Plattsburgh Bluegrass Festival Aug. 12th through Aug. 15th, 2021
ABOUT US
The Plattsburgh Bluegrass Festival is a four-day event that was established in 2011, which continues to this day bringing a positive family friendly environment filled with good food, people, entertainment, and camping.
Event Artists
Edgar Loudermilk Band
"Among contemporary lead bluegrass singers, Edgar Loudermilk has one of the most distinctive, recognizable, and enjoyable voices in the business. His crisp baritone lead is powerful, cutting, and expressively tuneful. As with Russell Johnson and Junior Sisk, similarly strident voices, you can always find him in the mix and always want to." --Bluegrass Unlimited
Edgar Loudermilk’s signature voice, bass skills, and songwriting are a family tradition for this Louvin Brothers’ descendant. Having experienced a long tenure of performing, including several industry awards, with IIIrd Tyme Out, Rhonda Vincent, and Marty Raybon, in 2015 he stepped out forming his own band with the highly acclaimed guitarist, Jeff Autry.
Jeff Autry, long admired for his guitar skills, toured 14 years internationally with the John Cowan Band. In addition, he’s performed and toured with Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Tim O’Brien, Peter Rowan, the Lynn Morris Band, Yonder Mountain String Band, and the Travelin’ McCourys.
Rounding out the group are Zack Autry (mandolin/harmony vocals) and Curtis Bumgarner (banjo).
The musical styling of the Edgar Loudermilk Band, featuring Jeff Autry, encompasses bluegrass, swing, gospel, and Americana genres.
Edgar Loudermilk’s signature voice, bass skills, and songwriting are a family tradition for this Louvin Brothers’ descendant. Having experienced a long tenure of performing, including several industry awards, with IIIrd Tyme Out, Rhonda Vincent, and Marty Raybon, in 2015 he stepped out forming his own band with the highly acclaimed guitarist, Jeff Autry.
Jeff Autry, long admired for his guitar skills, toured 14 years internationally with the John Cowan Band. In addition, he’s performed and toured with Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Tim O’Brien, Peter Rowan, the Lynn Morris Band, Yonder Mountain String Band, and the Travelin’ McCourys.
Rounding out the group are Zack Autry (mandolin/harmony vocals) and Curtis Bumgarner (banjo).
The musical styling of the Edgar Loudermilk Band, featuring Jeff Autry, encompasses bluegrass, swing, gospel, and Americana genres.
Gibson Brothers
Bluegrass royalty Leigh and Eric Gibson step into what some might at first see as uncharted territory on their country-soul breakout Mockingbird, the new album produced by Grammy Award winners Dan Auerbach and Fergie Ferguson. The celebrated bluegrass duo — named back-to-back Entertainers of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2012 and 2013 — played the Nashville game two decades ago, while in their early 20s, and were offered a major label deal, only to be told at the last minute that they were too “retro” for modern country music. Today, such characterizations, along with their authenticity, set them apart and describes the marvelous Mockingbird.
A mix of country, soul and seventies rock, the album further cements the sibling duo as musical trailblazers. As players and vocalists, they are superb, harmonizing as only siblings can; as songwriters they stand without peer, having long been a band awarded for their songs and songwriting. The 11 tracks on Mockingbird, their 14th album, draw on much of the brothers’ experiences being raised on the family farm in Northern New York. As Northerners growing up in a Southern business, they had to work twice as hard as the bands from the South to achieve the success they had, and were the first from that far north to carve a path to IBMA Entertainers of the Year.
“The songs on this album are the sounds we heard growing up, riding around with our dad, who was a farmer, in his pickup, or with our mom in her station wagon. This sound was on the radio,” says Leigh, citing the Eagles, Bob Seger, Tom Petty, and the warm country sounds of Don Williams, Emmylou Harris and Waylon Jennings as influences for Mockingbird, produced by the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach with Fergie Ferguson (Johnny Cash, Sturgill Simpson and Tyler Childers).
