HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!!!! Yep! Another year has begun. I'm only 62 years old, but I can remember back when I was in high school thinking that living to see the 21st Century would be impossible, and now look, I'm twelve years into this century now. Amazing! Enough of this, I've got a great concert series to tell you about, so I better get started.
The first headliner to appear as part of the Appomattox County High School's Booster Club Bluegrass Series will be Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper. Michael consistently wins the International Bluegrass Music Association's (IBMA) Fiddle Player of Year Award. Why? It's quite simple. A lot of award winners are part of a popularity contest, but with Michael, it is simply there is no-one today that has a more innovative style and ability. It's fun to watch the faces of his fellow band mates when Michael strikes out on a new and unexplored tangent when taking his fiddle breaks. They look at him in awe and amazement. So, you know if they are amazed, we fans are or should be totally blown away. Michael's show starts at 2PM, but wait, before Michael blows us all away, there is another local bluegrass group, the James River Cut-ups to get things started off. I'll let the band describe themselves in this excerpt from their web site:
"We started out as a family band from Nelson County, Va. Two of my brothers, Michael and Kenneth, have been playing together since they were kids. It all started when Michael got a guitar and Kenneth got a mandolin for Christmas. Soon after, my brothers started playing with other family members and friends.
In 2002, I got married and I asked them to play at my wedding. My brother Wendell joined in, a friend of the family, Carroll Turner helped on bass and Tom Hogge (with the Courtney Hollow band) helped on banjo. I joined them in a song to remember our dad who passed away in 1999. Our father was not one for flowers or poems, but instead a man who loved God, Bluegrass music and family. What better tribute than a family band preaching, praying and singing!
We practiced for months and once the wedding was over, we really didn’t want to stop! We continued to get together and make Bluegrass music, occasionally doing some benefits. When contacted to perform for a benefit, we realized we lacked a name. At this point, we were just family and friends who loved to get together, cut up, eat some homemade food, and play some music. However, thanks to a good friend of the family, and Michael’s very witty wife, the James River Cut-Ups were formed.
In the spring of 2010, we were so pleased to have Jered Gillispie join us. You HAVE to come out and hear him pick that banjo Stanley style!! He came into the band and it was the perfect fit."
Following pretty close behind Michael Cleveland on February 12th, Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-press will perform at Appomattox with a 2 PM show. Bobby, once part of the enduring Bluegrass 'second generation' group, The Osborne Brothers, decided to stay in the business when his brother, Sonny, chose to retire. Not intending to offend anyone, I must say I have never seen Bobby smile as much as he has since striking out on his own. There's not much I need to tell you about Bobby Osborne, so I want to tell you that leading off the show that Sunday at 1PM will be a local group called Dixie Ridge. Here's just a little about the band from their "bios" page of their web site:
"Dixie Ridge was formed in the winter of 2010 by the husband and wife duo of Adam and Amanda Clifton. Both have always loved playing and singing bluegrass music. Amanda has been singing since a very young age and her powerful lead vocals are without a doubt the foundation of the group. Adam serves as the bass player for the group and is also Dixie Ridge's bandleader and manager.
Adam and Amanda are very proud of Dixie Ridge's debut, self-titled album recorded on the Blue Moon Records label in Mount Airy, N.C. The ten track album features the band and guest musicians: Scott Vestal, Rob Ickes, Jimmy Edmonds, Andy Leftwich, Jared Easter, and Russell Easter Jr. who by the way is the owner of Blue Moon Records."
Following Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-press just two short weeks later on February 26th at 2 PM, is none other than Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. Doyle is well known to folks all around Virginia for his flawless execution both vocally and instrumentally. His show will begin a 2 PM, but at 1 PM a well known local Gospel Bluegrass group, True Spirit, will get the day started. I'll let the band tell you a little about themselves with this short excerpt from their web site:
FIFTEEN YEARS OR SO AGO, GOD CALLED THE TRUE SPIRIT GOSPEL BAND TO SERVE AND MINISTER HIS GOSPEL IN SONG AND MUSIC.
IT IS OUR MISSION TO LIFT AND PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME AND TO GIVE HIM THANKS FOR OUR SALVATION.
IT IS OUR HOPE AND PRAYER THAT MANY WILL BE SAVED THROUGH THE MESSAGE THAT JESUS CHRIST DELIVERED TO US!
As I look at the schedule, it seems that all shows are two weeks apart through-out the coldest part of winter. Who says there's no Bluegrass in the wintertime? Next up on March 11th at 2 PM the Appomattox Bluegrass Series will present Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out. I was gonna say that Russell Moore was schooled in the Doyle Lawson School of Bluegrass, but in all actuality, I believe that Doyle has been searching for another singer of the caliber Russell Moore. He hasn't found one yet. Russell's voice is distinctive and is as open and clear as I have ever had the privilege to hear. There's just no-one to match him. Russell coupled with his great band and harmony vocalists makes for a Bluegrass performance that is unequaled anywhere, period. IIIrd Tyme Out's show gets under way at 2PM, but prior to Russell is a group entirely new to me, The Epperson Brothers. They will get the show started at 1PM. I could find nothing on the Internet about The Epperson Brothers (Hey guys, if you're reading this you need to get on the Internet either on Facebook or a web site.), so I guess we'll have to find out all about them by attending the show.
The final concert of the Appomattox Bluegrass Concert Series is what can only be described as a Bluegrass Super Group. Dailey & Vincent were met with great success from their very first concert at IBMA (I was there!). Jamie Dailey after ten years with Doyle Lawson and Darren Vincent after many years with his family band The Sally Mountain Show and then after nine years with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder have joined together to form Dailey & Vincent. Aided by great sidemen, Daily & Vincent has become one of the most sought after Bluegrass groups today. Their show will begin at 2PM and there will be no other group on stage that day.
Get that calendar and mark down all these dates so you won't miss a single show and be sure to get those tickets ordered as any one of these shows could possibly sell out. You certainly wouldn't want to make the drive only to be turned away at the door. All tickets are $15 each for adults and $5 for children 6 to 12 years old. All children 5 years or younger are free. For more information or to purchase tickets call Tony Clifton at 434-660-7101. You may reserve tickets as "will call" is available for these concerts. To purchase tickets in the Appomattox area go to Carquest Auto Parts or Baines Books & Coffee. Visit the web site at www.appomattoxbluegrass.com.
JODY RAINWATER passed away on Christmas Eve at ten minutes to midnight. He was a friend to all who met him and I am especially proud to have gotten to know this fine gentleman. My earliest memories include my Mother listening to "Little Jody Rainwater" on WSVS every morning. My two older brothers went to school but I was home with Mama and we listened to Jody. In my mind he always sounded like a granddaddy and I seem to recall referring to him that way. Jody was out of the public eye for many years as he helped his wife, Emma, take care of her aging mother. After her passing, Emma & Jody began to attend Bluegrass events and shows all around Virginia and North Carolina. It was during these later years in his life that I met and became friends with both Jody and Emma.
I interviewed Jody a few years ago with the plans to write an article about him for Bluegrass Unlimited, but I never completed the project. If I can find my notes I hope to do a series of blog entries about Jody.
I've rambled too long here. I simply want to say that we all have lost a close friend with the passing of Charles E. Johnson, better known as Jody Rainwater to most of us. We will miss him, but we know that Jody was a Christian man and that he is now enjoying eternal life with his savior.
"NUFF SAID!"
