Spring Festival Performers Booked The artists for the Spring Blackwater Bluegrass Festival are booked and the camping spaces are going fast. Make plans today to attend on May 15th and 16th. This year brings some new faces to Blackwater. The Gary Waldrop band from the northeast corner of Alabama will be performing as well as Dixie Bluegrass, Jake Landers, Clear Blue Sky and Crossing the Gap. The Gary Waldrep Band comes from the small community of Kilpatrick, nestled in the Northeastern corner of Alabama. The band's genesis came in the spring of 1998 when Gary Waldrep, formerly of the Warrior River Boys and Sound Mountain Boys, decided he wanted to present his own brand of bluegrass, country, old-time, and gospel music with the influence of the Sand Mountain regional sound he was raised on. Following in the footsteps of other home-grown area greats like Rose Maddox & the Maddox Brothers, and The Louvin Brothers, the band started out on a musical journey across the country that has helped them become one of the best known bands on the bluegrass music scene. Dixie Bluegrass call Holly Pond, Alabama and they have entertained audiences at festivals across the United States. Their awards include “Top Bluegrass Band,” “Top Bluegrass Gospel Band,” and “Top Ole Time Band.” Consisting of five members, the band includes Betty Moon Sampson (guitar and lead vocals), Burton Sampson (banjo), Julie Ray (mandolin and vocals), Tommy Chapman (fiddle), and Nancy Kelley (bass fiddle and harmony). Betty Moon Sampson and her husband Burton Sampson are pioneers of Bluegrass Music. The Jake Landers’ Band If every band on the Bluegrass music circuit was categorized according to material probably not more than one or two could come close to the Jake Landers’ Band in terms of originality and popularity.  Jake Landers is recognized nationally and worldwide as one of Bluegrass Music’s premier songwriters having penned such Bluegrass classics as: “Secrets of the Waterfall”, “The Girl I Love”, “The Last Request”, and the crossover hit “Walk Softly On This Heart of Mine”, which sold over two million copies for the Kentucky Headhunters.  The current Jake Landers’ Band consists of Jake on guitar and vocals, Tony Robertson on mandolin guitar and vocals, Ricky Rogers on bass and vocals, and Rod Carter on banjo.  All are among the very best bluegrass musicians on today’s bluegrass circuit. Clear Blue Sky Together for four years, and formerly known in the Central/North Alabama area as "Out of the Blue", "Clear Blue Sky" has become popular for their eclectic mix of songs and tight vocal harmonies. Known as the "house band" for the semi-annual Blackwater Bluegrass Festival (www.blackwaterbluegrass.com), their popularity with the crowds at these festivals has given them cause to expand their musical horizons to include bluegrass festivals and venues throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana and Mississippi. While the band specializes in mainstream bluegrass, their song list includes popular country and rock 'n roll tunes with a "grassed-up" sound, and their vocal harmonies are quite innovative, if not unique. The three and sometimes four part (often a cappella) harmonies demonstrated by the band has made them a fan favorite at every show they play. The band may begin a set with a classic Flatt and Scruggs tune, then go immediately in to a grassy rendition of "Workin' Man's Blues". It is this diversity that makes them so popular with the crowd at every appearance. "Clear Blue Sky" is currently hard at work on their debut CD, which they hope to release late summer, 2007. This project is due to fan demand seen after every set they perform, regardless the venue. The band is now available for booking at bluegrass festivals, clubs and private functions.  Motorhome hook-ups are still available but make your reservations soon so you won't be left high and dry at the festival. Tent camping is available on a first come, first serve basis. Concessions are available. Be sure to bring your lawn chairs. See you May 15th. Crossing the Gap As a bluegrass band, Crossing the Gap is aptly named because they keep traditional integrity while extending their repertoire with progressive material. With a relaxed presentation, Mike, Steven, Tom and Diane will line up onstage to bring your festival or gatherin' great music and a real good time. These four have been playing together for almost 25 years, and together they bring to the stage the influence of their favorite bluegrass artists from the venerable Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs to Tony Rice and Bela Fleck. Crossing the Gap is just as likely to perform "Billy in the Low Ground" as they are to perform "Midnight Rider" or "Fox on the Run". Crossing the Gap supports bluegrass community in Alabama. All members of CTG are ABMA members. http://www.crossingthegap.net

Blackwater Bluegrass Fall 2008
The sound of banjo's are still echoing down the Blackwater River from the 2008 Fall Festival. The weather this year was really nice. Friday the sun was warm and the music hot - Out of the Blue, Kelli Johnson and David Davis made sure of that.
You could hear beautiful bluegrass music down around the campfires, long have the stage lights cooled. Some people feel that campfire music is heart and soul of most festivals.
On Saturday, the sky was overcast but not one drop of rain fell. Just before sunset the clouds parted and the sky put on a show.
Saturday's lineup included Speeds Mill, Foggy Hollow, the Paitt Family, Glenn Tolbert and friends as well as Blackwater favorite Marty Rabon.
Organizers will soon be at work booking talent for the Spring show so watch your email for updates. Click on the Mailing List link to get bluegrass updates from Blackwater Bluegrass.

Click here for photos of the Friday Event

Click here for photos from the Saturday Event.

