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Josh Chapman, of the GSC Bluegrass
Band, warms up prior to the show.
Story and Photos by Drew Moody
Saturday was a perfect fall evening to enjoy 'Bluegrass at the Drive-In.' And the friendly folks of the Mt. Zion Theater provided the perfect location.
A flat-bed trailer became the stage. Some who came brought lawn chairs, others improvised - sitting in the beds of their pick-up trucks. Two young girls had kittens to give away.
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Fans of bluegrass gathered to enjoy
a relaxing evening of great music.
Sharing the stage with the Glenville State College Bluegrass Band were Buddy Griffin and Ashley Messenger's band, Retro & Smiling.
The event was a fund-raiser for the GSC Bluegrass program. Headed by
Griffin, the music program offers a 4-year B.A. music teaching degree with a "bluegrass" emphasis.
As part of the program students "live the art" mastering performing,
recording and mixing CDs, as well as seeing how the music business works.
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All the musicians joined in the last song of the
evening. The stage lights almost gave the appearance
they were playing around a campfire. - This photo is
black and white to fit the "retro" theme of the evening.
Next summer Griffin is planning a bluegrass tour of the nine remaining West Virginia drive-in theaters, as well as stopping at a few in surrounding states.
Drive-In theaters were a popular tour stop for bluegrass bands
throughout the 1950s and early 1960s.
Griffin and Messenger will be releasing two CDs in the near future.
GSC students performing Saturday night included: Luke Shamblin, Josh
Chapman, Derek Sexton-Vaden, Mary Sue Bailey, Allison Drain, and
Trish Cottrell. Also joining the band on stage was GSC professor David O'Dell. |