KRISTMAS TOWN KIWANIS PRESENTS THE 16TH ANNUAL
BLUEGRASS FROM THE
FOREST
Northwest Bluegrass fans have reason to celebrate and tighten banjo strings! After a year of no musical gatherings, Kristmas Town Kiwanis’ Bluegrass from the Forest is making a comeback, September 10 - 12 at the South Mason Soccer Park.
PEELING BACK THE BARK
EV ENT P R O G RAM
Crying Uncle (California)
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THANK YOU
SPONSORS! MANDOLIN City of Shelton Mason County Tourism
FIDDLE Bowers Dental Group
BAND Dave Bayley Builder’s Choice (Shelton) Jana Burg Castle & Coleman Logging Edward Jones Green Diamond Resource Co. Hiawatha Evergreens iFiber One/ KMAS 1030 Mason County Title Co. Carolyn Olsen Shelton Mason County Journal Shelton Veterinary Hospital Shoppers Weekly Sierra Pacific Industries YSS Dive (Hoodsport)
STAGE Belco Forest Products Elma Feed & Farm Supply Hood Canal Communications Jimini Paving & Gravel Manke Lumber Mason Count Historical Society Pacific Asset Management - Josh Morin Tozier Brothers Hardware Washington Acoustic Music Association
Contests & scheduling: GREG LINDER (360)898-4581 festival coordinator Event, camping & vendors: DUANE WILSON (360)426-1782 Kristmas Town Kiwanis LODGING: explorehoodcanal.com FJORD
WELCOME TO THE 2021
BLUEGRASS FROM THE FOREST The Festival is produced by the Kristmas Town Kiwanis, Shelton, with the support of many community sponsors. Thank you! Welcome–we missed our attendees last year and are thrilled to share our 16th annual event with you and your family. In 2004 Kristmas Town Kiwanis built a restroom as part of a community wide restoration effort at Calanan Park in Shelton. It proved to be a more expensive proposition than anticipated so the group decided to organize a fundraiser to pay for the construction. At about this time, Duane Wilson (Kristmas Town Kiwanis club member), asked Greg Linder if he thought a bluegrass festival could raise funds for this project. As most of you may know, Greg is a guitar player/singer and plays in the event’s host band, Runaway Train. Greg has performed at (or attended) almost all of the bluegrass festivals in this region, even making a few trips to the International Bluegrass Music Association Festival. In 2005, Kristmas Town Kiwanis produced their first festival. There was a lot to learn. The first two years the bands were regional, but the bluegrass community supported the event from day one. Attendees have given great suggestions about how to improve the festival, and it has gotten bigger and better every year! It took three years but, with the help from the community and other Kristmas Town Kiwanis projects, the restroom building at Calanan Park was completed. In 2008, Greg proposed that the group take the festival to the next level and sign a national touring band. Cedar Hill, Tennessee, along with regional bands, were signed on for the event. The change was well received and Greg has gradually increased the national groups each year. This festival could not have been possible without the great regional bands who got it started, so Greg has always included as many as possible. We are delighted to be gathering again in this new outdoor location. We will all miss the cushioned chairs in the Shelton School auditorium, but we're sure you agree that the expanded camping and beautiful location will be a great addition to this year's festival. We will be following all COVID protocols in this outdoor facility and are pleased that we will have over 20 acres outdoor for guests to social distance totheir comfort level. Masks are encouraged when social distancing is not possible. Please let us know if there is anything that cause any concerns. Thanks for joining us and thank you to all the volunteers who helped make things run smoothly. – let’s play some Bluegrass! 30
BLUEGRASSFROMTHEFOREST.COM
BLUEGRASS ROOTS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Below: Ben Booth and John Sells with instruments (about 1910) photo credit: Mason County Historical Museum, Shelton
Bluegrass is often referred to as music “for the people.” With roots in Irish, Scottish and English traditional music, and later influenced by jazz elements, bluegrass energizes musicians from all backgrounds. Bluegrass attributes its early beginnings to the Appalachian region of the United States. Fusioning together the sounds of jigs and reels–especially those played on the fiddle–settling immigrants brought with them the music of their homelands Key to shaping the sound, was the addition of African-American blues rhythms and instruments, such as the iconic banjo. The true bluegrass form of music, which had roots in the old time string bands, was invented in the mid 1940s by Bill Monroe who brought a professional quality to the music with the unique use of the core instruments (mandolin, fiddle, 5 string banjo, guitar and bass).
