Three Bluegrass Events over the weekend of April 22nd - 24th, 2010!

Here's a little information about all three in no particular order.

"MR. "B's" SPRING INTO BLUEGRASS"

Mr. "B" has been in his bluegrass park located near Ladysmith, VA,  for over 5 years now and it is one of the nicest around.  Designed by Mr. B it is arranged for a great stage setting along with comfortable camping and great food in the tradition of the old "Mr. B's Restaurant."  The festival runs over the dates above and the entertainers are: Dailey & Vincent, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Bill Yates & The Country Gentlemen Tribute, Goldwing Express, James King Band, Kody Norris & The Watuga Mountain Boys, Ted Jones & The Tarheel Boys, The Bluegrass Brothers, Dark Hollow, Code Blue, Lonesome Will Mullins & The Virginia Playboys, The Church Sisters, Joey Tippet & The California Ramblers, Sweet Potato Pie and The Rye-Holler Boys.  Now, I've got to tell you that is a huge line up of talent, so if you haven't made plans for that weekend Mr. B's may just be the place to be.  Mr. B has a nicely shaded stage area, so bring your lawn chair and plan to sit back and be entertained.  Don't worry about bringing food as Mr. B's concession, right behind the stage, will keep your belly full the entire weekend.  I retrieved the following information from Mr. B's web site:

Mr. B's

'Spring.....Into Bluegrass Festival'

April 22, 23, 24, 2010

Come out and enjoy Bluegrassing in the first days of spring at Mr. B's Park.  Tickets and Reservation now available by calling:

Office 804-449-6350  or  Park 804-448-9446

**Purchase your tickets through a secure PayPal link**

Tickets are $65.00 each plus a $2.00 process and shipping charge for a total of $67.00 per ticket charged to your account.

HERE IS OUR LINE UP AND SET TIMES

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Joey Tippett & California Ramblers 1:00 & 4:40

Lonesome Will Mullins & VA Playboys 1:55 & 5:35

Bill Yates & Country Gentlemen Tribute  2:50 & 6:30

Goldwing Express  3:45 & 7:25

Friday, April 23, 2010

Dark Hollow  12:00 & 5:50

Code Blue  12:50 & 6:45

Sweet Potato Pie  1:45 & 7:35

Kody Norris & Watuga Mt. Boys  2:40 & 8:25

Dailey & Vincent  3:35 & 9:15

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Rye Holler Boys  12:00 & 6:00

Ted Jones & Tarheel Boys  12:50 & 6:50

Church Sisters  1:40 & 7:40

James King Band 2:30 & 8:30

Bluegrass Brothers  3:20 & 9:20

Rhonda Vincent 4:10 & 10:10

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"WILLOW OAK FAMILY STYLE BLUEGRASS MUSIC FESTIVAL"

Over this same weekend down in Roxboro, NC the folks at Willow Oak park present their family style Bluegrass Music Festival.  I've not been to Willow Oak park, but I have been told by friends who have been there that it is a very nice park that is well suited for a Bluegrass festival.  The entertainers at Willow Oak this weekend are: Marty Raybon & Full Circle, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Lou Reid & Carolina, The James King Band, NewFound Road, Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice (Our own Jason Davis is now playing Banjo with Jr. Sisk!), Deeper Shade of Blue, The Hagar's Mountain Boys, Big Country Bluegrass, Mashville Brigade, Melvin Goins, Constant Change, Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass and Grasstowne.  As with Mr. B's this is another fine line up of bands, and both on the same weekend!  The willow oaks Campground is located 3 1/2 miles south of Roxboro, NC on Rt. 49 (Blaylock Dairy Road.)  Folks, I'm 60 years old and I've seen many changes through the years, but here's one that is a first for me.  Since so many now travel using Global Positioning Technology the folks at Willow Oak have provided their GPS coordinates.  They are: 36.37456-79.04302.  I gotta get me a Garmin!  I retrieved the following schedule information from the Willow Oak Festival web site:

 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE - SUBJECT TO CHANGE

THURSDAY   APRIL 22, 2010

2:00 PM Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain

3:00 PM Grasstowne

4:00 PM NewFound Road

5:00 PM The James King Band

SUPPER BREAK

7:00 PM Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain

8:00 PM Grasstowne

9:00 PM NewFound Road

10:00 PM The James King Band

CAMPGROUND PICKING!!

