This past weekend, the small town of Hyden, Kentucky was filled with bluegrass fans from around the country for the 19th Annual Osborne Brothers Hometown Festival. The festival, which is coordinated by Dean Osborne, the director of the Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music, featured both local and national acts over three days.
With a lineup consisting of such renowned artists as Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, J.D. Crowe and the New South, the Lonesome River Band, Ralph Stanley II, and Bobby Osborne and Rocky Top X-Press, as well as a wide variety of local groups from the Kentucky and West Virginia area, festival goers surely got their money’s worth. Not only did fans get to hear from some of the best in bluegrass, their ticket purchases also helped benefit the Volunteer Fire Departments of Leslie County, Kentucky. According to Dean Osborne, the festival has helped to raise approximately $500,000 for the community.
On Friday night, Bobby Osborne was honored for his legacy in bluegrass music and his dedication to helping younger musicians as an instructor at the Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music. The festival’s location, a brand new outdoor pavilion at the Richard M. Nixon Recreation Center in Hyden, was officially named the “Bobby Osborne Pavilion.”
Later that evening, J.D. Crowe was also recognized by the festival organizers for his long career in bluegrass music. As many Bluegrass Today readers know, J.D. will be retiring from active touring at the end of the year, with less than a dozen shows left with the New South.
The rural town of Hyden may seem like an unlikely location for a bluegrass festival of this magnitude. However, as the hometown of the Osborne Brothers, Hyden is a sure draw for fans of the music. This festival is a great, family-friendly event – hope to see you there next year!
