Bluegrass Beat

By Berk Bryant

April, you're here. No fooling now, it's really you. Well, I'm telling you right now, I hope you treat us a bit better than March treated us. Oh wow, it lived up to "in like a lion and out like a 1/4" - oops, can't say right now because it's a couple of weeks from now before March clocks out. And speaking of clocks, we had to get ahead last month. Don't know what we're going to do with all of this "extra" daylight even if there really is any extra daylight. Each day the sun comes up at the same time it would have and goes down on the other side at the same time it would anyhow, after the same amount of daylight.

So, OK, April, let's see your stuff. Trees putting out new leaves, flowers getting their blooming done and the birds getting to nesting. We can go outdoors without half the outdoor clothes we've got on our backs. Pretty soon the doors can stay open and so can the windows and then there's the serenades of the night birds along with the crickets. Ah 1/4 I like that. Then we can get out in the highways and byways (translation - hit the road to a favorite bluegrass festival) and I like that too.

Cradle Of Bluegrass Music Trail Announced

Kentucky is the home of Bluegrass music and has a great state park system. Put those two together and you have the idea behind "Cradle of Bluegrass Music Trail" - a series of found Bluegrass concerts held at the three state resort parks and the Frankfort Convention Center.

The headliner for the April 21 show at Frankfort Convention Center will be the legendary Earl Scruggs plus Kentucky native Tom T. Hall serving as Master of Ceremonies.

Here's the lineup:

April 7: Rough River Dam April 21: Frankfort Convention Center

The No Bottom Boys • Earl Scruggs Family & Friends • The Palmetto State Quartet • Stringtown • Tim Surrett • The Freemans • Don Rigsby • Melvin Goins • Larry Cordle • Don Rigsby • Kenny Bishop • Larry Cordle • The America's Bluegrass Band • Kenny Bishop • The America's Bluegrass Band • Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top Express

April 28: Jenny Wiley Park, Prestonsburg, Ky. May 19: Gen. Butler State Park, Carrollton, Ky. • The Joe Freeman Band • Melvin Goins • The Singing Cookes • The Freemans • Melvin Goins • The Palmetto State Quartet • Don Rigsby • Don Rigsby • Larry Cordle • Larry Cordle • Kenny Bishop • The America's Bluegrass Band • The America's Bluegrass Band • Kenny Bishop • The Grascals • JD Crowe & The New South

For additional information, contact Gil Lawson at 502-564-2172, ext. 307 Gil.Lawson@ky.gov.

Big Birthday!

To be sure I don't forget to include this, our dear friend Wade Mainer in Flint, Michigan, will celebrate his 100^th birthday the 21^st of this month, April. Wade and his lovely, dedicated wife Julia are scheduled to perform prior to the Legends show at ROMP, Owensboro, Ky., June 21^st.

While we're here in Owensboro at the International Bluegrass Museum, here is an early heads up on a coming event you will have adequate time to plan. More reminders in issues to come. For now:

Bluegrass Museum Announces 2^nd Annual Monroe-Style mandolin Camp

Owensboro, KY, February 27, 2007: After the overwhelming success of its inaugural camps in 2006, the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, KY is pleased to announce The 2007 Monroe-Style Mandolin Camps.

September 7-9 and 14-16, bluegrass music enthusiasts from around the world will have the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the stylizations, songwriting and multi-cultural musical influences of Bill Monroe, the "Father of Bluegrass."

Mandolin greats and Monroe authorities Frank Wakefield, Mike Compton, Roland White, Skip Gorman and David Long comprise the prestigious faculty for 2007. Instructors will give workshops on multiple facets of Monroe's style, including right-hand technique, the blues, fiddle tunes, cross-tuning, church music and songwriting.

The star-studded faculty will present public concerts on September 8 & 15 with special guests and former Bluegrass Boy, Tom Ewing. Ensemble performances will include Monroe compositions, jams and story-telling remembrances of Bill Monroe. Tickets to the concert will be $15 at the door; campers' tickets are included with their tuition.

The camp package includes all classes, 3 meals, 2 nights of hotel rooms, the concert, a group picture and a road trip to Rosine, KY the birthplace and resting place of Monroe.

The 2006 Camp drew participants from 25 states and 4 countries and received rave reviews. 2007 camp attendance will be capped at 45 per week and will be sold on a first come-first serve basis.

For Reservations, call the International Bluegrass Music Museum at 1-888-692-2656 or visit www.bluegrass-museum.org.

The International Bluegrass Music Museum is the only museum of its kind in the world and is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of bluegrass music for fans around the world.

Gabrielle Gray Executive Director International Bluegrass Music Museum www.bluegrass-museum.org

More Bluegrass

I may be running out of space, so let's see what I can crowd in here. Coming show schedules should do it.

• Shepherdsville Music Place season closers: April 6, Steve Helton & The Flint River Boys. April 13, Kings Highway & Howard Perkins Band. April 20, James Price, Rick Oldfield & Kentucky Reign. April 27, Sammy Adkins & Sandy Hook Mtn. Boys plus Tommy Brown & County Line Grass.

• 13^th Annual Bardstown Bluegrass Festival: June 1-2: Friday, Bluegrass 101, Ky. Sassafras, Timberline Drive, Blue River and Moron Bros. Saturday, Bluegrass 101, Sassafras, Dan Paisley and Southern Grass, Kentucky Wind and David Peterson & 1946.

OK, that's it, I'm done. It's time to get in the festival mode if you are not already there. If you forget some of these things, listen and or keep listening to Sunday Bluegrass, WFPK 81.9 FM every Sunday night 8-11. I have heard that it's habit forming - GOOD!