Thursday, December 31, 2009

Website Update

Look for the Dumplin Valley website update soon. Due to technical difficulties, we haven't been able to add to or make changes to it and are in the process of redesigning the entire site. It should be ready in the next few weeks. In the meantime, I will put news on here and on the Facebook page. The website address is: www.dumplinvalleybluegrass.com.

You Can't Always Trust Your GPS

I know some of you have seen the big sign in Sevierville warning you that your GPS is wrong. Well, it was brought to our attention at our last festival that those of you approaching us from the East and traveling West on I-40 may be routed off I-40 at the wrong exit. When you come to Dumplin Valley exit the interstate at #407 no matter which direction you are traveling. That is the quickest and most direct route to get here. We are a short 1 1/2 mile from Highway 66 (the road you will be on after you exit the interstate). When you get off the exit, head toward the McDonald's on the north side of the exit. That is East Dumplin Valley Road and we are at 525 East Dumplin Valley Road. This road runs parallel to I-40 and is easy to navigate. If you have any questions, please call us: 865-397-7942. BUT don't trust that GPS lady if she starts telling you to "turn here" or starts telling you to turn around when you go by the other exit. You want to exit at 407; turn toward the north side of I-40; take the first right (East Dumplin Valley Road); travel 1 1/2 miles and we will be on your left. It's pretty simple. But it won't be if you take the wrong exit.............just ask the Lonesome River Band's bus driver!

New Bands in 2010

In addition to some familiar names in our lineup there are a few that you might not be too familiar with. Let's start with The Boxcars. This is a brand new band made up of Adam Steffey, Ron Stewart, John Bowman, Keith Garrett and Harold Nixon. With talented musicians like these this group is bound to become popluar with all you bluegrassers and JuneFestivarians.
Another band which is fairly new......Brand New Strings.....some of you may already have seen them perform as they were winners of the '09 SPBGMA band competetition. Check them out at www.brandnewstringsband.com. They will be here in Sept.
We also have for the first time this year in the Sept. lineup, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, a wonderful husband and wife team who have recorded some great songs. You can find more info on them at www.darinandbrookealdridge.com.
Jerry Butler has a new band...Jerry Butler and the Blu-J's with a new cd worth checking out.."Haulin' Grass". We're sure you're going to enjoy them at JuneFest. And we always look forward to seeing his #1 fan, Miss Sami :)
You might want to check out G2 on the web at:
www.g2bluegrassband.com. This band comes to us in September all the way from Sweden. And, yes, they are a bluegrass band! Let's make sure we show them what southern hospitality is like :).
The Travelin' McCourys. hmmmm where have we heard that name before?? Oh, yes.........as in Del McCoury......... But Daddy Del won't be part of this ensemble. Here's your chance to see what the boys are up to when Daddy isn't around! Plan on joining us for JuneFest to hear this band.
Last, but certainly not least, we are bringing a familiar name with his band to Dumplin Valley for the first time........Lou Reid & Carolina. Lou has performed here a couple of times with Seldom Scene but this will be his first trip here with his own band. We are certainly looking forward to this. He'll be joining us in JuneFest.
Now that we have filled you in on the new additions to the Dumplin Valley family of musicians, we want to remind you that in addition to the above mentioned groups we are bringing back some of your favorite bands in 2010: June: Bluegrass Brothers; Paul Williams & The Victory Trio; Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier; The Expedition Show (formerly Williams & Clark Expedition); JD Crowe; Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice; Balsam Range; Barry Scott & Second Wind; Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain (mmmm hope she brings Moon Pies with her again!). September: Rhonda Vincent & The Rage; IIIrd Tyme Out; Dailey & Vincent; The Grascals; Lonesome River Band; Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper; Paul Williams & Victory Trio; Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier; James King Band.....& if I have left anyone out........sorry......let me know. Several of the bands have new projects in the works. Keep checking back and I will post news here when I get it. Also, check out our Facebook page.
As you can see, the festival season looks to be an exciting one this year at Dumplin Valley. Many camping reservations have already been made so if you are planning to camp with us, please let us know soon.

