A Special Evening with David Grier
November 24, 2021 at 7:30p

University Park United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall
4024 Caruth Boulevard, Dallas, Texas  75225

A nice crowd joined us for a special show with David Grier on Tuesday night, Nov. 24, 2021.  David provided an entertaining evening of amazing guitar work, vocals, and stories from the road.

Grier began playing guitar at age six and is now regarded as one of the premier acoustic guitarists in the world, along with his early influences – Doc Watson, Tony Rice, and family friend Clarence White.  He was ecognized by Acoustic Guitar Magazine in 2000 as one of the Artists of the Decade and has been named Guitar Player of the Year three times by the International Bluegrass Music Association.

Bluegrass Saturday Night – Nov. 13 2021
  Featuring Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

McKinney Performing Arts Center
111 N. Tennessee Street, McKinney, Texas  75069

A sold-out crowd was on hand for our Bluegrass Saturday Night 2021 in historic downtown McKinney Texas, the final performance ever in Texas by GRAMMY-nominated Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.  Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame member Doyle Lawson is one of the most important architects of the bluegrass genre. Highly awarded and recognized over the course of his impressive 58-year career, Lawson is one of the most respected and revered performers in bluegrass music. 

Many consider Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver as the “Ivy League” of bluegrass, with Lawson as the dean of students; no other band leader has mentored more musicians who have gone on to become major players in the bluegrass industry and beyond.  His show included a varied array of many important tunes from his Quicksilver years. 

Opening the show for Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver were the “At The Very Least” banjo brothers The Gerald Jones and Alan Tompkins, who provided a quick twin-banjo opening for the capacity crowd.  Pictures from the show are in our Special Events Photo Gallery.  This event was funded in part by a grant from the City of McKinney Arts Commission, with thanks from the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation.  Photos courtesy of Julie Tucker, Alan Tompkins, and Kitty Antonsen.

Bluegrass Saturday Night – Nov. 16 2019
  Featuring Kenny & Amanda Smith Band and Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Bluegrass Band
    with special guest Downtown String Band

McKinney Performing Arts Center
111 N. Tennessee Street, McKinney, Texas  75069

A great crowd was on hand for our Bluegrass Saturday Night in historic downtown McKinney Texas.  The show featured the GRAMMY-nominated Kenny & Amanda Smith Band and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Bluegrass Band, along with special guest Downtown String Band.  Pictures from the show are in our Special Events Photo Gallery.  This event was funded in part by a grant from the City of McKinney Arts Commission, with thanks from the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation.

Winners of the IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year award, the Kenny & Amanda Smith Band combines gutsy, heartfelt vocals and brilliant instrumental talents to create one of the most compelling sounds in bluegrass music today.  Kenny, a two-time IBMA Guitarist of the Year, is considered one of the most influential flatpicking-style guitarists of his generation.  Amanda is a winner of the IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year award and delivers some of the most soulful vocals in bluegrass today.

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Bluegrass Band offered amazing musicianship and vocals on innovative bluegrass interpretations of Beatles songs like Eleanor Rigby, Come Together, Back in the USSR, Blackbird, and more.  The Downtown String Band highlighted the bluegrass and traditional music of Gerald Jones, Mike Jump, Michael Morrison, and Alan Tompkins.  

About McKinney Performing Arts Center

This was the third production by the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation at the McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC), the multi-purpose theater in the historic Collin County Courthouse.  MPAC is the center of the McKinney, Texas historic district and is surrounded by a variety of restaurants and boutiques.

Wylie Jubilee – Bluegrass on Ballard – June 29 2019

Wylie Olde City Park, 112 S. Ballard Ave., Wylie, Texas  75098

This year was our SEVENTH big year for the Wylie Jubilee – Bluegrass on Ballard and it was a great day of music happening on the big stage in Olde City Park in historic downtown Wylie, Texas.  A great crowd was building early in the day until we were interrupted by a large thunderstorm that shut things down on the main stage from about 4:30p-7:30p.  Fortunately, many folks stuck around under the tents in the park and got to enjoy a short acoustic set by Breaking Grass under the tents, with more Breaking Grass on the main stage, and a big finale by Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Bluegrass Band on the big stage!  It was a great day of food, fun, live bluegrass music, a spectacular car show, and more – all free of charge.  Check our photo gallery for great event photos.

The musical lineup included Breaking Grass, Texas & Tennessee, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Bluegrass Band, Salt Creek, Bobby Giles & Texas Gales, and the Herrins Bluegrass Band.

This event was made possible by Wylie Downtown Merchants Association, City of Wylie, North Texas Equestrian Center, the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation, and many other fine sponsors.  Photos by Craig Kelly and Nathaniel Dalzell.