10th Annual Festival Set For
July 13 & 14
Andy Owens will host
a Songwriters Showcase at the 10th Annual MusicFest
‘N Sugar Grove on Saturday, July 14th at
the historic Cove Creek High School in Watauga
County.
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Jim Lauderdale will
lend his expertise to aspiring songwriters at
this summer’s 10th Annual MusicFest ‘N
Sugar Grove.
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By Jeff Eason
Each year the annual MusicFest ‘N Sugar Grove finds
new ways to give local musicians a chance to participate
in the two-day music festival. Jamming areas and instrument
workshops have been added to the festival over the past
few years to give musicians a “hands on” experience.
This week it was announced that the 2007 MusicFest ‘N
Sugar Grove would feature a Songwriters’ Showcase on
Saturday of the festival.
“Given the number of extremely talented songwriters
in our area, MusicFest ‘N Sugar Grove realized the
need to celebrate this integral part of our mountain music
heritage,” said Edith Hinson, spokesperson and publicist
for the festival.
“This year’s tenth annual MusicFest, therefore,
will be featuring a Songwriters’ Showcase for local
talent to strut their stuff with bluegrass bigwigs like
Steep Canyon Rangers, the Jim Lauderdale Band and many others.”
Stinson added that internationally acclaimed multi-instrumentalist
Andy Owens would be the host of the Songwriters’ Showcase.
Owens is the former chairperson of the International Bluegrass
Music Association (IBMA). Known for his original songs and
instrumental prowess on the mandolin and other stringed
instruments, Owens has led several bands such as The Andy
Owens Project and Andy Owens and Second Grass. He has also
toured the world many times and regularly performs with
the Czech Republic bluegrass band Druha Trava.
Songwriters who wish to participate in the Songwriters Showcase
should submit their original songs on cassette tape or CD,
along with a lyric sheet to: Sugar Grove Festival, c/o Historic
Cove Creek High School, 207 Dale Adams Road, Sugar Grove,
NC 28679.
Each submission should contain the name of the song (or
songs), name of songwriter, lyric sheet, return address
and phone number.
According to festival organizer Pat Birdsong, the festival
committee will select between 12 and 15 songwriters to perform
during the three hour-long Songwriters’ Showcase. Each
songwriter will perform on stage between five and 20 minutes,
depending on how many songs they are to sing. Andy Owens
and 1-800 Bluegrass will serve as the backing band for the
songwriters.
Selected songwriters will be notified either by telephone
or mail prior to the event.
The 10th Annual MusicFest ‘N Sugar Grove will feature
performances by The Kruger Brothers, Steep Canyon Rangers,
Jim Lauderdale Band, Lost Ridge Band, Andy Owens & 1-800
Bluegrass, Southern Exposure, the Whitworth Band, the Cockman
Family, Amantha Mill, Back Porch Bluegrass, the East Tennessee
State University Bluegrass Band, and the Watauga Mountain
Boys.
Jim Lauderdale, a North Carolina native and MerleFest favorite,
is acting chairman of the annual Chris Austin Songwriting
Contest and can give aspiring songwriters tips on how to
improve their abilities. As a songwriter, Lauderdale has
written songs that have been recorded by The Dixie Chicks,
George Strait, Vince Gill, Mark Chestnut and Patty Loveless.
Tickets
Early Bird Special general admission tickets for the 10th
Annual MusicFest ‘N Sugar Grove are on sale now until
May 31st. Early Bird tickets are $25 per person for both
days of the festival. For tickets or more information, call
(828) 297-2200, or visit www.covecreek.net.
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