Walnut Valley Program in the Bluegrass Central 1973
Collection: Winfield Notable Artists
Title
Walnut Valley Program in the Bluegrass Central 1973
Subject
Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival
Article
Description
This article is about the performers and the schedule of events.
Creator
Bluegrass Central
Source
Winfield Public Library
Publisher
Winfield Public Library, Winfield, Kansas USA
Date
ca. 1973
Rights
Format
text/plain
Language
English
Type
Periodicals
Citation
Bluegrass Central, “Walnut Valley Program in the Bluegrass Central 1973,” Winfield Digital Collections, accessed June 24, 2026, https://winfield.digitalsckls.info/item/186.
Text
Walnut Valley Program
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
12 Noon—Craft Registration
3:00—Crafts Fair Opens
3:30—Registration of Fiddle Contestants
4:00—Fiddle Contest Begins
6:00—Blue Grass Country Boys
6:45—Norman Blake
7:15—-New Grass Revival
8:00—Doc and Merle Watson
8:45—3 Fiddle Winners
9:15—Blue Grass Country Boys
10:00—Dan Crary
10:30—New Grass Revival
11:15—Doc and Merle Watson
11:00—Craft Booths Close
The program will run as close as possible to the above schedule, any changes will be announced onstage.
SATURDAY,SEPTEMBER 29
morning
9:00-10:00—Registration for Flat-Pick Contest
10:00—-Crafts Fair Opens 10:30—Flat-Pick Contest Begins
afternoon
2:00—Guitar Workshop
2:30—Possible Fiddle and Mandolin Workshops on Different Stage
3:00-—Banjo Workshop
4:00—Open Concert - to 5:30
evening
6:00-—Lewis Family
6:45—New Grass Revival
7:15—Bluegrass Country Boys
7:45-—Dan Crary
8:15—J. D. Crowe and the New South
9,00—Doc and Merle Watson
9:30—The Finalists from the Flat-Pick Contest
10:00—Norman Blake
10:30—New Grass Revival
11:00—Doc, Dan and Norman
11:30—J. D. Crowe and the New South
11:00—Craft Booths Close
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
morning
10:00—Crafts Fair Opens
10:30-11:30—Gospel Sing - Lewis Family
afternoon
1.00—Band Contest
3:00—New Grass Revival
3:45-—J. D. Crowe and the New South
4:30—Norman Blake
5:00—Lewis Family
5:45—Dan Crary
evening
6:15—Winners from the Flat-Pick Contest
6:45—Band Contest Winners
7:00—Crafts Fair Closes
7:15—Bluegrass Country Boys
7:45—J. D. Crowe and the New South
8:30—New Grass Revival
9:00—1973 Walnut Valley Festival Ends
Good night to you all. Thanks for coming—plan on coming next year—September 27-28-29, 1974!
Doc & Merle Watson
Doc and Merle Watson present a father-son program of Bluegrass entertainment that features the finest flat-picking styles most people have ever experienced. In addition to the regular performance the Winfield audience of 1972 was treated to a “first/* when Doc, Norman Blake, and Dan Crary gave their fans a three-guitar jam session. The trio is scheduled to repeat this special again this year.
Doc Watson—for the benefit of those who have not heard him—is a virtuoso in blues, folk, country or traditional Bluegrass, and has been performing professionally since 1960 when he was “discovered” during that decade’s folk music boom.
He is probably best known for his clean, ultra-rapid flat picking that has brought the acoustic guitar to a fresh level of prominence in Bluegrass.
6- Bluegrass Central
Dan Crary
Another “doc,” in the making . . . and in another field. Dan Crary is nearing completion of his Ph.D. in Communications, and has already proved to the world his ability to communicate via the guitar on a series of albums that are considered premier examples of the flat-picking style.
Dan lives in Kansas City, Kansas, and has built a solid following of fans throughout mid-America by his appearances at festivals, concerts, shows, coffee-houses and clubs in this five-state area.
One of the special benefits that come to people living in the Kansas City area is Dan’s radio program over station KCKM.
Early recognition came to Crary’s guitar through his association with the Bluegrass Alliance, and continued with his performances with Herman Smith’s group.
Contest Rules
NATIONAL FLAT-PICKING CHAMPIONSHIP / $600 in Cash Prizes & Trophies
CONTEST INFORMATION
Be prepared to play two instrumental pieces in traditional fiddle tune or bluegrass style Selection committee reserves the right to elimi-nate contestants whose selection of material and style of playing is not in keeping with the flavor of the festival.
