Musicians Against Childhood Cancer

In November of 2000 Mandy Adkins succumbed to an inoperable brain stem tumor and forever changed the lives of her parents Darrel and Phyllis Adkins. For many years the Adkins had promoted bluegrass festivals in Ohio, but Mandy’s death gave their efforts a new purpose. Out of their grief and their long-time involvement with bluegrass music has grown MACC – Musicians Against Childhood Cancer – an annual festival in memory of Mandy, whose profits are donated to support St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Since the year 2000, MACC has been able to donate $432,524.33 to St. Judes and the YMCA. This year MACC will be held from July 23 – 26 at the Hoover Y Park in Columbus, Ohio. Musicians performing at MACC donate their time and talent while the festival meets expenses for them according to the fact sheet on their web site, but this dry statement doesn’t come near capturing the excitement this event generates.

Hoover Y Park is a seventy acre facility owned by the YMCA of Central Ohio, located on Rohr Rd. in Lockbourne, OH, just south of Columbus off I- 270 at exit49. Camping facilities with electric hookups are available. The fifteen amps provide sufficient power for most needs, but campers may not use air conditioning. I’m told the nights at MACC are usually cool enough so that not using air doesn’t usually reduce comfort. Cost for camping with electricity is $5.00/night. There is also plenty of free rough camping. Hot showers are available. A number of motels are also available in the area. You can find directions to Hoover Y Park here.

Bo McCarty wrote to tell me that much of the concert area is shaded and there’s plenty of room for a big crowd. Since the lineup of MACC is one of the strongest in all bluegrass, visitors can expect good crowds. He also said the sound, while loud, is crystal clear. There are good food vendors. Lyn Butler says it’s among the best festival food he’s ever encountered. There’s a playground and kids activities, including a kids band that practices during the week and performs on Saturday. Nina Riley wrote me that the festival is very much a kid friendly event. Darrel Adkins doesn’t stand for any misbehaving. There’s a dance floor off to one side that this year will be poured concrete.

The lineup appearing at MACC is almost without peer at bluegrass festivals in the United States. Here’s a list:

Wednesday

· Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out

· Lonesome River Band

· Mountain Heart

· Lost and Found

· James King Band

· Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice

· David Parmley & Continental Divide

· New Found Road

Thursday

· Blue Moon Rising

· Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

· Daily & Vincent

· Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers

· Pine Mountain Railroad

· Rhonda Vincent & The Rage

· Larry Stephenson Band

· Russell Moore & Third Tyme Out

· The Original Longview

Friday

· Ernie Thacker & Rt 23

· The Grascals

· Steep Canyon Rangers

· Blue Highway

· Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers

· Don Rigsby & Midnight Call

· Bill Emerson & The Sweet Dixie Band

· The MACC Opry

Saturday

· The MACC Children’s Band

· Kenny & Amanda Smith

· Grasstowne

· Ronnie Bowman & The Committee

· Bradley Walker

· Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time

· The Harley Allen Band

· Steeldrivers

· The MACC Opry

Check out the specific appearance times on the schedule here. I don’t want to leave anyone out by focusing on specific bands; the lineup is just too strong. There are a few special offerings, though. The original Longview, featuring Dudley Connell, Joe Mullins, James King, Don Rigsby, and Marshall Wilborn will close on Thursday night. Adkins has developed a reputation for putting unusual combinations together on Friday and Saturday nights with his MACC Opry. On Friday J.D. Crowe and the New South along with his guests the Grascals will perform beside “Special Guests.” It’s anyone’s guess who might appear on stage. Similarly, the finale of the show on Saturday will feature bluegrass and country composers Carl Jackson, Jerry Salley, Larry Cordle, and Shawn Camp. I understand they may be joined by a variety of artists performing their songs along with them.

