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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The Southeast Michigan Bluegrass Music Association is pleased to announce the establishment of the Tim Ellis Memorial Banjo Scholarship in partnership with the Ellis family. Tim’s daughter expressed the desire and need for this scholarship far better than I could. Her letter to the Association is below. 

“I am writing to formally express my desire to establish the Tim Ellis Memorial Scholarship, a fund created in honor of my father, Timothy “Tim” Ellis, a gifted banjo player, beloved mentor, and lifelong contributor to the bluegrass community.

This scholarship exists to remove financial barriers for young musicians, inspire meaningful musical growth, and continue celebrating the banjo tradition Tim cherished so deeply. While open to applicants from across the United States, special preference will be given to students from Michigan and Ohio, regions where Tim’s musical journey began and where he poured so much of his heart.

This scholarship will support young banjo players with a focus on bluegrass music.

Funds may be used to help cover:

private lessons
educational materials and books
instrument rental or maintenance
tuition for workshops, music camps, or similar educational opportunities

Young bluegrass musicians age 21 and under, at all levels of learning, from beginner to advanced, are encouraged to apply. All applicants should demonstrate a genuine love of bluegrass music, a clear desire to grow in their musicianship, and a connection to the values Tim believed in: humility, curiosity and joy in the music.

Anastasia Ortiz (Ellis)”

SMBMA is a 501(c)(3) organization, EIN 37-1765193, and donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.

If you wish to donate to the scholarship fund, make checks payable to the Southeast Michigan Bluegrass Music Association (SMBMA), note ELLIS in the memo line, and mail to:

Southeast Michigan Bluegrass Music Association, c/o Marcia Bailey
15350 Peacock Rd.
Haslett MI 48840

You can also donate using the PayPal Giving Fund, or donate on the SEMBA web site.

The Ellis family and the Association thank you for supporting this effort.

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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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Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers at the Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival – photo © Bill Warren

Day one of the Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival kicked off with a bang. Festival producer Daniel Mullins welcomed everyone to the show. Elijah Doty is handling front of house sound while Dave Chichester handles the stage and monitors.

Host band Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers opened the show. The band is winding down to their last few performances as Joe is retiring from the road. He will still be involved in the festivals and his radio stations. He will also be available to get ice cream with his granddaughter, Daisy!

One of the highlights of this festival is Bluegrass Storytime sponsored by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library/Ohio. Kristy Cox, Mo Pitney, and Jerry Cole read to the kids Thursday evening

The Rick Faris Band made its first appearance at the festival. Rick has surrounded himself with talented young musicians. This is a band to see.

The Kristy Cox Band also made its first appearance at Industrial Strength. She said it was the first show with this current lineup. Kristy is part of the Billy Blue Records family. See her if she has a show in your area.

Pitney Meyer brought their excellent show to the Roberts Centre. They do almost all original music and take the audience on a tour of driving bluegrass and traditional country music. See them if you can.

Authentic Unlimited closed out day one as only they can. The IBMA reigning Vocal Group of the Year gave the audience full measure.

Friday and Saturday promise more top shelf entertainment. Head for the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio.

Support your local music venues.

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Chris Davis Band debuts at Years of Farming (11/9/25) – photo © Bill Warren

The past ten days has been a whirlwind of bluegrass activity.

It all started Halloween night when Kevin Prater made his annual trek to the Kentuckians of Michigan in Romulus, Michigan.

Kevin is approaching his 17^th year leading the band. For 12 years before that he was with the James King Band. Kevin has surrounded himself with talented young musicians. He plays a lot of shows, so see him if he is in your area.

November 8 took the Candidpix.info cameras to the Masonic Lodge in Madison Heights, Michigan. The Powdermill Ramblers entertained. This is a band of well-seasoned Michigan bluegrass artists They have all played in many different configurations through the years. Most of them played in Wendy Smith’s band Blue Velvet, and the 92-year-old Smith was on hand to enjoy the music. The band honored Wendy with a couple of tunes he has written including Caroline the Teenage Queen.

