Wednesday, January 21, 2004
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Wednesday, January 21, 2004 |
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Bluegrass Blast returns as fundraiser for FCHS Select Chorus for fifth year By MICHAEL BOYLAN Not every fundraiser is a car wash. The Fayette County High School Select Chorus has had the benefit of an annual bluegrass concert to help rasie funds for their annual spring trip. Last year they went to New York City and this year the chorus is heading to Ireland. The fifth annual Bluegrass Blast, which will take place Saturday at Sams Auditorium in Fayetteville, will feature the toe-taping music of some of the hottest bluegrass bands in the Southeast: Broad River, The Dappled Grays and Buddy Ashmore and Pony Express. Broad River consists of David Anderson on bass, Gerry Hall on guitar, Jody Hughes on banjo and Jim Major on mandolin. Anderson is one of the founding members of Broad River. He is a self-taught musician who has been playing for over 25 years. Hall has been involved in music since he started performing with his gospel singing family at the age of five. He moved to Georgia in 1964 and became a member of The Swinging Gentlemen before forming Gerry Hall and Company 15 years later and then returning to his bluegrass and gospel roots with Broad River in 1995. Hughes is the newest and youngest member of Broad River. He graduated from Kennesaw State University in 2001 and had played with numerous bands since 1995. Major joined Broad River in 2000, after playing with the Mountain Valley Bluegrass Band and The Sarvis Ridge Runners. The Dappled Grays are a relatively young band although they have lots of experience. Casey Cook is the frontman and he is joined by childhood friend Michael Smith on mandolin, Andy Martin on banjo, Mike Thornburgh on violin and Jeremy Bowman on bass. Cook was inducted into the North Florida Bluegrass Hall of Fame with his brother as the youngest brothers performing professional bluegrass in 1984. In 2001, Creative Loafing named The Dappled Grays the Best Bluegrass/Traditional Band in Atlanta. Buddy Ashmore was a memberof the Pony Express back in 1980 and 1981 and has also performed with the Iron Mountain String Band and Larry Bishop and Silver Eagle. Ashmore is known as one of the finest pickers and singers in the southeast. He is joined by David Ellis on banjo, Mike Estes on fiddle, Randy Godwin on bass and Brad Laird on mandolin. The group plays every Thursday at Motorheads Bar and Grill in McDonough and has released the CD “Messenger”, with tracks like “One Car Funeral Procession,” Tattooed Lady,” and the instrumental track “McDonough.” The idea for a bluegrass concert to raise money for the select chorus came about when Lisa Masters, a FCHS grad and friend of Janice Folsom, director of the Select Chorus, asked her uncle, Jack Masters to put together a fundraising concert. Jack Masters is the President of the Southeastern Bluegrass Association and has contacts in bluegrass all over the region. The fifth annual Bluegrass Blast will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday at Sams Auditorium in Fayetteville. Admission is $8 and tickets can be purchased at the door, through the Fayette County High School at 770-460-3540 or through any Select Chorus Member. For more information on the show, contact Jack Masters at 770-961-5974 or visit www.JackGrass.com.
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