Big Weekend for Bluegrassin'

This weekend was the Bloomin' Barbeque & Bluegrass event in Sevierville and also the 35th Anniversary Celebration for Pick'N'Grin in Knoxville. There were several bands appearing in Sevierville for a large crowd who enjoyed all the activites as well as the Que.
Joe and I especially enjoyed the show at the Square Room on Market Square in downtown Knoxville tonight. It's always a treat to get to hear Paul Brewster when he comes home to K-town with his friends. This time he was picking with the Leadbetters, Andy Leftwich, Jimmy Milsaps, Doug Klein (on drums............yes, I said drums..........it was great and no, it did not ruin the bluegrass!....quite the opposite.....they enhanced the performance). Chance Leadbetter sang a duet with Paul that was really good. And Chance also sang the lead on other material which he did a great job on.
Brand New Strings opened the show and also did a great job. We thoroughly enjoyed the performances tonight. BNS appeared at our church recently and was very well received.
The Leadbetters had Matt on the bass tonight. hmmmm...........I wonder if he and his Dad, Phil, ever do dueling dobros??
Only 3 more weeks until JuneFest!!!!! Talk about a big weekend for bluegrass! We've got a great lineup scheduled so get your tickets ordered and make your plans to join us!!

I don't know about you, but I'm getting excited about the upcoming festival season. We are going to have so many talented and entertaining musicians here that the scouts for American Idol should plan a trip to check them out. Which bands are you looking forward to seeing the most? Are you anticipating your own personal discovery that you may have found a new favorite band? Or are you looking forward to seeing some of your old favorites?..........maybe a little of both? Yes, it's a hard call to make. We are always excited about seeing all of our bluegrass friends especially during the days leading up to the shows. Maybe the highlight of your festival experience is all the jamming. That's a lot of fun whether you play an instrument or just play the radio! :)
JuneFest promises to be another great event with the excellent lineup. If you haven't made your reservations yet, please give me a call soon. Campsites and tickets for September are also selling now. And I have to warn you that the campsites are nearly gone for that one. So...........if you are still sitting on the fence about whether you will be attending in 2010, go ahead and jump our way to get the best spots left.
Several of the bands have new cd's (or records.......for those of us old enough to remember vinyl) coming out prior to the festivals. All the bands will have their cd's on sale here and will be anxious to meet you, autograph your purchase and just visit a bit if that's what you want.
By the way................if you will scroll back through a few of the older posts here, you will see my plea for old photos. PLEASE rummage through those old photos and bring me a few for my project. Keep an eye out here and on the facebook fan page for further information as I plan to sweeten the pot a little if you bring me some photos I can use. Who knows???.......you might even become an important part of my project. Okay............enough blogging for tonight. Thanks for reading and we hope to see you soon!! m

JuneFest Coming Soon

Yes, it's getting closer. JuneFest is just around the corner. We are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our JuneFestivarians! For us the highlight of any festival is the gathering of our bluegrass friends and acquaintances. The days leading up to the performances are full of last minute duties but also full of opportunities to jam with all you pickers who come ready for some pickin' & grinnin' fun.
Over this past weekend we talked to several people who are planning to attend this year (some for the first time & and some who come every year). And at this time there are still a few campsites available for June. They all have electric and water hookups. The sewer sites are already reserved but the "honeywagon" will come around to pump your tank if needed and there is also a dump station here for your convenience.
For those of you who prefer to "camp" in a hotel, there are plenty of those here, too. The Quality Inn at the I-40 Exit 407 is one of our sponsors and they would be happy to hear from you. Be sure to tell them you are coming here for a special discount. Their phone # is 865-933-1719. There are also several other hotels located on this exit. You can get info on them by contacting the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce. There are also rental cabins in the area as well as more campgrounds just off Highway 66 near Sevierville. The closest campground to us is the Riverside Campground (about 5 miles).
GPS Reminder: If you are going to be approaching us from the East. Do not listen to your GPS if it routes you off another exit. ONLY use Exit 407 on I-40. You will exit onto Hwy. 66; head toward McDonald's & the Cracker Barrel (north side of interstate.....oh...don't stop there unless you are hungry....just keep going.....you can go back there later!); travel 1 & 1/2 miles from Hwy. 66 on East Dumplin Valley Road to the venue at 525 East Dumplin Valley Rd., Kodak 37764.
Hope to see you here in June!

Upcoming Local Events

Well, it may be cold and we are currently experiencing a wintry mix. But this is a hot week for bluegrass. We started on Saturday with a show at the Pottery House Cafe in Pigeon Forge (also one of our favorite places to eat). The Early Morning Stringdusters and also Brand New Strings performed for the WDVX blueplate special. There was a large crowd in attendance and the entertainment did not disappoint anybody. It was a beautiful day Saturday anyway and everyone's spirits were lifted even more by the great music.
While there, talk turned to the upcoming Tennessee Shines on Wednesday of this week. This week's lineup includes some great talent. If it isn't sold out, check it out.
And there is another event coming up on Jan. 30.............The Hillbilly Ball at the Knoxville Museum of Art. This will be our first time to go. My big dilemma is what to wear. Any suggestions? We will be sure to take photos and post them on the blog. hmmmmm........I wonder if Joe still has those teeth he wore during his surprise appearance with Rhonda Vincent & The Rage last September.
It's been good hearing from our festivarians lately. Several of you have been calling to check on and make your reservations for camping this year. JuneFest will be here before you know it. It's going to be GREAT! Then not long after that will be our 11th Annual September show. Can you believe it will be the 11th one? If the old barn could talk, I'm sure we would be happily entertained by its tales.
M

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!!!