For a taste of the music and spirit of MACC, be sure to purchase a copy of the IBMA album of the year award winning CD “Celebration of Life: Musicians Against Childhood Cancer” containing two CD’s and 37 cuts. Kim Fox’s rendition of the National Anthem sends chills down my spine every time I hear it. Proceeds from the sale of this very fine album also go to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

There is no underestimating the importance of this event in demonstrating the willingness of the best bluegrass musicians to donate their time and talent to a most worthwhile charity. St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, founded by actor Danny Thomas in 1962, is one of the most important cancer centers in the nation. It provides all sorts of ways to make contributions, and MACC is one of them, and an important one. Check out the link above to learn more about this worthwhile and inspiring institution.

Tickets to MACC may be purchased in a number of ways. Check them out here. Tickets for the entire four days in advance are $85.00 and $95.00 at the gate. Day prices are $30.00. Tickets to MACC are 90% tax deductible. Directions for getting to Hoover Y Park can be found here. The festival web site offers a list of local motels as well as camping information here. Columbus, Ohio is located in central Ohio, within easy driving distance of most population centers in the Midwest. Even with today’s gasoline prices, if you need to select one festival where you’re likely to see most of your favorite bands and be introduced to ones you haven’t yet heard but want to experience, Musicians Against Childhood Cancer is the festival to attend.

Thanks to Larry Taber for his set-up shots of the festival site. Also, my thanks go to Bo McCarty, Nina Riley, and Lyn Butler for contributing information for this post. I'll be blogging daily from this festival and will try to catch the spirit of the event as well as the great musicians who contribute their time and talent.

Bluegrass Festival News - A New Resource

Festival goers and bluegrass music lovers have long sought a reliable resource to provide information about festivals and other events where they can go to hear bluegrass music played. In these days of economic peril, where decisions about attending an event have become more problematic because of the price of gasoline, Carol Goodwin has stepped up and offered a MySpace page that fills the bill. Bluegrass Festival News lists every festival Carol has been able to find or that she has been alerted to. Be sure to bookmark it and consult it regularly. Based on a chronological listing, Bluegrass Festival News provides names, dates, and locations of all the festivals Carol has been able to find along with links, where available, to allow fans to access more information. She has also requested that promoters and others who know of upcoming festivals she hasn’t yet listed contact her with information at mailto:bluegrassfestivals@yahoo.com/. Not content to catalog bluegrass festivals across the nation, Carol is also sending a Bulletin about all events in North Carolina to her MySpace friends. For anyone living in North Carolina or bordering states, this weekly listing can be an invaluable resource of local performances as well as festivals within the state.

Carol Goodwin

Carol Goodwin is a lot like many of us involved with bluegrass. She loves the music, and wanted to find ways to give back as well as to provide herself with a useful list of what was available for her to attend. Meeting her own interests in attending bluegrass events has morphed into a comprehensive list for all bluegrass fans. Not content with providing information, she has also formed a booking agency with partner Harry Dawson. The Tarheel Booking Agency currently represents Carolina Junction, Kickin’ Grass, No Strings Attached, and Nu Blue, all North Carolina Bands.

Carol is a working Mom and an empty nester with two sons, one a Marine on White House duty and the other about ready be on his own. For several years she has been caretaker for her grandmother who recently succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease (another interest of Carol’s) leaving her free for other pursuits. Her first bluegrass festival was Bass Mtn. back in the eighties, and it provides the background photo for her page. She dreams of following bluegrass week to week in a motor home. We first met Harry Dawson when he drove the bus for Carolina Road and again at various festivals. He’s Jamie Dawson of Kickin’ Grass’s dad, and Carol’s partner in the booking agency.

Carol Goodwin has taken on a big job and needs your help. To make her lists as comprehensive as possible, notify her of festivals around the country or events in North Carolina at this e-mail address: bluegrassfestivals@yahoo.com/. The more help she gets, the more valuable her site can be for all the rest of us.

