Podunk Bluegrass Festival - Preview

Podunk Bluegrass Festival has become a mainstay of central Connecticut bluegrass music through its now twenty-two years in existence. This year's festival will run from Audust 9 - 12, 2018 at the Hebron Lions Club Fairgrounds in Hebron, CT, located just 15.5 miles southeast of state capital, Hartford, an easy drive from Boston to New York. This lineup is filled with major bluegrass bands as well as local and regional ones to be found on two stages. The former acoustic stage has been renamed the the Showcase Stage, and will feature more mainstream bluegrass, folk, and acoustic acts, catering more to the bluegrass audience. Headliner bands include the Tim O'Brien Band, Balsam Range, and Flatt Lonesome. and Dale Ann Bradley along with fine supporting bands on each day. The band contest looks like a winner, and the usual cluster of other of other activities are all present. Of course, there will be jamming late into the night all over the campus.

Main Stage

Thursday

Band Contest

In past years, it has been difficult to preview bands participating in the Podunk Band Contest, and even more the secondary stage, because they were such low profile or so social media averse that I couldn't find sufficient information to write about them. Today, even most upstart bands have become savvy enough to post videos of themselves and some contact and personnel information. This is a huge advance over just a year or two ago.

Beg, Steal or Borrow - Last Year's Band Contest Winner

Having said that, I want to emphasize that the band contest offers plenty of good music for early arrivals. In the early days, it was held on Sunday afternoon, attracting few listeners. Now, once you get here and set up on Thursday afternoon, you can look forward to hearing at least four good contest bands performing twice starting at 5:00 PM with the winner to be announced at 10:15, just in time for a night of jamming. 

Collinsville String Band

Collinsville lies only about forty miles west of Hebron, just the other side of Hartford, and performs mostly in the village there. While the Collinsville String Band doesn't play bluegrass exclusively, it sees the genre as were their roots lie.  

https://www.facebook.com/collinsvillestringband/videos/955344574541839

Blackjack Crossing

Based in Keene, NH and Brattleboro, VT, Blackjack Crossing has been together for nine years, playing locally and at the JoeVal showcase stage, Bluegrass in the Bogs in Massachusetts, and the Cheshire County Fair in NH.  While based in bluegrass, it doesn't restrict itself to the form, while performing many original songs, traditional ones, and thoughtful covers.

Blackjack Crossing - Little Cabin Home on the Hill

Pretty Saro

A Boston-based band formed in 2015, apparently still tinkering with its sound, which has showcased at Joe Val and FressGrass. They work on their fine harmonies and perform at clubs around the Hub. 

Pretty Saro - Horseplay - Green Room Session

River Bones Band

The River Bones Band is from Philadelphia, where they seem to play pretty regularly around the city and its suburbs. They say they don't play mountain music, but are influenced by it and create music which appeals to them, while inviting their audience to join them for a good time.  

Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down

Sponsor of the Band Contest

Friday

Mike Mitchell Trio

Mike Mitchell, who plays his grandfather's 1890 hand-carved fiddle comes from fiddle country, in Southwestern, VA. He's had his talented fingers in music ranging from classical to traditional bluegrass to the jam band scene. He teaches fiddle at the Floyd Music School, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in VA while keeping a busy performance schedule, too. 

The Lowground

The Honey Dewdrops

The Honey Dewdrops have been touring together for nine years and have crafted a unique pleasing sound lying somewhere between folk,bluegrass, country, their own idiosyncratic style. They've toured across thc country and abroad performing at festivals, in concerts, and house concerts, always pleasing and reaching out with beautiful harmonies accompanied on a wide variety of stringed instruments. Their songs are joyful, plaintive, warm, and welcoming. Make the welcome at Podunk. 

The Honey Dewdrops - Let Me Sing 

The Karl Shifflett & Big Country Show

Karl Shifflett & Big Country Show bring the feel and sound of radio music shows in the early days of broadcast radio when bands wearily traveled from small town to small town to appear at 5,000 watt radio stations, trying to sell out small meeting halls, school auditoriums, and local bars to make a living performing a new and much loved version of mountain music the people of these towns loved. Karl is a national treasure keeping this tradition alive. 

