It's Wednesday June 25th, day 55 of our 2025 summer adventure. This morning included my walk, coffee outside and a trip to Mammy's Donut Shop. A true Amish gem! Our side-by-side friend, Greg, told us about it.
On our way to the shop, we had a bit of an Amish traffic jam. It was a windy road and unsafe to pass for a good mile.
There’s something about a small town bakery that has even more charm and appeal than its bigger city counterparts. Add the word Amish in front of that and the shop rises to another level. One shop that sets itself apart from all the rest is Mammy’s Donut Shop. It is located in the small quaint town of Rebersburg.
Mammy’s Donut Shop is a hidden gem that warrants a visit for some of their fresh homemade donuts, pies, or any of their other sweet and delicious offerings. You can also try breakfast and homemade hot soft pretzels on Saturday morning. Mammy’s is the perfect destination. A simple, homemade donut shop. It is worth the drive, no matter the distance. At first, Charlie was "16-miles for a donut?" But, one bite changed his mind!
After the donut shop we stopped at the Decker Tract of Bald Eagle State Forest. The 5,900-acre Bald Eagle State Park is in the broad Bald Eagle Valley of northcentral Pennsylvania. The 1,730-acre lake laps the flanks of Bald Eagle Mountain, surrounded by forests, fields, and wetlands. The Ray F. Decker Trail is located at the Decker property on Route 192, which is within Bald Eagle State Park. The Ray Decker Trail begins at the Decker property on Route 192, and climbs the mountain to the James Cleveland Memorial, where you can continue on James Cleveland Trail to Greens Valley Road. Connect with the past via a short yet steep hike up to the monument in honor of James Cleveland, an airmail pilot who passed away in May 1931 in a plane crash on Mount Nittany between Centre Hall and Pleasant Gap.
The music started at 3pm today. The first band up was The Kevin Prater Band. They barely got two songs in before the skies opened up!
Charlie had gone back to the RV because neither of us could remember if we pulled the awning in! He stuck it out inside the camper, and I was high and dry in our little canopy.
After the soaking was over they came back out and played without a sound system. The Kevin Prater Band is from the mountains of Eastern Kentucky and delivers unique "Coal-Fired Pure Kentucky Bluegrass.” They have amaxing harmonies and a cappella singing. 2025 marks Kevin Prater 45th anniversary in bluegrass. Kevin began his musical voyage at the age of four. By 10, he formed his first band “Elkhorn Grass.” Elkhorn Grass enjoyed 11 years of touring together. Kevin has moved from being one of the best sidemen in Bluegrass to leading his own talented and unique band. Kevin has been blessed to showcase his many talents throughout his amazing career. Kevin has surrounded himself with veterans of Bluegrass Music, enabling them to create their unique style of Bluegrass and Gospel Music they are famous for.
More weather is threatened, so things are kind of on a delay. This next bit of weather skirted our area, but it looked pretty ominous!
The second band up, for an abbreviated set, was Danny Paisley and Southern Grass. Danny grew up listening to the music his father Bob played and enjoyed. Hearing the sounds of classic bluegrass like Red Allen, Mac Martin, Bill Monroe, the Stanleys, Reno and Smiley, and the Osbournes. Plus old-time mountain music and traditional country music. Once you hear Danny sing, it is no surprise that he lists George Jones and Vern Gosdin as major influences in his singing.
With Danny Paisley on guitar, Southern Grass continues the family tradition by adding Danny’s son Ryan on mandolin, the next generation of up-and-coming pickers. Southern Grass continues the rich musical heritage started by Bob Paisley and Ted Lundy with Lundy’s sons T.J. (Fiddle) and Bobby (Bass and Vocals). T.J. Lundy is a highly respected fiddler bridging the gap between old-time fiddling and bluegrass music. Bobby Lundy is also a renowned multi-instrumentalist who has gained attention for his unique bass style. Southern Grass also includes Mark Delaney on banjo, who rejoined the group after a brief hiatus.
Fast Track is a band with a musical lineage. Each of its five members evolved from a musical heritage. No strangers to the bluegrass community, they are all veterans of the stage and road. Dale Perry is a highly respected and extremely talented bluegrass veteran with a resume listing some of the greatest bands ever known to the genre. He came to national notoriety when he joined the Bluegrass Cardinals playing bass and singing bass vocals. He went on to play banjo with The Lonesome River Band and also banjo and bass player and bass singer for the legendary Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. For the last several years he has showcased his talents alongside David Parmley in both Continental Divide and Cardinal Tradition. During Dale’s 39-year career, he has been nominated for 4 Grammy Awards, won 7 IBMA awards as both an artist and as a Producer, and countless SPBMGA awards.
Steve Day, known as The Fiddle Man, is widely regarded as one of the top fiddle players in bluegrass music. With a career spanning decades, Steve has worked with legendary acts such as David Parmley and Cardinal Tradition, Continental Divide, Ronnie Reno, Gary Brewer, and has filled in with countless other renowned artists across the bluegrass circuit. His musical journey also includes a historic performance at the Grand Ole Opry with Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys, solidifying his place among the greats in the genre. Shayne Bartley has built a distinguished 40+ year career in bluegrass music. His impressive resume includes stints with legendary groups like The Lost and Found, Don Rigsby and Midnight Call, American Drive, Southern Blend, The Charlie Sizemore Band, and Dave Evans. He has also been part of Unlimited Tradition, Rarely Herd, David Peterson and 1946, The Karl Shiflett and Big Country Show, and even filled in for the renowned J.D. Crowe and the New South. His talent even took him beyond bluegrass when he toured with country music superstars Brooks and Dunn during their 2003 Neon Circus Tour, showcasing his ability to bridge genres and reach a broader audience. Duane Sparks plays guitar and sings vocals. He grew up in a family rich in musical talent coming from both sides. Duane was privileged to be a part of Gerald Evans and Paradise, The All American Bluegrass Band, and more recently with Joe Mullins and The Radio Ramblers. During his tenure with Joe Mullins, he was able to really spread his wings while traveling professionally and even earning five International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards and two SPBGMA Awards for band and band recording projects that he was a part of.
Randy Barnes is a bluegrass veteran and an accomplished musician in lead vocals, harmony and acoustic bass. He is one of the most popular bass players in the business. Randy has earned an impeccable reputation within the bluegrass community, having worked as a band member for Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, Marty Raybon & Full Circle, Lou Reid & Carolina, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, the Larry Stephenson Band and the Josh Williams Band.
The second set began with The Kevin Prater Band. They were able to get their second set in without rain this time. But, the skies were getting darker again. So, we took a short break. The wind was coming up again, so Charlie and I helped our neighbor get the canopy off his pop-up and Charlie and I took down our sun shelter for the night.
Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass were up after the rain delay. It looks like everybody approves! We saw a beautiful rainbow!
Fast Track came on stage for their second set. They are closing out day one of the Remington Ryde Bluegrass Festival.
Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!
No comments:
Post a Comment