Jamboree Weekend at the Harvester
06.30.23 & 07.01.2023 - As a long-term resident of Cannon and DeKalb Counties, and fond memories of 50+ years of sporadically attending, jamming (never competing), watching, and listening to the “goings on”, I believe the “winds of change” were more evident during this year of this beloved annual event than ever before which has always, in my mind, been a reflection of “preserving what was good about the good old days and music, while moving forward with good intent” to nurture music, dancing, food, culture, spiritual, and patriotic (non-partisan, please) factors to our kids that make us who we are.
I had the honor of knowing Mr. Bobo Driver, and was aware of his recruiting the best young musicians and dancers and encouraging them to come perform at the Fiddlers’ Jamboree - I knew through my dealings with him that he embraced the “ole times”, but he and his compadres definitely had an eye out for what’s new and different on the horizon…and, therein lies a story that spans (50+ years!), and that series is STILL running:
This year’s 52nd Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree Bobo Driver Blue Blaze Award Winner for 2023 is none other than East Nash Grass – who, coincidentally have been long-term buddies with Bert Driver (grandson of Mr. Bobo). East Nash Grass has played in various iterations at the Burlap Room for years now, and played the 2nd Annual Jambo Eve on Thursday, June 29, to a standing ovation at the Harvester.
East Nash Grass brought their tempest of appalachian music to the Harvester and swept in a new change for both the Jamboree and ENG themselves who are now crisscrossing the country spreading the gospel of how good Bluegrass…the very Progneror of Americana now interpreted around the globe with new vigor and old school groove…touches the soul and we all witnessed a performance for the ages…they’re one “right song” away from being huge international stars, and we KNOW these folks, folks! They readily admit they are “products of the Fiddlers’ Jamboree”!
“Winds of change” blew all that together and put us all “right here, right now” to use Austin Grimm’s onstage mantra. Here’s a prime example of change: Billy Kaufman, proprietor of Short Mountain Distillery visited us at the Harvester on Thursday evening’s Jambo Eve, and held one of his infamous “tastings” featuring new SMD products in the Yella Dog Lounge, much to the delight of the early Jambo Eve attendees! Distillery??!!
Winds of change were also evident in the challenges facing the new President of the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree Association, Mrs. Kim Luton, with major key factors requiring her attention within a very short time frame prior to the event. Kudos to Kim, who did an outstanding job making the hard decisions that will ultimately enhance and grow this unique event we have been blessed with to its true positive potential (world-wide).
Winds of change, continued…when I was standing under that shade tree on the west side of the courthouse fifty years ago, sweatin’, trying to keep up with some hornpipe song I’d never heard before, if one of y’all had cornered me blabberin’ about there’s gonna be this place one block off the square where we could go sit down in air conditioning and perhaps indulge in a legal adult beverage, have a bite to eat, and watch the onstage proceedings on a big screen, I would have reported that dude as being a danger to himself or me…and yet, here we are: The Harvester Event Center had a steady flow of guests both Friday and Saturday. The DTC Communication’s live stream was playing on two big screens, YaYa’s Food Truck provided the festival fare. The Harvester was the ideal spot for people whose idea of roughing it is a Hyatt Regency with no 24-hour room service. Disclaimer: Air Conditioning was a BIG draw! FYI, the administration and proceeds from Harvester parking lots were turned over to the DeKalb County High School Fighting Tigers Soccer Team. Great job, team - go get ‘em!
As the rain lifted for the second time of the event, East Nash Grass took the stage for their shortened Blue Blaze segment of the night. What was originally planned as a one hour set around 5pm changed to a two song performance at 9:55pm. Although a shortened segment, East Nash Grass wound up taking us all for a ride on what is clearly a finely honed team of bluegrass assassins…the range, the writing, the energy that results in a creative fire that propels them all be that Tempest of Sound that they are - an exhilarating and heartfelt sound that wraps your heart and soul into a natural vibe that makes us all feel something that is deep down in us, this land we live in, the blessed water and trees that inspires us comes through the roots music of the South. For that we say ‘thank you music’ for giving us an outlet and thank you Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree for bringing us all together for what has become a breeding ground of talent and creativity. Thank you all again for coming to visit us over the weekend. Look for the upcoming show with Alysha Nyx and the What Notz on Friday, July 28, and remember that you, too, can rent The Harvester for your events - we can host just about any event you can dream up from weddings and receptions, birthdays and anniversaries, showers and retirement parties, to getting together just because!
So, another Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree is in the books. Thanks for being a part of the event that brings us all together - can’t wait till next year!! Oh, almost forgot… “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.”- William Arthur Ward
Up next…Alysha Nix and the Whatnotz along with Lauren Gottshall (another young talent that was part of the Harvester’s 2023 TN Songwriters Qualifying Round) on Friday, July 28, and then we’ll head back to the Burlap Room on Saturday, 8/12, for our fifth annual Hemp Fest with LadyCouch. All the details for upcoming events at burlaproom.eventbrite.com. Stay up-to-date with all the events in the Bert Driver Network (Nursery, Burlap Room, and the Harvester) by signing up for our Burlapper Newsletter - released every other Tuesday morning straight to your inbox!
