Mr. B's Bluegrass Blowout - August 27, 28 & 29, 2009 @ Mr. B's Park, Ladysmith, VA

That's right, coming up at the end of August is Mr. B's Bluegrass Blowout.  Before I tell you about the line up let me tell you about Mr. B's Park.  Several years ago Mr. B decided he wanted to host his own Bluegrass festival and he wanted to do it his way, sort like Frank Sinatra, but Bluegrass style!  First he drew out how he wanted his park to be laid out and then proceeded to have a large tract of woods bulldozed until the park we now know at Mr. B's Park was created.  There is a large pavilion with the stage situated out in front of it.  Behind the stage are many picnic tables on which you may eat a variety of items from the kitchen just on the opposite side of the pavilion from the stage.  There you may purchase hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, BBQ, ice cream and, of course, Mr. B's Famous Fried Chicken.  Many of you may not be aware that Mr. B ran a restaurant in Fredericksburg, Virginia named (Go ahead and guess!) Mr. B's Restaurant, of course.  It was at this restaurant that Mr. B's Famous Fried Chicken got started and also where Mr. B first began hosting Bluegrass music.  I remember well going to shows there 20 years ago and how this was the first place  I ever went to where you sat with folks you just might no know.  Mr. B wanted to fill every table, so that's just the way it went.  I met some really nice folks at these shows that I would not have met were it not for the seating at Mr. B's Restaurant.

Camping is done two ways.  First, if you attended a past festival you are able to reserve your campsite for the next festival before you leave.  If you've never camped at Mr. B's it is first come, first served, so I recommend arriving very early in the week to be assured of getting a campsite with electricity.  There is plenty of rough camping, so don't let the fear of not getting a site deter you.  Click here for more information.

Now to the line up.  On Thursday is the Lisa Kay Band.  Lisa is a fixture around Bluegrass in northern and central Virginia.  She hosted a Bluegrass radio show at the Louisa FM station a few years back and also worked for Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine for a few years.  She has worked as emcee at many shows, especially at Mr. B's.  Next up is a family band named The Church Sisters.  I finally got to see these two girls (twins, although you wouldn't know it) at the Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival this past May.  If you are gonna catch just one show at the stage at Mr. B's please make it this one.  These girls are great singers and a treat to hear.  I guess the premier band in Bluegrass today is Dailey & Vincent and they'll be on Mr. B's stage on Thursday, August 27th.  There's not much I can add to the many awards they have achieved in their short span as a professional band.  Last up ate Ted Jones & The Tarheels presenting good ol' North Carolina Bluegrass just the way you remember it.

On Friday things get under way with a local band called Milford Station.  These fellows present competent Bluegrass and are fun to listen to.  Dark Hollow is up next and they fill a special niche in Bluegrass music.  They are all great fans of the older styles of Bluegrass as presented by Flatt & Scruggs, Bill Monroe and The Stanley Brothers.  These groups are the ones who brought me to Bluegrass and their music still lives on in Dark Hollow.  The Lewis Family was scheduled to appear at Mr. B's, but due to declining health and age, the band has decided to retire.  However, Little Roy Lewis is continuing on with a band of his own.  I have not heard this new group, so it would be interesting to hear them here at Mr. B's.  If you love good modern traditional Bluegrass then you must see Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice. Junior has been fronting this band for two years since the breakup of Blueridge. They present brand new songs done in the great tradition of the older groups.  Friday is a full day of Bluegrass with Lonesome Will Mullins & The Virginia Playboys up next.  Will is a fixture at Mr. B's and has a great mix of Bluegrass, comedy and old time music.  Last up on Friday on Gold Wing Express.  No, not the Honda motorcycle, the Bluegrass band, Gold Wing Express.  Gold Wing presents a show filled with a little Bluegrass and a lot of talking.  This may not sound like what you want to hear, but please stick around; they present a great stage show.

