![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059256-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nJim Lauderdale and The Game Changers<\/h5>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059257-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
On Thursday, March 19th, I started the festival off with a set from Jim Lauderdale and The Game Changers.\u00a0 Jim Lauderdale is usually one of the acts you can count on to see multiple days throughout the fest, but this year he\u2019s only doing one set with his Game Changers band.\u00a0 He just released a new record with this band called Country Super Hits Volume 2 and featured a few cuts from that in this set.\u00a0 He started the show off with \u201cIt Blows My Mind\u201d from the Time Flies album and from there went on to do \u201cThe Road Is A River\u201d and \u201cWild On Me Fast\u201d from that record.\u00a0 He then did \u201cI\u2019m A Lucky Loser\u201d from the 2024 record My Favorite Place which is a great track.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the highlights of the set was the track \u201cGame Changer\u201d from the album of the same name.\u00a0 Another highlight was a full band version of the new track “Artificial Intelligence\u201d from his new record.\u00a0 I\u2019ve heard this song by him before, but this was the first time I\u2019ve seen it live with a band.\u00a0 He also played a cut from his record Buddy & Jim with Buddy Miller called \u201cI Lost The Job Of Living You\u201d which was one of my favorite cuts from that album.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Going even further back, he did his 1991 hit \u201cThe King Of Broken Hearts\u201d which is one of my favorite Jim Lauderdale tracks.\u00a0 This set was a great full band country set from Jim and he closed it out with another one of his great 90\u2019s tunes \u201cHole In My Head\u201d from the 1998 record Whisper.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059286-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead Music Hall Set
<\/h5>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059287-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Following this set, I went over to the music hall for a late night set from north Florida\u2019s best Grateful Dead tribute act, Grass Is Dead.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve never seen this band, I highly recommend checking them out.\u00a0 They\u2019re one of the best Dead tribute bands out there and Billy Gilmore and crew only get better each time I see them.\u00a0 This was the first of three sets across the weekend for this band.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was a very Dead heavy set which started with \u201cAlabama Getaway\u201d and moved into \u201cBrown Eyed Women\u201d before jamming out with \u201cSitting On Top Of The World\u201d.\u00a0 An early highlight was \u201cJack-A-Roe\u201d into a blazing rendition of the bluegrass instrumental \u201cE.M.D.\u201d which was originally by David Grisman.\u00a0 From there we got \u201cCumberland Blues\u201d before a version of John Hartford\u2019s \u201cJoseph\u2019s Dream\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, the band wrapped up with a set of \u201cEyes Of The World->He\u2019s Gone-> Cassidy\u201d which made a great finale.\u00a0 This set was very lively with lots of dancing in the music hall and a good end to a lighter first day of the festival.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059308-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe Fretliners<\/h5>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059313-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
To start my day Friday, I only caught a portion of The Fretliner\u2019s set on the amp stage.\u00a0 They mostly played tunes that are not featured on their 2023 self-titled record from what I saw, but I caught \u201cAutumn Rivers Bend\u201d, \u201cHole In The Sky\u201d and \u201cJosephina\u201d during their set here.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a great newer bluegrass band from Colorado and I looked forward to seeing more of them on Saturday.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059325-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSam Grisman Project<\/h5>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059334-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
I was really here for two bands on Friday, Sam Grisman Project and Steep Canyon Rangers.\u00a0 Sam Grisman Project recently released a full double album of songs, but they have such a wide repertoire that I only noticed a couple off that record the whole weekend.\u00a0 They play a lot of old standards from the likes of David Grisman, John Hartford, Vasser Clements, and others from that era of bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started the show with some music from David Grisman including a fire version of the traditional \u201cShady Grove\u201d.\u00a0 From there they did an original tune called \u201cCalifornia Disappears\u201d.\u00a0 They played a John Hartford tune that I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve heard live before called \u201cHeading Down Into The Mystery\u201d.\u00a0 They also did the tune \u201cRosie McFall\u201d which is an old bluegrass number that was often covered by the Grateful Dead.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was at this point in the set that John Mailander joined the band and sat in for the rest of the show.\u00a0 John Mailander is an artist in residency at this festival and you\u2019ll see him randomly appear in bands’ sets when they need another fiddle or mandolin player.\u00a0 The band then did the Tom Waits song \u201cPicture In A Frame\u201d and \u201cBlues For Vasser\u201d which was originally written by David Grisman for Vasser Clements with John Mailander featured heavily in both.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We then got an original fiddle tune in \u201cRiley\u2019s Run\u201d followed by the Grisman tune \u201cDawg Patch\u201d.\u00a0 They then did a version of \u201cWaiting For A Miracle\u201d which was a Bruce Cockburn song made popular by the Jerry Garcia Band.\u00a0 We got another original tune from guitar player Max Flansburg called \u201cJust A Lie\u201d followed by a bluegrass version of the Grateful Dead tune \u201cBrokedown Palace\u201d before closing out with the traditional tune \u201cBig Railroad Blues\u201d.\u00a0 This was the first of two sets from Sam Grisman Project, they will do another set later on with Peter Rowan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next band on the Amp stage was the Steep Canyon Rangers.\u00a0 I have seen them at this fest before in 2019 and it was cool to see them again.\u00a0 They kicked things off with a track from their 2023 album Morning Shift titled \u201cAlabama Calling\u201d.\u00a0 Unlike the previous set, this band does more original music than covers.\u00a0 Speaking of original music, the band announced they have a new record called Next Act releasing later this summer and played a few tunes from it including \u201cHard Luck Kid\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was followed by another new song that was my favorite of the newer material they played called \u201cRoll Of The Dice\u201d.\u00a0 They then played one of my favorite older Steep Canyon Ranges tunes with \u201cCome Dance\u201d from their 2013 album Tell The Ones I Love. The band then went back to their new album for the title track called \u201cNext Act\u201d before doing a bit of harmonizing on the track \u201cAs I Go\u201d from the 2012 album Nobody Knows You.\u00a0 They then played another track from their new album called \u201cCircling The Drain\u201d before going into a long jam of my favorite Steep Canyon Rangers tune called \u201cTell The Ones I Love\u201d.\u00a0 The band then got into a Tom Petty cover with \u201cYer So Bad\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band also played \u201cFare Thee Well, Carolina Gals\u201d from the Morning Shift record before jamming out an instrumental with John Mailander and Larry Keel joining in for the finale of the set.\u00a0 I love how this band incorporates drums on some of their music, and some is more traditional bluegrass, it helps keep their shows going with variety throughout the set. This was the end of Friday night for me, and Saturday is another full day.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059366-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSpirit Of The Suwannee Music Park at Night<\/h5>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059377-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Jerry Douglas in the Music Hall<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Saturday was the final day of the festival for me and the main thing I\u2019ve been looking forward to on this day was the Sam Grisman Project set with Peter Rowan later in the day.\u00a0 I started the day off though with a set featuring Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas in the music hall.\u00a0 This set was largely old blues songs that I\u2019m not as familiar with, but when you have Jerry Douglas and Peter Rowan playing a sit down set together, I\u2019m in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started off with \u201cDig My Grave With A Silver Spade\u201d before going into “Penitentiary Blues (Big Brazos)\u201d which Peter Rowan recorded on his 2022 record Calling You From My Mountain.\u00a0 They then played another Peter Rowan tune from the 1991 album All On A Rising Day called \u201cHowlin\u2019 At The Moon\u201d.\u00a0 The next song I recognized was \u201cMojo Hand\u201d which was a Lightning Hopkins cover.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then played another old blues number called \u201cGive The Devil His Due\u201d before going into a newer Peter Rowan tune called \u201cSunset Eyes\u201d from his 2025 album Tales of the Free Mexican Airforce which is a record a lot of folks slept on last year.\u00a0 This was a great short set.\u00a0 The music hall at Suwannee is a perfect place for an afternoon blues duo set and it would be hard to find one better than Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059378-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe Fretliners in the Dance Tent<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Next, I caught some of the Fretliners second set over at the dance tent in the park.\u00a0 When I walked up they were already playing \u201cLonesome Holler\u201d from their self titled and only release.\u00a0 Next I heard a new song from them called \u201cThe Storm\u201d\u00a0 followed by an instrumental called \u201cSnapping Turtle\u201d.\u00a0 They then did a John Hartford cover called \u201cAll Of His Blues\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We got another instrumental fiddle tune called \u201cSquirrel Hunters\u201d before they did a great rendition of \u201cHouse Of The Rising Sun\u201d.\u00a0 They then closed out with their original tunes \u201cJosephina\u201d and \u201cSuitcases & Heartaches\u201d.\u00a0 If you like more traditional leaning modern bluegrass, The Fretliners would definitely be a band you don\u2019t want to miss.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059389-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nShawn Camp and Verlon Thompson playing the tunes of Guy Clark<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
There was only a little bit before the next Grass Is Dead set over at the Amp stage, so I stuck around and heard Shawn Camp and Verlon Thompson playing the tunes of Guy Clark for a bit.\u00a0 I only caught two songs but they were both two of my favorite Guy Clark songs so I can\u2019t complain.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started the set off with \u201cTexas 1947\u201d from Old No. 1 before going into \u201cDesperados Waiting For A Train\u201d from the same album.\u00a0 This festival has a lot of intimate sets like this every year and it\u2019s great to be able to see the artist you\u2019re there to see in different types of sets.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059396-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead Amp Stage Set<\/h5>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059418-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead feat. David Gans<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Next, I went to the amp stage for the second Grass Is Dead set of the weekend.\u00a0 This set was a bit more bluegrass leaning than the earlier set that was heavier on the Dead.\u00a0 The first song I caught was \u201cDark Hollow\u201d which is a bluegrass traditional, followed by \u201cShip Of Fools\u201d from the Dead\u2019s 1974 release From The Mars Hotel.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then did a Billy Gilmore original with the killer tune \u201cTwisted Riff\u201d.\u00a0 Up next they brought out David Gans for a run of Dead songs.\u00a0 David Gans hosts the Grateful Dead Hour which has been nationally syndicated on radio since 1987 and it\u2019s safe to say his work has helped introduce a lot of people to the Dead.\u00a0 Together they started with \u201cScarlet Begonias\u201d before going into \u201cMississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo\u201d and ending with the great Dead tune \u201cDeal\u201d.\u00a0 This was another great set from this band and I highly recommend seeking out a Grass Is Dead set if you\u2019re ever in north Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059426-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project playing Old & In The Way<\/h5>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059439-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project ft. Jerry Douglas<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
