By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
The Carter County Shrine Club’s annual bluegrass festival kicks off next week, bringing a slew of world class musicians – and music fans – to the community of Olive Hill.
More than a dozen bands will take the stage over the three day weekend, with Turning Ground headlining on Thursday night, Ralph Stanley II & the Clinch Mountain Boys on Friday, and Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out on Saturday.
Turning Ground, the Thursday night headliners, are one of the young bands keeping the tradition of bluegrass in eastern Kentucky alive. Based out of Salyersville, the band includes players from Isonville, Ashland, and Ironton, Ohio – practically right here in our own backyard. Bluegrass fans know, though, that this backyard has produced a lot of great talent down through the years, and Turning Ground are no exception to that rule.
Stanley, the son of bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley, needs no introduction. His family is bluegrass royalty, and the younger Stanley lives up to that reputation while keeping the tradition alive.
Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out, the Saturday headliners, are seven time IBMA Vocal Group of the Year award winners, with Moore taking male vocalist of the year honors from the IBMA three times.
Rounding out the program are Elijah Boggs & Mountain Echoes, Southridge, Tommy Webb Band, Kevin Prater Band, Lacy Creek, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, Edgar Loudermilk Band, Fenced In, Hammertowne, West Liberty Mountain Boys, Dave Adkins, and the Olive Hill All-Stars, featuring Skip Cherryholmes, Steve Dilling (who along with Loudermilk was part of those award winning IIIrd Tyme Out line-ups), and Ronald Hibbits and friends.
It’s a stellar lineup of remarkable talent, but the thing that makes the Shriners Bluegrass Festival – now in its 32nd year – special is the cause it supports; the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
For a century now the Shriners Hospitals for Children have treated children requiring a variety of orthopedic, burn, and other pediatric surgical care regardless of their families’ ability to pay. No one is turned away due to a lack of insurance or funds, and it’s all paid for through the fundraising work of the Shriners.
Members of the fraternity make direct contributions to the hospital, as well as donating time and energy to fundraising events like the Carter County club’s bluegrass festival.
And they do it for the same reason they dress up in silly outfits and drive funny cars in parades; to give children an opportunity to laugh, smile, and simply enjoy being a kid.
You don’t have to know or even think about any of that to enjoy the music, however. But it sure doesn’t hurt.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
