Estación 39 is an ideal example of a band that hails from environs well outside US borders, but still stays true to those musical traditions birthed in the American heartland. Based in Buenos Aires Argentina, the band — which includes Matt Giliberto (vocals and guitar), Nuala McLoughlin (vocals and fiddle), Juma Molina (banjo and backing vocals), Dani Boy W (mandolin and backing vocals), Irina Rabenstein (upright bass and backing vocals) — makes music spawned from a rarified traditional template, but shaped with their own individual imprint. 

“We try to sound classic, like the old bluegrass bands, singing into a microphone, like Bill Monroe, the Osborne Brothers or the Stanley Brothers,” they told Bluegrass Today when profiled for a Bluegrass Beyond Borders feature. “We know that not being native the sound isn’t going to be the same, and I think that gives something exotic to our sound that makes it interesting. Between the five of us we gather various influences, some shared, like Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, Osborne Brothers, New Grass Revival, The Dillards, Hot Rize, Bluegrass Album Band. Also Béla Fleck, Brittany Haas, Billy Strings, Punch Brothers, Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull, Allison Krauss and more.”

The band is so confident and comfortable in fact, that each of the seven songs on this new EP could give rise to the suspicion that in another life anyway, they’re a product of some rural realms. Indeed, if one didn’t know better, it would be easy to come to that conclusion based on their choice of material alone. The band’s take on the seminal standard, Shady Grove, and their whimsical cover of, of all things, The Ballad Of Jed Clampett — the latter sung in a charming native dialect with various humorous asides tossed in as well — managed to find an easy and otherwise unassuming fit. 

They aren’t the only examples of the band’s ease at replicating that bluegrass sound. Fox On the Run takes a fanciful turn, while the rousing title track offers an opportunity to deliver an impressive instrumental outing.

Though it’s only seven songs long, ETIGBA provides an exceptional showcase for Estación 39’s earnest endeavors. Clearly, they’re a band that’s entirely committed to delivering bluegrass, courtesy of their own individual instincts.

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The Brothers Young, teen grassers out of Roanoke, Virginia, have released their new bluegrass Christmas album, and it holds treasures you will want to add to your playlist.

Ayden (banjo, vocals, production) and Blane (mandolin, vocals, humor, and ‘Michael Jordan-esq’ leaps into the crowd) are joined by Steve Farmer (bass) and Stefan Kraft (guitar) on their second full album. Good friend Charlie Milliron, sits in on the dobro, and church friend David Thacker adds some first-rate fiddle.

The twelve songs on this project range from tender and holy (What Child Is This and Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem) to sassy (Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer, Run Rudolph Run ) to driving bluegrass, (Breakin’ Up Christmas, Christmas Time’s A Comin‘) which are great picking by anyone’s standards. Breakin’ Up Christmas is an instrumental that was made popular by old-time fiddle player Tommy Jarrell, who played around Mt Airy, NC.  

Hard to believe, given their ages, but The Brothers Young have given nearly 1,000 performances and are well known up and down the Crooked Road, especially at The Old Fiddler’s Convention in Galax, where the boys continue to impress. This past summer, Blane won the youth mandolin division, and Ayden placed second in the adult division. Back in 2021, the boys won best band in the youth division at Galax.

Blane, who had the unenviable task of singing harmony while going through puberty, does a phenomenal job singing Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. This is his coming-of-age album. Instrumentally, he can pick with anyone and hold his own.

Or as Blane put it…

“The true enjoyment came when recording Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer, by showcasing my comedic talents in a song.”

Ayden is a true Renaissance man. Aside from being an outstanding traditional banjo player and jazz pianist, he taught himself how to record, mix, edit, and master recordings. And Ayden carries the additional weight of being the band leader and visionary. Anyone who has ever tried to record and mix knows that this young man is a quick learner.

He humbly recognized the achievement.

“Working on two albums in one year has helped make me a better producer.”

And Ayden, who knew you spoke Hawaiian, shared a boisterous Mele Kalikimaka.

