Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival News

2012-02-12T22:50:00.006-05:00

Who knew spoiling grandbabies could be so much work? Whew! It's been a great week+ so far. Too bad it's been so cold here which has prevented me from getting Eliza out in the stroller. Don't get the wrong idea...............we did manage to go to one of the myriad of malls around here for a little S & S (strolling & shopping..ha). It snowed quite a bit down in the Denver area the night before I got here and it snowed a couple of times since then. That's fine with me since we haven't had much "winter" weather at home. It's been a low key trip this time around. I did make a trip out to pick up some stuff one night and Julie and I went to a movie at a theater where you can order and eat your dinner in a comfy seat while watching the movie. I must lead a sheltered life as I had not experienced that before. Loved it. The food was actually good and so was the movie. Looked like a popular place as the parking lot was full. Saw one car parked up on one of the many mounds of snow piled up in the lot. We're just not used to seeing that much snow at home. I know............you guys way up above that Mason-Dixon line are well acquainted with that.
While I've been away, Joe's been slaving away giving the kitchen a new look. Can't wait to see it. He had to send me away to get out of harms way..........the dreaded paint fumes! ha Well, I didn't need an excuse to come see my little E.
To all of you who told me how wonderful being a grandparent is, I say, you weren't just whistling Dixie! I've really loved seeing that beautiful little smile when she wakes up from a long night's sleep or even just a little catnap.
On a different note - it won't be long until our camp out and jam weekend in May (18-19). We had such a good time last year. I hope we have a "yard full" of pickers this year. As they say...........the more, the merrier.
I know I've said it before, but I really do have someone working on updating the website. Hopefully, she'll get it done soon. Sept. dates are 13-15. Hope to see you soon. m

A New CD Coming Soon??

2012-01-16T00:34:00.002-05:00

While perusing the various posts on Facebook this afternoon I came across a post by our friend, Jimbo Whaley, who was seeking suggestions for some songs for a new Bluegrass Favorites cd. I know that lots of Greenbrier fans will be happy to see a new cd with some new "old" material on it. There are plenty of good old bluegrass tunes that could use some fresh air and exposure. There were several good suggestions although many were for some of their previously recorded songs. However, I believe the intention is to create a new cd with tunes other than those previously recorded by Greenbrier. I know they will do a great job and we look with great anticipation to the finished product.
On a completely unrelated note...............we have a couple of friends celebrating birthdays today - Gene LeGrand and W.A. Pate. Gene is the friendly face you see when you arrive at the ticket gate for all of our festivals. And many of you know W.A. as the host of his "headquarters" over in the campground. He's easy to spot as he always wears a spiffy pair of overalls when attending the festivals....and he attends a lot of them. I think he and Rhonda must have set a record last year for bluegrass festival attendance......Bravo!
Today is a holiday and I hope that you are enjoying your day off if you are fortunate to be off. I know that some of our bluegrass friends are traveling south at this time. We wish them safe travels and look forward to seeing them and hearing all about their trips when they return. Have a grand day!

2012-01-15T02:07:00.000-05:00

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Friday the 13th

2012-01-13T11:29:00.004-05:00

Hi and thanks for stopping by the blog today. Until I heard a big announcement on tv this morning, I had no idea that today was..........(imagine creepy music here)....Friday The 13th! At that point I felt compelled to consider the possibility of bad luck today but I have decided this will be a good day. Heck! It already is a good day...........consider this..........we woke up to a beautiful dusting of snow in the valley; Audrey's tumor is shrinking; Bobby Gault is celebrating his birthday today; our friend, Mike Kelly is volunteering at the Extreme Makeover Home project in spite of the cold; and last but certainly not least we have a precious little grandbaby this year. TGIF! So.............again I say - Thanks for stopping by my blog today - It's nice to know someone has thought about me today. I'm posting some random photos today so I hope you will enjoy them and have a good day yourself!

Eliza

2012-01-12T19:49:00.000-05:00

Hello 2012

2012-01-12T18:51:00.003-05:00

I cannot believe that it has been so long since I did any blogging. Looking at the date of the last installment, I realize that it was shortly before Joe and I had the incredible experience of becoming grandparents for the first time. And I must admit that I have been ever so slightly consumed with getting acquainted with our little Eliza Jewell. Her due date fell during the week of last year's festival so I headed to Colorado for her arrival which was early enough to allow me to return to Kodak in time for Joe's birthday and our wonderful festival. So glad I came home for a few days as I got to spend time with so many of our friends whom we only get to see during our event. It was especially poignant this year as I was able to spend a few days with Gene Daniell who has since made his journey to Heaven.
We have great plans for 2012. Since last year's pickin'/camping weekend was so much fun in May, we are planning to do it again this year. It will be the weekend of May 18-19 which is also the same weekend that the city of Sevierville will be having their Bloomin' Barbeque & Bluegrass event. Hopefully, you will consider coming to Sevier County that weekend and see what kind of bluegrass we can offer you. There will be no "shows" as such here in the campground. But there will be all kinds of jamming/picking/eating/visiting all weekend. Last year there were several people who came for the whole week. Reservations are being made now so if you want to come, please let us know as soon as you can. The only charge is the regular overnight camping fee/night. We had a ball last year since Joe and I were not under the obligation of the regular festival duties and were able to participate/socialize with everyone.
13th Annual Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival September 13-14-15
We are happy to announce that the following bands/musicians/artists will be joining us in September for some fantastic shows:
Rhonda Vincent & The Rage; Lonesome River Band; Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice; Monroeville; The Gibson Brothers; The Little Roy & Lizzy Show; Jerry Butler & The Blu-J's; Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier; Balsam Range; Paul Williams & The Victory Trio; as well as a few that have not been confirmed yet.
Hopefully, we will have our website up really soon and you will be able to get the info you need to make plans.
Ah....................with all that said, I will leave you today with some photos of some happenings around here since my last effort at blogging. And since I probably won't be running into a lot of you at the grocery store or the mall or post office or church or anywhere, please humor me as I post a few photos of my sweet little Eliza :).
Here it is January 12, 2012 and we are hunkered down this evening in anticipation of a little snow with lots of wind howling outside. I hope that wherever you are, you are snug and warm. .......until next time............m

Camping Availability

2011-08-22T23:16:00.003-04:00

We've had a couple of campsites open up today. If those of you who have called recently and been told we were full still want a spot, give us a call asap. If you should call and get the machine, please leave a message and we will call you back. There are always a few spots that become available near the festival dates as unexpected things pop up here and there. So, don't give up yet. We may still be able to accommodate you. m

Production

2011-08-17T23:58:00.002-04:00

Well, today was a very productive day for festival prep. Thanks to my dear friends, Barney and Thelma Lou (aka Bobby & Barbara) we got ALL the new t-shirts folded and sorted, camper packets filled, advance tickets sorted and camper reservations all coordinated with the map. whew! That was quite a job but sharing the duties made it much easier. Thanks so much for your help, B & B!
There's still a lot to do but those are the jobs that seem to take so much time and are so hard to do by myself. I'm just so relieved to be this far along with preparations to date. Now I'll have more time to do things such as ponder what to be called when our grandbaby arrives! Anybody have any good suggestions? The obvious names.....Nannie, Mamaw, etc. have already been taken. I'd better come up with something soon.
As we were going over all the reservation forms we noticed that there are still some of you that have not sent in your balance due even though the deadline has passed. If you find yourself in that category please take time to call and let us know your intentions as there are folks on our waiting list who would like to camp with us this year.
Some of the bands and individual performers who will be here this year were just today nominated for IBMA awards. We want to congratulate those people and wish them luck. We won't be attending the IBMA event this year as we will instead be celebrating the arrival of our grandbaby. So I will take this opportunity to officially say "Congratulations" to all the nominees.
Until next time................m

Receipts

2011-08-13T16:18:00.003-04:00

Last year we used the receipts turned in by our festivarians to give us a perspective on the economical impact our event has on our community. It was very interesting to see where all you guys shop, eat, spend the night, etc. while visiting here for the festival. The winner of the 2011 weekend passes lives in Rutledge, TN and was happy to win them.
We have decided to collect receipts again this year. So here are the guidelines: save your receipt from any purchase you make during your stay here in Sevier County (not just the 3 days of the festival.....if you come in early, save those receipts, too); write your name and phone # on the back; drop your receipt in the "birdcage" provided for the receipts. After the festival is over, we will draw out one of those receipts and the person whose name is on it will receive a pair of weekend passes for the 13th Annual Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival in 2012.
Don't worry about your credit card number as only the last four digits (if any at all) are printed on receipts for credit card purchases.
This is an excellent tool for us to show our sponsors just how much $$$ is actually spent at their establishments.
We appreciate each and every one of our bluegrass friends who attend our event and this will help us make your visit even better.
REMINDER: Don't forget the deadline to have all your camping/advance ticket money turned in............August 15. Judging by the number of phonecalls this weekend, many of you are aware of it already and many of you have already settled up. But there are some who need to give us a call soon as the people on the waiting list for a campsite are anxious to find out if they will be able to get a spot.
Thanks and hope to see you soon. m

News from Headquarters................

2011-08-10T12:33:00.005-04:00

Currently we are scrambling to get all the festival preparations in order. This year it seems that 3 major events have aligned themselves and are creating a challenge to be able to handle them all at once. However, we feel sure that we can rise to the occasion with a "little help from our friends" as the Beatles' song says.
As many of you know, the book project I was working on has been completed and the finished product is now available in bookstores, Amazon.com and other local retail outlets. It was released on 7/25 and will be available for purchase here during the festival. Co-author, Tim Hollis, will be on hand during a portion of the festivites to add his signature for those of you who want a signed copy. There will be book signings coming up in October. If you are nearby when I do those, please drop by the event and visit. Joe & I will be on WDVX on Freddy's show Aug. 19 to discuss the upcoming festival and also take a stroll down memory lane by discussing the book. You can tune in online or on your radio for that.
Going forward with those 3 major events............the festival: t-shirts arrived today and they look really good. The deadline for campers to send in the balance of their camping and ticket money is looming. August 15 will be here in just a few short days. So if you are still thinking about sending it in.............now is the time to do so. Thanks. The campground is full for the festival and we are taking names for a waiting list. So, if you have had a change of plans, we would appreciate it if you would let us know asap.
And that 3rd major event??????...........many of you already know about this, but for those of you who do not let me enlighten you. Our daughter & son-in-law will be welcoming their first child sometime near the festival dates. Needless to say, we are ecstatic and very anxious to meet our grandchild. I suppose that's the main reason I'm having a little trouble focusing on the festival tasks at hand. September is certainly going to be an eventful and busy month!
I'm looking forward to the cooler temps of September, aren't you? We have just about roasted this summer and will be glad when fall weather arrives.
I hear about 200 t-shirts calling me......................later, m

August Already???

