Music in the Steam Shed

4-5:30 PM: The Gordons

12-1:30 PM:

The Late George Portz - Fiddle

George came from a fiddlin’ family and his foundation comes from his grandfather, Perry Biggs. During the next 47 years he forged his unique, driving style that has been an influence to hundreds of area fiddlers and students. Included with George’s 150 Fiddle Championships is his 1982 National “Open” Championship, Five Illinois State Fair and two Illinois State Championships. He was one of the nation’s premier fiddlers.

‘Ranger’ Dave Montgomery – Lead Guitar & Vocals

As Dave enters his 45th year with the Friends of Bluegrass he continues to be the area’s finest and most entertaining flat top picker with numerous awards to his credit, including both the Illinois (multiple times) and the Missouri State Flatpick Guitar Championships, Ranger Dave has also placed in the prestigious Guitar Competition at Winfield Kansas. Also an award winning singer, Dave’s “Bar Room” singing style is a show favorite.

David Dalton – Rhythm Guitar and Lead Vocals

Award winning singer and songwriter, David Dalton has become one of the leading vocalists in the Midwest and exhibits a wide range of styles from Monroe Bluegrass to heartfelt Country songs. Whatever David sings, it will be great!

Kathie Pohlman – Bass, Cajun Accordion, Irish Whistle & Harmony Vocals

Kathie’s dominant slap in her bass playing anchors the FOB and her harmony singing is top notch. She fires up the Cajun accordion for some traditional Louisiana Bayou music and plays the Irish whistle on the Celtic tunes. Kathie has won Awards for Best Rhythm Musician at the Illinois State Fiddle Contest and All Around Back Up Musician at the elite Bethel Missouri Old Time Competition.

Samuel Webb - Banjo

“Sammy “ is the newest addition to the band and is a recent High School graduate who has only been playing banjo for a couple of years but excels at his craft.

Show sponsored by NAPA/Auto Tire & Parts of Pinckneyville.

Meet “The Gordons” – Gary and Roberta. Influenced by the great music of their era, this husband and wife duo were baptized by bluegrass music and have made wonderful folk music ever since.

Accompanied by Gary’s tasteful Gallagher guitar and dobro, Roberta plays the American born Appalachian autoharp. With many recordings to their credit since 1976, harmony singing is their signature.

Visit The Gordons. Website: www.thegordonsmusic.com/

The Gordons show is sponsored by Grecian Steakhouse in Pinckneyville.

Saturday, August 19

12 - 1:30 PM: Banjovi

The stringband, Banjovi, has played for square- and contra-dances in southern Illinois and Missouri for over two decades. They have made music for numerous other events, such as the Art Education Festival at SIU, other festivals, birthdays, and even one bar mitzvah. Their repertoire includes not only old time dance tunes but also songs from different traditions such as bluegrass, classic rock, folk, and blues. This diversity means there is something in every performance for most anyone to like.

2-3:30 PM:

The Ol’ Fishskins play traditional bluegrass concentrating on music from the pre-1965 era and more. The Ol’ Fishskins Bluegrass Band is based in Carbondale, Murphysboro and Pomona.

Sponsored by PLP Battery -Murphysboro.

Banjovi is named for the banjo, but the band’s music includes five other instruments. Lew Hendrix plays dobro and clawhammer banjo—the oldest style of playing with roots in Africa. He is also in the Tomcat Hill Social Club bluegrass band. Cathie Hutcheson plays upright bass and guitar. Toby Merriman plays fiddle and mandolin and has been in numerous Southern Illinois acoustic bands, such as the Rural Kings, Storm Crows, Bosco and Whiteford, and the Jenny Johnson Band. Lew and Toby sing lead while Cathie sings harmony.

Banjovi will be sponsored by Jason Woodside- Country Financial.

Mila Maring and John Reimbold offer an acoustic mix of heartfelt originals and covers with beautiful harmonies and a variety of instrumentation- guitar, mandolin, upright bass, accordion, and banjo. The duo recently released a EP/album entitled ‘Without Question’ which is available as a CD and digitally (Spotify, Apple Music, and several other streaming formats).

It’s that time again, and the sweet and sorrowful sounds of guitar, banjo, mandolin, and bass will echo through the fairgrounds for two straight The entertainment will primarily sprout from Bluegrass territory, though one can expect that each musical act’s interpretation will be at least