Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out at the 2018 Charlotte Bluegrass Festival – photo © Bill Warren
The 46th Charlotte Bluegrass Festival is in the books. Friday kicked off with a guitar workshop hosted by Jim Hurst and Luke Gitchel.
The first band on stage was Branded Bluegrass from central Indiana. They provided a broad range of traditional, contemporary, and Gospel bluegrass, and were followed by New Outlook. Brad and Lori brought their Park Street Music Store with them so everyone had a music vendor to meet needs. Edgar Loudermilk featuring Jeff Autry returned to the Charlotte stage as well. Edgar’s band has become a Charlotte favorite. Promoter Wes Pettinger traveled with Edgar for a year and a half. He joined them for a couple tunes during the evening set.
Sideline is becoming one of the busiest bands on the bluegrass circuit. Steve Dilling and his son-in-law, Skip Cherryholmes lead the band. Edgar Loudermilk hosted an old fashioned “guitar pull.” Luke Gitchel, Clay Hess, Jeff Autry, and Skip Cherryholmes gave the audience full measure during a bit of “liquid sunshine!” Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out closed out the show as only Russell can. Then Russell provided the highlight of the day when he invited former members Steve Dilling and Edgar Loudermilk to join him for a song.
Saturday opened with a new local band formed by promoter Wes Pettinger and Luke Gitchel. They call themselves the Journeymen. The four piece band has well over a hundred years’ combined experience! Nightflyer followed with their unique blend of top shelf musicians. Hammertowne rolled into Charlotte with their #1 hit Hillbilly Heroes. They give their crowd a full dose of traditional sounds.
The Charlotte stage then went into high gear with the Little Roy and Lizzy Show. Roy Lewis is still one of the highest energy performers in bluegrass and the show has matured into a complete entity. Lizzy has written and sings some of her own material, and she can also take her audience back to some of the best of the Lewis Family music. Put the Little Roy and Lizzy Show on your “must see” list. Volume Five closed out the weekend with music fitting of IBMA’s current Emerging Artist. Make sure you get to a Volume Five performance.
GBS Sound, run by Dave and Staci Chichester, always provide the best audio. They came directly to Charlotte after ten days at Bean Blossom. Dave was getting homesick!
Teri Grannis and Duffy Brown-Schryer kept the show on time as co-MC’s. Teri did the day shift and Duffy did the night shift. Good job ladies!
Catch the Candidpix.info camera next at the Norwalk Music Festival July 5-8.