After the Grass Is Dead, I stuck around the amp stage and watched Peter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project set up.\u00a0 I had been looking forward to seeing a set like this since these two performed a show at the Ryman together earlier this year.\u00a0 If you are unfamiliar with Old and In The Way, they were a bluegrass supergroup that formed in 1973 and were only together for nine months, but became one of the most influential bands in bluegrass and later in the subgenre of jamgrass.\u00a0 The band featured Jerry Garcia on banjo, David Grisman on mandolin, Peter Rowan on guitar and lead vocals, Vassar Clements on fiddle and John Kahn on upright bass.\u00a0 They were one of the early pioneers of what was considered newgrass at the time.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This show featured Peter Rowan back on guitar and lead vocals for some tunes and David Grisman\u2019s son, Sam Grisman and his band backing him up. They started the set off with an Old and In The Way classic in \u201cThe Hobo Song\u201d which was featured on their 1975 self-titled LP.\u00a0 They then played \u201cCold Rain and Snow\u201d featuring Hattie Craven on backing vocals.\u00a0 She was featured on several songs throughout the set.\u00a0 Following that track they played the Vasser Clements tune \u201cKissimmee Kid\u201d which is a great instrumental which showcased the hillbilly jazz style that was a hallmark of the band.\u00a0 They did a lot of Bill Monroe tunes this evening including \u201cMuleskinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)\u201d.\u00a0 Peter Rowan and Vasser Clements were both former bluegrass boys with Bill Monroe so there is a lot of history here in this set.\u00a0 They then played \u201cUncle Pen\u201d and \u201cBlue Moon Of Kentucky\u201d which are both Bill Monroe classics before going into the David Grisman tune \u201cOpus 47\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After that tune, they then played my favorite Peter Rowan song in \u201cThe Walls Of Time\u201d and I loved this full band version.\u00a0 I will have a video of that song in the article. \u00a0 \u00a0 They then played what I believe is a Peter Rowan song called \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d.\u00a0 As I said earlier, I\u2019m not always familiar with these tunes.\u00a0 After \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d, the Sam Grisman Project took center stage and did an old fiddle tune \u201cRosin On The Gourd\u201d.\u00a0 The group then got back to some Old and In The Way music with the band’s theme song written by David Grisman called \u201cOld And In The Way\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peter Rowan then brought out a special guest for the set in Jerry Douglas and he stayed with the band for the rest of the set.\u00a0 They started this section of the set off with \u201cThirsty in the Rain\u201d before going into the Vassar Clements tune \u201cLonesome Fiddle Blues\u201d.\u00a0 The band played \u201cCorina, Corina\u201d which is an old traditional before going into Peter Rowan\u2019s biggest song and finale, \u201cMidnight Moonlight\u201d.\u00a0 This set was probably the highlight of the weekend for me and one of the best sets I\u2019ve seen in a while.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve always been a fan of Peter Rowan and pairing with the Sam Grisman Project makes for the perfect Old and In The Way tribute.\u00a0 I highly recommend seeing one of these shows if they come near you.\u00a0 I do wish that they played some more of the Old and In The Way tunes here, but I loved how the set played tribute to both Old and In The Way and the connection with Bill Monroe.\u00a0 It showcases how Old And In The Way is a turning point band for the genre of bluegrass.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059453-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nJon Stickley Trio<\/h5>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/garyhayescountry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1000059478-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAfter Old And In The Way I went to see a set by the Jon Stickley Trio.\u00a0 This group is very unique and is often a part of these festivals at Suwannee and they\u2019re usually a late night set, so I was happy to see them earlier in the evening than after midnight.\u00a0 This band is purely instrumental and is about as close as you\u2019d get to seeing a bluegrass rave.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band brings high dance energy to the set and it\u2019s nonstop.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t begin to give you a rundown of what they played, just know that it was all blazing fast.\u00a0 The band fuses different genres into what they play with nods to jazz, metal, funk and a lot of things you don\u2019t typically hear in bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking this band out if you ever get a chance to see them live.\u00a0 I had hoped to see a couple of other sets this weekend, but this was the end of the festival for me this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking out this festival if you like bluegrass, jamgrass, jam bands or any of the above. With bands like Sam Grisman Project this year, Kitchen Dwellers last year and even featuring Billy Strings in it’s 2019 lineup, you can tell it’s a very forward thinking festival when it comes to lineups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also have a good mix of some of the artists we come back for every year such as staples like Peter Rowan, Sean Camp, Jon Stickley Trio and more. I’m already anticipating the fall version of the festival and we will have information on that as soon as we can publish it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Review of the 2026 Suwannee Spring Reunion Festival<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":29849,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[540,618,921,950,951],"class_list":["post-29847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-joshua-wallace","tag-live-review","tag-spirit-of-the-suwannee","tag-suwannee","tag-suwannee-spring-reunion"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
On Thursday, March 19th, I started the festival off with a set from Jim Lauderdale and The Game Changers.\u00a0 Jim Lauderdale is usually one of the acts you can count on to see multiple days throughout the fest, but this year he\u2019s only doing one set with his Game Changers band.\u00a0 He just released a new record with this band called Country Super Hits Volume 2 and featured a few cuts from that in this set.\u00a0 He started the show off with \u201cIt Blows My Mind\u201d from the Time Flies album and from there went on to do \u201cThe Road Is A River\u201d and \u201cWild On Me Fast\u201d from that record.\u00a0 He then did \u201cI\u2019m A Lucky Loser\u201d from the 2024 record My Favorite Place which is a great track.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the highlights of the set was the track \u201cGame Changer\u201d from the album of the same name.\u00a0 Another highlight was a full band version of the new track “Artificial Intelligence\u201d from his new record.\u00a0 I\u2019ve heard this song by him before, but this was the first time I\u2019ve seen it live with a band.\u00a0 He also played a cut from his record Buddy & Jim with Buddy Miller called \u201cI Lost The Job Of Living You\u201d which was one of my favorite cuts from that album.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Going even further back, he did his 1991 hit \u201cThe King Of Broken Hearts\u201d which is one of my favorite Jim Lauderdale tracks.\u00a0 This set was a great full band country set from Jim and he closed it out with another one of his great 90\u2019s tunes \u201cHole In My Head\u201d from the 1998 record Whisper.
<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead Music Hall Set
<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Following this set, I went over to the music hall for a late night set from north Florida\u2019s best Grateful Dead tribute act, Grass Is Dead.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve never seen this band, I highly recommend checking them out.\u00a0 They\u2019re one of the best Dead tribute bands out there and Billy Gilmore and crew only get better each time I see them.\u00a0 This was the first of three sets across the weekend for this band.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was a very Dead heavy set which started with \u201cAlabama Getaway\u201d and moved into \u201cBrown Eyed Women\u201d before jamming out with \u201cSitting On Top Of The World\u201d.\u00a0 An early highlight was \u201cJack-A-Roe\u201d into a blazing rendition of the bluegrass instrumental \u201cE.M.D.\u201d which was originally by David Grisman.\u00a0 From there we got \u201cCumberland Blues\u201d before a version of John Hartford\u2019s \u201cJoseph\u2019s Dream\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, the band wrapped up with a set of \u201cEyes Of The World->He\u2019s Gone-> Cassidy\u201d which made a great finale.\u00a0 This set was very lively with lots of dancing in the music hall and a good end to a lighter first day of the festival.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe Fretliners<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
To start my day Friday, I only caught a portion of The Fretliner\u2019s set on the amp stage.\u00a0 They mostly played tunes that are not featured on their 2023 self-titled record from what I saw, but I caught \u201cAutumn Rivers Bend\u201d, \u201cHole In The Sky\u201d and \u201cJosephina\u201d during their set here.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a great newer bluegrass band from Colorado and I looked forward to seeing more of them on Saturday.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSam Grisman Project<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
I was really here for two bands on Friday, Sam Grisman Project and Steep Canyon Rangers.\u00a0 Sam Grisman Project recently released a full double album of songs, but they have such a wide repertoire that I only noticed a couple off that record the whole weekend.\u00a0 They play a lot of old standards from the likes of David Grisman, John Hartford, Vasser Clements, and others from that era of bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started the show with some music from David Grisman including a fire version of the traditional \u201cShady Grove\u201d.\u00a0 From there they did an original tune called \u201cCalifornia Disappears\u201d.\u00a0 They played a John Hartford tune that I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve heard live before called \u201cHeading Down Into The Mystery\u201d.\u00a0 They also did the tune \u201cRosie McFall\u201d which is an old bluegrass number that was often covered by the Grateful Dead.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was at this point in the set that John Mailander joined the band and sat in for the rest of the show.\u00a0 John Mailander is an artist in residency at this festival and you\u2019ll see him randomly appear in bands’ sets when they need another fiddle or mandolin player.\u00a0 The band then did the Tom Waits song \u201cPicture In A Frame\u201d and \u201cBlues For Vasser\u201d which was originally written by David Grisman for Vasser Clements with John Mailander featured heavily in both.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We then got an original fiddle tune in \u201cRiley\u2019s Run\u201d followed by the Grisman tune \u201cDawg Patch\u201d.\u00a0 They then did a version of \u201cWaiting For A Miracle\u201d which was a Bruce Cockburn song made popular by the Jerry Garcia Band.\u00a0 We got another original tune from guitar player Max Flansburg called \u201cJust A Lie\u201d followed by a bluegrass version of the Grateful Dead tune \u201cBrokedown Palace\u201d before closing out with the traditional tune \u201cBig Railroad Blues\u201d.\u00a0 This was the first of two sets from Sam Grisman Project, they will do another set later on with Peter Rowan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next band on the Amp stage was the Steep Canyon Rangers.\u00a0 I have seen them at this fest before in 2019 and it was cool to see them again.\u00a0 They kicked things off with a track from their 2023 album Morning Shift titled \u201cAlabama Calling\u201d.\u00a0 Unlike the previous set, this band does more original music than covers.\u00a0 Speaking of original music, the band announced they have a new record called Next Act releasing later this summer and played a few tunes from it including \u201cHard Luck Kid\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was followed by another new song that was my favorite of the newer material they played called \u201cRoll Of The Dice\u201d.