2011-08-02T12:33:00.003-04:00

I looked up and found August prominently displayed on my calendar this week. How did that happen?? Maybe I was lulled into a false sense of a never-ending summer by the extreme heat and humidity we've experienced this year. Oh, well.........ready-or-not it's here. August is quite a busy month around here. It starts off with the occasion of our 39th anniversary this week. It winds up with the occasion of my mother's birthday. And is packed with festival preparations in between.
The deadline for campers to get the balance of their reservation & advance ticket money in is 8/15. I was reminded of that deadline when our phone began to be the center of attention with all the ringing yesterday. It was certainly bluegrass Monday. It is always great to hear from all you festivarians and also from the folks who are discovering Dumplin Valley for the first time.
The exciting lineup has generated quite a bit of interest and we are always happy to talk to anyone about it. We are happy to be able to bring some new-to-Dumplin Valley bands as well as many of your favorite groups.
2011 promises to be an eventful year for us with the upcoming birth of our first grandchild! We are excited to be entering this phase of life. The gender of the baby has been kept secret so it will be a great surprise for all of us when it finally makes its grand entrance into the world.
Another big event for me has been the release of my first book on July 25.........Lost Attractions of Sevier County....can be found wherever the Arcadia Images of America are sold in our area in addition to Amazon.com, etc. Author Tim Hollis convinced me to take a chance and co-author this book filled with photos of some of this area's attractions that only exist in the memories of all the lucky tourists who enjoyed them. I hope you will pick one up at a bookstore while you are in town for the festival. the Autographed copies will be on hand for those who want to purchase them here at the festival.
We hope to see you here in September and hope that the rest of your summer is enjoyable and cool. m

2011 Schedule

2011-06-22T21:55:00.003-04:00

Time to post the daily schedule for all of you who have been calling and e-mailing about the schedule. This is it. But be advised that it is subject to change if needed.
Wednesday - September 14
6 pm. Covered Dish Supper in the Pavilion (this is for all the campers already checked in and on the grounds).
Thursday - September 15
1pm.- 2pm. Darrell Webb Band
2pm.- 3pm. The Little Roy & Lizzy Show
3pm.- 4pm. Monroeville
4pm.- 5pm. Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
5pm.- 6pm. SUPPER BREAK
6pm.- 7pm. The Little Roy & Lizzy Show
7pm.- 8pm. Darrell Webb Band
8pm.-9pm. Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
9pm.-10pm. Monroeville
Friday - September 16
Noon-1pm. The Quebe Sisters Band
1pm.-2pm. Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
2pm.-3pm. Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
3pm.-4pm. Lou Reid & Carolina
4pm.-5pm. Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
5pm.-6pm. SUPPER BREAK
6pm.-7pm. The Quebe Sisters Band
7pm.-8pm. Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
8pm.-9pm. Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
9pm.-10pm. Lou Reid & Carolina
10pm.-11pm. Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
Saturday - September 17
Noon-1pm Bluegrass Brothers
1:00pm-2:00pm Jerry Butler & The Blu-J’s
2:00pm-3:00pm Darin & Brooke Aldridge
3:00pm-4:00pm Balsam Range
4:00pm-5:30pm SUPPER BREAK
5:30pm-6:30pm Bluegrass Brothers
6:30pm-7:30pm Jerry Butler & The Blu-J’s
7:30pm-8:30pm Balsam Range
8:30pm-9:30pm Darin & Brooke Aldridge
9:30pm-11pm Dailey & Vincent

Twister Weather

2011-05-01T16:12:00.004-04:00

I'm sure many of you are aware of the terrible storms that rolled through the south this past week. Many of our friends have been impacted by that system. And we want to let them know that we have been keeping them in our thoughts and prayers. We were very fortunate here as our damage was limited to roof & siding damage from all the hail. Thankfully, our vehicles were parked in the garage that day. Our camper didn't fare quite as well as it was parked outside and also sustained hail damage. But we can fix it and are thankful it wasn't worse than it was. Our hearts go out to all the families who lost loved ones and friends as well as those people who have lost many of their earthly possessions. I imagine that the clean-up will be a lengthy one. Joe is on our roof at this very moment trying to secure some shingles before the rain hits tomorrow.
The photos posted here are from the Camp Creek area in Greene County where some of our "bluegrass" friends live. Although they miraculously escaped the wrath of the storm their possessions and some of their neighbors did not.

Phil Leadbetter Benefit

2011-04-17T23:54:00.003-04:00

Here is the information for the benefit show that will be held here on June 4. Mike Kelly posted this information on his Facebook page today. I have copied his information and pasted it here in this post:

Here's another chance to help musician Phil Leadbetter. He is undergoing treatment for Hodgkin's Lymphoma. We hope you can join us for a great day of music and fun on Saturday June 4th.

TENTATIVE LINEUP:

Paul Williams and The Victory Trio
The New South
Wildfire
The Darrell Webb Band
Beth Stevens and Edge
Jimbo Whaley and Greenbrier
Ken Mellons
Matt Leadbetter, Cory Walker, and Friends
Catoosa Canyon
Joe Coe
Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time
The Whites
and special guests

Camping sites are available and vendors will be on site. Sound provided by David Howard and Lone Mountain Sound. For more information on camping options please contact the site at (865) 397-7942 or thru www.dumplinvalleybluegrass.com. Dumplin Valley Park has quickly become one of the best venues in music. Come out and see why and help a friend in need. A silent auction will also be held. Hope to see you there.

Prices and hours TBA

Dogwood Time in East TN

2011-04-17T23:36:00.004-04:00

Today was the perfect day for checking out some of the various Dogwood Trails close by. I took my mother for a ride on the North Hills trail as well as a portion of the Fountain City trail in Knoxville where the Dogwood Arts Festival is in full swing. Of course, anyone who lives or visits here during the Spring can tell you that you don't have to hit those trails to see beautiful dogwoods. There are flowering trees, shrub, and beautiful gardens in bloom everywhere.
We hear much about the fall colors and happily contend with the traffic of out-of-towners lining up to view the results of the strokes of God's paintbrush upon the hills of our region. But I have to say that there are oodles of colors to enjoy here as well in the Spring. And I do believe that the color palette is much more varied this time of year. Colors are showing up in flower beds, yards, woods, Easter frocks and even the feathers of the many varieties of birds showing up in our yards. And if you are lucky, you will see beautiful tiny colorful eggs in the many nests that are plentiful in the Spring. I have posted photos from the North Hills trail here.

Nearly Time For Camping and Jamming

2011-04-08T15:49:00.004-04:00

The last time I posted about the camp out and jam in May was back in January. So, now that E. TN has survived the Winter and we are enjoying the early days of Spring I thought it appropriate to remind you about an exciting weekend coming up.
On May 13 and 14 there will be a gathering of pickers here to enjoy a weekend of camping and jamming with old friends as well as new ones. Since there will be no official show going on that weekend there will be no charge except for the regular camping fees (all those are listed in the January post). We won't have a curfew or quiet time during that weekend for campers. So, pack up your gear and come prepared for a fun weekend spent with other lovers of bluegrass. Our campground is open 24/7 year round.
Also, there is going to be a fundraiser for our friend, Phil Leadbetter, who has recently been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. That event is scheduled for June 4. I don't have all the info for that yet, but if you are planning to attend and want to camp, you will need to make reservations. I'll post all the pertinent info as I get it.

Updated 2011 Flyer

2011-04-02T14:38:00.004-04:00

OOPS! I guess haven't been sticking to my New Year's Resolution, have I? That road paved with good intentions probably encircles the earth at least a dozen times. Well, I guess I can make a new start here and now.
We had omitted a couple of things on the flyer and changed the phone numbers for the lodging. The number listed is for the local office of the Sevierville Chamber which is located here in Kodak. They will be happy to give you lodging suggestions. There are several major chain hotels located 1 1/2 - 2 miles of us at Exit 407 on I-40. Be sure to let them know you are coming to the festival when you call to make your reservations.
Once again Freddy Smith will be the MC here at Dumplin Valley. Everybody loves Freddy and it's always fun having him on stage. The lineup is a stellar one and the performances will be enhanced by the talent of the sound crew which is headed up by Gene Daniell.
I suppose this would be a good time to remind those of you who intend to camp this year that you need to get your reservations in soon as we are down to a small number of available sites at this time.
Also, we want to mention that one of our friends (and most likely one of yours, too) Phil Leadbetter has been diagnosed with lymphoma. And in an effort to help his family with medical expenses, some of his friends are organizing a couple of benefits that will be coming up soon. The first one is going to be at Buddy's Bar-B-Que in Knoxville on May 6. And the next one will be here on June 4. Mike Kelly has all that information. You can get that information on his Facebook Page and probably on the WDVX website. I will post more information here as it becomes finalized. I don't have any details about tickets, etc. You'll have to get that from Mike. Phil has been an integral part of the bluegrass world since his early involvement as a teenager. And he has a reputation for helping others when they are in need. So let's show him some good old East TN love by being there for him. He has brought a lot of "dobro joy" to many people throughout the world and we want to share some of that joy with him.
Random thoughts: I don't know about you, but Joe and I are ready for winter to be over. Lately it's been spring one day and winter the next. Enough already!
Lately, I have been able to get my bluegrass "fix" by attending a couple of concerts. The first one was Jimbo Whaley & Friends in Pigeon Forge. It was a great show held in the Country Tonight Theater. We were treated to Ginger Whaley making her singing debut as well as being entertained by Turner and Olivia Whaley (Jimbo's children). I predict that one day there will be a Whaley Family Theater in Pigeon Forge with all the talent in that group. It's always good to be able to attend these shows as I get to visit with a lot of our bluegrass friends as well as old acquaintances. The second concert we attended was just last night at Carter High School where Rhonda Vincent & The Rage played a benefit show for the Carter softball team. The auditorium in that facility is a good place for an event like that. There was a good crowd with people from all over East Tn in attendance. There was even a lady who came from Norway to see this show. Rhonda & her band performed some songs from her new cd as well as several old ones and a couple of requests. excuse me......RHONDA! If you are reading this............those shoes you wore last night were fabulous. When you get tired of them, you know where I live.......
Seriously, the festival season is upon us and now is the time to start making plans to get out and attend a festival in your area. Support your local bluegrass band ;) and if you will..........help us get the word out about Dumplin Valley.
Thanks for checking in on my blog. Leave a comment once in a while. Hope to see you along the bluegrass trail! m