Jenny Brook BGF - Sunday and Assessment

The Sawyer Family
Mathew, Seth, Candi, Adam

Sunday at Jenny Brook is usually a pretty mellow day. This year, even with the early threat of thunderstorms lurking over our shoulders, was much the same. The day began steamy and hot, but as Mike Robinson came out to survey a good place to locate his gospel bluegrass sing and jam considering the threat, the sun peaked through, and the day continued to improve. Mike’s gospel jam provides an opportunity for those seeking spiritual uplift on Sunday morning to gather to sing the good old gospel songs like “Amazing Grace,” “I’ll Fly Away,” and “Take Me in Your Lifeboat” combined with a brief message and prayer to create a non-denominational welcoming worship environment. Mike and Mary also provide spiritual counseling to those in need throughout the festivals they attend. The Old Time Bluegrass Singers followed with a mostly gospel set.

Bluegrass Gospel Sing & Jam

Acoustic Blue

My pick for the pleasant surprise of the festival is Acoustic Blue, whose set followed. This four man band based in Massachusetts presents a stellar appearance in their matching suits, shirts, and ties, combining this with singing and on-stage patter that’s top shelf stuff. Corey Zinc’s sonorous baritone voice has the ring of country in it, but along with his good mandolin playing fits very well with bluegrass. His rendition of Johnny Cash classic “One Piece at a Time” was a good as I’ve heard. The band was funny and the song very well rendered. Mike Van Alstine on banjo mugs and clowns and sings good. His picking is impeccable. Sean Batho on rhythm guitar and vocals adds depth and quality to the sound of this band. Bear Acker, the senior member of this group on bass, brings maturity and experience as well as humor and grace to the group. Acoustic Blue mixes bluegrass standards, classic country, and newer songs, some contributed by members of the band, into a most entertaining blend. This band deserves wider exposure. If you get a chance to hear them, take advantage of it.

Cory Zinc

Shaun Batho

Bear Acker and Mike Van Alstine

Family and Friends

Family and Friends, composed of the Ralph Family, contributed another set of mostly gospel songs. Linda and Butch Ralph are proprietors of Danby Four Corners Store and frequent vendors at festivals around New England where their instruments and instrument service are much sought after. They’re one of the premier Martin guitar dealers in the country, and they have very attractive prices.

Jenny Brook Kids

The Jenny Brook Kids performed early in the afternoon. While by 1:00 PM there were only about ten kids left to perform, it was my impression when I visited their rehearsal site, that more were involved. Regardless, their performance was a delight, and the fact that nearly a dozen young kids gave up other play to work with Tony Watt for several hours a day bodes well for the future of bluegrass. As long as young people are learning the fundamentals of the music, picking together, and performing, bluegrass music in some form will be in good shape.

The Erin Gibson LaClair Show

Eric, Erin, Leigh

Erin Gibson LaClair needed no introduction to the Jenny Brooke crowd; she’s well known and well-loved there. The younger sister of Eric and Lee Gibson has chosen to stay home, teach school, and raise a family. She can seldom be found on the stage, but when she appears with her brothers, magic is sure to happen. Erin has a clear, pure voice blending perfectly with her brothers for a wonderful sound. Their set consisted largely of gospel and country songs. Eric never picked up his banjo, although he whaled away pretty hard on one of Rick Hayes beautiful mandolins. I’m pretty sure the mandolin will recover. The Gibsons and their offspring created a wonderful picture of the kind of family environment Jenny Brook stands for. Erin’s husband Matthew with two kids sleeping on his chest, Corinna tending kids and selling merchandise, Allie smiling with her youngest on her hip, and Lyn Hayes smiling at the merchandise table fit into Jenny Brook perfectly. Erin’s singing of John Prine or Patsy Cline favorites was wonderfully received, but her joining with her brothers for their rendition of “The Lighthouse” was a triumph.

Erin Gibson LaClair

Bluegrass Spouse
Matthew LaClair

White Mountain Bluegrass

White Mountain Bluegrass, a family band that’s been playing in New England for over thirty years, brought their traditional bluegrass music and classic country to what remained of the crowd as the closing act. Mac and Hazel McGee, with roots in the Deep South and a life spent in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, also stand as a testimony to the strength of family and tradition at Jenny Brook. As they played “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” the audience rose, formed a circle and joined in the singing. Seth Sawyer sang the last verse, and Jenny Brook was over for another year.