Because Christmas albums only tend to get a month of seasonal play each year, you will want to see the Brothers Young live. The brothers have a busy 2026 festival schedule, which is happy news for us!  They are one of the most entertaining bluegrass bands out there. Crowds love them not only for their musicianship but also for their humility, humor, and brotherly banter.

You can check out all the Christmas bluegrass we have covered at Bluegrass Today by following this link.

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Bryan McDowell has built a long, steady career as one of acoustic music’s quintessential sidemen, having performed with the likes of Molly Tuttle, John McEuen, Claire Lynch, and Sierra Hull, among others. McDowell’s self-titled recording on Mountain Fever Records moves him directly out front, providing an even greater look at his talents as a vocalist and instrumentalist.

This album consists of eight original songs, seven of which were penned by McDowell. The opening track, Garden Gate, provides a captivating tale about two lovers which is accompanied by a gentle melody. Along with Bryan on guitar and lead vocals, his first cast of backing musicians consists of Cory Walker on banjo, Jarrod Walker on mandolin, Jake Stargel on guitar, and Jeff Partin on resophonic guitar, bass, and harmony vocals.

The following track, Hold Me Like I’m Leaving, provides the perfect contrast to the aforementioned song. Written by Jesse Wells, it’s a dark piece that delves into the mindset of a self-absorbed man who isn’t capable of having true romantic feelings. With a minimalist configuration consisting of McDowell on mandolin and vocals, Partin on resophonic guitar, and Daniel Kimbro on bass, it forces the listener to fully take in what’s running through this individual’s mind.

Winter’s Comin’ On conveys the feelings that accompany the long, cold winter months. While this is a fine song lyrically, its melody is especially powerful, highlighted by the twin fiddles of McDowell and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes.

Blue Backpack and Free Consultation provide a look at Bryan’s instrumentalism and compositional ability from different angles. Blue Backpack has a blatant flavor of jazz, which is especially evident in the performances of mandolinist Issac Eicher and bassist Jeff Picker. Free Consultation carries a traditional bluegrass feel and is an excellent example of McDowell’s fiddling.

Two of the tracks, American Native and Toy Heart are both traditional standards. The former, which has been played by generations of fiddlers, is performed here as a twin fiddle piece with McDowell and Christian Ward. Gaven Largent provides excellent reso-guitar here as well. The latter is a true Bill Monroe classic, with Bryan borrowing ideas from both Monroe’s 1947 rendition, as well as the version recorded by the Bluegrass Album Band in 1981. Bryan is joined on both tracks by Mark Schatz on bass.

Bryan McDowell’s self-titled release truly captures him in his element. Not only has he written and selected excellent material, but he’s surrounded himself with stellar musicians that bring out the best in him as an artist. This project casts Bryan McDowell in the best possible light.

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Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road at the 2025 Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies – photo © Bill Warren

Lorraine Jordan was thrilled with the largest turnout of her 13 year run at the 2025 Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies Bluegrass Festival, held in the convention center in Gatlinburg, TN. 

The promoter and host expressed, “We were totally sold out at this festival for the first time ever! I’m so excited. We get close some years, but we’ve never completely done it. It was packed and everyone had a great time! We had the best weather, the best bands, the best seating, the best sound, and the best festival ever! It was wonderful!”

The numbers don’t lie. Over 25 states were represented, plus three Canadian provinces. The festival featured seventeen different acts over three days, and each day presented different and unique performances.

Thursday opened with Williamson Branch presenting a mixture of Christmas and bluegrass tunes. After an afternoon and evening of acoustic music, the first day closed with the Lonesome River Band performing some of their most well-known tunes, with a little Telecaster guitar thrown in at the close of their set.

Friday offered a surprise special guest. Bluegrass legend, Paul Williams, took the stage to sing a couple of his well-known songs that he penned, Prayer Bells of Heaven and Fraulein, that he made famous with his brother-in-law, Jimmy Martin. Williams was backed by a powerful ensemble of pickers: Warren Blair on fiddle, Allen Dyer on guitar, Garrett Newton on banjo, Anthony Howell on mandolin, and Edgar Loudermilk on bass.