2011 Flyer

2011-01-23T21:53:00.003-05:00

Here it is..............the 2011 version of our flyer. I hope to publish the showtimes on our website soon. Then you will have most all the info you need to plan an exciting festival weekend.
We hope to see you all here in September and hope that you will enjoy the group of talented musicians/entertainers we have lined up for your pleasure. I must say that I look forward to the warm weather September brings as we have had an exceptionally cold winter so far. We're hearing that "s" word in the forecast again. Just last week I went to Denver to visit my daughter & son-in-law and it was warmer there than here. Even though there was a blizzard in the mountains during my brief visit, the weather in the metro Denver area was great. It was so pleasant the morning I returned home, I left my coat there! ha I sure did need it when we landed in Knoxville (cold, drizzly and very cloudy). Oh, well, I'll get it sooner or later.
Many of you know that I have been working on a book the past few months. And I am glad to say that I have finally turned everything in and look forward to seeing the finished product. I hope you all will enjoy it. It will be available for sale during the festival if not before. If it is a success, I may try it again.
I wonder if I could prevail upon some of you to help me find some good reliable vendors to enhance our event. That is one of the hardest things to get lined up. If you are out and about and find someone who has something interesting to offer and you think our crowd would support them, have that vendor contact us. Thanks.
Well, that's about all I have to offer at this time. I am going to do my best to keep this blog up to date in 2011. We hope you will visit our facebook page for ongoing news and also the website for info (I have it on good authority that it is in the process of being updated). Until later, m

Picking & Grinning Weekend

2011-01-08T13:55:00.002-05:00

One of the most enjoyable aspects of our festival is all of the activity that flourishes in the campground. That is where you will find the hard core pickers & grinners who pick from the time they awaken until the wee hours. And it is this particular activity that Joe and I are usually too busy to enjoy much during festival week. So, with all that in mind, we are going to be designating the weekend of May 13-14, 2011 for a time to pick & grin in our campground. The campground will be open as usual for any and all travelers seeking a good spot to spend the night. It will just have the added attraction of groups of bluegrass lovers picking into the night. Since announcing the dates this week, we've heard from several of our picking buddies who are planning to join us that weekend. Reservations will only be necessary if you want a particular spot. And the usual overnight campground rates will apply: Nightly rates---30 amp - $25 + tax; 50 amp (limited) - $30 + tax. Don't come expecting the full blown festival atmosphere as there will be no scheduled stage shows or vendors on site. This is just an opportunity to go camping and be able to make the music you love with your friends. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate but if it should be rainy there is plenty of room under roof for picking. We hope to see you here in May. And we hope to see you in September for our 12th festival. Also, keep in mind that our campground is open 24/7 and we are happy to see you whenever you want to come to Dumplin Valley.

Hello 2011

2011-01-04T00:25:00.005-05:00

I don't know about everyone else, but I am so glad to see a brand new year. 2010 will not be one of the years that I will remember fondly. Let's hope that 2011 will be a year of good health, peace & prosperity.
How many of you have already broken the New Year's Resolution you made a couple of days ago?? I'm doing good so far but I didn't make one that was too hard.
2011 is off to a pretty good start here on the farm. We have our flyer ready to print (thanks Matt); saw a good movie yesterday (True Grit); ushered in the New Year with good friends; people are beginning to build houses again; I "fixed" my treadmill (don't ask); I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for my book project; I'm enjoying a newly organized closet (thanks Julie); and it looks like I'm going to have time to read a couple of good books.
I'm hoping to complete one of the items on my "bucket list" this year. Can't say which one yet. Don't want to jinx my chances.
On to BLUEGRASS.............with a fresh and exciting lineup, we expect to have an excellent festival this year and look forward to meeting new attendees here at Dumplin Valley as well as welcoming back our bluegrass friends.
I am going to make a better effort this year to get out and see more bluegrass shows as there are several good opportunities throughout the winter for indoor events and then the early spring festivals will fire up. I hope that you will also have an opportunity to get out and enjoy many of the outstanding musicians on the road or in your own hometown. You know.......there are a lot of good venues to choose from. Let's all get out and support bluegrass whether it's a local group or one of those bands racking up miles of blacktop to bring you some enjoyment.
Happy 2011. m

Snowy Silos

2010-12-26T09:48:00.005-05:00

Standing stately and tall as sentries these old silos have weathered many seasons including Christmases and bluegrass festivals. Every year I say I want to decorate the silos. But so far we haven't come up with a good plan. Maybe one of you can make a suggestion for next year. I've always wanted to place a star on top of one but it would take a ladder much longer than any of ours to accomplish that feat. Maybe we could enlist the help of our local electric co-op.
As you can see from the photos posted here, we have a decent blanket of snow covering the farm today. Yesterday was a lovely snowy day, too. It was the answer to many prayers for a white Christmas. According to the local weather stations, 1969 was the last year we had a decent snowfall on Christmas.
Oh, my.....1969......what a year. I wonder how many of you remember 1969. It was quite a year for us....both happy and sad. It was the year that we graduated from high school; Joe's mother passed away; we started college; Joe began service in the Air National Guard and spent Christmas Day in basic training (what a way to end that year). In 1969 we actually used telephones to talk to people..............not send texts, check e-mail or take photos. And the word "blog" didn't exist in 1969 as far as I know. I suppose I would have thought it to be an alien from "outer space" or something as space exploration was on everyone's mind then. That was the year that Neil Armstrong took his walk on the moon. Now that was quite a spectacle on a little black & white tv.
In 1969 the closest thing I had to a computer was a manual typewriter with that little bell that dinged at the end of each row. ha ha Boy! Have things ever changed!!?! I wonder what kind of changes the upcoming year of 2011 will have in store for us. Let's hope it will be a healthy, prosperous & peaceful year for everyone.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T14:37:00.005-05:00

Merry Christmas, everyone! The holidays are upon us and I haven't even updated this blog since early fall much less done all my preparations for Christmas. Oh, well - my intentions were good. I guess life just interrupted them a bit.
We have been busy trying to finalize the 2011 lineup and I am happy to say that the mission has been accomplished. Many of the bands scheduled to appear have new projects coming up. Some will be here for the first time and some will be returning to Dumplin Valley where they always receive a warm welcome from the audience. Joe and I studied the surveys filled out by September's crowd and used many of the suggestions to influence our choice of bands. Thank you to all who filled out one of those surveys. They really do give us some insight as to your preferences. We try our best to offer you a quality event. Having said all that I should list the bands so you can make plans to join us September 15-16-17, 2011.
Thursday, Sept. 15 will be the day you can enjoy: Paul Williams, Monroeville, Darrell Webb Band, The Little Roy & Lizzy Show.
Friday, Sept. 16 belongs to: Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Lou Reid & Carolina, The Quebe Sisters Band, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier.
Saturday, Sept. 17 wraps up the weekend with: Dailey & Vincent, Balsam Range, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Jerry Butler & the Blu-J's, Bluegrass Brothers.
This past year has been a good year overall for the bluegrass community. There are so many talented people out there who are receiving some well deserved recognition and attention for their musical accomplishments. I think this is seen in the airplay that many dj's are giving them on stations other than just the bluegrass stations. We have noticed some of the big country stations playing more bluegrass artist's songs and that is great! Around here you can count on WDVX's Freddy Smith and Mike Kelly to serve up your bluegrass diet. And they do an excellent job of it!
I would also like to mention that 2010 brought many new people to Dumplin Valley. Some came from as far away as the Netherlands; some came back again from the UK (Hi, Barry & Geraldine); some came from New Hampshire (Hi, Ted & Irene)and many more came from all over the USA. We look forward to having you all here again this year plus meeting a bunch of new bluegrass friends.
We are taking reservations for camping and have availability at this time. If you are interested in joining us in 2011, please give us a call (865-397-7942).
I don't know about you but I can hardly believe that 2011 is going to be here in just a few days! 2010 sure did go by quickly.
Our wish for you is that 2011 brings you a blessed year of good health, happiness, prosperity, peace and love.
I don't usually make New Year's Resolutions but this year I am going to resolve to be more attentive to this blog and not wait months on end between postings. Maybe this is a resolution I can keep. At least it doesn't involve me being on a diet!

Reminders

2010-08-30T09:17:00.003-04:00

Just want to remind everyone that the deadline for the advance ticket price is September 1. So you can still call for those and if I am on the other line, please leave your number and/or a message. We will call you back.

Also I want to remind those of you who keep up with my blog and facebook postings that I still need photos for the book project I'm doing. And for those of you reading this for the first time I will explain: I am in need of photos of attractions that are now defunct in Sevier County. We know there are thousands of photos out there somewhere in closets, boxes, attics, albums, drawers.............you get the picture (no pun intended). Many of you have been vacationing here in our area off and on for years and most likely have taken a photo or two with some of those old tourist attractions in the background. It doesn't matter if you are in the photo. That would just make it even more interesting.
This book will hopefully be a compilation of information on those old places that we enjoyed (or not) visiting and would like to see again. But, alas, they are no longer around. So...............when you make your plans to come to the festival on the 16th toss those pictures in an envelope and bring them along. I would appreciate it a lot! And if you can't join us, you could mail them to me. Thanks!

Got Your Tickets Yet??

2010-08-12T14:09:00.003-04:00

First off, allow me to apologize for not keeping my blog up to date. You know what they say about good intentions............. Anyway, here we are merely a month away from one of our most exciting shows ever! You can still get the advance price on your festival tickets through September 1 so you still have a little time for that. But all you campers out there need to "git r done" by 8/15 in order to confirm that your spot will be here for you. Almost everyone has taken care of that but there are still a few of you who may need a gentle reminder. The dates to have your information and balance turned in is on your pink copy of the reservation form.

We've been hearing from people all over the globe again this year. And that is indeed exciting to know that there are bluegrass fans everywhere. We are anxious to see your reaction to a group from Sweden, G2. Joe and I saw them in Nashville last year at IBMA and I think we can safely say that you will not be disappointed.

