Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show at the March 2017 Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival – photo by Bill Warren
Joe Mullins kicked off Saturday at the Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival with a presentation about the Danny Stewart Bluegrass Cruise that he and the Radio Ramblers will be part of in February 2019.
MC Blake Williams then brought The Wayfarers from Zanesville, Ohio to the stage. They are an old time string band that brings high energy to their performances. Blake described the energy as: “They can get 73 songs into one set of music!”
Karl Shiflett and the Big Country Show takes the audience back to the early days of one mic, well-presented shows. Karl has surrounded himself with some fine, young musicians.
Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers put on their final set of the weekend in the afternoon. Joe introduced the newest Radio Rambler – Duane Sparks’ nearly four month old daughter, Camdyn. The Gibson Brothers followed with music that explains why they are award winners. They had the crowd in their hands through two sets.
Tammy Mullins’ father, Carl Mullins, passed in late January. He was a mainstay at all of the SOIMF festivals. He also drove Joe’s bus for some years. Joe’s aunt made a beautiful quilt that was raffled off as a benefit to hospice. Tammy and her daughter Sarah presented the quilt to the winner. Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out closed the festival as only a five time IBMA Vocalist of the Year can. He sang a mixture of new music and old favorites, and thanked their audio tech Donnie Carver for over twenty years keeping the IIIrd Tyme Out sound right where it needs to be.
The November 2017 show will be at the Roberts Centre on the 10th and 11th.