Chattanooga's very own Bryan Blaylock of Hixson playing banjo with the Crowe Brothers at the 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival
3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival
3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival
3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival
Earl Freudenberg and event producer, Carla Prichard
Russell Bean, Brian Blaylock and Ben Cagle
Julie Freudenberg, Pam Barker, Glenda Brow, and the crowd
Although there were a few sprinkles to start this year’s 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival at Ross’s Landing, officials are estimating near record crowds attended the two day event. The 16th annual festival started off Friday with the New Dismembered Tennesseans and concluded with the top bluegrass singer in the country, Rhonda Vincent. Her career has spanned more than four decades. She was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2020 and has received numerous awards. Officials said the rain stopped a short time after the festival started, and as the skies cleared, people poured into the concert area on the river downtown.
The event started Saturday at noon and within a short time Ross’s Landing was full of spectators. Many came to hear the traditional and progressive sounds of bluegrass music while others just people watched.
At mid-afternoon the crowd enjoyed the Crowe Brothers and their banjo player, Brian Blaylock of Hixson. Blaylock started playing string instruments when he was very young and has been playing with the Crowe Brothers for nearly 13 years.
The Soddy Daisy High School graduate was raised in bluegrass music as his late father and mother operated a music shop near Chester Frost Park and taught dozens to play stringed instruments. He’s been featured on the Grand Ole Opry with such famous groups as the Osborne Brothers.
The young Blaylock plays several instruments including the banjo, guitar and mandolin. Blaylock said after today’s performance, “I’ve tried the fiddle but haven’t mastered it yet.”
Other groups included Slocan Ramblers, Kruger Brothers, Lone Mountain Band, Sister Sadie, Tim O’Brien, Michael Cleveland, The Brothers Comatose and Greensky Bluegrass.
The Three Sisters Bluegrass Festival was started in 2007 by the late Fletcher Bright who played fiddle for the Dismembered Tennesseans. Mr. Bright said in an interview he started the free downtown event to honor his three daughters. Bright said the festival is a gift to the city that has been very good to his family through the years. Mr. Bright passed away Dec. 25, 2007.
Event producer Carla Pritchard said this year’s festival drew nearly record breaking crowds both young and old alike. Ms. Pritchard said that is partly due to the ideal weather with clear sunny skies and temperatures in the low to mid 60’s.