Saturday get started with Some Assembly Required.  Their female vocalist, Lynn Stephens, has twice been voted Virginia's Best Female Vocalist by the VFMA.   Now, if you like Stanley style or Jimmy Martin style Bluegrass then Kody Norris & The Watuga Mountain Boys are just what you need.  Catch them on Friday at Mr. B's.  The next band up is Williams & Clark Expedition.  Headed up by a husband and wife team, Williams & Clark Expedition presents great modern Bluegrass with humor sprinkled throughout.  Amelia, Virginia's James King Band is up next singing those soulful Bluegrass ballads.  From Nashville by the way of Fredericksburg, Virginia is the Larry Stephenson Band.  Those of you wondering where Kenny Ingram went after leaving Rhonda Vincent can find out by seeing Larry and the band.  Last up on Saturday is Salem, Virginia' Bluegrass Brothers.  If you want to see a Bluegrass festival end on a up note then look no farther than The Bluegrass Brothers.  They'll certainly do the job up right.

So there you have it; mark your calendar and be sure to attend Mr. B's Bluegrass Blowout this August 2th through 29th.

A Prayer Request from Dreama Stephenson

Below is a powerful letter from Dreama Belcher Stephenson.  Her father, Sterling Belcher, promoter of the "Tripple Creek Bluegrass Festival" has been diagnosed with bone cancer.  This, quite naturally, has Dreama and her entire family in distress.  I felt Dreama's email request was so heartfelt that I wanted to share it with all of you.

Hello everyone,

This week I asked for prayers for my father Sterling as it was believed he was having mini-strokes. After a whirlwind of a week and being told 4 different things it is now pinpointed. My dad has been diagnosed with bone cancer, which came from his prostate.  On Sunday, Daddy lost time for a while and went to the emergency room with blurred vision on Monday. An MRI showed he had several mini-strokes, but this didn't explain the blurred vision as it's not a characteristic of stroke. Next he was told a blood clot formed and went to his brain causing a series of mini-strokes even though they still can not figure out where the clot came from in his body as his heart shows him healthy as a horse.

On Wednesday night I told my mother to please don't let him leave until the blurred vision was explained, because something in his brain must be causing a problem. Daddy himself asked on Thurs. morning for his Sugar, Cholesterol and PSA to be checked. And that is when the doctors found his PSA at 250. This lead the primary doctor to tell Daddy on Thursday night he had brain cancer not damage from strokes. But this sounded strange to us all. Daddy had his prostate removed almost 4 years ago from an aggressive growing cancer by one of the best doctors in the country "Dr. Partin" and we were told they got it all and have believed that ever since the surgery. As it turns out and from my dealings with Johns Hopkins today they knew the cancer had spread outside of his prostate when it was removed. The oncologist (not the primary doctor) talked with my dad this morning explaining that it's unheard of, to have prostate cancer go directly to your brain and the neurologist still believed a clot went to his brain after all, causing the stroke that got him to the hospital.

So last night, and today some x-rays, a cat scan, and a bone scan were all performed and the bone cancer was found in different areas throughout his body.  They don't see it in any organs except around the area his prostate used to be. Testosterone can fuel the cancer and they want to possibly begin there, but as most of you know, bone caner is incurable and it's more about slowing it down and buying him some time. It's a painful way to leave this world.

So I come to you now and I'm asking everyone to please ad my Dad (Sterling Belcher) to your prayer circles and church lists as I believe in MIRACLES. A miracle brought my daughter to me and my husband Larry and I've heard of many cases where cancer just disappears. Our daughter is the first grandchild and Daddy was just talking last week about how he hoped to see her grow. He just turned 70 and for those of you who don't know him... he's a go getter, strong man, work-aholic, would give this shirt off his back, sweet man...I'm not ready to lose him yet and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for any prayers you can lift up for him

Thanks so much,

Dreama Belcher Stephenson

Below is Sterling with his grand-daughter Faylon Whysper Stephenson

 

"Bluegrass Ramble, July 15th, 2009 - Dead Right! Maybe Not!

Before I get into the meat of this article I wanted to share two things with you.  First, this article will not have one iota of information about Bluegrass, but I think you will know me better after you have read it.  Second, my computer’s power supply burned out just prior to my weekend at the Sedalia Bluegrass Festival, which by the way was very nice.  I was without a computer for about three weeks.  Obviously, I’m back in business now.