After receiving a standing ovation for Williams’ performance, Jordan stressed, “You never know what we’re going to do! How do you like Gatlinburg now?” The audience responded in thunderous applause.

Williams was followed by another legend, Larry Sparks, who has spent over 62 years in the music industry. He performed many of his hit songs including Blue Virginia Blue, John Deere Tractor, and Tennessee 1949, plus Sparks’ current single, Way Back When.

Rhonda Vincent closed out Friday featuring many holiday classics that will comprise part of the Rage’s month-long, three-show-a-day sets at Silver Dollar City in Branson. A crowd favorite was a bluegrass rendition of Maria Carey’s All I Want For Christmas, performed by young Rage guitarist, Zack Arnold, who Rhonda fondly referred to as “Zachariah Carey”.

Saturday ranged from bluegrass gospel with the Gospel Plowboys to classic country and comedy with the Malpass Brothers. Carolina Road presented their annual tribute to veterans. Each service person in attendance was presented with a monogrammed hand towel. Four Fender guitars were given away raffle-style for hose who signed up for 2026 advanced tickets. All winners were present to receive their guitars.

There were somber moments, too. Lorraine read a dedication to the memory of Ruth Bruno, a devoted volunteer and supporter of the festival. Everyone felt the loss for fiddler, Adam Burrows, whose mother passed while they were in Gatlinburg before he could perform with Larry Efaw. Carolina Road’s lead guitarist, Wayne Morris, announced that he would be stepping down from the band to take more responsibility with his church. His presence will be sorely missed.

Lorraine’s 95-year old dad, Royce Jordan, and HWY 40’s Doug Whitley served as MCs throughout the weekend of music. David and Traci Chichester of GBS Productions provided excellent audio. There were plenty of vendors in the foyer of the auditorium, including Ami Ricci’s Bluegrass Road Trip and merchandise from all the performers. Each performer received Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies wares.

Jordan concluded, “Folks, if you want to come with us next year at Bluegrass Christmas in Smokies, I’d go ahead and get a reserved seat and be ready. We’ll be back here next November 2026.”

Dates are set for November 19-21, 2026. The holiday-themed bluegrass festival will return to the Mills Auditorium in the Gatlinburg Convention Center. Bands already booked include Authentic Unlimited, Junior Sisk, the Tennessee Bluegrass Band, Danny Paisley & Southern Grass, the Larry Stephenson Band, Williamson Branch, and many others, with Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road once again serving as host band.

For ticket info, call 919-609-6740, email them, or visit Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies Bluegrass Festival online.

The post 2025 Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies: A reflection appeared first on Bluegrass Today.

A Golden Guitar winner and ARIA Award nominee, Angus Gill ranks as one of Australia’s most accomplished young exports. A multi-talented artist, songwriter, author, comedian, and record producer, he can claim 19 number one singles, six chart-topping albums, and more than 200 recorded cuts in his native land, all achieved before the age of 30. 

With his move to Nashville, Gill’s opened more doors as far as finding the means to expose his skills here in the US. That’s already proven true given the fact he became the youngest Australian male solo artist to perform on the Grand Ole Opry. He’s also taken the opportunity to gather a top flight group of Nashville musicians to assist him in his efforts.

Postcards, his new album on Origin Records, finds him utilizing the talents of such notables as Tim Crouch on guitar, fiddle, mandolin, cello, percussion and double bass, Randy Kohrs on dobro, Scott Vestal on banjo, and Ron Block on banjo and acoustic guitar. With Gill on lead and background vocals, the combined input makes for a decidedly catchy and compelling set of songs. While most of them reference a bluegrass template — instrumentally anyway — the melodies soar on the strength of the rich and robust arrangements.

