Even more bluegrass videos!

Our friend Fred Robbins sent along a note about what he did on his summer vacation – at Grey Fox.

“This year, for the first time in 33 years since I’ve been attending Berkshire/Winterhawk/Grey Fox off and on, I decided to volunteer for the video staff. What a great time I had – plan to do it again. We’re releasing my videos a few at a time.

The Banjo Masters workshop was just made public. The pickers were Eric Gibson, Pete Wernick, and Bill Keith. Earlier, the 6 parts of the Guitar Masters workshop were made public. The pickers were Josh Williams, Chris Eldridge, and Danny Knicely.

There’s also a Hot Air Balloon Flight over the festival! The Mandolin Masters videos will be posted soon.

I shot a lot of other miscellaneous stuff (”B-roll”) that will hopefully be used in a promo video later.”

Here’s a piece from the guitar workshop.

See all of the Grey Fox video online at Fred’s YouTube site.

Our friend, Carol Beaugard – host of WFDU’s Lonesome Pine RFD – sent along this report (with photos) of the recent Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, the first year for this venerable event in its new home.

I totally loved Grey Fox this year and I think the new site (Walsh Farm in Oak Hill, NY) is fantastic. I really do prefer it to the old site. I’ve already congratulated Mary Doub and I think they accomplished a miracle by finding a new location and pulling together all the logistics to make the transition so easily.

The biggest highlight for me over the weekend was Hot Rize’s 30th Anniversary concert. They sounded unbelievable. The magic of Nick and Tim’s voices together and their expert MC work is the stuff that legends and the highest level of professionalism is all about. Charles was dearly missed but having Bryan Sutton in on guitar is such a treat. Don’t even get me started on how wonderful Red Knuckles was.

They were in rare form that night. Jerry Douglas was on stage as their manager gesturing to the crowds to applaud following every song. A mystery guest on fiddle who suspiciously looked like Sam Bush came out and they did a cowboy swing version of White Rabbit and Jerry pranced around the stage wearing a rabbit mask. All this and a very rare and exotic red moon emerged in the pitch black sky while they were on. It was magical. Red Knuckles did more than an hour playing for the dance tent later that night and the crowd couldn’t stop dancing and howling for more. Jay Ungar’s former wife (I forget her name) was on stage with them singing some numbers. It was something I’ll remember forever. I must say that Pete Wernick’s Red Knuckles MC work has gotten even funnier over the years – he too was in rare form.

Other amazing highlights:

• Abigail Washburn with Bela and the Sparrow Quartet – mindblowing!
• The Infamous Stringdusters – unreal – they converted the unanointed
• The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience – he’s such a master and hearing straight ahead bluegrass was awesome; Jim Nunally is a rhythm machine!
• The Gibson Brothers – they are at the top of their game – they did a vocal workshop with Dan Paisley that was superlative

Really, all the bands were tremendous. It was broiling hot. The surrounding area by the festival is gorgeous mountain ski country in NY State and offered beautiful scenery.

WFDU was one of the sponsors for the festival this year, which was a great honor.

The IBMA offered a seminar that was attended by more than 100 fans/musicians for 2 days. The seminar was entitled “Taking Your Band to the Next Level” and offered advice for bands on how to better market and promote their bands. I was a panelist and my topic was ‘Promoting Your Band to Radio’. Other keynote panelists included Ken Irwin and Bev Paul. Nancy Cardwell of the IBMA put the seminar together.

There are already some great clips all over You Tube from the festival. It was fantastic!

We are delighted to announce the winners in our recent promotional contest, run in cooperation with The Infamous Stringdusters, Sugar Hill Records and Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival.

The first three winners will receive an autographed copy of the band’s latest CD release, The Infamous Stringdusters.

• Peter Griffith – Overland Park, KS
• Kathi M Leniski – Bristol, VA
• Michal Hromcik – Brno, Czech Republic

Our big prize winner is Laura Lander of Bethlehem, KY who receives two free tickets to Grey Fox. She will also have an opportunity to meet the band at the festival next month where she will have VIP seating for the ‘Dusters’ set, and receive a sampling of complimentary band merchandise.

Thanks to Ryan Baker at Sugar Hill for his help, and to everyone who participated in this promotion.

Here’s the fifth installment of the video content we’re bringing you as part of our Infamous Stringdusters promotion.

The album The Infamous Stringdusters, will be released tomorrow, June 10, 2008. See our original post for information about the pre-order special.

This video is provided in cooperation with The Infamous Stringdusters, Sugar Hill Records, and Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival.

Each episode (5 in total) will be accompanied by either a streaming track or an mp3 download from the new CD. Access to the tracks will be limited to registered users of The Bluegrass Blog, and accessing the track will enter you in a promotional giveaway to win one of three autographed copies of the CD.

We also have one other contest for you – there will only be one winner in this contest, but it’s big. We’re giving away a pair of tickets to this year’s Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, a meet and greet with the band at the festival, and some merchandise the guys will autograph just for you on site.

Enjoy the video, listen to this week’s track, and enter to win free festival tickets!

This fifth installment of the video is a look inside the production of the CD. The tune is Get It While You Can.

Enter to win an autographed CD (and listen to the streaming track)

Enter to win a pair of tickets to the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival