Great Bluegrass Music Festival in Macon, MO

 Welcome back!  Been a while since I have written.  For our first outing (not counting drives to doctors) since Phyllis' knee surgery, we went to Macon, MO last Tuesday.  About a three and a half hour drive from here with our trailer; arrived in Macon at noon to eat a bite at Hardees in town and then went the mile or so south of town to Macon County Fair Grounds.  A lot of people had come early and not too many spaces still available in the regular campground.  They were starting to put them on the grass area away from the buildings where the music was to be performed.

Our site.  Tuesday afternoon, after setting up, we didn't do much.  On Wednesday evening we listened to several people jamming.  One group around some trailers, and one group at stage #3.

CLICK HERE for Walter Matthau on #1 & #2

The Festival ran from 10 am each day until 10 pm, with three stages running all the time for three full days.  We spent a lot of time with a lot of shows.  Among our favorites were Terry Smith, the Baker Family, Duke Mason, Mike Hughes, Mike & Tesa Hildenbrand, Big John & Connie, Jacob Austin Band, Josh Daniels, Vance Monday backing up many performances on his Pedal Steel Guitar.

 Duke Mason put on several hours of entertainment.  He is so full of energy and can sing anything.  Delightful fellow.  We have heard him in Texas and also last year at Macon.

Vance Monday on the Pedal Steel Guitar has to be one of the best in the country.  He accompanied all of Duke Mason's performances as well as many others. He is from Chillicothe, MO.

Duke performing with Terry Durr on the drums and David  Elifrits on guitar.

Enjoyed many hours of The Baker Family.  We have seen them many places, including in the Rio Grande Valley.  They are scheduled to be at Kenwood in January.  They chat very little between songs and play, play, play.  The little gal, Corina, has a terrific voice.  They boys do well, also.

Of course, Terry Smith, from Nashville

is one of our favorites.  Have followed

him for years and he has been in

Texas, though not for the last few

years.

Terry Smith

Tesa and Mike

Hildenbrand from

here in Southwest

Iowa with Mike

Hughes accompanying them.

Mike Hughes, from Oregon, MO had many performances of his own and backed several other performers.  Here his sister, from Albany, MO sang one number with him.

Jacob Austin has really long hair, wears a neck collar, rings on ten fingers, arm bans; but

plays a mean mandolin and sings

a variety of songs.  He is

accompanied by his mom & dad. 

We had weak cell phone signals--none inside the buildings--and not enough signal to use the phone for a hot-spot to power the computer to write up a blog.  Could only get 4 channels on over-the-air TV, PBS channels, but we didn't spend much time trying to watch TV.

Until next time, Lynn