\u00a0 They then played one of my favorite older Steep Canyon Ranges tunes with \u201cCome Dance\u201d from their 2013 album Tell The Ones I Love. The band then went back to their new album for the title track called \u201cNext Act\u201d before doing a bit of harmonizing on the track \u201cAs I Go\u201d from the 2012 album Nobody Knows You.\u00a0 They then played another track from their new album called \u201cCircling The Drain\u201d before going into a long jam of my favorite Steep Canyon Rangers tune called \u201cTell The Ones I Love\u201d.\u00a0 The band then got into a Tom Petty cover with \u201cYer So Bad\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band also played \u201cFare Thee Well, Carolina Gals\u201d from the Morning Shift record before jamming out an instrumental with John Mailander and Larry Keel joining in for the finale of the set.\u00a0 I love how this band incorporates drums on some of their music, and some is more traditional bluegrass, it helps keep their shows going with variety throughout the set. This was the end of Friday night for me, and Saturday is another full day.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSpirit Of The Suwannee Music Park at Night<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Jerry Douglas in the Music Hall<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Saturday was the final day of the festival for me and the main thing I\u2019ve been looking forward to on this day was the Sam Grisman Project set with Peter Rowan later in the day.\u00a0 I started the day off though with a set featuring Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas in the music hall.\u00a0 This set was largely old blues songs that I\u2019m not as familiar with, but when you have Jerry Douglas and Peter Rowan playing a sit down set together, I\u2019m in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started off with \u201cDig My Grave With A Silver Spade\u201d before going into “Penitentiary Blues (Big Brazos)\u201d which Peter Rowan recorded on his 2022 record Calling You From My Mountain.\u00a0 They then played another Peter Rowan tune from the 1991 album All On A Rising Day called \u201cHowlin\u2019 At The Moon\u201d.\u00a0 The next song I recognized was \u201cMojo Hand\u201d which was a Lightning Hopkins cover.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then played another old blues number called \u201cGive The Devil His Due\u201d before going into a newer Peter Rowan tune called \u201cSunset Eyes\u201d from his 2025 album Tales of the Free Mexican Airforce which is a record a lot of folks slept on last year.\u00a0 This was a great short set.\u00a0 The music hall at Suwannee is a perfect place for an afternoon blues duo set and it would be hard to find one better than Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe Fretliners in the Dance Tent<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Next, I caught some of the Fretliners second set over at the dance tent in the park.\u00a0 When I walked up they were already playing \u201cLonesome Holler\u201d from their self titled and only release.\u00a0 Next I heard a new song from them called \u201cThe Storm\u201d\u00a0 followed by an instrumental called \u201cSnapping Turtle\u201d.\u00a0 They then did a John Hartford cover called \u201cAll Of His Blues\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We got another instrumental fiddle tune called \u201cSquirrel Hunters\u201d before they did a great rendition of \u201cHouse Of The Rising Sun\u201d.\u00a0 They then closed out with their original tunes \u201cJosephina\u201d and \u201cSuitcases & Heartaches\u201d.\u00a0 If you like more traditional leaning modern bluegrass, The Fretliners would definitely be a band you don\u2019t want to miss.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nShawn Camp and Verlon Thompson playing the tunes of Guy Clark<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
There was only a little bit before the next Grass Is Dead set over at the Amp stage, so I stuck around and heard Shawn Camp and Verlon Thompson playing the tunes of Guy Clark for a bit.\u00a0 I only caught two songs but they were both two of my favorite Guy Clark songs so I can\u2019t complain.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started the set off with \u201cTexas 1947\u201d from Old No. 1 before going into \u201cDesperados Waiting For A Train\u201d from the same album.\u00a0 This festival has a lot of intimate sets like this every year and it\u2019s great to be able to see the artist you\u2019re there to see in different types of sets.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead Amp Stage Set<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead feat. David Gans<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Next, I went to the amp stage for the second Grass Is Dead set of the weekend.\u00a0 This set was a bit more bluegrass leaning than the earlier set that was heavier on the Dead.\u00a0 The first song I caught was \u201cDark Hollow\u201d which is a bluegrass traditional, followed by \u201cShip Of Fools\u201d from the Dead\u2019s 1974 release From The Mars Hotel.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then did a Billy Gilmore original with the killer tune \u201cTwisted Riff\u201d.\u00a0 Up next they brought out David Gans for a run of Dead songs.\u00a0 David Gans hosts the Grateful Dead Hour which has been nationally syndicated on radio since 1987 and it\u2019s safe to say his work has helped introduce a lot of people to the Dead.\u00a0 Together they started with \u201cScarlet Begonias\u201d before going into \u201cMississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo\u201d and ending with the great Dead tune \u201cDeal\u201d.\u00a0 This was another great set from this band and I highly recommend seeking out a Grass Is Dead set if you\u2019re ever in north Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project playing Old & In The Way<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project ft. Jerry Douglas<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
After the Grass Is Dead, I stuck around the amp stage and watched Peter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project set up.\u00a0 I had been looking forward to seeing a set like this since these two performed a show at the Ryman together earlier this year.\u00a0 If you are unfamiliar with Old and In The Way, they were a bluegrass supergroup that formed in 1973 and were only together for nine months, but became one of the most influential bands in bluegrass and later in the subgenre of jamgrass.\u00a0 The band featured Jerry Garcia on banjo, David Grisman on mandolin, Peter Rowan on guitar and lead vocals, Vassar Clements on fiddle and John Kahn on upright bass.\u00a0 They were one of the early pioneers of what was considered newgrass at the time.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This show featured Peter Rowan back on guitar and lead vocals for some tunes and David Grisman\u2019s son, Sam Grisman and his band backing him up. They started the set off with an Old and In The Way classic in \u201cThe Hobo Song\u201d which was featured on their 1975 self-titled LP.\u00a0 They then played \u201cCold Rain and Snow\u201d featuring Hattie Craven on backing vocals.\u00a0 She was featured on several songs throughout the set.\u00a0 Following that track they played the Vasser Clements tune \u201cKissimmee Kid\u201d which is a great instrumental which showcased the hillbilly jazz style that was a hallmark of the band.\u00a0 They did a lot of Bill Monroe tunes this evening including \u201cMuleskinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)\u201d.\u00a0 Peter Rowan and Vasser Clements were both former bluegrass boys with Bill Monroe so there is a lot of history here in this set.\u00a0 They then played \u201cUncle Pen\u201d and \u201cBlue Moon Of Kentucky\u201d which are both Bill Monroe classics before going into the David Grisman tune \u201cOpus 47\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After that tune, they then played my favorite Peter Rowan song in \u201cThe Walls Of Time\u201d and I loved this full band version.\u00a0 I will have a video of that song in the article. \u00a0 \u00a0 They then played what I believe is a Peter Rowan song called \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d.\u00a0 As I said earlier, I\u2019m not always familiar with these tunes.\u00a0 After \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d, the Sam Grisman Project took center stage and did an old fiddle tune \u201cRosin On The Gourd\u201d.\u00a0 The group then got back to some Old and In The Way music with the band’s theme song written by David Grisman called \u201cOld And In The Way\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peter Rowan then brought out a special guest for the set in Jerry Douglas and he stayed with the band for the rest of the set.\u00a0 They started this section of the set off with \u201cThirsty in the Rain\u201d before going into the Vassar Clements tune \u201cLonesome Fiddle Blues\u201d.\u00a0 The band played \u201cCorina, Corina\u201d which is an old traditional before going into Peter Rowan\u2019s biggest song and finale, \u201cMidnight Moonlight\u201d.\u00a0 This set was probably the highlight of the weekend for me and one of the best sets I\u2019ve seen in a while.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve always been a fan of Peter Rowan and pairing with the Sam Grisman Project makes for the perfect Old and In The Way tribute.\u00a0 I highly recommend seeing one of these shows if they come near you.\u00a0 I do wish that they played some more of the Old and In The Way tunes here, but I loved how the set played tribute to both Old and In The Way and the connection with Bill Monroe.\u00a0 It showcases how Old And In The Way is a turning point band for the genre of bluegrass.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nJon Stickley Trio<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAfter Old And In The Way I went to see a set by the Jon Stickley Trio.\u00a0 This group is very unique and is often a part of these festivals at Suwannee and they\u2019re usually a late night set, so I was happy to see them earlier in the evening than after midnight.\u00a0 This band is purely instrumental and is about as close as you\u2019d get to seeing a bluegrass rave.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band brings high dance energy to the set and it\u2019s nonstop.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t begin to give you a rundown of what they played, just know that it was all blazing fast.\u00a0 The band fuses different genres into what they play with nods to jazz, metal, funk and a lot of things you don\u2019t typically hear in bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking this band out if you ever get a chance to see them live.\u00a0 I had hoped to see a couple of other sets this weekend, but this was the end of the festival for me this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking out this festival if you like bluegrass, jamgrass, jam bands or any of the above. With bands like Sam Grisman Project this year, Kitchen Dwellers last year and even featuring Billy Strings in it’s 2019 lineup, you can tell it’s a very forward thinking festival when it comes to lineups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also have a good mix of some of the artists we come back for every year such as staples like Peter Rowan, Sean Camp, Jon Stickley Trio and more. I’m already anticipating the fall version of the festival and we will have information on that as soon as we can publish it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Review of the 2026 Suwannee Spring Reunion Festival<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":29849,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[540,618,921,950,951],"class_list":["post-29847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-joshua-wallace","tag-live-review","tag-spirit-of-the-suwannee","tag-suwannee","tag-suwannee-spring-reunion"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Following this set, I went over to the music hall for a late night set from north Florida\u2019s best Grateful Dead tribute act, Grass Is Dead.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve never seen this band, I highly recommend checking them out.\u00a0 They\u2019re one of the best Dead tribute bands out there and Billy Gilmore and crew only get better each time I see them.\u00a0 This was the first of three sets across the weekend for this band.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was a very Dead heavy set which started with \u201cAlabama Getaway\u201d and moved into \u201cBrown Eyed Women\u201d before jamming out with \u201cSitting On Top Of The World\u201d.\u00a0 An early highlight was \u201cJack-A-Roe\u201d into a blazing rendition of the bluegrass instrumental \u201cE.M.D.\u201d which was originally by David Grisman.\u00a0 From there we got \u201cCumberland Blues\u201d before a version of John Hartford\u2019s \u201cJoseph\u2019s Dream\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, the band wrapped up with a set of \u201cEyes Of The World->He\u2019s Gone-> Cassidy\u201d which made a great finale.\u00a0 This set was very lively with lots of dancing in the music hall and a good end to a lighter first day of the festival.