Songs like “Cool Drink of Water” and “Love the Land” exemplify that late-Sixties and early-Seventies vibe. The former sounds like something Elvis, at the height of his ’68 Comeback cool, would have recorded, while “Love the Land” is inspired by the simple desire to spend more time in nature. “I love the land that loves this man / and sets his soul at ease,” goes the centerpiece lyric. The song also provides the album with its title, as Leigh sings about the “song so sweet” of the mockingbird. “They’re an interpreter of different sounds and that’s what we’re doing here,” says Leigh. “We’re known for one sound, but we’re interpreting another part of our musicality.”
Coloring outside the lines is not unfamiliar to the Gibson Brothers, whose innate talent as writers and vocalists allows them to float seamlessly between genres. In that way, they’re outsiders — refusing to be confined to just one sound – which is why they chose to work with a rock producer and a band of legendary session players like drummer Gene Chrisman and guitarist Billy Sanford for Mockingbird.
Listen to “Come Down,” which evokes the 70’s sound of radio rock kings America or the passionate Exile on Main Street style R&B of “Lay Your Body Down.” Both dispel any notion that the Gibsons are solely a bluegrass act and prove Eric and Leigh’s gift for penning boundary-pushing songs. Likewise, “Sweet Lucinda,” with its shuffling rhythm, taps into country-rock, and “I’m a Better Man” slinks along with Bobby Wood’s Wurlitzer electric piano.
Mockingbird‘s most left-field track, however, is a cover of R.E.M.’s 1993 weeper “Everybody Hurts.” Suggested by Ferguson, the ballad became the ideal duet for Leigh and Eric, with the brothers making the song their own via their yearning delivery and the house band’s lush arrangement. “I think it’s a beautiful song, but I couldn’t picture us doing it,” says Eric. “It surprised me with how it turned out. It was too good to not put on the record.”
The members of R.E.M. certainly agree. “It’s incredible! They did a great job,” says vocalist Michael Stipe. “It really re-focuses the song and lyric in a great way.” Bassist Mike Mills offers, “Wow. I really didn’t see that one coming. I love it,” with guitarist Peter Buck echoing those remarks: “Wow. Incredible.” Even Bill Berry, R.E.M.’s former drummer, and one of the original writers of the song, chimes in, saying, “It’s the best cover of it I’ve heard.”
However, it’s “Travelin’ Day,” the countriest song on Mockingbird, that packs a poignant punch. The first tune they wrote with Ferguson for the session, it was born of grief: Ferguson’s stepfather had just died. The Gibsons lost their dad six years earlier and together the writers bonded over their loss. “We were talking about how Ferg’s stepfather faced death and how impressive it was,” says Leigh, “and it really inspired us.”
Looking back on the brisk week and a half of writing and recording Mockingbird in Nashville, the Gibson Brothers are confident in what they’ve accomplished. This is an album that exemplifies the sibling bond and is poised to introduce them to an entirely new audience.
“We’ll be able to reach more people than we have in the past,” says Eric. “I don’t want to downplay what we accomplished in bluegrass, but I didn’t know our voices would suit this variety of music so well.”
His brother agrees. “If you thought you knew the Gibson Brothers and had them figured out,” Leigh says, “well, maybe you didn’t.”
A mix of country, soul and seventies rock, the album further cements the sibling duo as musical trailblazers. As players and vocalists, they are superb, harmonizing as only siblings can; as songwriters they stand without peer, having long been a band awarded for their songs and songwriting. The 11 tracks on Mockingbird, their 14th album, draw on much of the brothers’ experiences being raised on the family farm in Northern New York. As Northerners growing up in a Southern business, they had to work twice as hard as the bands from the South to achieve the success they had, and were the first from that far north to carve a path to IBMA Entertainers of the Year.
