Paul Williams

Hard Driving Grass

Randy Waller and The Country Gentlemen

Audie Blaylock

For the past few years, FiddleFest has been overshadowed. The huge shadow was called FloydFest.

Since at least 2005, both events have happened on the same weekend. While FiddleFest has focused mostly on bluegrass music, FloydFest has brought in bluegrass greats along with other world and roots music styles. Year after year, FloydFest drew the bigger crowds.

Finally FiddleFest gets its own weekend, July 31-Aug. 1, a week later than usual. That's just in time for what its organizer, Mike Conner, said is its best lineup yet.

"We were very, very pleased to get in line early for Tony Rice and Mountain Heart," Conner said.

Rice, a genius of a guitar picker, is no longer able to sing because of an unspecified vocal disorder. Mountain Heart singer/rhythm guitarist/pianist Josh Shilling -- a Martinsville-area native who lived for years in Roanoke -- has been picking up that torch since the acts began touring together earlier this year.

"I think what's cool is we're trying to do songs that he hasn't really gotten to do a lot, especially since he was singing when the songs came out," Shilling said of Rice during an interview at this year's MerleFest. "We're doing a lot of the songs like 'Me and My Guitar' and even 'Cold on the Shoulder' and 'Manzanita' and all the really good cuts that he just hasn't played out very much. ... It's all Rice. It's not like we're just having him sit in. ... We're definitely trying to do it as close to the record as possible."

Mountain Heart fiddler Jim VanCleve added: "What really makes it fun is when we're doing that very thing right there, and you can see him get fired up about it. And he'll lean that shoulder in, and that guitar sounds like a cannon going off. ... Every day, I'd do it if I could."

The combo will play two sets on Aug. 1 -- a short, 3:30 p.m. set inside Babcock Auditorium, then an 8 p.m. outdoor show at the Tinker Beach Stage.

Shilling, VanCleve, banjo man/bandleader Barry Abernathy, guitarist Clay Jones and mandolin player Aaron Ramsey will also take part in workshops that afternoon.

They won't be the only bluegrass stars on hand for concerts and clinics:

l Straight-ahead 'grassers Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice have been atop the Bluegrass Unlimited chart this year with "Blue Side of the Blue Ridge."

l Audie Blaylock and Redline made big noise on many bluegrass charts with their self-titled disc, and were one of the International Bluegrass Music Association's showcase artists this year.

l Herschel Sizemore, of the Roanoke Valley by way of Alabama, has been a fixture at FiddleFest -- for good reason. His fluid, melodic mandolin style is something to hear.

l Randy Waller and the Country Gentlemen are on the bill. Waller's father, Charlie Waller, fronted the act at the inaugural FiddleFest in 2003. It will be the band's first appearance here since Charlie Waller died.

Conner, the organizer, said 2,900 people showed up for last year's festival, and attendance grows by at least 400 a year. With reduced roots music competition and a stellar lineup, he hopes to make it even bigger. Tickets run no higher than $50 for both days, with camping included.

"In my mind at least," Conner said, "you'd be hard pressed to find a festival with this level of talent over the course of a couple of days, for this kind of money."

Ticket prices

• 2-day advance ticket, purchased before July 31: $45 (includes camping)
• 2-day ticket, purchased at the gate: $50 (includes camping)
• Single Day pass, purchased before July 31: $20 per day
• Single Day pass, purchased at the gate: $25 per day
• Evening concert tickets, purchased before July 31: $12 per show
• Evening concert tickets, purchased at the gate: $15 per show
• Evening concert tickets allow the holder entry to evening concerts only.
• Call 777-1418 for ticket info.

Schedule of events: July 31

Workshops and roundtables

10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Banjo workshop, Rathskeller: Evan Ward, Jerry Keys, Lynwood Lunsford, Richard Scaggs and Mark Delaney
• Mandolin workshop, Wrobel Dining Room: Jason Johnson, Tommy Sells, Spencer Blankenship and Dave Kirk
• Guitar workshop, Janney Lounge: Dan Moneyhun, Dewey Peters and Randy Waller
• Fiddle workshop, Goodwin PDR: Patrick McAvinue and Jeff Michael
• Vocal workshop, Mary Rowlands Meeting Room: Paul Williams, Adam Winstead, Audie Blaylock, Matt Wallace, Johnny Williams, Teresa Sells, Glenn Scaggs and Roger Handy
• Dobro workshop, Main Cafeteria: Harold East

Jam Sessions

• 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.: The Rathskeller: “Up Close with Randy Waller and The Country Gentlemen”
• 2:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.: Pro Jam, Babcock Auditorium: Paul Williams and The Victory Trio, Audie Blaylock and Redline, Big Country Bluegrass, Southern Depot, and Sandy Ridge

Concerts

Tinker Beach Stage

• 6 p.m.: Southern Depot
• 7 p.m.: Paul Williams and The Victory Trio
• 8 p.m.: Randy Waller and The Country Gentlemen
• 9 p.m.: Audie Blaylock and Redline
• 10 p.m.: Big Country Bluegrass
• 11 p.m.: Sandy Ridge

Schedule of events: Aug. 1

Workshops and roundtables

10 p.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Banjo workshop, in the Rathskeller: Marc Pruett, Barry Abernathy, Richard Scaggs, Justin Jenkins, Darrell Wilkerson and Jerry Keys
• Mandolin workshop, in Wrobel Dining Room: Herschel Sizemore, Darren Nicholson, Aaron Ramsey and Spencer Blankenship
• Guitar workshop, in the Janney Lounge: Caleb Smith, Clay Jones, Chris West and John Miller
• Fiddle workshop, in Goodwin PDR: Buddy Melton, Jim VanCleve and Billy Hawks
• Vocal workshop, in Mary Rowlands reading room: Josh Shilling, Paul Williams, Glenn Scaggs, Keith Garrett, Junior Sisk, Timmy Massey and Dan Moneyhun

Mini Concerts

Babcock Auditorium

• 1:30 p.m.: Hard Driving Grass
• 2 p.m.: Paul Williams and The Victory Trio
• 2:30 p.m.: Sandy Ridge
• 3:30 p.m.: Mountain Heart with Tony Rice
• 4:30 p.m.: Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice
• 5:00 p.m.: Blue Moon Rising

Concerts

Tinker Beach Stage

• 6:30 p.m.: Paul Williams and The Victory Trio
• 7:15 p.m.: Blue Moon Rising
• 8:00 p.m.: Mountain Heart with Tony Rice
• 9:30 p.m.: Balsam Range
• 10:15 p.m.: Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice
• 11 p.m.: Sandy Ridge