I have a pet peeve.  Oh, I actually have more than one pet peeve, but this one came to light in a strong way just last week.  It concerns closed lanes approaching construction zones along the highway.  Usually, for about 3 or 4 miles before reaching the actual work zone, there will be signs warning that (for example) the right lane will be closed ahead.  I and most of the drivers on the road will heed those signs and move over to the left lane well ahead of the actual construction.  Certainly if everyone did this getting by the construction would be easy and fast.  There are those, however, who feel that they are privileged and will stay in the right lane all the way up to the work zone and then want the drivers in the left lane to let them in.  This has caused me to get extremely angry and to use rather crusty language and to gesticulate using the central digit of my right or even left hand.  There have been times when I have seen these cars streaming by in the soon to be closed lane and I've gotten so angry that I will actually get out in that lane and try to block those cars from passing if I can.  Because of these inconsiderate drivers the open lane becomes very slow as considerate (but mis-guided) drivers up at the actual merge point allow those inconsiderate ones into the lane.  So, here I sit for 20 minutes or more inching along because these drivers are causing my lane to barely move.

Now, this brings me to my experience just last week.  I had no more entered onto I-85 from US 460, when I found myself in a long line of traffic.  The left lane was closed ahead and we were slowly making our way toward the construction zone.  On this particular day there were very few drivers rushing ahead in the “closed” lane, so progress was fairly fast.  Just as I was entering the area where the actual construction was happening this car sped up beside me and tried to get in front of me.  I jockeyed and sped up and jammed on brakes and did everything I could to prevent him from getting up in front of me, all the while saying things like $%^&$%^*&*($%^$% or #$^$%^&&(*(*^&$%.  Rather salty and crusty words, to be sure. I was so angry that my blood pressure was most certainly cranked up and I trembled.  I was able to prevent him from getting in front of me and felt smug about my success, but as I looked back in my rearview mirror at the driver he was gesticulating at me and his mouth was moving animatedly.  I’m guessing there was some crusty language being sent my way, too.

As we passed out of the construction zone and both lanes opened up, this guy came by me rather slowly and enthusiastically gesticulated in my direction using the central digit of his right hand and continued to do so as he sped away.  This got me to thinking.  Did I actually win the construction lane battle?  Was it worth it?  This fellow could have easily had a handgun and I could be dead right now.  I’ve thought a lot about that little war and have decided to be less aggressive in the future.  I will let the driver in and simply resign myself to the fact that people will not always behave the way I would like them to.  To be sure, this lane closure thing will remain a pet peeve, but I will not risk my life being “right.”  It’s good to be right but what good is “dead right?”

"Nuff Said"

Special Report: Donnie Mason Is Recovering From Gastric Bypass Surgery

I know this is a bit unusual for me, but Donnie is a great guy and has been desperately waiting to have this life saving surgery.  Now, finally, after many tries he has had the surgery and is on his way to a new life. 

Donnie wanted me to share his great news and to again thank all of you who contributed toward this life changing event.

Donnie heads up the band In The Tradition as the lead singer and Mandolinist.  Playing with Donnie are his son, Scott Mason on Banjo, and daughter-in-law, Tammy Green Mason on upright Bass.  Also in the band is Tammy's father and Donnie's long time friend and singing partner, Ray Green on Guitar.  On Dobro is George "Little George to many" Evans, Sr.  These folks have been playing together for quite some time and if you have ever been fortunate to catch them in person you will know why the band is called In The Tradition. 

Several years ago a benefit show was held for Donnie to help defray the costs of this very expensive and dangerous surgery.  Many bands participated and  many thousands of dollars were raised.  My duty that day was to present a slide show before the performance.  These photos were taken by Donnie's many friends and family.    

Donnie Mason & In The Tradition            Donnie at the record table.

Those of us who really know Donnie and his band also know he travels with his alter-ego: Madonnie seen here after a trip to the beauty parlor.  Occasionally Madonnie performs as special guest with other bands.  Check out the picture below as she joins forces with that wonderful band from the Lexington Virginia area; Nothin' Fancy.   AS you can see Donnie enjoys life and has fun at his own expense.  Donnie has a serious side too as he reprises several of those great Lester Flatt recitations. Please join me in congratulating Donnie on this momentous occasion.  You may email him at: bigman1961@msn.com.   Donnie, here's hoping we see less and less of you in the future.

