Nothin’ Fancy, the Virginia-based bluegrass band, is used to being in the spotlight on stage, but the group recently moved into the civic arena.

City officials from Waynesboro, Va., recently presented a special proclamation to Nothin’ Fancy…

The ever-smiling Tony Shorter of Nothin’ Fancy wows the crowd with his charm and crooner voice Friday during this past weekend’s indoor bluegrass festival at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, Ill. Other members of the group, two-time winners of SPBGMA’s Entertaining Group of the Year award, are, from left, Mike Andes on mandolin, Gary Farris on guitar, fiddler Chris Sexton in background and Mitchell Davis on banjo. [end]

Ah, the life of a traveling musician. Glitz. Glamor. Glory down every mile.

Well, those might be things to conjure up a good fairy tale — especially if you ask members of Nothin’ Fancy these days. The Virginia-based band, which last month won Entertaining Group of the Year honors from the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America, had a … shall we say, unique experience on the road last month.

I’ve said it before, allow me to repeat myself: Nothin’ Fancy is somethin’ special.

Affirmation of that fact shouts from the Virginia-based group’s new CD, Lord Bless This House, being released on Pinecastle Records’ label and bearing the label’s 20th anniversary logo.

If you can’t agree with my “somethin’ special” description of the five-piece group, certainly you will concede my contention that Nothin’ Fancy is unique. Mike Andes, the band’s mandolin player, chief songsmith and lead vocalist, has a wonderful, crisp vocal style that just doesn’t fit the typical bluegrass singer’s mold.