38th PEI Bluegrass Fest 

The 38th Annual PEI Bluegrass & Old Time Music Festival is being held at the Dundas Fairgrounds, Dundas, PEI on July 4, 5 and 6. Headline performers from the USA are The Kody Norris Show and The Grass Messengers. Common Ground and Country Connection from Nova Scotia will make their Festival debuts and from New Brunswick comes Shane Douthwright and the Virtuosos. PEI bands are Janet McGarry Band, The Stiff Family, Bluestreak, Whitecap Drive, The Bad Hoss, SK Bluegrass, Heartfelt Bluegrass and Bluegrass Revival.

The three-day festival includes stage shows on Friday and Saturday (afternoon and evening) and Sunday, along with Open Mic stages on Wednesday and Thursday for early arrivers. The Festival also offers camping facilities, workshops, a children’s program, food services, and late night jamming sessions. Registration is available at peibluegrass.ca and an Early Bird Special Price is available until June 1.

The Kody Norris Show from Tennessee are the reigning Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America Entertainers of the Year. The group is made up of frontman Kody Norris, banjo player Josiah Tyree, fiddler Mary Rachel Nalley-Norris, and bassist Charlie Lowman. They combine traditional bluegrass styles with a colourful stage presence. The group recently performed at the Grand Old Opry and their new album is called Rhinestone Revival.

The Grass Messengers, featuring lead singer Chris Luquette, are based in New York State. This young band specializes in well-known bluegrass favourites skillfully played with mandolin, banjo, guitar and three-part harmony. Other members of the band are Ellery Marshall and Christian Apuzzo.

Shane Douthwright & The Virtuosos features Shane fronting some of the best bluegrass musicians in Canada. Shane has been performing bluegrass for 30 years beginning as a youngster with family band, The Douthwrights. They bring a blend of bluegrass, classic country and original songs and stories to Festival listeners. The Virtuosos are Marcel Duplessis on bass, Ryan Dillman on banjo and Richard Bourque on mandolin.

One of Canada’s most recorded and awarded bluegrass performers, Janet McGarry will take the stage with her husband and multi-instrumentalist Serge Bernard, along with bandmates Trevor Boutilier and Karen DaCoste, award-winning musicians from the Nova Scotia group Bluegrass Tradition.

This year’s Festival lineup also includes County Connection from Nova Scotia and, from PEI, Bluestreak, The Stiff Family, Whitecap Drive, Heartfelt Bluegrass, The Bad Hoss, SK Bluegrass, and Bluegrass Revival.

Tickets and festival details are available at peibluegrass.ca/tickets or by calling 902 218-8916.