Butch Baldassari

More good people and good deeds keep roaring forward to come to the aid of mandolinist Butch Baldassari and his family. The latest comes from a fellow mandolinist, Grand Ol’ Opry star Jesse McReynolds, who is hosting the 15th annual McReynolds Memorial, billed as a Bluegrass Music Spectacular on Jan. 31 at the Gallatin, Tenn., Civic Center.

This year’s show, beginning at 6:30 p.m. is also billed as “a Fundraiser and Benefit Concert for Butch Baldassari and his family in their fight against cancer.”

Baldassari has been battling an inoperable brain tumor for close to a year.

The annual Gallatin benefit is sponsored by the Southeast Community Fire Department.

This year’s show will feature Jesse McReynolds & the Virginia Boys, The Grascals, Ronnie Reno & the Reno Tradition, Williams and Clark Expedition, Larry Stevenson, Luke McKnight and Thunderoad, Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time and other special guests.

In another recent gesture of kindness to Baldassari and his family, four noted mandolin makers have donated new instruments to be sold as another fundraiser.

According to mandolincafe.com, which is helping with the fundraiser, the first of four mandolins in the possession of Gruhn Guitars of Nashville went on sale in December. The mandolins are from Gibson, Weber, Collings and Trinity College.

“Links to the individual sales of the instruments will appear on the Mandolin Cafe Classifieds with all questions and control of the mandolins (shipping, financial transactions, etc.) handled by the staff of Gruhn Guitars,” according to MandolineCafe.com.

Participant web sites include:

Gruhn Guitars
Collings Guitars and Mandolins
Weber Fine Acoustic Instruments
Trinity College (parent company Saga)

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Jesse McReynolds on stage during the 2006 Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival photo by Travis Tackett

Grand Ole Opry star and bluegrass legend Jesse McReynolds is holding a fall festival and grand opening of his new “Pick Inn Music Park” in Gallatin, Tenn., Oct. 26 and 27. For longtime friends and fans of the mandolin great and the iconic brother duo Jim and Jesse, it’s going to be quite a bash, featuring a Virginia Boys band reunion. Committed to attend are banjo great Allen Shelton, fiddler Jimmy Buchanan, all-around bluegrasser Carl Jackson, Buddy Griffin, Vic Jordan, Jim Brock, Monroe Fields and other former members of Jim and Jesse’s band.

A special tribute is being planned for all former Virginia Boys.

The grand opening of the Pick Inn grounds, which features a large and lavish private cabin that’s for rent, is being billed as a family bluegrass music festival. Jesse and Joy McReynolds are serving as hosts and innkeepers.

Grand opening features include hayrides, walking trails, jam sessions, story telling and food vendors.

The McReynolds are billing their new venture as a music park, vacation destination, retreat and fantasy camp. They say it’s “a lovely, private wedding spot. We love weddings, especially bluegrass weddings.”

The Pick Inn is located 30 miles north of Nashville, off Highway 25, at 550 Ziegler’s Fort Road, which is the second driveway past the Bledsoe Creek State Park entrance. First-time visitors to the area are advised to follow the signs to the state park. Although camping is not available at the Pick Inn, full hookups are available at the nearby state park.

Admission to the grand opening is $10 from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and $15 from noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. A two-day ticket is available for $20.

Details about the festival or about leasing the inn are available by calling Joy McReynolds at (615) 452-7321, via e-mail at jimandjesse@bellsouth.net or through McReynolds’ Web site. www.jimandjesse.com.

The Web site has several photos of the inn and its scenic grounds overlooking Old Hickory Lake.

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Jesse McReynolds

Bluegrass legend and mandolin wizard Jesse McReynolds will host the Ernest Tubb Record shop’s Midnight Jamboree tonight (Sat Aug 4th) starting at midnight CST, in Nashville, TN.

Saturday nights Show will be the Jamboree’s 3156^th broadcast which is aired live every Saturday night on WSM radio, 650 am on the dial.

If your in or around the Nashville area, head on out to the Ernest Tubb Record shop near Opryland and catch the show in person and for those out of reach of WSM’s radio signal, you can log on at Ernest Tubb Records Web site and catch streaming audio and video feeds of the broadcast.

Earlier in the evening Jesse McReynolds and The Virginia Boys will play on Both of the Grand Ole Opry’s Saturday night Shows. They’re scheduled to be on the 8:30-9:00 pm set of the first show and again during the 10:00-10:30 portion on the second show according to www.opry.com.

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