Musicians Against Childhood Cancer (The MACC) 2015: Preview

July 22 - 25, 2015

Musicians Against Childhood Cancer is a bluegrass festival born of tragedy that has turned into a celebration of a life and a testament to the generosity of bluegrass musicians (who perform without pay here) as they raise funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN where promoters Darrell and Phyllis Adkins' daughter Mandy was treated for a brain stem cancer. Since 2000, The MACC (as it is affectionately known) has donated $809,690 to St. Jude Hospital and the YMCA. This is the sixteenth year this festival has been held, although Darrell Adkins has been promoting bluegrass in the Columbus area for over thirty years. The festival is located at 1570 Rohr Road in the Hoover YMCA Park in Lockbourne, Ohio, on the southern edge of Columbus.

Mandy Adkins

People come from all over the world to attend The MACC, where they celebrate bluegrass and country music while knowing they contribute to a worthwhile cause in a joyful way.

The Lineup

Each day at the MACC presents a "to die for" lineup for an entire festival in another venue. All this quality brought together in a comfortable and convenient location make for one of the most unusual and satisfying bluegrass festivals that can be found. Performers appearing more than once will only be mentioned or pictured here once.

Wednesday
Adkins & Loudermilk
Dave Adkins

Dave Adkins and Edgar Loudermilk have been experiencing increasing success as they become more accustomed to working together. Recent changes in their band should be interesting to see. The chemistry between these two very different performers is excellent.

Edgar Loudermilk

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

The most recognized traditional fiddle player of our time will probably be sitting in with several bands. Look for Mike out in the field jamming, too.

Kenny & Amanda Smith

Amanda Smith, this year's IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year and Kenny Smith, twice Guitar Player of the Year, have added quality and new life to their band with John Meyer, Jacob Burleson, and Kyle Perkins. This is already good band is now much improved.

Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

Popular everywhere, and a regular at the MACC. Russell Moore's fine voice has held up wonderfully through the years, resulting in multiple awards as Male Vocalist of the Year. 

Blue Highway

Through twenty years with no changes in their lineup, Blue Highway has consistently pioneered with fine songs, great musicianship, and strong singing. 

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

One of the greats, a Bluegrass Hall of Fame member, Doyle Lawson will be featured twice today, including the Old Friends segment which highlights three men who've performed together and apart for a total of over a century and a half....a visit to nostalgia for all bluegrass fans.

Daryle Singletary "Acoustic"

Daryle Singletary performed an acoustic set last year at The MACC and earned himself an invitation to come back. He was enthusiastically received and will be eagerly looked forward to this year.

Macc Classic - Old Friends

   J.D. Crowe

        Paul Williams

   

Thursday

Don Rigsby & Midnight Call

Don Rigsby has had one of standout tenor voices in bluegrass for two decades, since his early days with LRB. He appears here with his own band, Midnight Call, as well as with The Band of Ruhks and Longview. 

Steve Dilling & Sideline

An idea for something to do in the off season has become a much admired and busy band. You'll enjoy watching these traditional bluegrassers from North Carolina doing what they love to do...having fun making music. Steve Dilling continues as the best band emcee in the business.  Sideline is making its MACC debut.

Feller & Hill

Feller & Hill first came together as a band at The MACC and continue there as sound men as well with their band. In the past year or so the band has come into its own, delivering well-paced, midwestern sounding bluegrass that strikes a nostalgic and interesting tone. 

Band of Ruhks

Featuring three bluegrass giants (Kenny Smith, Ronnie Bowman, and Don Rigsby), this super band has had difficulty finding traction and a permanent banjo player. It is hoped that with their new CD and more time spent playing together, they'll gel at the MACC. 

Grascals
Adam Haynes

The Grascals have been going through some changes, but they will bring their energy and combination of respect for the old with ear catching new songs to this week with enthusiasm. I've already heard their new tenor singer. 

Kristin Scott Benson

Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers

Over fifty years in the business and still going strong, many people think Larry Sparks has one of the best voices....ever.

Shenandoah with Marty Raybon

Ground breaking country rock band led by Marty Raybon, a regular at the MACC with his bluegrass band, has been on a reunion tour. This appearance alone would be worth a ticket to the MACC for many fans. With two gold albums and twenty-six songs on the Hot Country charts, seven number one singles, and a Grammy Award in their history, this performance will truly be a treat. Shenandoah is making its MACC debut, although Raybon has been a regular here.

Friday

The Baker Family

The Baker Family is a young, family band making its MACC debut this year. 

Sister Sadie

Sister Sadie was initiated as special project of five well-known musicians (all women) performing first at the Station Inn as a bluegrass band. Consisting of Dale Ann Bradley, Deannie Richardson, Beth Lawrence, Gena Britt, and Tina Adair, the band created a sensation in their debut showcasing in the Convention Hall Ballroom, and are booking themselves into a few select festivals. This band is a real treat and a true super-band. Sister Sadie is making its MACC debut.

Lou Reid & Carolina
Lou Reid

It's always a pleasure to see this fine band. Lou Reid has had a long career in bluegrass, having been a member of The Seldom Scene for longer than any other member except founding member Ben Eldridge as well as being a frequent guest with other bands. His wife Christy will take a few days away from shepherding her daughters' sports activities to bring her sprightly personality to this mix. Enjoy!

Christy Reid

Larry Stephenson Band

Larry with Kenny Ingram

Solid traditional bluegrass from one of the finest true tenor singers in bluegrass. Kenny's a veteran who's played with the best. Larry Stephenson has long set a standard for bluegrass tenors. His fervent gospel singing is always eagerly welcomed, as are his fine murder ballads. 

Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers

Scruggs style banjo player with Longview and fronting his own band for nearly a decade, now. IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year in 2012.

Bradley Walker

IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year in 2007, Bradley has a deep, resonant baritone voice equally adept with bluegrass and country songs. Bradley's a real addition to any all-star band.

Lonesome River Band

Sammy Shelor

Few banjo players have such a distinctive sound that others seek to sound like him - Shelor Style...and he's been amply rewarded for it with the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Bluegass and Banjo. Brandon Rickman is insufficiently regarded as both a singer and the fine guitar player he is. Tenor mandolinist Randy Jones' position will be hard to fill, but young Jesse Smathers should do just fine, and his tenor voice is as good as anyone's in the business. LRB has been a leader for years, and is at the top of its game, Now.

Brandon Rickman

The MACC Nashville Mystery Artist

I'm as much in the dark as you are on this one. I have some thoughts, but Friday nights at The MACC always bring some surprises, and you can expect another good one for Friday night. Anticipation......

The SteelDrivers

Gary Nichols, an Alabama blues guy and singer/songwriter has reinvigorated the band that put the blues back in bluegrass. For the SteelDrivers latest CD, "The Muscle Shoals Recordings," the band journeyed to Nichols' home in Alabama for the vibe of this famous studio.

MACC Classic

Dudley Connell

One of the joys found at The MACC is Darrell Adkins' presentations of "MACC Classics," performances by musical friends of Darrell and the festival who come together on this stage for what are often unforgettable musical moments. This Classic should be one such moment.

Larry Stephenson

Randy Kohrs

Saturday

Macc Children's Band

After several days of rehearsals and opportunities to make music together, The MACC Children's Band gives the opening performance on Saturday. It's always an enjoyable time for the those of the audience who make their way to the stage for this early show. 

Volume Five
Glen Harrell

Veteran singer/fiddler Glen Harrell has led Mississippi-based Volume Five to national prominence. It's a hard working band that makes its MACC debut this year.

Breaking Grass
Cody Farrar

Breaking Grass, another Mississippi band, was received with real enthusiasm last year despite an early appearance on the schedule. They've earned their way back to the MACC and, it's very much to be hoped to greater prominence elsewhere, too.

Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time

As a song writer, Larry Cordle has won IBMA Song of the Year award twice and been nominated for two Grammy awards. His Highway 40 Blues and Murder on Music Row are classics in both bluegrass and country music. He's also a performer of rare and consistent power. With his own band Lonesome Standard Time or in various other combinations....dynamite.

Lost & Found

Lost and Found, fronted by Allen Mills, has been around a long time, and their mellow, nostalgic songs are favorites.

Flatt Lonesome w/Centerville Alternative Strings

2014 IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year will present their own set in the best position they've ever enjoyed at The MACC. They will also perform a couple of songs with the Centerville (Ohio) Alternative Strings, which has played with a different band for the last three years to great acclaim. Look forward to a good show.

Cordle Jackson & Salley

Larry Cordle, Carl Jackson, and Jerry Salley, joined here by Val Storey, have become a regular and much looked forward to feature of Saturday night's grand finale at the MACC. Look for surprise performances with this group from the day's (and often the week's) lineup. You never know what will happen, except there'll be plenty of classic country music. 

The Original Longview
James King

The original Longview featured Dudley Connell, James King, Don Rigsby, Joe Mullins , Glen Duncan, and Marshall Wilborn as a somewhat fluid, super-band that recorded and made select appearances. Aubrey Haney will be substituting for Duncan. Since most of these people are on hand this weekend at The MACC, you can expect a strong reunion performance as well as some of the appearing elsewhere..

MACC Classic

Josh Williams "Tribute to J.D. Crowe"

Josh Williams will host the closing performance of this year's MACC in a tribute to J.D. Crowe, one of the most influential banjo players and band leaders of the second half of the 20th century. There's no indication who will be on the stage for this show, but it will be a fitting closing for a great all-star festival.

J.D. Crowe

The Details

Tickets: You can buy tickets for Musicians Against Childhood Cancer online until July 15, 2015 at a discounted price.  Buy Discount Tickets online here.  After that, you can buy them at the gate or online at the gate price.

Gate Prices

2015 Ticket Prices at the Gate and online:

*3 or 4 Day Tickets $110.00​

*Daily Ticket - $40.00 or *Combination of 2 or 3 day - $40.00 per day

Children 11-15 years old 1/2 price

Children 10 and under are free with a parent

The ticket gate will be open from 8am to 11pm daily

No Refund on Tickets

Todd Sams D-28 Guitar Raffle: Each year Todd Sams makes a D-28 replica of Tony Rice's guitar, which is raffled at the MACC. Tickets are $10.00 each and can be ordered on line. The winner will be drawn on Saturday evening at 7:30. You don't have to be present to win. The winner will be notified. Buy Your Guitar Tickets Here.

Last Year's Winner

Camping at The MACC:  There are 268 sites with electricity and almost unlimited rough camping on the grounds of Hoover Y Park  in several locations at $10.00 a night. Transportation from the more remote areas is provided. There are also 84 30 amp sites available at $25.00 per night. These usually sell out pretty early. To arrange for camping, call (740) 548-4199. For additional camping information Look Here.  For a map of Hoover Y Look Here.

Hotels and Motels: A number of motels and hotels are located within convenient driving distance. You and find a list HERE.

How to Get to Hoover Y Park

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Musicians Against Childhood Cancer is one of the best bluegrass festivals in the country, because of its lineup, the cause it supports, and its location. There's always room for more people to come there, so put this one on your list for this year or on your bucket list.