Bluegrass Ramble, June 13, 2009

Good morning!  I say that because here I sit at 6AM on a warm June morning in Central Virginia typing away on my computer.  I hadn't planned on writing today, but this is the way of a blog or perhaps a writer.  As I learned from John-Boy Walton, we never know when the urge to write will suddenly occur.

A few weeks ago I had two ideas about how to get myself into deeper debt than I am already.  The first was that I desperately needed a new lawn mower.  My grass (weeds actually) had been growing ever since the first warm day of spring and my yard looked like an abandoned home.  My last mower had been the biggest and best mower that Southern States had to offer.  It featured a 20 HP Kohler engine and a 50" cutting deck.  I actually made it through the first season without any problems, but by the next spring problems started cropping up.  Within a few years Southern States even stopped supporting the mower.  Parts were nearly impossible to get.  So, basically I needed a new mower.  At about that same time I had run upon an old Executive Motor Home that was in great shape for only $6,000!  By the time I spoke to the owner he told me another guy had shown great interest and was trying for a loan.  He told me if that guy couldn't get the money it was mine.  Well, you guessed it, he got the money.  So, then I started looking at other campers and motor homes.  But, the grass was still growing.  As a matter of fact it had matured and it was beginning to turn golden brown with heavy seed heads on top.  I had to decide to do something.  While at the Amelia festival I drove over to Crewe, VA to Crewe Tractor to look at their line of Dixie Chopper Lawn Mowers.  I even got to test drive one.  Believe me, if you've never driven a zero turn mower, that first try levels the playing field, cause it is different from anything you may have driven before.  I told my buddy, Ralph Westfall, about the mowers and he went over there that same weekend and looked them over, too.  While I'm still undecided and swaying in the wind between a newer camper and a Dixie Chopper, Ralph made a deal and bought himself a new Dixie Chopper.  Finally, just last week I decided that my old camper would get by for me a couple more years and so I also bought a Dixie Chopper.  Wow!  What a lawn mower!!!  Last Saturday, with the grass soaking wet from three days of constant rain, I mastered the operation of my new Dixie Chopper and mowed my entire yard in 90 minutes.  This is a yard that took me 6 hours to cut with my old Statesman mower, even when it was in perfect shape.  So, the next time you see me at a Bluegrass festival I'll still be driving that rusty old '76 Ford F150 and towing that even older 1972 tag along camper, but know this, the lawn will be cut.

GROTTOES FAMILY BLUEGRASS FESTVAL - June 18th, 19th & 20th.

Speaking of Bluegrass festivals, I've got to tell you about this wonderful festival presented twice a year by Lawson Entertainment (Better known and Sweet Brenda & Calvin "him" Lawson) in this absolutely gorgeous park, Grand Caverns Regional Park, near the village of Grottoes, VA.  I remember so well back in the 80s when a group of friends would caravan our campers up to Grottoes to attend this festival.  We would arrive early Thursday morning and the promoter would hold us up at the gate.  He explained that the county had to mark off the park with huge areas for each camper, as if he were marking off a mobile home park.  I remember the promoter telling us after the guy left for us to camp anywhere we wanted, and we did.  If we had followed the county man's wishes there could have been more that about 25 campers in the entire park.  But, enough about the old days.  This coming festival on June 18th, 19th and 20th, 2009 will feature some great Bluegrass featuring Goldwing Express on Thursday along with a potluck dinner.  Bring along your favorite dish and join in the fun.  Friday get going with a couple of bands that are evidently from the Grottoes area because they are unknown to me.  They are Allegheny Blue and Skyline Express.  Following these two bands is Next Best Thing, featuring Rhonda Vincent's daughters, Tensel and Sally Sandker.  Up next is a graduate of Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Josh Williams with his band The Josh Williams Band.  Wrapping up the day on Friday is the ever popular (and rightfully so!) Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out.  Things get started on Saturday with The Little Mountain Boys.  Now don't get yourself confused here. it's the mountain that's little, not the boys!  Next up is Big Country Bluegrass.  This band, formed by Tommy & Teresa Sells features Lynwood Lunsford on Banjo and presents a great traditional Bluegrass show.  The Deer Creek Boys are up next.  Most of us can remember when these guys actually were boys.  They were great when they were kids and they're even better now.  A favorite band from the Central Virginia area is up next, Country Fried Grass.  These guys mix up traditional songs along with what I like to call "modern traditional" Bluegrass.  Last up is Lexington, Virginia's Nothin' Fancy.  What can I add to the many fine things others have written about Nothin' Fancy?  All I can say is that you may not like everything they do, but if you aren't entertained then you weren't paying attention.  Try to make your way up to Grottoes; you'll have fun, I promise.  It's just 18 miles north of Waynesboro on one of Virginia's most pleasant and scenic routes, Route 340.  Grottoes is about 10 miles from one of the more famous festival sites of the 1970s; Orange Blossom Park.  That purple cow head (It was your signal to turn right toward Orange Blossom Park!) is still there as you leave Waynesboro.  Look up to your right and you'll see it!

