Friday, May 16, 2014

Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival - Jam Camp & Thursday - Review


It's easy to forget that Granite Hill Campground Resort is built on a beautiful old farm. During the days we were there before this great classic festival opened, I had a few days to look around. It's truly a beautiful place.









From Monday noon until their performance opens the festival on Thursday afternoon, Pete Wernick's Jam Camp learns to jam together. For some, jam camp is a real challenge, while for others it provides a chance to join with old and new friends to jam together and learn a little more about jamming skills. Dr. Banjo (Pete Wernick) has a huge wealth of knowledge and skill to share along with his willing and helpful staff.

A Jam Session

The Big Performance

Below is a link to a large photo album of Jam Camp photos. Help yourself to them, and enjoy!


Gettysburg Jam Camp - Class of 2014

New Workshop Tent - Roomier, but not as pretty

Fan Jam with Mike Henderson

Hank Janney - Emcee

Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road

Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road have come to greater prominence in the bluegrass world over the last several years as her band has achieved greater continuity and her promotional skills have garnered increasing attention.  She opened the festival with enthusiasm and skill.

Lorraine Jordan

Ben Greene

Tommy Long

Josh Goforth

Jason Moore

Josh and Ben

Lorraine Jordan


At Lorraine's Merch Table



Special Consensus

Special Consensus is approaching Greg Cahill's fortieth anniversary in bluegrass music. Besides always remaining relevant in bluegrass music, Greg's career has emphasized education about our music around the country and huge service to the music in IBMA. The band remains strong and entertaining while it refuses to rest on its laurels, adding new music all the time.

Greg Cahill

Rick Farris

 Dustin Benson

 Dan Eubanks

Greg Cahill

Pete Wernick at the Merch Table



The Claire Lynch Band

The Claire Lynch Band is touring hard this summer, partly on the strength of her having been named, for the third time, IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year, but, and perhaps more importantly, because audiences are increasingly recognizing the breadth and quality of her entire repertoire. Her work is increasingly nuanced and subtle. Her band, filled with individual musicians of huge ability, manages to focus on helping her create the sound that has become representative and recognizable as uniquely her own.

Claire Lynch

Bryan McDowell

Matt Wingate

Todd Phillips

A Moment of Quiet 



Terrific Vendors!


And the Rains Came.....




Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

For those who have worried that lineup changes have damaged IIIrd Tyme Out's effectiveness, you can stop now. The band remains one of the most important and musical of all bands on tour. Russell Moore seems to be thriving in the role of band emcee as well as lead singer, although I suspect he's appreciate a little break. Additions Keith McKinnon and Blake Johnson have fit into the band quickly and the vocal quartet sounded simply superb with Blake on bass.

Russell Moore

Keith McKinnon

Wayne Benson

Justen Haines

Blake Johnson

Russell Moore

Jamming in the Lower Campground



Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys

Dr,Ralph Stanley has been touring for more than 60 years and has decided that 2014 will not represent his farewell to touring. Look for him to continue until he's simply no longer able. His voice remains strong and his band supports him. He can no longer play the banjo, but a banjo picker, Mitchel Van Dyke, has been found who has mastered Stanley style banjo. The illness of James Alan Shelton is perilous, but Junior Blankenship is filling in admirably. You won't be sorry to catch Dr. Ralph on this tour.

 Dr. Ralph Stanley


Dr. Ralph & Nathan Stanley

Junior Blankenship

Dr. Ralph



Dr. Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys


More tomorrow!

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