Published: March 11, 2009 09:30 am      

Night of Bluegrass: Annual concert brings in $5,000 for Mary Ricks Thornton Cultural Center

Lovers of bluegrass music got a triple treat Saturday night with the performances of three bands at the Attala Historical Society’s fifth annual concert held in the Attala County Coliseum.

Newcomer to the Attala stage was the Claire Lynch Band with its members Jim Hurst, Jason Thomas and Mark Schultz from Glasgow, Ky., Crownsville, Md., and Orlando, Fla.

Lynch, a native of Kingston, New York, who has lived in Alabama since the age of 12, said she cut her musical teeth in Birmingham. The Claire Lynch Band is well known and respected in the music business. Claire has been named “Female Vocalist of the Year” and received the award of “Best Bluegrass Album of the Year” by the International Bluegrass Music Association.

Arriving in Kosciusko Saturday afternoon following a performance in Chattanooga, Tenn., Friday night, Lynch was complimentary of Kosciusko’s appearance, noting beautiful homes, and being Polish, said she would like to know the town’s history.

The large audience applauded to the Claire Lynch Band’s rendition of “Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring”, “Missionary Ridge”, “Unlucky Seven”, “Thibodeaux is My Name”, “I Believe in Forever” and other award winning songs to their credit. They closed with “Wabash Cannonball,” a Grand Ole Opry favorite made popular by Roy Acuff.

Nash Street, the young and more contemporary bluegrass band, was welcomed once again to a familiar audience including Mr. and Mrs. Jack Brunt, grandparents of Caroline and Hannah Melby. “Thank you Kosciusko for taking us into your town and your hearts,” said Hannah Melby in expressing the band’s appreciation. Other members are Jason Graham, grandson of Mrs. Lena Craft of Kosciusko, Clay Lezon, and Daniel Hare. Hannah also dedicated the concert to the memory of Kenny Beauchamp, a supporter of Nash Street and bluegrass music.

Nash Street has become well known as winner of $100,000 at the 26th annual Country Showdown in Nashville, and the title of “Best New Act in Country Music.” Among crowd pleasers Saturday night were “Without You,” given to Nash Street by Dan Wunsch, editor of the Nashville Music Guide; “Wagon Wheel,” the band’s own arrangement of a song by the Old Crow Medicine Show; original songs “Carry On” and “Widow Maker.”

First on the stage Saturday night was the Larry Wallace Band, which has been featured in other bluegrass concerts sponsored by the historical society. Legendary banjo picker Larry Wallace, has won the “State Banjo Champion” title for seven years. He learned to play the fiddle at an early age and started playing the banjo at 13.

Making up the Larry Wallace Band are Alan Sibley of Ackerman, Cory Burton of Weir, Doug Anderson and Sparky Lewis. Among their selections were “Take Me Back to Tulsa,” “Salty Dog Blues”, “Train 45.”

Larry is famous in the bluegrass world because of the 15 years he played with and grew close to Jimmy Martin, the king of bluegrass.

The event brought in approximately $5,000 from ticket sales. Funds will go for the support of the Mary Ricks Thornton Cultural Center. In additional to local sponsors, support was also provided through a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Proceeds from concessions sold throughout the evening went to support the Big Red Band.