THE SAUTEE JAMBOREE LINE-UP

The Mosier Brothers featuring
David Blackmon at 7:15 pm

Twenty-five years ago, Jeff and Johnny Mosier started playing banjo and guitar for fun in church or wherever people needed or wanted to hear bluegrass. As time went on, they developed a repertoire based mostly on the request that they received at parties and picnics. Then in the mid-eighties , they began their connection with WRFG 89.3 in Atlanta as they created and produced "Born in a Barn" a weekly bluegrass radio show featuring a mix of new and old bluegrass recordings as well as live music, interviews and the ever popular "phone festival" - the segment of the program where people could call them and jam with them on the radio live. Jeff says, "Not everybody is lucky enough to play music with their family. Words can't describe how wonderful it is to play music with your on brother." With their tight harmonies and impromptu style of bluegrass, the magic begins with the very first note and always leaves you wanting more.

Bluegrass Alliance at 8:30 pm

Simply listing some of the players who have passed through the Bluegrass Alliance in its various incarnations provides ample evidence of how important this outfit was in the development of bluegrass. Top-flight pickers who have worked in the Bluegrass Alliance include multi-instrumentalist Chuck Nation, mandolinist Sam Bush, flatpicking whiz Dan Crary, rambunctious fiddler Hoot Hester, banjoistsBuddy Spurlock and Courtney Johnson, progressive bluegrass guitarist and bandleader Tony Rice, and even Vince Gill, a bluegrass flatpicker and frontman who eventually went on to carve out a career in country & western music. The band was originally formed by fiddler Lonnie Peerce in the late '60s and within a few years was already busy with gigs at fairs, clubs, festivals, and colleges. The group appeared on the Grand Ole Opry at least a dozen times over the next decade and cut three albums. One of the first groups to be stuck with the gimmicky label of "new grass," the band went on hiatus in the late '70s that, unfortunately for lovers of grass new or blue lasted much longer than anyone intended it to. Peerce had to retire from performing for health reasons and many of the band's former members had too many projects going on their own to worry about a re-formation. For example, four former members, including mandolinist Bush, formed the New Grass Revival, indicating their own fondness for this genre label. Instead, reviving the band became the goal of a young a banjoist named Barry Palmer. Palmer was a fanatic of the original version and had befriended Peerce and his wife when the band was riding high in popularity. He was born in early 1960 in Cleveland, GA, and from an early age had two sets of musical activities going in both bluegrass and a much different style of music, jazz. His strong interest in old-time country and bluegrass music came from his family. Both his grandmother and father had played the vintage two-finger style of banjo. Palmer first started picking banjo at the age of 14, but also learned to play the bass trombone in the high school jazz band, as well as going on to play that instrument professionally with Stan Kenton's band. Already the genre barriers begin melting, as Kenton is one of few jazz artists to have experimented with country & western music, which can at least be considered a kissin' cousin of bluegrass. Palmer went on playing jazz for the next 18 years. During the last part of Peerce's life -- in which he was building fiddles, judging fiddle contests, and coming up with innovative sets of guidelines and rules for these events -- Palmer and he discussed the possibility of a new Bluegrass Alliance which would revive the band's musical repertoire. Because of the young man's obviously sincere dedication, it was decided by Peerce and his wife that Palmer would be allowed to create a new version of the band. It finally came together in October of 1998, almost exactly 30 years after the group was originally formed. The so-called "re-allied" group features Palmer, bassist La Rita Buchanan, frontman and guitarist Johnny Martin, mandolinist Tom Hicks, and one member of the original Bluegrass Alliance group: fiddler, mandolinist, and guitarist Chuck Nation. Another former member, Hoot Hester, also plays with the group on the new record, ironically the first time this player actually got to record with the Bluegrass Alliance, since his contributions in the first stage of the group were never documented on record. In the manner of many an efficient combo, the new version of the band also has a list of alternative players on tap in case of date or other conflicts over individual gigs. Musicians such as fiddlers Randall Collins or David Blackmon and guitarist Scott Morgan are all so-called substitute members of this alliance. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide

Scott Baston & Saint Francis at 10:30 pm

With the fire and spirit of a down home Georgia gospel church on revival Sunday; Saint Francis shows have been known to transport you to a higher musical plain of existence. You will be baptized in a wave of musical influences on tides that run from blues to bluegrass, rock to reggae, world beats to soulful treats. You can safely say there is something for everyone when it comes to the music these gentlemen are producing. With clean soaring vocals , and a highly developed musicianship; Saint Francis has a clear vision of how to get down to the bare emotion of the inner most soul. This musical message enables the players and listeners to become one. You never know who will show up to join in the fun at a Saint Francis show.

