In less than a month, the 42nd annual Bill Monroe Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival will kick in to high gear. Featuring over 50 bluegrass artists, Bean Blossom will run from June 14 - 21 in Bean Blossom, IN.

Among the highlights of this years lineup are the John Cowan Band, Larry Stephenson, The Sullivan Family, Karl Shiflett & Big Country, Eddie and Martha Adcock, Tim Graves and Cherokee, IIIrd Tyme Out, James King Band, The Lewis Family, Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys, Michael Cleveland, Special Consensus, Dan Paisley & Southern Grass, Gene Watson, Dailey & Vincent, Cherryholmes, Bobby Osborne & the Rocky Top X-Press and Ernie Thacker & Route 23.

Several Music and Instrument workshops will be given throughout the festival from beginning to advanced levels on banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin and bass; mountain and bluegrass vocals, group harmony, songwriting, band promotion, Bean Blossom history and more.

The festival will feature the Bluegrass Now Youth Tent where kids and teens can get up close and personal with some of Bluegrass’ greatest musicians.

2008 also marks the 3rd year for the Youth Bluegrass Boot Camp. Sarah Wasson is in charge of coordinating the camp and instructors. Enrollees will cover topics about basic instrument care, vocals, harmonies, stage presence, microphone technique, and songwriting. The Boot Camp culminates with a performance from the students on the main stage.

Bean Blossom is offering a discount on advance ticket purchases that ends June 1st and they have several combo and single day packages available. The festival also offers camping with options for RV hookups or primitive camping.

For more information on Bean Blossom visit Bill Monroe’s Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival online.

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The Del McCoury Band has posted video on the Delfest site of Dierks Bentley rehearsing his hit single “Lot of Leavin’ Left To Do” with Del and the boys in anticipation of their performance together at the 1st annual Delfest.

The festival, promoted by High Sierra Music and McCoury Music, takes place over Memorial Day weekend, May 23-25, in Cumberland, MD at the Allegany County Fairgrounds.

The inaugural lineup features the aforementioned Dierks Bentley along with Vince Gill, Sam Bush, David Grisman, The Punch Brothers and Steep Canyon rangers along with a whole list of others.

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Crooked Still joins the lineup for the CBA’s 33rd annual Father’s Day Festival in Grass Valley, CA June 12-15, 2008

California Bluegrass Association members refer to it as their “big one.”

That reference is to the group’s annual Father’s Day Festival, being held for the 33rd year in 2008 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, Calif. The festival, from June 12-15, also includes the association’s annual Music Camp.

The camp itself runs from June 8-11. It’s popularity is gauged by a sign on the Web site, “2008 camp is FULL!.” And, there are long waiting lists to get into future classes. Camp organizers say some space may open up in the oldtime banjo class or the Level 1 bluegrass banjo class.

To be added to a list of people who are notified by e-mail when the CBA opens registration in February 2009 for next year’s festival, people can send an e-mail to info@cbamusiccamp.org requesting early notification.

Now, back to the CBA’s description of their festival as “the big one.” Take a look at the entertainment lineup, which CBA promoters tout, features some of the finest touring bluegrass acts and the best that California has to offer:

• Blue Highway
• Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver
• Bradley Walker
• Grasstowne
• Dan Tyminski Band
• The Wilders
• BladeRunners
• Crooked Still
• Goldwing Express
• Chris Jones and Ivan Rosenberg
• Blue & Lonesome
• All Star Music Camp Instructors Band
• The Doerfel Family
• Kids on Bluegrass
• Sidesaddle & Co.
• Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys
• Diana Donnelly & The Yes Ma’ams
• Mount Diablo String Band
• Natural Drift
• Megan Lynch, Tristan and Tashina Clarridge
• Keith Little & Jim Nunally
• Hamilton County Bluegrass Band
• Angelica Grim and High Action
• Bill Evans & Megan Lynch
• RoseBud Blue
• The Del Williams Band
• 49 Special
• The Alhambra Valley Band
• Kitchen Help
• The Notorious Shank Brothers
• The Grass Less Traveled
• Jeanie & Chuck Poling
• The Dalton Mountain Gang

Enough said about “the big one?”