<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe Fretliners<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
To start my day Friday, I only caught a portion of The Fretliner\u2019s set on the amp stage.\u00a0 They mostly played tunes that are not featured on their 2023 self-titled record from what I saw, but I caught \u201cAutumn Rivers Bend\u201d, \u201cHole In The Sky\u201d and \u201cJosephina\u201d during their set here.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a great newer bluegrass band from Colorado and I looked forward to seeing more of them on Saturday.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSam Grisman Project<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
I was really here for two bands on Friday, Sam Grisman Project and Steep Canyon Rangers.\u00a0 Sam Grisman Project recently released a full double album of songs, but they have such a wide repertoire that I only noticed a couple off that record the whole weekend.\u00a0 They play a lot of old standards from the likes of David Grisman, John Hartford, Vasser Clements, and others from that era of bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started the show with some music from David Grisman including a fire version of the traditional \u201cShady Grove\u201d.\u00a0 From there they did an original tune called \u201cCalifornia Disappears\u201d.\u00a0 They played a John Hartford tune that I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve heard live before called \u201cHeading Down Into The Mystery\u201d.\u00a0 They also did the tune \u201cRosie McFall\u201d which is an old bluegrass number that was often covered by the Grateful Dead.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was at this point in the set that John Mailander joined the band and sat in for the rest of the show.\u00a0 John Mailander is an artist in residency at this festival and you\u2019ll see him randomly appear in bands’ sets when they need another fiddle or mandolin player.\u00a0 The band then did the Tom Waits song \u201cPicture In A Frame\u201d and \u201cBlues For Vasser\u201d which was originally written by David Grisman for Vasser Clements with John Mailander featured heavily in both.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We then got an original fiddle tune in \u201cRiley\u2019s Run\u201d followed by the Grisman tune \u201cDawg Patch\u201d.\u00a0 They then did a version of \u201cWaiting For A Miracle\u201d which was a Bruce Cockburn song made popular by the Jerry Garcia Band.\u00a0 We got another original tune from guitar player Max Flansburg called \u201cJust A Lie\u201d followed by a bluegrass version of the Grateful Dead tune \u201cBrokedown Palace\u201d before closing out with the traditional tune \u201cBig Railroad Blues\u201d.\u00a0 This was the first of two sets from Sam Grisman Project, they will do another set later on with Peter Rowan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next band on the Amp stage was the Steep Canyon Rangers.\u00a0 I have seen them at this fest before in 2019 and it was cool to see them again.\u00a0 They kicked things off with a track from their 2023 album Morning Shift titled \u201cAlabama Calling\u201d.\u00a0 Unlike the previous set, this band does more original music than covers.\u00a0 Speaking of original music, the band announced they have a new record called Next Act releasing later this summer and played a few tunes from it including \u201cHard Luck Kid\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was followed by another new song that was my favorite of the newer material they played called \u201cRoll Of The Dice\u201d.\u00a0 They then played one of my favorite older Steep Canyon Ranges tunes with \u201cCome Dance\u201d from their 2013 album Tell The Ones I Love. The band then went back to their new album for the title track called \u201cNext Act\u201d before doing a bit of harmonizing on the track \u201cAs I Go\u201d from the 2012 album Nobody Knows You.\u00a0 They then played another track from their new album called \u201cCircling The Drain\u201d before going into a long jam of my favorite Steep Canyon Rangers tune called \u201cTell The Ones I Love\u201d.\u00a0 The band then got into a Tom Petty cover with \u201cYer So Bad\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band also played \u201cFare Thee Well, Carolina Gals\u201d from the Morning Shift record before jamming out an instrumental with John Mailander and Larry Keel joining in for the finale of the set.\u00a0 I love how this band incorporates drums on some of their music, and some is more traditional bluegrass, it helps keep their shows going with variety throughout the set. This was the end of Friday night for me, and Saturday is another full day.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSpirit Of The Suwannee Music Park at Night<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Jerry Douglas in the Music Hall<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Saturday was the final day of the festival for me and the main thing I\u2019ve been looking forward to on this day was the Sam Grisman Project set with Peter Rowan later in the day.\u00a0 I started the day off though with a set featuring Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas in the music hall.\u00a0 This set was largely old blues songs that I\u2019m not as familiar with, but when you have Jerry Douglas and Peter Rowan playing a sit down set together, I\u2019m in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started off with \u201cDig My Grave With A Silver Spade\u201d before going into “Penitentiary Blues (Big Brazos)\u201d which Peter Rowan recorded on his 2022 record Calling You From My Mountain.\u00a0 They then played another Peter Rowan tune from the 1991 album All On A Rising Day called \u201cHowlin\u2019 At The Moon\u201d.\u00a0 The next song I recognized was \u201cMojo Hand\u201d which was a Lightning Hopkins cover.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then played another old blues number called \u201cGive The Devil His Due\u201d before going into a newer Peter Rowan tune called \u201cSunset Eyes\u201d from his 2025 album Tales of the Free Mexican Airforce which is a record a lot of folks slept on last year.\u00a0 This was a great short set.\u00a0 The music hall at Suwannee is a perfect place for an afternoon blues duo set and it would be hard to find one better than Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe Fretliners in the Dance Tent<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Next, I caught some of the Fretliners second set over at the dance tent in the park.\u00a0 When I walked up they were already playing \u201cLonesome Holler\u201d from their self titled and only release.\u00a0 Next I heard a new song from them called \u201cThe Storm\u201d\u00a0 followed by an instrumental called \u201cSnapping Turtle\u201d.\u00a0 They then did a John Hartford cover called \u201cAll Of His Blues\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We got another instrumental fiddle tune called \u201cSquirrel Hunters\u201d before they did a great rendition of \u201cHouse Of The Rising Sun\u201d.\u00a0 They then closed out with their original tunes \u201cJosephina\u201d and \u201cSuitcases & Heartaches\u201d.\u00a0 If you like more traditional leaning modern bluegrass, The Fretliners would definitely be a band you don\u2019t want to miss.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nShawn Camp and Verlon Thompson playing the tunes of Guy Clark<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
There was only a little bit before the next Grass Is Dead set over at the Amp stage, so I stuck around and heard Shawn Camp and Verlon Thompson playing the tunes of Guy Clark for a bit.\u00a0 I only caught two songs but they were both two of my favorite Guy Clark songs so I can\u2019t complain.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started the set off with \u201cTexas 1947\u201d from Old No. 1 before going into \u201cDesperados Waiting For A Train\u201d from the same album.\u00a0 This festival has a lot of intimate sets like this every year and it\u2019s great to be able to see the artist you\u2019re there to see in different types of sets.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead Amp Stage Set<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead feat. David Gans<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Next, I went to the amp stage for the second Grass Is Dead set of the weekend.\u00a0 This set was a bit more bluegrass leaning than the earlier set that was heavier on the Dead.\u00a0 The first song I caught was \u201cDark Hollow\u201d which is a bluegrass traditional, followed by \u201cShip Of Fools\u201d from the Dead\u2019s 1974 release From The Mars Hotel.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then did a Billy Gilmore original with the killer tune \u201cTwisted Riff\u201d.\u00a0 Up next they brought out David Gans for a run of Dead songs.\u00a0 David Gans hosts the Grateful Dead Hour which has been nationally syndicated on radio since 1987 and it\u2019s safe to say his work has helped introduce a lot of people to the Dead.\u00a0 Together they started with \u201cScarlet Begonias\u201d before going into \u201cMississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo\u201d and ending with the great Dead tune \u201cDeal\u201d.\u00a0 This was another great set from this band and I highly recommend seeking out a Grass Is Dead set if you\u2019re ever in north Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project playing Old & In The Way<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project ft. Jerry Douglas<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
After the Grass Is Dead, I stuck around the amp stage and watched Peter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project set up.\u00a0 I had been looking forward to seeing a set like this since these two performed a show at the Ryman together earlier this year.\u00a0 If you are unfamiliar with Old and In The Way, they were a bluegrass supergroup that formed in 1973 and were only together for nine months, but became one of the most influential bands in bluegrass and later in the subgenre of jamgrass.\u00a0 The band featured Jerry Garcia on banjo, David Grisman on mandolin, Peter Rowan on guitar and lead vocals, Vassar Clements on fiddle and John Kahn on upright bass.\u00a0 They were one of the early pioneers of what was considered newgrass at the time.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This show featured Peter Rowan back on guitar and lead vocals for some tunes and David Grisman\u2019s son, Sam Grisman and his band backing him up. They started the set off with an Old and In The Way classic in \u201cThe Hobo Song\u201d which was featured on their 1975 self-titled LP.\u00a0 They then played \u201cCold Rain and Snow\u201d featuring Hattie Craven on backing vocals.\u00a0 She was featured on several songs throughout the set.\u00a0 Following that track they played the Vasser Clements tune \u201cKissimmee Kid\u201d which is a great instrumental which showcased the hillbilly jazz style that was a hallmark of the band.\u00a0 They did a lot of Bill Monroe tunes this evening including \u201cMuleskinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)\u201d.\u00a0 Peter Rowan and Vasser Clements were both former bluegrass boys with Bill Monroe so there is a lot of history here in this set.\u00a0 They then played \u201cUncle Pen\u201d and \u201cBlue Moon Of Kentucky\u201d which are both Bill Monroe classics before going into the David Grisman tune \u201cOpus 47\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After that tune, they then played my favorite Peter Rowan song in \u201cThe Walls Of Time\u201d and I loved this full band version.\u00a0 I will have a video of that song in the article. \u00a0 \u00a0 They then played what I believe is a Peter Rowan song called \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d.\u00a0 As I said earlier, I\u2019m not always familiar with these tunes.\u00a0 After \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d, the Sam Grisman Project took center stage and did an old fiddle tune \u201cRosin On The Gourd\u201d.\u00a0 The group then got back to some Old and In The Way music with the band’s theme song written by David Grisman called \u201cOld And In The Way\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peter Rowan then brought out a special guest for the set in Jerry Douglas and he stayed with the band for the rest of the set.\u00a0 They started this section of the set off with \u201cThirsty in the Rain\u201d before going into the Vassar Clements tune \u201cLonesome Fiddle Blues\u201d.\u00a0 The band played \u201cCorina, Corina\u201d which is an old traditional before going into Peter Rowan\u2019s biggest song and finale, \u201cMidnight Moonlight\u201d.\u00a0 This set was probably the highlight of the weekend for me and one of the best sets I\u2019ve seen in a while.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve always been a fan of Peter Rowan and pairing with the Sam Grisman Project makes for the perfect Old and In The Way tribute.\u00a0 I highly recommend seeing one of these shows if they come near you.\u00a0 I do wish that they played some more of the Old and In The Way tunes here, but I loved how the set played tribute to both Old and In The Way and the connection with Bill Monroe.\u00a0 It showcases how Old And In The Way is a turning point band for the genre of bluegrass.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nJon Stickley Trio<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAfter Old And In The Way I went to see a set by the Jon Stickley Trio.\u00a0 This group is very unique and is often a part of these festivals at Suwannee and they\u2019re usually a late night set, so I was happy to see them earlier in the evening than after midnight.\u00a0 This band is purely instrumental and is about as close as you\u2019d get to seeing a bluegrass rave.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band brings high dance energy to the set and it\u2019s nonstop.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t begin to give you a rundown of what they played, just know that it was all blazing fast.\u00a0 The band fuses different genres into what they play with nods to jazz, metal, funk and a lot of things you don\u2019t typically hear in bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking this band out if you ever get a chance to see them live.\u00a0 I had hoped to see a couple of other sets this weekend, but this was the end of the festival for me this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking out this festival if you like bluegrass, jamgrass, jam bands or any of the above. With bands like Sam Grisman Project this year, Kitchen Dwellers last year and even featuring Billy Strings in it’s 2019 lineup, you can tell it’s a very forward thinking festival when it comes to lineups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also have a good mix of some of the artists we come back for every year such as staples like Peter Rowan, Sean Camp, Jon Stickley Trio and more. I’m already anticipating the fall version of the festival and we will have information on that as soon as we can publish it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Review of the 2026 Suwannee Spring Reunion Festival<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":29849,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[540,618,921,950,951],"class_list":["post-29847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-joshua-wallace","tag-live-review","tag-spirit-of-the-suwannee","tag-suwannee","tag-suwannee-spring-reunion"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
To start my day Friday, I only caught a portion of The Fretliner\u2019s set on the amp stage.\u00a0 They mostly played tunes that are not featured on their 2023 self-titled record from what I saw, but I caught \u201cAutumn Rivers Bend\u201d, \u201cHole In The Sky\u201d and \u201cJosephina\u201d during their set here.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a great newer bluegrass band from Colorado and I looked forward to seeing more of them on Saturday.