were formed in the remote logging camps around the Northwest. One such group was the Logger Orchestra led by John Sells. Sells began our Bluegrass from the Forest over a hundred years ago in the backcountry of the Olympic National Forest. Sells was an early day logger as well as an accomplished musician. Born in Iowa in 1874, after serving in the Spanish American War, he traveled to Mason County in 1901 to work for the Simpson Logging Company as a donkey (steam-powered winch) engineer. With Joe Stertz and Ben Booth, Sells played for dances in the area, traveling by handcar or stage and in camp he used the music to while away the evening hours.
Bluegrass bands often formed in rural areas as musicians came together to entertain It is an honor to continue this tradition in for community events. This is the basis on Shelton at the 16th Annual Bluegrass From which the earliest bluegrass bands were orThe Forest festival. ganized and also for which bluegrass bands 31
“The Logger Orchestra, which supplied muscle-twitching tunes for the Saturday night hoedown, was holding a rehearsal. A light hearted admirer climbed onto the porch roof and audited their performance.” Quote from Shelton Mason County Journal description of an image depicting John Sells and his fellow musicians practicing in camp. This image is the inspiration for the Bluegrass from the Forest main stage set. FJORD
BLUEGRASS FROM THE FOREST Kristmas Town Kiwanis is pleased to invite bluegrass friends and family back to Shelton! Bluegrass from the Forest 2021 is returning to the Olympic Peninsula for its 16th year in a new outdoor festival format at the South Mason Youth Soccer Park about two miles from downtown Shelton. Camping, jamming, workshops, and great bands are hallmarks of this annual event!
NEW OUTDOOR VENUE
The event is relocating to an outdoor venue, the South Mason Youth Soccer Park – less than three miles from the former location. September is the ideal time in the Northwest to take this festival into the forest! The larger area will allow for expanded camping, additional food and music vendors and a beer and wine garden near the stage. We are also pleased to have food vendors on site as well as dinners FRI/SAT evenings that you can pre-reserve to enjoy with the main stage bands!
Crying Uncle was founded in 2016 by Miles and Teo, as a duo band with invited guest artists. They invited Andrew and John to join Crying Uncle’s Bluegrass Band in 2017. The band released their first CD in 2018.
2021 LINE UP
Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band (CA) Whether playing straight-up bluegrass or virtuoso Dawg Grisman tunes, Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band delivers amazing instrumentals and vocal leads and harmonies that catapult the band into an elite sphere of artistry. Winners of the 2018 Pickin’ in the Pines Band Contest in Flagstaff AZ, and selected by the International Bluegrass Music Association to perform at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass in North Carolina, they are making waves in the bluegrass community. Brothers Miles and Teo Quale, National and State Champion fiddlers and pickers, are joined by award-winning bassist Andrew Osborn and former CBA Youth Ambassador guitarist John Gooding.
Kristen Granger & True North (OR) Kristen Granger & True North is a folk-bluegrass powerhouse of terrific songwriting, lush vocals and crazy-good instrumentalists. The band is comprised of multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Dan Wetzel and Pacific Northwest bluegrass superstars Martin Stevens (mandolin, octave mandolin, fiddle, vocals) and Josh Adkins (upright bass, vocals), both formerly of the Bluegrass Regulators. Kristen Grainger won the 2020 USA Songwriting Competition (folk) and took second in Overall Grand Prize (all genres). She has collected accolades and awards at Telluride Bluegrass Festival (CO), Wildflower Arts & Music Festival (TX), IMEA (GA), Merlefest (NC), Kerrville (TX) and, together with Dan Wetzel, Wintergrass (WA). She also won the 2019 Local Roots Northwest songwriting competition (OR). On stage, the band deftly delivers the song-stories, mind-blowing harmonies and mad instrumentals of a band deeply rooted in traditional folk and bluegrass genres.
