Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Bluegrass Festival 2013 - Review

The Denton FarmPark, located a few miles outside the small, run-down village of Denton, NC (population: 1636) in rural Davidson County. It contains a fine collection of farm buildings brought from the region as well as wonderful farm implements and antique steam driven equipment. A diesel train runs around the spacious park, giving children and adults rides on a conveyance that hardly exists in the consciousness of most Americans today. Its spacious camping areas and buildings provide hidden niches where jammers congregate all day long and far into the very early morning to jam hour after hour. The Doyle Lawson Bluegrass Festival welcomes one of the strongest jamming communities we see on our rounds.  Sadly, during the weekend we saw no really young kids carrying instruments and picking, but many old hands and hot pros were to be found everywhere.  Saturday's program featured a young showcase band, a rising family band (both built around sisters playing together0. a band playing traditional Monroe/Scruggs style bluegrass, two gospel-centered bands, and a hard driving contemporary band which is, perhaps, at the height of its powers during a thirty year history. In short, there was something for just about everyone. In line with my general policy, I covered Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver on Friday, so I won't have pictures of his superb and historic band today.

The Hinson Girls

The Hinson Sisters performed as a showcase band to an appreciative audience awake enough to show up at 11:00 in the morning.  I believe this to be the only (and perhaps the first) festival performance for this young band,which won the 2012 band contest.  It provided a good leavening experience for this band which plays primarily for church-related functions.

  Katelyn Hinson

 Alison Hinson

Melissa Hinson

Kristin Hinson

Bill Plemmons RV is a Major Sponsor of the Festival

Provide Sales & Service on the Grounds 

The Bankesters

The Bankesters, recently signed to a recording contract by prestige Compass Records, are a rising family band transitioning from, as John Lawless wrote, "cute kid" to serious musical group featuring three attractive sisters, close family harmony, and a contemporary bluegrass/folk style. Fiddler Emily Bankester was awarded the IBMA Momentum Award in its inaugural year, 2012.  A busy touring schedule this year will certainly add to their polish and performance skills.

 Alysha Bankester

Melissa Bankester Triplett

Emily Bankester

Kyle Triplett

Phil Bankester

Dorene Bankester

 

 Big Country Bluegrass

 Big Country Bluegrass is in its fourth decade of presenting traditional bluegrass combining Monroe/Scruggs style with distinct mountain sounds. High lonesome tenor Eddie Gill is a standout for those who prefer his style of singing. New addition Tim Laughlin on fiddle was good to see.  

Tommy Sells

Teresa Sells


Eddie Gill


Lynwood Lunsford

Tim Laughlin

Tony King

Kids Activities

Paul Williams & the Victory Trio

Paul Williams has a storied career in bluegrass music, first with the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, then his brother-in-law Jimmy Martin and now, after a renewed conviction, as solely a gospel bluegrass singer. His crystal clear high tenor remains undimmer after six decades performing

 Paul Williams

Dan Moneyhun

Adam Winstead

Jerry & Susie Keys

The Lonesome River Band

Some bands are sufficiently well know to go by their initials or a nick name. The Lonesome River Band is surely one of these, and LRB just rolls off the tongues of their legion of fans. LRB is traditional enough for most traditionalists and contemporary enough to please fans from the progressive side. If they were in Congress, they'd be passing legislation. In bluegrass, with master banjo player Sammy Shelor at their head, they're merely pleasing old fans and creating new ones.  We're lucky enough to see them often and happy to know that they're touring widely to strong crowds, particularly when they close the show on Saturday night.  

Randy Jones

Mike Hartgrove

Barry Reed

Brandon Rickman


Sammy Shelor

Saturday Evening Jam