“Bluegrass On The Farm”

At BOTF we try to feature some of the best bluegrass entertainment from around the country and the Washington, DC area.

The Dixie Bee-Liners will soon complete a summer 2011 tour of 31 performances in 12 separate states stretching from New England to as far west as Colorado and New Mexico.   With travel like that it is no wonder the band’s second full-length work, Susanville, peers into the cars and trucks in America's cities and towns, bringing to life 19 breathtaking musical moments along America's interstates and byways.

 

Lead singer Brandi Hart had this to say about the project: "Susanville is the first of several bluegrass concept records we've been planning. It's all about journeys and destinations. If you can imagine being able to look down into every car on the highway and tell the stories of the people inside, that's what Susanville is like." “This is not your parents’ concept record”, explains co-writer Buddy Woodward.  “It’s a collection of short stories set to music. Each song is a vignette about a different person in a different car or truck in a different highway in America.”

 

The bass player, Sav Sankaran is a crackerjack vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. Originally from Altoona, PA, Sav now makes his home in Asheville, North Carolina. His soaring vocals and rock-solid downbeat on the bass are an ovation-inspiring highlight of DBL performances. On the fiddle and vocals is the lovely Sara Needham. A graduate of East Tennessee State University, where she studied with the legendary Clarence "Tater" Tate and performed with ETSU's beloved Pride Band, Sara's warm, earthy touch on the fiddle and alluring vocals bring an intriguing edge to the DBL sound. In the banjo chair is Mr. Zachary Mongan. Zach has been attending ETSU with a scholarship awarded by the Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music program. Fittingly for The Dixie Bee-Liners, his playing style is an engaging blend of traditional and contemporary influences. 

Joe Mullins and The Radio Ramblers

Patuxent Partners

 This Year’s Bands

The Dixie Bee-Liners

Joe Mullins is a Ohio native who has been a banjo player, vocalist and radio broadcaster for over 25 years. Joe has recorded and performed with the band Longview, earning Song of the Year and Recorded Event of the Year awards from the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) in the late 1990’s. He was honored by winning an Instrumental Recording of the Year award in 2001 from the IBMA for his banjo work on Rebel Record’s Knee Deep in Bluegrass. Mullins was also one of many artists in 2006 sharing Album of the Year honors for Celebration of Life, on Skaggs Family Records. Joe was a 2010 SPBGMA (Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America) nominee for Broadcaster of the Year and Promoter of the Year for his popular Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival and his radio station was nominated for Bluegrass Radio Station of the Year.

 

The Ohio based “Radio Ramblers” was formed in 2006, and developed a classic Bluegrass and gospel sound that has brought them to the attention of promoters around the country. Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers includes four solid and experienced musicians who present a highly entertaining performance: Adam McIntosh on guitar and vocals, Evan McGregor on fiddle, Mike Terry on mandolin and vocals and Tim Kidd on bass.

Band Schedule

 

. . . Subject to change

 

12:15  Patuxent Partners

 1:15   Radio Ramblers

 2:15   Dixie Bee-Liners

 3:15   Patuxent Partners

 4:15   Radio Ramblers

 5:15   Dixie Bee-Liners

IBMA 2011 Nominees for Vocal Group of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Hymns, Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year, and Recorded Event of the Year

In the world of bluegrass music, the high lonesome sound never goes out of style.
When a great traditional band hits the stage with power and authenticity, the
audience really pays attention. The Patuxent Partners command such
attention wherever they perform. Since 1975, the Patuxent Partners have
brought their exciting brand of bluegrass music to festivals, dances, concerts,
and special events throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Bandleader Tom Mindte
sings and plays mandolin. Tom's remarkable voice ranges from deep bass to
soaring tenor, and he brings a wealth of traditional songs to the band's repertoire.
Tom's phenomenal mandolin virtuosity, inspired by bluegrass greats Bill Monroe
and Buzz Busby, is the driving force behind the band's instrumental sound.

Lead singer and rhythm guitarist Bryan Deere hails from southern Maryland. Whether the song is a country tear-jerker or a bluegrass classic, Bryan's expressive and powerful singing is pure and true to the roots of the music. Adding excitement and drive to the bluegrass sound is one of the jobs of the banjo picker, and John Brunschwyler is hard to beat. John's inventive approach to traditional banjo playing has made him a favorite of bluegrass audiences throughout the region. John also sings the baritone harmonies in the group's trios. Fiddler Jack Leiderman brings his years of experience with rosin and bow to the Patuxent Partners. His bluesy,
soulful fiddle style skillfully complements the band's vocals. Pulling it all together
is the strong, dynamic rhythm generated by bassist Victoria McMullen.
Originally from south Georgia, Victoria is equally at home in a bluegrass, swing
or classical setting, and contributes an unwavering sense of musicality to the band.
This CD presents hard-driving traditional bluegrass at its best.