IIIrd Tyme Out’s Steve Dilling on stage during the 2008 Franklin Music Festival.

The 5th annual Franklin Music Festival has come and gone again, leaving me counting the days until next year. For those not familiar, this festival is a two day event jam packed with the best bluegrass has to offer. What a well run festival! For the folks that come every year, it’s like being with family. Those attending have come to regard this festival as one of the finest in Kentucky. I happen to agree. Everything is held under a big top tent, giving protection from the sun, or as Friday night proved, a constant down pour of rain. There is a pavilion for jammers, adequate camping, and some great ice cream from local favorite, Chaney’s Dairy Barn. My hats off to Kimberly Williams and all the volunteers who make this one of my favorite festivals.

Friday’s stellar line up consisted of host band The Williams & Clark Expedition, Nothin’ Fancy, Cherryholmes, Dailey & Vincent, and Rhonda Vincent & the Rage.

Williams & Clark Expedition are always a crowd favorite. They have a way of making you feel like your sitting around the living room, listening to old friends picking. Blake Williams has quickly become one of my favorite front men. I don’t know how he keeps all those stories and jokes in his head. He can keep the crowd reeling with laughter, and in the same breath rip into a banjo solo that makes everyone roar with applause. Williams & Clark also had special guest, Tim Crouch, playing fiddle both days. If you have not heard him live, you have probably heard him on recordings and did not know it. He is one fine fiddler.

Virginia’s own Nothin’ Fancy was a band I had never heard live before this festival. I didn’t really know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised with how tight these guys are. Both instrumentally and vocally, Nothing Fancy has it all. These guys are great showmen. They have an energy on stage that really carries over to the crowd. I loved their set arrangements, one including a rendition of Bob Seeger’s “Turn the Page” that absolutely rocked. Can’t wait to see these guys again.

Bobby Clark from Williams & Clark Expedition on stage at the Franklin Music Festival.

Cherryholmes always impresses with their unbelievable technical ability. It is fun seeing these kids grow up to become consumate entertainers. Their music has a drive very few can match.

Rhonda and the boys were back again this year, and as always blew the crowd away. One of my favorite moments was when Rhonda’s mom and brother Darrin of Dailey & Vincent, joined her on stage to do the tune “Golden Slippers with Wings”, that they used to do in their family band “The Sally Mountain Show”. I remember seeing them in the early 80’s in Hannibal, MO doing the same tune, and it brought back some great memories.

The group I was looking the most forward to seeing live for the first time was Dailey & Vincent, and believe me, they did not disappoint. All the hype about these guys is more than justified. Instrumentally, they are incredible, vocally they are unbelievable!

Multiple standing ovations were given, namely for their rendition of their hit “More than a Name On a Wall”, and an A Cappella number to end the show called “Do You Want to Go to Heaven When You Die”. This last song brought the house down. There is no one on the scene today that can match Dailey & Vincent vocally. I can’t wait to see what these guys come up with next.

Saturday, the rains subsided and the great music continued. The line up consisted of The Williams & Clark Expedition, The Martins, Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out, The Isaacs, and The Grascals.

The Martins are a a family band that I was not familiar with. They are a wonderfully talented group playing hard driving, down home bluegrass. All the children in this group are accomplished instrumentalist. Watch for this group to be one of the up and coming stars of the bluegrass world.

What can anyone say about The Isaacs that has not already been said. They are the complete package. Although they stray in and out of the bluegrass genre, I don’t think anyone minds. Their songs are inventive, inspirational, and entertaining. I believe on of my favorites moments was starting their second set singing the national anthem acappela. I saw more than one moist eye in the house with that rendition.

I have listened to Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out for years, and they never disappoint. Russell was a bit under the weather with some sinus problems, but came through like a champ to entertain the crowd. They wowed the crowd instrumentally as well, and did a great rendition of “John & Mary”, with Wayne Benson playing an open tuned mandola. These guys are truly unbelievable live, a must see.

The Grascals gave another great performance. I love their stage presence. They are just so comfortable on stage. They seem to really love performing, and seem genuinely happy to be in front of the crowd.