Bright and early Sunday morning we pointed the car toward Flemingsburg, Kentucky, where Paula Hinton has realized her dream. 14 years and 114 shows later the results of that dream can be seen. She calls her endeavor the Years of Farming Bluegrass Show. The venue holds 300 people and Paula’s goal is to sell out every show. They are backed by nearly 50 sponsors!

This show was kicked off by southern Ohio’s Uniontown. The band is lead by veteran singer and promoter, Seth Carkeek. He has two Morehead Music Ambassadors anchoring the band. They play many festivals throughout the mid-west. Seth said, “It’s Sunday afternoon. I’m playing bluegrass. What could be better?!”

The main show was the debut of the Chris Davis Band. Chris has been a top-notch sideman for nearly 25 years. When Joe Mullins announced his retirement from traveling the road, Chris decided it was time for him to step forward. Radio Ramblers bandmate, Zach Collier joins Chris on bass. Swanagan Ray and Andy Teno round out the band.

Chris is the third of four generations of bluegrass musicians. His grandfather was a fiddler. His dad played bass for Dr. Ralph Stanley. His son Gibson is a touring banjo picker as well.

To say Chris was nervous would be an understatement. He and the band pulled everything together and did two great sets of music. All four band members can sing lead. This makes for great variety in the show.

Chris’ dad, Danny Davis, an avid deer hunter came out of the woods for his son’s band debut! He joined the band for a couple tunes. It’s always a treat to hear Danny sing.

Chris has a lot of dates booked for 2026. You will enjoy this band! 

Allen “Styx” Hicks was on hand to video this show. He is a long time fixture in mid-western bluegrass.

Years of Farming’s next show is December 7 with Lonesome Express opening for Larry Cordle.

Support your local music venues.

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Little Roy Lewis and Lizzie Long at the 2025 Howlin’ Good Time Bluegrass Festival – photo © Bill Warren

A “Howlin’ Good Time” was had by all who attended the festival at the Howard Johnson’s in Lima, Ohio. Brad and Lori Lambert put on a great two day show this past weekend. Dave and Traci Chichester handle the sound. All the bands comment on how happy they are when GBS Sound is on site. I had the privilege of being the MC for the event. 

Lori arranged for a large number of vendors selling everything from Tupperware to upcycled crafts.

Ohio band, New Mountain Heritage, opened the show on Friday. They are a popular regional band who deliver a full measure of bluegrass and gospel music.

The Next Paige followed, now based in North Carolina. Bryan and Lisa Paige own and operate Paige Capo. The band, the Paige Capo booth, or both are seen at many events. See them if you can.

The Carl Bentley Band from Indiana was new to me. They are a good band that needs more exposure. Look for them in your area.

New Outlook is the host band. Brad Lambert’s early background is in southern gospel music. He is one of the strongest vocalists in bluegrass. He is also an accomplished musician and luthier. Lori spent her weekend “herding cats!”

Kevin Prater spent both days at the show. His extensive catalog of music makes him a crowd favorite. He has led his band for nearly 17 years and they are one of the busiest in the genre.

The Little Roy and Lizzie Show closed out the Friday show. At 83 years old, Roy still bounces around the stage like a teenager. Lizzie has developed her own style, but can morph into the Lincolnton, Georgia Lewis Family style music in an instant. 

Saturday kicked off with Larry Efaw & the Bluegrass Mountaineers. The Mountaineers are a long-time old mountain style bluegrass music band, started by Larry’s father, Ed Efaw. The band now has two generations of the Efaw family – Larry and his grandson, Chris Wilcox. Larry also promotes Bluegrass in First Class in Maumee, Ohio each January.

Dean Osborne brought his band in from Kentucky. Dean plays his music along with a healthy dose of Osborne Brothers music. Kelly Garrison and Scott Fields have been Dean’s bandmates for many years. Dean promotes the Osborne Brothers Hometown Festival each August in Hyden, Kentucky.

Dale Ann Bradley has the voice of an angel. Her music is gleaned from true life stories, which can be as compelling as the songs themselves. Seek her out and enjoy her stories and songs.

The Muddy Krick Mountain Band is an Ohio band from the Cleveland area. They are a top-notch band that needs to be seen. 

