Welcome to LocalGrass.com! This website was established to
connect you with our area's finest talent. Our area is rich with local
venues, and we hope you will make LocalGrass your first stop when
you're looking for your favorite group, or use it to discover some
new ones! Browse the local events, grab the family, and get out and
enjoy some Bluegrass!
All information published on LocalGrass.com is assumed to be accurate. Site owner is not responsible for inaccuracies to show dates, times and locations, and is not responsible
for show content. All music provided is copyrighted material and may not be copied or reproduced by any means from this site. Photos are sole property of the Copyright owner,
and may not be copied or reproduced from this site without permission of the owner.
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Photo courtesy of Peter Montanti/Mountain Photographics
LOCAL VENUES
Your Local Favorites

Visit the websites of your favorite
Local Band for information &
Appearance Schedules

To submit the website of a local favorite,
Click here
Links
Back Yard Bluegrass
Proud Member
Welcome to LocalGrass.com! This website was established to
connect you with our area's finest talent. Our area is rich with local
venues, and we hope you will make LocalGrass your first stop when
you're looking for your favorite group, or use it to discover some
new ones! Browse the local events, grab the family, and get out and
enjoy some Bluegrass!
LOCAL VENUES
Your Local Favorites

Visit the websites of your favorite
Local Band for information &
Appearance Schedules

To submit the website of a local favorite,
Click here
Links
Back Yard Bluegrass
New CD Release!
Church Hill Master Luthier Audey Ratliff Releases First CD
"Piece of Cake"

Dream Walk Productions is pleased to announce the release of the exciting new CD by
award winning mandolinist and world reknown luthier Audey Ratliff.   Mr. Ratliff's
mandolin virtuosity and singing abilities make this a must have recording for music
enthusiasts and, especially for mandolin players of all genres.

The CD is produced by long-time lead guitar player for Dr. Ralph Stanley, James Shelton,
who is featured on several of the CD's songs.  

Songs include: Oh Lonesome Me, Early Morning Rain, Sleepy Eyed John, John Dig a Hole,
Carolyn's Concerto, Twinkle Little Star, Raised by the RR line, Cactus Polka, Pretty Little
Miss, Heartland, Foggy Mtn Special, Goodbye & So Long to You, Piece of Cake and Never
on a Sunday.
Joining Audey on the CD, in addition to James Shelton, is fiddling sensation, Fall Creek Band's Savannah Vaughn and veteran guitar player and
Highway 11 band member, John Malayter.

An exciting blend of traditional and diverse tunes, the CD flows through such tunes as a traditional "Sleepy Eyed John" , a rousing rendition of
"Foggy Mtn Special, a mournful "John Dig a Hole", the latin flavored "Never on a Sunday", an absolutely stunning version of the longtime
favorite "Early morning Rain" and 9 other equally powerful performances.  

The CD is initially offered through select music dealers and through Ratliff's web-site.  The web-site address for purchase is

www.ratliffmandolins.com or
www.ratliffmandolins.com/orderform.html
Web Hostess Note:
Read more about one of our Region's finest, most
talented musicians and craftsmen in this
Meet
Audey Ratliff
Biography
     Most any Saturday night on a trip down Interstate 81 the eye catches the bright lights in the night sky at Exit 23.  Just off the exit
sits Phyllis and Joe Loven's Volunteer Speedway, a long time fan favorite for Dirt Track racing in Tennessee. The bright lights
you'll see  illuminate the fast paced Late Model Crate and Sprint car racing events for the fans, but on Friday, September 5th, they
will illuminate the First Annual "Pickin' in the Gap" Bluegrass Show. Featured in this inaugural show are Cody Shuler and Pine
Mountain Railroad, North Carolina based Balsam Range, the sisters of Alexandria Virginia's group Gold Heart, and Johnny Greer,
Frank Elliot, John Malayter and Mark Marshall who make up the local favorite, Highway 11.

"Pickin in the Gap" has been a long anticipated event for Volunteer Speedway. The facility is a perfect venue for this super show
with it's spacious grounds and many fan-acomodating facilities. There is already an event in the planning stages for 2009, which
will bring every Bluegrass Fan's three day dream weekend. Jim Meade, Marketing Director for Volunteer Speedway says the 2009
show will be comparable to none in the entire Southeastern United States with the Nationally known acts that are in negotiation at
this time.  

Ticket Information is available through Volunteer Speedway, or by calling 423.235.5020. Check out the websites
for the scheduled groups for Biographies and Appearance Schedules.

www.pinemountainrailroad.com        www.goldheartbluegrass.com      www.highway11blugrass.com

                              www.balsamrange.com    www.volunteerspeedway.com            
Get up close and personal with Dr. Ralph
Stanley's lead guitarist, and  area native
James Alan Shelton
There's a New Kid in Town...
(or, KIDS, rather)
     In March of 2008 when LocalGrass was born, I wanted it to be a one-stop site
where I could give show schedules, and mention any new happenings, and various
things like that for other "GrassHeads" like myself. Along the way, I've seen some pretty
good stuff here in our corner of the world, and get contacted from time to time by folks
inquiring about having their information listed on the site. Week before last, I had an
email in the Inbox from Mr. Harold Wolfe, saying that someone had given him my card
at the Jonesborough Days celebration, and he said he had a group of kids who played
Bluegrass, called (cute enough) The Bluegrass Rugrats. We touched base a few
times about their schedule, and where I could go see these fine young folks, and he let
me know they were going to be at Bellamy Hardware this month playing the "Half TIme
Show" (pretty appropriate..Half-time..Half-pint...oh stop smirking, you know that's cute!
Johnny Greer must have had something to do with all that!) I went to see the Rugrats,
and am just proud as can be to share them on LocalGrass.
Top Left- Nathan Aquino, Top Right-Wesley Wolfe, Lower Left-Kayley Thomas,
Lower Right-John Harvey.
The Rugrats were very well received by the crowd at Bellamy, and got rousing rounds of applause after each song.  Each of the
members of the group are music students of Tommy Freeman and G.C. Matlock (Tennessee Skyline), and their talent leaps
beyond their years.  The group has played at Netherland Inn, at the Jonesborough Days Celebration, Horton's Store in Hancock
County, and have played several private events. Mr. Wolfe told me that the Rugrats have been together about a month, but with talent
this great, it's surely just the beginning of BIG (make that HUGE!) things to come! If you have opportunity to get to an appearance of
these fine young folks, be sure to go.  As soon as a formed schedule is available, I will post it on LocalGrass.

Be sure to check out the YouTube feature of the Rugrats below. John Harvey does a great job belting out the Folsom Prison Blues
in this video.  In true charming Bellamy Hardware experience, just as a reference to 'hear that whistle blownin' I hang my head and
cry",  the train comes through, right on time!

If you would like more information on the Rugrats, contact their manager, Mr. Harold Wolfe at hwpaint114@aol.com
Award-winning fiddler
Bobby Hicks Celebrates his
75th Birthday at
Marshall High Studios in
Marshall, North Carolina
Watch some of the Birthday Jam
on YouTube