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FRIDAY    APRIL 23, 2010

12:00 PM The Hagar's Mountain Boys

1:00 PM Constant Change

2:00 PM Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice

3:00 PM Lou Reid & Carolina

4:00 PM Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

SUPPER BREAK

6:00 PM The Hagar's Mountain Boys

7:00 PM Constant Change

8:00 PM Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice

9:00 PM Lou Reid & Carolina

10:00 PM Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

CAMPGROUND PICKING!!

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SATURDAY    APRIL 24, 2010

12:00 PM Deeper Shade of Blue

1:00 PM Big Country Bluegrass Band

2:00 PM Mashville Brigade

3:00 PM Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass

4:00 PM Marty Raybon & Full Circle

SUPPER BREAK

6:00 PM Deeper Shade of Blue

7:00 PM Big Country Bluegrass Band

8:00 PM Mashville Brigade

9:00 PM Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass

10:00 PM Marty Raybon & Full Circle

CAMPGROUND PICKING!!

Contact:  Mike Wilson   mike@WillowOakPark.com  4060-M Harper Trail, Burlington, NC  27215

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THE VIRGINIA COUNTRY MUSIC & BLUEGRASS MUSIC FOUNDATION'S  ANNUAL SPRING FESTVAL, LAWRENCEVILLE, VIRGINIA

George Winn, Virginia's senior Bluegrass performer and promoter presents the Annual Spring music festival in Lawrenceville, Virginia.  I'm afraid I can provide very little data about George's festival.  I missed the last meeting of The Virginia Bluegrass Family, so wasn't there to get a flyer from George.  He always makes the April gathering at Jahnke Road, but I wasn't there.  I went to the foundation's web site on MySpace and retrieved the following from their blog:

THE VIRGINIA BLUEGRASS AND
COUNTRY MUSIC FOUNDATION, INC.

*PRESENTS :*

25^th Bluegrass & Country Music Festival at

“THE GEORGE WINN MEMORIAL PARK”

In Lawrenceville, VA near the airport,

corner of Rt. 678 (Rose Drive) & Rt. 733

April 22^nd, 23^rd and 24^th - 2010

Bands Performing:

Bonds & Dunn ------------------------------------Mechanicsville, VA

Some Assembly Required-----------------------------Richmond, VA

Becky Taylor & Open Fire------------------------------Richmond, VA

Coastline Bluegrass Band------------------------------Norfolk, VA

The Watts Brothers---------------------------------------Roanoke Rapids, NC

Jo & Wilma--------------------------------------------------Roanoke Rapids, NC

Vicki Hayes & Friends----------------------------------- South Hill, VA

Homeward Bound-----------------------------------------Mechanicsville, VA

George Winn & The Bluegrass Partners------------Richmond, VA

22^nd Thursday, Jam 7PM until you are done - donations requested

23^rd Friday, Featured Bands 7PM to 11PM adults $7.00 -under 12 yrs free

24^th Saturday, Featured Bands 1PM to 11PM adults $10.00 -under 12 yrs free

Camping – with hook-up $9/day, first come first served. In the rough camping is free on spacious mowed grounds

For more information call George Winn, days 804-329-5359 or call Ruth O'Berry – 434-535-8072

Food and Drinks provided by the South Hill Ruritan at nominal cost

Directions to the Park

-From Richmond on I95 South to Emporia: Take Rt#58 West towards South Hill approx 18 miles to

Rt#58/Rt46 business Lawrenceville exit. Go right to stop sign, then left and go under Rt#58 then 1 block, turn right and go over RR tracks (Rt#606), go 8/10ths of a mile and left on Rose Drive, then about 2 blocks to unpaved road on left, turn left, and go 1000 feet to park entrance at Park sign.

-From Richmond on I85 South: take I95 south to Petersburg and exit I85 south, go 30 miles and exit #39. Turn left at exit stop sign onto Rt#712, go 12 miles to Rt#58, continue across Rt#58 and across RR tracks to Rt#606 and continue for 2 miles to intersection with Rose Dr and turn left. Go about 2 city blocks to first road on left (unpaved), turn left and about 1000 feet to park entrance and sign on left.

THE VIRGINIA BLUEGRASS & COUNTRY MUSIC FOUNDATION INC. exists to to preserve and promoteauthentic Bluegrass & Country Music. VB&CMF is a non-profit tax exempt corporation

http://myspace.com/virginiabluegrasscountrymusicfoundation

Shows are rain or shine. We have a beautiful pavilion for inclement weather.

Come enjoy the fellowship and 'God Bless'

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Okay, I'm back.  I hope this info above is helpful and I'll see all of you this spring and summer on the festival circuit!

