Tri-County Bluegrass Concert is Free Family Event Featuring Bands, Fireworks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3/12/2007
CONTACT: REBECCA EIDSON, 646-1507
(By Lisa Garrett)
PENDLETON --- Fan favorites Curtis Blackwell and the Dixie Bluegrass Boys will headline Tri-County Technical College’s Second Annual Bluegrass concert.
The community is invited to attend Bluegrass under the Stars, a free concert and fireworks event for the family set for Saturday, April 7, from 5 - 9:30 p.m. in the College's Amphitheater. In addition to Curtis Blackwell, the show will include performances by Last Road and Tugalo Holler. Blazing Bluegrass, a local youth bluegrass band who has studied under banjo virtuoso Al Osteen, will kick off the show. The concert will end with a fireworks extravaganza.
There will be a pre-concert Jam Session from 4 - 5 p.m. near the BBQ Food Court close to the amphitheater. BBQ plates, chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs and other refreshments will be for sale during the event.
About the Bands
For the last 40 years, Curtis Blackwell and the Dixie Bluegrass Boys have been considered among the most versatile of bluegrass bands.
Present members include Blackwell, who plays guitar and sings lead and tenor. He has played bluegrass for 50 years and has performed with Charlie Moore and the Dixie Partners and the legendary Bill Monroe. He recently was inducted into the Georgia Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.
Sam Cobb plays bass fiddle and sings baritone vocals. He is an original member of the Dixie Bluegrass Boys, which was formed in 1960.
Vic Blackwell plays mandolin and sings lead and tenor. He is the newest member of the band and lives in Westminster.
Multiple-award winner Charles Wood plays the banjo and has been with the group for 23 years. He was the 2006 winner of the Walnut Valley National Banjo Championship in Winfield, Kansas, as well as the Rockygrass, Renofest and Merlefest banjo contests. He has performed on Late Night with David Letterman with Earl Scruggs and actor Steve Martin. He lives in Seneca.
Dr. Pat Welsh plays fiddle and sings bass and has been with the group for seven years. A teacher at D.W. Daniel High School, he was the 2005 National Teacher of the Year and received the state and national Christa McAuliffe Memorial Award. He lives in Clemson.
Last Road is a South Carolina-based group that plays a wide selection of traditional, contemporary and gospel bluegrass music. Their music combines the influences of first-generation performers like Flatt and Scruggs and Bill Monroe with more recent acts such as Mountain Heart and Ricky Skaggs. Dave Snyder formed Last Road in the early 1990’s and plays mandolin. Rounding out the band are Brian Baker on bass and vocals, Jimmy Wingate on banjo and Benji Merritt on guitar and vocals.
Based in Westminster, Tugalo Holler is a ministry band that plays gospel, old standards, new songs and songs that they have “bluegrassified.” Since playing their first show in 2001 they have performed at weddings parties, benefits and other venues across the Upstate, northeast Georgia and western North Carolina. The six-member band consists of Chad James on banjo and vocals, Stephen Hudson on fiddle and vocals, Jessica Hudson on vocals, Sarah Hudson on guitar and vocals, Dennis James on mandolin, Harold Hudson on guitar and Michael “Porkchop” Branch on bass.
For more information, visit Tri-County Technical College’s website at www.tctc.edu and click on Bluegrass Concert or contact Rebecca Eidson at (864) 646-1507.
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