2008 River Of Music Party Schedule

Thursday June 26 RiverPark Center’s Canon Hall


11 a.m. – King's Highway
The creation of Craig Benelli and Frank Di Minno, King’s Highway performs rock and gospel music meant to inspire listeners. Their first CD All Year Long features rearrange and composed Christmas songs, with a different vocalist for each song. Other band members include Jon Cobert, Tony Tino and Chris Benelli.

Noon – Up-N-Gone
“The Up-N-Gone Bluegrass Band is a new band with an old sound,” the band’s Web site said. The band members’ love of traditional bluegrass music brought them together to perform the timeless sounds of the early days of bluegrass. The band is Mike Hobson, Alan Beck, Cody Beck, Kim Beck, Ken Ehlschide and Joe Bob Pierce. Their CD Live and Kickin’ is a collection of bluegrass classics.

1 p.m. – Sweetgrass
From Indiana, Sweetgrass performs traditional bluegrass with influences from Bill Monroe, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. Sweetgrass performed at ROMP in 2006 and 2007. Members are Mark and Tiffany Spriggs, Danny Young, Dave Fulford and Mark Stonecipher.

2 p.m. – Bob and Sheila Everhart
Bob and Sheila Everhart were honored in 2005 by the Smithsonian Institue for their CD The Renegade. The Everharts toured New Zealand in 2006 and 2007 and will tour Europe in 2008 and 2009. Performing the music of the Monroe Brothers, Uncle Dave Macon, the Carter Famiy, Roy Acuff, Jimmie Rogers and other bluegrass greats, Bob and Sheila Everhart specialize in rural America’s old time classics.

3 p.m. – American Flyer
New England band, American Flyer is comprised of musicians from varying backgrounds. Members Randy and Denice Filliger, Kevin O’Connor, Rick Horton and Joe Cardoza melded their unique styles to form American Flyer performing bluegrass classics as well as originals. Their third and latest CD My Grandmother’s Table features all original music.

4 p.m. – Hall of Fame Unveiling

5:30 p.m. – Supper Break


The ROMP Legends Concert RiverPark Center’s Canon Hall
Host: Ron Thomason

7 p.m. – The Sullivan Family
In 1949 the first radio station in Jackson, Alabama, invited the Sullivan Family to perform on a regular program. Though the members of the family had been playing traditional bluegrass music before then, that was the birth of the band.

8 p.m. – The Lewis Family
Performing bluegrass gospel music since 1951 throughout the U.S. and Canada, the Lewis Family is influenced by the Chuck Wagon Gang, the Louvin Brothers, Bill Monroe and Martha Carson. The Lewis Family’s latest CD We Are Family features Grammy nominated and Dove Award winning Jeff and Sherri Easter and the Easter Brothers.

9 p.m. – The Isaacs
From New York City to Eastern Kentucky, The Isaacs have been creating a unique sound, fusing bluegrass, gospel and country, for more than 21 years. The Isaacs have wone several awards including Gospel Voice Awards Song of the Year 1993 and three Dove Awards. Their 30th album is titled Big Sky.


Friday June 27 at the Bluegrass Museum


10 a.m. – Legends Forum

LUNCH & TRAVEL BREAK


Friday June 27 at Yellow Creek Park


Noon – Lost and Found
This quartet born in 1973 enjoys a wide fan base across the country and in Canada. Allen Miles, Scottie Sparks, Ronald Smith and Scott Napier comprise the band, which plays mandolin, acoustic guitar, bass and banjo. Some of the band’s songs include January Rain, Wild Mountain Flowers for Mary, Ride through the Country, The Rabbit Song and Whitehouse Blues.

1 p.m. – Country Ham
Performing all over the country, Country Ham has been creating old-time country and bluegrass music since 1975. The band includes Judie Pagter, Carl Pagter, Pete Vigour, Ellen Vigour, M.D. Mallory and Wanda Shelton. Country Ham’s latest CD is Songs from The Blue Ridge Mountains.

2 p.m. – Larry Stephenson Band
Bluegrass Unlimited said Larry Stephenson has “one of the finest voices in Bluegrass today.” Performing gospel bluegrass since 1979, Stephenson was joined by Kyle Perkins on upright bass, Kristin Scott Benson on banjo and vocals and Jason Barie on fiddle and vocals, as well as many guest artists. The new album is Thankful.

3 p.m. – Sauber & Graham
Tom Sauber, on guitar, banjo, fiddle and mandolin, and harmonica virtuoso Mark Graham released their latest CD Thought I heard it Blow. Sauber plays traditional old-time, bluegrass and Cajun music. Graham is known as the “King of Mongrel Folk.”

5 p.m. – Supper Break

5:30 p.m. – Don Rigsby & Midnight Call
Growing up listening to Ralph Stanley and Ricky Skaggs, Don Rigsby has been performing similar music with his own personal touch since he was 12 years old. The band Midnight Call includes Partick McAvinue, Robert Maynard, Dale Vanderpool and Clyde Marshall. Rigsby’s latest album is Hillbilly Heartache.