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Whiskey Deaf Duet & Friends (OR) The band is made up of talented and experienced bluegrass musicians who share a passion for finding and playing lesser known bluegrass and related music from the repertoires of first generation bluegrass, early country and oldtime sources. Annie Staninec – Fiddle and vocals –began playing fiddle at age four, was performing by age 11 and since that time she has made her living performing and teaching in a variety of styles all over the world. Before the age of 21 Annie had toured with David Grisman and the Gypsy Caravan, Darol Anger’s Republic of Strings, and numerous other regional groups. Thereafter, she joined several national acts including Town Mountain and the Kathy Kallick Band, of which she is a permanent member, and expanded her repertoire to include such diverse artists as Mary Gauthier and even Rod Stewart. John Kael – Guitar and vocals – has been teaching and performing bluegrass guitar, mandolin, banjo and bass for over 20 years, and is also an established songwriter – his award-winning song Handmade Cross can be heard on the Grammy-nominated album “Hard Game of Love” by Doyle Lawson.
Kentucky Sky (MT) Kentucky Sky performs traditional bluegrass music. Randy Hackworth‘s roots take him back to the hills of Eastern Kentucky. Although he has played in several bands and genres of music, his love and passion is for that Bluegrass sound.
Emily Frank was raised listening to nothing but bluegrass music, and it’s still the only music she listens to. She has played in several different bands. The current group is called “Kentucky Sky” where she contributes with acoustic bass and vocals, as well as writing songs. Fred Frank has been in many Bluegrass bands over the years starting his Bluegrass career with the Stone Mountain Bluegrass Co. He has played banjo, mandolin, and guitar in different bands, but in Kentucky Sky he is on five string banjo and singing vocal harmonies. Chad Fadely is originally from Hot Springs, AR. Chad is the newest member of the band but has shared the stage with Fred and Emily many times over the years as a member of New South Fork. Chad has played in many bands from MT and when not making his living playing the mandolin, he’s selling guitars for Music Villa in Bozeman, MT. Visit their Facebook page.
2021 SCHEDULE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 MAIN STAGE LINE UP
South Mason County Soccer Park
(subject to changes view online or onsite for updates)
6:30 PM 7:20 PM 8:10 PM 9:10 PM
BLUEGRASS
Runaway Train Kentucky Sky True North Crying Uncle
FROM THE
FOREST
SEPTEMBER 10-12, SHELTON, WA
Xinh Dinner FRiDAY from 6-8 PM | Reserve: cookwithxinh.com | RV dry/tent camping ($15/night) available beginning Thursday.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 MAIN STAGE
Time
SHOWCASE STAGE
10:00 AM TICKETS 11:00 AM Buy your advance tickets at bluegrassfromtheforest.com or buy tickets at the door 12:00 PM 1:00 PM 1:40 PM Chicks Kids 1:55 PM Band Scramble Winner
11:00 AM Mandolin Tasting with Martin Stevens
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM 12:00 PM Slow Jam with Jana Chicks Kids Workshop meet in main lobby; showcase 1:00 PM Band Scramble on Main Stage at 1:40 PM (Sign up by 12:20 PM; Winner performs on stage at 1:55 PM
2:00 PM Whiskey Deaf
2:00 PM Open Mic
3:00 PM Kentucky Sky
Break
SATURDAY WORKSHOPS
4:00 PM True North
(subject to changes) BANJO RHYTHM GUITAR, LEAD VOCALS DOBRO BEGINNING BANJO FIDDLE BASS MANDOLIN
5:00 PM Open Mic
5:00 PM 6:40 PM Bar K Buckaroos 6:55 PM TBA 7:00 PM Kian Dye and Cascade String 8:00 PM Crying Uncle 9:00 PM Whiskey Deaf
10:00 PM COUNTRY DANCE | FREE with wristband or $10.00 at door 12:00 AM MIDNIGHT HOT DOGS | Saturday Night after dance – FREE, all welcome!
