Hard to believe it's been 35 years since Bill Monroe first persuaded a pack of young lovers of Appalachian roots that there is nothing they would rather do with their Labor Day weekend than put on a festival. And longer still since Bill and Ralph (that's Dr. Stanley, to you) began pestering the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music to produce it.

John Lupton, president of that organization, takes up the thread: "It's been gratifying that we've been able to be successful for this long, when the typical lifespan for a festival — especially bluegrass festivals — rarely seems to be more than five years or so. Of course, 'successful' can be a relative term. There have been times when we've barely scraped by, but still, it's amazing to look around and realize that we're one of the oldest bluegrass festivals in the world. I'm not sure I want to still be doing this 30 years from now, when I'm in my 80s, but it would be nice to be around for our 50th."

Undoubtedly, part of the festival's repeated success is their dogged insistence on variety. Del McCoury, who once worked with Monroe and Dan Paisley, represents bluegrass as it was in the very beginning. Riders in the Sky? Think of Sons of the Pioneers as done by Cowboy Bob. Marty Raybon is another Skaggs-esque prodigal son, returned to the bluegrass fold with a vengeance. Claire Lynch's (pictured) singing has that fragile edge that underscores lyrics with finesse. Larry Sparks is the man to see for soulful vocals. It's not all sitting at this festival, either. The Red Stick Ramblers are one of the liveliest dance bands around. Red Stick refers to their hometown, Baton Rouge, and their repertoire reflects the many influences that converge there, with Cajun and Western swing especially heavy in the mix.