Matt Leadbetter joined New Outlook for their final set of the weekend. Matt will be touring with New Outlook next season along with his touring with Dale Ann.

The festival closed with a special treat that Brad and Lori have created. They call it “New Kids In Town – Eagles Acoustic Hits.” They were joined by Dale Ann Bradley, Matt Leadbetter, Kevin Prater, Brian Scott, Brad Wright, and Andy Brogan. Matt and Kevin have only too much fun picking on Lori. That made the train run off the rails a couple of times. Everyone enjoyed the somewhat controlled chaos! 

Put October 2-3, 2026 on your calendar for next year’s Howlin’ Good Time!

The weekend was topped off by a trip to the Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dan Tyminski provided the entertainment for the Ark’s annual fundraiser. He gave a 90-minute show to a sold-out crowd. 

The Kevin Prater Band will be at the Kentuckians of Michigan on Halloween night. Join us for a fun evening of bluegrass music.

Support your local music venues.

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Finale at the 2025 Michigan Bluegrass Kids Showcase – photo by Joel Dinda

The Southeast Michigan Bluegrass Music Association held its annual music student showcase on Sunday, October 19. The event was held at the Woldumar Nature center in Lansing, Michigan. Five youngsters showcased their talents, ranging in age from 11 to 14.

Each of the youngsters played several tunes. Vivian and Fiona then – with one rehearsal – played a twin fiddle tune! All of the youngsters then closed out their portion of the show with a rousing rendition of Will the Circle Be Unbroken led by Ol’ Hippie Jerry Eicher.

Edgar Loudermilk is a strong backer of young talent. He brought his band to the event and played a set of music. He then hosted a jam with the youngsters and other musicians. 

There are several people who need to be thanked for facilitating the showcase. Dave Dowling introduced the youngsters. He is one of the instructors. He draws out the kids and gets them to talk about their instruments and experiences in the music. Association board member, Marcia Bailey, oversees the whole program. Leroy Harvey hosts the monthly jams at Woldumar and sets up the sound equipment. A big thanks to Joel Dinda for taking the pictures of the event!

On a personal note: as President of the Association I thank everyone who either joins or donates to keep our mission ongoing. The younger generation needs support from all of us.

Support your local music venues.

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Dave Adkins & Mountain Soul at Backwoods Bluegrass Fay Fest ’25 – photo © Bill Warren

Cheryl and Lonnie Smith have taken an idea to honor Lonnie’s mother and stepfather, Fay and Bill Hunter, and turned it into a bluegrass festival experience.

The family had celebrated Fay’s 60^th birthday with Dave Evans providing the entertainment. Lonnie told me that his father, Leroy, instilled the love of traditional bluegrass music in the family. That love and the memories of Fay have now seen the fifth year of the Backwoods Bluegrass Fay Fest.

The venue is 100 acres of family pride. The stage is nestled in a woodlot with a snack bar, cabins, and a barn nearby. There is a large barn in case of inclement weather.

Fay Fest is billed as a family festival. It is most certainly that. There is a playground and a bounce house. Lonnie collects John Deere tractors. He has a big wagon that is used for kids’ rides. As a side note – the tractor pulling the wagon is a 1948 John Deere H. I logged a lot of seat time on one of these as a kid. Oh – and the tractor is the same age as this guy!

Backwoodsgatherings.com provides more history of this wonderful venue outside the small Michigan town of Croswell. 

Lonnie and Cheryl raised their six children in a small cabin on the property. All six were on hand to help with the festival. All twelve of Their grandchildren were on hand to enjoy the weekend. Most of them sang on stage Saturday night. 

The music started Thursday evening. And, crazy as it sounds, a Canadian customs computer failure caused a problem that evening. All US/Canada crossings were affected. Port Huron, Michigan is one such crossing. The back up on the two interstate highways leading to the crossing had miles of backups. It took me three and a half hours to get one mile to an exit and take backroads to the festival.

Dreyden Gordon, who MCed the festival, and Tim Coffey filled the bill for the evening. They were joined by Vance Bonebrake, Brandt Walden, David Walden, and DJ Baker.

Friday kicked off with Tim Coffey and Elkridge. They provide rich traditional bluegrass.

Michigan’s own Harbourtown was up next. They are a popular regional band and a great supporter of the music.

Stanley Efaw plays with Ralph Stanley II but puts together a band for occasional shows when he is not on the road. He was joined by Jesse Baker, Kevin Prater, Bo Isaac, and Jeremie Cole. Isaac Smith played a set giving the crowd twin fiddles.
The Kevin Prater Band spent two days at the festival. He did a complete set of James King music. Dalton Smith sounds a lot like James. It was quite a trip down memory lane.

Sammy Adkins and the Sandy Hook Mountain Boys is one of the mainstays of the festival. Lonnie says that he has been on the festival from the start. He helped get it rolling.

Tracy Evans and Riverbend is the other mainstay. He honors his father Dave’s legacy with the Smith family.

Tyler Gitchel is a young country artist from the West side of Michigan. He is beginning to get recognized more each time he performs.

Ryan Scott and the Creek Hound are a regular at a one-day rock festival held earlier in the year at the venue. They also play a grassy set at Fay Fest. Their fiddle player, Noah York, passed in April. Ryan dedicated this performance to his memory. The set was very moving.

Dave Adkins and Mountain Soul made their first trip to the festival. The crowd loved his high energy show. Dave, Bo Isaac, And Kevin Prater combined for a tune. It was strong! Kevin and Dave started playing music together at eleven years of age.

The sound system was provided by Magnify the Sound.

This is a growing festival. Put the first weekend in October on your calenday. The Smiths will welcome you to the family.

Support your local music venues.

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Ottawa County Bluegrass Band at the 2025 Van Wert County Bluegrass Festival – photo © Bill Warren

The 14^th Van Wert County Bluegrass Festival was a success. Steve Scott and his crew did a great job, and there was beautiful weather for the whole week.

Ottawa County Bluegrass kicked off the Friday show, and the Lincoln Highway Bluegrass Band closed the show on Saturday evening. 

There was plenty of entertainment in between. 

The entire show was dedicated to the memory of Charlie and Lilli Mae Whitker. Their son Jeff was joined by several of his friends to present music in their honor. Usually, I am behind the camera. I was asked to say a few words about the Whitakers. It was an honor to speak about a family that were, and still are, dear friends.

The show continues to grow under Steve’s watchful eye. Put this one on your calendar to listen to Ohio bands at their best.

The Candidpix.info cameras will be at the Backwoods Bluegrass Fay Fest in Croswell, Michigan this weekend.

Support your local music venues.

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New Outlook at the 2025 Van Wert Country Bluegrass Festival – photo © Bill Warren

Steve Scott puts on the biggest little bluegrass festival in Ohio. This is the 14^th year that he has presented the Van Wert County Bluegrass Festival, held on the Van Wert County Fairgrounds. Steve is the promoter and MC, Steve Jr. runs the sound. This year’s festival honors the late Charlie and Lillie Mae Whitaker. They fronted Lillie Mae and the Dixie Gospelaires for many years.

Thursday evening is gospel night. It was kicked off by Wapakoneta’s New Outlook. Brad Lambert is one of the best vocalists in the genre. He is backed by wife Lori and Brian Scott. They will be performing their bluegrass show with two sets on Saturday.

Cross Road is an Ohio Band that plays many churches throughout the state. They play hard driving bluegrass gospel. 

The Tacketts closed the evening. They are Ohio based, but play gospel shows nationwide. They were the 2017 Country Gospel Group of the Year, and Sarah is a former Miss Ohio. They were backed up on this show by New Outlook. They provided a stirring end to an evening of good bluegrass gospel.

Friday evening brings more Ohio bands to the Van Wert stage. Ottawa County, Steve Scott & the Scott Bothers, Jeff Whitaker and Friends featuring Bluegrass Boy Tom Ewing, Brian Holbrooks & Poor Bottom Grass, and Cross Road.

Saturday brings the Scott Brothers back along with Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Fox-Tail Grass, New Outlook, and Lincoln Highway.

Join us for some great Ohio bluegrass music.

Support your local music venues.

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