Fontana Village

Each year cloggers from around the world gather at Fontana Village in the North Carolina Smokey Mountain Range for a long weekend of instruction and entertainment. I was invited to play fiddle with the West Virgina based bluegrass band, The Grass Stains. A great group of folks and great band, it was my pleasure to sit in with them amidst the torrential down pouring of rain in the heart of the beautiful Smokies. For more information on this festival, visit: Fontana Clogging Jamboree.

Intimate Sam Concert

It doesn't get much better than Sandy Amphitheater. Beautiful venue sitting right at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Salt Lake City. The weather was perfect (all except for sound check where I pretty much melted) that night with stars, music and story telling. For those that have been to a Sam show, you know he delivers every time - I've never heard an unhappy listener and Friday was no different. It did however carry a different vibe and because of that it goes down in my book as my favorite Sam Payne concert. I'm not sure if all the stars aligned just right or the song choices matched with the stories. It was perfect. Can't give enough love to Sam's little brother Josh playing his Gibson electric out of a little 4W Vox amp. Who knew that so much sound could come out of that?! The Steve's were great, and Sam of course was perfect. It was intimate and real. There were no antics or stage tricks, no magical light shows or overdubs. Nashville or LA might have balked at such a show, but those in the audience surely didn't. It was pure music the way we play in our living rooms, but only under a blanket of stars and mountains. Thank you!