Kirkland Fine Arts Center on the campus of Millikin University in Decatur, Ill., is gearing up for a Bluegrass Weekend this Friday and Saturday, April 3 and 4.

Chicago-based band Special Consensus, which last week just released a new CD, Signs, on the Pinecastle label, will appear in concert both Friday and Saturday evening. The Gordons, a Southern Illinois duo, will also perform Friday. On Saturday, Special Consensus has the warm-up honors for Asleep at the Wheel, which is known for its Western Swing, not bluegrass.

In 1973, I met a couple buddies in college who were from Mount Vernon, Ill. These guys were big music fans, the kind of people I’ve surrounded myself with my whole life, and they talked and talked about a band from their area by the name of “Farm.” Farm, I discovered, was a terrific rock band that was way ahead of the times, especially for southern Illinois.

Farm had a southern rock sound more along the lines of the Allman Brothers Band. Farm’s album was recorded back in the early 70s at the legendary Golden Voice studio in Pekin, Ill. This is the same place where Dan Fogelburg recorded some of his early material as did countless other bands.

You’re thinking to yourself, “What the heck does this have to do with a bluegrass Web site?” Good question. The answer is Gary Gordon. Gary was the gentleman who played bottleneck and guitar, as well as provided vocals with Farm. This is the same Gary Gordon, along with his wife Roberta, who had a huge folk disc on the charts this past year.

The Gordons started their careers back in the early 70s with very strong folk overtones. Their first album was Southern Illinois Bluegrass, released back in 1976. Their music has lots of influences, folk, country, blues, rock, bluegrass, etc. These are two individuals who embrace a massive amount of influences….