Nothin' Fancy Bluegrass Festival - Sept. 24th, 25th & 26th, 2009 - Glen Maury Park, Buena Vista, VA

September is a busy month for Bluegrass in Virginia and wrapping up the month is the "Nothin' Fancy Bluegrass Festival" held September 24th, 25th & 26th, 2009 at the beautiful Glen Maury Park in Buena Vista, Virginia.  Just a quick note here.  I know most of you opt for the most direct and easiest route to Bluegrass festivals; usually I do too.  But, if you've got the time and would want to see a different part of Virginia try driving straight out Midlothian Pike on Route 60.  It goes straight (Well, not straight!) to Buena Vista and is a nice and different way to get there.  I've got a lot to get to, so I better get started.

The festival gets started on Thursday with a band called Wonder. I tried searching for wonder on the Internet and all I found was Wonder Woman (Worth a short stop!) and Stevie Wonder.  So I must tell you I know nothing about Wonder, but perhaps you should check them out and tell me all about them so I can stop "wondering."  Next up is the entertaining Goldwing Express.  These guys are very capable Bluegrass musicians who choose to entertain as well as perform great Bluegrass music.  Williams & Clark Expedition continues to entertain as they take the stage.  Next up are the hosts of the festival Nothin' Fancy.  They play every day of the festival, so I will only make this one long entry about them.  They have won the SPBGMA Entertaining Band of the Year in both 2008 and 2009!  Playing mostly original material, all done with the Nothin' Fancy touch it is easy to see why they are so popular.  Wrapping up the day on Thursday is the band Steep Canyon Rangers.  This is a fine group and they will work very hard to make you their fans and if you give them just half a chance you will be a fan.  Great Bluegrass!

The schedule for Friday shows In The Tradition will get things started.  Those of you who read this blog regularly will know that the leader of this group, Donnie Mason had gastric bypass surgery a few months ago.  I understand he has been making some shows, so I hope he will be well enough to make it to Buena Vista.  Lonesome Will Mullins is up next and combines modern Bluegrass and old time Stanley styled music to make his performances exciting and entertaining.  Williams & Clark Expedition is back again on Friday.  Following this fine group is The James King Band.  James and his band perform some of the finest traditional Bluegrass you will hear anywhere.  If you love great harmony singing and fine instrumental back up then you are already a fan of Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out.  They will close out the show on Friday.

Kicking things off on Saturday in Next Best Thing .  This band is comprised of daughters of Rhonda Vincent and a few other talented musicians.  It's great to know these young women will continue the Vincent tradition as the 5th generation on Vincents in the business.  Country Fried Grass is up next at Nothin' Fancy.  If these fellows have the same following of fans at Buena Vista as they have at other festivals you won't have any difficulty finding their campsite in the wee early hours of the morning.  Country Fried Grass will be rocking out with Bluegrass and a little of some other stuff too!  Next up is David Parmley & Friends.  David is best know for his days in the great Bluegrass band The Bluegrass Cardinals and in his own band David Parmley & Continental Divide. No doubt, this group will be as fine as his others.  The Gary Waldrep Band is up next.  From their web site: "The band performs with a traditional sound spiced with original songs and old standards, making them a favorite with acoustic music lovers across the country."   Wrapping up Saturday and the festival in the great Rhonda Vincent & The Rage.  There is little I can say about Rhonda that hasn't been said than to comment that I believe Rhonda is one of the few female performers that truly sing Bluegrass as it should be sung.

Be sure to include the "Nothin' Fancy Bluegrass Festival" on your schedule of Bluegrass events to attend.

Jody Rainwater to be awarded Distinguished Achievement Award @ IBMA

Hi folks.  I just received an email from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) announcing that, among others, our own Jody Rainwater will be awarded a certificate for "Special Achievement" at this year's afternoon awards program in Nashville, Tennessee.