As for the material itself, Gill goes back to his roots, covering classics borne from his Australian origins. Even those who are familiar with the original renditions may find that Gill’s take on these Aussie classics casts them in an entirely new light. Message To My Girl, a 1984 standard written by Neil Finn when he was with the quirky Kiwi band, Split Enz, prior to his stint with Crowded House, is totally transformed courtesy of a string band accompaniment. Likewise, another Enz offering, My Mistakes, is transformed into an easy, engaging down-home ramble. Please Don’t Ask Me, originally recorded by Aussie superstars Little River Band, retains its mellow musings as a sumptuous yet seductive ballad.

Most of the other offerings are a bit more obscure, especially as far as American ears might be concerned. Even so, they’re no less satisfying. I Go Off starts with a lovely, lilting intro that escalates into its a driving delivery. Freckles is both easy and engaging, all at the same time. Similarly, Somebody I Used To Know offers its own casual appeal, as opposed to That’s When I Think If You, which adds an uptick in energy.

Ultimately, Gill proves his prowess by maintaining a bluegrassy sway even though it pays little heed to any preset parameters. Consider Postcards a look ahead to a formative future. 

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Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mountain Boys at Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies – photo © Bill Warren

Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies has completed its first full day of a three-day festival at WL Mills Auditorium in the Gatlinburg Convention Center in Tennessee.

The festival began with the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. Promoter Lorraine Jordan welcomed the filled auditorium, saying “We sold out of reserved seats!”

The Lady of Tradition was obviously joyful as she invited her husband, Tom Worley, to join her on the stage. She reminded attendees that last year, he proposed to her at the festival and they were married in April.

“I love this man and he helps me,” Lorraine stressed.

“It’s good to be here,” Tom said while greeting the crowd. “Bluegrass people wear smiles on their faces.”

The weekend of live music that serves to officially launch the bluegrass holiday season then began its 13th run. MCs Royce Jordan (Lorraine’s dad) and Doug Whitley (HWY 40 Bluegrass radio DJ) got the show in motion.

Doug acknowledged the senior Jordan. “He’s 95 in ’25!”

Royce responded, “I was told I wouldn’t be here, but here I am!”

First to perform was Williamson Branch, who have performed at all 13 of the festivals. 

“Bluegrass and Christmas is the way to go on your set list,” shared Melody Williamson Keyes, who reminded everyone that last year she was pregnant. Nine-month-old Aiden was in attendance with his parents.

Their show featured a mix of music, including holiday tunes. Kevin Williamson stated that there are all kinds of Christmas songs that celebrate the reason for the season – Christ’s birth, love songs, and shopping songs, but nothing for rednecks. He then launched into a humorous number about Grandpa’s revenge for Grandma getting run over by a reindeer with the refrain, “Rudolph’s head is hanging on our wall.”

During the family’s portion of the show, sixteen-year-old Caroline Williamson descended the stage to sit on Royce’s lap and sing Tennessee Waltz especially to him. Melody also welcomed her sister Cadance’s in-laws to the festival who are missionaries and are visiting from Latvia.

Following their performance, Royce admitted, “If my daughter didn’t have a band, Williamson Branch would be my favorite.”

Then Lorraine and her elves presented the band with Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies merchandise. They followed suit, giving each performer of the evening festival t-shirts.

Next Nothin’ Fancy took to the stage. Founding member and mando man, Mike Andes, began with a twinkle in his eye, “Just wanted y’all to know this is real, not AI.”

They were followed by Ralph Stanley II & the Clinch Mountain Boys. Brian Davison is their new bassist. Special guests were Adam Justice on banjo and Guy Mitchell on guitar.

Lorraine’s Country Grass band was next. The latter part of their show they featured singer/songwriter Larry Cordle, who performed some of his crossover hits such as Murder on Music Row and Highway 40 Blues.

Lorraine’s record label, Pinecastle, was represented by its owner, Lonnie Lassiter. He and Lorraine are excited for the upcoming release of their Country Grass 2 project with guest artists such as: Michael Martin Murphy, T Graham Brown, and the Malpass Brothers.

Lorraine was presented a bouquet of flowers by Jerusalem Ridge’s Dennis Cooke in appreciation for all her hard work promoting bluegrass music. In turn, Lorraine recognized all of her festival volunteers, calling them to the front, and gifting them personalized hoodies.

