Rowlesburg on the River!
Bluegrass Complete Schedule 2012
SCHEDULE
Friday July 6th
4:00 pm High Octane
5:00 pm Medicinal Whiskey
6:00 pm High Octane
7:00 pm Medicinal Whiskey
8:00 pm Bear Hill
9:00 pm Bear Hill
Saturday July 7th
1:00 pm Back Creek Valley Boys
2:00 pm Bear Hill
3:00 pm Back Creek Valley Boys
4:00 pm Claire Lynch Band
5:00 pm Moatsville Boys
6:00 pm Bear Hill
7:00 pm Back Creek Valley Boys
8:00 pm Claire Lynch Band
9:00 pm Claire Lynch Band
Sunday July 8th
12:00 pm Rocky Hollow Bluegrass
1:00 pm Rocky Hollow Bluegrass
2:00 pm The Lamberts
3:00 pm High Octane
4:00 pm High Octane
Claire Lynch Band
Back Creek Valley Boys
Marv Ashby and the High Octane Band
Bear Hill Bluegrass
The Moatsville Boys
Rocky Hollow
BANDS
Claire Lynch Band. For years a creative force in acoustic music, Claire Lynch is a pioneer who continually pushes the boundaries of the bluegrass genre. The current Claire Lynch Band is a powerful juggernaut, a quartet that can perfectly interpret the beauty, subtlety, and genre-defying sophistication of Claire’s music.
Lynch’s career is fittingly bookended by two IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year awards: in 2010, in recognition of her current work with the Claire Lynch Band, and in 1997, for her influential work with the Front Porch String Band, and as a solo artist. In the mid 70's Lynch made history when she led the Front Porch String Band, which evolved, in the 80’s and 90’s into “one of the sharpest and most exciting post-modern bluegrass bands on the circuit,” according to one writer.
Back Creek Valley Boys. Playing raw, no nonsense bluegrass for audiences in the Washington, DC area and beyond, the band hails from Hedgesville, WV. The group has "officially" been a band since 2009, but most of the members have been playing together for years. Ike Jordan (mandolin) and Randy have played together with Nestle Quarry Boys, Berkeley Ramblers, Bluegrass Drive, Ernie Bradley and Grassy Ridge and Jack Fincham and Dixie Grass. With a career beginning in 1979 in San Clemente, California with the Smokey Valley Ramblers and Hangfire, Frank Maietta joined as the bands' banjo player in 2010. The newest member of The Back Creek Valley Boys is fiddle player Brandon Michael, who previously played with Ernie Bradley and Grassy Ridge. They have three albums – “Bluegrass, Plain and Simple”; The Back Creek Valley Express”; and “Real Live Bluegrass.” The band is heading back to the studio soon to cut a gospel album.
Marv Ashby and the High Octane Band. From the West Virginia Panhandle comes another hard-driving ‘no holds barred’ bluegrass music courtesy of Marv Ashby and the High Octane Band. Marv is joined by some the region’s finest entertainers, delivering a high quality and fast paced show. Both traditional and contemporary bluegrass genres are showcased during High Octane performances. The band features Marv’s aggressive flatpicking style and straight-ahead vocal arrangements. ‘Beardie’ powers the low end with percussive doghouse bass and brings to the show traditional bluegrass vocal styling. Robbie Benzing rolls through the tunes with spot-on First Generation bluegrass drive and enthusiasm. The band’s latest CD release is entitled, "Route 9 to Berkeley Springs."
Bear Hill Bluegrass. This is not your typical bluegrass band! Even though they take pride in performing traditional bluegrass and gospel, they add just the right mix of classic country and comedy to please the audience and have fun. The band takes pride in playing the familiar bluegrass, gospel, and a few country songs that you recognize. Our band has a friendly down-home manner on stage. The audience is involved with the band and the songs throughout the show. When you come to see Bear Hill Bluegrass perform you will find energetic musicians always in motion. The strong vocals, harmony, and great songs will impress you.
The Moatsville Boys. The band, also called just The Boys, mixes country, hillbilly, and gospel with traditional bluegrass sounds. Classic bluegrass was born in 1946 and is still played widely around the world. Today, bluegrass bands also reflect influences of jazz, contemporary country, Celtic, rock & roll and Southern gospel music. The Boys are no exception. They say their main musical influences are Ricky Skaggs, Ralph Stanley, Earl Scruggs, Randy Travis, George Jones, and Merle Haggard among others. For the past four years, the band has dedicated its time to raise money for many different causes, especially the Relay For Life.
Rocky Hollow. This band comes from Warwick, RI. You might say they’re a family band as 3/5s of the band has the last name Hutchings. Nancy and Dick and Gary have been making music for a long time. Rocky Hollow was originally formed in the early eighties. There was a bit of time off for raising children and other stuff that made it difficult for them to continue. Over the last few years they've been trying to put it back together and think they've finally got something to holler about! The band plays all styles of bluegrass from traditional to progressive.
Medicinal Medicine, aka, From the Hip. Rowlesburg’s own bluegrass band, “From the Hip,” will be part of the festival. Carrying on in the tradition of their Singer/Songwriter father, Keith Pitzer (and former Executive Director of Friends of the Cheat who passed away in December) Jake and Jesse are joined by Greg Short, Jr. (Percussion) and Chris Bern (Upright bass) performing an energetic "Newgrass" style picking of originals, bluegrass and some folk. No strangers to the music scene three of the four are original founding members of the group.
The Lamberts. This gospel singing couple’s motto is “Called of God... Anointed of God... Singing the Word of God!” They sing at many churches and bluegrass festivals. Naturally, their music is straight gospel from the long Appalachian tradition of such music. This highly acclaimed band and singing family plays an exhaustive schedule of events at churches, gospel songfests and community centers around the entire region.