Jody is best known for his years spent with Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys.  A lot has been made of the, so called, first Bluegrass band comprised of, Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Chubby Wise and Cedric Rainwater, but it is my firm belief that Jody Rainwater, during his years with Flatt & Scruggs, created and defined the true art of Bluegrass Bass playing.  Just listen to those old Flatt & Scruggs records and you'll hear Jody smoothly moving between 2-4 time and 4-4 time in the same song, either to accentuate a vocal or a special instrumental break.  Yes, Jody Rainwater truly is a living legend in Bluegrass and will be long remembered for his humor and creative Bass playing.

Join me in congratulating Jody Rainwater in this wonderful recognition by the trade organization of our music, the IBMA.

Thanks,   GARY

Mr. B's Bluegrass Festival - August 27th, 28th & 29th, 2009

Don't forget Mr. B's Bluegrass festival coming up this weekend, actually begins today!  Click here for details from my previous blog posting.

Thanks,    Gary

Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival August 13th, 14th & 15th, 2009 - 30th Year Celebration!

Can I actually have attended 59 festivals at the Amelia Family Campground and am I gonna attend my 60th festival there in less than two short weeks?  Gosh!  It's really hard to believe, but it's true.  Way back in May of 1980 the festival got started  featuring bands like: East Virginia, James Bailey & The Autumn Harvest, Appalachian Express, B. G. Express, Friendly Henry & The Roots of Bluegrass, Hand Picked Grass and Canadian Bluegrass.  Sadly, time has continued its march forward and many of these performers are no longer with us.  That said, Bluegrass has continued to progress and is more popular today than ever.  Much of this popularity in the central Virginia area is due to John & Ferne Hutchinson's love of the music and their support of the musicians who make it.  A weekend ticket back in 1980 cost a whopping $13.00.  That's right $13.00 for an entire weekend of Bluegrass music. 

Back in 1980 Larry Sparks released his great album "John Deere Tractor."  The great Lester Flatt had passed just the summer before this first festival at the Amelia Family Campground. The late Claude Warden (His son Claude Jr., better known to all as Junior Warden plays Bass and sings all the parts with the band Borrowed Time) was still presenting his Bluegrass festival over at Tom Scott Recreational Park in Amelia.  Bands featured at Claude's April festival included; Lost & Found, Mail Pouch, McPeak Brothers, Friendly Henry & The Roots of Bluegrass, C. W. & The Bluegrass Sound, Bluegrass Ramblers and Stars & Bars.  Bluegrass in Virginia was alive and well in Amelia, Virginia.  Now, 30 years later it still is at the "Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival."

Back in 1980 The Heights of Grass were one of the hottest bands on the east coast (Members of the band at the time of this recording were; Don Grubb, Richard Ward, Mark Newton, Sonny Mead, Ron Rush, Vernon Hughes & Billy Lux) and their brand new album, "Louisiana Saturday Night" debuted.  "Bluegrass Unlimited" gave it a less than excited review (Tough reviews were very common back in those days.), but that didn't deter the many fans of The Heights of Grass.  Oh yeah, back in 1980 there were no such things as CDs.  The state of the art was the vinyl Long Playing Record called LP's.  They were 12" in diameter and were played on stereophonic phonographs.  Cars had 8-Track players and cassette players which were beginning to take over from the 8-Track.  I'm beginning to feel old, so I'm gonna stop talking about 30 years ago and start telling you about the upcoming "Amelia Festival" (That's what we like to call it!).

