August 14, 1977 - Bluegrass Festival

The Hartwell Sun - August 14, 1977

BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL DRAWS THOUSANDS OF FANS
Feature by Roger White / Photos by Mike Windham

Thousands of bluegrass music fans, who gathered in the Shoal Creek Music Park for the biggest festival of its kind in the state, show that the music is attracting a wide variety of young people.

Young people mingled with traditional older country music fans for the events in the ninth annual festival along Shoal Creek.

Spectators from throughout Georgia as well as surrounding and distant states came to the festival in Hart County, traveling in cars, trucks and motor homes.

One of the promoters of the festival, Roy Martin, said that the growth in popularity of the bluegrass festival is due in part to an interest in music that the audience can feel closer to than some other forms of music.

He said the phenomenon of the bluegrass festival fills a need where audiences can clap their hands and even join in the singing.

Many of the spectators brought guitars or other musical instruments to the festival and amateurs in the tents of in the tree-shaded areas were picking and singing their own music between visits to the stage area where the professional musicians were entertaining.

Martin, who is promoting five other festivals this year, said that the majority of the spectators are orderly and do not create disturbances.

However, with large crowds anywhere there is always a concern for safety, he said.

While the audience sat on wooden benches, their own folding chairs on the ground listening to such entertainers as Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys or the Lewis Family, some youngsters and adults waded in Shoal Creek to cool off on a hot Saturday afternoon.

After a series of songs by Monroe and some guests, one spectator said that it was unique to see the gathering of talent from several different groups together performing some traditional and current country music.

Many of the spectators stood clapping their hands after the performances and often they clapped their hands along with the music.

Besides the usual foods, refreshments and records available to the audience, there were a number of booths set-up selling leather items, jewelry and a variety of gifts.

During part of the 10-day festival, there was a daily school of bluegrass music and in the evenings there were concerts and unrehearsed sessions of performances.

The bluegrass entertainers continued performances until 11 p.m. most nights.

Several of the spectators said they came to the event to spend a few days relaxing and enjoying the music while some said that they came to spend a day or the weekend.