Karl Shifflett and Big Country Show

Kristy Cox & Calder Highway with Jerry Salley

Kristy Cox, an Australian born country and bluegrass singer, who has been living and performing full time in the U.S for the past three years is on a limited tour with Jerry Salley, and Grammy Award winning song-writer and fine performer. Australia, with its own history of wild country (the Outback) and successful country singers (think Keith Urban) provides rich territory. This should prove to be an excellent show you won't want to miss. 

Jerry Salley &Kristy Cox - When It Comes to You

Flatt Lonesome
Charli Robertson & Kelsie Robertson Harrigill

Flatt Lonesome is an example of the benefits of talent, hard work, and persistence. Coming from a rural, background in northern Florida, they appeared first about seven years ago. Since then, they have moved to the Nashville area, build an ever growing fan base and been awarded with a pile of IBMA awards. They have broadened their musical palette while their sibling close harmonies are well-loved by many. They haven't reached near the top of their potential yet, so keep an eye on them while you can still afford to go to one of their shows. 

Flatt Lonesome - All My Life

Balsam Range

Balsam Range is one of those rare groups that has had the same personnel in it since their inception in 2007, when they emerged out of rural Heywood County in the Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina they have their varied musical backgrounds in bluegrass, country, and rock music together into a rich, exciting musical soup. Balsam Range is one of those bands we travel to see when they're in the lineup. They don't play in New England as frequently as they should, so take advantage of this opportunity. 

They[re Burning Georgia Down

Main Campus & Vendors Row

Saturday

The Zolla Boys

The Zolla Boys have continued to grow, to improve, and to continue to work at their music while allowing themselves to become well-rounded and attractive young people at the same time. As their musicianship and poise have increased, so has their range of song choice and geography. The work shows. They'll be seen on both the main stage and the showcase stage this year, where they will be the host band. 

The Zolla Boys - Colleen Malone

Beg, Steal, or Borrow

Beg, Steal, or Borrow, winner of last year's Podunk Band Contest justly deserve to be on the main stage at Podunk, not just because they won the band contest, but because they are good. Based in Vermont, their range of bluegrass festivals has widened, while they should be known even farther afield. They're a hard driving, inventive and fun. Join the fun on Friday!

Beg, Steal, or Borrow - Hard Hearted

Virginia Ramblers

The Virginia Ramblers are the successor band for the long-time traditional band, The Virginia Cutups. They have continued the musical tradition while add new players from a variety of backgrounds as needed.

Virgnia Ramblers - The Shut In Friend

Dale Ann Bradley

Dale Ann Bradley's voice is familiar and loved by bluegrass fans everywhere. She's been named IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year five times. Her leadership of Sister Sadie has helped propel this all woman band of experienced and under-recognized musicians into national prominence. Her melodious voice and warm personality can't help but capture fans wherever she appears. 

Dale Ann Bradley - Somewhere South of Crazy

Flashback

Flashback was formed originally in 1995 as a reunion band of J.D. Crowe and the New South. The current membership, with Stuart Wyrick on banjo, Richard Bennett on guitar, Don Rigsby on mandolin, and Curt Chapman on bass does an admirable job of recreating the Crowe sound and vibe. 

Flashback - You Can Have Her

The Tim O'Brien Band

For more than forty-five years, Tim O'Brien has showered the musical world with his virtuosity and the variety of his musical imagination. The list of accomplishments don't quite capture the breadth of Tim's accomplishments. A founding member of Hot Rize (IBMA's first Entertainer of the Year), two Grammy Awards, twice IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year don't tell the story. The number of people he's performed with from his sister Molly, with whom he still performs, to singer/songwriter Darrell Scott with whom he has been performing and recording for several years, the range is beyond imagination. Tim will be performing one 90 minute set on Saturday night. 

Tim O'Brien - High Flying Bird

Tod Hutchinson & Mark Fitzgerald
Rosewood Sound

Rest Room & Shower Complex

Sunday

Gospel Sing & Jam

Kids' Academy Performance

The Cornfed Dogs

With Nick Novia and Joe DiLillo at their center, the Cornfed Dogs have been a busy band in and around New England, Here's an earlier version of the band you'll see on Sunday, but you get the idea. Lots of fun with some familiar faces. 