BLUEGRASS AT SEDALIA - June 25th, 26th & 27th, 2009 - Big Island. VA

I've said this before about Sedalia (Bluegrass At Sedalia, but we like to simply call it Sedalia.) and I'm gonna say it again.  Do your remember when festivals were small and you knew almost everyone there?  Do you remember when festivals were just a little more rustic than those of today?  Well, Sedalia has that feel while still offering the amenities we expect nowadays.  This year will mark my first 3-day stay at Sedalia.  I've been to almost every festival, but only as a "day tripper."  This time I decided to pull the old camper up there while gas prices are still fairly low and the truck is still running.  There's one more thing that makes this trip more feasible.  Just before going to the Graves Mountain Festival I bought a brand new Honda 3000 watt generator.  (It was expensive; cost me more than twice the value of my camper and truck combined.) I ran it all weekend at Graves and it is so quiet most folks didn't even know it was running.  Now, before you begin thinking Sedalia doesn't have electricity I want to stop that thought right now!  I am told that the Sedalia Center has upgraded all of their electric hookups to 30 amp.  But I will warn you that like most festivals the number of hook ups are limited and they are on a first come/first served basis.  Since by the time I arrive most of the locals will have snapped up the hook ups, but I will have my generator ready to keep me cool all weekend.  I think my biggest worry was wondering if there were showers available at Sedalia?  I am assured there are handicapped accessible showers for both men & women.  Now to the music!  Since Sedalia doesn't publish a schedule in advance I'll just tell who's gonna be playing over the course of the weekend.  Bluegrass At Sedalia will feature: Black Bear Express; Blackwater; Bluegrass Brothers; Deer Creek Boys, FaithRidge; Hard Drivin' Grass; High Ground; Kinney Rorrer & The New North Carolina Ramblers; Mark Templeton & Pocket Change; Reed Creek and Smith Mountain Grass.  Come on out to Sedalia located just north of Bedford, VA.  Remember, I'll be there driving that old 76 Ford F150, but my grass will be cut!

JAMES KING BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL; Rockahock Campground, Lanexa, VA June 25th, 26th & 27th, 2009

The very same weekend as the Sedalia Bluegrass Festival is the James King Bluegrass Festival at Rockahock Campground in Lanexa, Virginia.  The James King Bluegrass Festival is a bit different from any other festival in Virginia.  To begin with the stage area is considered to be part of the restaurant there at Rockahock.  That restaurant has an ABC license which allows it to serve beer and mixed drinks.  Since the stage area is part of the restaurant you may sit at the stage and openly drink alcoholic beverages.  At the same time you cannot bring anything into the stage area.  Not even a bottle of water.  Anything, food or beverage, in the stage area must be purchased at the restaurant.  With that out of the way, there is not a lot of differences between Rockahock than most other festivals.  The line up this year includes: The James King Band; Sierra Hull & Route 111; The Bradley Walker Band; Lost & Found; Randy Waller & The Country Gentlemen; Blue Highway; Country Fried Grass; Code Blue; Bill Emerson & The Sweet Dixie Band; Lawson Creek Band; Goldwing Express and many more.  I won't see you at the James King Bluegrass Festival simply because it is not possible to be in two places at once.  I have attended Rockahock in the past and I can tell you it is a nice place for a festival and you will have fun.  There are some folks at Rockahock that you most likely won't see at any other festival in the state.  If you have not heard Bradley Walker, please be sure to go down to the stage and get up close and you will be blown away by this young man's voice and great attitude.