Farmer Joe's Debut

2010 Lineup


Goodbye, 2009 & Hello, 2010 !!
It occurred to me this morning that time has almost run out to update my blog during 2009. So, here is my feeble attempt to rectify the situation.
Summing up................we had a great festival in September as well as in June this past year and have been planning for 2010 with the lineup being 98% done as of yesterday. Here's the list of bands we have so far:
For JuneFest (June 10-11-12): JD Crowe; The Travelin' McCourys; Bluegrass Brothers; Paul Williams & The Victory Trio; The Expedition Show; Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain; Barry Scott & Second Wind; Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier; Jerry Butler & The Blu-J's; Balsam Range; Lou Reid & Carolina; The Boxcars; Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice.
The lineup for our 11th Annual DVBF (Sept. 16-17-18) is: Rhonda Vincent & The Rage; Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out; Lonesome River Band; Balsam Range; Dailey & Vincent; The Grascals; Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper; James King Band; Darrin & Brooke Aldridge; G-2 (from Europe); Brand New Strings; Paul Williams & The Victory Trio; Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier.

Friday, September 18, 2009

In Festival Mode Now






Well, we had a wonderful potluck dinner on Wednesday and yesterday was probably the largest Thursday crowd we've had so far even with the rain. The shows were great, the middle school students who came yesterday morning on their field trip had a good time and we have really enjoyed meeting and greeting all of our old and new bluegrass friends here. Can't wait to see what kind of shenanigans the bands will be up to today. Rhonda Vincent will be here today (as will her daughters...Next Best Thing). Those of you who were here last year are not likely to forget the lady in red who dropped in on IIIrd Tyme Out who is also here today. And then there's the totally energized Bluegrass Brothers who will have you on the edge of your seat with all their fast picking. And then there is Junior Sisk who has that pure bluegrass voice "often imitated but never duplicated" that has garnered some nominations for IBMA awards this year. Oh.......Russell Moore has one of those voices you can swoon over, ladies! Oh, yes, today will be a great day. If you haven't made plans to join us, please reconsider. Even if we should get a little rain we have plenty of cover. Hope to see you here.

Monday, September 14, 2009

3 more days....................




Well, it's only 3 more days until the 10th Annual Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival. The campground is already teeming with festivarians. Everyone is getting acquainted and nightly jams are the norm this week. Since we are still offering advance tickets through tomorrow, September 15 (Joe's birthday!), the phone has been ringing throughout the day. The weekend is shaping up to be one of the best festivals so far. I know the lineup is great and if the weather cooperates with us, it could be a perfect bluegrass weekend. And even if we do get a little rain, we are covered and won't let that dampen our spirits. We hope you will join us this year. If you are planning to come and haven't bought your tickets.................you can still get them through tomorrow afternoon. After that you will have to wait to buy them at the gate. See you soon!!
M

Friday, August 7, 2009

Country Living

Hello to all our festivarians! Just thought I would mention that on page 28 of the September issue of Country Living Magazine you will find a listing for the September festival. What a treat to find that! It's in a column under the heading of "Get Your Bluegrass On"! That's appropriate, don't you think? Check it out, if you have a chance. We're just tickled to death that they noticed our event and thought enough of it to put it in their publication. THANK YOU, Country Living!!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

September Schedule

Thursday, 9/17:
1pm Cody Shular & Pine Mountain Railroad
2pm Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
3pm Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
4pm Larry Stephenson Band
5-6 SUPPER
6pm Cody Shular & Pine Mountain Railroad
7pm Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
8pm Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
9pm Larry Stephenson Band
Friday, 9/18:
noon Next Best Thing
1pm Bluegrass Brothers
2pm Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice
3pm Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
4pm Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
5-6 SUPPER
6pm Next Best Thing
7pm Bluegrass Brothers
8pm Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice
9pm Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
10pm Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
Saturday, 9/19:
noon Shadow Ridge
1pm Big Country Bluegrass
2pm Danny Paisley & Southern Grass
3pm Lonesome River Band
4pm Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers
5-6 SUPPER
6pm Big Country Bluegrass
7pm Shadow Ridge
8pm Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers
9pm Danny Paisley & Southern Grass
10pm Lonesome River Band

