Ted Lehmann's Film, Books, Music & Commentary: Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival 2017

Saturday at Gettysburg started a little chilly and overcast, but the weather improved over the next two days, never really rainy, nor too sunny and hot. For many people, such weather is nearly ideal for bluegrass festivals, as hot sun is enervating, while rain, despite the long-held tradition of stolid enjoyment of the music rain or shine, truly puts a damper on the proceedings. Cool and overcast is nice!

East of Monroe

East of Monroe is a Washington area band with a wide-ranging repertoire and a pleasant sound featuring the song writing of Gary Ferguson as well as plenty of experience from its members. Lisa Kay Howard-Hughes also served as a hard-working and able emcee for the festival.

Lisa Kay Howard-Hughes

Gary Alan Ferguson

Wally Hughes

Terry Wittenberg

Billy Budd

Lisa Kay

Dry Branch Fire Squad

Dry Branch Fire Squad has long been based in southern Ohio, although leader Ron Thomason has lived in Colorado for many years, raises distance racing horses, and where he hosts the High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival, a benefit for local charities. Noted for its Old Time sound as well as Thomason's unique satirical humor, the band's popularity extends over forty years, and has performed at every Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival. It's Sunday morning gospel set, where the video below was recorded, is a must attend event for many fans.

Ron Thomason

Tom Boyd

Adam McIntosh

Jeff Byrd

McIntosh & Byrd

Rhonda Vincent & the Rage

Reliable, Hard Working, Generous Spirit, Fan Centered, Bluegrass Ambassador - A pretty good description of one of bluegrass music's assets, a person who draws audiences and pleases with professionalism and variety. On Saturday evening, she invited the young daughter of one of the festival vendors, the ever popular masseuse, to the stage to sing with her after learning that her favorite song was Rhonda's version of Jolene, Dolly Parton's ever popular hit. The little girl, Faith, belted out the song with confidence, in tune, and was awarded with a standing ovation. That's just one of the reason's she's so very popular.

Aaron McDaris

Josh Williams

Mickey Harris

Sally Berry

Brent Burke

Hunter Berry

Faith & Rhonda

Line at the Rhonda Vincent Boutique

Rhonda Greets Fans Till the Last One Leaves

Back Stage with Lou Reid

and Fred Travers

Seldom Scene

A genre busting band when they were formed and began performing (rarely) in Washington D.C. in 1971, The Seldom Scene introduced elements of folk, rock, and pop music into bluegrass, music that was ripe for interpretation within a bluegrass format. Once revolutionary, they have become one of the most beloved and respected bands in bluegrass. Now, with no member of the original Seldom Scene playing with them any longer, the four longest running members have been together longer than the original band. They're always a joy to see and hear. The Scene played two sets on Saturday and a next-to-closing long set on Sunday, guaranteeing that a good chunk of audience would stay through the last day.

Lou Reid

Rickie Simpkins

Ronnie Simpkins

Dudley Connell

Fred Travers

The Soggy Bottom Boys

The Soggy Bottom Boys, formed by T. Bone Burnett to sing background 1930's music for the hit film Oh, Brother Where Art Though seldom perform. Every member of the band is busy in his own band and in the studio. Therefore it was a treat to see them together on the stage at Gettysburg. Their program was interesting and varied, providing numerous examples of the source materials for bluegrass found in blues, swing, honky-tonk and other music from the first half of the twentieth century. Each member of the band has had a distinguished career in bluegrass and traditional music. One can only wish that they would perform more frequently.

Stuart Duncan

Ron Block

Pat Enright

Barry Bales

Dan Tyminski

Mike Compton

Pat Engight & Barry Bales

Dan Tyminski

Sidline closed out the evening with their fifth set of the weekend, yeoman work for an emerging top band!

Sunday

Arnold Dickens

Chris - Always Busy Behind the Scenes

Four day bluegrass festivals typically encounter a problem. After two or three days of listening to bluegrass music, jamming, visiting, perhaps a little drinking, and having a great time away from home, many people are ready to get home, take care of chores they have put aside for the weekend, and prepare for the work-week to come. They begin rolling out pretty early on Sunday morning, as a parade of vehicles heads to the gate. Gettysburg manages to keep a goodly share of its audience through at least part of Sunday by offering two special treats. The morning begins with a 10:00 AM gospel show presented by Dry Branch Fire Squad combining rousing gospel music, Ron Thomason's "sermon" and a closing rendition of "If I Could But Touch the Hem of his Garment" sung by the entire congre....er...audience.

Patent Pending

Another band from the Baltimore/Washington axis, once an important center of bluegrass music's widening attraction in urban, industrial areas enriched by post World War II expansion, Patent Pending brings together a group of like minded people singing gospel and bluegrass music for the love of the music. This kind of high quality regional bluegrass band provides the meat and potatoes of bluegrass festivals across the country.

Joe Zauner

Wayne Lanham

Leigh Taylor-Kron

Eldred Hill

Rusty Williams

Country Gentlemen Tribute Band

With the death of Bill Yates in 2015 no members who actually played with the Country Gentlemen currently perform with the Tribute Band. The current band continues to tour playing covers of the Country Gentlemen. Singer/Guitarist Mike Phipps has a voice eerily reminiscent of Charlie Waller's. I never saw the original band live, but love to hear their recordings (at least most of them) so I can't speak to the spirit or energy with which this band represents the original Perhaps the greatest tribute to the original band lies in the number and quality of their songs that played by bluegrassers from top professionals to local jams.

Mike Phipps

David Probst

Rick Briggs

Mark Clifton

Mike Connor

Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass

In 2016 Danny Paisley was named IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year, a tribute from the professional membership for the hard driving, traditional bluegrass he sings and plays. While his and his family's roots may be in North Carolina, they represent the bluegrass tradition developed in Baltimore's bars and at the major venues in northern Maryland and Southeastern Pennsylvania at Sunset Park and the New River Ranch, hotbeds of traditional bluegrass and country music from the late forties into seventies. Two families, the Paisleys and the Lundys have been the core of The Southern Grass since they were formed by Danny's late father, Bob. The emergence of Ryan Paisley on mandolin represents at least the third generation of this remarkable band with roots deep in the Pennsylvania's Chester County.

Danny Paisley

Ryan Paisley

T.J. Lundy

Donny Eldreth

Bobby Lundy

Traditionally, Seldom Scene, along with Dry Branch Fire Squad. both fixtures at Gettysburg since the beginning, plays a long set in the afternoon. Long time fans wait for this leisurely, pretty informal set, often featuring some dialogue with the audience and plenty of songs sung by request. On a sunny Sunday afternoon, it's simply bluegrass heaven.

Southard Audio - Jason Misterka & Jesse Stover

Southard Audio provides the consistently high quality sound heard for years at Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival. Over the years their highly professional operation has enhanced the quality of the musical and visual experiences for festival and event attendees throughout the Middle Atlantic region and beyond.

Remington Ryde

Ryan Frankhauser

Remington Ryde closed out Sunday afternoon to a small, but enthusiastic crowd, as people wearily headed for home after another four days of experiencing one of the very best bluegrass festivals anywhere.

Richard Egolf