"NUFF SAID"

"Holy Waters" Donna Ulisse: a review by Gary Robertson

To most of the readers of this journal Donna Ulisse is not a a readily recognized name.  My hope is to change that perspective by the end of this review.  I first "met" Donna by email when I was booking groups to play the "Night Owl Concerts" at the IBMA "World of Bluegrass."  My goals were to try to book at least one act that was pretty well known to attract folks into my showcase venue and then to book lesser known talent so they would have a chance to be heard.  Having never heard of Donna Ulisse, I had considered her as one of the lesser known talent.  Lesser known may have been true, but this young woman has a great talent for not only singing great Bluegrass,but also for writing great Bluegrass songs.  Now, I want to tell you all about her new project, an all Gospel effort, with all of the songs written or co-written by Donna herself with the exception of one song.  We'll get to that one later.

The first song on "Holy Waters" is a very Bluegrassy and medium to up tempo song entitled "Caney Creek to Canaan Land."  The message of this song is simply that it's not necessary to leave home to find Jesus because He is wherever you are.  Track 2 is entitled "He Will"  which tells of the promise that Jesus will be with you all the time.  "He Will" is a slower song sung with complete conviction and assurance that Donna believes what she sings.  "Crazy World," the 3rd track, is a driving medium tempo song telling of how sometimes things around us can distract us from our faith.  All of the musicians ; Andy Leftwich on Fiddle, Rob Ickes on Dobro, Scott Vestal on Banjo and Keith Sewell on Guitar, get a chance to stretch out their talents with nice interaction as they weave their instruments together at the end of "Crazy World."  Track 4, "To My Soul I Do" begins with Donna as she prays to her Lord in song accompanied by strong and respectful instrumental back up.  Track 5 is the title song of the CD project, "Holy Waters."  "Holy Waters" is relatively slow in tempo, but full of life as a song speaking of how the singer's life is full of the Holy Spirit, through "Holy Waters."  "You Need to Know," (track 6) is a nice medium tempo song explaining that to get through this life to the next there is but One "You Need to Know."  Remember, all of these songs, but one, are from the pen of Donna Ulisse, as is track 7, "A Promise That He Made."  This is a very pretty, slow to medium tempo song that speaks of her personal relationship with her Savior.  "Cover Me" (track 8) is a strong medium tempo song that asks that God protect her through her trials of life.  I think it's important to say that while Donna has surrounded herself with some of the very best musicians in the Bluegrass world, those musicians realize they are there for one purpose.  That purpose is the support Donna and make her songs the best they can be, which I can assure you they do.  Donna tells her friends that she and they will walk together in Heaven, "High In The Sky." This tune, instrumentally, has the happy feel that the message of the song conveys.  Now we get to the one song on this project that was not written by Donna.  Track 10 is the great Carter Stanley song, "Who Will Sing for Me."  Donna has made this song her very own by her interpretation of it.  Oh, Carter's words are there, as strong as ever, but Donna's heartfelt rendition of them are as powerful as this listener has ever heard.  "New Day in Heaven" is the singer's prayer to her Lord to allow her to die peacefully and to awaken in Heaven with her loved ones.  "Lord I'm Yours" opens with a very Bluegrassy Banjo kick off followed by great instrumental riffs by the band members as Donna sings reminding us all we need to go to get life eternal is to raise our hands up and cry , "I'm Yours."  The last song on "Holy Waters" is a short and very beautiful song/prayer praising and thanking, "My Jesus."

So there you have it, a wonderful CD filled with songs that I believe will become part of the Bluegrass Gospel repertoire of bands all through the Bluegrass world.  If you are looking for an album filled with great Gospel songs sung by a great singer, then this CD is the one you want.  I promise you will be pleased.  Donna will begin a tour schedule on April 9th.  There is only one show that comes close to Central Virginia.  That show will be at the Uptown Coffee Cafe in Victoria, Virginia on July 2nd.  I plan to attend; perhaps you will join me.

From Donna's web site:

Friday, July 2nd, 2010/ 7:00 p.m.

Uptown Coffee Cafe

1812 Main Street, Victoria, VA 23974

434-696-3600

http://www.myspace.com/uptowncoffeecafe

Donna and The Poor Mountain Boys will be doing two 40 minutes shows at this charming family owned cafe starting at 7:00 p.m. Advance tickets will be sold through the cafe during business hours which are: Mon-Thursday 7:30am-3:30pm, Friday 7:30am-9pm, Saturday 8am-3pm, Closed Sunday. Tickets are $10.00 each. Call the cafe for more information at the number listed here. Advance tickets are recommended as seating is limited.