Contestants must play only acoustical guitar Electrified guitars will not be allowed
Contestants must play with a flat pick Fingerpicking will not be allowed
You may have one rhythm guitar for accompaniment, although this is not required.
Performers billed for this festival are not eligible for the contest. All other persons, regardless of age or professional status, may enter.
Contestants must register before 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 29, at the information booth, and pay $10 entry fee. This may be
done m advance by mail if desired, by sending entry fee and name of contestant.
Be present at contest stage for instructions and designation of order at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 29.
Be present precisely at designated times to play. Contest begins promptly at 10:00 a.m., Saturday. Winners will play for Saturday night concert.
Judges will be selected from billed performers In a sincere effort to approach objectivity the following criteria will be considered by the judges, and assigned equal maximum point values.
1 Selection of material
2 Difficulty of material
3 Execution of material
4 Tuning
5 Arrangement of material
6 Showmanship
7 Overall impression of performance
BLUEGRASS BAND CONTEST / $300 in Cash Prizes & Trophies
CONTEST INFORMATION
Contestants must be prepared to do three songs one of which is to be instrumental, the second to be vocal, and the third optional all in either traditional or contemporary bluegrass style.
All instruments in each band must be non-electric stringed instru-ments, with the exception of electric bass, which is optional.
Performers billed for this festival are not eligible for the contest. All other bands, regardless of age or professional status may enter.
Contestants must register before 1:00 p.m., Sunday, September 30, at the information booth, and pay $10 entry fee. This may be done in advance by mail if desired, by sending entry fee and name of band.
BLUEGRASS FIDDLE CONTEST
$ 100 in Cash Prizes & Trophies
CONTEST INFORMATION
Contestants will be prepared to do three songs in either traditional or contemporary bluegrass style.
Performers billed for this festival are not eligible for this contest. All others, regardless of age or professional status, may enter. We welcome your participation.
Contestants must register before 4:00 p.m., Friday, September 28, at the information booth. No entry fee - just register. This may be
Bands must be present at the contest stage for instructions and designation of order at 1:00 p.m., Sunday, September 30.
Contestants must be present precisely at designated times to play Contest begins promptly at 1:00 p.m. Sunday.
Judges will be selected from billed performers The following criteria will be considered by the judges and assigned equal maximum point values
1 Selection of material
2 Instrumental arrangements
3 instrumental execution
4 Vocal arrangements
5 Vocal execution
6 Tuning
7 Showmanship
8 Overall impression of performance
done In advance by mail, if desired, by sending name and contest entering to Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival.
Contestants must be present at the contest stage for instruction and designation of order at 4:00 p.m., Friday, September 28. Contest begins immediately afterwards.
Judges will be selected from working fiddlers in Oklahoma and Kansas.
The following will be considered by the judges
1 Selection of material
2 Difficulty of material
3 Execution of material
4 Tuning
5 Arrangement of material
6 Showmanship
7 Overall impression of performance
The Lewis Family
New Grass Revival
The Lewis Family of Lincolnton, Georgia, is assuredly the First Family of Gospel Music. The family devotes all its time to gospel music, but does so with such variety in mood, speed, and special effects that rather than consider gospel as a single feature, they make an entire musical menu conform to their brand of gospel music.
The family provides some of the top humor at any festival, and vary their pace to meet the desires of an audience. They range from gentle spirituals to foot-stomping Bluegrass, and have demonstrated their almost universal appeal by moving with ease from traditional Bluegrass audiences, to college campuses, to such semi-popular-musical festivals as Eureka Springs. And at every change of audience they succeed in collecting new followers of the Lewis Family.
In addition to their weekly program over WJBF-TV (for 18 years), the family has traveled throughout the south, and southwest, seldom ventur-ing further north than Nebraska, nor further west than Kansas.
The New Grass Revival, much like the Country Gazette, is a union of fine young musicians whose efforts take them into, through and beyond traditional Bluegrass until they have explored a grass all their own.
Courtney Johnson and Ebo Walker were formerly with the Bluegrass Alliance. Sam Bush is a former National Fiddle Champion and is just getting started. Guitarist Curtis Burch is the newest addition to the band.
Walnut Valley fans will remember the explo-sive nature of entertainment presented to them last year by the New Grass Revival, and can look forward to a continuation of the experience which this group brought with them a year ago.
The New Grass Revival has continued to apply their right of musical interpretation to the entire field of Bluegrass, country and folk music, and will be a delightful new thrill for Bluegrass fans who have not had an opportunity to see them in person.
