Kent County June 26-27 JuneGrass Festival News Fairgrounds, 2015! June 26 and 27, 2015! Lowell, MI presented by West Michigan Bluegrass Music Association JuneGrassJuneGrass PerformersPerformers && Pickers!Pickers! JuneGrass 2015 is delighted to welcome top-notch re- Godfather Mark “Foose” gional and local talent to the stage! Take note that, not Zickefoose is rounding only do these bands boast seasoned stage veterans, but up the Michigan Mafia also they’ve been known to be avid campground pickers. String Band “hit men” Oooh, this is going to be fun! and they’ll be storming the Headlining this JuneGrass stage armed year’s event is with instruments and a Harbourtown hit list of talent. Foose’s Bluegrass. “hitmen,” include Jeff This group Sipe, Brent Bell and Scott needs no intro- “Buck” Robinson. duction to the tri-state area. Playing festi- vals, cruises Save the Dates! and numerous venues, this group brings wit and talent FallFest Camp and Jam! to the stage. With powerful vocals that blend smoothly, September 18 & 19, 2015 they perform many great original songs by the group’s leader, Tony Hickman, who formed Harbourtown in 1970. Harbourtown has tremendous stage presence and they’re Preliminary Festival Schedule sure to make you smile! When the Harbourtown bus rolls in, the fun begins! Thursday, June 25 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Pot Luck, Jam, and Band Scramble Sign Up 7:00 pm Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concert New Outlook Downtown Lowell Friday, June 26 of Ohio is 3:00 pm – 10:00 pm Silent Auction Opens quickly becom- 3:00 pm – 10:00 pm Vendor Area Open ing a Michigan 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Slow Jam favorite. They 5:00 pm Concert Gate Opens 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm Live Music Under the Tent, 50/50 drawing have performed 9:25 pm – 10:00 pm Open Mic at the Char- All Day Campsite Jamming lotte Bluegrass Saturday, June 27 Festival, the 9:00 am – 10:00 am Free Workshops: Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Marshall Blue- Harmonica, AutoHarp grass Fesitval 10:00 am Deadline for Band Scramble Sign Up 10:00 am – 11:30 am Workshop Jam and also a perennial crowd favorite at Zellie’s Opry House. 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Bakery Open This talented quartet, featuring husband-wife duo Lori Lyn 3:00 pm – 10:00 pm Silent Auction Opens and Brad Lambert, performs at churches, festivals and 10:00 am – 10:30 pm Vendor Area Open 11:30 am Concert Gate Opens venues throughout Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennes- 12:00 pm – 1:20 pm Band Scramble, WMBMA Board Introductions see. They are guaranteed to please! 1:25 pm – 10:00 pm Live Music Under the Tent, 50/50 drawing All Day Campsite Jamming For more information contact Lee Strassburger at [email protected] JuneGrass Festival News 2015 website: www.WMBMA.org Page 2 Newcomers to the JuneGrass stage, but well known on Michigan’s east side is True Blue. This long-time fa- vorite at music festivals and various venues throughout southeast Michi- gan, boasts musicianship, vocals and personality! The five-piece group consists of Mike Marrs on banjo and vocals, songwriter and luthier Mark VanRaemdonck on mandolin and vocals, Larry Horn on fiddle, Flint native Ron Hobson on rhythm guitar From the tip of Michigan’s “thumb” to the top and LouAnn Montney completing of the “mitten,” from the Wheatland Music the rhythm section on upright bass. Festival to various charity events, summer Always a fan favorite, True Blue is a concert series and numerous festivals. The tried, true, and traditional group. Blue Water Ramblers have been delighting audiences all over Michigan and the Mid- west. All four band members contribute to vocals, with “Bear” Berends on guitar, Jim Foerch on banjo, Dan Lynn on upright bass and Tom DeVries on mandolin. The Zellie’s Band, best known as the “House” band at Zellie’s Opry House, performs “tried and true” bluegrass standards and gospel favorites. This foursome has also had the privilege of stepping out at Michigan and Indiana community music concerts, country clubs, churches, community music events and private events. Mark Schlutt plays lead guitar accompanied by Blue Lake Public Radio’s Steve Albert on banjo and Tia Turco-Brown on upright bass and harmony vocals. Zellie’s granddaughter, Terri Pippin-Grannis, rounds out the group on mandolin and harmony vocals. Out of the Blue, regulars on the JuneGrass stage, has performed at festivals throughout Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio. Band members include Ted Geldhof on guitar and vocals, Jeff Lawless on upright bass and harmony