It's going to be a grand weekend! There's going to be something for everyone.

Although Darrin Aldridge has been on our stage before, this will be the first time for the Darrin & Brooke Aldridge Band to appear in Dumplin Valley. And 2010 will be the second time for us to present Next Best Thing and Brand New Strings. The rest of the bands have all graced our stage at least once in the past and some have become a regular member of our Dumplin Valley Family: Rhonda Vincent & The Rage; Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out; Lonesome River Band; Balsam Range; Dailey & Vincent; The Grascals; Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper; James King Band; Paul Williams & The Victory Trio; Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier; Shadow Ridge.

We always look forward to seeing all the familiar faces as well as the new ones at the festival.

Many of you will be arriving early in the week and will be jamming with your friends until the hustle & bustle of the festival begins. This is the time we look forward to most. A time to visit with you all without all the demands of the event going on. Joe really enjoys picking and jamming with everyone but doesn't get to do it much once the shows begin.

Don't forget the potluck dinner on Wednesday night for all the campers already on site. The main course will be beans and cornbread so bring along a dish to share with everyone. Tea and water, plates, cups, ice & utensils will be furnished.

We also want to congratulate Sally and Hunter Berry on their marriage this year. Sorry we couldn't schedule your bands on the same day this time!

See you soon!!!!m

If These Walls Could Talk....................

2010-07-08T16:22:00.004-04:00

This old barn has been the setting for numerous events other than bluegrass festivals. It's the perfect location for just about any type of party, picnic, reunion, reception, corporate events and of course, weddings & receptions. You are only limited by your imagination as to how you want it to appear. If you are interested in renting the facilities for your special event, please give us a call 865-397-7942.
These photos represent just a few of the events that take place here on the farm.

2010-07-08T16:21:00.002-04:00

For more photos from JuneFest, please take a look at our Facebook page: Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival.

More JuneFestivarians

2010-07-08T15:37:00.001-04:00

JuneFest continued:

2010-07-08T15:29:00.004-04:00

JuneFest Highlights

2010-07-08T15:02:00.003-04:00

JuneFest 2010 was great! The audience in attendance this year was treated to some of the finest shows they've seen. It's always fun to see something new and this year we had a late change in the schedule which allowed us to include The Leadbetters who brought along a special guest - Paul Brewster. Also, many people heard Adam Steffey's new band, The Boxcars, for the first time as well as The Travelin' McCourys. Both of these bands have been out travelin' for a while but several of our attendees had not had a chance to catch their performances until JuneFest. All of the bands gave stellar performances. I am going to include some photos which can say far more than anything I could write about the weekend.
We hope you enjoy them and we hope that you will make plans to join us in September.

Big Weekend for Bluegrassin'

2010-05-16T00:01:00.006-04:00

This weekend was the Bloomin' Barbeque & Bluegrass event in Sevierville and also the 35th Anniversary Celebration for Pick'N'Grin in Knoxville. There were several bands appearing in Sevierville for a large crowd who enjoyed all the activites as well as the Que.
Joe and I especially enjoyed the show at the Square Room on Market Square in downtown Knoxville tonight. It's always a treat to get to hear Paul Brewster when he comes home to K-town with his friends. This time he was picking with the Leadbetters, Andy Leftwich, Jimmy Milsaps, Doug Klein (on drums............yes, I said drums..........it was great and no, it did not ruin the bluegrass!....quite the opposite.....they enhanced the performance). Chance Leadbetter sang a duet with Paul that was really good. And Chance also sang the lead on other material which he did a great job on.
Brand New Strings opened the show and also did a great job. We thoroughly enjoyed the performances tonight. BNS appeared at our church recently and was very well received.
The Leadbetters had Matt on the bass tonight. hmmmm...........I wonder if he and his Dad, Phil, ever do dueling dobros??
Only 3 more weeks until JuneFest!!!!! Talk about a big weekend for bluegrass! We've got a great lineup scheduled so get your tickets ordered and make your plans to join us!!

Spring Weekend In Tennessee

2010-04-11T23:40:00.001-04:00

Beautiful Spring Weekend

2010-04-11T23:23:00.004-04:00

Here are some photos taken this weekend. The weather has been gorgeous this weekend with the dogwoods, redbuds and flowers blooming. Took my Mom to see Mamma Mia (the musical) at the beautiful Tennessee Theater. Last night we attended a great concert by Greenbrier in Gatlinburg. They introduced their brand new cd as well as having some special guests on stage. Then this afternoon we enjoyed strolling through Market Square to see some of the Dogwood Arts Festival events including some music provided by local bands on the stage sponsored by WDVX.
It's nice hearing from you all and knowing that you are planning to join us for JuneFest which is just around the corner. Nice to hear from those of you who are planning to join us in September also. We are really looking forward to seeing you here soon! m

2010-04-01T23:39:00.003-04:00

I don't know about you, but I'm getting excited about the upcoming festival season. We are going to have so many talented and entertaining musicians here that the scouts for American Idol should plan a trip to check them out. Which bands are you looking forward to seeing the most? Are you anticipating your own personal discovery that you may have found a new favorite band? Or are you looking forward to seeing some of your old favorites?..........maybe a little of both? Yes, it's a hard call to make. We are always excited about seeing all of our bluegrass friends especially during the days leading up to the shows. Maybe the highlight of your festival experience is all the jamming. That's a lot of fun whether you play an instrument or just play the radio! :)
JuneFest promises to be another great event with the excellent lineup. If you haven't made your reservations yet, please give me a call soon. Campsites and tickets for September are also selling now. And I have to warn you that the campsites are nearly gone for that one. So...........if you are still sitting on the fence about whether you will be attending in 2010, go ahead and jump our way to get the best spots left.
Several of the bands have new cd's (or records.......for those of us old enough to remember vinyl) coming out prior to the festivals. All the bands will have their cd's on sale here and will be anxious to meet you, autograph your purchase and just visit a bit if that's what you want.
By the way................if you will scroll back through a few of the older posts here, you will see my plea for old photos. PLEASE rummage through those old photos and bring me a few for my project. Keep an eye out here and on the facebook fan page for further information as I plan to sweeten the pot a little if you bring me some photos I can use. Who knows???.......you might even become an important part of my project. Okay............enough blogging for tonight. Thanks for reading and we hope to see you soon!! m

Happy Easter

2010-04-01T15:13:00.003-04:00

I found some sure signs of Spring today in the yard. Hope you enjoy them. We wish you a Happy Easter!

The Travelin' McCourys

2010-03-29T00:25:00.002-04:00

A few of you have asked me about this group. I suppose that since Del's name isn't included there is a little confusion. So here is a photo of the group and the link to a website with more information on it. We know you are going to enjoy them as much as we do. www.myspace.com/thetravelinmccourys

The Boxcars

2010-03-29T00:15:00.003-04:00

During JuneFest this year you will be treated to performances by many bands including a new formation of some familiar faces and voices. Here is the link to the webiste for The Boxcars. Check them out and get ready for a good show in June.
http://www.theboxcars.com/

iPod Swaps

2010-03-24T18:17:00.004-04:00

Yesterday on my way home from Denver I was seated next to a very nice young lady from Johannesburg, South Africa. Noticing that she was using the earphones for her iPod, I decided to see if she might be interested in passing the time on our flight by swapping iPods. We already had our earphones out and hooked up to the in flight tv's.
I find it interesting to see what other people are listening to.....especially someone from another country. So, she was all for it except for the fact that she couldn't reach her iPod. You see............a lady had fainted in the aisle next to our row and my seatmate couldn't get up to get her iPod from the overhead bin. But I had a book to read and was more than happy to let her listen to mine. I asked her if she liked bluegrass (even though my iPod has all kinds of music on it) and she said "What?" so I repeated it and then she informed me that she didn't know what bluegrass was. It only took me a minute to explain it a little and then I handed over my iPod and I can only assume that she was really enjoying it because she was dancing in her seat and looked very happy. At one point she handed me the earphones and said "what is this instrument?". It was a banjo! I glanced over and she was scrolling through a bunch of songs and really was enjoying herself. Hopefully, we now have a new bluegrass convert in South Africa. Since she comes to the states quite often, maybe she will visit us here.
Unfortunately, I didn't get her name and I couldn't reach my flyers for the same reason she couldn't reach her iPod. She was really impressed with Rhonda Vincent when she landed on her music. It was fun to see her discover a new genre of music and enjoy it. Think I'll try that again on my next long flight.m

Morning DJ

2010-03-18T19:20:00.002-04:00

Good job, Joe. Proud of you for getting up before the crack of dawn this morning and heading to WDVX for your morning with Freddy on his Rise and Shine show. I'm just sorry I didn't get to hear it myself. I was still in dreamland at the time. You should have woke me up and I could have gone with you. We had a good time last year visiting with Freddy. So it looks like someone else is going to have to give me a detailed account of what you said this year. One never knows what you'll say on the air. Maybe someone who heard it will send a comment. It's easy.............just click on the envelope or pencil below this blog and make your comments. We love getting feedback from the blog. Most people just e-mail me their comments but it really is easy to leave your comment here. Until next time........M.

Old Photos

2010-03-16T18:05:00.003-04:00

I am working on a project involving the old "extinct" tourist attractions from the Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Smokies area. I know many of you have been vacationing here for years and should have some family photos which most likely will have some of these places in the background. The attractions also include popular restaurants, gift shops, motels, etc. Do you remember Rebel Railroad? The Mountain Ocean Wave Pool? Porpoise Island? How about Mystery Hill? Homespun Valley? The bear who drank Yoo-Hoos? The list is long.
How many of you got dressed up in your Sunday best and went to Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg for an Easter Sunday or Mother's Day lunch back in the 50's & 60's? There are bound to be photos of events such as those around somewhere. Anyway, if you or someone you know has some photos and would be willing to share them with me, it would be greatly apprreciated. I'm going to need lots of photos. I've already been through our family's stash and I know some of you are bound to have better pictures than I have. And if you have any good stories about something you experienced during your visits here (or if you live here..............something you remember about going to some of those places) we would love to hear about it. You can contact me at: dumplingrass@comcast.com. Our snail mail address is 525 E. Dumplin Valley Road, Kodak, TN 37764. THANKS SO MUCH!

