I know a lot of folks make it a point to purchase a T-shirt from every bluegrass festival they go to, and some of you out there have museum-worthy collections from years and years of bluegrass festivals.
I slowed down on my acquisition of T-shirts, because of several reasons. I’m not an actual collector, but I know the “I’m having such a good time, I gotta get me a T-shirt!” fever that can hit while at a festival. But since I’m NOT a collector, I intend to wear the darn things, and eventually, I just have too many. Plus, I have limited storage space, and it doesn’t take all that many T-shirts to completely fill a drawer (especially in my size!).
But I have quite a few T-shirts, and many of them are from festivals. I have a few that are precious to me, but I can’t necessarily explain why. I have a blue one from Good Old Fashioned around 2002, and I think that one means a lot oto me because it was my first festival with a band I’m in listed on it. It’s still hanging in there after all these years.
My other favorite is a Father’s Day Festival shirt from the year the design was the mandolin with the tree growing out of it. For whatever reason, that design is pleasing and the shirt is of very high quality and printing process that year have combined to make a shirt that has aged really well, and still feels great to wear. The design has not worn out in pieces, like some shirts do – rather it’s faded by tiny degrees each year – it’s my favorite non-tie-dye T-shirt, by far.
I have had other favorites over the years. I bought a jersey-style T at a Springsteen concert in 1978, with black ¾ sleeves and I wore that one until it plumb wore out. Ditto a yellow-sleeved jersey from a Tom Petty concert in the 1970s’ – worn until it couldn’t be worn no more.
The design is important, but more important is how the shirt feels. If the design is a big wax-based silkscreen, it’s like there’s an impermeable blob on my chest, and that doesn’t feel right. Some shirts go all misshapen after a wash or two. Lately, I have noticed some T’s are made of a very light fabric that felt cheap to me at first, but does not shrink or distort after multiple washes – I’m a big fan of T’s made like that.
From time to time, I have to go through my pile of t-shirts and cull ones that I’ve never worn, or which never made it into my normal rotation, and donate those to charity. This has a positive effect on the community – more and more people are being seen around town, advertising bluegrass festivals! I can’t wear ‘em all, so I share the wealth!
