16th Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival lineup announced

Waterford band Southern Welfare with festival organiser Mick Daly (front), in the idyllic setting of Dunmore East, Co. Waterford

Thanks to Karen Cheevers of B2B Communications for the latest news of this year's festival:

After 15 years of banjo pickin', mandolin pluckin', step dancin', fiddle playin', double bass clawin' sessions in the picturesque fishing village of Dunmore East – 2010 promises an even more jam packed, foot tappin’, barnstormin’ weekend for the 16th Guinness International Bluegrass Festival. The countdown has begun to this summer's Guinness International Bluegrass Festival, which takes place from 27 August to 29 August.

This is the 16th year in which roots music pilgrims will flock to Co. Waterford for the free, family-orientated festival. All of the famous local hostelries will play host to over fifty free gigs throughout the weekend with local, national, and international bands playing a variety of traditional and contemporary bluegrass music.

Last year's headline-stealing main act Jack Grace (USA), aka the Martini Cowboy, will make a welcome return to Dunmore East. Last year's performances on stage and on TV3’s Ireland AM reinforced Jack’s position as the King of Bluegrass with his gritty, down-home country style, with a twist of New York urban.

A band that is looking forward to the Dunmore Bluegrass experience for the first time is Wookalily, an all-female combo that refers to its own style as 'Frockabilly woo-grass, putting the blues in bluegrass, the rock in rockabilly, and the woo-factor into action'.

Wookalily has been playing together since 2009, and the girls received much acclaim at festivals such as the Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival, the Ards International Guitar Festival, and Belfast’s Open House Festival.

Apart from some of the biggest international names in bluegrass and country appearing at the 16th Guinness International Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival, some well known Irish acts will take to the coastal stages, including Knotty Pine, Molly Hicks, Little Ass Birds, the Blue Stack Mountain Boys, and Bending the Strings amongst others.

Waterford’s very own Southern Welfare will be making their debut at the Guinness Festival this summer. Lovers of bluegrass can expect a selection of authentic bluegrass and gospel from artists like Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, and Ricky Skaggs.

Now in its 16th year, the Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival has evolved over the years to meet the tastes of roots music fans. Mick Daly, the musical visionary, who founded the festival back in 1995, has seen a lot of genre-defying acts take to the free stages of Dunmore East:

It has been a really exciting journey for all of us involved. We are delighted with this year’s lineup, particularly the return of the Martini Cowboy and the debut appearance of Wookalily. Both of these acts have strongly defined blues and bluegrass traits. However, over the years we have seen everything from old-time country to futuristic newgrass and rhythm and blues – that is the beauty of the festival!

The organic growth of the Festival has ensured that it is not only hardened bluegrass fans who can come along and enjoy themselves, but anyone who simply enjoys a good tune is guaranteed to have a great time.

For more information about the 16th Guinness International Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival in Co. Waterford, visit the Festival website.