Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver close out the 2019 Yee Haw Music Fest – photo © Bill Warren
The 25th Yee Haw Music Fest has come to an end. The weather was perfect, the crowd was big, and the music – it was bluegrass and it was great.
Friday and Saturday both started with the national anthem sung by Jan Ladd and friends.
A local band, Sandy Back Porch opened Friday’s show. They provided a mix of new and old bluegrass music. Mile Twelve was up next. This is a very talented group of youngsters from the Boston area that needs to be on everyone’s list. The crowd was enthralled by them. Monroe Crossing had a hiccup prior to coming to Yee Haw. Fiddler, Lisa Fuglie, took a tumble off a scooter in Nassau, and broke a wrist and an ankle. She is home in Minnesota and will have surgery on her wrist on Tuesday. We wish her all the best in her recovery. The band did a bang up job in Lisa’s absence, bringing a high energy mix of bluegrass music to the stage. They did have a first in the bands 18 year history – they wore blue jeans! Don’t tell Lisa!!
Balsam Range closed out Friday and their award winning talent was on shining display. They bring their own sound technician with them. John Holder and his sound company, Blue Ridge Sound, is one of the very best. Ernie Evans has groomed his own sound crew. Clarence Canada, Larry Payton, and Josh Griffin keep everyone sounding good.
Saturday was led off by our Canadian friends, Roxeen and Dalrymple. Gary has teamed up with Roxeen after the end of the Spinney Brothers band. They do a good mix of classic bluegrass music. They did a second set filling in for Mountain Faith who had a major bus breakdown. Monroe Crossing also filled in for one of the Mountain Faith sets.
Dave Adkins brought his new band configuration to the Yee Haw stage. Dave is one of the “bigger than life” performers. High energy, big laugh, and a great show is all an audience can ask for, and Dave gives in full measure. Don Rigsby joined Dave in the evening set for a song – just WOW! Rigsby brought some of his friends to the stage and put on a top shelf show. Don stays true to the Ralph Stanley style of mountain music.
Promoters Ernie and Debi Evans gave out some very heartfelt awards prior to Doyle Lawson closing out the show. Josh Griffin and Larry Payton were given the Sound Technician award. Keith and Darlene Bass were given an award as past Yee Haw promoters. John and Bev Jaeger were awarded for General Management. Pete and Edythe Petrick received the Customer Care award. Harold Asher was recognized as a past award winner. Dave Massey was recognized for Facilities Management. Sean Campbell and Spider Prevatt accepted the Special Mention and Heroic Contribution award on behalf of their band, Scattered Grass. Don Rigsby also received a Special Mention award. Ron Stewart received the “Retired and Unretired” Festival Staff Award. Rosalie Canady was recognized as a Mentor.
Congratulations to all. They have all helped Ernie and Debi keep their festivals running smoothly.
Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver closed out the 25th Yee Haw Music Fest. Doyle has a genuine mastery of maintaining a band sound. He proved that once again. Tenor singer, Jerry Cole, was unable to sing Saturday. Josh Swift and Joe Dean stepped up and did a great job. Doyle also closed out the show by singing My Rose of Old Kentucky. Suffice it to say: “Doyle still has it!”