<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSam Grisman Project<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
I was really here for two bands on Friday, Sam Grisman Project and Steep Canyon Rangers.\u00a0 Sam Grisman Project recently released a full double album of songs, but they have such a wide repertoire that I only noticed a couple off that record the whole weekend.\u00a0 They play a lot of old standards from the likes of David Grisman, John Hartford, Vasser Clements, and others from that era of bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started the show with some music from David Grisman including a fire version of the traditional \u201cShady Grove\u201d.\u00a0 From there they did an original tune called \u201cCalifornia Disappears\u201d.\u00a0 They played a John Hartford tune that I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve heard live before called \u201cHeading Down Into The Mystery\u201d.\u00a0 They also did the tune \u201cRosie McFall\u201d which is an old bluegrass number that was often covered by the Grateful Dead.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was at this point in the set that John Mailander joined the band and sat in for the rest of the show.\u00a0 John Mailander is an artist in residency at this festival and you\u2019ll see him randomly appear in bands’ sets when they need another fiddle or mandolin player.\u00a0 The band then did the Tom Waits song \u201cPicture In A Frame\u201d and \u201cBlues For Vasser\u201d which was originally written by David Grisman for Vasser Clements with John Mailander featured heavily in both.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We then got an original fiddle tune in \u201cRiley\u2019s Run\u201d followed by the Grisman tune \u201cDawg Patch\u201d.\u00a0 They then did a version of \u201cWaiting For A Miracle\u201d which was a Bruce Cockburn song made popular by the Jerry Garcia Band.\u00a0 We got another original tune from guitar player Max Flansburg called \u201cJust A Lie\u201d followed by a bluegrass version of the Grateful Dead tune \u201cBrokedown Palace\u201d before closing out with the traditional tune \u201cBig Railroad Blues\u201d.\u00a0 This was the first of two sets from Sam Grisman Project, they will do another set later on with Peter Rowan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next band on the Amp stage was the Steep Canyon Rangers.\u00a0 I have seen them at this fest before in 2019 and it was cool to see them again.\u00a0 They kicked things off with a track from their 2023 album Morning Shift titled \u201cAlabama Calling\u201d.\u00a0 Unlike the previous set, this band does more original music than covers.\u00a0 Speaking of original music, the band announced they have a new record called Next Act releasing later this summer and played a few tunes from it including \u201cHard Luck Kid\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was followed by another new song that was my favorite of the newer material they played called \u201cRoll Of The Dice\u201d.\u00a0 They then played one of my favorite older Steep Canyon Ranges tunes with \u201cCome Dance\u201d from their 2013 album Tell The Ones I Love. The band then went back to their new album for the title track called \u201cNext Act\u201d before doing a bit of harmonizing on the track \u201cAs I Go\u201d from the 2012 album Nobody Knows You.\u00a0 They then played another track from their new album called \u201cCircling The Drain\u201d before going into a long jam of my favorite Steep Canyon Rangers tune called \u201cTell The Ones I Love\u201d.\u00a0 The band then got into a Tom Petty cover with \u201cYer So Bad\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band also played \u201cFare Thee Well, Carolina Gals\u201d from the Morning Shift record before jamming out an instrumental with John Mailander and Larry Keel joining in for the finale of the set.\u00a0 I love how this band incorporates drums on some of their music, and some is more traditional bluegrass, it helps keep their shows going with variety throughout the set. This was the end of Friday night for me, and Saturday is another full day.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSpirit Of The Suwannee Music Park at Night<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Jerry Douglas in the Music Hall<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Saturday was the final day of the festival for me and the main thing I\u2019ve been looking forward to on this day was the Sam Grisman Project set with Peter Rowan later in the day.\u00a0 I started the day off though with a set featuring Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas in the music hall.\u00a0 This set was largely old blues songs that I\u2019m not as familiar with, but when you have Jerry Douglas and Peter Rowan playing a sit down set together, I\u2019m in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started off with \u201cDig My Grave With A Silver Spade\u201d before going into “Penitentiary Blues (Big Brazos)\u201d which Peter Rowan recorded on his 2022 record Calling You From My Mountain.\u00a0 They then played another Peter Rowan tune from the 1991 album All On A Rising Day called \u201cHowlin\u2019 At The Moon\u201d.\u00a0 The next song I recognized was \u201cMojo Hand\u201d which was a Lightning Hopkins cover.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then played another old blues number called \u201cGive The Devil His Due\u201d before going into a newer Peter Rowan tune called \u201cSunset Eyes\u201d from his 2025 album Tales of the Free Mexican Airforce which is a record a lot of folks slept on last year.\u00a0 This was a great short set.\u00a0 The music hall at Suwannee is a perfect place for an afternoon blues duo set and it would be hard to find one better than Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe Fretliners in the Dance Tent<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Next, I caught some of the Fretliners second set over at the dance tent in the park.\u00a0 When I walked up they were already playing \u201cLonesome Holler\u201d from their self titled and only release.\u00a0 Next I heard a new song from them called \u201cThe Storm\u201d\u00a0 followed by an instrumental called \u201cSnapping Turtle\u201d.\u00a0 They then did a John Hartford cover called \u201cAll Of His Blues\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We got another instrumental fiddle tune called \u201cSquirrel Hunters\u201d before they did a great rendition of \u201cHouse Of The Rising Sun\u201d.\u00a0 They then closed out with their original tunes \u201cJosephina\u201d and \u201cSuitcases & Heartaches\u201d.\u00a0 If you like more traditional leaning modern bluegrass, The Fretliners would definitely be a band you don\u2019t want to miss.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nShawn Camp and Verlon Thompson playing the tunes of Guy Clark<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
There was only a little bit before the next Grass Is Dead set over at the Amp stage, so I stuck around and heard Shawn Camp and Verlon Thompson playing the tunes of Guy Clark for a bit.\u00a0 I only caught two songs but they were both two of my favorite Guy Clark songs so I can\u2019t complain.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started the set off with \u201cTexas 1947\u201d from Old No. 1 before going into \u201cDesperados Waiting For A Train\u201d from the same album.\u00a0 This festival has a lot of intimate sets like this every year and it\u2019s great to be able to see the artist you\u2019re there to see in different types of sets.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead Amp Stage Set<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead feat. David Gans<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Next, I went to the amp stage for the second Grass Is Dead set of the weekend.\u00a0 This set was a bit more bluegrass leaning than the earlier set that was heavier on the Dead.\u00a0 The first song I caught was \u201cDark Hollow\u201d which is a bluegrass traditional, followed by \u201cShip Of Fools\u201d from the Dead\u2019s 1974 release From The Mars Hotel.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then did a Billy Gilmore original with the killer tune \u201cTwisted Riff\u201d.\u00a0 Up next they brought out David Gans for a run of Dead songs.\u00a0 David Gans hosts the Grateful Dead Hour which has been nationally syndicated on radio since 1987 and it\u2019s safe to say his work has helped introduce a lot of people to the Dead.\u00a0 Together they started with \u201cScarlet Begonias\u201d before going into \u201cMississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo\u201d and ending with the great Dead tune \u201cDeal\u201d.\u00a0 This was another great set from this band and I highly recommend seeking out a Grass Is Dead set if you\u2019re ever in north Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project playing Old & In The Way<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project ft. Jerry Douglas<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
After the Grass Is Dead, I stuck around the amp stage and watched Peter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project set up.\u00a0 I had been looking forward to seeing a set like this since these two performed a show at the Ryman together earlier this year.\u00a0 If you are unfamiliar with Old and In The Way, they were a bluegrass supergroup that formed in 1973 and were only together for nine months, but became one of the most influential bands in bluegrass and later in the subgenre of jamgrass.\u00a0 The band featured Jerry Garcia on banjo, David Grisman on mandolin, Peter Rowan on guitar and lead vocals, Vassar Clements on fiddle and John Kahn on upright bass.\u00a0 They were one of the early pioneers of what was considered newgrass at the time.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This show featured Peter Rowan back on guitar and lead vocals for some tunes and David Grisman\u2019s son, Sam Grisman and his band backing him up. They started the set off with an Old and In The Way classic in \u201cThe Hobo Song\u201d which was featured on their 1975 self-titled LP.\u00a0 They then played \u201cCold Rain and Snow\u201d featuring Hattie Craven on backing vocals.\u00a0 She was featured on several songs throughout the set.\u00a0 Following that track they played the Vasser Clements tune \u201cKissimmee Kid\u201d which is a great instrumental which showcased the hillbilly jazz style that was a hallmark of the band.\u00a0 They did a lot of Bill Monroe tunes this evening including \u201cMuleskinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)\u201d.\u00a0 Peter Rowan and Vasser Clements were both former bluegrass boys with Bill Monroe so there is a lot of history here in this set.\u00a0 They then played \u201cUncle Pen\u201d and \u201cBlue Moon Of Kentucky\u201d which are both Bill Monroe classics before going into the David Grisman tune \u201cOpus 47\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After that tune, they then played my favorite Peter Rowan song in \u201cThe Walls Of Time\u201d and I loved this full band version.\u00a0 I will have a video of that song in the article. \u00a0 \u00a0 They then played what I believe is a Peter Rowan song called \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d.\u00a0 As I said earlier, I\u2019m not always familiar with these tunes.\u00a0 After \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d, the Sam Grisman Project took center stage and did an old fiddle tune \u201cRosin On The Gourd\u201d.\u00a0 The group then got back to some Old and In The Way music with the band’s theme song written by David Grisman called \u201cOld And In The Way\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peter Rowan then brought out a special guest for the set in Jerry Douglas and he stayed with the band for the rest of the set.\u00a0 They started this section of the set off with \u201cThirsty in the Rain\u201d before going into the Vassar Clements tune \u201cLonesome Fiddle Blues\u201d.\u00a0 The band played \u201cCorina, Corina\u201d which is an old traditional before going into Peter Rowan\u2019s biggest song and finale, \u201cMidnight Moonlight\u201d.\u00a0 This set was probably the highlight of the weekend for me and one of the best sets I\u2019ve seen in a while.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve always been a fan of Peter Rowan and pairing with the Sam Grisman Project makes for the perfect Old and In The Way tribute.\u00a0 I highly recommend seeing one of these shows if they come near you.\u00a0 I do wish that they played some more of the Old and In The Way tunes here, but I loved how the set played tribute to both Old and In The Way and the connection with Bill Monroe.\u00a0 It showcases how Old And In The Way is a turning point band for the genre of bluegrass.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nJon Stickley Trio<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAfter Old And In The Way I went to see a set by the Jon Stickley Trio.\u00a0 This group is very unique and is often a part of these festivals at Suwannee and they\u2019re usually a late night set, so I was happy to see them earlier in the evening than after midnight.\u00a0 This band is purely instrumental and is about as close as you\u2019d get to seeing a bluegrass rave.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band brings high dance energy to the set and it\u2019s nonstop.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t begin to give you a rundown of what they played, just know that it was all blazing fast.\u00a0 The band fuses different genres into what they play with nods to jazz, metal, funk and a lot of things you don\u2019t typically hear in bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking this band out if you ever get a chance to see them live.\u00a0 I had hoped to see a couple of other sets this weekend, but this was the end of the festival for me this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking out this festival if you like bluegrass, jamgrass, jam bands or any of the above. With bands like Sam Grisman Project this year, Kitchen Dwellers last year and even featuring Billy Strings in it’s 2019 lineup, you can tell it’s a very forward thinking festival when it comes to lineups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also have a good mix of some of the artists we come back for every year such as staples like Peter Rowan, Sean Camp, Jon Stickley Trio and more. I’m already anticipating the fall version of the festival and we will have information on that as soon as we can publish it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Review of the 2026 Suwannee Spring Reunion Festival<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":29849,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[540,618,921,950,951],"class_list":["post-29847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-joshua-wallace","tag-live-review","tag-spirit-of-the-suwannee","tag-suwannee","tag-suwannee-spring-reunion"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
