Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival

by Mary Armstrong

Bluegrass

Year after year, this summer classic maintains the optimum blend of high-end bluegrass for the connoisseur and variety to entertain the reluctant spouse. Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music were talked into adding a bluegrass festival to their mission better than 30 years ago by none other than Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley. Now the old-time fest is a distant memory, but BFOTM maintains the flame at each bluegrass festival with a few old-time bands like Big Medicine and the New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters.

Also on the schedule this year: April Verch is a charming and dynamic Canadian step-dancing fiddler who favors traditional dance tunes over the MacMaster style of fusion. Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez offer their own songs and Texas fiddling.

People who know bluegrass — musicians and other supporters — join the International Bluegrass Music Association, so an IBMA award is more impressive than a Grammy. Be very impressed by the nominees who'll be appearing at this year's festival. On Saturday, see Del McCoury's band, which has earned nine nominations this year. Blue Highway, playing the same day, is up for six. Also look for the Lynn Morris Band on Sunday and King Wilkie on Friday. Friday's also the day to check out Marty Raybon, formerly with Shenandoah, another country artist who, like Ricky Skaggs and Dolly Parton, has returned to his bluegrass roots with such a vengeance it's hard to imagine why he ever left.

--Mary Armstrong

Fri.-Sun., Sept. 3-5, $35-$70 all-fest pass, $12.50-$30 per day, Salem County Fairgrounds, Rte. 40, Woodstown, N.J., 302-475-3454, www.brandywinefriends.org.