Boy-o-boy it sure has been hot, hasn't it? We've had more than ten days of 100 plus degree weather and we're only half way through the summer. Why did me have all this heat? Well, just for one word, "Bluegrass." Yeah, for Bluegrass because you know that every year during the dog days of August we celebrate Bluegrass at the "Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival" at the Amelia Family Campground. After all the heat we've suffered through in June and July August will be a piece of cake. So, now I better get busy and tell who's gonna be there.
Things get started of with Copper Ridge, a band from the Richmond, VA area. Most of the guys in the band make regular trips to jam with us at the Virginia Bluegrass Family on 2nd Tuesdays in the Jahnke Road Baptist Church on Richmond's south side. Following Copper Ridge is a great band from the area surrounding Smith Mountain Lake; I guess that's why they call themselves Smith Mountain Grass. Next up is the unmistakable voice of Eddie Gill & The Grassmasters. Eddie hails from around Roxboro NC and sings with a volume and clarity that is quite rare. The next band up has a leader who has been simply fading away. What? Yep, Donnie Mason & In The Tradition follow Eddie. I've missed many opportunities to see Donnie since his lifesaving gastric bypass surgery, but I will see him in Amelia for sure. The North Carolina based Rye Holler Boys are up next on Thursday. The last group to appear on Thursday is the Lonesome River Band (LRB) headed up by Sammy Shelor whose taste and timing is always there; LRB boasts the strong lead singing of Brandon Rickman. While you're at the CD table buying the latest LRB project don't overlook Brandon's "Young Man, Old Soul" project.
Friday gets started off with the wonderful sister harmony sounds of The Church Sisters. These twin sisters really do love to sing and it shows. Make sure you catch at least one of their sets. You'll be glad you did. If you like your Bluegrass a little raucous and full of good humor then look no farther than Code Blue, the next band on Friday. Following Code Blue is another "blue" band called Virginia Blue. I couldn't find a web site for this group so I guess I'll just have to go down to the stage and see them. The next band is Shallow Creek. The first time I saw these guys they were just in their early teens and were struggling but determined to play Bluegrass. Well, they can play Bluegrass! I had a power outage here at home this past week and got my battery powered boom box out and began playing CDs. I had this CD by Shallow Creek that was a tribute to Reno & Smiley that I had never listened to. WOW! It is good. If you're a fan of Reno & Smiley be sure to pick up this CD from Shallow Creek. The last band up is the Josh Williams Band. Josh has assembled a great band to back up his strong vocals. Josh readily admits that he is a huge Tony Rice fan and he learned every Guitar break Tony ever played, but more than that Josh is well on his way to becoming the new Tony. That combination of great innovative Guitar work coupled with his increasingly strong lead voice makes Josh a force to be reckoned with. Therefore, I reckon I'll be at both of his sets in Amelia.
The Saturday morning Gospel at Amelia gets started with Mark Templeton & Pocket Change. Mark sang Southern Gospel before coming to Bluegrass full time and he brings a few elements of Southern Gospel into his act. Following Mark is the inimitable Bluegrass Brothers from out around Salem way. The next group is the Little Mountain Boys. Now, I must admit when I first heard of this group I was looking for a bunch of little guys. Oops! It's the mountain that is little, not the boys. By the way, these guys are good! The Wildwood Valley Boys are up next featuring Tony Holt, the only remaining member of the original band. If that name Holt strikes a chord with you, you're right. Tony's dad is Aubrey Holt, one of the founders of the Boys from Indiana. Next up is a good ol' Virginia boy made good, The Larry Stephenson Band. Larry hails from the Fredericksburg area,but has been living in White House, Tennessee most of his adult life. I saw Larry for the first time when he was 16 years old and participated in a big Bluegrass show held at The Robins Center on the University of Richmond campus in the mid-Seventies. Others that headlined that show were The Earl Scruggs Review, Doc Watson, John Hartford and Richmond's own Uncle Leroy. What a day that was! Now, if you like your Bluegrass straightforward and traditional with a little Jimmy Martin here and a little Stanley Brothers there, then look no farther than Kody Norris. I was talking to Kody one very late night at IBMA in Nashville a couple of years ago and he told me he believes (much as I do) the band should respect the audience and dress well. He told me he makes sure all of the bands suits are cleaned and ironed the entire band's suits before each performance. That's dedication to the fans! Last up at Amelia on Saturday is one of my favorite Bluegrass singers, Audie Blaylock & Redline. Audie spent ten years with Jimmy Martin and if he learned anything from Jimmy that was timing and singing with conviction.
That covers the weekend and boy it's gonna be a good one for sure! The cut-off date for advance tickets was August 5th, but even at the gate price of $60 that's a weekend of fine Bluegrass. So, come join me and all of your friends and picking buddies at the "Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival." We're gonna have some fun!
"NUFF SAID!"
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