Main Stage

  REDWOOD HILL is a group of friends who have banded together to pay tribute to Bluegrass music’s legendary Country Gentlemen, a group highly acclaimed as one of the most important progressive Bluegrass bands for their unique blend of folk and Bluegrass music. Hailing from Neversink, New York, Keith Edwards (guitar) has an extensive background in Bluegrass music, playing in several groups including The Feinberg Brothers , Straight Drive, and currently as the bass player for Zink & Co. As a big fan of Charlie Waller, lead singer/guitarist for the Country Gentlemen, Keith plays guitar with Redwood Hill. Called “simply the best Bluegrass bass fiddle player in New England” by the Hudson Valley Bluegrass Association, Lillian Fraker from Lanesboro, Massachusetts is well known in New England Bluegrass circles. Lillian has played in several bands including The Bear Bridge Band, The Old Time Bluegrass Singers, Girl Howdy and Tex's Troubadours. Dave “Tex” Orlomoski (mandolin) is a native son of Canterbury, CT currently making his home in Barkhamsted, CT. A multi instrumentalist in his own right he is currently a member of the Seth Sawyer Band. He is the founder of Tex’s Troubadours, and one half of the Bear Minimum duo . Previous bands include The Bear Bridge Band , Shady Creek & Grass Routes. Growing up in western Massachusetts and now residing in Belmont, New Hampshire, multi-instrumentalist Dave Shaw (banjo) has a lifetime of experience in country and Bluegrass music. A founding member of the Bear Bridge Band, Dave currently plays in The Seth Sawyer Band, NewFound Grass, and teams up with his longtime singing partner & friend Dave “Tex” Orlomoski in Bear Minimum. Band website  

Bob Amos is an award winning musician, songwriter and producer who makes his home in the "Northeast Kingdom" region of Vermont. He regularly performs with his bluegrass band Bob Amos & Catamount Crossing, as well as in a musical duo with his daughter Sarah Amos. While he writes in many different styles and for multiple genres, Bob is widely known as a top-notch bluegrass songwriter and has had his songs recorded by major bluegrass acts including Hot Rize, Front Range, Danny Paisley, Junior Sisk, Audie Blaylock, Special Consensus, and The Chapmans. From 1988-2003 Bob was the lead vocalist, guitarist, songwriter and front man for acclaimed Sugar Hill  recording artists Front Range, one of the top contemporary bluegrass bands of that time. Over their fifteen year history Front Range recorded seven CDs, received lots of airplay on americana and bluegrass radio stations, and performed at concert venues and music festivals throughout the United States and in Europe.  Their album One Beautfiul Day , consisting mostly of original material  written by Bob, won the International Bluegrass Music Association's Gospel Recorded Event of the Year. Band website  

Call it retro, hillbilly, bluegrass or rockabilly, the group strives for something Kody simply calls "dern good entertainment." Deeply rooted in North American folk music, Norris has crafted a performance that harkens back and tips a hat to the traditions created by Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin's showmanship, the Stanley Brothers' harmonies, performances of the Grand Ole Opry and a bit of Vaudeville. Top notch picking is center stage, but humor and visual flash are part of the entertaining package. Always clad in colorful, tailored suits adorned with rhinestones, ties, classic hats and ornate boots, the band earns its moniker as a "show." The brand is traditional, clean cut, acoustic and always entertaining. The foursome is fronted by Norris on guitar and his fiddling "sweetie," Mary Rachel Nalley,  Josiah Tyree on banjo and Cousin Charlie Lowman on the bass! The band's album, When I Get The Money Made, was named 2017 Bluegrass Album of the Year by the National Traditional Country Music Association. The Kody Norris Show was honored with 7 nominations in the 2018 SPBGMA Awards in Nashville. Band website  

Music has always had a resounding presence in the lives of twin sisters Lauren Price Napier and Leanna Price.  Growing up, both of their parents sang traditional and old-time country songs. While the sisters grew up hearing duet harmony, they naturally became accustomed to singing together themselves. Lauren and Leanna were gifted instruments for their eighth birthday and began taking lessons at age nine, though they didn’t take as strong an interest in bluegrass music specifically until their mid-high school years.  The girls then began attending as many festivals and workshops as possible. Both were recipients of Bill Vernon Memorial Scholarships at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in 2014 and attended IBMA for the first time that fall.  In 2017, Lauren and Leanna each completed their Bachelor degrees in Traditional Music from Morehead State University. During the spring of 2016, the girls were signed to Rebel Records and subsequently recorded and released an EP that August, thus beginning the pursuit to tour professionally as The Price Sisters. The Price Sisters have now performed at numerous venues and festivals across the United States and were also included in a 10-day tour of The People’s Republic of China in 2015. The sisters released their first full-length album for Rebel, “A Heart Never Knows,” in spring of 2018. While Lauren and Leanna front the band and are recognized for their twin-sister harmony singing, each band member is an accomplished musician in his or her own right. Banjo player, Lincoln Hensley, is a devout enthusiast of both the Earl Scruggs and Sonny Osborne style of banjo playing and is honored to visit and study under the mentorship of Sonny on a regular basis. Bobby Osborne II, on bass, is no stranger to bluegrass music, [...]

