Story & Photos by Jean & Derek Brandon

Click for part 1 of this article (Friday and Saturday concerts)

All photos © 2003 Derek Brandon. Strictly Bluegrass 2001  2002 2003

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The Sunday Concerts

Sunday dawned a much nicer day than Saturday. Sunny with blue sky, it promised to be very hot later, so a very early start led to an excellent placement for our blanket.

Dry Branch Fire Squad

One can't be in two places at once and my favourites Dry Branch Fire Squad were on the Blue Stage. Their line-up now was all male - no Suzanne Thomas or Mary-Jo Leet, unfortunately. But Ron Thomason (mandolin) is still the voice and heart of this band and a favourite of Warren Hellman's. Ron is a natural comedian and story-teller, illustrating songs with great intros, like the one about John Henry.

He explained that John Henry was really a Pipe-Laying man but that didn't have the same ring to it as Steel-Driving Man so it was changed! He then played the tune as an instrumental with good driving guitar and simple, very effective, walking bass runs. He was playing a lovely, great-sounding, old Martin D18 Herringbone, which he said had belonged to Tex Ritter's son. I like this kind of performance, where the humour is integral to the material and not a series of disconnected jokes.

But Ron had some great asides, such as "John Duffey from Seldom Scene taught me that harass was all one word," "He wouldn't have been a TV Evangelist if he didn't believe in God!" and "Not all the music in the world is Bluegrass music," (gasps of shock greeted that one). A lot of the humour was locally political and I guess I didn't get it every time.

Jerry and Tammy Sullivan

Back at the main stage the Compére was, once again, our main man Paul Mann in his usual Hawaiian shirt (photo, right), who does a great job. He introduced Jerry and Tammy Sullivan, who did a gospel set which Derek pronounced "brilliant!"  I arrived in time to catch the last song, Workin' On A Building - Tammy Sullivan has a powerful voice which she used to great effect on this one.

Right: Jerry & Tammy

To avoid a repetition of Saturday's six-deep crowd at the front of the stage, on Sunday they banned people from standing in front at all. This was good for the people who were sat down but not so good for Derek; every time he went to the front to get good photos he was accosted by security, until the supervisor got it sorted.

Hazel shatters 300 more bottles at 1,000 yards...

Hazel Dickens was, as in previous years, a highlight of the main stage, supported by Dudley Connell (guitar). Her set included Bless Your Heart (written about Lynne Morris and Marshall Wilbourne when they met), and Last Train from Poor Valley (sung by Dudley Connell). So powerful is Hazel's voice, I'm surprised beer bottles were allowed on the site in case she cracked them!

Warren 's Surprise - it's hard to get a decent photo with the band strung out!

Also on the Blue Stage was a special event within the special event Warren's Surprise - (a gift to Warren from his friends at his business, Hellman & Friedman) in the form of a concert featuring many of Warren's favourites. Warren (right) and his lady wife Chris sat stage left mostly, watching a changing set of 'stars' in several configurations, including Hazel Dickens sporting an open umbrella - probably as a sunshade against her pale skin. Later Warren joined the audience in obvious appreciation of the 'gift', as the photo (right) shows!

Hot Rize

Hot Rize played once again, same line-up as 2002  (read report) - Tim O'Brien (mandolin/lead vocals), Nick Forester (bass/harmony vocals), Brian Sutton (guitar) and Pete Wernick (banjo/vocals). Hot, Hot Stuff and a great variety of material. Big Sandy River featured Bryan Sutton (Bluegrass Guitarist of the Year) who can really pick that thing! Tim did a good job on Pete 'Dr.Banjo' Wernick's Just Like You, with mellow, mellow vocals. Then Your Light Leads Me On, a gospel number written by Pete Wernick, and lots of good stuff! Hot Rize are so together (as they should be - they've been playing together for years). Next came Doc Boggs' Good People - a really good Old Timey lonesome song sung in the idiom with Nick on clawhammer banjo.

Tim and Brian played Lands End as a mandolin-guitar duet, a very emerald flavoured tune! Real GreenGrass music. After the Del McCoury song High On A Mountain they finished with Train 45 with Blue Moon Of Kentucky as an encore. But disaster struck! Just after the slow lead in with great vocals from Tim, baboom, baboom!! The sound just cut off dead. The generator had blown! (It was probably caused by that awful phasing sound on PW's banjo...) They announced that another genny was on its' way, but it arrived too late for them to continue.

