Billy Strings at Grey Fox 2018 – photo © Tara Linhardt
Another stupendous year of music kicked off on the stages of Grey Fox on Thursday, July 19, but some folks had already been pickin’ and grinnin’ a while there on the Walsh Farm already. They had their eighth year of Open Mic the night before, and many campsites had their good times well under way before the first official show hit the stage.
There were many reunions and familiar faces, as well as fresh new ones both on the stages and off. The Dry Branch Fire Squad returned as the Grey Fox host band as it has every year since the first year of the festival. This year Billy Strings was the Artist in Residence, and was melting some faces with his band and his hot pickin throughout the weekend.
Once again Grey Fox has done a great job encouraging folks to be good to the land on which they are camping, with on-site recycling, its Car Corral, and its award for the Greenest Campsite. Each year it is given to the most efficient and eco-friendly campsite with an award of a pair of full festival tickets for the following year.
The weekend is full fresh new acts, some of the biggest bands on the touring scene, and learning opportunities for all ages. The Bluegrass Kids Academy continues to be very popular and there are workshops on a variety of instruments open for folks of any age, and Slow Jams as well for new players.
The vendors were set up selling all types of foods, instruments, microphones, and musical accessories. Also two of the vendors (Ear Trumpet Labs and D’Addario Strings) were busy each evening in an authentic yurt where they made live videos of some of the bands at the festival in a cool intimate setting that folks at home can watch on the D’Addario and Company Facebook page.
Here’s Dailey and Vincent playing an instrumental tune called Cousin Sally Brown.