6:30 p.m. – Hazel Dickens
From a 1950s coal mining community in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, Hazel Dickens has written songs about her life experiences. Influenced by Woody Gutrhie and Kitty Wells, Dickens’ albums include It’s Hard to Tell the Singer from the Song, By the Sweat of My Brow, A Few Old Memories and Hard Hitting Songs for Hard Hit People.

7:30 p.m. – Dry Branch Fire Squad
The Dry Branch Fire Squad is comprised of four musicians that covered the gamut in Bluegrass and country music, performing with a number of bands and playing a number of instruments. The band includes Tom Boyd, Dan Russell, Ron Thomason and Brian Aldridge. The band celebrated its 30th anniversary with the release of the CD 30th Anniversary.

8:30 p.m. – Dale Ann Bradley
From southeastern Kentucky, Dale Anne Bradley popularized her gentle, yet distinctive voice performing covers of U2, Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Croce and Stealer’s Wheel. Now she performs original music solo and with Coon Creek. Her latest album with Coon Creek is Catch Tomorrow.

9:45 p.m. – Mike Snider
Born in Gleason, Tenn., Mike Snider made his name on TNN’s Nashville Now and a seven-year stint on Hee Haw playing banjo. He has also performed at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry and been a member since 1990. The Mike Snider String Band performs “real, heart-felt American fiddle tunes,” his Web site said.


Saturday June 28 at Yellow Creek Park


11 a.m. – Tom, Tina, and U. S. Express
This trio does more than play music, they entertain. Combining music with humor, Tina Gard (on mandolin), Linda Farmer (on bass) and Tom Gard (on acoustic guitar) blend their voices and their senses of humor to perform for the crowd. Originally from Pig, Ky., Tina, Tom and U.S. Express have traveled around the country performing.

Noon – Kentucky Bluegrass AllStars
The Kentucky Bluegrass AllStars is a lessons program through the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, teaching ages 3 to 78 how to play traditional bluegrass instruments. With lessons every other Saturday starting in the Fall, students end the season with a performance at ROMP.

12:30 p.m. – Buddy and Tina Wright Group
Winner of the 2007 Rising Legends Award from the National Traditional Country Music Association, the Buddy and Tina Wright Group were inducted into the Gatesville Jamboree Country Music Hall of Fame on Jan. 19, 2008. The Buddy and Tina Wright Group play traditional American music. The band’s most recent CD is Wichita Falls.

2:30 p.m. – Claire Lynch
Winner of the Female Vocalist of the Year in 1997 from IBMA, Claire Lynch has been performing bluegrass music for years, starting with Alabama’s Front Porch String Band. Her “hillbilly angel voice,” her Web site said, is what landed her spots on recordings with Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton and many others. The Claire Lynch Band’s newest CD is Crowd Favorites.

4:30 p.m. – Cadillac Sky
A group of young, creative musicians, Cadillac Sky’s music video “Born Lonesome” is featured on CMT. Members include Bryan Simpson, Matt Menefee, Mike Jump, Ross Holmes and Andy Moritz. The band’s latest CD is Blind Man Walking.

5:30 p.m. – Supper Break

6 p.m. – Crooked Still
Mixing rock energy with old-time mountain soul, Crooked Still includes banjo, cello and double-bass, creating a futuristic bluegrass with a traditional foundation. The band has performed in 23 states and several countries at concert halls, festivals, nightclubs and coffeehouses. Members include Aoife O’Donovan, Rushad Eggleston, Dr. Gregory Liszt and Corey DiMario.

7:15 p.m. – Cherryholmes
A high-energy Nashville, family band, Cherryholmes, won 2005 IBMA’s Entertainers of the Year. Their performances include twin fiddles, Irish step dancing, classic country yodeling and old-time claw hammer as well as dynamic bluegrass, the band’s Web site said. Cherryhomles’ new album is Black and White.

8:30 p.m. – Dailey & Vincent
Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent lead illustrious musical careers performing with Dolly Parton, Ricky Skaggs and many many more musicians before forming Dailey & Vincent along with Jeff Parker, Joe Dean and Adam Haynes. The band’s self-titled album debuted on Jan. 28, 2008.

9:45 p.m. – Infamous Stringdusters
The Infamous Stringdusters, a fairly new band, took home three IBMA awards in 2007 for Emerging Artist of the Year, Best Album (Fork in the Road), and Song of the Year (“Fork in the Road”). Members include Andy Hall (dobro), Andy Falco (guitar), Chris Pandolfi (banjo), Jeremy Garrett (fiddle), Jesse Cobb (mandolin) and Travis Book (upright bass). The band’s newest, self-titled album came out on June 10.

Reprinted with permission from the Messenger-Inquirer