Mac McGee (White Mountain Bluegrass)

Hazel McGee

Final Assessment: There’s a pretty high level of concern involved in Jenny Brook as family and friends watch anxiously to see how Candi Sawyer, fighting against multiple sclerosis, is doing as she directs the festival, for indeed she’s the one in charge. There are lots of volunteers and a strong family behind her, but it’s Candi’s deal. Son Mathew seems much stronger this year, and the Shriners were very much in evidence as a recipient of the festival’s ability to give back. Seth Sawyer is always a tower of strength. In the end though, even though it’s Candi’s festival, it’s all about the music and the festival scene, and that’s where Jenny Brook excels.

Adam Steffey and Dan Tyminski

Barry Bales

Justin Moses

Ron Stewart

The Dan Tyminski Band showed me they were at least as good as people on the forums have been saying they are, and that’s very, very good. There isn’t an ensemble in bluegrass music bringing together the individual talents that Dan Band has. That Tyminski can do this with no visible suggestion of any prima donna behavior is testimony to his leadership and their quality. Every member of the band is a great soloist as well as a seamless member of this great band.

Eric and Leigh Gibson

Eric

Leigh

The Gibson Brothers showed once again they needn’t take a back seat to any band in bluegrass. Eric and Leigh’s harmonies and songwriting skills are better than anything else out there today and vie with the great duos of bluegrass music history. Their band more than ably supports them, never seeking to draw attention to themselves and always serving the Gibson sound. In doing so, they inevitably highlight their own quality. The Gibson Brothers belong on anyone’s “must see” list of bluegrass bands.

Dan Paisley Band

Dan Paisley

Dan Paisley and Southern Grass, sporting a new recording contract with Rounder Records to distribute their new CD The Room over Mine, came into Jenny Brook, where they have been a pretty regular feature for years, and presented four sets over two days. Their sound is rough and raw hard core bluegrass. Paisley’s high lonesome bluegrass sound can burn the hair off a billiard ball. Each member of his band contributes strength to the hard driving bluegrass sound that he preserves from an earlier year. Very fine stuff. With a new record label, and, one hopes, new management, the Paisley band will now be getting the attention it has long deserved.

David Parmley

David Parmley & Continental Divide stopped at Jenny Brook on their way between West Virginia and Nova Scotia, a long and tiring trip. They spent less time charming the audience and were well received, although not creating the stir of the other three national bands. Parmley has a wonderful voice, as good as any individual voice at Jenny Brook, but the band seemed to lack high energy. Perhaps their rugged touring schedule or Parmley’s recent illness contributed to this. I look forward to hearing them again at MACC and to having a chance for re-assessment.

Amy Gallatin

Roger Williams

Amy Gallatin and Stillwaters deserves recognition among the regional bands, too. Gallatin has a sweet voice and pleasing personality. With Roger Williams by her side at Dobro, the band sound has become really enjoyable with their mostly country leaning songs. This band offered solid value on Saturday in less than the most desirable slots.


In a post to Bluegrass-L, an important bluegrass mailing list, on Sunday, Andy Alexander, promoter of Pickin’ in the Pasture in Lodi, NY commented, “With the passing of Thomas Point Beach, Jenny Brook seems to be positioned to become the premier bluegrass event of northern New England.” Andy is an astute member of the bluegrass community. Jenny Brook, limited in attendance by the size of its venue, has, nevertheless, managed to create an incredibly exciting four day festival. Largely staffed by a crew of enthusiastic volunteers and led by Candi Sawyer and her husband Seth, the Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival creates a unique but familiar environment for those who love the sound and feel of traditional bluegrass. Rain couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of those in attendance, and their cheer and good will drove away Saturday’s threatening weather to permit this wonderful festival to end in a blaze on sunshine and good will.

Faces of Bluegrass

Smokey Greene - A Voice of Bluegrass History

Guitar Raffle Winner

Seth Sawyer

The Gibsons