“The songs on this album are the sounds we heard growing up, riding around with our dad, who was a farmer, in his pickup, or with our mom in her station wagon. This sound was on the radio,” says Leigh, citing the Eagles, Bob Seger, Tom Petty, and the warm country sounds of Don Williams, Emmylou Harris and Waylon Jennings as influences for Mockingbird, produced by the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach with Fergie Ferguson (Johnny Cash, Sturgill Simpson and Tyler Childers).
Songs like “Cool Drink of Water” and “Love the Land” exemplify that late-Sixties and early-Seventies vibe. The former sounds like something Elvis, at the height of his ’68 Comeback cool, would have recorded, while “Love the Land” is inspired by the simple desire to spend more time in nature. “I love the land that loves this man / and sets his soul at ease,” goes the centerpiece lyric. The song also provides the album with its title, as Leigh sings about the “song so sweet” of the mockingbird. “They’re an interpreter of different sounds and that’s what we’re doing here,” says Leigh. “We’re known for one sound, but we’re interpreting another part of our musicality.”
Coloring outside the lines is not unfamiliar to the Gibson Brothers, whose innate talent as writers and vocalists allows them to float seamlessly between genres. In that way, they’re outsiders — refusing to be confined to just one sound – which is why they chose to work with a rock producer and a band of legendary session players like drummer Gene Chrisman and guitarist Billy Sanford for Mockingbird.
Listen to “Come Down,” which evokes the 70’s sound of radio rock kings America or the passionate Exile on Main Street style R&B of “Lay Your Body Down.” Both dispel any notion that the Gibsons are solely a bluegrass act and prove Eric and Leigh’s gift for penning boundary-pushing songs. Likewise, “Sweet Lucinda,” with its shuffling rhythm, taps into country-rock, and “I’m a Better Man” slinks along with Bobby Wood’s Wurlitzer electric piano.
Mockingbird‘s most left-field track, however, is a cover of R.E.M.’s 1993 weeper “Everybody Hurts.” Suggested by Ferguson, the ballad became the ideal duet for Leigh and Eric, with the brothers making the song their own via their yearning delivery and the house band’s lush arrangement. “I think it’s a beautiful song, but I couldn’t picture us doing it,” says Eric. “It surprised me with how it turned out. It was too good to not put on the record.”
The members of R.E.M. certainly agree. “It’s incredible! They did a great job,” says vocalist Michael Stipe. “It really re-focuses the song and lyric in a great way.” Bassist Mike Mills offers, “Wow. I really didn’t see that one coming. I love it,” with guitarist Peter Buck echoing those remarks: “Wow. Incredible.” Even Bill Berry, R.E.M.’s former drummer, and one of the original writers of the song, chimes in, saying, “It’s the best cover of it I’ve heard.”
However, it’s “Travelin’ Day,” the countriest song on Mockingbird, that packs a poignant punch. The first tune they wrote with Ferguson for the session, it was born of grief: Ferguson’s stepfather had just died. The Gibsons lost their dad six years earlier and together the writers bonded over their loss. “We were talking about how Ferg’s stepfather faced death and how impressive it was,” says Leigh, “and it really inspired us.”
Looking back on the brisk week and a half of writing and recording Mockingbird in Nashville, the Gibson Brothers are confident in what they’ve accomplished. This is an album that exemplifies the sibling bond and is poised to introduce them to an entirely new audience.
“We’ll be able to reach more people than we have in the past,” says Eric. “I don’t want to downplay what we accomplished in bluegrass, but I didn’t know our voices would suit this variety of music so well.”
His brother agrees. “If you thought you knew the Gibson Brothers and had them figured out,” Leigh says, “well, maybe you didn’t.”
Remington Ryde
2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 SPBGMA Promoter of the Year Nominee!!
