Ozark Mountain Music Festival returns for 10th year

Ozark Mountain Music Festival returns for 10th year
MONICA HOOPER
mhooper@nwaonline.com


The coziest indoor music festival returns to Eureka Springs for its 10th anniversary.

With a mix of local musicians and nationally touring favorites, the Ozark Mountain Music Festival in Eureka Springs’s Basin Park Hotel returns Jan. 18-21 to the Basin Park Hotel.

The festival was started by Mary Howse, the event director for the Crescent and Basin Park hotels to help breakup the downtime that the artsy, little tourist town experiences in January and has become a beloved tradition celebrating bluegrass, Americana, folk music and all styles in between.

Eureka Springs folk duo Mountain Alice kick off the weekend of live music on the balcony followed by fellow local Ron Landis in the Cave. Local bluegrass mayhem makers Front Porch warm up the Ballroom ahead of The Hillbenders . After that The Spooklights throw an afterparty at Chelsea’s in downtown Eureka Springs.

Music continues starting at noon on Friday with plenty of local favorites like Steve Jones on the balcony followed by country duo The Nighttimers. Music continues throughout the day with banjoist Justin Hiltner and Iowa-based, singer songwriter Kate Kristine. Then former locals Handmade Moments will rock the Game Room. Also performing on Friday are Dale Kellison, Goldpine, Chicken Wire Empire, Reverend Hylton and The Fretliners. JRSoapbox Band will close out the evening with a late show at Chelseas.

Saturday is packed with music starting off with a banjo workshop by Kyle Tuttle and then local songstress Korey McKelvy starts singing at noon on the balcony, followed by local Americana duo March to August in the Cave. Other local bands and musicians performing on Saturday include Eureka’s own Chucky Waggs and the Company of Raggs and Dance Monkey Dance. Also performing are Reverend Hylton, Stillhouse Junkies, Trevor Clark, Pert Near Sandstone (another NWA favorite) and more.

Sunday will feature well-known musicians and bands in the area including Casey and the Attaboys, Steve Jones and The Cate Brothers at the Basin Park Hotel’s ballroom.

Earl Cate of the Cate Brothers says he enjoys the audience and the atmosphere of the Ozark Mountain Music festival.

“We played the festival a couple of years ago and it went really well,” says Cate. Semi-retired since 2006, The Cate Brothers are one of the regions most famous bands. Blessed by Ronnie Hawkins in the early 1960s, The Cate Brothers, have since shared the stage with the likes of The Band, especially Levon Helm, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, The Beach Boys, Boz Skaggs, Little Feat and Crosby Stills and Nash.

These days, Cate says that in the summer they usually play a show at Basin Park as well as a show or two at George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville each year. At 80 years old, he says that he doesn’t like to be out too late.

“We still like to play music, we don’t want the late hours,” he says. Then laughs, “unless the money is good! We try to keep it to where we’re not up until one in the morning driving.”

Joining them on stage will be Darren Novotny on drums (longtime drummer Terry Cagle passed away last year), Jesse Dean will fill in on bass while their regular bassist recovers from surgery, David Renko will play saxophone with twins Earl on guitar and Earnie on the piano, of course.

For those who are looking to stay out a little later locals DiMetrip will throw down some Sunday evening bluegrass starting at 6 at Chelsea’s.

Throughout the festival will be live paintings by artists Jerika Renee, Shawn Maloney, Anita VR, Kammie Lynn, Bruce Carpenter, Tasha Rose, Jamin Ellison, Amanda Graves, Crystal Stone, Robert Roman Norman and Drew Smith. There will also be local vendors set up in the ballroom of the Basin Park Hotel.

Plus, there’s lots of other activities happening between sets.

“We do what we call resort activities every day with our guests,” says Gina Rambo, director of marketing & communications for the Basin Park and Crescent hotels. Activities will include hikes, morning yoga and door decorating contests for those who stay at the hotel. Other nights will have a special dress-up themes like OzMoMu history or neon night.

“You don’t have to stay at the hotel to to participate,” Rambo adds. In addition to the four-day passes, Thursday and Sunday night have “local passes” for $20 for those who can’t commit to four whole days.

Tickets are selling fast, combined passes for the festival and the Friday night Old Crow Medicine Show at The Aud have already sold out, but a few passes for Ozark Mountain Music Festival still remain at ozarkmountainmusicfestival.com

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