Annual music festival runs Sept. 12 to 13 in East Troy
The Little Roy and Lizzy Show, often called one of the most entertaining groups in bluegrass music today, will be making a rare trip to the Midwest to headline the 22nd annual East Troy Bluegrass Festival this month.
The two-day event, presented by the East Troy Area Chamber of Commerce, will take place Saturday, Sept. 12, and Sunday, Sept. 13, on the East Troy village square.
Hailing from Lincolnton, Ga., the enjoyable duo of Little Roy and Lizzy are well known in the worlds of both bluegrass and Gospel music for their musical skills and comedic stage show.
Co-headliner Donna Ulisse and The Poor Mountain Boys will also take the stage during the all-star event. Ulisse, formerly a country artist on Atlantic Records, has been called “one of the best singer-songwriters in bluegrass.”
The East Troy Bluegrass Festival will host a wide range of bluegrass bands and contests to round out the lineup, including Mecan River Ramblers, Chicken Wire Empire, Wood Street Bloodhounds and more.
The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. each day.
In addition to the musical entertainment, other festival highlights include a popular food court with local fare and a Marketplace featuring local crafters, artisans and farmers market vendors.
Weekend wristbands are $5 per person. Children 15 and younger are admitted free.
Attendees should bring their own lawn chairs. No alcohol is allowed at this family event.
The rain location is East Troy Middle School, 3143 Graydon Ave.
For more information, contact event sponsor, the East Troy Area Chamber of Commerce, at (262) 642-3770 or vanessa@easttroywi.org or visit www.easttroybluegrass.com.
Meet the headliners
Elizabeth Long, or Lizzy of the Little Roy and Lizzy show, began her music accomplishments at an early age. She won “Bluegrass Song of the Year” for a song she wrote called “Mountain Top” and a duet with Ty Herndon called “When We Fly.”
Lizzy is one of the youngest fiddlers to be inducted into “America’s Old Time Fiddler’s Country Hall of Fame.”
Little Roy, of the Lewis Family, is multi-talented – he sings, plays many instruments, tells stories and acts. Little Roy has won awards as an entertainer and for his banjo playing. USA Today called Little Roy “a banjo master, truly a picker’s picker.”
Donna Ulisse has been nominated as the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Songwriter of the year for three years running, Ulisse has been blessed to have her songs recorded by the Del McCoury Band, Claire Lynch and Darin and Brooke Aldridge among others.
Born into a musical family in Hampton, Va., the singer/songwriter of seven albums grew up surrounded by traditional sounds and from an early age was drawn to performing. She later married Rick Stanley, a cousin of bluegrass legends Ralph and Carter Stanley, and was further influenced by his family’s Clinch Mountain roots.
Festival schedule
Saturday, Sept. 12
10 a.m., Open Stage
11:30 a.m., Fiddle Contests
1 p.m., Front Porch Boys
2 p.m., Sortin’ the Mail
3 p.m., Band Scramble
4 p.m., Wood Street Bloodhounds
5 p.m., The Little Roy & Lizzy Show
Sunday, Sept. 13
10 a.m., Gospel Service featuring the Burie Family Band
11:30 a.m. Banjo, Mandolin & Guitar Contests
1 p.m., Georgia Rae
2 p.m., The Seigman Family
3 p.m., Chicken Wire Empire
4 p.m., Mecan River Ramblers
5 p.m., Donna Ulisse