Bluegrass Central -7-
Original Format
Paper
Title
Walnut Valley Program in the Bluegrass Central 1973
Subject
Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival
Article
Description
This article is about the performers and the schedule of events.
Creator
Bluegrass Central
Source
Winfield Public Library
Publisher
Winfield Public Library, Winfield, Kansas USA
Date
ca. 1973
Rights
Format
text/plain
Language
English
Type
Periodicals
Citation
Bluegrass Central, “Walnut Valley Program in the Bluegrass Central 1973,” Winfield Digital Collections, accessed June 24, 2026, https://winfield.digitalsckls.info/item/186.Text
Walnut Valley Program
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
12 Noon—Craft Registration
3:00—Crafts Fair Opens
3:30—Registration of Fiddle Contestants
4:00—Fiddle Contest Begins
6:00—Blue Grass Country Boys
6:45—Norman Blake
7:15—-New Grass Revival
8:00—Doc and Merle Watson
8:45—3 Fiddle Winners
9:15—Blue Grass Country Boys
10:00—Dan Crary
10:30—New Grass Revival
11:15—Doc and Merle Watson
11:00—Craft Booths Close
The program will run as close as possible to the above schedule, any changes will be announced onstage.
SATURDAY,SEPTEMBER 29
morning
9:00-10:00—Registration for Flat-Pick Contest
10:00—-Crafts Fair Opens 10:30—Flat-Pick Contest Begins
afternoon
2:00—Guitar Workshop
2:30—Possible Fiddle and Mandolin Workshops on Different Stage
3:00-—Banjo Workshop
4:00—Open Concert - to 5:30
evening
6:00-—Lewis Family
6:45—New Grass Revival
7:15—Bluegrass Country Boys
7:45-—Dan Crary
8:15—J. D. Crowe and the New South
9,00—Doc and Merle Watson
9:30—The Finalists from the Flat-Pick Contest
10:00—Norman Blake
10:30—New Grass Revival
11:00—Doc, Dan and Norman
11:30—J. D. Crowe and the New South
11:00—Craft Booths Close
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
morning
10:00—Crafts Fair Opens
10:30-11:30—Gospel Sing - Lewis Family
afternoon
1.00—Band Contest
3:00—New Grass Revival
3:45-—J. D. Crowe and the New South
4:30—Norman Blake
5:00—Lewis Family
5:45—Dan Crary
evening
6:15—Winners from the Flat-Pick Contest
6:45—Band Contest Winners
7:00—Crafts Fair Closes
7:15—Bluegrass Country Boys
7:45—J. D. Crowe and the New South
8:30—New Grass Revival
9:00—1973 Walnut Valley Festival Ends
Good night to you all. Thanks for coming—plan on coming next year—September 27-28-29, 1974!
Doc & Merle Watson
Doc and Merle Watson present a father-son program of Bluegrass entertainment that features the finest flat-picking styles most people have ever experienced. In addition to the regular performance the Winfield audience of 1972 was treated to a “first/* when Doc, Norman Blake, and Dan Crary gave their fans a three-guitar jam session. The trio is scheduled to repeat this special again this year.
Doc Watson—for the benefit of those who have not heard him—is a virtuoso in blues, folk, country or traditional Bluegrass, and has been performing professionally since 1960 when he was “discovered” during that decade’s folk music boom.
He is probably best known for his clean, ultra-rapid flat picking that has brought the acoustic guitar to a fresh level of prominence in Bluegrass.
6- Bluegrass Central
Dan Crary
Another “doc,” in the making . . . and in another field. Dan Crary is nearing completion of his Ph.D. in Communications, and has already proved to the world his ability to communicate via the guitar on a series of albums that are considered premier examples of the flat-picking style.
Dan lives in Kansas City, Kansas, and has built a solid following of fans throughout mid-America by his appearances at festivals, concerts, shows, coffee-houses and clubs in this five-state area.
One of the special benefits that come to people living in the Kansas City area is Dan’s radio program over station KCKM.
Early recognition came to Crary’s guitar through his association with the Bluegrass Alliance, and continued with his performances with Herman Smith’s group.
Contest Rules
NATIONAL FLAT-PICKING CHAMPIONSHIP / $600 in Cash Prizes & Trophies
CONTEST INFORMATION
Be prepared to play two instrumental pieces in traditional fiddle tune or bluegrass style Selection committee reserves the right to elimi-nate contestants whose selection of material and style of playing is not in keeping with the flavor of the festival.