vocals, Dave Conley Jr. on banjo and harmony vocals, Dave Conley Sr. on lead guitar, and George Laker on dobro. Enjoy Out of the Blue’s traditional and contem- Steam Powered Bluegrass hails from west Michigan. Formed by five bluegrass porary bluegrass, along with their veterans with many years of playing experience, the gentlemen of SPB include toe-tapping gospel favorites. Jerry Tobin on fiddle, Al Pursley on guitar, Jim VanderWall on upright bass, Jim Strangways on mandolin and Paul Pope on banjo. They play an energetic style of bluegrass with just a touch of “newgrass” and even enjoy trying their hand at an occasional cross-over tune done bluegrass style. JuneGrass Festival News 2015 website: www.WMBMA.org Page 3 Attention JuneGrass Band Scramble Participants... Sign Up! Thursday Evening Pot Luck Come early and enjoy this annual event. This is always a fun evening being together as an organization and gives an opportunity to catch up on what’s new with WMBMA. All are welcome, so bring a dish to pass (and your own table service) and we will see you there at 5 pm (sharp). Let’s make this a special event celebrating our 20 years of doing Our Band Scramble is always a highlight of every festival, festivals. Bring along any memories or pictures you might so sign up and have some fun. There is no charge to sign have of past festivals. If you need any additional informa- up and play but there is money to win! All interested parties tion, or would like to help, contact Norma Knoll at nnoall@ should sign up with Doug Smith or Lee Strassburger at juno.com. either the Thursday evening Pot Luck or at the association After you attend the pot luck, you may want to visit table at the main gate on Friday evening. Everyone must downtown Lowell’s Sizzliln’ Summer Concert Series right be signed up by 10:00 AM Saturday morning. The Band on the Flat River for some live music. Music starts at 7 PM. Scramble itself will happen approximately at noon on Sat- Take your own chair and enjoy the music. Cold beverages urday. Please sign up for the fun. See you there! should be available. Fund Raising Success Josie Conley (shown serving food below) prepared her special recipe of sloppy joes for our fund raiser at Life- Steam Powered Bluegrass Pointe Church in Clarksville, MI on April 25. The mem- Red’s Bar and Grill, Middleville bers of LifePointe church provided many delicious des- serts for our enjoyment that day. Yumm! Yumm! Out of the Blue Band gave a great performance (as always). Successful proceeds came from the admission donations and refreshments. Many of the LifePointe church members were in attendance so it was nice to see some new faces. Out of the Blue LifePointe Church Clarksville On May 2, Steam Powered Bluegrass played for a fund raiser at Red’s Bar and Grill in Middleville. Members of Out of the Blue band joined them for some songs as well. Both fund raisers were well attended and a good time was had by all. We have been invited back! You are missing the fun if you aren’t coming out for our fund raisers! JuneGrass Festival News 2015 website: www.WMBMA.org Page 4 Silent Auction Guitar Raffle We need silent auction items, so if you have any new Merlin Peterson has donated a Jay Turser acoustic guitar items or services we can auction off just bring them to to be given away at the 2016 festival on Saturday after- JuneGrass. If you have any questions contact Lee Stras- noon June 25, 2016. You will not need to be present to sburger at 616-891-8825 or send him an email at win. Buy a ticket and get your name in the hat! Come see [email protected]. Music or non-music items welcome. the guitar at selected times at the association table during JuneGrass and other events throughout the year. Tickets are only $1 each. Buy several and increase your chances of winning while supporting our organization. A big thank you to Merlin for this generous donation to the WMBMA. Bake Sale WMBMA T-Shirts The T-Shirts are already designed, ordered, printed and awaiting the festival. Shop early at the association desk if you need an unusual size. Remember that we now have those fun, brighly colored T-shirts for women as well. Con- tinuing the T-shirt musical instrument theme from the past several years, the 2016 T-shirts are designed with a fiddle featured on the front. Eat Well at JuneGrass! MENU Starlite Concessions (same as last year) Fresh cut sweet potato fries (their specialty) Fresh cut Idaho fries We will need fresh homemade bake sale items for our Tornado sweet potato on a stick bake sale fund raiser. Please bring a batch of fresh home- Tornado potato on a stick made cookies for our sale to the association table or to Wraps: Jim Whipple’s trailer.