The evening concluded with a high energy set by the Lonesome River Band with special guest, Rod Riley, on the Telecaster.

The weekend of music continues with Rhonda Vincent, Larry Sparks, Larry Efaw, Mountain Highway, and the Alaskan Sunnyside Sisters, along with host band, Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road, on Friday. Saturday’s show features the Malpass Brothers, Gospel Plowboys, Blue Ridge Thunder, Billy & the Kids, and Davis Bradley.

Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies is located in the Gatlinburg Convention Center’s Mills Auditorium, located at 234 Historic Nature Trail, Gatlinburg, TN. General admission tickets are still available.

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Larry Cordle at Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies ’25 – photo © Bill Warren

Promoters Lorraine Jordan and Allen Dyer make Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies special in many ways. Wednesday night saw the pre-show party at Ole Red in Gatlinburg. 

Ole Red was packed for performances by Country Grass and the Smoky Mountain Allstars.

Country Grass is Lorraine’s brainchild, recording with several of Nashville’s traditional country artists making their songs “grassy.” The band consists of Matt Hooper on fiddle, Duncan Stitt on dobro, Kent Dixon on mandolin and vocals, Allen Dyer on guitar and vocals, Lorraine on bass and vocals, Wayne Morris on guitar and vocals, and Garrett Newton on banjo. 

Larry Cordle joined in for a set of his music, and shared the back stories to his songs. He will be performing tonight at the festival as well.

Lorraine has also teamed up with Randall Hibbitts to create the Smoky Mountain Allstars. This year’s band is Noah Goebel on fiddle, Darren Nicholson on guitar and vocals, Randall on bass and vocals, Wyatt Ellis on mandolin and vocals, Alex Leach on guitar and vocals, and Tom Isaacs on banjo and vocals. Larry Cordle joined them for a couple tunes and Susan King sang a duet with Randall. Curtis Coleman joined Tom Isaacs for a banjo duet.

The show moves into Mills Auditorium for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. More than fifteen bands are scheduled for the three days. The Christmas lights are on in Gatlinburg, and the local bears are welcoming everyone!

Support your local music venues.

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Gena Britt is a veteran bluegrasser, one whose star has been continuing to rise over the last decade, in large part due to her membership in the acclaimed supergroup, Sister Sadie. Britt’s latest solo effort from Mountain Home, Streets, Rivers, Dreams & Heartaches, casts even greater light on her heartfelt vocals and masterful banjo playing.

The project opens with What Kind of Memory Will You Be, a song co-written by Britt’s Sister Sadie bandmate, Dani Flowers, along with Paul Thomas Sikes. With lyrics of reflection and contemplation about a past love, this track introduces the core cast of this project. Backing Britt on banjo is John Meador on guitar and harmony vocals, Alan Bartram on bass and harmony vocals, Tony Creasman on percussion, Jonathan Dillon on mandolin, Jason Carter on fiddle, and Jeff Partin on resonator guitar.

The following track Just Like You by Jon Randall, is one of a few instances of Gena sharing the spotlight with her collaborators. Here John Meador is featured on lead vocals and the verses, with Britt singing lead on the chorus with Meador singing harmony, making for a beautiful duet. Another example of her and Meador’s powerful vocal blend is Heading Back To Heartache by Tim Stafford and Josh Shilling

Bend in the River and Dear Departed are other examples of Gena Britt backing others up while they have their turn out front. Bend In The River features Caleb Smith of Balsam Range on lead vocals, while Dear Departed brings us stout vocal performances from Jason Carter and John Meador.

Streets of Wenatchee and Welcome To New York are instrumentals that prominently feature Britt’s banjo work. The former is an original tune by Gena, while the latter is her interpretation of a Country Gentlemen classic written by Bill Emerson and Doyle Lawson.