I was really here for two bands on Friday, Sam Grisman Project and Steep Canyon Rangers.\u00a0 Sam Grisman Project recently released a full double album of songs, but they have such a wide repertoire that I only noticed a couple off that record the whole weekend.\u00a0 They play a lot of old standards from the likes of David Grisman, John Hartford, Vasser Clements, and others from that era of bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started the show with some music from David Grisman including a fire version of the traditional \u201cShady Grove\u201d.\u00a0 From there they did an original tune called \u201cCalifornia Disappears\u201d.\u00a0 They played a John Hartford tune that I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve heard live before called \u201cHeading Down Into The Mystery\u201d.\u00a0 They also did the tune \u201cRosie McFall\u201d which is an old bluegrass number that was often covered by the Grateful Dead.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was at this point in the set that John Mailander joined the band and sat in for the rest of the show.\u00a0 John Mailander is an artist in residency at this festival and you\u2019ll see him randomly appear in bands’ sets when they need another fiddle or mandolin player.\u00a0 The band then did the Tom Waits song \u201cPicture In A Frame\u201d and \u201cBlues For Vasser\u201d which was originally written by David Grisman for Vasser Clements with John Mailander featured heavily in both.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We then got an original fiddle tune in \u201cRiley\u2019s Run\u201d followed by the Grisman tune \u201cDawg Patch\u201d.\u00a0 They then did a version of \u201cWaiting For A Miracle\u201d which was a Bruce Cockburn song made popular by the Jerry Garcia Band.\u00a0 We got another original tune from guitar player Max Flansburg called \u201cJust A Lie\u201d followed by a bluegrass version of the Grateful Dead tune \u201cBrokedown Palace\u201d before closing out with the traditional tune \u201cBig Railroad Blues\u201d.\u00a0 This was the first of two sets from Sam Grisman Project, they will do another set later on with Peter Rowan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next band on the Amp stage was the Steep Canyon Rangers.\u00a0 I have seen them at this fest before in 2019 and it was cool to see them again.\u00a0 They kicked things off with a track from their 2023 album Morning Shift titled \u201cAlabama Calling\u201d.\u00a0 Unlike the previous set, this band does more original music than covers.\u00a0 Speaking of original music, the band announced they have a new record called Next Act releasing later this summer and played a few tunes from it including \u201cHard Luck Kid\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was followed by another new song that was my favorite of the newer material they played called \u201cRoll Of The Dice\u201d.\u00a0 They then played one of my favorite older Steep Canyon Ranges tunes with \u201cCome Dance\u201d from their 2013 album Tell The Ones I Love. The band then went back to their new album for the title track called \u201cNext Act\u201d before doing a bit of harmonizing on the track \u201cAs I Go\u201d from the 2012 album Nobody Knows You.\u00a0 They then played another track from their new album called \u201cCircling The Drain\u201d before going into a long jam of my favorite Steep Canyon Rangers tune called \u201cTell The Ones I Love\u201d.\u00a0 The band then got into a Tom Petty cover with \u201cYer So Bad\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band also played \u201cFare Thee Well, Carolina Gals\u201d from the Morning Shift record before jamming out an instrumental with John Mailander and Larry Keel joining in for the finale of the set.\u00a0 I love how this band incorporates drums on some of their music, and some is more traditional bluegrass, it helps keep their shows going with variety throughout the set. This was the end of Friday night for me, and Saturday is another full day.
<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSpirit Of The Suwannee Music Park at Night<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Jerry Douglas in the Music Hall<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Saturday was the final day of the festival for me and the main thing I\u2019ve been looking forward to on this day was the Sam Grisman Project set with Peter Rowan later in the day.\u00a0 I started the day off though with a set featuring Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas in the music hall.\u00a0 This set was largely old blues songs that I\u2019m not as familiar with, but when you have Jerry Douglas and Peter Rowan playing a sit down set together, I\u2019m in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started off with \u201cDig My Grave With A Silver Spade\u201d before going into “Penitentiary Blues (Big Brazos)\u201d which Peter Rowan recorded on his 2022 record Calling You From My Mountain.\u00a0 They then played another Peter Rowan tune from the 1991 album All On A Rising Day called \u201cHowlin\u2019 At The Moon\u201d.\u00a0 The next song I recognized was \u201cMojo Hand\u201d which was a Lightning Hopkins cover.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then played another old blues number called \u201cGive The Devil His Due\u201d before going into a newer Peter Rowan tune called \u201cSunset Eyes\u201d from his 2025 album Tales of the Free Mexican Airforce which is a record a lot of folks slept on last year.\u00a0 This was a great short set.\u00a0 The music hall at Suwannee is a perfect place for an afternoon blues duo set and it would be hard to find one better than Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe Fretliners in the Dance Tent<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Next, I caught some of the Fretliners second set over at the dance tent in the park.\u00a0 When I walked up they were already playing \u201cLonesome Holler\u201d from their self titled and only release.\u00a0 Next I heard a new song from them called \u201cThe Storm\u201d\u00a0 followed by an instrumental called \u201cSnapping Turtle\u201d.\u00a0 They then did a John Hartford cover called \u201cAll Of His Blues\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We got another instrumental fiddle tune called \u201cSquirrel Hunters\u201d before they did a great rendition of \u201cHouse Of The Rising Sun\u201d.\u00a0 They then closed out with their original tunes \u201cJosephina\u201d and \u201cSuitcases & Heartaches\u201d.\u00a0 If you like more traditional leaning modern bluegrass, The Fretliners would definitely be a band you don\u2019t want to miss.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nShawn Camp and Verlon Thompson playing the tunes of Guy Clark<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
There was only a little bit before the next Grass Is Dead set over at the Amp stage, so I stuck around and heard Shawn Camp and Verlon Thompson playing the tunes of Guy Clark for a bit.\u00a0 I only caught two songs but they were both two of my favorite Guy Clark songs so I can\u2019t complain.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started the set off with \u201cTexas 1947\u201d from Old No. 1 before going into \u201cDesperados Waiting For A Train\u201d from the same album.\u00a0 This festival has a lot of intimate sets like this every year and it\u2019s great to be able to see the artist you\u2019re there to see in different types of sets.
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead Amp Stage Set<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead feat. David Gans<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Next, I went to the amp stage for the second Grass Is Dead set of the weekend.\u00a0 This set was a bit more bluegrass leaning than the earlier set that was heavier on the Dead.\u00a0 The first song I caught was \u201cDark Hollow\u201d which is a bluegrass traditional, followed by \u201cShip Of Fools\u201d from the Dead\u2019s 1974 release From The Mars Hotel.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then did a Billy Gilmore original with the killer tune \u201cTwisted Riff\u201d.\u00a0 Up next they brought out David Gans for a run of Dead songs.\u00a0 David Gans hosts the Grateful Dead Hour which has been nationally syndicated on radio since 1987 and it\u2019s safe to say his work has helped introduce a lot of people to the Dead.\u00a0 Together they started with \u201cScarlet Begonias\u201d before going into \u201cMississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo\u201d and ending with the great Dead tune \u201cDeal\u201d.\u00a0 This was another great set from this band and I highly recommend seeking out a Grass Is Dead set if you\u2019re ever in north Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project playing Old & In The Way<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project ft. Jerry Douglas<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
After the Grass Is Dead, I stuck around the amp stage and watched Peter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project set up.\u00a0 I had been looking forward to seeing a set like this since these two performed a show at the Ryman together earlier this year.\u00a0 If you are unfamiliar with Old and In The Way, they were a bluegrass supergroup that formed in 1973 and were only together for nine months, but became one of the most influential bands in bluegrass and later in the subgenre of jamgrass.\u00a0 The band featured Jerry Garcia on banjo, David Grisman on mandolin, Peter Rowan on guitar and lead vocals, Vassar Clements on fiddle and John Kahn on upright bass.\u00a0 They were one of the early pioneers of what was considered newgrass at the time.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This show featured Peter Rowan back on guitar and lead vocals for some tunes and David Grisman\u2019s son, Sam Grisman and his band backing him up. They started the set off with an Old and In The Way classic in \u201cThe Hobo Song\u201d which was featured on their 1975 self-titled LP.\u00a0 They then played \u201cCold Rain and Snow\u201d featuring Hattie Craven on backing vocals.\u00a0 She was featured on several songs throughout the set.\u00a0 Following that track they played the Vasser Clements tune \u201cKissimmee Kid\u201d which is a great instrumental which showcased the hillbilly jazz style that was a hallmark of the band.\u00a0 They did a lot of Bill Monroe tunes this evening including \u201cMuleskinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)\u201d.\u00a0 Peter Rowan and Vasser Clements were both former bluegrass boys with Bill Monroe so there is a lot of history here in this set.\u00a0 They then played \u201cUncle Pen\u201d and \u201cBlue Moon Of Kentucky\u201d which are both Bill Monroe classics before going into the David Grisman tune \u201cOpus 47\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After that tune, they then played my favorite Peter Rowan song in \u201cThe Walls Of Time\u201d and I loved this full band version.\u00a0 I will have a video of that song in the article. \u00a0 \u00a0 They then played what I believe is a Peter Rowan song called \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d.\u00a0 As I said earlier, I\u2019m not always familiar with these tunes.\u00a0 After \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d, the Sam Grisman Project took center stage and did an old fiddle tune \u201cRosin On The Gourd\u201d.\u00a0 The group then got back to some Old and In The Way music with the band’s theme song written by David Grisman called \u201cOld And In The Way\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peter Rowan then brought out a special guest for the set in Jerry Douglas and he stayed with the band for the rest of the set.\u00a0 They started this section of the set off with \u201cThirsty in the Rain\u201d before going into the Vassar Clements tune \u201cLonesome Fiddle Blues\u201d.\u00a0 The band played \u201cCorina, Corina\u201d which is an old traditional before going into Peter Rowan\u2019s biggest song and finale, \u201cMidnight Moonlight\u201d.\u00a0 This set was probably the highlight of the weekend for me and one of the best sets I\u2019ve seen in a while.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve always been a fan of Peter Rowan and pairing with the Sam Grisman Project makes for the perfect Old and In The Way tribute.\u00a0 I highly recommend seeing one of these shows if they come near you.\u00a0 I do wish that they played some more of the Old and In The Way tunes here, but I loved how the set played tribute to both Old and In The Way and the connection with Bill Monroe.\u00a0 It showcases how Old And In The Way is a turning point band for the genre of bluegrass.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nJon Stickley Trio<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAfter Old And In The Way I went to see a set by the Jon Stickley Trio.\u00a0 This group is very unique and is often a part of these festivals at Suwannee and they\u2019re usually a late night set, so I was happy to see them earlier in the evening than after midnight.\u00a0 This band is purely instrumental and is about as close as you\u2019d get to seeing a bluegrass rave.