Ryan Frankhouser is the leader of the band. He started the band at the age of 18 in his hometown of McClure, Pennsylvania. Ryan has a passion for bluegrass music and devotes so much time of his life to the band and the music. Ryan has written a lot of the original songs that the band has recorded over the years including 'Grandpa was my guide', 'You'll miss me "One more day" The Bible Grandma gave me" and many more. Ryan also started the Remington Ryde Bluegrass Festival at the young age of 22. The festival is on it's 12th year and has turned intone of the biggest bluegrass Thanks festival's in the Northeast. Ryan gives all his credit to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for all he has done for him in his life
2018 SPBGMA Banjo Player of the Year Nominee!!
Billy Lee Cox started playing the banjo at age 11. He would go with his family to country dances that his Uncle "Sock" would play the banjo for. He was hooked on the banjo. When Uncle "Sock" gave Billy his old banjo and said: "if you learn how to play this I'll give it to you". That was all it took. At age 13 Billy played his first show with Calvin Crane who invited him to be his Special guest. The banjo Billy plays is the one Calvin gave to Billy a few years ago. Billy considers his Uncle, Calvin, Eddy Hoover and his cousin Doc as major influences in his musical endeavors. Growing up listening to Flatt and Scruggs Billy learned as fast as possible. Then one day at Uncle "Socks" he heard Don Reno on record. He was hooked and started learning the Reno style. After entering the Air Force in 1969 Billy was stationed in Newport News, Va. He started playing with George Harris and the Shade Tree Boys. George and the group backed Billy up in 1973 when he won the National Banjo Championship in Warrenton, Va. Billy went on to play for Chief Powhatan in Richmond, VA. Then went on to play with Charlie Moore and the Dixie Partners off and on for a little over a year. Then Billy filled in for the Country Gentleman where he was offered the job as a Country Gentleman. Due to just having his first child Billy had to turn them down. Mr. Bill Yates, who was the bass player for the Country Gentleman, and Billy have remained friends and picking buddies since that time and still do a few shows together during the year. In 1976 Billy started the Mason Dixon Grass and fronted that band for over 25 years with Francis Elliott. One of the players from the MDG is the "Champ" Randie Rineer who is the fiddler for Sunnyside. Billy has had the priviledge of playing in 4 different countries and many of the Eastern states of the USA. Refered to as "one of the stylist for Bluegrass Music in the North Eastern part of the US" by Carl Goldstein, Bluegrass radio host and long time Bluegrass promoter in the Northeast. Billy has recorded for many people
Ron Truman, Born July 5 1972 in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. Raised in Clay, WV. Started playing music at an early age of 5. Started playing bluegrass at age 10 and has been hooked since. Had the pleasure of sharing the stage with greats like Raymond Fairchild, and also the late James King. My bass idol would be Jason Moore, so I try and play that style when possible. Ron now makes his home in Charleston, WV. I would like to give thanks first and foremost to our lord and savior Jesus Christ for giving me the gift of music, my mom Carol, and my nephew Jamie, and my aunt Myrtle for always supporting me. And want to thank Nessie & Ronnie Hunt, Josh Brown, Matt Hiser for their great friendship, and good music for the last few years, ya'll help me understand music in a whole different way.
Stanley Efaw, has been playing bluegrass Music for many years and is truly one of the premier musicians in all of bluegrass today. He has played with many bands but has been touring with Larry Efaw & The Bluegrass Mountaineers for the last several years. We are pleased to have Stanley apart of Remington Ryde on Fiddle, though he can play an instrument that has strings and he contributes the bands harmonies. Stanley lives in Kentucky.
Josh Daniels has been playing bluegrass for many years. He grew up listening to and loving bluegrass from a very young age. He toured several years with Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass and even fronted his own group for many years. Josh is one of the most talented musicians in the business. Josh is now playing mandolin and singing tenor in the RYDE!
