Our good friend Tony Williams has sent us an update concerning the 2008 Kentucky Lake Bluegrass Festival.

The Sixth Annual Kentucky Lake Bluegrass Festival will take place at the Kenlake State Resort Park in Aurora, KY on June 13 & 14, 2008. Arriving at that announcement was no small undertaking though. As Tony shared the story with me, I realized this is a story that bluegrass fans needed to hear. Here is the story as Tony related it to me.
 
The Kentucky Lake festival is produced by a group of dedicated bluegrass fans who call themselves The Jackson Purchase Friends of Bluegrass (JPFB). After the close of the Kentucky Lake Bluegrass Festival in 2007, The members of The Jackson Purchase Friends of Bluegrass were devastated by the news that the primary underwriter for this five year old and struggling festival was being unexpectedly dropped from the budget of the Marshall County Tourist Commission, in order to initiate and fund four new fishing tournaments. While some members of the group are fishing fans, they are all friends of bluegrass in a much bigger way. These members decided to roll up their sleeves and get to work looking for a firm, or firms, to replace the $20,000.00 budget that had so suddenly been pulled from their Bluegrass Association. Many companies and organizations were contacted and asked to come onboard with the JPFOB to sponsor and continue this festival which is held in what many people think is the prettiest festival location in all of Kentucky. JPFOB President Tony Williams and Vice President Ron Barnett came to IBMA on the first of October and set up the Kentucky Lake Bluegrass Festival Booth as they had done for several years, but 2007 was different because they had no flyers to pass out and no line-up to brag about to the people that visited the booth.

We were the loneliest guys in the business conference, as folks asked who we were going to have at our 2008 event, and we had to tell them we were not sure we would have a 2008 KLBF. The tentative line up that the tourist commission had approved and told the JPFOB to proceed scheduling with began to pull out one by one until one of our favorites, The James King Band, was the only national act that had not pulled out because we were unable to give them contracts due to the lack of financial means to continue the Festival.

At the conclusion of IBMA 2007, Tony and Ron left the “World of Bluegrass” (more…)

Our friend Tony Williams, promoter of the Kentucky Lake Bluegrass Festival, recently contacted us with news concerning a benefit concert being organized in his area of Kentucky.

The concert is to benefit Mr. Scottie Henson, one of the charter members of the Jackson Purchase Friends of Bluegrass, the organization behind many bluegrass events in Western Kentucky. Henson is known to the bluegrass community as an instructor, as well as a member of The Kentucky Opry in Draffenville, KY. Recently Henson underwent double aortic aneursm surgery at Vanderbilt Medical Center.

The surgery went well, but shortly after the operation Scottie started being plagued by all kinds of setbacks, including pneumonia and kidney failure, but through the miracles of medical science and the prayers of hundreds of his friends, he has survived, and has now been moved to Select Specialty Hospital in Nashville to begin a long and difficult rehabilitation. His wife and daughter have been with him in Nashville since August 28, 2007 sleeping on the sofas in Vanderbilt Surgical Intensive Care waiting room, and in Motels, and eating every meal out the entire time.

Now that the worst is past and Henson seems to be recovering, Josh Williams, who had Scottie as his first musical instructor, along with the Campbell Family, the proprietors of The Kentucky Opry, JPFOB, and members of Henson’s home church, the Hamlet Baptist Church, have planned this benefit to help defray the medical costs not covered by Henson’s insurance.

Joining Josh Williams will be the other two members of the soon to be FGM DVD release Guitarmageddon, Andy Falco and Chris Eldridge.

The show is scheduled to take place at The Kentucky Opry on December 7, 2007 from 7 PM to Midnight. There is no set price for admission, they ask that attendies simply make a donation to the fund.

The Kentucky Opry is located 5 miles North of Benton, Kentucky on U.S. Highway 641 North. It is also six miles south of Kentucky Dam Village State Park. It is less than one mile from the Purchase Parkway South via Exit 47, and only 5 1/2 miles off Interstate 24 at Kentucky Exit 25A.

An upcoming episode of Kentucky Life will feature the young bluegrass group Kentucky Sassafras. The program was taped at My Old Kentucky Home State Park. The focus of the episode is Bardstown, KY, home of the Jim Beam distillery.

A good portion of the show is sure to be given over to the Jim Beam story. Another segment of the show will feature Promotional Wood Products’ owners Charlie and Patrick Hutchens. They’ll talk about their business, and when asked if their sons will follow in their footsteps and one day take over the family business, they introduce the band, which includes their sons, Jory (fiddle) and Turner (mandolin). It seems the boys have another career in mind!

KSassafras begins their segment of the show at Tom Pig’s Restaurant in Bardstown, KY by playing My Old Kentucky Home. The rest of the performance takes place at the Waterfront in Louisville, KY.

There they perform “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” which includes the “switcheroo” where Tyler and Chloe share one banjo during a break of the song, and then Turner and Jory share the mandolin during a break of the song.

They close out the segment with Catfish John.

KSassafras’ members range from ages 12-17. The current line up of the band includes Jory Hutchens (fiddle), Turner Hutchens (mandolin), Cloe Blayne (guitar/banjo), Tyler Mullins (banjo/guitar), and Amelia John (bass).

Cloe and Amelia John are sisters and the two Hutchens boys cousins, making the band a family affair.