John & Ferne are always traveling around the country and they hear new bands and when they like a band and think we'll like them to too, then they book them at Amelia.  The first band up in Amelia is Easy Street.  Easy Street is from the tidewater area of Virginia and from the music on their web site they are quite good.  Next up on Thursday is Some Assembly Required.  Formed by Leo Szydlowski and Lynn Stephens, Some Assembly Required has been performing their eclectic style of Bluegrass and Folk music around central Virginia since early 2007.  They have a new CD out this past spring.  See my review by clicking here.  Next up is another band that is new to me.  It is called Allegheny Blue.  Next up is one of Virginia's most beloved bands, Lost & Found.  It was feared after the tragic loss of their founding Mandolin player, Dempsey Young, they might not continue.  We are grateful the band was able to surpass great tragedy and continue.  For more on the history of Lost & Found click here.  The next band up is another from Virginia's tidewater area.  They are Solid Rock, a primarily Bluegrass Gospel band.  Solid Rock has been entertaining at the Amelia festival for the last few years.  Now, if your were ever a fan of the music of Jimmy Martin or followed the music of Rhonda Vincent & The Rage throughout the years, then you know all about Audie Blaylock.  Audie Blaylock & Redline is a high energy Bluegrass band in the finest tradition of the music.  You haven't seen or heard anyone play rhythm guitar until you experienced Audie Blaylock.

I did a Google search on "Dark Holler" (As listed on the Amelia flyer) to make sure I was right about the first band to play on Friday at Amelia.  The correct name for the band is Dark Hollow and what a band they are.  In their manner of dress and stage presence they epitomize the great traditional bands of the early years of Bluegrass.  Dark Hollow keeps alive the older music and believe me you ain't heard nothin' until you hear them do the old Stanley Brothers attempt a Rock 'N Roll with their version of "Finger Poppin' Time!"  Next up on Friday is a band from the Raleigh, NC area called Constant Change.  They have been performing at the Amelia festival for many years now.  Why?  Simply because they are good! Hailing from Reedsville, PA,  Remington Ryde is up next.  Now, I suppose you all know by now that I'm particularly interested in the Banjo.  That being said, one of the finest Banjo players I have ever had the privilege of meeting and listening to, Billy Lee Cox, is a member of this group.  So if you're a Banjo nut like me, you've got to hear Remington Ryde.  Next up is the group, Hager's Mountain Boys from Roxboro, NC.  These fellows play true Bluegrass with strong instrumentation and even stronger mountain harmonies.  Be sure to catch their show.  If you are as old as I am  (somewhat over 30!) you will have most likely cut your Bluegrass teeth on the music of The Stanley Brothers.  Well, the next performer is was too young to have heard the Stanley's live ,but he sure has listened to their recordings.  Kody Norris & The Watuga Mountain Boys play Bluegrass the way the Stanley's did it.  Why, Kody is Ralph & Carter all wrapped into one package.  He is an amazing Bluegrass artist and deserves your close attention.  Wrapping up the day on Friday is the half-breed entertainment of The Goldwing Express.  Now, before you get all huffy and upset with me for using the term half-breed, you will only have to see one very entertaining show by Goldwing Express to know why I use the term. 

Since the "Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival" ceased having Sunday shows many years ago they have always had a Bluegrass Gospel show on Saturday mornings.  Mark Templeton & Pocket Change get things started followed by the Bluegrass Brothers with both bands doing only Gospel material.  Thirteen year old Fiddle phenomenon Samantha Casey is up next.   Joined by her father and few friends Samantha really shows us her talents.  Up next is another great band from the tidewater area, Poquoson to be exact, Code Blue.  While looking at their web site I was pleased to find a baby photo of the leader of Code Blue, Bud Finch.   I've included it here: 

Jonathan Dillon is up next.  Starting as a hotshot kid Banjo player, Jonathan has grown into a fine multi-instrumentalist  and singer and will carry Bluegrass far into the 21st century.  Mark Templeton & Pocket Change and The Bluegrass Brothers will each do two regular sets of Bluegrass on Saturday in addition the their morning Gospel sets.  The closing act on Saturday is Dr. Ralph Stanley.  What can I say that hasn't been said about this icon of Bluegrass and folk music.  Be aware there will be only this one performance by Ralph at 9PM, so if you're a fan of Dr. Ralph don't miss it.

This article has ran way too long ,but I would be remiss if I didn't mention there will be food concessions and other things of interest to Bluegrass fans and their families.  Join me at the 60th "Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival." (Whew!).

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"