Bluegrass festival kicks off 11th year Saturday

• The 11th annual Denison Bluegrass Festival kicks off Saturday in Granville.
• Band of Ruhks, made up of Ronnie Bowman, Don Rigsby and Kenny Smith, will headline the concert.
• For more information about the festival, call 740-587-6220 go to www.denison.edu.

GRANVILLE – Bluegrass music fans might remember Don Rigsby from the October Bluegrass on Main Street concert in downtown Newark.

They’ll get a second chance to see him, along with bluegrass musicians Kenny Smith and Ronnie Bowman, Saturday during the 11th annual Denison Bluegrass Festival.

Rigsby, Smith and Bowman played together in the Lonesome River Band in the 1990s. They recently began performing together in Band of Ruhks.

“All three of them are fantastic vocalists and instrumentalists as well,” said Andy Carlson, chairman of Denison’s music department. “It will be a nice mix of music.”

The festival has been presented in a variety of formats, but this year, most of the events will be held on Saturday, Carlson said.

The music starts at 10 a.m. Saturday with instrument workshops with Rigsby, Smith, Bowman and banjo player John Meyer.

Band of Ruhks will play at 7 p.m. at Swasey Chapel followed by a 9:30 p.m. jam session at Moe’s Original Bar B Que, 128 E. Broadway, Granville. The Wapokoneta-based band New Outlook will perform during the event with Carlson and Denison music professor Casey Cook.

At 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder will perform at The Midland Theatre. The theater invited members of Denison’s bluegrass ensemble and bluegrass seminar to open for Skaggs.

“It’s a big deal for (our students),” Carlson said. “You step out on that stage and it’s a different feeling.”

Carlson originally scheduled bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley as the festival’s Saturday night headliner. But Stanley recently canceled all upcoming appearances for health reasons.

The members of Band of Ruhks were more than willing to help out and perform Saturday.

In the first single on Band of Ruhks’s album upcoming album, the band members sing a song with Stanley. They’ll be able to share some of his music with the audience, even though Stanley won’t be able to attend, Carlson said.

Carlson said he is hoping to reschedule Stanley for a future festival.

Although the schedule has changed, Carlson said he’s looking forward to a weekend full of music that should appeal to bluegrass fans of all ages. All events held at Denison are free and open to the public.

“You can’t beat the price,” Carlson said. “I’m really proud of Denison for continuing to support this.”

Denison successfully partnered with Earthwork Recording Studio in the fall to organize Bluegrass on Main Street. The all-day concert was very well attended and Carlson said he is expecting that momentum to continue for Saturday’s festival.

He’s excited to plan the 12th annual festival in 2016 and is already looking forward to helping out with next Bluegrass on Main Street event.

“Our festival continues to grow and we have plans to expand it much more and we are hoping there is going to be an event in the fall,” he said. “We’ll have even more live bluegrass music right here in Licking County.”

ajeffries@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8544

Twitter: @amsjeffries

Denison Bluegrass Festival Schedule

Saturday

10 a.m.: Banjo workshop with John Meyer, Burke Rehearsal Room, Denison University, 100 W. College St., Granville

11 a.m.: Mandolin workshop with Don Rigsby, Burke Rehearsal Room, Denison University, 100 W. College St., Granville

Noon: Vocal workshop with Ronnie Bowman and Don Rigsby, Burke Rehearsal Room, Denison University, 100 W. College St., Granville

1 p.m.: Guitar workshop with Kenny Smith, Burke Rehearsal Room, Denison University, 100 W. College St., Granville

7 p.m.: Band of Ruhks concert, Swasey Chapel, Denison University, 100 W. College St., Granville

9:30 p.m.: Bluegrass Jam Session led by New Outlook, Andy Carlson and Casey Cook, Moe’s Original Bar B Que, 128 E. Broadway, Granville.

Sunday

7:30 p.m.: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder with the Denison bluegrass ensemble, The Midland Theatre, 36 N. Park Place, Newark

For more information about the festival, call 740-587-6220 or go to www.denison.edu.