Monday, August 3, 2009

Bluegrass Monday

Well, today is another "Bluegrass Monday". Haven't figured it out yet, but it seems that Monday is the busiest day of the week for bluegrass calls and inquiries. I think everyone gets a little dose of bluegrassin' over the weekend and that reminds them to check in with me re: bluegrass biz. It's got to be a good thing..............no time for dreading Monday's when you get to talk about one of our favorite subjects off and on all day. We're just glad that people remember us and want to talk about bluegrass festivals coming up. So........keep those calls and e-mails coming! AND if you haven't made your reservations or bought your advance tickets yet..............WELL....IT'S TIME TO GET R DONE! The deadline for the advance tickets and also to get your camping $$ in is coming up soon...August 15.
865-397-7942
M

Monday, July 27, 2009

Thanks, Seth



For those of you who were here for JuneFest............our nephew, Seth, who worked tirelessly as a volunteer the whole week is leaving for home (Colorado) in the morning. He was a great help and said he had a lot of fun meeting everyone this summer. All you campers saw him working doing just about everything. And all you bands probably had him helping you haul your gear back and forth from your vehicles to the stage and back. We couldn't have done it without you, Seth. Thanks! He wasn't a bluegrass fan before he started volunteering his summers to help us but we have converted him! He loves it now. Thanks again and good luck being a senior this year!!!

Something New!

For the first time, we will be having an author present on Friday and Saturday of our September event for a book signing. Tim Hollis of Alabama has written some quite interesting books about the early days of tourism in our area as well as Florida and a new one about Rock City. I first discovered his book, The Land of the Smokies, last year and have thoroughly enjoyed it. It is full of old black and white photos (color ones, too) of the early years of tourism in the Sevier County/Smoky Mountain area. He also has several books pertaining to early Florida attractions. Yes, I know, you're probably thinking..............what has that got to do with bluegrass?.........well, nothing in particular. But lots of the people in attendance at this festival have been coming here to the Smokies for years and will find them interesting, I'm sure. Who knows......you might even see yourself in one of those old photos. Also, we have lots of bluegrassers from Florida who will get a kick out of his Florida stories. You can find his books on the internet if you need more information. Don't forget to check them out while you are here.

We're Looking for a Few Good Volunteers

If you're interested in helping park cars, etc., give us a call. We can use a few volunteers in exchange for admission. Let's make a deal.........ha ha. Give us a call at 865-397-7942.

September Vendors

Hi, everyone! September will be here soon and we need to get some more vendors lined up. If you are a vendor with a unique or interesting product, please contact me for information on becoming a vendor here. The phone # is 865-397-7942.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

JuneFest 2009

If you weren't here this past weekend, then you missed a great 3 days of music and jammin'. Mother Nature threw a little ugly weather at us but it just kept us on our toes and the show went on. We had some beautiful weather as well. There were a lot of new faces in Dumplin Valley as well as many old ones who came out to enjoy the shows. I'm going to post some photos to give you an idea of the quality of the shows and the fun we all had.
It was our privilege to be host to some of the finest bands & musicians in the bluegrass world. Some bands were making their first appearance at Dumplin Valley:
JD Crowe, The Gibson Brothers, Williams & Clark Expedition, Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain, Josh Williams Band and also Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road. Every single one was well received. And we were happy to have the bands who had entertained us before.
There were many encores & standing ovations throughout the weekend as the JuneFestivarians were very appreciative of the bands they enjoyed.
Joe had a blast singing with some of the bands. Several times I heard "I see a bus in your future"! ha ha
Here are a few photos from the weekend. Please enjoy them and tell your friends to come out and join us in September for our 10th Annual Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival. Be sure to check back soon for more information.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

New Truck?




Well, I've been thinking about selling my car and getting something a bit more practical. You know how it is..................when you're looking for something in particular you can never find it and when you're not looking you're liable to run right into that thing which you seek. So, yesterday while Joe and I were at the Jimmy Martin Festival just outside of Sneedville, TN. I found this truck. Let me know what you think about it. It has real potential. It comes with its own little business amenities. Not too sure about the low tech dashboard but I could figure it out. And as you can see, it comes fully loaded. What more could I want??

