Sally Gap Bluegrass Festival kicks off Friday

   Spring means Bluegrass in Kentucky and some of the country’s hottest Bluegrass groups will headline this year’s Third Annual Sally Gap Bluegrass Festival, which will be held Friday through Sunday in Whitley County.

"We have some really good bands, including Lonesome River Band, J.D. Crowe and the New South, and Marty Raybon and Full Circle," said Festival Organizer Vicki Cooper. "Marty Raybon was lead singer of the country group, Shenandoah, which had 10 number one hits while he was lead singer for them."

Several regional groups are also slated to perform including: Virgil Bowlin and Peerless Mountain, Kentucky Wind, and Paint Creek.

Brand New Strings, a new group out of Knoxville, is scheduled to play Saturday.

"They are an up and coming group that won the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music Association competition in Nashville," Cooper noted.

Local group Southern Sun will host the festival again this year.

Shows begin at noon each day. The festival farm is located at 6410 Highway 92 East. Signs will mark the entrance.

Weekend passes are available for $40. Individual day passes are $20 each Friday and Saturday or $10 for Sunday. A weekend pass with an RV is $55.

Cooper said that other events are planned in connection with the festival.

A teacher’s workshop will be held at the University of the Cumberlands.

"It’s a program that the International Bluegrass Music Association sponsors," Cooper said. "Virgil Bowlin will be teaching the workshop. Marty Raybon and his band will be there to demonstrate harmony singing.

"It is a workshop for teachers to show them how to incorporate the history of bluegrass and Appalachian music into their curriculum."

There will also be a children’s workshop where children will build a small bluegrass instrument, and then play on stage Saturday evening.

In addition, a "shake note" singing workshop will be held where people can learn the basics of "L-tone" singing, and various instrument workshops will be held.

Cooper said Sally Gap was chosen as the 1,500-acre location for the festival because it had been a successful venue in the past.

"Many years ago, they had a big country music show over there called The Briar Jumper Jam," Cooper recalled. "All their stuff was still in place, the electricity and everything.

"I had approached the landowner about using that property for the festival and he was really excited about it. It is a real good location. There is plenty of room."

Last year about 1,500 people attended the festival, and Cooper is hoping to top that figure this year.

The main sponsor for this year’s festival is the Whitley County Tourism Board.

Cooper said that she encourages everyone to come out and attend.

"You won’t hear better bluegrass music any where than what we feature at the festival," Cooper said. "We have great food. It is a family friendly festival."

Slated to perform are:

• Friday – J.D. Crowe and the New South; the Kenny and Amanda Smith Band; Bill Yates and The Country Gentlemen Tribute Band; Blue Storm; Virgil Bowlin and Peerless Mountain; and Southern Sun.

• Saturday – Lonesome River Band; Marty Raybon and Full Circle; Brand New Strings; The Dixie Ryders; Kentucky Wind; and Southern Sun.

• Sunday – Paint Creek; The Dixie Ryders; Blue Storm; Virgil Bowlin & Peerless Mountain; and Southern Sun.

For more information contact Cooper at 549-9514 or log onto the festival website at
http://www.sallygapbgfestival.com.