Tickets are being sold on line for the festival. The sales information is available at http://www.fathersdayfestival.com. A special note on ordering tickets online: All online ticket purchasers must have a valid email address as they will be sent an E-ticket to print out and take to the event. Those ordering online will not receive anything in the mail when ordering E-tickets online. Special pricing is available on sales through May 31.

Camping is also available on site, although full hookups are assigned through a lottery — and the date to enter that has come and gone long ago. Camping info is also available on the above Web site.

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Midwest Bluegrass Festivals of Jacksonville, Ill., is gearing up to launch its warm-weather outdoor festival season.

First up will be the eighth annual Three Sisters Park Bluegrass Festival on June 6, 7 and 8 near Chillicothe, Ill. That’s a few miles north of Peoria.

The lineup includes Tennessee bands Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike and Kody Norris & the Watauga Mountain Boys, Frances Mooney & Fontana Sunset from Georgia and Wisconsin-based band Art Stevenson & High Water. Four Illinois groups will also entertain during the weekend. They are The Shipperts, Prairie Grass, Illinois Rail and Dale & Gloria Lowe.

The concert stage at Three Sisters Park is under cover, giving a clear green light to shows, no matter what the weather brings. Camping is also available at the park.

Headed by Terry and Jan Lease, Midwest Bluegrass Festivals also has festivals lined up throughout the summer. Here’s a look:

• July 11-13, Crazy Horse Campground Bluegrass Festival in Ashland, Ill.
• Aug. 8-10, Back Forty Bluegrass Festival in Curryville, Mo.
• Aug. 23-24, 14th annual Bluegrass in the Gardens festival at the Amish tourism spot Rockome Gardens near Arcola, Ill.

The Leases launch their season of indoor festivals during the winter months on Nov 7-9 with the 22nd annual Greater Downstate Indoor Bluegrass Festival at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield.

Band lineups as well as ticket and camping information where applicable are available at www.bluegrassmidwest.com.

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Branson, Mo. — At Silver Dollar City’s Bluegrass & BBQ Festival, the liveliness of bluegrass music brings family harmonies and upbeat melodies to the stages and streets with over 50 bands and more than 500 performances. Amid the flavors of bluegrass music are the seasonings of an All-American barbecue. These two ingredients combine to create one of the Midwest’s most popular springtime festivals at Silver Dollar City, May 10 – June 1.

Throughout the years, bluegrass music has evolved into a musical genre that showcases award-winners and up-and-comers featuring new sounds and traditional favorites. “Bluegrass music has been influenced by, and has influenced, many other styles of music since its creation,” says Bluegrass & BBQ coordinator D.A. Callaway. This influence can be seen in the growth of crossover and cutting-edge bluegrass artists like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Rhonda Vincent and The Grascals. Traditional flavors can still be heard from bands such as Dailey & Vincent and NewFound Road, all playing during Silver Dollar City’s Bluegrass & BBQ Festival.

The House of BBQ serves up a barbecue feast from St. Louis ribs and smoked chicken to Texas brisket and sweet roasted corn on the cob, direct from large outdoor charcoal grills and a custom-made 9-foot smoker for Silver Dollar City’s famous flavor. Sample hundreds of sauces from smoky chipotle and sweet hickory to Carolina vinegar and honey habanero.

The festival also highlights two national competitions with the 2nd Annual National Single Mic Championship on May 17 and 18, and the Youth In Bluegrass Band Competition on May 24 and 25. New for 2008, Great American Country Nights In Echo Hollow presents today’s greatest country hits nightly in the park’s 4,000-seat amphitheater.

Silver Dollar City, located near Branson, Missouri, is open daily during Bluegrass & BBQ, May 10 – June 1. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. May 24 & 25). For tickets, information and a complete schedule of performances, call 1-800-831-4FUN, or visit the web site, www.silverdollarcity.com.

Bluegrass headliners include:

• Seven-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year Rhonda Vincent
• 2006 & 2007 IBMA Entertainer of the Year The Grascals
• 2005 IBMA Entertainer of the Year and Grammy nominees Cherryholmes
• 2007 IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year Bradley Walker (May 10th Only)
• A special concert by 3-time Grammy winner the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on May 30

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