The show airs Saturday, October 6 at 8PM EST and again on Sunday, October 7 at 4:30PM on KET1. It will also run on Sunday, October 7 at 7PM EST on KET2.

The state of Kentucky has a long history of association with bluegrass music, but this coming Monday, June 25, 2007, it will become official.

The state’s Governor, Ernie Fletcher, will be making a special appearance, along with banjo legend J.D. Crowe and IBMA Executive Director Dan Hays, for the signing of House Bill 71. The bill will make bluegrass music the offical music of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

The event will be marked by the performance of some bluegrass music by the bands Kentucky Sassafras and Cherryholmes. Most of you are probably familiar with 2005 IBMA Entertainer of Year, Cherryholmes, but you may not be so familiar with Kentucky Sassafras. This is a young band of teenage pickers from the Boston, KY area.

Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour will be on hand to film the proceedings. The Woodsongs Webcast due to air that evening from 6:55-8:15pm EST will feature performances from both bands as well as J.D. Crowe and The New South.

While all but one state have official state songs, as best I can tell Kentucky will be the first state to adopt an official state music. It’s quite an honor for bluegrass music to have that distinction.

We previously told you about the Cradle of Bluegrass Music Trail concert series being hosted by the Kentucky Department of Parks. We now regret to bring the news that the three remaining concerts are being cancelled.

The promoter, America’s Bluegrass Inc., was unable to secure enough sponsors and advance ticket sales fell short of necessary goals. The decision was made to cancel the April 21 concert at Frankfort Convention Center, the April 28 concert at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park near Prestonsburg and the May 19 concert planned for General Butler State Resort Park at Carrollton.

We’re told the Department of Parks will be processing refunds over the next week to all ticket holders. Any ticket holder with a question about their refund should call the department at 800-741-2707.

Earlier this month we told you about a concert series being produced by the Kentucky Department of Parks and America’s Bluegrass Inc. At the time we mentioned that the Cradle of Bluegrass Music Trail concert series would feature a number of native Kentuckians. One of those who will be performing at every show is bluegrass great Larry Cordle.

I had the opportunity to speak with Larry yesterday and asked for his thoughts about the concert series. Here is what he shared with me.

Speaking about the relationship between bluegrass music and Kentucky.

Bluegrass music is the sound of Kentucky to me…….from the high lonesome mountains to the rolling horse farms & the endless river towns I feel that it belongs to Kentucky…..and I am so proud to be from Kentucky.

On Monroe, bluegrass, and Kentucky…

He [Bill Monroe] is undoubtedly the ‘reason’ for Bluegrass music in it’s strictest sense & was a wonderful mentor to me. His music reflected all the things I mentioned above & incorporated much of the heavy Scotch Irish drony sounds with Blues & country……I think Kentuckians are always cognizant of Mr. Monroe’s stamp on music history……….He was proud to be a Kentuckian & everyone I know who plays this music, thinks he is the reason that Bluegrass music exists.

About his own involvement with the Cradle of Bluegrass Music Trail.

I am absolutely speechless that I was asked to be part of this series……..what great musicians that comprise this group……….that I could somehow be fortunate enough to be asked to be a part of this is the utmost honor for me………..I hope I can somehow live up to being asked to participate in these shows with so many ‘great’ Kentucky musicians that I admire so much.

Thanks so much to Larry for taking the time to share with us. If you have the chance I would encourage you to make an effort to attend one of these shows and hear some great bluegrass music while enjoying the wonderful Kentucky state parks at the same time.

The state of Kentucky Department of Parks is teaming up with America’s Bluegrass Inc. to promote both bluegrass music and the state parks. A series of four concerts are to be held at three of the state parks this spring/summer in what is being called the Cradle of Bluegrass Music Trail.

The series features Kentucky natives who are bluegrass musicians including: Don Rigsby, Larry Cordle, Bobby Osborne, Kenny Bishop, Melvin Goins, the Grascals and, of course, J.D. Crowe and the New South.

The series begins April 7th at the Rough River Dan State Park near Leitchfield, continues April 21st at the Frankfort Convention Center (this show is headlined by Earl Scruggs), then on to Jenny Wiley State Resort Park on April 28, and concludes May 19 at the General Butler State Resort Park.

The genesis of the idea can be traced back to Charles Lewis, president of America’s Bluegrass Inc. Lewis hosts a bluegrass show on WSAZ-TV in Huntington, WV and on KET2, Kentucky Public Television. He approached the park department with the idea of a single concert.

J.T. Miller, commissioner of Kentucky State Parks, tells us what the purpose is of holding this concert series.

From our standpoint, it is to build excitement for and occupancy of our state parks, as well as promoting Bluegrass music in Kentucky. Charles Lewis proposed a “big name” event at the 5,000-seat Frankfort Convention Center to build public awareness of the “Trail.”

Lewis was responsible was choosing the talent for the concert series, but following his Grammy nomination, Miller suggested they add kenny Bishop to the lineup.

All concerts start at 1pm local time and will feature a combination of secular and gospel bluegrass music. Lodging packages are offered at the three state park shows and include the concert, a night’s lodging, meals, and a chance to meet the artists.

The state park concert tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The convention center show tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets can be ordered by visiting the Kentucky State Park website.

J.T. Miller tells me that they may consider a similar event in the fall.

If successful, we’d like to do this in the fall at even more parks. Kentucky is truly the “Cradle” of Bluegrass, so it is natural that we would want to be a part of this.