I have always found it a bit ironic that one of the most iconic American bands that plays bluegrass has its roots, not in the verdant hills of Appalachia, but in the shifting sands of sunny Southern California.
Note that I said “band that plays bluegrass” rather than “bluegrass band.” Because that’s what Nitty Gritty Dirt Band leader and co-founder Jeff Hanna calls them.
From the good folks at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park who are hosting the inaugural Suwannee Roots Revival on Oct. 13-16, 2016, in Live Oak, Florida:
With the official kickoff of fall, it’s a busy music weekend. If you’re in the vicinity of Galax, Virginia, head to the all-day Rex Fest downtown featuring Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, and 16 bluegrass and oldtime bands from Southwest Virginia and North Carolina.
The festival times are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and tickets are $25 advance, $30 day of event and available at the Galax Visitors Center.
For more info call 1-276-233-5470 or visit www.galaxrexfest.com
10:00 – 10:30 – The Mastertones
10:35 – 11:05 – Zephyr Lightning Bolts
11:10 – 11:40 – Hard Tymes
11:45 – 12:15 – New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters
12:20 – 12:50 – Jeanette Williams Trio
1:00 – 1:30 – Changing Lanes
1:40 – 2:10 – Mountain Park Old Time Band
2:15 – 2:45 – Loose Strings
2:50 – 3:20 – Slate Mountain Ramblers
3:30 – 4:00 – Adam Mcpeak and Mountain Thunder
4:10 – 4:50 – Whitetop Mountain Band
5:00 – 5:40 – Rich in Tradition
5:50 – 6:30 – Dry Hill Draggers
6:40 – 7:20 – Carson Peters and Iron Mountain
7:30 – 8:15 – Larry Sigmon and Martha Spencer
8:15 – 8:30 – Clogging Group
8:30 – 10:00 – Rhonda Vincent and The Rage
Frequent readers of this blog know that two of my favorite music-related venues are Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival and the historic Rives Theatre in uptown Martinsville, Virginia.
Johnny Buck, co-founder and executive director of Rooster Walk, announced today that the two nonprofits are officially joining forces.
From the press release, “The boards of Rooster Walk Inc. and Arts at the Rives Theatre (ART), who already often work together to bring live music and arts events to Martinsville-Henry County, recently voted to formalize their relationship by combining under the Rooster Walk umbrella.
WEATHER-RELATED UPDATE FROM ROOSTER WALK FOLKS: Hurricane be damned, we’re throwing a keg party with a Grammy winning band! Brewster Walk is moving INSIDE the Rives Theatre. Beers, bands and buddies all under one roof! Also, VIPs now get unlimited pours!! Schedule remains the same (see pic below). Tix still avail VIP $50 / GA $30 / grab em locally at Rising Sun Breads, Daily Grind Coffee House & Cafe – Martinsville or online at www.roosterwalk.com. See ya Saturday!
From the good folks at Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival:
The second annual Brewster Walk Craft Beer Festival & Concerts will take place Saturday, Oct. 8, in uptown Martinsville, Virginia, on the street in front of the Rives Theatre, 215 E. Church St.
The event will feature more than 60 craft beers, plus live performances from the Steep Canyon Rangers, The Trongone Band and Relacksachian.
THIS JUST IN: “The Bailey Blues and Bluegrass event is still on for this evening at 6 Friday, Oct. 7. Hoping for a light mist or drizzle and making the best of the situation. Bring your favorite rain coat, umbrella and boots to be on the safe side.”
The Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Virginia, celebrates and preserves a long history of Blue Ridge Mountain Music that was brought over to America from Europe and West Africa.
The legacy continues with Bailey Blues & Bluegrass, a free music festival brought to you by Wake Forest Innovation Quarter in partnership with the Blue Ridge Music Center. The festival makes it fall 2016 debut at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7, at Bailey Park in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
From the good folks over at the Winston-Salem Journal, who have made the annual Texas Pete Culinary Arts Festival their “hot” pick — pun intended — in this week’s Relish:
The Texas Pete Culinary Arts Festival: Food, Music, Fun, Friends will be from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday between Fifth and Seventh streets on Trade Street and on Sixth Street between Liberty and Cherry streets. Admission is free.
Finnigan’s Wake, Sweet Potatoes, Hutch and Harris, 6th & Vine, Bib’s Downtown, Mozelle’s, Mellow Mushroom, Meridian, The Porch, Dewey’s, Atelier on Trade, Black Mountain Chocolate, Providence, Millner’s and Local 27101 will have food for sale.
Local and nationally known bands will play; the full schedule, including such acts as Patrick Ferguson of Vel Indicia, Carolina Music Ways and The Dead Tongues among many others, can be found at www.texaspetefest.com.
This also ran on The Huffington Post blog here.
Head down The Crooked Road for the 2016 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion on Sept. 16-18, 2016, in Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee.
Carolina Bible Camp & Retreat Center will host its Fifth Annual CBC Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, Sept. 10, featuring MerleFest fan favorites Scythian and Junior Sisk and Rambler’s Choice.
Danylo Fedoryka says, “This will be our first Bible Camp show. We met the organizers at MerleFest and to us it seems that what they’re trying to do create is a continuation of that MerleFest spirit — great bluegrass in a real family friendly environment. And we just can’t enough of North Carolina, so we are excited to be back.”
The day-long festival located at 1988 Jericho Church Road, Mocksville, North Carolina, promises to feature great music, food, and fellowship – not to mention a few surprises, according to Festival Director Lisa Brewer.
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