Cornfed Dogs - Gone Home

Showcase Stage

The Showcase Stage has worked over the past few years to provide an opportunity for little known bands to perform in a festival setting. Sadly, the stage has been located a distance away from the Main Stage on this relatively large fairground. Podunk attendees who wander back to the Showcase Stage are in for a treat this year.   Contrary to past years, most of the bands have an active web presence, although they don't all have YouTube videos. I've done my best to introduce some of these riches to you. Bands appearing more than once or contest bands featured on the main stage are not profiled again. 

Thursday

Band in the River

This is a young duo from Portland, CT. You can see a video and learn a little more from their Facebook page. 

Wide Open Spaces

Wide Open Spaces describes itself as "music without borders." Offering acoustic music which apparently achieves what it claims, this band looks and sounds like fun. Worth a trip out to the Showcase Stage,

Wide Open Spaces - Limin'

Grass Routes

Grass Routes has been around since the 1980's, a Connecticut band familiar to and liked by bluegrass fans. This solid cover of a fine Gibson Brothers song shows how deeply into bluegrass communities Leigh and Eric have penetrated around the country. Know a band's greatness by the quality of it's covers. If that's a valid measure, there's plenty good to say about this song and this band. 

Grass Routes - Somethin' Comin' To Me

Andrew Bohrman

An experienced multi-generational performer from Yarmouth, ME, Andrew Bohrman will be performing as a solo act. 

Open Mic with Jack Jolie

Jack Jolie is a noted Maine singer and known associate of the great Al Hawkes. He will host an Open Mic on Thursday as well as perform on this state on Friday 

Jack Jolie - Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart

Friday

The Zolla Boys

River Bones Band

Jack Jolie

Still Pickin'

Trio based in Mansfield, CT, Still Pickin' has been performing for nine years at festivals, local events, senior citizens residences, and other venues. 

Still Pickin'Band 

Sinners's Pie

Coming from the Brookline/Newton area of Boston suburbs, Sinner's Pie offers a wide variety of Americana leaning towards acoustic bluegrass and folk. They claim, rightly, that "everything goes better with pie." Make mine strawberry-rhubarb. 

Sinner's Pie - Ring of Gold

Black Jack Crossing

Dale & Darcy Band with Neil Rossi

Dale & Darcy have been entertaining at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT on Saturdays for the past eight years as well as at the full range of festivals, local events, weddings, and family reunions available to solid performing bands. It's always a pleasure, and too rare, to see Neil Rossi, too. 

Seat of Our Pants

It's always refreshing to hear a band that infuses a bit of humor into its music. Seat of Our Pants (SOOP) performs around Connecticut, maintaining a busy schedule. 

Seat of Our Pants - Connected

Saturday

Jackson's Island Band

"Bluegrass inspired folksy rock band" covers a lot of territory. Not much more available except the FB song linked to below. 

https://www.facebook.com/jacksonsisland/videos/1865865503629157/

Collinsville String Band

Restless Mountain Bluegrass Band

Restless Mountain Bluegrass Band has been active in various configurations in Connecticut for over a decade, and reconstituted in 2017 with several new musicians, a new song mix and new presentation. They claim, "Restless Mountain Bluegrass Band always offers a fun mix of traditional standards and entertaining classics that bring fond memories and a smile. From music stages to special occasions, we'll entertain!"

Restless Mountain Bluegrass Band - I've Got a Tiger by the Tail

BluesGrass

See Podunk Showcase bands for information about this band. 

One Way Track 

Zolla Boys

Cajun/Zydeco Dance with the Squeezebox Stompers

On Saturday evening the Squeezebox Stompers will play for a Zydeco/Cajun dance at the Showcase Stage.

Overall, Podunk offers one of the broadest ranges at a mid-sized festival offered anywhere. The Showcase Stage offers New England bands, and particularly those with their roots in Connecticut an opportunity to be seen and heard. Let's hope the attract enough attention from fans and promoters to justify continuing this often neglected stage.

