THE DAILY GRIST…”You know, for most of its life bluegrass has had this stigma of being all straw hats and hay bales and not necessarily the most sophisticated form of music. Yet you can’t help responding to its honesty. It’s music that finds its way deep into your soul because it’s strings vibrating against wood and nothing else.”-Alison Krauss
I’m just back home from another wonderful Summergrass festival. So I can meet this column deadline here are some quick notes I jotted down to fill in the blanks of why Summergrass has been so successful over these last 13 years.
– Weather was hot, but it was hot everywhere, so the fans came out anyway and the crowds looked good. There were many more campers who came early this year to the campground. Really full campgrounds.
– Thursday afternoon started the new Thursday Band Scramble. Pickers signed up by instrument category and then names were drawn to make ensembles/bands. Each band had 15 minutes to work up two songs. Then the bands came up on the mainstage to play their tunes. Three judges picked the top bands, and all pickers got ice cream cones. First place won an apple pie. It was very well attended and folks had a fun time. MC was Lorrie Sanders who did a great job.
– Thursday morning saw Fox 5 News come out to the festival venue to have the Demo Band play tunes and appear on the early morning news segments under the “What’s Happening This Weekend” part of the news hours. I was luckily part of the Demo Band and we appeared four times between 6:30 to 9:30 AM. Heather Ford, entertainment broadcaster, interviewed us, and we played a few tunes. It was a blast!
– Did I say it was HOT? Yes, 85+ degrees with 65% humidity so it felt like 95+ degrees. But we were still having fun. Thankfully, we had some great shade trees in the audience area, a 40’x40’ shade tent, and a huge repurposed green parachute redesigned to be a shade structure. So, we had lots of shade.
– Bands were all awesome – both on a professional stage level, working with them to provide workshops, and interacting with their fans. The Boxcars, Becky Buller Band, Sideline, Bluegrass Etc., just to name a few. Ya’all rock!
– Jamming was very abundant this year, especially in the evening. I think folks waited till the evening stage shows were over when it was much cooler, and then brought out their instruments to jam. I could see five different jams just from the front door of my motorhome alone. The evening air was alive with music!
– Great raffle prizes were offered and we sold lots of raffle tickets this year. Each year our Demo Band plays these instruments 3 to 4 times a day between sets on the mainstage so folks can hear what they sound like. The band only plays one song, and interestingly, after that there is a rush on the raffle booth to buy tickets. Works every time!
– Our t-shirts were a big hit too! An inspired design this year was created highlighting the old windmill on site, with a sort of old photograph vibe to it. Anyway, it looked great on the variety of t-shirts we had. We even scored some men’s Henley shirts which were big sellers for us, too.
Here below is one of many fan comments and the reason why we work all year to bring Summergrass to So Cal fans. This is message addressed to my husband Mike Tatar Sr., Summergrass festival chair:
“Mike, Thanks so much for coordinating such an awesome festival! This year my wife Gail and I were only able to attend on Saturday, but what a great day! We will always drive down from San Pedro just to see Bluegrass Etc, one of my two favorite bands of all time, along with Del McCoury’s. So two sets of BG Etc were a big highlight for me. Sideline was a powerhouse! Please bring them back again, if you can. Any workshop with John Moore is precious to me, and the mandolin one this time was special because I got a chance to get a sense of Adam Steffey as a person. He’s such a warm and humble gentleman. In addition to the great music at Summergrass, I always appreciate the thoughtful organization and the wonderful staff and volunteers. There are good rules to help everyone be secure and comfortable, but for me none of the rules feel stifling or unnecessary. This time I especially appreciated that when I called with a question on Saturday morning, someone actually answered the phone (beyond just a recording) and that I was allowed to leave the festival and come back with no hassle at all. Thanks again! I hope that all the work that you, Yvonne, and many others put into the festival feels gratifying and worth it to you. It certainly does to me. Gratefully, Terry Andrews”
While Terry mentions Mike & I here, I emphasize that Summergrass is a TEAM effort. We do have a great Board of Directors and team of volunteers! Thanks, “Team Summergrass” for all your hard work, and another great festival is in the history books. As John Moore of Bluegrass Etc. said – “Yep, another (great Summergrass) shucked and buttered!” Amen.