Ryan Frankhouser is the leader of the band. He started the band at the age of 18 in his hometown of McClure, Pennsylvania. Ryan has a passion for bluegrass music and devotes so much time of his life to the band and the music. Ryan has written a lot of the original songs that the band has recorded over the years including 'Grandpa was my guide', 'You'll miss me "One more day" The Bible Grandma gave me" and many more. Ryan also started the Remington Ryde Bluegrass Festival at the young age of 22. The festival is on it's 12th year and has turned intone of the biggest bluegrass Thanks festival's in the Northeast. Ryan gives all his credit to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for all he has done for him in his life
2018 SPBGMA Banjo Player of the Year Nominee!!
Billy Lee Cox started playing the banjo at age 11. He would go with his family to country dances that his Uncle "Sock" would play the banjo for. He was hooked on the banjo. When Uncle "Sock" gave Billy his old banjo and said: "if you learn how to play this I'll give it to you". That was all it took. At age 13 Billy played his first show with Calvin Crane who invited him to be his Special guest. The banjo Billy plays is the one Calvin gave to Billy a few years ago. Billy considers his Uncle, Calvin, Eddy Hoover and his cousin Doc as major influences in his musical endeavors. Growing up listening to Flatt and Scruggs Billy learned as fast as possible. Then one day at Uncle "Socks" he heard Don Reno on record. He was hooked and started learning the Reno style. After entering the Air Force in 1969 Billy was stationed in Newport News, Va. He started playing with George Harris and the Shade Tree Boys. George and the group backed Billy up in 1973 when he won the National Banjo Championship in Warrenton, Va. Billy went on to play for Chief Powhatan in Richmond, VA. Then went on to play with Charlie Moore and the Dixie Partners off and on for a little over a year. Then Billy filled in for the Country Gentleman where he was offered the job as a Country Gentleman. Due to just having his first child Billy had to turn them down. Mr. Bill Yates, who was the bass player for the Country Gentleman, and Billy have remained friends and picking buddies since that time and still do a few shows together during the year. In 1976 Billy started the Mason Dixon Grass and fronted that band for over 25 years with Francis Elliott. One of the players from the MDG is the "Champ" Randie Rineer who is the fiddler for Sunnyside. Billy has had the priviledge of playing in 4 different countries and many of the Eastern states of the USA. Refered to as "one of the stylist for Bluegrass Music in the North Eastern part of the US" by Carl Goldstein, Bluegrass radio host and long time Bluegrass promoter in the Northeast. Billy has recorded for many people
Ron Truman, Born July 5 1972 in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. Raised in Clay, WV. Started playing music at an early age of 5. Started playing bluegrass at age 10 and has been hooked since. Had the pleasure of sharing the stage with greats like Raymond Fairchild, and also the late James King. My bass idol would be Jason Moore, so I try and play that style when possible. Ron now makes his home in Charleston, WV. I would like to give thanks first and foremost to our lord and savior Jesus Christ for giving me the gift of music, my mom Carol, and my nephew Jamie, and my aunt Myrtle for always supporting me. And want to thank Nessie & Ronnie Hunt, Josh Brown, Matt Hiser for their great friendship, and good music for the last few years, ya'll help me understand music in a whole different way.
Stanley Efaw, has been playing bluegrass Music for many years and is truly one of the premier musicians in all of bluegrass today. He has played with many bands but has been touring with Larry Efaw & The Bluegrass Mountaineers for the last several years. We are pleased to have Stanley apart of Remington Ryde on Fiddle, though he can play an instrument that has strings and he contributes the bands harmonies. Stanley lives in Kentucky.
Josh Daniels has been playing bluegrass for many years. He grew up listening to and loving bluegrass from a very young age. He toured several years with Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass and even fronted his own group for many years. Josh is one of the most talented musicians in the business. Josh is now playing mandolin and singing tenor in the RYDE!
Dave Nicholes & Spare Change Band
If you appreciate beautiful inlay work using pearl, wood, gold, silver or almost anything, you have come to the right place. With more than 40 years of experience we are experts at the fine art of inlaying and instrument building. Our primary focus is working with musical instruments, however we can inlay almost anything. We take pride in building custom guitars and mandolins for our clients. We also offer personalized training classes as well so that you may learn the "how-to" of pearl inlay or guitar building. Visit our classes link for more information.