Other Activities

Workshops: As usual, Podunk will feature an extensive, wide ranging Schedule of Workshops. These will empasize instrumental and vocal skills, discussions with artists, and opportunities to drill down with accomplished artists into their approach to music. 

Family Fun: Enjoyable activities and projects for children, sponsored by Hulls Art Supply will continue through the weekend. Here's the schedule. 

Podunk Kids Academy: Once again the Rhode Island Bluegrass Alliance (RIBA) will conduct the Kids Academy. Bluegrass festivals feature kids academies during the summer months designed to acquaint children with bluegrass instruments, build a short performance to be delivered on Sunday morning, and give parents a break. Get the details Here.

The Details

The Podunk Bluegrass Festival has, over the years, developed a useful, functional website, making it only necessary for me to provide links to the relevant places at their site. Explore the Podunk Bluegrass Festival web site for further information. 

Tickets

Camping

How to Get to Podunk

Place your location in the space marked O

Click Enter and copy the directions

The Artists' Merchandise Barn

Only a month away, we look forward to seeing your at Podunk. 

Ten Great Days in Shelby, North Carolina

Shelby, NC lies near the center of the bluegrass world, at least the one Irene and I have lived in for the past twenty years. Located in Cleveland County, on the South Carolina border. Shelby is near the birth place of Earl Scruggs, it emerged from the rich history of migrations from Appalachia to the mill towns of the South, many of which were located in or nearby.  Shelby was also the home of Dr. Bobby Jones, known to most of the wider world as blogger Dr. Tom Bibey, but in his real life a beloved physician to the local residents, regardless of social position, an avid golfer, a skilled mandolin player active in the local bluegrass community, and, of course, a loving husband and father.

Dr. Bobby Jones (Dr. Tom Bibey)

Soon after I began this blog, late in 2006, comments started appearing on it signed by Dr. Tom Bibey.  They were thoughtful and encouraging, while urging me to visit his own blog, which detailed the life of a small town physician, musician, golfer, husband, and father living in a fictitious southern town. After a rather long dance, we finally met, enjoyed each other's company, and began coming to Shelby for increasingly long and treasured visits. Sadly, Bobby Jones died, too soon, in 2012, attacked by a brain tumor. However, we kept coming to Shelby to spend time with the people we came to know through him - his widow Marta, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Rick Dancy (their friend and guide after Bobby's passing), and many others. Bobby's book, The Mandolin Case, is still available.  A week or so ago, we returned for a ten day stay at our lake cottage, in the nearby John H. Moss Reservoir campground, What follows is a little bit about our stay.

Our Lake Cottage on John H. Moss Reservoir

Wayne Taylor and the Carnegie Tradition - Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms

On Wedneday we got a surprise call from our friend Wayne Taylor, who, after a distinguished career as a member, lead singer, and emcee of the U.S. Navy Bluegrass Band - Country Current, has retired to his home in North Carolina where he lives in the country and continues to perform. We met him and his long-time friend Pam Cooper for supper and a catch-up at the local Ruby Tuesday. Wayne is working with several bands and has recently released two CD's, one called The Carnegie Experience, which captures the excitement and music of Flatt & Scruggs. His other CD is called The Great American Country Band, with fine covers of 1970's and 80's country classic songs. With the two bands together, he is touring with a ninety minute show. Contact Wayne Taylor Productions for more information.

Wayne Taylor & Great American Country Band - Hank Williams Medley

As we were finishing our supper, Wayne looked up and said, "Here comes Carl White, now!" Now, this certainly wasn't an accidental meeting, but I quickly was glad that Wayne had invited Carl to join us. Carl White produces a television show called Life in the Carolinas which can be seen on a number of television stations in North Carolina. Some episodes can be seen on YouTube, too. He also writes a syndicated column, and you can subscribe to his newsletter. When Carl shows up, his trusty iPhone comes out, and, suddenly, you're in an interview...and it's fun! Carl has an infectious personality, asks piercing questions, and shows up in interesting places showcasing his home state.
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Carl White

