The 25th Anniversary edition of the world famous
Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival set for May 20-23 at Granite Hill Camping & RV
Resort will feature Ricky Skaggs, Ralph Stanley, Rhonda Voncent and Doyle
Lawson. The festival starts on Thursday, May 20, featuring the legendary Doyle
Lawson & Quicksilver, plus four more bands. Each band plays two 45-minute sets
between 2pm and 11pm. Other bands on the Thursday lineup are The Gibson
Brothers, from upstate New York, known for their tight harmony singing
reminiscent of the Louvin Brothers. Wildfire, a fine young band from Kentucky,
Jimmy Bowen & Santa Fe from Nashville, and Patent Pending from West Virginia
will also play on Thursday.
The classic Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mt. Boys will
present a feature show at 8pm on Friday, May 21. Ralph stands alone as the top
first generation bluegrass artist still performing on a regular schedule. He
has been dubbed the "King of Mountain Soul" and the "Elder Statesman of
Bluegrass Music" and his long list of awards and prestigious venues is
impressive. He won the 2003 Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album "Lost in the
Lonesome Pines", two 2002 Grammys for Best Male Country Vocal
Performance of "Oh Death" and Album of the Year for his
part on "O Brother Where Art Thou?" and a 2003 Lifetime Achievement Award from
the North American Folk Alliance. Ralph’s noteworthy appearances include the
CBS Grammy Awards Show, Carnegie Hall, The David Letterman Show, Good Morning
America, The Tonight Show, The Kennedy Center, and The Library of Congress
Bicentennial Celebration. He is a member of the Grand Ole Opry and has appeared
many times at the Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival.
Headlining the Friday lineup is the current number one
female bluegrass artist, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage. A three time IBMA Female
Vocalist of the Year, Rhonda brings many years of experience, professionalism,
and excitement to the stage. She grew up performing with her Missouri based
family bluegrass band, The Sally Mountain Show, recorded a pair of fine
traditional country albums in Nashville, then returned to her bluegrass roots
in 1999, literally taking the genre by storm. Her heartfelt soprano voice is
augmented by superb mandolin playing that shows both finesse and drive, and she
has one of the best bands in the business. Rhonda Vincent & The Rage will
perform two sets at 3:00 and 9:40pm on Friday.
Other bands appearing Friday include IIIrd Tyme Out,
Lou Reid & Carolina, The Rarely Herd, The Patuxent Partners, and Pete & Joan
Wernick. Pete will also conduct the 3-day Pete Wernick Jam Camp earlier in the
week at Granite Hill.
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder will present the
feature show on Saturday at 8pm. Without a doubt the number one bluegrass
artist in the world today, Ricky brings a wealth of experience and new
bluegrass material to the stage. His shows are dynamic yet traditional and true
to the genre. A former CMA Entertainer of the Year, multiple Grammy winner,
multiple IBMA winner, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, he simply
does it all. This is a ‘don’t miss’ show set for Saturday.
Also appearing Saturday are the incredibly popular
Seldom Scene and Dry Branch Fire Squad, the only two bands to have played every
Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival since its inception in 1979. The Special
Consensus from the Chicago area, and the Bluegrass Intentions from California
will make their first ever Gettysburg appearances on Saturday. The ever-popular
Gary Ferguson Band will return and Pete & Joan Wernick will also make a
Saturday appearance.
Sunday shows will include appearances by the popular
bluegrass gospel band, The Lewis Family. With Little Roy Lewis and his
side-splitting antics, the Lewis Family is more than just bluegrass gospel
music. They are real entertainers, and they perform twice on Sunday. The Dry
Branch Fire Squad will kick off the Sunday show at 10 am, followed by the
Seldom Scene plus a first time appearance at Gettysburg by Cherryholmes, an
exciting family band from Colorado. The Sunday schedule runs 10am-5pm.
There will be nearly 40 hours of main stage
performances, plus numerous events on the smaller ‘workshop stage’ including
instructive and entertaining sessions by many top artists from the main stage
schedule. The new Gettysburg Bluegrass Academy for kids ages 5-17, and The Pete
Wernick Jam Camp, will be repeated again this year at both the Spring and Fall
festivals.
Created, produced and managed since 1979 by Joe and Lil
Cornett with the help of their daughters Chris and Cyndie, the festival has
grown in size and stature over its 25-year history. Now that the Cornett’s
daughter Cyndie and her husband Rich Winkelmann have taken over operations at
Granite Hill, the festival is set to continue for years to come. The festival
is perhaps best known for presenting one of the biggest lineups of top
bluegrass musicians to be found in one location anywhere. Fans come from all
over the United States and many foreign countries to relax and enjoy this
quintessentially American form of music in a beautiful outdoor setting at
Granite Hill.
Numerous food and craft vendors will be on hand to make
the festival a fun and lively place for the entire family. Camping is available
on site, but it isn’t necessary to camp to enjoy this festival. There is plenty
of free day parking for non-campers, and the Gettysburg area has many
accommodations and restaurants to meet everyone’s needs. Granite Hill will
arrange tours of the Historic Gettysburg Battlefield for those seeking a
diversion, and, of course, the campground welcomes campers to come a few days
early or stay late to enjoy the many attractions available in the area.
A free program, kids academy flyer, and jam camp flyer
are all available from the campground, and tickets are available for single
days or the entire weekend. Visa and MasterCard are accepted for telephone
ticket orders by calling (717) 642-8749. Folks from outside the Gettysburg area
may call toll free at 1-800-642-TENT(8368). For more details, visit our
extensive website
www.gettysburgbluegrass.com.