49 th Bill Monroe’ s Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival
~ by Mark Blackwell
I
reckon that I am, to some degree, a born traditionalist. I still keep a paper calendar( what younger folks call a hard copy) hangin’ on the kitchen wall. It helps me keep track of where my life is goin’ and where it’ s been. I like the idea of having four seasons to the year. I like celebratin’ birthdays and Christmas and the 4th of July. It gives me a sense of the continuity of things when another annual event rolls around. One of my favorites is comin’ right up— the world famous Bill Monroe’ s Bean Blossom Bluegrass festival that takes place June 13 through June 20, 2015.
Every year, I look forward to spendin’ a few days with old friends and makin’ new friends in a place that is as familiar and invitin’ as my own back porch. I have been in attendance at more festivals out at the Bill Monroe Music Park than I have missed. And I can’ t think of a better way to welcome summer than with a Bluegrass soundtrack.
16 Our Brown County • May / June 2015
June 13 – 20, 2015
This year looks to be another outstanding eight days of music. The line-up for the festival is a virtual survey of the history and different styles of Bluegrass. For starters, we’ ve got one of the pioneers of the music, Dr. Ralph Stanley. Then there are the fellers that got their start back in the 1960s and 70s, like Bobby Osborne, J. D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Paul Williams, and Raymond Fairchild. And there is a ton of groups that are taking Bluegrass into the future,
Nashville Express
Sightseeing Tours
2 1 / 2 mile scenic tour of Nashville
Board at Fearrin’ s Ice Cream • Franklin & Van Buren
also service to Seasons, Brown County Inn, Comfort Inn & Salt Creek Inn May – October • $ 5 per person • 812-988-2308 available for field trips, business functions, private tours 10 a. m.- 5 p. m. longer on weekends( ask the driver)
such as The Grascals, Blue Highway, and Wildfire.
One of my favorite events at the festival is the Youth Bluegrass Boot Camp. This is a series of small group workshops taught by professional instructors to help the next generation of Bluegrassers get a head start. The Boot Camp covers topics such as basic instrument care and handling, vocals and harmony singing, stage presence, song writing, and more. Of course, there are also workshops covering all levels of proficiency on banjo, guitar, fiddle, bass, and mandolin. All of it is aimed at youngsters six to eighteen years old. At the end of the Boot Camp all the participants get to come up on stage and show off their hard work. It is a good thing to see these young folks as they develop into the Bluegrass stars of tomorrow. The only catch is that the Boot Camp is so popular that it is limited to the first fifty applicants and you need to register early. It is too late this year but if you have an up-and-coming Bluegrass picker in your family keep it in mind for next year.
The Sunshine Shack
* REFRESH * REBOOT * RE-ENERGIZE
Something to“ hit the spot” as you shop
• Little Meals: Hot Dogs Plain & Fancy Baked Beans, Mac & Cheese
• Tiny Pies
• Slushees, Sodas, Snow Cones, Floats, Shakes, Tea, Lemonade, Coffee, Water
• Homemade Ice Cream and Popsicles
Served with a smile
Little shack on S. Van Buren Street near the stoplight in Nashville