Last month we received what appeared to be very disturbing news that threatened the restoration of Bluegrass Country Soul, the iconic documentary film treatment of the 1971 Labor Day festival in Camp Springs, NC.
In its newsletter at the time it was reported …
It’s become increasingly clear that this restoration project is far more critical than we ever suspected. The dyes on our one remaining 35 mm print have faded to the point that the film might be lost forever if we don’t restore it now. It is no exaggeration when we say that our crowdfunding campaign is crucial to the successful completion of this project.
Yesterday, in a further newsletter there was statement about an unrelated matter….
We’re also happy to report that work on the restored film is progressing quickly! So quickly, in fact, that we are extending the advance sale deadline to Wednesday, May 15!
Producer/Director Albert Ihde clarifies the situation, saying….
“The good news from Bluegrass Country Soul is that we were able to do this Golden Anniversary restoration now. Having viewed the one remaining 35mm print at Henninger Media Services last month, it’s clear that if we had waited any longer to transfer this piece of bluegrass history to digital it might have been lost forever.
People who are familiar with film restoration will tell you that if you have only the original print, and not the film negative, you’re not working under the best conditions to start with. Those who are familiar with the DVD that came out in 2006 will remember that there were projection scratches and other imperfections on that film. Fortunately, digital restoration has progressed significantly over the past thirteen years and the team at Henninger Media Services is doing a remarkable job.
The naming opportunities deadline has been extended to May 15 as we’re ahead of schedule on our book deadline. After May 15, work on the restored film, the ‘Making of’ documentary and two separate commentary tracks will continue.
So, naming opportunities will end on May 15, box-set sales continue, and the release date remains September 1st.”
Orders for a Bluegrass Country Soul Golden Anniversary, Legacy Edition box-set can be made online.
Purchases made by Wednesday, May 15th (2019) will have your name (and/or the name of someone you wish to honor) included in the film’s final credits.
Bluegrass Country Soul presents the sights and sounds of a bluegrass music festival – Carlton Haney’s legendary, 1971 Labor Day festival at Blue Grass Park, Camp Springs, North Carolina – and is recognised as the first bluegrass music movie.
It features performances from first-generation bluegrass icons such as Earl Scruggs, Ralph Stanley, Chubby Wise, Jimmy Martin, and Mac Wiseman as well as stars of today such as Sam Bush, Del McCoury, and Ricky Skaggs. Others appearing in the film are J.D. Crowe, The Osborne Brothers, Tony Rice, The Lilly Brothers with Tex Logan and Don Stover, The Bluegrass 45 (from Japan), The New Deal String Band and, in a rare appearance, Roy Acuff.
