Morris Bluegrass Festival
The Special Consensus
2012 and 2018 GRAMMY Nominee
The Special Consensus is a bluegrass band that has achieved a contemporary sound in their four decades of performing, making their music a modern classic. The band is led by Greg Cahill, banjo player and recipient of the prestigious Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and inducted into the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America Hall of Greats, and includes Dan Eubanks (bass), Greg Blake (guitar) and Michael Prewitt (mandolin).
Special Consensus has received eight awards from the IBMA and two Grammy nominations (Scratch Gravel Road in 2012 and Rivers and Roads in 2018).
They are four talented vocalists and instrumentalists who follow their creative desires without straying too far from their bluegrass roots. The 19th band recording, Rivers and Roads (Compass Records, 2018), was nominated for the 2018 Best Bluegrass Album GRAMMY award and received 2018 IBMA awards for Album of the Year and Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year (for the tune “Squirrel Hunters”).
Rock Hearts
IBMA Showcase Band
Formed in 2013, Rock Hearts brings together five seasoned musicians from Southern New England who love to sing and pick bluegrass, old country tunes, and seek out tunes from other genres to “bluegrass-ify.” Named an Official 2021 IBMA Showcase Band, the band is enjoying national radio and Chart activity.
Rock Hearts has shared the stage with some of the top bands in the industry including, Del McCoury, Dale Ann Bradley, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Jonathan Edwards, Danny Paisley, The Gibson Brothers, Dan Tyminski, the Seldom Scene, Larry Sparks, and many more. The band consists of founding member and banjo player, Joe Deetz, lead man and guitar/vocals, *Alex MacLeod, the newest Kentucky Mandolin endorsed artist, *Billy Thibodeau, bassist, Rick Brodsky, and fiddler/2023 IBMA Mentor of the Year nominee, *Austin Scelzo.
The New Grown-ups
Hailing from the Boston area, The New Grown-ups are an octet taking a modern twist on American Roots music. They blend Traditional Folk, Country, Blues, Celtic, Old time, Originals, Bluegrass, and Pop into a snafu of contemporary acoustic music. The band has toured regionally around New England, and has an infectious onstage energy that comes with loving to perform, and being around each other.
Morris Bluegrass Festival Host Band
Nestled in the scenic rolling hills of Litchfield County, Connecticut, Wires and Wood brings a fresh, contemporary twist to traditional bluegrass tunes. This lively quintet, formed in 2013 and based in the charming town of Bantam, has been captivating audiences throughout New England with their distinctive "Newgrass" sound.
Their performances, which span a diverse range of venues from breweries to weddings, showcase the band's versatility and ability to connect with audiences of all ages. The group's dynamic lineup features Brian White on Guitar, Will Doemland on Mandolin, Matt Lauretano on Banjo, Don Lieber on Upright Bass, and Nick Zacchio on Dobro.
Wires & Wood
THe Zolla Boys
Grey Fox Emerging Artist
Ben Zolla and his brother Sam started playing music with their dad, Larry in the spring of 2012. What started as a hobby quickly grew into regular bookings at music halls, bluegrass festivals and concerts . The Boys have found their voices; from the songs of the Louvin Brothers, Stanley Brothers, and Jim and Jesse, to Bob Dylan and Blue Highway. They have been featured on the Emerging Artist stage at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, and perform at numerous bluegrass festivals throughout New England.
Sperry Creek brings fresh harmonies and instrumentation that hold true to the bluegrass genre. This five-piece band from Connecticut formed after some local pickers spent the height of the pandemic keeping each other sane through socially distant backyard jam sessions. It didn’t take the group long to realize that good sounds were happening. They soon adopted the name of a nearby creek, and the band was officially formed in the summer of 2020. Sperry Creek is made up of longtime musicians Scott Freemantle (bass); Marilyn Toback-Reveley (guitar); Bill Reveley (fiddle); Corrie Folsom-O’Keefe (mandolin) and Dan O’Keefe (banjo), who all share a passion for bluegrass music. A culmination of musicians from other well known CT bands, Sperry Creek has allowed us to share our love of music with others throughout the New England bluegrass scene.
Sperry Creek
Guy Wolff
Award winning Old Time Clawhammer Banjo player, Guy Wolff, will take the stage at the Morris Bluegrass Festival July 4th. Not only is Guy a legendary Clawhammer player but he is also a world famous Potter located in Bantam, CT.