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band brings high dance energy to the set and it\u2019s nonstop.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t begin to give you a rundown of what they played, just know that it was all blazing fast.\u00a0 The band fuses different genres into what they play with nods to jazz, metal, funk and a lot of things you don\u2019t typically hear in bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking this band out if you ever get a chance to see them live.\u00a0 I had hoped to see a couple of other sets this weekend, but this was the end of the festival for me this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking out this festival if you like bluegrass, jamgrass, jam bands or any of the above. With bands like Sam Grisman Project this year, Kitchen Dwellers last year and even featuring Billy Strings in it’s 2019 lineup, you can tell it’s a very forward thinking festival when it comes to lineups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also have a good mix of some of the artists we come back for every year such as staples like Peter Rowan, Sean Camp, Jon Stickley Trio and more. I’m already anticipating the fall version of the festival and we will have information on that as soon as we can publish it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Review of the 2026 Suwannee Spring Reunion Festival<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":29849,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[540,618,921,950,951],"class_list":["post-29847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-joshua-wallace","tag-live-review","tag-spirit-of-the-suwannee","tag-suwannee","tag-suwannee-spring-reunion"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Jerry Douglas in the Music Hall<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Saturday was the final day of the festival for me and the main thing I\u2019ve been looking forward to on this day was the Sam Grisman Project set with Peter Rowan later in the day.\u00a0 I started the day off though with a set featuring Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas in the music hall.\u00a0 This set was largely old blues songs that I\u2019m not as familiar with, but when you have Jerry Douglas and Peter Rowan playing a sit down set together, I\u2019m in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started off with \u201cDig My Grave With A Silver Spade\u201d before going into “Penitentiary Blues (Big Brazos)\u201d which Peter Rowan recorded on his 2022 record Calling You From My Mountain.\u00a0 They then played another Peter Rowan tune from the 1991 album All On A Rising Day called \u201cHowlin\u2019 At The Moon\u201d.\u00a0 The next song I recognized was \u201cMojo Hand\u201d which was a Lightning Hopkins cover.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then played another old blues number called \u201cGive The Devil His Due\u201d before going into a newer Peter Rowan tune called \u201cSunset Eyes\u201d from his 2025 album Tales of the Free Mexican Airforce which is a record a lot of folks slept on last year.\u00a0 This was a great short set.\u00a0 The music hall at Suwannee is a perfect place for an afternoon blues duo set and it would be hard to find one better than Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe Fretliners in the Dance Tent<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Next, I caught some of the Fretliners second set over at the dance tent in the park.\u00a0 When I walked up they were already playing \u201cLonesome Holler\u201d from their self titled and only release.\u00a0 Next I heard a new song from them called \u201cThe Storm\u201d\u00a0 followed by an instrumental called \u201cSnapping Turtle\u201d.\u00a0 They then did a John Hartford cover called \u201cAll Of His Blues\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We got another instrumental fiddle tune called \u201cSquirrel Hunters\u201d before they did a great rendition of \u201cHouse Of The Rising Sun\u201d.\u00a0 They then closed out with their original tunes \u201cJosephina\u201d and \u201cSuitcases & Heartaches\u201d.\u00a0 If you like more traditional leaning modern bluegrass, The Fretliners would definitely be a band you don\u2019t want to miss.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nShawn Camp and Verlon Thompson playing the tunes of Guy Clark<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
There was only a little bit before the next Grass Is Dead set over at the Amp stage, so I stuck around and heard Shawn Camp and Verlon Thompson playing the tunes of Guy Clark for a bit.\u00a0 I only caught two songs but they were both two of my favorite Guy Clark songs so I can\u2019t complain.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They started the set off with \u201cTexas 1947\u201d from Old No. 1 before going into \u201cDesperados Waiting For A Train\u201d from the same album.\u00a0 This festival has a lot of intimate sets like this every year and it\u2019s great to be able to see the artist you\u2019re there to see in different types of sets.
<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead Amp Stage Set<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead feat. David Gans<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Next, I went to the amp stage for the second Grass Is Dead set of the weekend.\u00a0 This set was a bit more bluegrass leaning than the earlier set that was heavier on the Dead.\u00a0 The first song I caught was \u201cDark Hollow\u201d which is a bluegrass traditional, followed by \u201cShip Of Fools\u201d from the Dead\u2019s 1974 release From The Mars Hotel.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then did a Billy Gilmore original with the killer tune \u201cTwisted Riff\u201d.\u00a0 Up next they brought out David Gans for a run of Dead songs.\u00a0 David Gans hosts the Grateful Dead Hour which has been nationally syndicated on radio since 1987 and it\u2019s safe to say his work has helped introduce a lot of people to the Dead.\u00a0 Together they started with \u201cScarlet Begonias\u201d before going into \u201cMississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo\u201d and ending with the great Dead tune \u201cDeal\u201d.\u00a0 This was another great set from this band and I highly recommend seeking out a Grass Is Dead set if you\u2019re ever in north Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project playing Old & In The Way<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project ft. Jerry Douglas<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
After the Grass Is Dead, I stuck around the amp stage and watched Peter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project set up.\u00a0 I had been looking forward to seeing a set like this since these two performed a show at the Ryman together earlier this year.\u00a0 If you are unfamiliar with Old and In The Way, they were a bluegrass supergroup that formed in 1973 and were only together for nine months, but became one of the most influential bands in bluegrass and later in the subgenre of jamgrass.\u00a0 The band featured Jerry Garcia on banjo, David Grisman on mandolin, Peter Rowan on guitar and lead vocals, Vassar Clements on fiddle and John Kahn on upright bass.\u00a0 They were one of the early pioneers of what was considered newgrass at the time.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This show featured Peter Rowan back on guitar and lead vocals for some tunes and David Grisman\u2019s son, Sam Grisman and his band backing him up. They started the set off with an Old and In The Way classic in \u201cThe Hobo Song\u201d which was featured on their 1975 self-titled LP.\u00a0 They then played \u201cCold Rain and Snow\u201d featuring Hattie Craven on backing vocals.\u00a0 She was featured on several songs throughout the set.\u00a0 Following that track they played the Vasser Clements tune \u201cKissimmee Kid\u201d which is a great instrumental which showcased the hillbilly jazz style that was a hallmark of the band.\u00a0 They did a lot of Bill Monroe tunes this evening including \u201cMuleskinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)\u201d.\u00a0 Peter Rowan and Vasser Clements were both former bluegrass boys with Bill Monroe so there is a lot of history here in this set.\u00a0 They then played \u201cUncle Pen\u201d and \u201cBlue Moon Of Kentucky\u201d which are both Bill Monroe classics before going into the David Grisman tune \u201cOpus 47\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After that tune, they then played my favorite Peter Rowan song in \u201cThe Walls Of Time\u201d and I loved this full band version.\u00a0 I will have a video of that song in the article. \u00a0 \u00a0 They then played what I believe is a Peter Rowan song called \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d.\u00a0 As I said earlier, I\u2019m not always familiar with these tunes.\u00a0 After \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d, the Sam Grisman Project took center stage and did an old fiddle tune \u201cRosin On The Gourd\u201d.\u00a0 The group then got back to some Old and In The Way music with the band’s theme song written by David Grisman called \u201cOld And In The Way\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peter Rowan then brought out a special guest for the set in Jerry Douglas and he stayed with the band for the rest of the set.\u00a0 They started this section of the set off with \u201cThirsty in the Rain\u201d before going into the Vassar Clements tune \u201cLonesome Fiddle Blues\u201d.\u00a0 The band played \u201cCorina, Corina\u201d which is an old traditional before going into Peter Rowan\u2019s biggest song and finale, \u201cMidnight Moonlight\u201d.\u00a0 This set was probably the highlight of the weekend for me and one of the best sets I\u2019ve seen in a while.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve always been a fan of Peter Rowan and pairing with the Sam Grisman Project makes for the perfect Old and In The Way tribute.\u00a0 I highly recommend seeing one of these shows if they come near you.\u00a0 I do wish that they played some more of the Old and In The Way tunes here, but I loved how the set played tribute to both Old and In The Way and the connection with Bill Monroe.\u00a0 It showcases how Old And In The Way is a turning point band for the genre of bluegrass.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nJon Stickley Trio<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAfter Old And In The Way I went to see a set by the Jon Stickley Trio.\u00a0 This group is very unique and is often a part of these festivals at Suwannee and they\u2019re usually a late night set, so I was happy to see them earlier in the evening than after midnight.\u00a0 This band is purely instrumental and is about as close as you\u2019d get to seeing a bluegrass rave.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band brings high dance energy to the set and it\u2019s nonstop.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t begin to give you a rundown of what they played, just know that it was all blazing fast.\u00a0 The band fuses different genres into what they play with nods to jazz, metal, funk and a lot of things you don\u2019t typically hear in bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking this band out if you ever get a chance to see them live.\u00a0 I had hoped to see a couple of other sets this weekend, but this was the end of the festival for me this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking out this festival if you like bluegrass, jamgrass, jam bands or any of the above. With bands like Sam Grisman Project this year, Kitchen Dwellers last year and even featuring Billy Strings in it’s 2019 lineup, you can tell it’s a very forward thinking festival when it comes to lineups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also have a good mix of some of the artists we come back for every year such as staples like Peter Rowan, Sean Camp, Jon Stickley Trio and more. I’m already anticipating the fall version of the festival and we will have information on that as soon as we can publish it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Review of the 2026 Suwannee Spring Reunion Festival<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":29849,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[540,618,921,950,951],"class_list":["post-29847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-joshua-wallace","tag-live-review","tag-spirit-of-the-suwannee","tag-suwannee","tag-suwannee-spring-reunion"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGrass Is Dead feat. David Gans<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Next, I went to the amp stage for the second Grass Is Dead set of the weekend.\u00a0 This set was a bit more bluegrass leaning than the earlier set that was heavier on the Dead.\u00a0 The first song I caught was \u201cDark Hollow\u201d which is a bluegrass traditional, followed by \u201cShip Of Fools\u201d from the Dead\u2019s 1974 release From The Mars Hotel.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then did a Billy Gilmore original with the killer tune \u201cTwisted Riff\u201d.\u00a0 Up next they brought out David Gans for a run of Dead songs.\u00a0 David Gans hosts the Grateful Dead Hour which has been nationally syndicated on radio since 1987 and it\u2019s safe to say his work has helped introduce a lot of people to the Dead.\u00a0 Together they started with \u201cScarlet Begonias\u201d before going into \u201cMississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo\u201d and ending with the great Dead tune \u201cDeal\u201d.\u00a0 This was another great set from this band and I highly recommend seeking out a Grass Is Dead set if you\u2019re ever in north Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project playing Old & In The Way<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project ft. Jerry Douglas<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
