Yet Another "Bluegrass Ramble" April 18, 2009

Good Morning Bluegrass friends.  I've got a lot to cram in this ramble so I better get right to it.  First I want to mention the thing that is farthermost in the future, as far as this writing goes anyway.  The Virginia Folk Music Association, better know to all of us as the VFMA  will bring us their festival "Jumpin' Bluegrass '09 this coming September 17th, 18th, 19th followed by the official Virginia Bluegrass Championship contest on Sunday September 20th.  I'll be mentioning this in the future, but felt I should bring it up now so you can mark your calendar and reserve your leave time.  Bands that will be performing over the course of the weekend are: The Lonesome River Band, Michelle Nixon & Drive, The James King Band, Code Blue, Copper Ridge, Borrowed Time, Thunder Creek and Virginia City Grass.  For a printable copy of the official flyer click here.  In an effort to boost attendance this year you can attend each and every day for only $5.  That's right you read it right, only $5 for the day or only $20 for the entire weekend.   Also don't forget the "Cornbread & Soup Beans Pot Luck Supper" on Thursday.  Remember that our club The Virginia Bluegrass Family provides the BBQ and Rolls that day.

Coming up tomorrow are two Bluegrass shows right here in Central Virginia.  First up at 1PM Borrowed Time will be playing at Namaw's Restaurant in Amelia at 1PM.  Ralph Westfall will be standing in as guest on Banjo.  Then at 7:30PM The Big Boss Combo will be performing at Lulu's on 17th Street across from the farmer's market.  There is a nominal $7 cover charge which includes a light dinner buffet.  I'm gonna try to make both shows, so maybe I'll see you at one or the other.

Next weekend presents a huge problem as there are two very good Bluegrass events happening at the same time.  Unfortunately, choices have to be made.  The Virginia Bluegrass & Country Music Foundation, Inc. will present the 23rd Bluegrass & Country Music Festival at "George Winn Memorial Park,' in Lawrenceville, Virginia at the corner of Rt. 678 (Rose Drive) and Rt. 733.  Bands playing will be: George Winn & The Bluegrass Partners, Becky Taylor & Open Fire, Against The Grain, Special Order, Robert Nelson, The Watts Brothers, Rome County, Take Two- Jo & Wilma, Vicki Hayes & Friends and The Sargent Family.  On this very same weekend about 100 miles north is Mr. B's "Spring Into Bluegrass" Festival, held at Mr. B's Park in Ladysmith, Virginia.  There's a full article about Mr. B's on the blog.  Click here to access that blog entry.

To access my blog entry for "The Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival," click here.  My entry for "PreddyFest" can be accesssed by clicking here.

I will close this blog by urging you to purchase the series if DVDs being offered by the Country Music Hall of Fame of the Flatt & Scruggs TV Shows.  I especially wanted to tell you about Volume 7.  Every volume has great classic live Bluegrass performed by one of the seminal and most important Bluegrass bands of all time, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys Volume 7 is special because it contains the earliest known film of the Flatt & Scruggs TV Show.  It is an amazingly complete and fine show.  Upon first seeing the show you might think the film is in awful condition, but you really don't have an idea how bad the film actually was.  After the show there is a special feature showing the amazing way the film was restored.

I'll close out this "Bluegrass Ramble" with a piece of Bluegrass Gossip i heard last night while enjoying a fine performance by North Ridge at Farmer's Cafe in Blackstone, Virginia.  Someone there said the James King got married last weekend.  Congratulations James!

"NUFF SAID!"

"Bluegrass Ramble" April 4th,2009

Hi folks,  This is my first article after the closing of my ten years of publishing "Bluegrass Virginia" the newsletter.  Those ten years were full of good times and I'm hoping that I can offer some interesting Bluegrass related stuff for you here in "Bluegrass Virginia, The Blog."  This is an extension of a column I had in the newsletter called the Bluegrass Ramble.  Whenever you see an article with Bluegrass Ramble in the title be prepared for just that.  I'll ramble from here to there with my thoughts about Bluegrass and some actual useful information along with, perhaps, some personal happenings as I make my way through life.

Just four short years ago I received an email from a young woman named Kim Gold.  She had heard from the IBMA that I, through our club, The Virginia Bluegrass Family, was doing some booking of showcase bands at the IBMA World of Bluegrass in Louisville, Kentucky.  She wrote to me that her three daughters had formed a band named Gold Heart, and they were interested in showcasing as part of my "Night Owl Concerts."  Always interested in new talent, I booked them without having heard a single note of music.  In the interim between booking them to play and the week of IBMA I met them when they came down to Chesterfield, Virginia to attend the VFMA "Jumpin' Bluegrass 05."  We were pleasantly rewarded with Gold Heart making a special guest appearance during the weekend of the festival.  Since that time they have performed all around Virginia and up and down the east coast.  Soon they will travel for a two week tour of the United Kingdom where I know they'll be welcomed and in turn they will treat those British Isles to some good old Virginia styled Bluegrass.  Probably the neatest thing I have to share about Gold Heart is that they have just been signed as Rural Rhythm Records newest recording artists.  To read the official announcement by their booking agent Hope River Entertainment and Rural Rhythm Records click here.  I'm so proud and happy for this fine family.  Here's a few photos of Gold Heart.

 

Hey, folks I wanted to tell you something about some recent posts here on "Bluegrass Virginia."  A couple of weeks ago I sent out a notice telling you there were 11 new posts on the blog, but when you went to look at them there were only 5 or 6 of them visible.  It turns out that the wonderful Internet service that allows me to present this journal to you free of charge archives all posts beyond the five most recent.  So, that means all of the posts are there.  You simply have to click on the words "older posts" that appear at the very bottom of the series of post that are visible right now.  Do take a little time to take a look.  Thanks!

"NUFF SAID!"