Throughout his 30+ year career, Dan Tyminski has left his mark in every corner of modern music. Tyminski’s voice famously accompanies George Clooney's performance of the Stanley Brother's Classic song, "I'm A Man of Constant Sorrow" in the film, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou.  His vocal collaboration with with Swedish DJ Avicii on the song “Hey, Brother” was a global smash, having been streamed over 1 billion times to date. Dan has contributed guitar and/or harmony to projects by Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, Leann Rimes, Aaron Lewis and Rob Thomas, to name a few. In addition to his highly successful solo career, Dan Tyminski has played guitar and mandolin for Alison Krauss and Union Station since 1994. His unmatched instrumental skills and burnished, soulful tenor voice have been key components of the band. Dan has been honored with 14 Grammy Awards from 18 nominations, was named Male Vocalist of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association four times and was recognized as 2004’s Male Vocalist of the Year by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America.  Dan will be on tour with his bluegrass band throughout the coming months and will be releasing a new bluegrass album in early 2020.

Alan Bibey & Grasstowne is a band comprised of very well respected veterans of bluegrass music as well as some of the finest young musicians in bluegrass. This combination together makes Alan Bibey & Grasstowne one of the hottest and most energetic bands touring today! The band’s first four projects all went to # 1 or #2 on the National Bluegrass Charts. Their latest project “Gonna Rise & Shine” has seen 10 of the 12 songs chart and the first two singles  “Gonna Rise & Shine“ and “When Jesus Swings The Wrecking Ball” have dominated the Gospel charts for the last 18 months. It’s been a great last year with Laura Orshaw, Zak McLamb and Alan winning SPBGMA Fiddle Player, Bass Player & Mandolin Player of the Year respectively as well as Alan winning IBMA 2019 Mandolin Player Of The Year.  The band is rounded out by Justin Jenkins on banjo, and Tony Watt on guitar.  

In 2017, Volume Five was honored with two International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards. They received the Emerging Artist of the Year Award and the prestigious the Song of the Year Award for “I Am A Drifter” written by Donna Ulisse and Marc Rossi. The band includes the talents of Glen Harrell on Fiddle & Vocals; Patton Wages on Banjo & Vocals; Jacob Burleson on Guitar & Vocals; Jeff Partin on Bass; and newest member, Adam Steffey on Mandolin and Vocals. In 2015, the band received two separate industry award nominations. Volume Five was nominated for IBMA’s Emerging Artist of the Year Award and also a GMA Dove Nomination for Bluegrass Song of the Year for "Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man" featuring guest vocals by Rhonda Vincent on the Dolly Parton cover song from their album Voices.

The Lonesome Ace Stringband is an old-time band with bluegrass chops that play some  righteous folk and country music. There's a depth of groove and sense of space not often heard in bluegrass today, a level of instrumental interplay and vocal blend uncommon in old-time, and an on-stage rapport that transcends all of this. Three Canadians lost in the weird and wonderful traditional country music of the American South, the band members Chris Coole (banjo), John Showman (fiddle) and Max Heineman (bass) are each journeyman musicians and veterans of some of Canada's top roots music acts

Long recognized and praised as a creative force in acoustic music, Claire Lynch is a pioneer who continually pushes the boundaries of the bluegrass genre. Her career has been decorated with many accolades including three GRAMMY nominations, seven International Bluegrass Music Association awards and the prestigious United States Artists Walker Fellowship. Dolly Parton credits Claire with "one of the sweetest, purest and best lead voices in the music business today." Her harmonies have graced the recordings of many stellar musicians. Equally gifted as a writer, her songs have been recorded by The Seldom Scene, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea, Cherryholmes, The Whites and others. Blazing her own trail in the mid 70's when there were few role models for young women in the genre, Claire Lynch made history when she led the Front Porch String Band which evolved in the 80’s and 90’s into “one of the sharpest and most exciting post-modern bluegrass bands on the circuit.” She formed her own Claire Lynch Band in 2005 and has since consistently been a top pick of prestigious publications, critics and audiences across the U.S. and beyond.

Berklee College of Music in Boston has long been a leader in music education. Berklee has a very innovative string program that also has majors in mandolin and banjo.  Of course, this leads to many great student bluegrass bands, and this year we will present the best of this group. Under the leadership of Prof. David Hollender, the Berklee Bluegrass Allstars showcases the next generation of pickers. The Ruta Beggars infuse traditional bluegrass and early swing to create a timeless act filled with intricate yet smooth vocal harmonies, fiery instrumentals and plenty of fun. They have been praised for their creative yet tasteful arrangements and charming performances. The Ruta Beggars can be heard on Steve Martin’s Unreal Bluegrass, Brian O’Donavan’s A Celtic Sojourn and the stages of Joe Val, Grey Fox, and Ossipee Bluegrass Festivals, among others. Following the release of their debut EP self-titled “The Ruta Beggars,” they were the winners of the 2019 Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass band competition. Micah Nicol - guitar, vocals Ariel Wyner - mandolin, vocals Sofía Chiarandini - fiddle, vocals Trevin Nelson - banjo, vocals Noah Harrington - bass Facebook Instagram Youtube back to schedule