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

JuneFest '09 Schedule

THURSDAY,JUNE 11
1pm Williams & Clark Expedition
2pm Josh Williams Band
3pm Bluegrass Brothers
4pm James King Band
5pm-6pm supper break
6pm Williams & Clark Expedition
7pm Josh Williams Band
8pm James King Band
9pm Bluegrass Brothers

FRIDAY, JUNE 12
Noon Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road
1pm Balsam Range
2pm Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard time
3pm Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
4pm Gibson Brothers
5pm-6pm supper break
6pm Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road
7pm Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time
8pm Balsam Range
9pm Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
10pm Gibson Brothers

SATURDAY, JUNE 13
Noon Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain
1pm Barry Scott & Second Wind
2pm Nothin' Fancy
3pm Steep Canyon Rangers
4pm JD Crowe & The New South
5pm-6pm supper break
6pm Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain
7pm Nothin' Fancy
8pm Barry Scott & Second Wind
9pm JD Crowe & The New South
10pm Steep Canyon Rangers
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Happy Easter!





What a beautiful day here in East Tennessee. It was frosty this morning but has warmed up and turned out to be a lovely day for all those Easter Egg hunters. We saw a few of them on our way to church. Although our egg hunting days have been over for quite a few years, I still think it's a fun tradition. And speaking of the Easter Egg.................here are some photos of Easter Past. Julie's Easter photo was taken in '87 (the year we moved to the farm) and Wes' "See My Egg!" photo was taken in 1980. The other 2 photos were taken today after brunch at a new restaurant nearby, New Orleans on the River........mmmmm mmmmm good! One picture is Wes and Iris. The other is Joe and me.
Happy Easter, everyone! He Is Risen!!
M

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Spring or Not?





The weather here has been beautiful for a few days. We almost hit 80 today but there is an ugly rumor that we will be in the 40's tomorrow and the next day. There's even talk of snow flurries. I hope it doesn't hurt the beautiful blooms on our tree out back. Here are a few pictures we took outside today. Sophie sure enjoyed it.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

More Photos from 3/28





Last Night's Fun






Well, we had an excellent night of entertainment along with the fun of seeing a lot of old friends as well as meeting new folks. Jimbo Whaley had his annual show at the Mills Auditorium in Gatlinburg and it was great. This year's show was different as it focused on the talents of many of his fellow members of Pine Mountain Railroad from a few years ago. Now, I must say that Pine Mountain Railroad is alive and thriving with a Dove Award nomination under their belts. But last night's show was meant to be a reunion of the band members from Jimbo's time with them. And it lived up to our expectations & more. Jimbo has been at Dumplin Valley for every show we have had in the last 10 years with one exception............that was the year he left PMRR. Otherwise, he and a group of fine musicians have been there to the delight of the crowd every year.
Attendance was good and the Mills Auditorium has never looked better. I had not been there since they underwent major renovations so I was pleasantly surprised when I walked through those doors. We have certainly spent many hours there in the past mostly attending dance recitals for our daughter and also the Festival of Trees that used to be held there. Thankfully, the City of Gatlinburg decided to recycle the old facility instead of tearing it down.
We gave away some JuneFest tickets last night and at least one of the winners is one of our regular "festivarians". We had an info table set up in the lobby and many people stopped by to chat and pick up a flyer. We hope to see all you people here in June or September!
I hope you enjoy the photos we took last night. The youngest member of the band is Jimbo's son, Turner, who is a budding musician in his own right.
You might be surprised to see Mr. and Mrs. Claus and so were we! But the children loved it and had their photos taken with them when they stopped by to chat with the jolly couple. Even "Aunt Barbara" had her photo taken!
Being around so many of our Dumplin Valley Family and Friends last night made us even more anxious for the festival season to begin. We hope to see you soon!
M

Friday, March 27, 2009

Hello To Our European Friends!

