Looking Back at Our Bluegrass Year - Part 1

During the past few years, our bluegrass year has begin in Berryville, VA where Frank Jurney has hosted a winter series, recently moved into a wonderful auditorium at the new high school. Frank announced that he was retiring from promoting this event, but changed his mind later in the year. More about that in a few weeks. This year the event featured a pretty good pickup band calling itself Plan B and the Larry Stephenson band. Pictures in this series, unlike my regular festival coverage, focus photos of individuals with no effort to be comprehensive or analytic. Just using photos that struck me along the way as I looked back on our year.

Rickie Simpkins - Plan B

Ronnie Simpkins - Plan B

Dudley Connell - Plan B

Kenny Ingram - Larry Stephenson Band

Larry Stephenson

YeeHaw Junction - Florida

Dwight McCall - American Drive

Adam McIntosh - American Drive

Grasstowne Rehearsal

Justin Jenks & Kameron Keller

Afternoon Jam

Jay & Martha Sheperd, Todd Goodwill & Jim Joyce

Ernie Evans - Florida State Bluegrass Band

Shannon Slaughter - Grasstowne

Alan Bibey - Grasstowne

JR Davis - Highway 41

Jerry Butler - Jerry Butler & the Blue J's

Keith Bass - Florida Bluegrass Express

Skip Cherryholmes - Sideline

Jason Moore - Sideline

The Palatka Bluegrass Festival

Held annually on the Rodeheaver Boys Ranch south of Palatka Florida in late February, Palatka is one of Norman Adams signature festivals. An all-star festival, Palatka draws the strongest crowds for bluegrass of any festival in Florida.

Terry Baucom

Kody Norris - Watauga Mountain Boys

Mike Fagin - Kody Norris & the Watauga Mountain Boys

Sherry Boyd - Emcee Extraordinaire 

Larry Sparks

James King

Merle Johnson - James King Band

Rhonda Vincent

Marty Raybon

Jamie Dailey - Dailey & Vincent

Jeff Parker

Darrin Vincent - Dailey & Vincent

Eric Gibson

Ron Thomason

Little Roy Lewis & Ron Thomason

Ben Eldridge - Seldom Scene

Lou Reid - Seldom Scene

Little Roy Lewis & Lizzy Long

Little Roy Lewis

Josh Williams - Rhonda Vincent & the Rage

Hunter Berry, Herb Sandker, Brent Burke, Rhonda Vincent Sandker

The Roscoe Canaday Memorial Bluegrass Festival

Waldo, Florida

Held the week after Palatka at Dixieland RV Park in Waldo, FL, this small and fun festival is designed to be like a week long cruise, featuring many activities to keep the week interesting and enjoyable.

Tim Stafford - Blue Highway

Bill Warren - Photographer & Bluegrass Today Correspondant

The Fishing Tournament at Waldo

Julia Ellen Gardner, Rosalie Canaday, McRoy Gardner

Marty Raybon & Chris Wade

Bobby Martin - Swinging Bridge

Travers Chandler

Junior Williams & Kati Penn Williams

Shawn Lane - Blue Highway

Rob Ickes - Blue Highway

Newell Lodge

Located on a magnificent live oak hammock in the midst of South Georgia's piney woods, Newell Lodge has not yet lived up to its promise despite being a wonderful site for a bluegrass festival. This year it was chilly and wet, too.

Patton Wages - Volume Five

Frances Mooney - Fontana Sunset

W.a. Pate

Sara Harris - Trinity River

Kalyn & Clint Wilson

Nashville

We spent a little more than a week in Nashville at the end of March, while the main reason for being there was to attend Leadership Bluegrass, there's always plenty to do there.

Music City Roots

Music City Roots puts on a weekly live radio and streamed roots music program which often includes one or more bluegrass bands. Admission is only $10.00, and the show is great. Since moved to a larger location, this performance was still at the famous Lovelace Cafe.

Craig Havighurst Introduces the Show

and Conducts On-Air Interviews

Craig Havighurst Interviews Rhonda Vincent

Rhonda Vincent

John Cowan - Guest Host

Teea Goans & Carl Jackson

Music City Roots Grand Finale

The Station Inn

Each Monday at the Station Inn Larry Cordle, Carl Jackson, and assorted friends present what has become a very popular program of "real" country music. The cast includes great session musicians and touring musicians when they're in town. Popular and always fun.

Mike Bub

Janee Fleenor

Larry Cordle

Carl Jackson

The Country Music Hall of Fame

We spent a wonderful day at the Country Music Hall of Fame, which includes a whole lot of bluegrass, especially its early days, but right now also has an exhibit on the Gibson Brothers. When you're in Music City, this is a museum not to be missed.

Wall of Gold and Platinum Records

No Better Guide than 
Writer

Shannon Turner

Bill Monroe's Mandolin

The Old Rock School in Valdese, NC

The Old Rock School is a classic venue from early bluegrass days that's been rebuilt and improved from the days when Flatt & Scruggs and Bill Monroe played there.

Mark Newton - Newton & Thomas

Steve Thomas - Newton & Thomas

That's pretty much the first three months of our bluegrass year. More to come before the New Year.