VIRGINIA BLUEGRASS FAMILY Meeting  - July 14th, 2nd Tuesday  Don't Forget!

'NUFF SAID!

"BLUEGRASS RAMBLE" May 25th, 2009

I have many things to write about today, that my guess is I will surely forget a couple of things I meant to say.  To keep from having so many entries in the blog I'll skip a space and type in sub-titles in bold print.

Grave's Mountain Festival of Music

That's right, coming up this weekend, May 28th, 29th & 30th, 2009 is the 17th annual Graves Mountain Festival of Music.  As best as I can recall this is the first time that at least one day of the festival did not fall in June.  I'm not gonna list every band here, but I want to touch on the highlights.  On Thursday we'll get to hear the wonderful voice of Junior Sisk as Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice perform.  Also, Larry Cordle the great Bluegrass and Country songwriter ("Murder on Music Row") will be at Graves with his band Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time.  Wrapping up the day on Thursday is the great family band that refuses to call itself a family band, Cherryholmes.

Friday has so much going on that I'm gonna have to tell you about almost all of it.  First up on Friday is a little known band called Next Best Thing.  This band has both of Rhonda Vincent's daughters, making them the 5th generation of the Vincent family to perform Bluegrass music.  Next up is the great Navy Bluegrass band founded by Bill Emerson, Country Current.  If you like your Bluegrass from the heart and traditional then look no farther than The James King Band.  Sammy Shelor has kept the brand alive by keeping The Lonesome River Band staffed with top notch musicians; one listen and you'll agree.  Next up will be Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, serving up some of the clearest tenor lead singing you're likely to hear and great high harmonies.  Probably the highlight of the weekend, for me, will be the second re-union of The Heights of Grass, featuring Don Grubb, Billy Lux, Vernon Hughes, Richard Ward and several other "Heights" alumni (Sammy Shelor was one!).

Saturday gets underway with hard driving traditional sounds of The Bluegrass Brothers.  Follow that up with the annual appearance of The Mark Newton Band and you've got Saturday going with gusto.  Next up is a great new name in Bluegrass, Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain.  Carrie will blow you away with her strong vocals.  Next up is a new contemporary band, The SteelDrivers.  These guys have always performed their own music and, to my knowledge, have never performed a "cover" of anyone else's music.  There's nothing I can say by way of superlatives other than also on Saturday The Seldom Scene and Rhonda Vincent & The Rage will appear.  Things will wrap up on Saturday with an all-star Bluegrass jam featuring the imminent Carl Jackson along with Mark Newton and many others.  I'll be heading towards Graves on Wednesday.  Sure hope I see a lot of you there!

My Weekend at The Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival

Along with at least a couple thousand others I enjoyed a wonderful weekend at what is lovingly called the Amelia Festival by most of us.  There were heavy downpours of rain in all directions, but for some reason Amelia was not the usual "rain-magnet" as in years past.  We enjoyed a beautiful weather and many hours of great Bluegrass.  The jamming was everywhere and at times a bit boisterous, but always lots of fun.  I am counting the days until August 14th, 15th & 16th when the summer edition of Amelia Bluegrass will continue the great times in Amelia.  I have to believe this festival was the most successful with the largest crowd of any other held at the Amelia Family Campground.

Great Times at PreddyFest

I drove down to Franklinton, NC this past Saturday to enjoy a few hours at PreddyFest.  Rodney Preddy, who presents the festival, has been wrestling with choosing the best dates to have it.  The first years were held on the first weekend of August.  All that could be said about that weekend was , hot, hot, hot.  Then last year he chose to move it to the weekend vacated by the closing of The Christopher Run Bluegrass Festival.  Wow!  Last year that weekend was the hottest weekend of all of 2008.  This year, not wishing to compete with any other event, and after learning the The Bass Mountain Bluegrass Festvial was ended, Rodney chose to have PreddyFest on Memorial Day Weekend.  Even though the festival at Bass Mountain was revived, PreddyFest was a huge success, blessed with great weather and many great bands.  I think that two festivals could occur the same weekend less than 75 miles apart, and each achieve the success desired, attests to the strong and growing fan base of Bluegrass.