Wayne Taylor & Pam Cooper

U.S. Navy Bluegrass Band Country Current - The Bluenose

Wayne Taylor's Last Bluegrass Festival in 2010

Wayne Taylor

Darin Aldridge Teaching  at the Earl Scruggs Center

We were first introduced to Darin Aldridge at a jam in a semi-buried cinder block building built during the early fifties when nuclear attack was a legitimate scare in the U.S. The building, known throughout the area as the Bomb Shelter, is home to a regular Wednesday night jam, which Dr. Bobby brought us to. We heard a lot of hot pickers, but Darin Aldridge stood out, along with his fianee Brooke Justice. Since then we've gone to churches, concerts, festivals, small jams, and more as our friendship with Darin and Brooke grew and ripened. Here's an early recording I made of their first band:

Darin & Brooke Aldridge - I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart - 2011

Darin has been an integral part of the development of the Earl Scruggs Center since its inception. He helped to prepare some of the exhibits. For instance, it's his hands demonstrating three styles of banjo picking in an interesting filmed display. On Friday morning, he was scheduled to teach two groups of elementary school students about the history of bluegrass. The kids would then go downstairs to the museum, with a series of questions to answer before they reconvened. Below, Darin is preparing his hardware including all three instruments he will play during his presentation, his boom box to play examples of music, which are coordinated with pictures he shows on the big screen behind him. Suffice it to say that few classroom teachers with advanced degrees would have a classroom preparation so well prepared in order to orient students ideas and concepts new to them.

Darin Aldridge Prepares

...And in Action

Darin's presentation introduced and illustrated bluegrass music from its country origins with the Carter family and the Big Bang of country music in the 1929 Bristol recording sessions to Chris Thile's leadership of Prairie Home Companion, and much from in between, all in about 40 interesting minutes. He varied pace, means of input, and modes of presentation while providing lots of opportunities for kids and ask questions and interact. His presentation provided a model of preparation and skill for professional teachers. 

Kids Listening Intently

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...While Half the Group Experienced the Exhibits

After Darin's presentations ended, the kids, under the direction of a music teacher from their school, sang "My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountains" on the Scruggs Center Steps, while their proud parents look on.

My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountains

The next day, we had scheduled ourselves to have lunch with Katie Wilson Espenshied and her husband Ace, who many of my readers will remember as they watched her grow up in a family band singing a song they loved, but she grew to dislike, "Five Pound Possum." When I turned the ignition switch to start our truck, it ground away without catching, a problem we had had repaired only two weeks previously at Rountree Monroe Ford in Lake City, FL. Sadly, we had to cancel lunch and call the tow truck, again!

Leadership Bluegrass Regional Seminar

Leadership Bluegrass is an annual intensive professional development program begun in 2000, which each year invites about thirty people from all areas of the bluegrass community to come to Nashville for a very well organized and useful conference of professional and personal development. Over the years, there have been over 400 graduates. Under the leadership of Ron Raxter, a retired attorney from Raleigh, a spring meeting was planned and held on Tuesday and Wednesday as the guests of the Earl Scruggs Center, which offers a large number of music related activities throughout the year under the direction of Executive Director Emily Epley. A group of ten Leadership Bluegrass graduates assembled for two days of discussion and planning. They included artists, a broadcaster, a member of a couple of IBMA Boards, a singer/songwriter, and several others. The discussions were enjoyable, active, and productive, as we sought to find a worthwhile project to pursue as a group for the good of the bluegrass community. More information about this effort will be forthcoming. The event also included an evening at the Newgrass Brewing Company, where those inclined jammed, enjoyed themselves as they enjoyed a beer and a sandwich. We were joined by Brooke Aldridge for a couple of her wonderful songs. Altogether, it was an enjoyable two days of fellowship and purposeful seeking. 

Facilitator - Ron Raxter

Scruggs Center Executive Director - Emily Epley

Bill Foster & Laurie Greenburg

Daniel Ruth (Nu Blue) and Mitch Coleman

Darin Aldridge

The Group with Earl Scruggs Statue

 Supper at the Newgrass Brewery

The Jam
Ron Raxter, Brooke, Darin, Daniel, and Bill

Here are the Darin & Brooke Aldridge Band singing Ian & Sylvia's great song, "Someday Soon," which helped win her the 2017 Female Vocalist of the Year Award from IBMA.

Darin & Brooke Aldridge - Someday Soon