FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 12, 2009

WANTED:  (Alive Only)  Bluegrass and Old Time Music Fans

Contact: Vickie Hensley King, contest coordinator
(828) 628-5828

FLETCHER—There’s mountain music competition coming to the 2009 NC Mountain State Fair, and contest coordinator Vickie Hensley King has hung out the “Wanted” sign. King, who serves as “Sherriff” for the Bluegrass and Old Time Band competitions at the fair has filled the competition roster in each category for bands wanting the chance to earn $500 and the right to open for The Travelin McCourys and Tony Rice. But she’s still hunting for bluegrass and old time music fans.

“We’ve got this great Mountain Music Stage at the WNC Ag Center where we host the competition, and we’ve heard some great bands play on that stage over the years,” says King. “We’ve had bands that used their win here to get their foot in the door for national recording contracts.”
Bands will perform along with clogging groups on most nights, and it’s not unusual to see the same faces in the crowd each evening. “We’ve got folks who come to the fair and bring their lawn chairs and sit and enjoy the music every night,” she says.

Bluegrass and Old Time bands will compete in each category for $500 in first prize money, $300 for second and $100 for third. Individual musicians will also be judged within the bands and cash awards will be presented to 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.

The Mountain Heritage Stage is located in the Heritage Circle Area of the Mountain State Fair, and performances and competitions will begin at seven each evening and wrap-up around nine. There will be no performances from that stage the final evening of the fair when the winning bands will join the headlining acts in the big show in McGough Arena.

A special Thursday night bluegrass jam will move from the Hyatt’s home on Brevard Road to the fairgrounds on Thursday, Sept. 17 to pay tribute to the Hyatt family.

More information on these competitions is available in the 2009 NC Mountain State Fair Premium Book, available on-line at www.mountainfair.org or in limited quantities at the WNC Ag Center and WNC Farmers Market.

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