He Likes To Fish, co-written by Gena and Katelyn Ingardia, is a moving song inspired by Britt going fishing with her father as a child. Ingardia also co-wrote Stone of Faith with Heather Berry Mabe, who is featured singing lead vocals on the song’s verses. The chorus features rousing quartet harmony from Britt, Mabe, Meador, and Ben Issacs.

The closing track, Goodbye to the Blues, is a unique take on a Johnson Mountain Boys classic written by one of the band’s former members, Marshall Wilborn. This is especially punctuated by the twin fiddles provided by Jason Carter and the clawhammer banjo playing of Tina Steffey.

Streets, Rivers, Dreams & Heartaches is Gena Britt’s finest work to date. When you’ve got a skilled vocalist and musician paired with a quality selection of material, it ultimately makes for an enjoyable listen from beginning to end.

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Grand finale at the 2025 Al Ras Bluegrass & Old Time Music Festival – photo courtesy of the festival

This report on Barcelona’s big bluegrass event is a contribution from Oriol Serra, a journalist in the region.

Mollet del Vallès is an industrial town located just a few minutes north of Barcelona. Legend has it that its name comes from a mythological fish that lived in the area hundreds of years ago, when the current land was a huge, deep lake. For the last quarter of a century, Mollet has been home to Al Ras Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival, an annual event that every first Saturday of November turns the town into a meeting point for both musicians and fans of the Appalachian sound.

This year’s lineup featured performances by veteran Slovak dobro maestro Henrich Novák and the up-and-coming Italian quartet Blue Weed, alongside local acts like Herba Foska or the children’s combo Al Ras Bluegrass Kids. The purest essence of the festival, though, was once again to be found in the spontaneous jam sessions that artists and audience members alike held inside and outside the Mercat Vell, an elegant mid-20th-century hall that had once been a marketplace.

The members of Herba Foska all cut their teeth at these jams, as well as those that Al Ras hosts twice a month at different spots in Barcelona, before the quintet (guitar, vocals, mandolin, fiddle, banjo and double bass) made its live debut last Saturday with a lively selection of traditional tunes. And so have the musicians that make up the Al Ras House Band, currently led by fiddler Jordi Marquillas, and singer and guitarist Josep Ponsà.

Since he started performing his own songs a few years ago under the moniker Joe Fields, Ponsà has become a big name in the Catalan country music scene, as a two-time winner of the Texas Sounds International Country Music Awards held in Marshall, TX. On the other hand, Marquillas is a seasoned veteran of countless projects that include Catalan folk pioneers Falsterbo. Just a year ago, he released his own debut album as Littlemarks. Together with the rest of the band, they played a mixture of originals and covers by the likes of Bill Monroe, Merle Haggard, or Alan Jackson, and truly rocked the house.

And so did Henrich Novák, whose show was one of the highlights of the bill. A key figure in the European bluegrass scene with more than four decades on the road – including a performance at the Grand Ole Opry and touring with legends such as Rose Maddox or Sue Thompson – Novák had the support of the Barcelona Bluegrass Band in Mollet. Not that this extraordinary dobroist needs any assistance when he goes onstage. He made that quite clear during an absolutely astonishing solo. But the band’s role must as well be emphasized when reviewing a concert that acquired some delicious transatlantic taste by quoting both Bill Monroe (Uncle Pen) and the great Spanish poet Federico García Lorca (Anda Jaleo).

If a band can be called the great revelation of this year’s Al Ras, no doubt it is Blue Weed. An exceptional quartet that was formed only three years ago in northern Italy by some very young and truly talented musicians: Francesco Mosna (dobro), Matteo Camera (guitar), Icaro Gatti (double bass) and Marco Ferretti (banjo) – the latter a member of the essential Red Wine along with his father, the legendary Silvio Ferretti. They came out at full throttle from the get-go with wild but heartfelt renditions of standards like Cattle in the Cane, White House Blues, and My Walking Shoes.