Donnie Mason Scheduled for Gastric Bypass June 15th, 2009

Donnie Mason of the band In The Tradition wanted me to tell all you that his health insurance company has finally agreed to allow his gastric bypass surgery.  It is scheduled for June 15th.  Donnie again wanted to express his heartfelt thanks to all who contributed toward this great day that will finally happen.  To write Donnie with your best wishes you may contact him via email by clicking here.

Christopher Run Campground to host "A Bluegrass Weekend" June 5th & 6th, 2009

Once again this year the Christopher Run Campground will host another "camp & pick" at the campgrounds this June 5th & 6th.  They will open up the old Bluegrass festival camping area with electric and water in that area costing $15 per night.  Remember camping on the "fence row?"  There'll be no bands on stage, and for that matter there'll be no stage, but there'll be a great chance to get together with old friends and to tell a few lies and pick and sing together.  For details and information on reservations, etc, click here.

JULY meeting of The Virginia Bluegrass Family will be moved to July 14th, Second Tuesday.

Due to a conflict with Jahnke Road Baptist Church's "Vacation Bible School" we will not be able to have our meeting on the 1st Tuesday of July.  Instead we will meet on the second Tuesday, which is July 14th.  I will make every effort to get this information  to everyone at the June meeting which will be on June 2nd.

Well I don't want to wear you out, so I'll wrap up this edition of the Bluegrass Ramble by saying......

'NUFF SAID!

Festival Season is in Full Swing: Central VA Family Bluegrass Music Festival - May 14th thru 16th: PreddyFest May 21st thru 23rd: Graves MT. Festival of Music - May 28th thru 30th, 2009

Yeah, I know that's really fat headline. but I wanted to cover all of this in just one post so you wouldn't have to scan the entire blog for info.  I will, however, insert hyperlinks to my original post on each festival and also hyperlinks to the web site of each festival.

Before getting to the festivals I wanted to mention a Tuesday night jam.  It's pretty far away, but they do have jams every Tuesday and if you're heading toward southwest Virginia you might want to stop by Gerta's House of Music right off exit
77 on I-81/77 just down from the Wilco/Hess Truckstop/Wash. For more information please feel free to email Sarah Strang by clicking here.

I also wanted to make sure you got the word about the Isaacs concert coming up at the West End Assembly of God, 401 Parham Road, Richmond, VA 23229, Doors open at 6:30 PM, Music starts at 7:30 PM, $15 in advance/$20 at door, nice group discounts available for 10 or more, see www.JAMinc.org or call 804 320-7067 Give Mom a ticket for Mothers' day (May 10).  JAMinc is a non-profit organization whose mission is stated as: Mission: "To open minds, hearts and ears to music deserving a
wider audience through education, performance and support." I think the goals of JAMinc are wonderful and whenever I can I support them.  Won't you do the same?

Also, there is a wonderful multi-part documentary now showing on PBS entitled, " Appalachia, A History of Mountains and People."  For more information about the series go to the web site by clicking here.  There is also a companion CD of the music from the series.  More information about how to obtain a copy is available by clicking here.  I plan to review the CD within the next few weeks.

Now, to the festivals!  Coming up in in 12 short days (May 14th, 15th & 16th) from the date of this blog is the Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival.  John & Fern Hutchinson have been presenting this fine festival for 29 years and this year will mark the 30th year of Bluegrass at the Amelia Family Campgrounds.  Clink on the link for details concerning the 30th Anniversary festival and camping information.  Also to read my previous blog entry about the Amelia Festival (that's what we all affectionately call it!) click here.  Coming up just 5 short days after the Amelia Festival is PreddyFest, in Freanklinton, NC, on May 21st, 22nd & 23rd.  To connect to the PreddyFest web site click here for more details.  To read my previous post about PreddyFest click here.  The last festival in Central Virginia in May is the Grave's Mountain Festival of Music.  Virginia's largest festival takes place on May 28th, 29th & 30th. For detailed information about the festival and all the other activities throughout the year at Grave's Mountain click here.  To read my previous blog with a more detailed description click here.  One way or another I'll be attending all of these great Bluegrass festivals.  I really hope I see you at each and every one of them.