Joe and I are delighted to be hearing from bluegrassers in Europe. It is quite a treat for us to know that there are fellow bluegrass lovers all over the world and some who actually will be visiting here during our festivals this year. Some of them have visited with us in the past and it is nice to have them join us again. We were advised this past week that a soldier serving in Bahrain had made a pledge online to WDVX for a package including tickets to our JuneFest (he will be back in the USA by then).
Now...............if we can only generate that same level of interest in people who live close by! Come on, folks! If you live close by, come on over and give it a try. You might just find that you like it. And you might even meet some of your neighbors here, too. We do have a lot of local folks attend as well as people from all over the US and Canada. It's hard to beat a good family friendly event with some of the best music around. Whether you are a picker or a grinner (yes, some people fall into both categories), there's something for everyone.
There's always some great jamming and a lot of people leave here with the names and numbers of new friends with whom they may get together at other events for jamming.
By the way, did any of you hear Joe and I on WDVX this past Monday morning? We were on the Rise and Shine Show from 7-9am to help with the fund raiser. Several people phoned in a pledge to get tickets to JuneFest. It was fun and we enjoy helping WDVX keep bluegrass on the air!
If you haven't made your reservations for camping yet, it's time to do it! Give us a call. Tickets can be purchased in advance and will also be available at the gate.
M

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Bluegrass Biz

It is so nice to hear from all of our bluegrass friends. We have received several phone calls and e-mails lately regarding reservations and tickets for the upcoming JuneFest event. We still have campsites available for June and only a few for September. So, if you are thinking about coming in June, give us a call. If you have checked the lineups, then you know that we have an exciting festival season coming up. You don't want to miss it! We are looking forward to seeing everyone again this year. And looking forward to meeting all the newcomers as well.
As you may know, many of the bands have had changes in band members this year. But never fear.................they have been good! We were at Palatka in February and saw several of those bands with new members and they were great.
Some of you have found your way to our Facebook page and I am glad to see you on there. Keep checking for information. I will put it on there as it becomes available. If you have any questions regarding upcoming shows, please let us know. You can call us at 865-397-7942 or e-mail us at dumplingrass@comcast.net.
Also, keep in mind that for those of you who will be camping with us, you can come in early..............just let us know when you plan to arrive. There are lots of things to see and do close by so you can enjoy our area attractions before and after you experience our festivals.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
M

Max Patch Official Marker


This marker was placed here in 1933. We actually stumbled across it by accident.

A Short Springtime Hike






Today was a great day for taking advantage of one of our area's jewels. Joe and I decided in mid afternoon to take a ride up to Max Patch and hike to the top of the bald which just happens to have panoramic views of the mountains as well as a section of the Appalachian Trail running through it. The weather was quite chilly on top with the wind blowing all the while we were there. But it was a pleasant short hike with views that go on forever. The trees haven't blossomed yet but we saw several buds on their limbs. And when we got down from the mountain on the Del Rio side, we saw lots of trees in full bloom as well as creeping phlox in all colors and forsythia bushes exploding with color. I hope you enjoy these photos we took. I hope we can get back up there in the early summer when the trees are all green.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

2009 Lineups

Here they are.........the 2009 lineups!
JUNEFEST, June 11-12-13:
THURSDAY: James King Band
Bluegrass Brothers
Josh Williams Band
Williams & Clark Expedition
FRIDAY: Gibson Brothers
Carolina Road
Larry Cordle
Balsam Range
Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
SATURDAY: J. D. Crowe
Steep Canyon Rangers
Nothin' Fancy
Barry Scott & Second Wind
Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain

10th ANNUAL DUMPLIN VALLEY BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL:
September 17-18-19
THURSDAY: Larry Stephenson Band
Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
Pine Mountain Railroad
FRIDAY: Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
IIIrd Tyme Out
Next Best Thing
Bluegrass Brothers
Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice
SATURDAY: Larry Sparks
Danny Paisley
Shadow Ridge
Big Country Bluegrass
Lonesome River Band

Please note that the schedule is subject to change.
If you are planning to camp, keep in mind that
sites for September are limited so you need
to make your reservations soon.
The website should be updated in a few days and
will have more complete information. You can call
865-397-7942 for info.

Help!

I can't seem to get the Christmas border off this blog. Does anyone know how I can get rid of it? I can't even cover it up! Guess I should have let it alone in the first place.
M