Fall Schedule Coming Together for Blackwater Bluegrass
This year's Blackwater Bluegrass festival is on October 10th and 11th. Organizers have a great lineup again this year. Friday night. Clear Blue Sky, Kelli Johnson, as well as David Davis & the Warrior River Boys.
Saturday night will feature Speeds Mill, Glenn Tolbert & Resonators, Foggy Hollow, The Paitt Family, and Marty Rabon.
The Blackwater Bluegrass took a major leap in attendance for the Spring show and most of the camper hookups were taken. If you want a good camping spot, be sure to reserve you slot early.
Kelli Johnson is best known as the Lead Singer for the Dynamic bluegrass group, The Distant Cousins. She has been performing at festivals and various other venues in the Southeast for almost a decade and was a recent studio guest on the Award-winning Rick and Bubba & show! Kelli has been compared to Allison Krauss, Sheryl Crow, and Rhonda Vincent, but she has blended bluegrass, country and rock to create a sound that is all her own and like no other!
Carrying an Alabama family tradition, David Davis and the Warrior River Boys offer audiences a rare glimpse at the role of the front man in American music. In Chicago Blues, it was Muddy Waters and the legendary Howlin’ Wolf. In Bluegrass music, it was Bill Monroe. Rather than operating under trendy “hit” oriented marketing schemes, front man mandolinist David Davis simply nurtures his roots with integrity, tonal depth, and prose. After a couple of Rounder label projects in the early ‘90’s, David and the band snapped rave reviews with their self-titled 2004 release on Rebel Records - “….sure-fire picking and train whistle harmonies.” USA Today. Their newest 2006 Rebel release, “Troubled Times”, is imbued with the innate sense of purpose that defines David and The Warrior River Boys: carrying an Alabama family tradition.

Speeds Mill is a Gospel Bluegrass band from Tuscaloosa, Alabama and they will be performing on Saturday. These guys have a MySpace page with their music and schedule. Blackwater Bluegrass fans will love this band.

Glenn Tolbert is a guitar picker extraordinaire. His flat picking style is legendary. He grew up around Chandler Mountain and was a regular at Horse pens 40 back when Warren Musgrove ran that show.
Glenn now lives in Birmingham and entertains around the state.
"He's the only picker I've ever known that can outrun an banjo player," one fan mused.
Glenn is a delightful person and a great musician.

The Piatt Family Band is an up and coming family bluegrass band, with Owen, 17, playing the banjo; Cody, 12,  playing stand up bass and twin brother Cory, playing mandolin. Rob, their dad, plays guitar and is lead singer. The harmonizing of these voices creates a wonderful combination of music.

Owen the banjo player has been playing for 8 yrs.  In 2007 he placed 1st at Honeysuckle Pumpkin Patch in Coopertown, TN. Owen has been working on the guitar and singing, and doing a great job. 

Cory the mandolin player has been playing for 4 yrs.  Cory placed 1st at GALAX, VA. in the youth mandolin contest in 2007, go to the picture page to see some photos of Galax.  He also placed 1st in Honeysuckle in the Adult Mandolin competition.  In 2006 he placed 1st in adult competition in Dickson, TN. He also placed 3rd at Smithville, TN. and 1st at Whitehouse.  Cory is an amazing mandolin player. Cody is a monster on the bass.  Cody does a good job on tenor vocals while keeping the beat for the Piatt Family Band.    

Clear Blue Sky - Together for many years, and formerly known in the Central/North Alabama area as "Out of the Blue", "Clear Blue Sky" has become popular for their eclectic mix of songs and tight vocal harmonies. Known as the "house band" for the semi-annual Blackwater Bluegrass Festival, their popularity with the crowds at these festivals has given them cause to expand their musical horizons to include bluegrass festivals and venues throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana and Mississippi. While the band specializes in mainstream bluegrass, their song list includes popular country and rock 'n roll tunes with a "grassed-up" sound, and their vocal harmonies are quite innovative, if not unique. The three and sometimes four part (often a cappella) harmonies demonstrated by the band has made them a fan favorite at every show they play. The band may begin a set with a classic Flatt and Scruggs tune, then go immediately in to a grassy rendition of "Workin' Man's Blues". It is this diversity that makes them so popular with the crowd at every appearance.

Foggy Hollow Bluegrass band will be performing on Saturday. You can visit their MySpace page by clicking here.

 

Marty Raybon to Plays Blackwater Bluegrass Festival
From the very first time you heard Marty Raybon, as the lead singer of the award winning country music group Shenandoah, singing “Mama Knows”, “Ghost In This House”, “Two Dozen Roses”, “Church On Cumberland Road”, and “Somewhere In The Vicinity Of The Heart” you knew he was one of those gifted vocalists. He can take a lyric and put heartbreak into the melody like no other singer before him. Rascal Flatts’ lead vocalist Gary LeVox, called Marty “the greatest singer on the planet to this day” and country music historian Robert K. Oerman said “Marty Raybon’s voice is truly one of Nashville’s greatest treasures”.
Marty Raybon will be performing at Blackwater Bluegrass on Saturday Ocotober 11th. The music begins at 4 p.m. on Friday and at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Click here for Marty's Website.