Two Lane Adventures: Day 49 of 166 Days of RV Adventures in the Summer of 2026

Today is Wednesday June 24th, it's the first day of music at Remington Ryde Bluegrass Festival. I walked this morning, first time in better than a week! I finally felt well enough to get out and hit the pavement! It did feel good! After that Charlie and I enjoyed a quiet morning sitting outside the camper.

Music began at 3pm. The 1st Act was Ironwood Drive. They are a group of five young men based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania featuring powerful harmonies and skillful instrumentation. Ironwood Drive was originally known as the Werner Family Band, which consisted of a father and his sons. When they decided to refresh their branding in 2021, they selected the name "Ironwood Drive" because it felt like a strong, natural fit that paid homage to their rural, down-to-earth roots. The band has continued to thrive with several new faces joining over the years.

Through pulse-pounding drive and songs sung from the heart, they bring a new and passionate approach to the world of bluegrass. From hard-hitting traditional covers to new curated material, Ironwood Drive seeks to introduce a new generation to a genre the band loves.

The band continues to grow its audience with the last year marking the busiest schedule to date. Since overwhelmingly winning "Fan Favorite" at Podunk Bluegrass Festival, the band has performed at festivals such as Remington Ryde and Upperco Bluegrass and will also be playing Blistered Fingers and Orange Army. Recently, they were at Mountain Fever Studios in Virginia cutting "Gettin' Outta Here." It is the band's third studio project, releasing this summer.

The 2nd Act was Danny Paisley & Southern Grass. Danny Paisley is an acclaimed American traditional bluegrass musician best known as the frontman of Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass. Born in Landenberg, Pennsylvania in 1959, Paisley is universally recognized for his powerful, deeply emotional "High Lonesome" vocal style and rigorous adherence to a raw, classic bluegrass sound. He has won the prestigious Male Vocalist of the Year award four times from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). They sang "Don't Throw Mama's Flowers Away," which won the prestigious IBMA Song of the Year award, many years ago.

The family legacy continues through the band with Danny's son Ryan Paisley on mandolin, but not today he is finishing up his firefighter academy. Filling in on mandolin was Eric Troutman. However, another family legacy was represented in the band today. On banjo was Danny Stewart Jr, son of Bluegrass Promoter Danny Stewart. Junior is also a member of the US Navy Band Country Current. Long-time legacy bandmates T.J. Lundy (fiddle) and Bobby Lundy (bass) rounded out the band today.

The 3rd Act was Dave Adkins & Mountain Soul. Led by Grammy-nominated vocalist Dave Adkins, are known for their high-energy performances and stellar musicianship. Adkins's raw and powerful vocals are a true highlight of their live shows, whether they are performing his original tunes like "Pike County Jail," or popular covers like "Bad Moon Rising" or "I Can Only Imagine." There is no mistaking the raw and powerful vocals by singer, songwriter, and guitarist Dave Adkins. During his impressive career, he has achieved an extensive list of awards and nominations in Bluegrass, Country, and Gospel music, along with achievements for his songwriting. His extraordinary vocal talents are evident from his live performances.

On bass fiddle is Bobby Davis. He has been with the Dave Adkins Band for 10-years. Bobby got his musical start with the Chicago Bluegrass Band and has since performed bass with Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Audie Blaylock & Redline, James King Band, and Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike. Layla Cantafio plays the fiddle. She grew up in New Brunswick, Canada. She gravitated to the fiddle from a young age when she heard traditional Cape Breton tunes. When she was 14, her father took her to her first bluegrass festival, which was the start of something new for Layla. She quickly fell in love with the music and the entire community, which prompted her to enroll at East Tennessee State University to study Bluegrass, Old Time, and Roots Music. While still young, she has had many opportunities to share the stage with Junior Sisk, Zink & Company, and many others.

Andy Stinnett plays mandolin for the band. He studied in the renowned Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Studies program at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), which helped shape his musical foundation. After college, he began performing at Dollywood and the Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery, further honing his craft on stage. Over the years, Andy has worked with several notable groups, including the Clay Hess Band and the ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band. A talented multi-instrumentalist, he plays mandolin, bass, and guitar with skill and versatility. Jack Brown is the newest band member and plays the banjo. Jack started learning banjo from Brandon Green at 16. He is continuing his education as a student in the ETSU Bluegrass, old-time, and country music program. He’s shared the stage with renowned musicians such as Barry Bales, Monroeville, and Trey Hensley. In 2024, he embarked on a successful two-week tour of Ireland with fellow ETSU student band Pythagoras.

After the dinner break they repeated the first 3 acts.