Master Musician's Festival 2015

We are coming up on another rendition of the great local music festival, The Master Musician's Festival. This years offering promises to be quite different from last year's which was more rock oriented while this year's will be more into that genre that includes most unidentifiable stuff called Americana. I strongly suspect that many of our country's best musicians fall into the category having rejected the great money machine that is popular music. Even performers who in an earlier day may have been country but no longer fit in with the glitzy outfits and wailing guitars that make up country music these days may drift into this catchall category.

There is a lot to like about our festival. First and foremost is the friendly family atmosphere where it is safe to bring your children out without fear they will be trampled on by crazed crowds. Probably the least favorable thing is that it can be HOT. Even at that there are vendors with ice cold sno cones and other beverages to help keep heat stroke at bay. At the edges of the open area there is abundant shade for those who lack the ambition to approach the crowds at the stage.

My most anticipated act will be Bela Fleck and his wife, Abigail Washburn. Bela is famously revered as the banjo man for Newgrass Revival. Abigail is also well known for her music which is sometimes more traditional. Bela plays with the finger picking style of bluegrass music and Abigail uses the clawhammer style that is more favored by players of Appalachian or mountain music. Both have been here before but not together. Abigail was here with Kai Welch as accompaniment. I attended their workshop and then the stage performance which also featured Ben Sollee on cello. It was magnificent. I am eagerly anticipating seeing the two of them together. Bela's music has taken a decided turn toward jazz since his tenure in Newgrass Revival and their show should be very interesting.

Sam Bush, another former member of Newgrass Revival, will also be performing at the festival. He is widely respected as a mandolin virtuoso. I am sure that I am not the only one crossing my fingers in hope that he and Bela and Abigail will team up for some jam.

Ben Sollee will be back but on the previous day. If you have never heard Ben then you will be surprised at what he can get out of a cello. The cello is not well known as a lead instrument in Americana but Ben has his own take on that. Again, I hope he hangs around for some jam with the others.

Of course, the headliner is Dwight Yoakam. Dwight is native to our state and has been a well recognized name in country music, however, the evolution of country music has left Dwight behind and his music is now more recognized in the open arms of Americana. He has a devoted following and I expect there will be people there from a wide area. He has a new album out called Second Hand Heart and you can expect a rousing final act of this year's festival.

There are many other lesser known but very good performers on the playlist. Check it out on the Facebook page or at http://www.mastermusiciansfestival.org/. Locally grown and known artist, Kevin Dalton, is on the list and he will be playing with musicians that are well known to those who follow the local music scene.

Prior to the beginning of the festival on Friday Somerset Community College will be hosting a homecoming and dedication event. I usually try to make it known that I was in the first class that entered that institution of higher learning in the fall of 1965. In the year prior all of the schools in the county loaded up their seniors and rode them to town for the groundbreaking. Had I not been sixteen or seventeen at the time AND had I been aware that there was some possibility of being here fifty years later I might have paid more attention.

I hope to see lots of you there. If you see me come up and say hello. If I act like I don't know you it is because my memory (I fondly still call it that) just needs some prompting. I am usually pretty honest about whether or not I remember you.

As I have often said, the music is the focus but the people are the fun. Old friendships renewed with the opportunity to get up and dance without fear of too many people bringing it up at work on Monday. Travel light, coolers are permitted but searched. The vendors there are plentiful and provide a wide choice of delectable delights. There will be several vendors there with beer, wine, wine coolers and perhaps a sangria.

This is Somerset-Pulaski County's premier event along with the monthly Somernites Cruise car shows. We get a chance to see some great musicians that you may never get another chance to see live. Sometimes we are lucky enough to catch an act on the way up like was done with the Avett Brothers. You can bet there will be a good time to be had and good music to be danced to.

My Take is be there or be square.