JuneFest Coming Soon

2010-03-15T13:33:00.004-04:00

Yes, it's getting closer. JuneFest is just around the corner. We are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our JuneFestivarians! For us the highlight of any festival is the gathering of our bluegrass friends and acquaintances. The days leading up to the performances are full of last minute duties but also full of opportunities to jam with all you pickers who come ready for some pickin' & grinnin' fun.
Over this past weekend we talked to several people who are planning to attend this year (some for the first time & and some who come every year). And at this time there are still a few campsites available for June. They all have electric and water hookups. The sewer sites are already reserved but the "honeywagon" will come around to pump your tank if needed and there is also a dump station here for your convenience.
For those of you who prefer to "camp" in a hotel, there are plenty of those here, too. The Quality Inn at the I-40 Exit 407 is one of our sponsors and they would be happy to hear from you. Be sure to tell them you are coming here for a special discount. Their phone # is 865-933-1719. There are also several other hotels located on this exit. You can get info on them by contacting the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce. There are also rental cabins in the area as well as more campgrounds just off Highway 66 near Sevierville. The closest campground to us is the Riverside Campground (about 5 miles).
GPS Reminder: If you are going to be approaching us from the East. Do not listen to your GPS if it routes you off another exit. ONLY use Exit 407 on I-40. You will exit onto Hwy. 66; head toward McDonald's & the Cracker Barrel (north side of interstate.....oh...don't stop there unless you are hungry....just keep going.....you can go back there later!); travel 1 & 1/2 miles from Hwy. 66 on East Dumplin Valley Road to the venue at 525 East Dumplin Valley Rd., Kodak 37764.
Hope to see you here in June!

6th Annual Jimbo Whaley Concert

2010-03-10T23:24:00.003-05:00

Our friend and staple of the Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festivals, Jimbo Whaley (along with his band,Greenbrier + other guests), will be presenting his 6th Annual Concert in Gatlinburg on April 10. You can find all the information on his website: www.jimbowhaley.com. We never fail to enjoy those shows. They are always entertaining with wonderful music (much of which is original) and there are plenty of familiar faces there. This band brings out lots of folks who are ready for a new festival season to get rolling. And speaking of "rolling"..............we always love hearing his song, M R's Rolling Store. By the way, do you know what a rolling store is? If you don't, ask your parents or your grandparents. It's a little like a Walmart on wheels.
And there are some great songs with a blast from the past theme that are especially appealing to Sevier Countians. But everyone can identify with them as we all have places from the past of which we have fond memories. For me...........it's Remac's Drive In Restaurant(good old steak sandwich basket!) and the Midway Drive In Theater.
If you haven't attended one of these shows in the past, now is a good time to give it a try. Just hop on over to his website for info. We hope to see many of our Dumplin Valley Festivarians there.
M

Is Spring Around The Corner?

2010-03-09T15:21:00.004-05:00

Well...............after a couple of beautiful days here in Kodak, we are keeping our fingers crossed that Spring is on it's way. However, it is still March after all and that means that we could have plenty more snow and cold weather. But let's hope that isn't the case this year.
We finally got the website updated last night. I know that a lot of you have been watching to see when we were going to accomplish that. Thanks for your patience. There are still a few items to add to it such as a photo gallery and then the daily schedule for September.
Several of you have been calling to make your reservations and make arrangements for getting tickets. Thanks for letting us hear from you. We enjoy hearing from you and look forward to having you all here in 2010.
Did any of you make it down to see The Ledbetters with Earl Scruggs, Paul Brewster and Lizzy Long last week? I think a lot of you must have been there at Wild Wings as the place was packed. It was a great show. I especially enjoyed hearing Paul sing Kentucky Waltz. And it was a treat to watch Earl do Foggy Mtn. Breakdown. The Ledbetters do regular shows there. Check out their website or facebook page for dates and times.
M

The Big Storm

2010-01-30T14:13:00.002-05:00

As I went to sleep last night I was anticipating to wake up to a winter wonderland this morning. But.....NO!! That huge storm heading toward us all but skipped over us and left a little bit of snow and a lot of slush in its wake. All day long we were hearing that we would possibly get a significant snowfall and that I-40 was ground zero for the storm. I guess the operative word there would have been "possibly". Just before turning in I noticed that it was spitting snow, sleeting, raining, snowing big wet flakes, then sleeting, raining, sleeting............you get the idea. Oh, well, I'm sure that there are a lot of local children disappointed today since there isn't a lot of snow. But there are certainly others who are relieved that the weather wasn't too bad. Hopefully, the slushy roads won't freeze tonight. That's so much worse than the snow.
Lots of businesses closed early last night and some may even be closed today. We were looking forward to attending the Hillbilly Ball tonight but it has been postponed to a later date.
If you haven't already noticed take a look at my last post for the latest additions to the lineups for 2010. I still have one more to go and will add it as soon as I get confirmation.
We hope wherever you are that you are warm on this cold day. M

2010 Festival Dates & Bands

2010-01-29T19:37:00.007-05:00

As we don't have the website working at the moment, I thought maybe I need to post the dates again for those of you looking for that info.
The dates for JuneFest are June 10-11-12.
The dates for September are 16-17-18.
JuneFest Bands:
JD Crowe
The Travelin' McCourys
Bluegrass Brothers
Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
The Expedition show
Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time
Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain
Barry Scott & Second Wind
Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
Jerry Butler & The Blu J's
Balsam Range
Lou Reid & Carolina
The Boxcars
Junior Sisk & Ramblers
September Bands:
Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Lonesome River Band
Balsam Range
Dailey & Vincent
The Grascals
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
James King Band
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
G-2
Brand New Strings
Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
Next Best Thing
Shadow Ridge

Upcoming Local Events

2010-01-25T18:42:00.003-05:00

Well, it may be cold and we are currently experiencing a wintry mix. But this is a hot week for bluegrass. We started on Saturday with a show at the Pottery House Cafe in Pigeon Forge (also one of our favorite places to eat). The Early Morning Stringdusters and also Brand New Strings performed for the WDVX blueplate special. There was a large crowd in attendance and the entertainment did not disappoint anybody. It was a beautiful day Saturday anyway and everyone's spirits were lifted even more by the great music.
While there, talk turned to the upcoming Tennessee Shines on Wednesday of this week. This week's lineup includes some great talent. If it isn't sold out, check it out.
And there is another event coming up on Jan. 30.............The Hillbilly Ball at the Knoxville Museum of Art. This will be our first time to go. My big dilemma is what to wear. Any suggestions? We will be sure to take photos and post them on the blog. hmmmmm........I wonder if Joe still has those teeth he wore during his surprise appearance with Rhonda Vincent & The Rage last September.
It's been good hearing from our festivarians lately. Several of you have been calling to check on and make your reservations for camping this year. JuneFest will be here before you know it. It's going to be GREAT! Then not long after that will be our 11th Annual September show. Can you believe it will be the 11th one? If the old barn could talk, I'm sure we would be happily entertained by its tales.
M

Random Thoughts.....................

2010-01-18T00:57:00.004-05:00

Well, It's rainy and dreary out but at least it isn't freezing anymore! We've had some really cold weather for our neck of the woods. Hopefully, that's gone for now.
For all of you bluegrass fans, there is music to be heard in our local area. There is the upcoming Tennessee Shines with a good lineup this month (info at wdvx.com) as well as local groups playing in various places. The Leadbetters play regularly at Wild Wings (check the schedule before you go...........I think they play on the first Tuesday each month).
We want to congratulate Darin and Brooke Aldridge on the release of their new cd. There is a cd release concert for that project on this coming Friday night in Shelby, NC. You can find out about that at their website.
Unfortunately, it's a little too cold for outdoor festivals here in East Tennessee right now. But it's not too early to be making reservations for upcoming events. We have JuneFest coming up June 10-11-12 followed by our September 17-18-19 show. I know that seems like a long time from now but it will be here before you know it. And if you are planning to camp with us, you need to get those reservations in soon.
We look forward to seeing you all here this year. I'll try to keep you updated on the happenings here in Kodak. You can also find us on Facebook on our Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival fan page.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti at this time.

Website Update

2009-12-31T16:39:00.002-05:00

Look for the Dumplin Valley website update soon. Due to technical difficulties, we haven't been able to add to or make changes to it and are in the process of redesigning the entire site. It should be ready in the next few weeks. In the meantime, I will put news on here and on the Facebook page. The website address is: www.dumplinvalleybluegrass.com.

You Can't Always Trust Your GPS

2009-12-31T16:25:00.003-05:00

I know some of you have seen the big sign in Sevierville warning you that your GPS is wrong. Well, it was brought to our attention at our last festival that those of you approaching us from the East and traveling West on I-40 may be routed off I-40 at the wrong exit. When you come to Dumplin Valley exit the interstate at #407 no matter which direction you are traveling. That is the quickest and most direct route to get here. We are a short 1 1/2 mile from Highway 66 (the road you will be on after you exit the interstate). When you get off the exit, head toward the McDonald's on the north side of the exit. That is East Dumplin Valley Road and we are at 525 East Dumplin Valley Road. This road runs parallel to I-40 and is easy to navigate. If you have any questions, please call us: 865-397-7942. BUT don't trust that GPS lady if she starts telling you to "turn here" or starts telling you to turn around when you go by the other exit. You want to exit at 407; turn toward the north side of I-40; take the first right (East Dumplin Valley Road); travel 1 1/2 miles and we will be on your left. It's pretty simple. But it won't be if you take the wrong exit.............just ask the Lonesome River Band's bus driver!

