By 6:30 p.m. Friday night, around 200 fans of bluegrass and guitar music were clapping and tapping their feet to Russell Moore and IIIrd Time Out’s band, enjoying classics such as John Denver’s “Country Roads,” a bluegrass song called “Another Evening Alone,” “I’ll Fly Away” and a string of others.
The inaugural Talladega Bluegrass and Guitar Finger Pickin’ Festival was well under way, which brought smiles to its organizer and promoter Ed Loudermilk and his friends, including Tracy Flynn and Dana Curvin, who were indispensable during the weeks leading up to the festival. They worked to spread the word about the event and to communicate with the bands and food trucks who came.
The festival was held in memory of the Curvin sisters’ father, Paul Curvin.
Loudermilk, who is also a songwriter, singer and guitar player, said he was glad to have the festival take place in Lincoln.
“Tracy and Dana are the heroes for all they have done,” Loudermilk said.
Loudermilk had played in the area in and around Talladega before, and Paul Curvin was his best friend. The memories of their good times motivated him to make the festival one of his four annual festivals that he plans throughout the United States and beyond.
“I just returned from Ontario, Canada,” he said, “and from Merrill, Oregon. Now bluegrass fans are everywhere, even in Japan.”
Loudermilk said the 60 campers and others who had come in for the festival gave it a great start. The fans who own campers are regulars at bluegrass festivals and they, alone, can pay for the cost of staging one. Even better, according to him, are the walk-ins.
“We would love to have more people come because it is just great to be here,” he said. “We are having fun and are excited about what the future holds for this festival.”
Festivals require a few building years, and Loudermilk said the numbers at the Talladega festival were encouraging.
Jeanine Blake and her husband, Michael Franklin, were all smiles too. They are the owners of the Talladega Pitstop RV Park and Campground where the festival is being held. There are two more days left — today and Sunday. The two have found a niche market for people who come into the area and stay in a place that is affordable, safe and comfortable. They started their campground with places for RVs and one tiny house. They noticed how often the tiny house stayed rented. They added four more and then began to turn some of their giant storage containers into comfortable dwellings.
“I’ve learned what my demographic is,” Blake said, “and I’m thrilled that some customers have come, stayed for a while and saved enough money to build themselves a traditional house. Makes me feel great.”
As dusk set in, people began visiting the food trucks and treating themselves to barbecue, cups of ice cream and other popular festival fare.
Beasley Ayers, a fan who has a house in Talladega and one in Douglasville, said he’d been a bluegrass fan for a long time.
“I even pick a banjo just a little,” he said. “I’m not good but I have fun with it.”
Those interested in coming to the festival, see talladegabluegrass.com for details. The famous Dale Ann Bradley is performing today (Saturday) at 5:30 p.m., and guitar virtuoso Richard Smith is performing at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The event is at Talladega Pitstop RV Park and Campground, 4889 Speedway Blvd., Lincoln.
