The Bluegrass Music RV Park owners in Franklin, Ky., have begun construction on the 18,000-square-foot covered pavilion that will house the stage and audience for the annual Franklin Music Festival.

Wait, there’s more.

The park has also purchased 5 acres of adjacent property to be used as additional camp spots and day-traffic parking. And, new hotel sponsors have been added to the festival’s list….

Owners of the Blue Grass Music RV Park near Franklin, Ky., have purchased additional property adjacent to their land to allow for more parking for day traffic and to expand the number of full RV hookups, according to an announcement from the Williams & Clark Expedition.

Franklin, KY — Major changes are in store in 2009 for the Franklin (Ky.) Bluegrass Festival.

Williams & Clark Expedition, which has been the festival’s host band and co-producer since the event’s debut event in 2004, is now the sole producer of the festival.

And the festival is headed to a new, permanent home — the Bluegrass Music RV Park, just off Interstate 55 in Franklin.

Last month at The Franklin Music Festival in Franklin, KY, BluegrassJournal.com caught up with renowned fiddler, Tim Crouch. Tim has played or recorded with everyone from George Jones, Dolly Parton, and Vince Gill to Little Jimmie Dickens and Charlie Daniels. In addition to being a five-time Arkansas state fiddle champ and a two-time national fiddle champion, Crouch is a well respected and sought after sideman and session player.

Crouch was in town to sit in with the host band, Williams and Clark Expedition, during the festival. Tim was kind enough to sit down for a few minutes to tell us about himself, his music, and some of his musical inspirations.

BluegrassJournal.com: Tim, tell us a little about yourself and what you’ve been up to.

Tim Crouch: Well, I’m from Strawberry Arkansas, it’s over in the northeast part of the state, and I play the fiddle. I live over there with some really good musicians that live in the area. We are all lucky enough to get to play music for a living in recording studios from Branson, Missouri to Nashville, TN and right there in that little area of Arkansas. I go out and play music with folks, and sit in for other fiddlers when they have to be away from their bands.

BluegrassJournal.com: So, would you consider yourself a sideman?

Tim Crouch: Oh yeah, I would definitely think so, sure.

BluegrassJournal.com: What got you into playing the fiddle?

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 [...]