Talladega Bluegrass & Fingerstyle Guitar Festival launches this summer

Great news for Alabama grassers! The Talladega Bluegrass & Fingerstyle Guitar Festival will launch this summer in Lincoln, AL, with a full line up for fans of both genres.

Hosted by Edgar Loudermilk Music Productions at the Talladega Pit Stop RV Park & Campground, this new festival was inspired by Edgar’s dear friend, Paul Curvin, who lived in the Talladega area, and died last year. Paul was an experienced finger style guitarist, who was like a second dad for Loudermilk.

Co-owners and managers of the festival are Curvin’s daughters, Tracy and Dana, who approached Edgar about hosting a festival in their father’s honor. In the last month or so, they expressed to Edgar that they really wanted a “big name female singer” as a headliner, and Dale Ann Bradley was booked to fill that spot. Also on the bill are Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive, Shannon Slaughter, and of course, the Edgar Loudermilk Band.

To provide finger style guitar sets in Paul’s memory, Richard Smith, Shane Adkins, and Alan Wilson will also be on the bill. Cindy Baucom will MC, and a number of top Alabama groups will also perform on stage.

Early bird discounted tickets are now available for the August 11-13 festival online, and by mail order.

Edgar is also proud to note that his other new festival this year, Toccoa Bluegrass Festival, which was held as a one day event earlier this month in Georgia, has already been renewed as a full weekend festival for next year. The City of Toccoa, GA approved April 5-7, 2024 as the new dates simply based on the enthusiasm for the initial concert.

Loudermilk Music Productions also promotes the Brown County Bluegrass Festival in Georgetown, OH, and the WOBO Bluegrass Bash with Ohio’s WOBO-FM radio station manager, Gary Strong, who has recently signed on as co-producer for the Brown County festival as well.

Best of luck to all bluegrass festival promoters as we head into the 2023 season.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.