PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (Monday, May 22, 2017) —With Dollywood’s award-winning chefs offering up tasty barbeque and the biggest names in bluegrass serving up some sweet sounds, Dollywood’s Barbeque & Bluegrass (May 26-June 4) continues the “Year of the Family” with a special treat for the senses.
Steep Canyon Rangers (May 31), Rhonda Vincent & The Rage (June 4), Dailey & Vincent (May 29), and seven-time International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Vocal Group of the Year Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver (May 28) are among the acts helping the festival reach a high note.
“There’s no doubt bluegrass holds a special place in my heart,” Dolly Parton explained. “There is something so beautiful about the sounds of that good ol’ mountain music. That’s why it’s a treat to have these great bluegrass performers, like my good friend Rhonda Vincent, at Dollywood during my Barbeque & Bluegrass festival. These really are the best in the business, and I’m glad we’re able to share their gifts with the guests who come visit us. Heck, I might even grab a plate of those ribs and sit down and enjoy some of the shows myself!”
This year’s festival includes a number of IBMA and Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBMA) award winners including Flatt Lonesome, a rising new group which won the 2016 IBMA Vocal Group of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year awards. The group headlines the festival on June 3.
“Flatt Lonesome always looks forward to being part of the Dollywood Barbecue and Bluegrass Festival,” said Kelsi Robertson Harrigill of Flatt Lonesome. “It is a great event that features all our favorite things – roller coasters, barbeque and bluegrass music, and the folks that come to the shows are always so much fun to play for. We sure hope to be part of this great festival every year!”
An impressive calendar of bluegrass talent performs throughout the festival with more than 25 individual concerts scheduled each day on stages across the park. Legendary bluegrass group Hot Rize kicks off the festival on May 26, with The Gibson Brothers (May 27) and Band of Ruhks (May 28) also playing on opening weekend. Other Barbeque & Bluegrass performers include Blue Highway (June 3), Cricket Tell the Weather (June 3) and Farmhands (June 2). The lineup also includes the ETSU Pride Bluegrass Band (May 30), Carson Peters and Iron Mountain (May 26), and The Loose Strings Band (May 31). Six-String Soldiers, the bluegrass arm of the United States Army Field Band, play, appropriately enough, on Sunday, May 28 and Memorial Day Monday, May 29.
“As a singer and a songwriter who loves bluegrass music, it’s an honor to be able to play at Dollywood this year,” said Andrea Asprelli of Cricket Tell the Weather. “I first listened to Dolly on the Trio albums, and soon learned that her powerful vocals were just as inspiring as her creative, entrepreneurial and loving spirit.”
All concerts are free and included with park admission. For a complete lineup of concert performances and show times, please visit Dollywood.com.
Dollywood’s award-winning food perfectly complements the sounds of bluegrass music’s finest. The aroma of bold barbeque wafts through the air, thanks to expertly-prepared pulled pork, smoked sausage and chicken. Bountiful barbeque entrees are accompanied by Southern favorites like baked beans, corn on the cob and more. Guests also can find a number of sweet treats to put an exclamation point on their meal!
From bluegrass favorites and tangy barbeque at Barbeque and Bluegrass to the park’s award-winning rides and family-friendly atmosphere, Dollywood’s Year of The Family provides amazing new memory-making moments for families to celebrate.
For more information about Dollywood’s Barbeque & Bluegrass, please call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit www.dollywood.com.
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About The Dollywood Company: A highly-awarded and widely-recognized leader in the amusement industry, The Dollywood Company consists of the 150-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort; and Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins. As unique as its namesake and owner Dolly Parton, Dollywood is the 2010 Applause Award winner, the theme park industry’s highest accolade; winner of more than 30 Golden Ticket Awards; and recipient of 26 Brass Ring Awards for Live Entertainment (more than any other theme park in the world). In 2014, Dollywood was named a top three US theme park by USA Today and TripAdvisor recognized Dollywood as a top 20 worldwide theme park in 2015. Dollywood is open nine months a year (late March through early January) and offers rides and attractions, shows, and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. Dollywood’s Splash Country, recognized by the Travel Channel as one of the country’s most beautiful waterparks and named 2009’s Must-See Waterpark by the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions, operates from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The 300-room Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort provides guests spectacular mountain views and family-friendly amenities next door to Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country. Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins offers luxurious cabin accommodations overlooking Dollywood. For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.
Media Contacts:
Pete Owens: Director of Communications, (865) 428-9486, (865) 755-7972 or [email protected]
Wes Ramey: Public Relations Manager, (865) 428-9484, (865) 640-3805 or [email protected]
Amber Davis: Publicist, (865) 428-9601, (865) 591-1002 or [email protected]
Ellen Liston, Publicist, (865) 428-9629, (865) 919-7001 or [email protected]
For B-roll, photography and more information, visit the Dollywood Media Room at http://www.dollywood.com/Media/Media-Room