New Bands in 2010

2009-12-31T15:26:00.004-05:00

In addition to some familiar names in our lineup there are a few that you might not be too familiar with. Let's start with The Boxcars. This is a brand new band made up of Adam Steffey, Ron Stewart, John Bowman, Keith Garrett and Harold Nixon. With talented musicians like these this group is bound to become popluar with all you bluegrassers and JuneFestivarians.
Another band which is fairly new......Brand New Strings.....some of you may already have seen them perform as they were winners of the '09 SPBGMA band competetition. Check them out at www.brandnewstringsband.com. They will be here in Sept.
We also have for the first time this year in the Sept. lineup, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, a wonderful husband and wife team who have recorded some great songs. You can find more info on them at www.darinandbrookealdridge.com.
Jerry Butler has a new band...Jerry Butler and the Blu-J's with a new cd worth checking out.."Haulin' Grass". We're sure you're going to enjoy them at JuneFest. And we always look forward to seeing his #1 fan, Miss Sami :)
You might want to check out G2 on the web at:
www.g2bluegrassband.com. This band comes to us in September all the way from Sweden. And, yes, they are a bluegrass band! Let's make sure we show them what southern hospitality is like :).
The Travelin' McCourys. hmmmm where have we heard that name before?? Oh, yes.........as in Del McCoury......... But Daddy Del won't be part of this ensemble. Here's your chance to see what the boys are up to when Daddy isn't around! Plan on joining us for JuneFest to hear this band.
Last, but certainly not least, we are bringing a familiar name with his band to Dumplin Valley for the first time........Lou Reid & Carolina. Lou has performed here a couple of times with Seldom Scene but this will be his first trip here with his own band. We are certainly looking forward to this. He'll be joining us in JuneFest.
Now that we have filled you in on the new additions to the Dumplin Valley family of musicians, we want to remind you that in addition to the above mentioned groups we are bringing back some of your favorite bands in 2010: June: Bluegrass Brothers; Paul Williams & The Victory Trio; Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier; The Expedition Show (formerly Williams & Clark Expedition); JD Crowe; Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice; Balsam Range; Barry Scott & Second Wind; Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain (mmmm hope she brings Moon Pies with her again!). September: Rhonda Vincent & The Rage; IIIrd Tyme Out; Dailey & Vincent; The Grascals; Lonesome River Band; Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper; Paul Williams & Victory Trio; Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier; James King Band.....& if I have left anyone out........sorry......let me know. Several of the bands have new projects in the works. Keep checking back and I will post news here when I get it. Also, check out our Facebook page.
As you can see, the festival season looks to be an exciting one this year at Dumplin Valley. Many camping reservations have already been made so if you are planning to camp with us, please let us know soon.

Farmer Joe's Debut

2009-12-31T15:10:00.003-05:00

2010 Lineup

2009-12-31T14:40:00.005-05:00

Goodbye, 2009 & Hello, 2010 !!
It occurred to me this morning that time has almost run out to update my blog during 2009. So, here is my feeble attempt to rectify the situation.
Summing up................we had a great festival in September as well as in June this past year and have been planning for 2010 with the lineup being 98% done as of yesterday. Here's the list of bands we have so far:
For JuneFest (June 10-11-12): JD Crowe; The Travelin' McCourys; Bluegrass Brothers; Paul Williams & The Victory Trio; The Expedition Show; Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain; Barry Scott & Second Wind; Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier; Jerry Butler & The Blu-J's; Balsam Range; Lou Reid & Carolina; The Boxcars; Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice.
The lineup for our 11th Annual DVBF (Sept. 16-17-18) is: Rhonda Vincent & The Rage; Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out; Lonesome River Band; Balsam Range; Dailey & Vincent; The Grascals; Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper; James King Band; Darrin & Brooke Aldridge; G-2 (from Europe); Brand New Strings; Paul Williams & The Victory Trio; Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier.

In Festival Mode Now

2009-09-18T09:41:00.003-04:00

Well, we had a wonderful potluck dinner on Wednesday and yesterday was probably the largest Thursday crowd we've had so far even with the rain. The shows were great, the middle school students who came yesterday morning on their field trip had a good time and we have really enjoyed meeting and greeting all of our old and new bluegrass friends here. Can't wait to see what kind of shenanigans the bands will be up to today. Rhonda Vincent will be here today (as will her daughters...Next Best Thing). Those of you who were here last year are not likely to forget the lady in red who dropped in on IIIrd Tyme Out who is also here today. And then there's the totally energized Bluegrass Brothers who will have you on the edge of your seat with all their fast picking. And then there is Junior Sisk who has that pure bluegrass voice "often imitated but never duplicated" that has garnered some nominations for IBMA awards this year. Oh.......Russell Moore has one of those voices you can swoon over, ladies! Oh, yes, today will be a great day. If you haven't made plans to join us, please reconsider. Even if we should get a little rain we have plenty of cover. Hope to see you here.

3 more days....................

2009-09-14T21:46:00.002-04:00

Well, it's only 3 more days until the 10th Annual Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival. The campground is already teeming with festivarians. Everyone is getting acquainted and nightly jams are the norm this week. Since we are still offering advance tickets through tomorrow, September 15 (Joe's birthday!), the phone has been ringing throughout the day. The weekend is shaping up to be one of the best festivals so far. I know the lineup is great and if the weather cooperates with us, it could be a perfect bluegrass weekend. And even if we do get a little rain, we are covered and won't let that dampen our spirits. We hope you will join us this year. If you are planning to come and haven't bought your tickets.................you can still get them through tomorrow afternoon. After that you will have to wait to buy them at the gate. See you soon!!
M

Country Living

2009-08-07T17:32:00.002-04:00

Hello to all our festivarians! Just thought I would mention that on page 28 of the September issue of Country Living Magazine you will find a listing for the September festival. What a treat to find that! It's in a column under the heading of "Get Your Bluegrass On"! That's appropriate, don't you think? Check it out, if you have a chance. We're just tickled to death that they noticed our event and thought enough of it to put it in their publication. THANK YOU, Country Living!!

September Schedule

2009-08-05T21:56:00.003-04:00

Thursday, 9/17:
1pm Cody Shular & Pine Mountain Railroad
2pm Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
3pm Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
4pm Larry Stephenson Band
5-6 SUPPER
6pm Cody Shular & Pine Mountain Railroad
7pm Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
8pm Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
9pm Larry Stephenson Band
Friday, 9/18:
noon Next Best Thing
1pm Bluegrass Brothers
2pm Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice
3pm Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
4pm Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
5-6 SUPPER
6pm Next Best Thing
7pm Bluegrass Brothers
8pm Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice
9pm Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
10pm Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
Saturday, 9/19:
noon Shadow Ridge
1pm Big Country Bluegrass
2pm Danny Paisley & Southern Grass
3pm Lonesome River Band
4pm Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers
5-6 SUPPER
6pm Big Country Bluegrass
7pm Shadow Ridge
8pm Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers
9pm Danny Paisley & Southern Grass
10pm Lonesome River Band

Bluegrass Monday

2009-08-03T16:25:00.002-04:00

Well, today is another "Bluegrass Monday". Haven't figured it out yet, but it seems that Monday is the busiest day of the week for bluegrass calls and inquiries. I think everyone gets a little dose of bluegrassin' over the weekend and that reminds them to check in with me re: bluegrass biz. It's got to be a good thing..............no time for dreading Monday's when you get to talk about one of our favorite subjects off and on all day. We're just glad that people remember us and want to talk about bluegrass festivals coming up. So........keep those calls and e-mails coming! AND if you haven't made your reservations or bought your advance tickets yet..............WELL....IT'S TIME TO GET R DONE! The deadline for the advance tickets and also to get your camping $$ in is coming up soon...August 15.
865-397-7942
M

Thanks, Seth

2009-07-27T23:55:00.005-04:00

For those of you who were here for JuneFest............our nephew, Seth, who worked tirelessly as a volunteer the whole week is leaving for home (Colorado) in the morning. He was a great help and said he had a lot of fun meeting everyone this summer. All you campers saw him working doing just about everything. And all you bands probably had him helping you haul your gear back and forth from your vehicles to the stage and back. We couldn't have done it without you, Seth. Thanks! He wasn't a bluegrass fan before he started volunteering his summers to help us but we have converted him! He loves it now. Thanks again and good luck being a senior this year!!!

Something New!

2009-07-27T23:41:00.004-04:00

For the first time, we will be having an author present on Friday and Saturday of our September event for a book signing. Tim Hollis of Alabama has written some quite interesting books about the early days of tourism in our area as well as Florida and a new one about Rock City. I first discovered his book, The Land of the Smokies, last year and have thoroughly enjoyed it. It is full of old black and white photos (color ones, too) of the early years of tourism in the Sevier County/Smoky Mountain area. He also has several books pertaining to early Florida attractions. Yes, I know, you're probably thinking..............what has that got to do with bluegrass?.........well, nothing in particular. But lots of the people in attendance at this festival have been coming here to the Smokies for years and will find them interesting, I'm sure. Who knows......you might even see yourself in one of those old photos. Also, we have lots of bluegrassers from Florida who will get a kick out of his Florida stories. You can find his books on the internet if you need more information. Don't forget to check them out while you are here.

We're Looking for a Few Good Volunteers

2009-07-27T23:37:00.002-04:00

If you're interested in helping park cars, etc., give us a call. We can use a few volunteers in exchange for admission. Let's make a deal.........ha ha. Give us a call at 865-397-7942.

September Vendors

2009-07-27T23:34:00.004-04:00

Hi, everyone! September will be here soon and we need to get some more vendors lined up. If you are a vendor with a unique or interesting product, please contact me for information on becoming a vendor here. The phone # is 865-397-7942.

JuneFest 2009

2009-06-16T18:21:00.004-04:00

If you weren't here this past weekend, then you missed a great 3 days of music and jammin'. Mother Nature threw a little ugly weather at us but it just kept us on our toes and the show went on. We had some beautiful weather as well. There were a lot of new faces in Dumplin Valley as well as many old ones who came out to enjoy the shows. I'm going to post some photos to give you an idea of the quality of the shows and the fun we all had.
It was our privilege to be host to some of the finest bands & musicians in the bluegrass world. Some bands were making their first appearance at Dumplin Valley:
JD Crowe, The Gibson Brothers, Williams & Clark Expedition, Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain, Josh Williams Band and also Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road. Every single one was well received. And we were happy to have the bands who had entertained us before.
There were many encores & standing ovations throughout the weekend as the JuneFestivarians were very appreciative of the bands they enjoyed.
Joe had a blast singing with some of the bands. Several times I heard "I see a bus in your future"! ha ha
Here are a few photos from the weekend. Please enjoy them and tell your friends to come out and join us in September for our 10th Annual Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival. Be sure to check back soon for more information.

New Truck?

2009-05-31T10:43:00.003-04:00

Well, I've been thinking about selling my car and getting something a bit more practical. You know how it is..................when you're looking for something in particular you can never find it and when you're not looking you're liable to run right into that thing which you seek. So, yesterday while Joe and I were at the Jimmy Martin Festival just outside of Sneedville, TN. I found this truck. Let me know what you think about it. It has real potential. It comes with its own little business amenities. Not too sure about the low tech dashboard but I could figure it out. And as you can see, it comes fully loaded. What more could I want??

