Promoter Lorraine Jordan at Bluegrass in the Blueridge Blue Country Getaway – photo © Roger Black
Day 1
Bluegrass bleeds country for three nights, with a little bit of help from Lorraine Jordan and MC Doug Whitley from Bluegrass Jamboree Radio. Some of the best bluegrass pickers and singers on the planet came together at Meadowview Resort and Conference Center in Kingsport, Tennessee this past weekend. The mission: Have fun picking not only bluegrass but also to show the world that bluegrass pickers can hold their own picking traditional country music as well.
They did it in style. Doug and Lorraine called the show to order promptly at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday night with a great set of traditional country music classics, done bluegrass style, by Lorraine Jordan’s County Grass Show, and followed up by an incredible set of bluegrass by a band that is always a the crowd favorite, Deeper Shade of Blue.
Day 2
Friday at noon saw last year’s winners of the SPBGMA International Band Competition, Coyote Ugly, take the stage to the cheers of a great crowd of bluegrass music fans. Dave Adkins & Mountain Soul took the stage in the standard high energy style that Dave is known for.
The next act to take the stage was six time IBMA Female Vocalist of the year, Dale Ann Bradley. Dale Ann and her storytelling songs always takes the crowd back to a place in years gone by where life happened at a slower and more friendly pace. Dale Ann ended her set with her trademark song, Blackberry Summer.
Greg Blake then stepped onto the stage and demonstrated the talent that has made him a two time and reigning IBMA male vocalist of the year.
The Church Sisters were first up after the supper break, showing off that beautiful sibling harmony that they are known for. Singer/songwriter Larry Cordle then took the stage with the Country Grass Band. Larry and Country Grass did many of the songs that he has written over the years, several of which became hits in both the country and bluegrass worlds. Songs such as Highway 40 Blues and Murder on Music Row.
Well all I can say about Friday evenings last set is that history was made. It was amazing, a high energy performance with over two dozen bluegrass music makers singing and playing classic country music hits from the day when country music was real and still country music. I’m talking about Alan Dyer singing Merle Haggard’s Ramblin’ Fever, Donna Ulisse getting some help from Doyle Lawson singing Lorretta Lynn’s You Ain’t Woman Enough, and Emmy Lou and Kitty Wells’ Makin’ Believe. If I Needed You by Don Williams was beautifully rendered by Greg Blake and Dale Ann Bradley. Beverly Horton then teamed up with Greg to do I’m Not Over You.
Dave Adkins is well known for being a fan of Merle Haggard, and did him proud with Sing Me Back Home. Alan Dyer came back to the stage with the George Strait hit song, A Fire I Can’t Put Out, along with Storms of Life by Randy Travis. The Church Sisters did an amazing job with the song, Why Not Me by the Judds. Kent Dixon sang Gene Watson’s, Farewell Party.
Just can’t beat Greg Blake as he came back for three more songs, She Thinks I Still Care by the Possum, Together Again from Buck Owens, and Mama Tried from the Hag. Lord I Hope the Day is Good by Don Williams was sang by Corey Nelms. The normally quiet and reserved Milon Williams from Deeper Shade of Blue just romped all over Eddie Rabbit’s Driving My Life Away. Scott Burgess, also from Deeper Shade of Blue, did George Strait’s Troubadour, and Ronnie Milsap’s Pure Love. Troy Pope, again from Deeper Shade of Blue, took a break from running sound long enough to sing Vince Gill’s One Last Chance.
Then came the Grand Finale when the entire All Star cast came to the stage so sing Will The Circle Be Unbroken. The cast was joined on stage by Lorraine Jordan’s 95 year old dad, Royce Jordan, and 85 year old Al McConnell. This brought one of the most amazing nights in bluegrass to a close.
Day 3
Mallie Belle and her guitar took the stage all alone to get the show started on Saturday. The fifteen-year-old young lady with her beautiful voice and stage presence showed great promise for this talented young singer in years to come. Tim White and Troublesome Hollow got the show kicked into high gear with some laughs and great music. Tim and his band of onstage musicians and comedians ended their set with a song that Tim wrote that has been recorded by bands around the world, Five Pound Possum.
The beautiful voice of singer/songwriter Donna Ulisse was next up with her husband Rick Stanley and the rest of her band, The Po’ Mountain Boys. Donna has one of the purest voices in bluegrass music and is one of the most prolific songwriters in the music business.
Country Grass came to the stage for their final performance of the festival and took us to the supper break. Carson Peters and Iron Mountain came out as fans filed in for the last sets of the festival. Carson and his great band delivered the stellar performance as usual, with that masterful fiddle playing of Carson. Deeper Shade of Blue took the stage for their final set of the event delivering as always. Garrett Newton came to the stage with his all country performance as country music legend, Hank Williams Sr. Garrett in his fancy white suit looked the part and sang the part. Hank fans were surely impressed by this young man.
That brings to a close the 2026 Bluegrass in the Blue Ridge, Blue Country Getaway. Hope to see you there next year.
