Little Roy Lewis and Lizzie Long at the 2025 Howlin’ Good Time Bluegrass Festival – photo © Bill Warren
A “Howlin’ Good Time” was had by all who attended the festival at the Howard Johnson’s in Lima, Ohio. Brad and Lori Lambert put on a great two day show this past weekend. Dave and Traci Chichester handle the sound. All the bands comment on how happy they are when GBS Sound is on site. I had the privilege of being the MC for the event.
Lori arranged for a large number of vendors selling everything from Tupperware to upcycled crafts.
Ohio band, New Mountain Heritage, opened the show on Friday. They are a popular regional band who deliver a full measure of bluegrass and gospel music.
The Next Paige followed, now based in North Carolina. Bryan and Lisa Paige own and operate Paige Capo. The band, the Paige Capo booth, or both are seen at many events. See them if you can.
The Carl Bentley Band from Indiana was new to me. They are a good band that needs more exposure. Look for them in your area.
New Outlook is the host band. Brad Lambert’s early background is in southern gospel music. He is one of the strongest vocalists in bluegrass. He is also an accomplished musician and luthier. Lori spent her weekend “herding cats!”
Kevin Prater spent both days at the show. His extensive catalog of music makes him a crowd favorite. He has led his band for nearly 17 years and they are one of the busiest in the genre.
The Little Roy and Lizzie Show closed out the Friday show. At 83 years old, Roy still bounces around the stage like a teenager. Lizzie has developed her own style, but can morph into the Lincolnton, Georgia Lewis Family style music in an instant.
Saturday kicked off with Larry Efaw & the Bluegrass Mountaineers. The Mountaineers are a long-time old mountain style bluegrass music band, started by Larry’s father, Ed Efaw. The band now has two generations of the Efaw family – Larry and his grandson, Chris Wilcox. Larry also promotes Bluegrass in First Class in Maumee, Ohio each January.
Dean Osborne brought his band in from Kentucky. Dean plays his music along with a healthy dose of Osborne Brothers music. Kelly Garrison and Scott Fields have been Dean’s bandmates for many years. Dean promotes the Osborne Brothers Hometown Festival each August in Hyden, Kentucky.
Dale Ann Bradley has the voice of an angel. Her music is gleaned from true life stories, which can be as compelling as the songs themselves. Seek her out and enjoy her stories and songs.
The Muddy Krick Mountain Band is an Ohio band from the Cleveland area. They are a top-notch band that needs to be seen.
Matt Leadbetter joined New Outlook for their final set of the weekend. Matt will be touring with New Outlook next season along with his touring with Dale Ann.
The festival closed with a special treat that Brad and Lori have created. They call it “New Kids In Town – Eagles Acoustic Hits.” They were joined by Dale Ann Bradley, Matt Leadbetter, Kevin Prater, Brian Scott, Brad Wright, and Andy Brogan. Matt and Kevin have only too much fun picking on Lori. That made the train run off the rails a couple of times. Everyone enjoyed the somewhat controlled chaos!
Put October 2-3, 2026 on your calendar for next year’s Howlin’ Good Time!
The weekend was topped off by a trip to the Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dan Tyminski provided the entertainment for the Ark’s annual fundraiser. He gave a 90-minute show to a sold-out crowd.
The Kevin Prater Band will be at the Kentuckians of Michigan on Halloween night. Join us for a fun evening of bluegrass music.
Support your local music venues.