JuneFest '09 Schedule

2009-05-12T15:06:00.002-04:00

THURSDAY,JUNE 11
1pm Williams & Clark Expedition
2pm Josh Williams Band
3pm Bluegrass Brothers
4pm James King Band
5pm-6pm supper break
6pm Williams & Clark Expedition
7pm Josh Williams Band
8pm James King Band
9pm Bluegrass Brothers

FRIDAY, JUNE 12
Noon Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road
1pm Balsam Range
2pm Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard time
3pm Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
4pm Gibson Brothers
5pm-6pm supper break
6pm Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road
7pm Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time
8pm Balsam Range
9pm Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
10pm Gibson Brothers

SATURDAY, JUNE 13
Noon Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain
1pm Barry Scott & Second Wind
2pm Nothin' Fancy
3pm Steep Canyon Rangers
4pm JD Crowe & The New South
5pm-6pm supper break
6pm Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain
7pm Nothin' Fancy
8pm Barry Scott & Second Wind
9pm JD Crowe & The New South
10pm Steep Canyon Rangers
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Here's Your Sign !!

2009-05-02T14:41:00.003-04:00

A Bluegrass Picture Is Worth A 1000 Words !

2009-05-02T14:34:00.003-04:00

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T12:20:00.001-04:00

What a beautiful day here in East Tennessee. It was frosty this morning but has warmed up and turned out to be a lovely day for all those Easter Egg hunters. We saw a few of them on our way to church. Although our egg hunting days have been over for quite a few years, I still think it's a fun tradition. And speaking of the Easter Egg.................here are some photos of Easter Past. Julie's Easter photo was taken in '87 (the year we moved to the farm) and Wes' "See My Egg!" photo was taken in 1980. The other 2 photos were taken today after brunch at a new restaurant nearby, New Orleans on the River........mmmmm mmmmm good! One picture is Wes and Iris. The other is Joe and me.
Happy Easter, everyone! He Is Risen!!
M

Spring or Not?

2009-04-05T21:32:00.003-04:00

The weather here has been beautiful for a few days. We almost hit 80 today but there is an ugly rumor that we will be in the 40's tomorrow and the next day. There's even talk of snow flurries. I hope it doesn't hurt the beautiful blooms on our tree out back. Here are a few pictures we took outside today. Sophie sure enjoyed it.

More Photos from 3/28

2009-03-29T15:44:00.002-04:00

Last Night's Fun

2009-03-29T15:03:00.002-04:00

Well, we had an excellent night of entertainment along with the fun of seeing a lot of old friends as well as meeting new folks. Jimbo Whaley had his annual show at the Mills Auditorium in Gatlinburg and it was great. This year's show was different as it focused on the talents of many of his fellow members of Pine Mountain Railroad from a few years ago. Now, I must say that Pine Mountain Railroad is alive and thriving with a Dove Award nomination under their belts. But last night's show was meant to be a reunion of the band members from Jimbo's time with them. And it lived up to our expectations & more. Jimbo has been at Dumplin Valley for every show we have had in the last 10 years with one exception............that was the year he left PMRR. Otherwise, he and a group of fine musicians have been there to the delight of the crowd every year.
Attendance was good and the Mills Auditorium has never looked better. I had not been there since they underwent major renovations so I was pleasantly surprised when I walked through those doors. We have certainly spent many hours there in the past mostly attending dance recitals for our daughter and also the Festival of Trees that used to be held there. Thankfully, the City of Gatlinburg decided to recycle the old facility instead of tearing it down.
We gave away some JuneFest tickets last night and at least one of the winners is one of our regular "festivarians". We had an info table set up in the lobby and many people stopped by to chat and pick up a flyer. We hope to see all you people here in June or September!
I hope you enjoy the photos we took last night. The youngest member of the band is Jimbo's son, Turner, who is a budding musician in his own right.
You might be surprised to see Mr. and Mrs. Claus and so were we! But the children loved it and had their photos taken with them when they stopped by to chat with the jolly couple. Even "Aunt Barbara" had her photo taken!
Being around so many of our Dumplin Valley Family and Friends last night made us even more anxious for the festival season to begin. We hope to see you soon!
M

Hello To Our European Friends!

2009-03-27T22:51:00.002-04:00

Joe and I are delighted to be hearing from bluegrassers in Europe. It is quite a treat for us to know that there are fellow bluegrass lovers all over the world and some who actually will be visiting here during our festivals this year. Some of them have visited with us in the past and it is nice to have them join us again. We were advised this past week that a soldier serving in Bahrain had made a pledge online to WDVX for a package including tickets to our JuneFest (he will be back in the USA by then).
Now...............if we can only generate that same level of interest in people who live close by! Come on, folks! If you live close by, come on over and give it a try. You might just find that you like it. And you might even meet some of your neighbors here, too. We do have a lot of local folks attend as well as people from all over the US and Canada. It's hard to beat a good family friendly event with some of the best music around. Whether you are a picker or a grinner (yes, some people fall into both categories), there's something for everyone.
There's always some great jamming and a lot of people leave here with the names and numbers of new friends with whom they may get together at other events for jamming.
By the way, did any of you hear Joe and I on WDVX this past Monday morning? We were on the Rise and Shine Show from 7-9am to help with the fund raiser. Several people phoned in a pledge to get tickets to JuneFest. It was fun and we enjoy helping WDVX keep bluegrass on the air!
If you haven't made your reservations for camping yet, it's time to do it! Give us a call. Tickets can be purchased in advance and will also be available at the gate.
M

Bluegrass Biz

2009-03-21T23:23:00.002-04:00

It is so nice to hear from all of our bluegrass friends. We have received several phone calls and e-mails lately regarding reservations and tickets for the upcoming JuneFest event. We still have campsites available for June and only a few for September. So, if you are thinking about coming in June, give us a call. If you have checked the lineups, then you know that we have an exciting festival season coming up. You don't want to miss it! We are looking forward to seeing everyone again this year. And looking forward to meeting all the newcomers as well.
As you may know, many of the bands have had changes in band members this year. But never fear.................they have been good! We were at Palatka in February and saw several of those bands with new members and they were great.
Some of you have found your way to our Facebook page and I am glad to see you on there. Keep checking for information. I will put it on there as it becomes available. If you have any questions regarding upcoming shows, please let us know. You can call us at 865-397-7942 or e-mail us at dumplingrass@comcast.net.
Also, keep in mind that for those of you who will be camping with us, you can come in early..............just let us know when you plan to arrive. There are lots of things to see and do close by so you can enjoy our area attractions before and after you experience our festivals.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
M

Max Patch Official Marker

2009-03-21T23:21:00.001-04:00

This marker was placed here in 1933. We actually stumbled across it by accident.

A Short Springtime Hike

2009-03-21T23:06:00.003-04:00

Today was a great day for taking advantage of one of our area's jewels. Joe and I decided in mid afternoon to take a ride up to Max Patch and hike to the top of the bald which just happens to have panoramic views of the mountains as well as a section of the Appalachian Trail running through it. The weather was quite chilly on top with the wind blowing all the while we were there. But it was a pleasant short hike with views that go on forever. The trees haven't blossomed yet but we saw several buds on their limbs. And when we got down from the mountain on the Del Rio side, we saw lots of trees in full bloom as well as creeping phlox in all colors and forsythia bushes exploding with color. I hope you enjoy these photos we took. I hope we can get back up there in the early summer when the trees are all green.

2009 Lineups

2009-01-29T16:23:00.002-05:00

Here they are.........the 2009 lineups!
JUNEFEST, June 11-12-13:
THURSDAY: James King Band
Bluegrass Brothers
Josh Williams Band
Williams & Clark Expedition
FRIDAY: Gibson Brothers
Carolina Road
Larry Cordle
Balsam Range
Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
SATURDAY: J. D. Crowe
Steep Canyon Rangers
Nothin' Fancy
Barry Scott & Second Wind
Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain

10th ANNUAL DUMPLIN VALLEY BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL:
September 17-18-19
THURSDAY: Larry Stephenson Band
Paul Williams & The Victory Trio
Jimbo Whaley & Greenbrier
Pine Mountain Railroad
FRIDAY: Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
IIIrd Tyme Out
Next Best Thing
Bluegrass Brothers
Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice
SATURDAY: Larry Sparks
Danny Paisley
Shadow Ridge
Big Country Bluegrass
Lonesome River Band

Please note that the schedule is subject to change.
If you are planning to camp, keep in mind that
sites for September are limited so you need
to make your reservations soon.
The website should be updated in a few days and
will have more complete information. You can call
865-397-7942 for info.

Help!

2009-01-29T16:21:00.002-05:00

I can't seem to get the Christmas border off this blog. Does anyone know how I can get rid of it? I can't even cover it up! Guess I should have let it alone in the first place.
M

Christmas Picking

2008-12-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

Freddie's Birthday Pictures

2008-12-04T16:17:00.000-05:00

Milestone for Freddie

2008-12-04T16:01:00.003-05:00

We recently attended an event to celebrate a milestone birthday (50) for one of our favorite WDVX DJ's.........Freddie Smith. Greenbrier provided the entertainment. There was a "roast" and lots of bluegrass friends and family were present. Freddie's birthday is actually the 28th (I think) so here's another "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" going his way.

Bluegrass Church Services

2008-11-16T13:05:00.002-05:00

Kodak United Methodist Church (where we attend) is offering a service using the talents of various bluegrass bands on the 3rd Sunday of each month at the 9am service. The sermom is the same as in the 11am service. The difference is that all of the music is provided by visiting bluegrass musicians. Dress is casual and everyone is welcome. We have had Paul Williams & the Victory Trio, Greenbrier with Jimbo Whaley, Shadow Ridge, and the group this morning included 2 of our own members.....Joe Soward and Roy Swann. The congregation really enjoys it and we would love to have you join us. KUMC is located near the intersection of Hwy. 66 and Hwy.139 just about 1 1/2-2 miles from I-40. For more information you can call the church at 865-933-5996.

Some Of Our Favorite Colors

2008-10-28T17:57:00.003-04:00

Took a short drive this afternoon and couldn't resist taking a few photos of the beautiful leaves. Enjoy them!