After the Grass Is Dead, I stuck around the amp stage and watched Peter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project set up.\u00a0 I had been looking forward to seeing a set like this since these two performed a show at the Ryman together earlier this year.\u00a0 If you are unfamiliar with Old and In The Way, they were a bluegrass supergroup that formed in 1973 and were only together for nine months, but became one of the most influential bands in bluegrass and later in the subgenre of jamgrass.\u00a0 The band featured Jerry Garcia on banjo, David Grisman on mandolin, Peter Rowan on guitar and lead vocals, Vassar Clements on fiddle and John Kahn on upright bass.\u00a0 They were one of the early pioneers of what was considered newgrass at the time.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This show featured Peter Rowan back on guitar and lead vocals for some tunes and David Grisman\u2019s son, Sam Grisman and his band backing him up. They started the set off with an Old and In The Way classic in \u201cThe Hobo Song\u201d which was featured on their 1975 self-titled LP.\u00a0 They then played \u201cCold Rain and Snow\u201d featuring Hattie Craven on backing vocals.\u00a0 She was featured on several songs throughout the set.\u00a0 Following that track they played the Vasser Clements tune \u201cKissimmee Kid\u201d which is a great instrumental which showcased the hillbilly jazz style that was a hallmark of the band.\u00a0 They did a lot of Bill Monroe tunes this evening including \u201cMuleskinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)\u201d.\u00a0 Peter Rowan and Vasser Clements were both former bluegrass boys with Bill Monroe so there is a lot of history here in this set.\u00a0 They then played \u201cUncle Pen\u201d and \u201cBlue Moon Of Kentucky\u201d which are both Bill Monroe classics before going into the David Grisman tune \u201cOpus 47\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After that tune, they then played my favorite Peter Rowan song in \u201cThe Walls Of Time\u201d and I loved this full band version.\u00a0 I will have a video of that song in the article. \u00a0 \u00a0 They then played what I believe is a Peter Rowan song called \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d.\u00a0 As I said earlier, I\u2019m not always familiar with these tunes.\u00a0 After \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d, the Sam Grisman Project took center stage and did an old fiddle tune \u201cRosin On The Gourd\u201d.\u00a0 The group then got back to some Old and In The Way music with the band’s theme song written by David Grisman called \u201cOld And In The Way\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peter Rowan then brought out a special guest for the set in Jerry Douglas and he stayed with the band for the rest of the set.\u00a0 They started this section of the set off with \u201cThirsty in the Rain\u201d before going into the Vassar Clements tune \u201cLonesome Fiddle Blues\u201d.\u00a0 The band played \u201cCorina, Corina\u201d which is an old traditional before going into Peter Rowan\u2019s biggest song and finale, \u201cMidnight Moonlight\u201d.\u00a0 This set was probably the highlight of the weekend for me and one of the best sets I\u2019ve seen in a while.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve always been a fan of Peter Rowan and pairing with the Sam Grisman Project makes for the perfect Old and In The Way tribute.\u00a0 I highly recommend seeing one of these shows if they come near you.\u00a0 I do wish that they played some more of the Old and In The Way tunes here, but I loved how the set played tribute to both Old and In The Way and the connection with Bill Monroe.\u00a0 It showcases how Old And In The Way is a turning point band for the genre of bluegrass.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nJon Stickley Trio<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAfter Old And In The Way I went to see a set by the Jon Stickley Trio.\u00a0 This group is very unique and is often a part of these festivals at Suwannee and they\u2019re usually a late night set, so I was happy to see them earlier in the evening than after midnight.\u00a0 This band is purely instrumental and is about as close as you\u2019d get to seeing a bluegrass rave.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band brings high dance energy to the set and it\u2019s nonstop.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t begin to give you a rundown of what they played, just know that it was all blazing fast.\u00a0 The band fuses different genres into what they play with nods to jazz, metal, funk and a lot of things you don\u2019t typically hear in bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking this band out if you ever get a chance to see them live.\u00a0 I had hoped to see a couple of other sets this weekend, but this was the end of the festival for me this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking out this festival if you like bluegrass, jamgrass, jam bands or any of the above. With bands like Sam Grisman Project this year, Kitchen Dwellers last year and even featuring Billy Strings in it’s 2019 lineup, you can tell it’s a very forward thinking festival when it comes to lineups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also have a good mix of some of the artists we come back for every year such as staples like Peter Rowan, Sean Camp, Jon Stickley Trio and more. I’m already anticipating the fall version of the festival and we will have information on that as soon as we can publish it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Review of the 2026 Suwannee Spring Reunion Festival<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":29849,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[540,618,921,950,951],"class_list":["post-29847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-joshua-wallace","tag-live-review","tag-spirit-of-the-suwannee","tag-suwannee","tag-suwannee-spring-reunion"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nPeter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project ft. Jerry Douglas<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
After the Grass Is Dead, I stuck around the amp stage and watched Peter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project set up.\u00a0 I had been looking forward to seeing a set like this since these two performed a show at the Ryman together earlier this year.\u00a0 If you are unfamiliar with Old and In The Way, they were a bluegrass supergroup that formed in 1973 and were only together for nine months, but became one of the most influential bands in bluegrass and later in the subgenre of jamgrass.\u00a0 The band featured Jerry Garcia on banjo, David Grisman on mandolin, Peter Rowan on guitar and lead vocals, Vassar Clements on fiddle and John Kahn on upright bass.\u00a0 They were one of the early pioneers of what was considered newgrass at the time.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This show featured Peter Rowan back on guitar and lead vocals for some tunes and David Grisman\u2019s son, Sam Grisman and his band backing him up. They started the set off with an Old and In The Way classic in \u201cThe Hobo Song\u201d which was featured on their 1975 self-titled LP.\u00a0 They then played \u201cCold Rain and Snow\u201d featuring Hattie Craven on backing vocals.\u00a0 She was featured on several songs throughout the set.\u00a0 Following that track they played the Vasser Clements tune \u201cKissimmee Kid\u201d which is a great instrumental which showcased the hillbilly jazz style that was a hallmark of the band.\u00a0 They did a lot of Bill Monroe tunes this evening including \u201cMuleskinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)\u201d.\u00a0 Peter Rowan and Vasser Clements were both former bluegrass boys with Bill Monroe so there is a lot of history here in this set.\u00a0 They then played \u201cUncle Pen\u201d and \u201cBlue Moon Of Kentucky\u201d which are both Bill Monroe classics before going into the David Grisman tune \u201cOpus 47\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After that tune, they then played my favorite Peter Rowan song in \u201cThe Walls Of Time\u201d and I loved this full band version.\u00a0 I will have a video of that song in the article. \u00a0 \u00a0 They then played what I believe is a Peter Rowan song called \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d.\u00a0 As I said earlier, I\u2019m not always familiar with these tunes.\u00a0 After \u201cDust Bowl Children\u201d, the Sam Grisman Project took center stage and did an old fiddle tune \u201cRosin On The Gourd\u201d.\u00a0 The group then got back to some Old and In The Way music with the band’s theme song written by David Grisman called \u201cOld And In The Way\u201d.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peter Rowan then brought out a special guest for the set in Jerry Douglas and he stayed with the band for the rest of the set.\u00a0 They started this section of the set off with \u201cThirsty in the Rain\u201d before going into the Vassar Clements tune \u201cLonesome Fiddle Blues\u201d.\u00a0 The band played \u201cCorina, Corina\u201d which is an old traditional before going into Peter Rowan\u2019s biggest song and finale, \u201cMidnight Moonlight\u201d.\u00a0 This set was probably the highlight of the weekend for me and one of the best sets I\u2019ve seen in a while.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve always been a fan of Peter Rowan and pairing with the Sam Grisman Project makes for the perfect Old and In The Way tribute.\u00a0 I highly recommend seeing one of these shows if they come near you.\u00a0 I do wish that they played some more of the Old and In The Way tunes here, but I loved how the set played tribute to both Old and In The Way and the connection with Bill Monroe.\u00a0 It showcases how Old And In The Way is a turning point band for the genre of bluegrass.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nJon Stickley Trio<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAfter Old And In The Way I went to see a set by the Jon Stickley Trio.\u00a0 This group is very unique and is often a part of these festivals at Suwannee and they\u2019re usually a late night set, so I was happy to see them earlier in the evening than after midnight.\u00a0 This band is purely instrumental and is about as close as you\u2019d get to seeing a bluegrass rave.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band brings high dance energy to the set and it\u2019s nonstop.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t begin to give you a rundown of what they played, just know that it was all blazing fast.\u00a0 The band fuses different genres into what they play with nods to jazz, metal, funk and a lot of things you don\u2019t typically hear in bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking this band out if you ever get a chance to see them live.\u00a0 I had hoped to see a couple of other sets this weekend, but this was the end of the festival for me this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking out this festival if you like bluegrass, jamgrass, jam bands or any of the above. With bands like Sam Grisman Project this year, Kitchen Dwellers last year and even featuring Billy Strings in it’s 2019 lineup, you can tell it’s a very forward thinking festival when it comes to lineups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also have a good mix of some of the artists we come back for every year such as staples like Peter Rowan, Sean Camp, Jon Stickley Trio and more. I’m already anticipating the fall version of the festival and we will have information on that as soon as we can publish it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Review of the 2026 Suwannee Spring Reunion Festival<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":29849,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[540,618,921,950,951],"class_list":["post-29847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-joshua-wallace","tag-live-review","tag-spirit-of-the-suwannee","tag-suwannee","tag-suwannee-spring-reunion"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAfter Old And In The Way I went to see a set by the Jon Stickley Trio.\u00a0 This group is very unique and is often a part of these festivals at Suwannee and they\u2019re usually a late night set, so I was happy to see them earlier in the evening than after midnight.\u00a0 This band is purely instrumental and is about as close as you\u2019d get to seeing a bluegrass rave.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The band brings high dance energy to the set and it\u2019s nonstop.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t begin to give you a rundown of what they played, just know that it was all blazing fast.\u00a0 The band fuses different genres into what they play with nods to jazz, metal, funk and a lot of things you don\u2019t typically hear in bluegrass.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking this band out if you ever get a chance to see them live.\u00a0 I had hoped to see a couple of other sets this weekend, but this was the end of the festival for me this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I highly recommend checking out this festival if you like bluegrass, jamgrass, jam bands or any of the above. With bands like Sam Grisman Project this year, Kitchen Dwellers last year and even featuring Billy Strings in it’s 2019 lineup, you can tell it’s a very forward thinking festival when it comes to lineups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also have a good mix of some of the artists we come back for every year such as staples like Peter Rowan, Sean Camp, Jon Stickley Trio and more. I’m already anticipating the fall version of the festival and we will have information on that as soon as we can publish it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Review of the 2026 Suwannee Spring Reunion Festival<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":29849,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[540,618,921,950,951],"class_list":["post-29847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-joshua-wallace","tag-live-review","tag-spirit-of-the-suwannee","tag-suwannee","tag-suwannee-spring-reunion"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t