Well, it did rain a little. People scattered right after supper break on Saturday when it rained a little. Most reappeared quickly, holding umbrellas or wearing other rain gear. The evening line-up was too good to miss.
Since naming favorites among the performers would be suicide, instead I’ll address a subject I saw a while back on bgrass-l. The discussion revolved around the question, “Who is the most influential bluegrass musician/performer/group (other than Bill Monroe)?” There were plenty of opinions on this one, and for a change, I read most of what was posted.
This weekend, I counted musicians and/or bands with some connection to a certain well-known musician, and I’ve reached a conclusion. Doyle Lawson seems to have the biggest footprint, or sphere of influence, or whatever you want to call it. Last weekend’s performers who have a connection to Doyle included Lou Reid, Russell Moore, Jamie Dailey, Mike Hartgrove, Dale Perry, Doyle himself, and probably some I’ve forgotten to mention. These excellent musicians and singers appeared with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, IIIrd Tyme Out, Dailey & Vincent, the Lonesome River Band and David Parmley and Continental Divide.
These are not just good musicians, representative of good bands. These are household names among fans of bluegrass and bluegrass gospel music. A strong tenor voice, often singing the lead; impeccable close harmonies; and excellent instrumentals characterize Doyle Lawson’s style. Many groups beyond those who count Doyle’s alum among their members emulate some elements of his style. So, for today at least, hit MySpace and YouTube; search for some of the names or groups and see what I mean.
A small sample of Dailey & Vincent. (Even the amateur quality video can’t ruin this)
