The Isaacs and The Malpass Brothers at the 2025 Malpass Brothers
Bluegrass & Country Music Festival – photo © Sandy Hatley
2025 marks the fourth year since the Malpass Brothers became hosts of the annual Mother’s Day weekend Bluegrass & Country Music Festival at Denton FarmPark in central North Carolina. Starting in 1979, Doyle Lawson served as the festival host for the family-style event until his retirement in 2021.
Chris Malpass reflected, “This was once again a wonderful weekend. We love this festival for so many reasons: the music, the fellowship, the memories. It’s like a family reunion backstage and in the crowd. Great to see all the young kids falling in love with this music, also. We are so honored to be a small part of this, and hope the folks enjoy it each year as much as we do. Already ready for next year.”
It was a weekend filled with music, fellowship, and fun. Wednesday night kicked off with an open mic session on stage featuring seven regional groups, each performing 30 minute sets. Then Thursday the professionals took to the stage, with sets from Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, Alan Bibey & Grasstowne, the Gospel Plowboys, and Authentic Unlimited.
Friday’s show included the Kody Norris Show, Mountain Highway, the Cox Family, and a special performance featuring country music star, T Graham Brown. Saturday brought hometown favorite, Caroline Owens & New Company, to the stage along with Deeper Shade of Blue, and Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, with The Isaacs closing out the night. They were accompanied by resphonic guitarist and Quicksilver alum, Josh Swift, who returned to his old stomping grounds where he served as Lawson’s sidekick for 13 years.
The Malpasses performed daily, even doing an all-acoustic set to close out Thursday night’s show after a severe thunderstorm rolled in and sound man, Jackson Bethune, was forced to shut his system down in order to protect his equipment. On Saturday night, they welcomed special guests Tony Booth, country music singer known for Keys in the Mailbox and Lonesome 7-7203, and then Jimmy Capps’ wife, Michele, who sang the Osborne classic, Georgia Mules and Country Boys. On Sunday morning, Chris and Taylor Malpass, along with Doug and Stacey Stuart, held a gospel song service for the packed house in the old model church on the park grounds.
In addition to the stage performances, there was jamming in the music hall after the shows and into the wee hours of the morning throughout the campsites. Thursday night’s concert concluded with youth taking over the stage to entertain as the audience huddled under the music hall’s canopy during the raging storm. Four sisters from Alaska and two brothers from Pennsylvania displayed their talents, assuring those in attendance that the future of bluegrass is in good hands. Friday night’s stage jam featured a stage full of musicians that picked along with the Malpasses until after midnight.
Doug Stuart, FarmPark employee, shared…
“This year’s festival was the smoothest running event yet for us! We are truly thankful for our little team. They are the real stars of getting it done.
Stage Manager, Stacey Stuart, was supported by a wonderful team including her son and daughter-in-law, plus volunteers and security. Under her watchful eye, the team handled everything from food preparation and management of the hospitality room, moving equipment from buses to the stage and merchandise areas, to overseeing reserved seating and ensuring that needs that arise in the stage area were addressed.
When you put it in simplest business terms, the music is the product and the people are the customers. We can’t have one without the other. Our goal is to make Denton Farm Park, and The Malpass Brothers Festival, stand out as a favorite for both fan and the musician.
Over the years, we have learned to try and be prepared for anything. This year’s needs ranged from an impromptu sound system to finding a pencil for a child to do their schoolwork.
Artists stopping by to sign Stacey’s door was always a treat.”
Veteran North Carolina banjoist and FarmPark volunteer, Danny Bowers, said, “I’ve been to festivals for years and I never knew how much work goes into running one of these events until last year. It is amazing to see it from the other side.”
Karen Loflin Miller, Denton FarmPark co-owner, agreed.
“I think it’s been the best festival yet. We are so glad to have these two guys (Chris and Taylor Malpass) hosting the festival, and everybody that helps: Doug and Stacey (Stuart), Tony (Ramsey), Laramie (Miller Shore) and the bakery, my brother, Keith (Loflin), he even sells tickets, my right arm-Heather (Russell), and my blessed mama (Ruby Loflin). I appreciate everybody that helps. I want to thank the Lord most of all. He’s looked after this place and I just want to thank Him and everybody that came. Thank you.”
Plans are already underway for the Malpass’s fifth year hosting the Bluegrass & Country Music Festival, to be held May 7-9, 2026.
“If the good Lord is willing and the creeks don’t rise, we’ll be here,” Taylor Malpass said in conclusion.
