Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival: The past and Future of Acoustic Music
By Ross Rice

Sorry folks, I have to start with a quick disclaimer: I like bluegrass music. Always have. When my extended family gets together, usually way up in the north part of the Adirondacks, we play it, usually after a big meal and a few beers. Everyone, including the über-hip teenagers, get into the act, and for at least an hour or two, we are all doing something (other than eating) together, picking on old family favorites. This seems to have a beneficial effect on everyone, and afterwards, as everyone splits up to their respective iPods and CD players, back to their personal musical tastes: indie, nu rock, and hip-hop for the younger, pop, jazz, and R&B for the mids, and folk and classical for the elders; everyone seems to get along just a little bit better, and I’m pretty sure it’s because of that brief moment of intergenerational harmony. But some folks still don’t understand.

I bring up the subject of bluegrass music to certain worldly and savvy folks, and their eyes glaze over; you can almost see the images of hayseed cornpone fruit-jar likker and barefeet flit across their conciousness, “Deliverance” and “Duelling Banjos,” or more recently, the “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” caricature of Southern-style hick-ery. Bluegrass, as a brand, generally just can’t get a break in these moden times. The words “Banjo” and “cutting edge” will never be seen in the same sentence, except here.

So, you have to wonder, where are all these people coming from, these thousands from diverse walks of life, converging on a Dutchess County hillside, despite minimal publicity, miniscule radio airplay, and spotty distribution—to hear this apparently unpopular kind of music? What gives?

It’s really quite simple. Bluegrass is a true family-friendly style of music, ideal for living rooms and front porches. It’s highly portable and doesn’t rely on electricity to be performed. The classic Bill Monroe Bluegrass style, like the blues and jazz, is a relatively simple structure, with easy -to-learn basic precepts that allow players of all ranges of ability to participate. It’s something fun that kids can do with parents, generally improving domestic harmony. Bluegrass families stick together, make organizations devoted to promoting the music, network and weblog, put together festivals in the summers, and keep the genre very much alive at the grass-roots level.

Bluegrass, as a “brand,” turns out to be working very well for all those who eschew the over-commercial-ized (and often crass) hoopla that passes for contemporary popular entertainment. One might even say it’s an “anti-brand” that says, ”no mosh pits or piercing salons here, folks”....not that there’s anything wrong with either of those. And there is no doubt that interest is growing all around the country, thanks partially to the growing popularity of groups like Allison Krause & Union Station, Nickel Creek, and the String Cheese Incident.

The Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival does it up pretty darn well. The natural amphitheatre that is the Rothvoss farm is an ideally bucolic location for acoustic sounds. The line-up is nothing short of spectacular, a true A-list of wide-ranging diversity. Some of it’s straight -up old school, others pushing the bounaries in ways....well, let’s just say it “ain’t how Bill (Monroe) woulda done it.” In fact, for much of the music, the term “bluegrass” may seem a little archaic; perhaps it’s more accurate to call it “acoustic music,” an appellation many of the artists seem to favor. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a genuine reverance for the roots, though. And the roots are well represented here.

Where to even start? Best to go with the Dry Branch Fire Squad, 25 years now the Grey Fox host band, performing all four days. It’s probably fair to say that they embody the tradition of bluegrass in all its glory, as well as country gospel and mountain music. Ron Thomason’s weather-beaten back-country vocal feels just right over the effortlessly honest picking, providing a nice authentic touchstone from whch to enjoy the breadth and scope of the festival.

Those who get there early, and have a good spot for Thursday will be glad they did. Tony Trischka will be featuring a “double banjo bluegrass spectacular,” which will no doubt raise an eyebrow or two, but after hearing the mp3 thoughtfully provided by Grey Fox’s website (nice job), well, if anyone can do it, you better believe Mr. Trischka can. Winnipeg’s own The Duhks stretch the boundaries, adding hand percussion into the mix, but still maintain a solid grounding in folk tradition. Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver bring it back to the hills, with impeccable high lonesome harmonies.

Bela Fleck makes a guest appearance with the Sparrow Quartet, where, with songwriter/banjoist Abigail Washburn (also of Uncle Earl), timeless sounding tunes with tasteful interplay unfold.

Perhaps best known for his madly diverse 90’s group Bad Livers, Danny Barnes appears to have pulled back to a more old-timey approach on Friday, where the line-up keeps the bar high with groups like multiple award-winning Mountain Heart, whose passion and chops are undeniable, and Uncle Earl, whose more traditional style is abetted by 3-part all-woman choruses. From pickin with Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys, to rock-fusion Seatrain, and points in between including Old And In The Way, Flaco Jimenez, and of course, the Rowan Brothers, Peter Rowan’s work has always stood out over time, thanks to great songwriting and guitarwork, as well as the finest yodel in the biz. Tony Rice is probably the most celebrated flat-picker of the whole festival. His solo work, which has occasionally pushed the envelope into jazz and “Space Grass,” and collaborations with folks like David Grisman, Norman Blake, and J.D. Crowe & the New South, is still informed by the rhythm and interplay of the classic Monroe style. The line-up is rounded out by the innovative Nickel Creek, who are going on indefinite hiatus after this summer’s tours (please see our accompanying story).

The international reach of bluegrass gets represented on Saturday with Switzerland’s Kruger Brothers, and UK/Australia (and Nashville’s) The Greencards. The The Gray Fox is a great concert experience, with Waybacks take the sound out even further, sometime plenty of good camping, a special dance pavillion, sounding more like Los Lobos, bringing drums and the Masters tent for workshopping and one-on-one organ to the party. Claire Lynch Band keeps it more contact with performers, and a Family stage for the homespun stylistically, with Lynch’s clear and warm kids. There is also a 4-day music camp (for kids 8 contralto evoking Emmylou Harris. Don’t even think and up,) the Grass Roots Learning tent (a mini-acad-of missing Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives. emy—just join in,) and a Slow Jam tent for participat-A gifted guitarist, mandolinist, and singer who’s ing beginners. It’s hard to imagine a more inclusive been part of the living history of country music, who’s musical happening, nobody gets to interact this worked alongside Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, Vassar closely with the artists in any other style of music. It’s Clements, Johnny Cash, and Doc & Merle Watson, hard to imagine bringing your own instrument to Stuart still draws inspiration from the Mississippi Coachella, or Newport Jazz Festival, or Tanglewood, Delta, bringing a distinctive blues tint to his style. or anywhere. His new band features some on Nashville’s finest, so look for a more electric sound, which should provide If you’ve ever considered checking out bluegrass, a nice contrast. Things will certainly be clicking into or, if you will, “acoustic music” this would be a great high gear when Sam Bush hits the stage. Nobody way to make your introduction. If you’re a longtime, quite personifies the wide possibilities of “acoustic or even casual fan, you owe it to yourself to make the music” better; his groundbreaking New Grass Revival short journey up to Rothvoss Farm, and plan to stick showed the way to bring traditional sounds into the around awhile. It may take a few minutes, out future. And very few bring the passion to it like Bush; on the grass, with the banjos and mandolins and he always seems to be the person having the most high harmonies wafting up the hill, drink in hand fun. Don’t be surprised to see him popping up on on a mid-summers afternoon, but I feel sure other gigs at Grey Fox, as will others. This is where that it’s possible. the portability of bluegrass comes in handy.