Contestants must play only acoustical guitar Electrified guitars will not be allowed
Contestants must play with a flat pick Fingerpicking will not be allowed
You may have one rhythm guitar for accompaniment, although this is not required.
Performers billed for this festival are not eligible for the contest. All other persons, regardless of age or professional status, may enter.
Contestants must register before 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 29, at the information booth, and pay $10 entry fee. This may be
done m advance by mail if desired, by sending entry fee and name of contestant.
Be present at contest stage for instructions and designation of order at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 29.
Be present precisely at designated times to play. Contest begins promptly at 10:00 a.m., Saturday. Winners will play for Saturday night concert.
Judges will be selected from billed performers In a sincere effort to approach objectivity the following criteria will be considered by the judges, and assigned equal maximum point values.
1 Selection of material
2 Difficulty of material
3 Execution of material
4 Tuning
5 Arrangement of material
6 Showmanship
7 Overall impression of performance
BLUEGRASS BAND CONTEST / $300 in Cash Prizes & Trophies
CONTEST INFORMATION
Contestants must be prepared to do three songs one of which is to be instrumental, the second to be vocal, and the third optional all in either traditional or contemporary bluegrass style.
All instruments in each band must be non-electric stringed instru-ments, with the exception of electric bass, which is optional.
Performers billed for this festival are not eligible for the contest. All other bands, regardless of age or professional status may enter.
Contestants must register before 1:00 p.m., Sunday, September 30, at the information booth, and pay $10 entry fee. This may be done in advance by mail if desired, by sending entry fee and name of band.
BLUEGRASS FIDDLE CONTEST
$ 100 in Cash Prizes & Trophies
CONTEST INFORMATION
Contestants will be prepared to do three songs in either traditional or contemporary bluegrass style.
Performers billed for this festival are not eligible for this contest. All others, regardless of age or professional status, may enter. We welcome your participation.
Contestants must register before 4:00 p.m., Friday, September 28, at the information booth. No entry fee - just register. This may be
Bands must be present at the contest stage for instructions and designation of order at 1:00 p.m., Sunday, September 30.
Contestants must be present precisely at designated times to play Contest begins promptly at 1:00 p.m. Sunday.
Judges will be selected from billed performers The following criteria will be considered by the judges and assigned equal maximum point values
1 Selection of material
2 Instrumental arrangements
3 instrumental execution
4 Vocal arrangements
5 Vocal execution
6 Tuning
7 Showmanship
8 Overall impression of performance
done In advance by mail, if desired, by sending name and contest entering to Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival.
Contestants must be present at the contest stage for instruction and designation of order at 4:00 p.m., Friday, September 28. Contest begins immediately afterwards.
Judges will be selected from working fiddlers in Oklahoma and Kansas.
The following will be considered by the judges
1 Selection of material
2 Difficulty of material
3 Execution of material
4 Tuning
5 Arrangement of material
6 Showmanship
7 Overall impression of performance
The Lewis Family
New Grass Revival
The Lewis Family of Lincolnton, Georgia, is assuredly the First Family of Gospel Music. The family devotes all its time to gospel music, but does so with such variety in mood, speed, and special effects that rather than consider gospel as a single feature, they make an entire musical menu conform to their brand of gospel music.
The family provides some of the top humor at any festival, and vary their pace to meet the desires of an audience. They range from gentle spirituals to foot-stomping Bluegrass, and have demonstrated their almost universal appeal by moving with ease from traditional Bluegrass audiences, to college campuses, to such semi-popular-musical festivals as Eureka Springs. And at every change of audience they succeed in collecting new followers of the Lewis Family.
In addition to their weekly program over WJBF-TV (for 18 years), the family has traveled throughout the south, and southwest, seldom ventur-ing further north than Nebraska, nor further west than Kansas.
The New Grass Revival, much like the Country Gazette, is a union of fine young musicians whose efforts take them into, through and beyond traditional Bluegrass until they have explored a grass all their own.
Courtney Johnson and Ebo Walker were formerly with the Bluegrass Alliance. Sam Bush is a former National Fiddle Champion and is just getting started. Guitarist Curtis Burch is the newest addition to the band.
Walnut Valley fans will remember the explo-sive nature of entertainment presented to them last year by the New Grass Revival, and can look forward to a continuation of the experience which this group brought with them a year ago.
The New Grass Revival has continued to apply their right of musical interpretation to the entire field of Bluegrass, country and folk music, and will be a delightful new thrill for Bluegrass fans who have not had an opportunity to see them in person.
Bluegrass Central -7-
Original Format
Paper