Story: Luke Brogden
Good photos: Bill Foster
Bad photos: Luke Brogden
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Well, folks, that’s a wrap on the 20th anniversary installment of the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion. The festival is so aptly named-especially the ‘reunion’ part. Many old friends caught up, reminisced and made new memories in what’s become an annual roots homecoming of sorts, which explains why it was so difficult for anyone who pushed for the festival to stay the course to imagine a year without it.
Our BLANK family had an especially poignant moment when Thrift Store Cowboys singer Daniel Fluitt proposed just offstage, mid-set, to longtime partner Jess Hale. The two of them met 10 years ago at the festival, fell for each other quickly and worked together in various music industry capacities for years. They now make up Tomahawk Booking, a boutique talent-buying and event production company that has worked often with BLANK on our festival logistics over the years in addition to being cultural fixtures on the regional, occasionally national scene. We’re so happy for them as they embark on their next chapter.
But first, let’s close this chapter with a recap of our favorite action on a sunny early autumn Sunday when dozens of bands just were not done bringing the roots rock yet and served it up in hefty doses to the still healthy crowd.
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Thrift Store Cowboys- 7th Street Stage. The Thrift Store Cowboys’ longtime core unit is guitarist/singer Dan Fluitt and drummer Kris Killingsworth, who made their way to settle in Knoxville over the past several years. But the band has some killer collaborators like Texas songwriter Daniel Markham, and in the first surprise turn of the set, perrenial festival favorite Sam Quinn of the everybodyfields’ and The Black Lillies on bass. They played hard-driving indie-inflected alt-country rock with Markham’s deft and playful lead style adding a bouncy indie charm. Killingsworth and Fluitt hit the changes like they were born knowing them. And then there was this:
Early James -Sixth Street Stage. Spooky Halloween-style indie rockabilly. Fun psychedelic country outfits and eccentric, wry chatter between songs made this a secret treasure set of the weekend.
Son Little – State Street Stage. Excellent groovy funk and jazz-infused blues rock with an explicit message – the keyboardist wore a BLM t-shirt on stage and the band played a fiery cover of “Strange Fruit.”
Virginia Ground- Machiavelli’s Stage. Jamen Denton and company have been a staple of the regional roots world for half their lifetime-in fact, he has a son Noah, who is now old enough to hold down the low end for the group, and indighost singer Randi Lynn Denton, Noah’s proud mother, was spotted stage-side cheering him on. The group’s jammy, ebullient, jazz-inflected folk-rock was elevated further with festival favorite Dave Eggar guesting on cello.
Time Sawyer- Lauderdale Stage. Time Sawyer play impeccable jam-grass that would make the Infamous Stringdusters and Yonder Mountain String Band proud.
Charlie Crockett- Piedmont Stage. We’re not saying Crockett and his band SOUND anything like Bob Will and his Texas Playboys but their flair and penchant for fun-time feels was infectious and had the tired crowd perking up once more.
Mama Molasses
Rhonda Vincent- Country Music Mural Stage. You just don’t drive around in a bus like this unless you are something special, and Rhonda Vincent is most certainly that. Absolutely tight and pitch-perfect, she and her harmony singers crooned gentle and sweet over real pure gospel and bluegrass, helping keep the Country Music Mural Stage’s rep as the best place for grass.
Fritz and Company-Borderline Billiards. Logan Fritz, onetime member of VA Ground, tours the region these days with his crack squad of alt-country rockers. His joyful swagger harkens back to classic rock frontmen of old.
We enjoyed sharing the music with you, Bristol. See you next time! Love, BLANK.
