Bluegrass festival brings top national acts to Poston Lake
June 14, 2007
This weekend hundreds of bluegrass-music lovers will gather near Guysville in eastern Athens County for one of the state's largest celebrations of bluegrass music.
"When bluegrass is being played, you can't help but tap your foot," said event organizer Pete Hart in a prepared release. He's been doing it for 22 years, and year after year the festival grows and grows.
Hart, a member of the Hart Brothers bluegrass band, said he's always amazed at the number of people who show up, many traveling from all over the Midwest to hear the sounds of national, regional and local bluegrass bands.
Poston Lake will have something for every bluegrass fanatic, from the traditional sound of Dry Branch Fire Squad, to the most popular contemporary bluegrass of IIIrd Tyme Out, whose lead vocalist, Russell Moore, received the honor of Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year in 2007 from the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America. SPBGMA also named IIIrd Tyme Out Bluegrass Band of the Year in 2005.
IIIrd Tyme Out isn't the only band carrying awards into this festival. Sammy Shelor, of Lonesome River Band, picked up his first banjo at the age of 4. After many years of perfecting his art, Shelor has been named Banjo Player of the Year four times by his peers in the International Bluegrass Music Association.
Lonesome Meadow, a brother-and-sister band from Central Ohio, will bring a fresh, new sound to the festival. Amid the matured voices of Northwest Territory and The Bluegrass Strangers will be the fun-loving twang of young artists Anne Maril Jackson, 15, John Jackson, 13, and Gary Jackson, 11.
Throw into the mix some bluegrass gospel from Higher Vision and Buck and Company, and you have a true smorgasbord of bluegrass styles, according to the release.
The Poston Lake Bluegrass Festival prides itself on its family atmosphere, with campers welcome. Camping is included in the weekend ticket price. One-day tickets are also available. A lot of the entertainment takes place back at the campsites, where people bring their own acoustic instruments and jam with fellow bluegrass musicians and enthusiasts.
On Saturday afternoon, there will also be children's games.
Friday the music begins at noon and runs till 11:30 p.m. On Saturday, the music starts at 11:30 a.m. and runs all day.
Friday's bands include Lonesome River Band, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Bluegrass Strangers, Northwest Territory, Lonesome Meadow, Buck & Company and The Hart Brothers.
On Saturday, the festival features IIIrd Tyme Out, Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain, the Moron Brothers, Bluegrass Strangers, Higher Vision, Stoney Creek, Bo Isaacs & The Wheelwrights, and The Hart Brothers.
For more information on the Poston Lake Bluegrass Festival, visit www.athensohio.com and find the link to the event.
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