The 4th Dunmore East Guinness Bluegrass Festival took place on the last weekend of August. This free Festival has been likened to “a pub crawl with music” - the seven bars along the half mile route had nine bands playing day and night. It was a good weekend even though it was often very hard, if not impossible to get seats to see a band. It was even more impossible to hear a band because the Irish talk all the time, even when the bands are playing, but any band that can hold their own against the crowd wins through.

Such a band was Knotty Pine String Band. Not only did they have their fans dancing on the table, they won an award for the most popular band over the four years the festival has been running. They truly deserved this award as never did we see a band so happy to play and so enthusiastic in everything they did. Another excellent band was Two High String Band from Texas. Though onlya threesome they had the sound of a fivesome - a great band! The Hillbilly Boogiemen from Holland had a full house every night, doing everything from Trad-Grass to Rockabilly they were very popular boys! The Bluegrass Patriots from Colorado were very tight and professional with beautiful harmony while Clem O’Brien from Ireland had a great sound and a big following.

Knotty Pine String Band at the Yorkshire Dales Silsden Festival

The rest of the bands, though good, couldn’t hold a candle to the others mentioned. Only Foghorn Leghorn represented Great Britain this year. They were a pleasant band tolisten to and nice guys but Knotty Pine had to be the best, holding the crowd in the palm of their hands.

Any Bluegrass fan who fancies a little of the Irish could do no better than to take a long weekend in August 1999!

Carmen Turner, Bamford, Hope Valley.

Updated 23rd Jan 1999