Published: June 08, 2009 10:12 am      

Top bands delight Sally Gap Bluegrass Fest crowds

By Adam Sulfridge For The Times-Tribune

Not even well watered soil could keep bluegrass music enthusiasts away from the second annual Sally Gap Bluegrass Festival.

With mud on the soles of their shoes, fans gathered at the Howard Jackson farm off Highway 92 East, and within two hours of the event’s beginning Friday afternoon, a respectable crowd was on hand to enjoy the sounds of a local group, Southern Sun.

As the work week ended, that respectable crowd seemingly doubled in size, and 2008 International Bluegrass Music Association award-winning group for Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year Dailey and Vincent took the stage. Young boys and girls participated in a free music workshop and built their own banjos. Teenagers sat deafeningly close to the stage, and behind them rested rows of adults in folding armchairs, amphitheater style along the hillside.

Just beyond the spectators sat around 50 motor coaches and campers, along with numerous tents and other temporary residences for the most devoted fans who chose to camp on-site throughout the three-day event.

Entertainment resumed Saturday at noon. The festival’s host, Southern Sun, took the stage once more, followed by New Found Road, Dale Ann Bradley, and the Lonesome River Band, to name a few.

New Found Road brought fans to their feet, and Bradley received much applause for her joke about “corn juice” in the mountains. Saturday’s early turnout trumped that of Friday’s best crowd, much to the pleasure of festival coordinator Vicki Cooper.

One audience member, Terianne Croley, stated: “This is great. I believe there’s more people here today than at last year’s event.”

Later Saturday, the Sally Gap Children’s Band took the stage, and a Martin D-28 guitar was raffled by Operation UNITE. The guitar, valued at over $2,000, was won by Tony Hoffman of Corbin, and all money raised through the purchase of raffle tickets will fund youth-related activities sponsored by UNITE, such as the youth camp to be held this summer on the campus of University of the Cumberlands.

Sunday was reserved for gospel music. The Dixie Ryders, Virgil Bowling and Peerless Mountain, Paint Creek, Ron, Vernon, and Straight Creek and Southern Sun performed.

Jeff Crowe, President and CEO of TourSEKY, an initiative of Congressman Hal Rogers aimed at promoting southern and eastern Kentucky as one of the nation’s top tourist destinations, remarked, “Festival organizers saw ticket sales not only here in Kentucky, but across the U.S., and that fact alone shows people want to visit our region.”

Some Whitley Countians, especially those along Highway 92, benefited financially from the influx of visitors. Several residences hoped to make the most of increased traffic by scheduling yard sales during the festival weekend, and stops at two ‘country stores’ confirmed a comment made by Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White, Jr., prior to the festival’s kickoff: “The excitement generating from this event will bring about local, state and national spectators which in turn will stimulate economic growth for our local businesses.”

An employee at Goins’ Market laughed as she said, “I’ve been making sandwiches all day for the campers.” Among the top selling items were sodas, cigarettes, bread and lunchmeat.

For more information about those who performed this past weekend and other information regarding the festival, visit www.sallygapbgfestival.com.