Sol Driven Train Kids Parade at 11:30 am

Sol Driven Train is a band in motion. Perpetually piling on and off the bus, the momentum of their hard work and heart-felt music propels the group upward. At shows, the band members bounce to the pulse of the music along with the crowd. Stylistically the band “seamlessly mixes Allmanesque Southern rock, languid world-beat, swampy funk and downright catchy melodies as they swap lead singers and instruments. A punchy horn section adds an extra dimension of sweaty soul to the genre-blurring jam party” (Atlanta Creative Loafing, 11/21/06). All that sweat is paying off for Sol Driven Train. With their honest songwriting and energetic live performances, they are attracting fans devoted to witnessing their musical progression.

Soulhound at 12:15 pm

What is it about Atlanta Georgia’s Soulhound that makes them so special? Maybe it’s because in a sea of interchangeable, cookie cutter bands and music, Soulhound creates music that just doesn’t sound like everyone else’s.

Soulhound has been described as “part James Brown funk, part Stevie Wonder soul, with the lyrical voice of Robert Bradley, all thrown in with some groovin’ bass lines and powerful guitars.” Clearly Soulhound are inspired disciples of the guitar-driven R&B, Soul and greasy Funk of the late sixties and seventies. Their influences range from the Meters, Tower of Power and Parliament/Funkadelic to Graham Central Station, Jimi Hendrix and Steely Dan. With their unique brand of song-based, groove-oriented music, the band has become a crossroads where fans of all these genera can meet and get their groove on.

Soulhound’s first CD titled “A Quickie In The Cave” recorded at the famed Tree Sound Studios in Georgia was released at the end of of May 2009.  Selected by The Sunday Paper as one of their “Local Bands We Love” Nominated Atlanta's top local band 2006 by the Atlanta Journal Constitution & Access Atlanta Winners of the 2004 Terrapin Beer Company's “Rye Pale Ale Battle of the Bands”

LINGO at 1:20 pm

Hailing from Marietta, Georgia, Lingo has been turning heads in the southeast for over two years. With their infectious blend of songwriting and jam, they continue to blossom into one of the premier live acts in the region. With their debut album due out in the fall, recorded by Athens producer, John Keane (Widespread Panic, R.E.M, B-52's, Indigo Girls... Etc), with a guest appearance by Randall Bramblett, Lingo will continue to rapidly grow into a funky force to be reckoned with.

Lingo garners a sound that remains un-definable, yet recognizable. Whether it is the mixture of the subtle acoustic guitar accompanied by the flair of the electric guitar, the unique vocals that capture your attention, or the prominent bass and percussion that add their own signatures to the Lingo sound, it is clear that Lingo's music has tapped into something unique and special.

The Shane Pruitt Band at 3:00 pm

Based in Spartanburg SC, the Shane Pruitt Band is bringing its raw, refined, explorative, and expressive brand of blues all across the Southeast.  Formed in the Fall of 2005, the Shane Pruitt Band is quickly becoming one of the most recognized and popular bands in the area. Since its emergence on the local music scene, the Shane Pruitt Band has opened for numerous National Acts, headlined several local blues festivals, and has received a lot of support from local media outlets.

In 2007, the Shane Pruitt Band opened for Gary Hoey, PBS, Mother’s Finest, Junior Brown, Robert Randolph, Galactic (selected), and Johnny Winter (2 shows).  In addition, they headlined the Greenwood Blues Cruise, Carolina Downhome Blues Festival, Low Country Blues Bash, Spoleto Festival, and Indian Summer Festival in 2007.  

With over 80 years of collective performance experience, the Shane Pruitt Band produces a sound that is both powerful and accessible, the rare sort that rewards deep listening while still pleasing those who come simply to dance and drink.

Scott Baston & Saint Francis at 4:30 pm

With the fire and spirit of a down home Georgia gospel church on revival Sunday; Saint Francis shows have been known to transport you to a higher musical plain of existence. You will be baptized in a wave of musical influences on tides that run from blues to bluegrass, rock to reggae, world beats to soulful treats. You can safely say there is something for everyone when it comes to the music these gentlemen are producing. With clean soaring vocals , and a highly developed musicianship; Saint Francis has a clear vision of how to get down to the bare emotion of the inner most soul. This musical message enables the players and listeners to become one. You never know who will show up to join in the fun at a Saint Francis show.

