performances combine wonderful instrumental and vocal work with strong new material written by and for the band.  There are no holes in this band, which has been receiving increasing attention in the past several years.  "Last Train to Kitty Hawk" and "Trains I've Missed" have been widely played and are familiar to people who listen to bluegrass radio.

Darren Nicholson

Buddy Melton

Rarely Herd

Rarely Herd is just that, although the band has been widely recognized in bluegrass and gospel music. Coming from south/central Ohio, the band has traveled widely and been given many awards.  We haven't seen them, but the work we've heard on satellite radio has been excellent, and we look forward to our first live performances of this well-known band.

Centerville Alternative Strings w/Doyle Lawson
The Centerville Alternative Strings are a twenty-five piece competition and performance string orchestra which will be performing with Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver after Doyle's regular performance on Friday. 

Paul Williams

Paul Williams' career goes back to the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers and his years with Jimmy Martin & the Sunny Mountain Boys as tenor singer and mandolin picker.  In recent years he has devoted himself to a ministry through gospel music with his band The Victory Trio, although he still performs guest appearances singing bluegrass.  At MACC he will be performing with "Old Friends" Doyle Lawson & J.D. Crowe on Friday night singing material from the CD the three recently recorded. 

Mighty Haggard with Junior Sisk

Mighty Haggard brings Junior Sisk and Wyatt Rice back together again while adding members of several other bands.  Andy Ball, formerly of LRB, Randy Kohrs, Michael Cleveland, Joe Mullins, and Tim Massey will join them for the fun. Should be a great show.


The Lineup
Wednesday
Dale Ann Bradley

Larry Stephenson
  
The Gibson Brothers
  
Shawn Camp & Mike Bub with Chris Henry, Charlie Cushman,
Shad Cobb, and Dale Ann Bradley

Thursday

Russell Moore

Nothin' Fancy

Lou Reid

Christy Reid
 
Dudley Connell

Johnson Mountain Boys with Dudley Connell, David McLaughlin,
Richard Underwood, Marshall Wilborn, & Michael Cleveland

Friday

David Parmley

J.D. Crowe

Doyle Lawson

Tim Shelton & Joe Booher (New Found Road)
Old Friends - J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Paul Williams

Saturday
Jerry Salley with Darin & Brooke Aldridge

Michael Cleveland


Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Jerry Salley
 
The MACC Children's Band
Mighty Haggard with Junior Sisk, Andy Ball, Wyatt Rice, Randy Kohrs, 
Michael Cleveland, Joe Mullins, and Tim Massey
The MACC Opry - "Murder on Music Row" with Carl Jackson, Bradley Walker,
Jerry Salley, Larry Cordle, Jerry Salley, Randy Kohrs, Brooke Aldridge,
Val Story, Garnett Bowman, and many MACC Members

Val Story

Brooke Aldridge

Garnet & Ronnie Bowman

And Many More....

Guitar Raffle

Each year at MACC  luthier Todd Sams, who will be performing this year with Rarely Herd, builds a guitar to be raffled off for the benefit of St. Jude. This year's guitar is a replica of a Tony Rice's 1935 D28 Herringbone guitar valued at $5000. The drawing for this beautiful and wonderful sounding instrument will be drawn on Saturday night at 8:00 PM. You can purchase raffle tickets on this guitar here for $10.00 a piece.  Winners need not be present to win.



Hoover - Y Park


 The MACC is held at Hoover-Y Park in Lockbourne, Ohio just off I-270 south of Columbus, Ohio. The park is spacious and comfortably shaded with huge oak trees.  A new stage was dedicated last year providing improved site lines and a permanent performance platform.  The three camping areas offer a limited number of 20 Amp electric hookups and almost unlimited rough camping space. There are no water hookups, but water is available on the site.  The campground opens on Sunday, July 17th and, for the first time, reservations can be made (call: 740-548-4199) at $35.00 for seven days or $5.00 per day without a reservation. A number of hotels and motels are available near the festival grounds for those who don't camp. Hot showers and flush toilets are available. For further information about them, click here.


Band Merchandise Row

Tickets
Tickets for MACC cost $95.00 if ordered by July 13 and $105.00 thereafter or at the gate.  There are a few ticket options, and you can get full information here.  Because the MACC is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization, tickets to the event are 90% tax deductible.  People who cannot attend the event are urged to contribute to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital by sending their check to: Musicians Against Childhood Cancer, 1434 S. 3B's & K Rd., Galena, OH 43021. 

Food and Merchandise Vendors




  
There's a good variety of food and merchandise vendors at MACC. The food tends toward fried and fair food.  Many of the merchandise vendors are music oriented with instruments and gear predominating.  The musicians' merchandise row allows performers, who aren't paid for their appearance at MACC to sell their CD's and perhaps recoup some of their expenses. 

How to Find Hoover - Y Park

MACC Kids Academy

The MACC Kids Academy practices under professional supervision for three days and performs on Saturday morning.  Often, select Academy participants are asked to participate in the MACC Opry late in the evening.  The kids get plenty of chance to strut their stuff as well as to learn new material.
  
Bradley Walker & Brandon Rickman

Sammy Shelor

The Quilt Auction on Saturday
  
Carl Jackson

Musicians Against Childhood Cancer combines an important cause with wonderful music in a delightful setting. Running from July 20 - 24, the festival is well worth your time and money.


1 comment:

  1. Wow! that is wonderful, great way to raise fund for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The amount still collected is a great effort.

    ReplyDelete