Well, we had a really good time at the Clack Mountain Festival in Morehead, Kentucky this weekend. We have a daughter who is three years old now so she was old enough to get into the festivities. It really did my heart good to see her enjoying the music and even getting out there and dancing. She says her favorite instrument is the banjo, mine is the mandolin. There’s just something about the sound of bluegrass mandolin that moves me.
This was the 3rd annual Clack Mountain Festival and bands performed on the Moonlight Stage, next to the Cora Wilson Stewart Moonlight School on First Street.
Larry Cordle at the Clack Mountain Festival Morehead Ky 2010
We got to hear some folks for the first time and we got to hear some of our favorites too. Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time was awesome! I have heard Larry and his band on the radio many times but it was a real treat to see them perform live.
Woody Pines
Visit Larry Cordle’s official website for more information ~ LarryCordle.com.
Jill Andrews
Dave Evans is another bluegrass master that I had the privilege of seeing perform live for the first time. Dave really has an amazing voice which is perfectly suited for bluegrass.
One particular band I had never heard before was Woody Pines from Asheville, North Carolina. If you haven’t heard these guys you’re missing some good music. In fact I had to purchase one of their CDs for myself!
Woody Pines
Woody on guitar, banjo, harmonica, kazoo and lead vocals
Zack Pozebanchuk on upright bass
Nathan Taylor on drums
Darin Gentry on fiddle
Visit the Woody Pines official website for more information.
The Tommy Webb Band, Sasha Colette & the Magnolias, Hazel Holler and Jill Andrews played some great bluegrass music. Sasha Colette and Jill Andrews both have such beautiful voices, I love to hear them sing.
Sasha Colette & the Magnolias
Sasha Colette – Vocals, Banjo, Guitar
Jose Oreta – Upright Bass
Sasha Colette
Visit these official websites for show dates, information and to get some great music:
Sasha Colette & The Magnolias on MySpace
Me and Jill Andrews
There were also some other music styles present ranging from Ben Sollee, who’s styling is similar to that of Paul Simon to heavy, hard driving rock and roll by Kevin Gordon, and The Jompson Brothers.
At the Clack Mountain Festival in 2008 Chris Stapleton sang and played bluegrass /country with The Steeldrivers (Excellent Sound!). This year he performed a completely different style of music as front man for The Jompson Brothers. And while I do think they are very talented (Chris has a great voice and the band is top notch) a lot of people were very surprised to hear something so far removed from bluegrass at the festival. Personally I have a wide range in musical taste and thought they were great.
Check out The Jompson Brothers on MySpace
The Jompson Brothers Band
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Sasha Colett & the Magnolias – Mercy Moment
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_Ty0ryduPY
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Jesse Wells
Jesse Wells played mandolin along with Morehead State University’s KCTM Old Time Band. Jesse is a very versatile and talented musician, whether on mandolin, guitar or fiddle – I saw him play electric guitar with Sasha Colett and the Magnolias this weekend and I have to say that he was excellent! I reckon this guy can play just about anything with strings on!
At the 2009 Clack Mountain Festival Jesse played mandolin and fiddle with Kentucky Wildhorse. (I also saw John Harrod and Don Rogers of Kentucky Wildhorse at the festival but unfortunately they did not perform).
You can usually hear Jesse presenting the best in bluegrass music on Morehead State Public Radio (WMKY – 90.3 FM) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday.
Read more about last year’s festival at Clack Mountain Bluegrass Festival Morehead, Ky 2009
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I met and talked with a lot of the singers and musicians and they were all really nice folks. If you missed the festival this year you missed out on some great music and a lot of really nice folks!
I want to send out a special Thank You! to Jesse Wells, Tommy Webb, Larry Cordle and Jill Andrews – as well as to my wife Tasha.
Also a big howdy goes out to Karly Dawn Higgins, Don Rogers, and Louis Magda.
By David Slone, Copyright 2010
Larry Cordle, Charlena and David at the Clack Mountain Festival
AWESOME!! It looks like you had a fantastic time! I’m glad Charlie enjoys bluegrass so much…I have listened to it since I was little with my grandfather (who adores Tommy Webb) and it is something Grandpa and I still like to talk about. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Angela, she really likes music and believe it or not she can almost play a harmonica and can definitely play a kazoo :)
Hey! You guys looked like you were diggin the festival and sure enough in reading here I can tell you guys had as much fun as I did! So glad you enjoyed the music and hope that you keep your wide range of musical taste scannin the horizon for all the best that the new day has to offer! I look forward to crossin paths again my friend! Thanks again for all the kind words!
It was a great day of first class bluegrass entertainment… and yes, wow, only $5! I really liked the stories that Larry Cordle told between songs. Does anyone know why Booie, Larry Cordle’s lead guitarist, was sitting down so much during their set?
Wow looks like you all did have a great time there.
I seen your little girl out there dancing it was cute and sweet
I was there the next day as well and seen you all too.
It was a nice day there for sure besides being hot. Looks like you and your little girl got some sun burns there.
It all was good but there a few that I just could not stand.
The Jompson Brothers is what got me. I love all types of music as well and I admit he has a great voice but that was called the Clack Mountain Bluegrass Festival. Not just what ever you want to play. I seen allot of people leaving as well when they started playing and I was one of the ones that left just right after their first or second song.
Thanks for the up dates man. Love the pictures of you and the singers as well.
Hi thanks for the overview of the great festival.
I would just like to correct Lady Killer. The festival is called the Clack Mountain Festival – there is no mention of ‘Bluegrass’ at all. Check the website: http://www.clackmountainfest.com/
They pride themselves on bringing all types of music to downtown Morehead. This means that, while the majority of the music was Bluegrass, there were several great Old Time, Singer-Songwriter, and yes, Rock and Roll performers there. The idea is to open the festival up to the whole community and not just ones that follow bluegrass exclusively and I think they did quite well.