Sol Driven Train at 6:00 PM

Sol Driven Train is a band in motion. Perpetually piling on and off the bus, the momentum of their hard work and heart-felt music propels the group upward. At shows, the band members bounce to the pulse of the music along with the crowd. Stylistically the band “seamlessly mixes Allmanesque Southern rock, languid world-beat, swampy funk and downright catchy melodies as they swap lead singers and instruments. A punchy horn section adds an extra dimension of sweaty soul to the genre-blurring jam party” (Atlanta Creative Loafing, 11/21/06). All that sweat is paying off for Sol Driven Train. With their honest songwriting and energetic live performances, they are attracting fans devoted to witnessing their musical progression. Since the fall of 2005, the band has been touring the Southeast and beyond, averaging 150 shows per year at festivals, bars, music venues, theatres, summer camps, and children’s museums. They have shared stages and bills with a diverse array of artists including Micheal Franti, Richie Havens, Keller Williams, The Samples, Blueground Undergrass, Billy Jonas, Ryan Montbleau, and Arlo Guthrie. Covering an expanding tour area that stretches from Georgia to New Hampshire to Wisconsin, the band has independently recorded and produced three albums along the way. In late 2005, the band released a children’s album, “Tajar Tracks,” a product of the band’s stint working as counselors at a summer camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains. “Live on the Outer Banks” was recorded in one night at one of the bands favorite coastal tour destinations. Released in January of 2007, this live album “captures the band’s strongest elements: tight horn arrangements and complex, unforced vocal harmonies… crisp accents and tasty cymbal work tie in perfectly with precise bass licks.” (Charleston City Paper, 1/24/07) By the time the band released the live album, work was already under way on a new studio album. The band sandwiched recording sessions between gigs, and set up their mobile recording studio wherever they could along the way. The album, “Lighthouse” was released April 8, 2008, and is gathering praise from fans and critics alike.

The Last Waltz Ensemble
(with special guests) at 8:00 pm

The Last Waltz Ensemble is a musical group that progressively plays the music of Bob Dylan and The Band. The group bolsters a play list of over seventy Bob Dylan, The Band, and related tunes, covering music from all eras of the artists’ careers. From The Hawks to the Basement Tapes to The Last Waltz and beyond, the group plays traditional and original arrangements in an improvisational jam band format, never playing the same set list twice. Using vintage equipment and borrowed arrangements, the ensemble produces sounds to take the listeners on a musical ride through some of the most fit, finished, and timeless music in history. The shows are filled with the hits and the deep cuts, and The Last Waltz Ensemble is known for incorporating special guest performances by friends from regional and national acts.

Blueground Undergrass
featuring Col. Bruce Hampton at 10:00 pm

Another band on the long list profoundly influenced by the work of Col. Bruce Hampton, Blueground Undergrass released two albums of progressive jam band bluegrass in the late '90s, fronted by their founder and banjo player Rev. Jeff Mosier.
The principle antecedent to Blueground Undergrass was the long-running combo Good Medicine, which featured Mosier along with future Undergrass members Edward Hunter (fiddle) and Mosiers brother Johnny (guitar). The band, which existed for over 20 years, played a typically wide variety of gigs in and around their native Georgia.

Simultaneously, for many years, the Mosier brothers hosted an influential Americana-tinged radio show, where both came into contact with many of the luminaries of the bluegrass circuit. In the late '80s, through folksinger Elise Witt, Mosier met Col. Bruce Hampton. Soon, Mosier was playing with Hampton in an early version of the Aquarium Rescue Unit. Though his stint with the group was relatively brief, it provided a model of an eclectic, electric bluegrass band.

After an on-tour residency with Phish in 1994 and guest appearances with southern jam-rockers Widespread Panic, Mosier decided to focus his musical vision. Though he had been leading myriad local groups, he pulled together Blueground Undergrass as his new primary outlet. Calling on friends and picking partners from the local music scene, Blueground Undergrass began to accumulate gigs.

With the addition of drummer Michael Grando, the band achieved a progressive bluegrass sound in the spirit of pioneers Newgrass Revival, soon releasing Barnyard Gone Wrong in 1998. The feel was upbeat and funky. With the addition of a rock rhythm section (completed by electric bassist Mark Bynum), the group could allow Mosier's Earl Scruggs-derived clawhammer picking to build momentum for the band while being afforded the opportunity to lay back on top of a steady beat and introduce other influences.

Col. Bruce Hampton at 10:00 pm

Col. Bruce Hampton has been making music since he formed his first band in 1963. Col. Bruce has been in constant motion ever since leaving a trail of memorable live performances with his many bands, including The Late Bronze Age and Col. Bruce Hampton and The Aquarium Rescue Unit.

Along the way he appeared in the movie "Sling Blade" as the poet and band manager Morris and starred in Mike Gordon's cult classic "Outside Out" as a mystical guitar 'out'structor.
Since 2006, The Colonel has been playing a unique blend of blues and jazz with his band Col. Bruce & The Quark Alliance, featuring Kris Dale (bass), Mark Letalien (drums), and Perry Osborn (guitar).