Grass Stock '09 Part Four

Friday morning started for me around 8 a.m. after a little over four hours of sleep. I needed a coffee and something in my tummy real badly. I hurriedly dressed and climbed out of my tent to be met by Chip and his beautiful wife and their "Kid" Dakota.

They had already been to get coffee and had some donuts on the table. I spoke for a couple of minutes and then decided to head down to the Lion's Club food stand to get me some liquid refreshment. I was still feeling the effects of the night before and needed some 40-weight java to wake my spirits up.

As I went to get up to the window, Cecil, my brother from a different mother, came up and began to chat with me. Heather came out of her Presidential suite and joined us. I bought both some coffee, and we began to chat. Heather talked about getting another coffee, and I wondered why she wanted two coffees. It was then that she pointed across the camping area to Carl Towns’ van.

Carl got in at 2 a.m., and we jammed until around 4, and, if I am up, he needs to be, as well. She walked over to wake him up, and he told her he didn't do coffee. I ordered a sausage and egg sammich with another coffee, and, while waiting, I sang with Heather. We enjoyed a song together of "How Great thou Art." I don't sing very often but was amazed at the harmony that we gave out. Thank you, Heather, for making my morning.

It wasn't but a few minutes later as I was devouring the sammich I ordered I heard a banjo and a bass and a guitar, along with a harmonica, begin to fill the morning air with beautiful sounds. It was Jon Eric and Johnny Butten, along with Les Sears, jamming at Camp Aussie. It wasn't long before Heather and Carl Towns joined them along with Jim Chatfield and his bass.

I listened to them for over an hour before going to the WWB tent to say hello to Vicki and Eric and a couple of others that were manning the store. Poppy Tim came by and, as usual, was taking pictures and getting things in order for the big day.

At 12 noon, all the DJ's made their way to the stage to kick off day 2 of the event know to all as Grass Stock ‘09. They began by thanking God for yet another beautiful day in a prayer by Carl Towns. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited, and the fun began. Normally, during the past two years, they had a national band come for them and start out the Friday.

Today, this did not happen because of a bus breakdown in Virginia. In the words of P.T. Barnum, "The Show Must Go On," and it did as the DJ's called out for a bunch of the artists to come to the stage and jam for the next 45 minutes. One by one, they came forward, and they started to pick and sing a variety of songs and instrumentals. Heather Mandich and Carl Towns did a few Gospel numbers, and Gentleman Jim and Les Sears provided some string accompaniment to the set. Johnny Butten and Jon Eric did some super picking and were joined by others.

In all, the 45-minute set turned into two extra songs and got a standing ovation from the audience. Next was Lee Elliott and the Country Cousins. He is one of the DJ's that provides the entertainment on the WWB every week. Lee did a session about songs that had mules in them. Very funny guy but very much down to Earth. He did a lot of traditional songs and touched the heart of everyone in the crowd.

Jon Eric took the stage again for 45 minutes of Banjotistically Yours. He amazed the audience with his beautiful voice and amazing talents of playing the banjo. What a hard working young artist he is. He was one of the entertainers that held everyone breathless during the wee hours of the morning with the genius of his picking. If you are in the Iowa area and see his name on a marquee or see him in an ad appearing, please make it a point to go and see him, and please tell him I sent you. Jon has a website at www.jonericmusic.com .

Keselring Ridge were next to perform. This band came all the way from Ontario to be a part of the WWB benefit show. Theirs is a four-man group that sings Canadian Bluegrass like I have never heard before. Despite the incredible heat they had to endure, they belted out a beautiful bunch of songs and had the audience eating out of their hands.

Wills Creek were next up and raised the bar just a little bit higher for the others to reach up to. Theirs was another group that used the mountain music to reach out to the audience and encourage them to donate to the efforts to keep the Bluegrass free and on the internet 24/7.

Heather Mandich took the stage with her friends and did yet another 45 minutes of the finest in Bluegrass with a bit of Kiwi-Australian twang to it. She sang a lot of Gospel tunes, which is a testament to her upbringing in New Zealand before moving to Australia. Her set ended with the crowd asking for yet one more song.