Dale Anne Bradley & Coon Creek

The concert continued with Dale Anne Bradley and Coon Creek with Dale Anne Bradley (guitar/lead vocals), Vicky Simmons (bass guitar/vocals), Bram Lever (banjo, replacing Tom Adams in 2002) and Michael Cleveland (fiddle/mandolin). Amongst the offerings were Little Sweetheart Of The Pines, Move on Out Of Here, Granny Kat (written by Vicky Simmons about her Grandmother Kat) Me and Bobby McGee, Cumberland River Dream and The Voice Of My Saviour. Dale Anne was in great voice and when Michael Cleveland played Dance Around Molly, WOW! Could you hear that fiddle scream and wail! Fantastic! The crowd didn't want to let them go but because of the generator delay there was no time for an encore and Derek missed the photo opportunity. But there are photos in last years report and 2 above from last year.

Willie Nelson (right)

Next came what I had been waiting for all afternoon - The 'Willie Nelson Family' Show, with Willie Nelson (vocals and guitar), Bobby Nelson (piano), (bass), (percussion) and -(steel guitar). They opened with Whiskey River and Stay a Little Longer. Willie had on his trademark red bandanna and pigtails, plus a Stetson which he threw into the crowd. They went wild! Bluegrass it ain't but it's great entertainment and he's a real old pro'.

He sang all his best songs including Crazy, It's Funny How Time Slips Away, It's My Life, If You've got The Money Honey, Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain, Help Me Make It Through The Night, Good Hearted Woman In Love With A Good Timing Man. Sister Bobbie played Down Yonder on the full-size Grand Piano! Willie also plays mean lead guitar, as he demonstrated on Under The Double Eagle.

It was about now that three guys marched up to the front brandishing a blanket sporting red stripes and blue stars, with "Willie For Governor" emblazoned on it! Many people were using their mobile 'phones to let their friends hear just what they were missing!

More of the great songs followed, such as Momma, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys, Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground, You Were Always On My Mind and great versions of Georgia and All Of Me. Willie finished off with a rocking version of Pancho Was A Bandit then took off his red, sweat-drenched bandanna and threw it into the crowd, which went crazy, of course! What a great show!

Emmylou Harris

It was getting on for 6-30 p.m. and we still had Emmylou Harris to look forward to. She came on looking gorgeous, as usual. We were travelling by bus so would have to leave before the end to beat the crowd (by now put at 20,000 people according to the organisers but 40,000 by the police!) and avoid getting crushed in the stampede for the exit.

We heard Orphan Girl, The Lord's Burning Rain, Two More Bottles Of Wine and a couple of the dark, mournful ballads that Emmylou does so well. She also did a superb version of Calling My Children Home, with great supporting harmonies from her backing musicians Buddy Miller (guitar), Tony Hall, Bass and Brian Blade, Drums.

There were lots of artists that we couldn't cover, including Dave Alvin & The Guilty Men, Kevin Welch & Kieran Kane, Jeannie Kendall, Four Year Bender, Greg Brown, Joe Ely, Noon A.J. Roach, Square Peg String Band, Mike Stadler & Mary Gibbons, Buddy Craig, Matt Lax & Nearly Beloved, Justin Earle & The Swindlers, Hackensaw Boys, Old Crow Medicine Show, Laurie Lewis, Noon Cabin Fever, Sylvia Herold & The Trail Biscuits, Kevin Russell & The Lucky Dawgs, Cari Lee Merritt & The Saddle-ites, and The Shots.

Once again the performers and VIP's enjoyed Memphis Minnie BBQ Joint's top-class catering, which included barbecued brisket of beef, barbecued chicken, sweet and sour salmon, all with various accompaniments, plus vegetarian alternatives. The Police were so amenable that when Warren praised them from the stage he got a great cheer from the crowd. The Security folks were excellent - firm but not heavy-handed, and the Festival check-in staff coped even though inundated by all manner of demanding people (my Derek included - well done, Marion!)

What a fantastic weekend!
What a fantastic host!

See you 2004, Warren!

Jean Brandon, Chester, England
Write to Jean & Derek

Editors comment: I don't normally allow direct speech in articles but just this once I'll make an exception - the people mentioned really deserve it.

Click for more photos 1 | more photos 2 | Strictly Bluegrass 2002 | 2001

Original 21 Jan 2004. Updated 31 Jan 08