Day 50 of 166 Days of RV Adventures in the Summer of 2026

Today, Thursday June 25th is day 2 of the Remington Ryde Bluegrass Festival. We had a post office run to make this morning and then we chilled with our camping neighbor, Thelma and her four-legged friend, Ginger.

Music began at noon - 1st Act is Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Roads. She is known as the “Lady of Tradition” in the Bluegrass community. She has made an indelible mark not only on North Carolina music culture, but within the greater Bluegrass culture. To say Lorraine is an original would be the understatement. She not only thinks outside of the box, she builds new boxes. She was behind "Back to the Well,” the 2006 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Recorded Event of the Year. She also was awarded the Society for Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America’s (SPBGMA) “Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year,” 2015. Success is a way of life for Lorraine Jordan. It’s all about a drive and determination that has taken her from the local music scene in Eastern North Carolina to the Grand Ole Opry stage and stellar performances in 40 states and 13 countries. She’s also determined to make your next event a success.

To say she is a chart topper, is an understatement. She has had three #1 hits on Bluegrass charts; the latest “True Grass” stayed at #1 an astounding four consecutive months and on the charts for nearly a year-and-a-half. Also four straight months at #1 with the hit single "Bill Monroe's Ol Mandolin" on the National Bluegrass Chart. She produced and performed the successful collaborative recording “Country Grass,” which featured such legendary greats as John Anderson, Lynn Anderson, Jim Ed Brown, John Conlee, Crystal Gayle, Lee Greenwood, The Kentucky Headhunters, Michael Martin Murphey, Eddy Raven, Marty Raybon, Ronnie Reno, and TG Sheppard.

Lorraine’s handpicked Carolina Road band is comprised of well-known musicians: Ben Greene, banjo; Warren Blair, fiddle & bass vocals; Kevin Lamm, bass fiddle; Allen Dyer, guitar; and Tim Tew, dobro. They all have played with a “Who’s Who” in the industry, including Charlie Moore, The Bluegrass Cardinals, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, James King, Lost & Found, David Parmley & Continental Divide, and Don Rigsby, to name just a few. Their stellar musicianship and versatility ensure award-winning powerhouse performances of every song. 

The 2nd act up was the Kody Norris Show. Whatever you do, don't call The Kody Norris Show 'retro'. They ain’t retro. They have something different. They have something uniquely theirs. They have something that makes them stand out. While the reigning SPBGMA Entertainers of the Year are known for the rhinestones that shine from their lapels and the fringe that hangs from their collars seem to conjure up memories of times gone by, The Kody Norris Show are very much directing their gaze forever forward.

Their latest project, "Spirit of America" releases tomorrow. They played several singles including “Purple Heart,” and more!

Besides Kody, the quartet is made up of Mary Rachel Nalley-Norris, Kody's wife and "sweetie," who drives the band's rich sound on the fiddle and mandolin. Charlie Lowman, known as "Cousin Charlie," holds down the rhythm on the upright bass and offers lead vocals on some songs. The youngest member of the group, who provides banjo picking and vocal harmonies, is Jim Hensley. The 14-year-old musician officially joined the band in January 2026 after filling in for several months following the departure of former banjoist Josiah Tyree. his invitation to join the band came on stage at the SPBGMA Awards to become a permanent member of the group.

The 3rd act up, was supposed to kick off today but bus trouble delayed them. Fast Track is an acclaimed, veteran bluegrass band formed in 2019 following the sudden retirement of long-time bandleader David Parmley. 

Known for a tight, star-studded traditional sound with a modern touch, the group features industry veterans. Their banjo player, Dale Perry, stayed with the bus. So, Ben Greene filled in on banjo. Shayne Bartley was on mandolin; Randy Barnes on bass fiddle; Steve Day was on fiddle and Duane Sparks on guitar. Fast Track are highly decorated within the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) circles and are regular contenders for Best Bluegrass Album, most notably for their acclaimed release, IV.

The 4th act up today was Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mountain Boys. They are a Grammy Award-winning bluegrass group led by Ralph Stanley II. Yes, he is the son of the legendary banjo player and bluegrass pioneer Dr. Ralph Stanley. Following his father’s passing in 2016, Ralph II honored his father's wishes and officially took the helm of the historic band. Under his leadership, the group continues to preserve the soulful, traditional Appalachian "Stanley style" of bluegrass while successfully infusing fresh, modern energy and original material into their performances. I learned today that one of my favorite songs, "Polly's Revenge" is their song. It went #1 in 48-hours, that is incredible!

Today we had Ralph Stanley II on guitar. He is the leader of the band that is in it's 80th year. He was accompanied by Stanley Efaw on mandolin & fiddle, he is the son of this festival's promoter, Larry Efaw. John Golden was filling in on bass fiddle. Curtis Coleman was on banjo, he used to play with Larry Efaw and the Bluegrass Mountaineers before venturing out on his own.

The 5th act was Lonesome River Band, they were formed in 1982, before I graduated from high-school! They are an award-winning American contemporary bluegrass band originally formed in Meadows of Dan, Virginia. They are widely respected as one of the most influential acts in modern bluegrass music, renowned for their powerhouse vocals, driving rhythm, and tight harmonies.

The band has undergone numerous personnel shifts over its multi-decade history and features no remaining original members. The current group is anchored by veteran leadership and immense instrumental talent. Sammy Shelor is the bandleader and banjo player who joined in 1990. He is a 5-time IBMA Banjo Player of the Year and a recipient of the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Bluegrass and Banjo. 

Jesse Smathers sings lead vocals and plays guitar. He has been with the band for more than 10-years. Adam Miller also sings lead vocals and plays the mandolin. He came to the band in 2021. Kameron Keller plays the bass and joined the band in 2021. On fiddle is Mike Hartgrove, a National Fiddlers Hall of Fame inductee. Over his five-decade career, he has performed and recorded with iconic groups including The Bluegrass Cardinals, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and IIIrd Tyme Out (of which he is a founding member). Early in his career, he also played country music alongside legends like George Jones and Mo Bandy. 

After the dinner break, we were back to the original schedule. Fast Track got their set in before the skies opened up and we had a rain delay. Thank God for friends! I walked back to the RV so we could call Gary & Sheryl back, shortly before the rain started!

It was dark for a while, but then the sun kept peeking through the clouds!

Ralph Stanley II & the Clinch Mountain Boys came up for their second set after the rains stopped. It was a shortened set with two songs dedicated to young performers. 

Corbin Easton came up and played a Ralph Stanley II song.

Leo in the red & white cap on the banjo and his friend, I did not catch his name, on the mandolin. They were awesome!

The Kody Norris Show was up next. They shed their "Spirit of America" outfits for my favorite purple and orange set! This full set was just as good as the first one! They are good people, they are giving Fast Track a lift back to Nashville on their bus.

They were setting up for the Lorraine Jordan Country Grass set when the rain came back with lightening. Lightening shuts down the show. I came back to the RV and it feels like the rain has settled in for the night, so have I!

Stay tuned for more bluegrass and Two Lane Adventures!