The festival ended in a jam session that gathered onstage all the musicians on the bill, and part of the audience, to perform a few good tunes and release some even better vibes. Luckily, the Mercat Vell stage is large enough to fit the 20-plus musicians that performed songs like I Don’t Wanna Write Another Sad Song, an original by Josep Ponsà. Later on, as a grand finale, they delivered a beautiful rendition of Will the Circle Be Unbroken, the timeless spiritual recorded almost a century ago by the Carter Family, and since then by the likes of Willie Nelson and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

Another song that was played during the final jam session was Mr. Glubo, the opening track from the classic Paris Banjo Session album that was released half a century ago this year, and has since then become one of the cornerstones of European bluegrass. One original copy of that record was given away during the raffle that, as every year, takes place between shows.

One of the funniest moments of the night, it was also one of the most emotional since it brought all of the festival’s organizers together onstage. These guys – Lluís Gómez, Jorge Rodríguez, Ignasi Cardús, Xavier Cardús, Joan Manel Hernàndez, Michael Luchtan – have been building something very unique for the past two decades and a half. And that something is built to last.

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Appalachian Road Show at the 2025 Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival – photo © Bill Warren

The November 2025 edition of Industrial Strength Bluegrass has come to an end. Daniel Mullins, as producer, and all of the Mullins family, are to be congratulated for another successful festival. Blake Williams once again held court as MC. His humor and insight is a valuable asset. Audio engineers Elijah Doty and Dave Chichester are two of the best in the sound reinforcement business.

Friday kicked off with two workshops. Kenny Smith and Rick Faris took the main stage for a guitar workshop, and a banjo workshop was held in the jam area. There were more banjos in the room that is legal in many states!!

The Caroline Owens Band opened the stage show. Caroline is one of the new artists in the Billy Blue Records roster. She also provided a supper show in the dining/snack hall.

Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers put on their second of several sets. Joe announced that there would be a new host band for future festivals. The band is celebrating its 20^th year as they wind down to their final few shows with the boss man retiring from the road. The US Navy Band Country Current was unable to make the show, so The Radio Ramblers treated the audience to some special moments. Adam McIntosh’s daughter, Harper, sang a Zach Top song. Chris Davis’ son, Gibson joined him for a tune and Joe’s daughter and son-in-law sang a tune. Zach Collier’s Dad, Tim, sang a song and Kenny and Amanda Smith came out to sing one. Russell Moore also sang a song with the band. Joe’s daughter-in-law and granddaughter presented a song as well, and former Traditional Grass member, Mark Rader, joined Joe for an old tune. 

Chris Jones suffered a fall while on tour in Europe and has had to cancel his remaining 2025 shows, including this one. The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys stepped in and did a yeoman’s job. There were three generations of the Brown family on stage during their second set. Jereme’s son, William Thomas, was on stage for the whole set. He is three! Jereme’s dad, Tommy,  joined the band for a couple tunes.

Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out closed the Friday show. Russell has been on tour with Alison Krauss all summer. 

On Saturday morning the festival hosts a charity brunch with table service by The Radio Ramblers. Joe said that over $3,000 was raised. The band members serve coffee and juice and solicit the donations. It was a big brunch – eggs, bacon, biscuits, gravy, taters, and fruit!

Kenny and Annabelle Smith opened the Saturday show with America the Beautiful. Annabelle is ten and has THE voice!

Daryl Mosely did a songwriting workshop and two sets of his music. His one-man show is a must-see for everyone. He left the workshop audience with this telling remark: “We don’t live forever. The songs do.”

Danny Paisley & Southern Grass is always a crowd favorite with their old-time bluegrass music. TJ Lundy is arguably one of the best old-time fiddlers. Lizzy Long joined Danny for a song in their second set.

The Little Roy and Lizzy Show is dictated by Roy’s high energy. He has more energy at 83 years of age than most twenty-year-olds!

Appalachian Roadshow closed out the festival with their unique show. Their show tells the stories of the Appalachian people and their struggles and triumphs. See this show when they are in your area.

Several artists and radio personalities read to youngsters in the Dolly Party Imagination Library area of the festival.

The Candidpix.info cameras have a quick turnaround. Next stop is Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies in Gatlinburg, TN.

Support your local music venues.

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