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 10:00 AM 11:00 AM TBD 12:00 PM Runaway Train Bluegrass 1:00 PM Kian Dye and Cascade String 2:00 PM Crying Uncle
Kian Dye and the Cascade String Band Kian, Forrest, and Jack have played together in many different bands over the years and each is a powerful musician in his own right. Together, this trio takes their playing to a new level. Inspired by solid traditional bluegrass influences, along with Old Time and country-western, this band will not disappoint. Kian Dye was raised in Portland, OR, where he made a name for himself as one of the premier fiddlers in the region, He toured with a variety of bands, and recorded on three full length studio albums and many other smaller projects. After graduating from Colorado College, he toured the country in several bands before settling in Seattle and co-leading the trio Rain City Ramblers. Forrest has played with Jeff
3:00 PM ALL-STAR FINALE
SAVE THE DATE!
Join us between Christmas and New Years, for Midwinter Bluegrass Celebration!
2021 Bluegrass Band Sponsor
(800) 421- 4791
2021 Bluegrass Band Sponsor 114 E Cedar Street, Shelton, WA 98584 (360) 426-2611
SUNDAY WORKSHOPS
11:00 AM Open Mic
(subject to changes) Banjo Guitar Bass Fiddle Mandolin
Band Sponsor Level Sponsor of the 2021 Bluegrass From The Forest. GREENDIAMOND.COM
SHELTON V E T E R I N A RY HOSPITAL 2021 Bluegrass Band Sponsor
33 104 E J St, Shelton, WA | (360) 426-2616 FJORD
TICKETS
Buy your advance tickets at
BLUEGRASSFROMTHEFOREST.COM (EARLY BIRD RATE UNTIL 9/1/2021)
Regular Rate: $55.00 Weekend Pass $110.00 Family Weekend Pass
Scroggins and Colorado, Western Centuries, AJ Lee and Blue Summit, Whiskey Deaf, Scott Gates, Eli West, Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons, The Warren G Hardings, and many others. Jack Dwyer records and performs original music under his own name and works as a freelance picker with some of the most respected Northwest and nationally-based musicians. The Bar-K Buckaroos The Bar-K Buckaroos play traditional western swing dance music in the style of Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. They bring their love of Bluegrass, Country and Swing, Jazz, Blues and Raggae’ to form a great evening of western swing and 20-40’s era swing music.
(includes: 2 adults and up to 4 kids)
$20.00 Friday Evening $20.00 Saturday Afternoon $20.00 Saturday Evening $35.00 All day Saturday $20.00 Sunday
The Bar-K Buckaroos are the host Band for the Saturday Night Country Dance
12 - 17 - 1/2 price | 11 & under FREE Camping $15/night
Tickets are available at Shelton Builder's First Source, Music 6000 (Olympia), Shelton Music, and Shelton Mason County Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are also available at the door – so come on over!
Runaway Train Bluegrass Like strong traditional bluegrass with an edge to it? Then you’ll like Runaway Train Bluegrass! They perform on special occasions when time and availability permits. They’re the host band for Bluegrass from the Forest festival and they also play an important role in helping to get the festival going every year.
The band, based on the coast of Oregon, is made up of: Brad Griswold – Guitar & vocals; Dave Quinton – Bass & vocals; Richard Thomasian – Lead Guitar and vocals; Tom Peake – Percussion; Scott Wagner – Trumpet; Barbara Collins – Fiddle.
Jamie Blair, banjo & vocals – Maple Valley, WA Greg Linder guitar & vocals – Union, WA Kent Powell bass & vocals – Tacoma, WA John White mandolin & vocals – Olympia, WA Proud sponsor of Bluegrass From the Forest 2021. mankelumber.com
Learn new skills from our certified instructors
Thank you for your Band Level support of the 2021 Bluegrass From The Forest. masoncounty.com
Thank you for Fiddle Level support of the 2021 Bluegrass From The Forest. bowersdentalgroup.com
• OPEN WATER COURSES • SPECIALTY CLASSES • DIVE TOURS • SCUBA EQUIPMENT • SCUBA GEAR SERVICES Your underwater adventure begins HERE!