World Wide Bluegrass

2008-10-28T17:00:00.002-04:00

This is an interesting site for all you bluegrass lovers. It has lots of links to bluegrass sites. Take a listen to Tim Cahall's show on Tuesdays from 3-6pm.
M

Friday, September 19, 2008

2008-10-26T22:46:00.001-04:00

A Bluegrass Saturday

2008-10-26T21:53:00.002-04:00

Lady In Red Photos

2008-10-26T20:52:00.002-04:00

Lady In Red

2008-10-26T19:53:00.004-04:00

These photos are compliments of Roy & Trenta Swann (Roy Swann Photography) who were witnesses to the surprise visit by the "Lady In Red". No one..........not even the band........knew this was coming. She came out of the audience, approached the band and then went onto the stage to "audition". I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to catch this. She was chomping gum, toting a "chicken purse" wearing a neon red wig, and also wearing red patent leather high heeled boots when she approached Russell Moore who was totally taken by surprise. Then she whipped out a "set list" for her supposed audition. I don't know at what exact moment they realized what was going on, but it was just too funny for words. You had to be there! I think the audience had a blast that night. There was a lot of impromptu entertainment from various bands. It was great. I hope you enjoy these photos. Thanks, Rhonda. M

Campground's Open

2008-10-22T23:13:00.004-04:00

Now would be a great time for you all to make a trip to Kodak while the leaves are changing. Our campground is open year round and we have been having a few folks come and visit with us. There are lots of things to do in Sevier County this time of year. And we also have the pavilion for picking and grinning! When the weather gets just right, we have been known to build a pretty good campfire so we can all roast marshmallows, etc. Why not make plans to come up and camp with us before the weather gets too cold? We'd like to see our festival buddies as well as new faces, too. It's not crowded like festival time here on the farm and we have several full hook-ups and pull-through sites for your convenience. Give us a call if you want to come or just drop by.........whatever! Some of our campers come for UT football weekends. This is a perfect place for pre-ballgame tailgating, etc. and it's only about a 25 min. drive to town from here. You can camp here and avoid the traffic coming out of Sevierville.
M

Update

2008-10-22T22:50:00.003-04:00

We've had a lot going on and haven't had time to do much bluegrassing due to circumstances beyond our control. This was our first year to miss IBMA, too. The day after my last blog post found us at the hospital with my mother who has been in the hospital for nearly a month. She is now home where we can keep a close eye on her and she is doing therapy as she recovers. I'd like to thank those of you who offered prayers during this time. Needless to say, it has been quite a month and we are hoping to make some progress on getting the lineup together.
Meanwhile..........fall has come to East TN and the leaves are getting prettier with each new day. And the weather is crisp and cool.........just right!
By the way, if anyone has any photos of the visit by the Lady in Red, I'd like to see them. I was unable to take any as I was on stage and also hanging out just out of sight off stage. You can send them to dumplingrass@comcast.net. Thanks.

2008 Season Wrapped Up

2008-09-21T23:13:00.002-04:00

Well, we made it through! It was great. The weather was beautiful and the crowd was the biggest ever. Thanks so much for supporting Dumplin Valley and for being such a good attentive audience. The bands commented about the great crowd and how they appreciated the support they got from the audience. These musicians love what they do and the feedback they get from you is very important to them (and to us).
We are grateful for the fact that you all left the farm pretty much the way you found it. And we'd like to thank you for all the compliments on the clean facilities.
And let's not forget the army of volunteers! If it weren't for them, there would be no festival. There are a lot of behind the scene jobs that have to be done and our volunteers came through with flying colors.
Your experience here begins with the gate and those people worked tirelessly to get you processed as quickly as possible.
I know a lot of you thought Bobby was Joe and that Joe was Bobby. That's okay! They both zip around and get a lot done. Maybe we should get them a shirt with their name on it! ha
Thanks to everyone who helped us have a successful festival............volunteers, sponsors, vendors, and last but not least............all you festivarians!
It was great to see all of our "old festivarians" as well as all the newbies. And it was great having several of our family members attending this year - including my 96 year old Aunt.
We would like to especially thank Don Clark for the beautiful bagpipe rendition of Amazing Grace up in the woods. Don, you will never know how much that meant to us.
The "Lady in Red" was a special addition to the show on Saturday night. And let's not forget the mosquito who started a chain of events that led to some hilarious unexpected shenanigans on stage! (you had to be there to understand!)
Yes, 2008 will go down as one of the most enjoyable shows ever. Thank You Thank You Thank You for coming. And if you weren't here..................we hope you'll come in 2009 to join us for some good wholesome entertainment.

2008-09-21T22:21:00.001-04:00

Great Day!

2008-09-19T09:43:00.002-04:00

Thursday started off with a dose of beautiful weather, well-behaved school kids on a bluegrass field trip, a great crowd and wonderful music. If the rest of the weekend is anything like yesterday, I can't wait!
The shows yesterday were phenomenal. There were a lot of festivarians as well as folks coming to a bluegrass event for the first time. And the "first timers" who took the time to run me down were very happy with their decision to try us out this year.
The food is great, too. We have some great vendors. Last night I was lucky enough to be out late when one vendor came back to put some more briskets in to smoke........ooooooooooooooooooweeeeeeeeeeee.........does that ever smell good!!!!?!
And I've already had breakfast from one of them this morning. And, let's not forget the chocolate smoothies, fried green tomatoes, best kettle corn you ever had and home made pork rinds!!! I bet somebody's mouth is watering.
I didn't do much picture taking yesterday but Roy did so I will post those later. I did a little video but not sure how to upload it yet. We'll try to get some photos on here tonight.
Come on out and join us.
M

Welcome to the 9th Annual Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival

2008-09-18T01:13:00.003-04:00

Festival Time In Tennessee!

2008-09-18T01:13:00.002-04:00

Well, it looks like we're ready for bluegrass!
We've got campers galore on the farm, had our potluck
supper tonight, been pickin' and grinnin' and even did
a little hair cuttin'. Yep, you can come to Dumplin
Valley and let your hair down OR you can come and
get your ears lowered..........your choice!
The weather is absolutely great. It actually feels
like Fall. We are anticipating a wonderful weekend
that began with a scrumptious meal tonight and will
continue in the morning with some guests from Northview
Middle School, Jones Cove Middle School and New Center
Middle School.
Excitement is in the air in Dumplin Valley! Come out and
see for yourself. If you live close by and have never
ventured out our way, now is the time to see for yourself
how great a bluegrass festival can be. With all the great
bands lined up and the beautiful weather, you are sure to
enjoy yourself. You might even make a few new friends....
this bluegrass crowd is full of friendly folks.
See you soon!
M

Countdown to Dumplin

2008-09-14T09:21:00.005-04:00

As you can see, Joe is working hard to get the festival started. It was really hot with extra high humidity yesterday while he was working. So he used the resources on hand to make working conditions a bit more bearable.
Several festivarians are already on site. That usually means a lot of visiting, maybe a little card-playing, some jamming, lots of laughter, groups going out to eat and probably some homemade ice cream tonight.
Joe's favorite is my Butterfinger ice cream and since tomorrow is his birthday (kids, are you reading this.....don't forget Dad's b'day! ha) I guess I'll make a batch of it.
The weather forecast looks great for this week with temps cooling off some. Come on out and join us for some great music.
M

Camping

2008-09-09T16:16:00.002-04:00

We still have primitive/dry camping available for next week. If you are interested in camping, please give us a call ASAP.
Got some much needed rain last night.....just enough to make the grass green up a little.
By the way, how do you like the look of our new dumplinvalleybluegrass.com website?

Energy Efficiency

2008-09-09T16:00:00.001-04:00

Here's a new website you should check out.
http://efficientbuildingsolutions.biz/

Update

2008-09-04T22:29:00.002-04:00

Hello to all the festivarians planning to attend the 9th Annual Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival. Although it is 2 weeks until "kickoff", we already have the company of a few of our campers. So, it looks like there's going to be some picking and jamming going on as well as a whole lot of preparation for a great show. Joe and I always enjoy visiting with the early birds who come to stay with us prior to the event. During the festival we don't have the time to visit the way we'd like to.
Don't forget about the Wednesday night potluck on the 17th. I know some of you are already planning what you will bring. That is always a fun night.
Here is a "post-festival" note............Paul Williams and the Victory Trio will be performing all the music for the service on Sunday morning, 9/21, at Kodak United Methodist Church (5 min. from here). That is our church and we want to invite everyone to attend that day for the 9am service. We have "bluegrass church" on the 3rd Sunday each month at the 9am service. Dress is casual so you don't have to worry about dressing up. And keep in mind that there is no set check-out time that day so you will have plenty of time to attend the service and then come back and pack up.
Also, the vendor who served breakfast in June will be back and will be there again on Sunday morning so you won't have to cook while you get your rv's ready to roll.
We are looking forward to this year's show and seeing all of our old friends as well as meeting new ones. See you soon!
M

Vendors

2008-08-18T00:41:00.003-04:00

If anyone has a suggestion for vendors (not food.........we've taken care of that already), please let us know or have the vendor contact us. We have a couple of spots left for vendors with non-music related items............maybe you know someone who makes soy candles, jewelry, etc. They can contact us at 865-397-7942.

Waiting List

2008-08-18T00:39:00.003-04:00

We now have a waiting list for campsites. So............those of you who have not paid the balance of your camping and or purchased your weekend passes, need to do so ASAP, please.

Summertime..................

2008-08-01T00:05:00.007-04:00

Although it's been a busy summer here, we've found a little time for some fun.
Here are a few photos of a few things we've been up to.

Deadline Reminder

2008-07-31T22:28:00.002-04:00

Hello to all you bluegrass festivarians! The deadline for advance ticket sales and the balance of your camping is coming up on August 15.
September will be upon us soon and with the crisp fall air comes the excitement of meeting here on the farm for some great music! Those of you who missed JuneFest will be surprised and hopefully pleased with the new pavilion. It got plenty of use for jams during the days leading up to the shows. I hear that many of you will be arriving several days prior to the shows. And you know what that means..........lots of jammin' and visitin' ! Don't forget about the potluck supper on Wednesday at 6pm. We will be furnishing the beans and cornbread as we did in June. Yum!! They were good. Jack's swamp cabbage was good, too. Actually, everything was good. I'm always amazed at the creative cooking you guys do in your campers! Joe is wondering why I don't cook like that at home...............
We are re-working our website and it should be up and running with the new layout in a couple of weeks thanks to my son-in-law. I want to thank my son, Wes, for all the hard work he has put into it, too. His business has become more demanding on his time and he has very little time to deal with Mom's bluegrass site. I couldn't have done it without him.......Thanks!
Check back soon for the new site.
M