May 22, 2023
By:
The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival has awarded East Nash Grass the Blue Blaze Award for the 52nd annual event. The Blue Blaze Award is given to artists for continuing and promoting bluegrass music. East Nash Grass is considered “Nashville’s newest bluegrass ambassadors”.
Featuring a who’s-who of Nashville’s hottest young pickers, the joy and passion these musicians feel towards the genre is infused in every note they play and every word they sing.
“We are thrilled to give this year’s award to East Nash Grass. James Kee (guitar & vocals) has been playing at the jamboree for many years. You could often find him with the shade tree pickers. Kee is also the leader of the Jamboree House Band. Maddy Denton (fiddle), a jamboree favorite and Grand Master Fiddler, started competing in fiddle contests very young and has won many of the Fiddlers’ Jamboree awards, from National Beginner Fiddler to Junior Fiddler to Grand Champion Fiddler”, stated Jamboree President Kim Driver Luton. Other notable members of the band include Gaven Largent (dobro), Jeff Picker (bass) and TWO! IBMA Momentum Award-winners for Best Instrumentalist, Cory Walker(banjo) and Harry Clark (Mandolin).
The award will be presented on Saturday, July 1st @5:00 pm – followed by music provided by East Nash Grass. The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Craft Festival is free to the public. For more information about East Nash Grass, go to East Nash Grass — Crossover Touring. Visit smithvillejamboree.com for more
info about the Jamboree. This year’s Jamboree will be held Friday, June 30th – Saturday, July 1st.