Yearly bluegrass festival returning to Guthrie
Famed Oklahoma fiddler Byron Berline, founder and president of the Oklahoma Internationa Bluegrass Festival. (The Oklahoman Archives photo)
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Guthrie fest lines up top musicians
GUTHRIE – Famed fiddler Byron Berline will be sawing happily away next week, when the 12th annual Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival brings thousands of likeminded lovers of acoustic music to his town.
The festival is Thursday through Oct. 4 in a pecan grove on Cottonwood Creek near downtown Guthrie. Not only is Berline scheduled to play all three days of the event with his Byron Berline Band, he also will see the festival is running smoothly as its founder and president.
“I’m going to be busy,” he said. “It’s real quality entertainment what we’ve got. I think people will really enjoy it, and it’s a good variety of music.”
The top draws at this year’s festival include Grammy-winning guitarist Mason Williams, who grew up in Oklahoma City; “The String Wizard” John McEuen, founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt band; and singer Claire Lynch, who is nominated for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s female vocalist of the year. Another highlight will be Berline’s reunion with his buddies of the bluegrass band California.
Several of this year’s performers will appear at the festival for the first time, including Cajun fiddler Frenchie Burke, New York bluegrass players the Gibson Brothers and Irish acoustic group the David Munnelly Band.
Oklahoma City acoustic guitarist Edgar Cruz will make his festival debut Thursday; other Oklahoma performers in the lineup are the Red Dirt Rangers, Hunt Family Band and Rockin’ Acoustic Circus.
In addition, Oklahoma musicians will perform a tribute to Stillwater singer-songwriter Bob Childers at 2 p.m. Oct. 4 at the festival’s Cottonwood Creek Stage. Childers, known as “the godfather of Red Dirt music,” died in April.
The event also will include an open mike, children’s activities, random band jam, merchandise tent and musicians’ workshops.
Many of the performers will play Oct. 5 in a golf tournament to raise money for the nonprofit festival.
The festival typically draws about 3,000 visitors a day, and Berline believes it’s growing, especially in the number of campers it attracts.
“There’s a lot of people that come every year that wouldn’t miss it,” he said.
“Camping’s really neat there; it’s close to the festival grounds. After hours, that’s where the fun is, to go out in the campgrounds, and people bring their own instruments and play and cook out and have a good time.”
WANT TO GO?
What: 12th annual Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival
When: Activities begin at 9 a.m. Thursday and Oct. 3 and 10 a.m. Oct. 4
Where: Festival grounds on Cottonwood Creek, State Highway 33 at U.S. 77, Guthrie
Admission: Advance tickets are $25 for Thursday, $30 for Oct. 3, $35 for Oct. 4 and $65 for three-day pass. Tickets at the gate are $30 for Thursday, $40 for Oct. 3 or 4 and $80 for a three-day pass.
Information: Call 282-4446 or go online to www.oibf.com
-BAM
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