Cedar Ridge
Cedar Ridge has changed in 2017 with the addition of
former banjo picker, Tommy Martin, on Dobro, and the
loss of our fiddle player, Emerald Butler, to pursue her
education in entertainment at Middle Tennessee State
University. Our website has changed, too. It was not
easy to use or to find. I hope this will serve your needs
more clearly.
We hope this renewal will bring good things for 2018.
We are looking forward to new friends and playing at
new bluegrass venues this year.
Thanks to our friends, and a special thank you to our
families, for all the loving support we have had this year
Gary Brewer & the Kentucky Ramblers
GBKR, a family band that goes back 6 generations into their musical roots, has performed in all 50 US states, Canada, and Europe extensively since being formed in 1980. Today, 3 generations of Brewers, (Gary, his dad, and two sons) along with a banjo player, take the stage performing Bluegrass originals, Country music classics, foot-stomping Old-time Mountain Music, and good ole Gospel hymns; offering a little something for everybody. Gary has stamped their style of music as “Brewgrass”.
During his music career, Gary Brewer has recorded for multiple major record labels including Copper Creek releasing 29 studio albums and a double live album (recorded on one of his European tours). Now, he has launched his own label called SGM Records (Stretch Grass Music). He has released an additional 20 albums on his label. GBKR’s most recent release, “Vintage Country Revival” brought great success charting at #1 on the Global Country Radio Charts and receiving 2 nominations in the
61st Grammy Awards (for Best Americana Album & Best American-Roots performance).
The entire Brewer clan has come by their musical talents honestly. They have true respect for their roots that reach back to the 1920s including third-generation Brewer, Finley J. “Pap” Brewer Sr., performing with the Original Carter family. Because of such a great love for music being passed down for generations, Gary is a strong traditionalist. He has toured alongside many Bluegrass music legends throughout his career. (Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, J.D. Crowe, Uncle Josh Graves, and many more) (...read more)
During his music career, Gary Brewer has recorded for multiple major record labels including Copper Creek releasing 29 studio albums and a double live album (recorded on one of his European tours). Now, he has launched his own label called SGM Records (Stretch Grass Music). He has released an additional 20 albums on his label. GBKR’s most recent release, “Vintage Country Revival” brought great success charting at #1 on the Global Country Radio Charts and receiving 2 nominations in the
61st Grammy Awards (for Best Americana Album & Best American-Roots performance).
The entire Brewer clan has come by their musical talents honestly. They have true respect for their roots that reach back to the 1920s including third-generation Brewer, Finley J. “Pap” Brewer Sr., performing with the Original Carter family. Because of such a great love for music being passed down for generations, Gary is a strong traditionalist. He has toured alongside many Bluegrass music legends throughout his career. (Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, J.D. Crowe, Uncle Josh Graves, and many more) (...read more)
Beartracks
Information to follow.
Tim Coffey & Elkridge Bluegrass
Come check out TIm and Elkridge at the Plattsburgh Bluegrass Festival.
Moonshine Falls
The 2018 festival season got off to a soggy start at the NY Botanical Garden. After 12 Shows there last year they had us back for Mother’s Day and what a wet one it was. The end of May brought better weather and a great festival at Wrench Ranch in Bainbridge, NY. June has us out in PA for the Poconos Mountains Bluegrass Festival, on the 21st, 22nd, & 23rd with Remington Ryde, Scott Eager and High Lonesome Sound, and many others. July brings us to Vermont for the first time as a band. We will be at the Basin Bluegrass Festival in Brandon, VT which runs from July 12th-15th with Remington Ryde again. We will also be returning to Wrench ranch over the Labor Day weekend which will also feature Zink and Co. Its shaping up to be a great Summer. Keep posted for added shows as we continue to book new stuff.
Smokey Greene
Smokey Greene was born March 10, 1930 and grew up in a musical family. He has entertained fans all over through the years and is now on his farewell tour.