Blackwater Run were next, and, again, I was impressed by their talents. Another four man group that was made up by Neal and Tommy Coey with Dave Morrison and Mike Sheppard. They sang songs like "For A Workin’ Man," "The Vow," "Love on the Rocks" and "Borrowed Time." Their latest CD is "Homegrown Bluegrass." If you’re ever in the Parkersburg, West Virginia area and get a chance to listen to these guys, you will be happy that you went.

McCoy Grass were on the stage next. These two young ladies impressed me a lot with their Bluegrass Gospel numbers. “Waiting For My Call" and "From An A Frame In Kentucky" are just a few of their songs on the latest CD they have done. Their set left the audience very much spellbound with their beautiful voices.

We broke for dinner and went back to our tent areas and cooked hot dogs and hamburgers with all the trimmings. I had a little of each and decided to go and visit with some of our neighbors who were playing bean bag toss. It is something like horseshoes, only a lot safer.

At 6:45 p.m., we returned to the stage area and sat beneath the canvas awning and awaited Jetts Creek from Lebanon, Ohio. Their group played Bluegrass as well as Gospel. Their songs included "Suppose to Be," "The Prayer" and "Why Don't You Tell Me So." Angie Young sang lead, harmony with John McIntosh and joined Adam McIntosh, Johnny Wax, Wayne and Jeff Byrd to keep all their music going for the huge crowd of Bluegrass lovers to enjoy.

For His Glory were next, and it consisted of a family group that did a medley of beautiful Gospel songs that included "One Man's Pain," "The Dream" and a rendition of "The Orange Blossom Special." When the set was done, I happened to be standing beside the stage when they asked if anybody had a favorite Gospel tune they could do for them. I quickly replied, “Can you do ‘Beulah Land,,” and they all replied "YES WE CAN!!!" It was a very touching moment for me as I listened to them call out the words to my Grandmother’s favorite song. I began to shed many tears into my beard as my heart was definitely being touched by this great young group.

Next was one of the highlights of the day as Johnny Butten once again took the stage with his Brigade. I have never seen to that point a musician that could make a banjo or a fiddle talk , but Johnny made his do just that for almost an entire hour. He did "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" and many other banjo hits. For those of you that are not aware of Johnny's talents ... he is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the World's Fastest Banjo Player. His website at www.johnnybutten.com has all the things you need to know and appreciate this humble World's Champion.

Red Brush was next , and not one person got up and went back to their cars or camp sites. Like the others that preceded them, Red Brush gave the next acts a taller branch to grab on to as they came to climb the tree that day.

Gold Heart was yet another group from Virginia. The band presents Analise on mandolin, Jocelyn on guitar and Shelby on fiddle, with their dad, Trent Gold, on bass and Russ Carson on banjo. Their unique style and harmony singing and picking has earned them many awards. Their latest CD has a lot of hand written songs by the Gold Sisters like "Never Let Go," "Grin And Bear It," "Chasing Lightning Bugs" and "Heavenly Home."

As 10:30 rolled upon us, Lori Lyn and New Outlook took over the stage for the Main Event. In a blaze of excitement, the group held the audience in the palm of their hands by doing older Bluegrass songs as well as ones that have been written by them. 11:30 rolled by, and we were still listening to the melodic majesty of Lori Lyn and Brad. Songs like "Somebody's Knocking," "I See Jesus," "Baby Look Out," "Old Crossroads," "Too Old To Die Young" and "Slow Train" were just a few of the songs that were on their set.

The evening ended with Lori Lyn saying goodnight to the capacity audience and thanking all the rest of the bands that had come that day at their own expense to help out Worldwide Bluegrass to remain on the air. She also thanked the many fans that had sat in the blistering heat all day long and, lastly, told everybody in attendance that they were invited to her wedding reception in October at IBMA. She and Brad will be tying the knot and becoming one. I wish them the very best and pass this toast to them: "May you both live as long as you want and never want as long as you live."

We closed out the evening around 1 a.m. after listening to yet more jamming at the various campsites.

To be continued…

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