An abundance of bluegrass entertainment will be served up on Friday, Oct. 6, and Saturday, Oct. 7, during the 11th annual 3 Sisters Music Festival, hosted by Fletcher Bright Realty. Held at Ross’ Landing, this free, one-of-a-kind event features top names in contemporary and traditional bluegrass.
The schedule begins on Friday at 6:00 p.m. with music by local bluegrass favorites and festival hosts The Dismembered Tennesseans, followed by The Stray Birds at 6:50, the Jeff Austin Band (a mandolinist and singer best known for being a part of the Yonder Mountain String Band) at 8:10, and, Del McCoury to end the night with a set beginning at 9:30 p.m.
For 50 years, the music of Del McCoury has defined authenticity for hard core bluegrass fans as well as a growing number of fans among those only vaguely familiar with the genre.
According to Vince Gill, “Del has done a great job of bringing new songs into the fold, but when he sings them they sound like 1959 or 1962 again. It still has the element of his voice, and the authenticity of it never goes away, never changes. And even after doing it for fifty years, he’s at the top of everybody’s list of what’s going on today with bluegrass.”
On Saturday, beginning at noon, local band The Lone Mountain Band will kick off a full day of bluegrass entertainment as the 3 Sisters Festival continues. Bluetastic Fangrass will take the stage at 1:00 p.m., followed by Hamilton County Ramblers at 2:00 p.m., Berklee College of Music Fiddlers at 3:00 p.m., Molly Tuttle Band at 4:00 p.m., Bryan Sutton at 5:30 p.m., the Kruger Brothers at 7:00 p.m., and Sam Bush, providing the final set of the 3 Sisters Music Festival on Saturday beginning at 8:30 p.m.
The Father of Newgrass and the King of Telluride, Sam Bush has long since established himself as roots royalty, revered for both his solo and sideman work, which includes time with Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, and Béla Fleck. But instead of kicking back and soaking up honors such as an Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award and suite of Grammys and International Bluegrass Music Association trophies, Bush still strives relentlessly to create something new.
3 Sisters merchandise and performer merchandise will be available for sale on site. Food from a variety of local food trucks, beer, wine, whiskey and non-alcoholic drink concessions will also be available. The public is invited to bring lawn chairs and blankets, however no outside food or beverages are allowed.
This event is sponsored by Fletcher Bright Realty and the City of Chattanooga and produced by Chattanooga Presents! For more information, and to hear samples of all the groups, visit www.3SistersBluegrass.com or call 423-265-0771.