Nothin' Fancy
is a bluegrass band. The band was formed in Summer of 1985 with the purpose of competing in the East Coast Bluegrass Championship in Crimora, Virginia, [1] initially calling themselves East Coast Bluegrass Band
.
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NOTHIN' FANCY TICKETS
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History
The East Coast Bluegrass Band had its roots firmly planted in the fertile
Virginia musical traditions. After winning the eponymous contest for which they were both formed and named intentionally—the East Coast Bluegrass Championship in
Crimora, Virginia—it seemed counterproductive to change the name of the
band, which continued to play together at local functions. In 1986 the group won the Virginia Folk Music Society State Bluegrass Band Championship.
[2]
They paid their dues at lawn parties and bars in and around the
Harrisonburg, Virginia area and released four self-produced albums. The members of the band began to try their hands at producing original material but remained true to the traditional sounds of the great
bluegrass bands of the 1940s and '50s.
For the group's next recorded effort, they contracted
Tim Austin of
Doobie Shea Studios to produce and record the project. The band started recording in February 1996. Later that spring, lightning struck and destroyed the studio and all their sessions. Once it was up and running again they were one of the first bands to record in the new studio.
After four albums, thirteen years, and hundreds of performances, the band released their first nationally-distributed recording project,
Life's Mysteries
on .
The band has played the
Grand Ole Opry at the historic
Ryman Auditorium in
Nashville,
[3] and with the "Bluegrass Series with
Rhonda Vincent & Nothin' Fancy".
[4] They have played such other major venues as the
Lincoln Center in
New York City, and the
The Birchmere in
Alexandria, Virginia. Nothin’ Fancy plays about 140 shows a year and is a staple on the bluegrass festival circuit.
[5] The band also takes fans on bus trips to festivals and accompanying them on bluegrass cruises aboard the
Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas.
[6]
In 2002 Nothin’ Fancy signed with , and quickly released their debut recording for the label entitled
Once Upon A Road
. This album earned them a showcase at the
IBMA (
International Bluegrass Music Association) Convention in October 2002 and a nomination for the
IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year Award.
Their eighth album,
Lord Bless This House
, the first all-gospel recording for the group, was officially released January 27, 2009 through .
Awards and distinctions
- Winner at the 1985 East Coast Bluegrass championship.
- Winner at the 1986 Virginia Folk Music Society State Bluegrass Band Championship.
- Their album Once Upon A Road
earned them a showcase at the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Convention in October 2002
- It also led to a nomination for the 14th annual IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year Award (2003). [7]
- Named "Entertaining Group Of The Year" at the 34th Annual National SPBGMA () Awards, held February 3, 2008 in Nashville. [8]
- The band had been nominated several times in that category.
- Other nominations through SPBGMA include Male Vocalist, Mandolin Player, and Individual Entertainer of the Year (all for Mike Andes). [9]
Sound
The band mainly seeks to remain "true to the traditional sounds of the great bluegrass bands of the 1940s and '50s",
which includes performing and recording many original songs by Mike Andes.
Festival
The
band has successfully hosted their own
festival in
Buena Vista, Virginia, self-named simply as Nothin' Fancy Bluegrass Festival, since 2001.
[10] Held each year at the
Glen Maury Park in
Buena Vista, Virginia, the
festival has perennially played host to major
bluegrass bands. The 2008
festival, for example, will include such names as
Rhonda Vincent,
Michelle Nixon,
Blue Mountain Sunrise,
The Deer Creek Boys,
Randy Waller & the Country Gentlemen,
Blue Moon Rising, and the
Gary Waldrep Band.
[11]
Recordings
- "Bluegrass In A Plain Brown Wrapper" (1997) (without Chris Sexton)
- "Life's Mysteries" (1998) East Coast Bluegrass Band — ASIN: B000008UO6
- "Earn Your Ticket" (1999) (without Chris Sexton)
- "Field Of Dreams" (2000)
- "Now And Then" (2001)
- "Once Upon A Road" (2002) — ASIN: B000067IRZ
- "Reflections" (2004) — ASIN: B0002NRR5G
- "Album #7" (2006) — ASIN: B000H4JH12
- "Lord Bless This House" (2008) — ASIN: B001NH4CPI
- "Coffee at Midnight", Chris Sexton solo project,
Members
- Mike Andes--mandolin/vocals
- Mitchell Davis--banjo/vocals
- Gary Farris--guitar/vocals
- Chris Sexton--fiddle/vocals
- Tony Shorter--bass/vocals
Reviews, articles, notices
- "Nothin’ Fancy Bluegrass Festival kicks off Sept. 25 for 3 day run" by Travis Tackett, September 10, 2008.
- "SPBGMA Entertaining Group Of The Year Nothin' Fancy To Host Bluegrass Fest" September 10, 2008.
- "Nothin’ Fancy takes top award at SPBGMA Convention" by Travis Tackett, February 4, 2008.
- "Members of Nothin’ Fancy tell bluegrass listeners to expect something different" by L. Kent Wolgamott, September 28, 2007.
- "New Grass King Sam Bush, Nothin’ Fancy To Visit Shenandoah Valley Music Festival" posted 2007-08-30.
- review "Nothin' Fancy - Reflections (CD, 2004)" by Jason Hooker, 09/03/2004.
- interview "Nothin' Fancy" with Loretta Sawyer, 03/25/2004.
- review "Nothin' Fancy - Once Upon A Road (CD, 2002)" by Lewis Geffen, 06/01/2004.
- profile "October 2004: Nothin’ Fancy".
- "2003 IBMA Awards Noms Led By BMI Writers" September 8, 2003.
- profile "Nothin' Fancy".
- "Virginia Based Bluegrass Band Nothin' Fancy Garners National Music Award".
See also
- Bluegrass music
- Shenandoah Valley
- Rhonda Vincent
- Grand Ole Opry
- International Bluegrass Music Association
- Nashville, Tennessee
References
- *Bluegrass Country profile "October 2004: Nothin’ Fancy".
- "Biography: East Coast Bluegrass Band" Sam Hill Entertainment.
- Bluegrass Works interview "Nothin' Fancy" with Loretta Sawyer, 03/25/2004.
- Official Website Rhonda Vincent.
- Lincoln Journal Star "Members of Nothin’ Fancy tell bluegrass listeners to expect something different" by L. Kent Wolgamott, September 28, 2007.
- Bluegrass Country profile "October 2004: Nothin’ Fancy".
- BMI.com "2003 IBMA Awards Noms Led By BMI Writers" September 8, 2003.
- Bluegrass Journal "Nothin’ Fancy takes top award at SPBGMA Convention" by Travis Tackett, February 4, 2008.
- Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America
- Rockbridge Weekly "Virginia Based Bluegrass Band Nothin' Fancy Garners National Music Award".
- *Cybergrass "SPBGMA Entertaining Group Of The Year Nothin' Fancy To Host Bluegrass Fest" September 10, 2008.