YSSDIVE.COM • STORE@YSSDIVE.COM
360.877.2318
FJORD
Thank you iFiber Communications for your media support of the 2021 Bluegrass From The Forest. ifiberonenewsradio.com 34
Wishing Kristmas Town Kiwanis a great Festival in 2021! hcc.net
photo Shawna Whelen
OPEN MIC
A whole lot of folks meet up at Bluegrass From the Forest and end up creating wonderful song arrangements. Some even bring original tunes. How about getting up and sharing them at our Open Mic? It’s so much of fun and there is lots of support from fellow festival goers. It could be the beginning of your new band!
Castle & Coleman Logging Inc.
THE CHICK ROSE SCHOOL OF BLUEGRASS
Proud supporter of BLUEGRASS FROM THE FOREST 2021
Founded by Chick Rose, who passed away in 2012, it lives on in his memory and in the music of the many children who participate. On Saturday,10AM – 2PM join Stacey Harnew and crew for an intensive children's workshop. The Chick Rose School of Bluegrass is a very special program for kids who want to play bluegrass music. Founded by Chick Rose, who passed away in 2012,the program lives on in the music of the many children who participate. Children are divided into small groups according to their musical ability and are coached by advanced musicians. The program culminates in a short performance of all the kids on Saturday.
BAND SCRAMBLE
Participants have 40 minutes to prepare two songs which they will perform at a performance on the Showcase Stage at 1:00 PM. The band scramble is a time honored tradition at bluegrass festivals. If you’re not familiar with them, here’s the deal: Anyone who plays an instrument (at any level) can sign up to participate. Names will be drawn for the bands. Ideally, each band will end up with a bass, a banjo, a mandolin, one or two guitars and possibly some instrument hardly anyone has heard of. Hopefully there will be some singers among them. It’s not an exact science and it’s mostly a lot of fun.
spi-ind.com
Welcome Bluegrass Fans! Stop by the Museum on Railroad Ave., Shelton!
The newly formed bands have 40 minutes to meet, come up with an instrumental and vocal tune that they all happen know (or can learn quickly). Then they take it to the Showcase Stage for a live contest performance.
pacificasset.com
It’s a great way to meet folks, mingle and get up on stage. And it’s kind of like musical potluck–you never know what you’re going to get! Even if you’re not ready to join the scramble and brave the stage, just watching the show is worth the price of admission. It’s like a bluegrass reality show (if there was such a thing).
Bring the kids along to enjoy programs and activities designed just for them; they get free or discounted pricing. We suspect you will all have a good time that you won’t soon forget.
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Grab your guitar, pack up your tent, and make a weekend out of it. You can take in a single performance or buy tickets to jam out the weekend.
For updates on schedule & reservations: bluegrassfromtheforest.com. For lodging and activities, explorehoodcanal.com.
FJORD
SEPTEMBER 10-12
SHELTON, WASH
KRISTMAS TOWN KIWANIS PRESENTS THE 16TH ANNUAL
BLUEGRASS 2021 LINE UP
FROM THE
FOREST
KRISTEN GRAINGER & TRUE NORTH
FOOD & BEER GARDEN
CRYING UNCLE
VENDORS
CAMPING • JAMMING OUTDOOR MOVIE FOOD ONSITE
WHISKEY DEAF KIAN DYE & THE CASCADE STRING BAND KENTUCKY SKY
BLUEGRASS WORKSHOPS
RUNAWAY TRAIN (HOST BAND)
FAMILY ACTIVITIES
THE BAR-K BUCKAROOS
CHICK ROSE SCHOOL OF BLUEGRASS
(Saturday Country Dance)
Weekend, Day & Family Tickets Available
Camping $15/night Kids under 12 FREE
OUTDOOR FESTIVAL MASON COUNTY RECREATION AREA (SOCCER PARK)
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW
2102 E. JOHNS PRAIRIE RD, SHELTON
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT THRU 9/1/21
BLUEGRASSFROMTHEFOREST.COM
FOR DETAILS CALL: (360) 490-8981 FJORD
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