Friday October 16th was day 163 of our summer adventure. We enjoyed the whole day at the Stagger Lee Music Park at the 6th annual Headin' Home Fest. I enjoyed a walk at sunrise and then coffee with my love.Stagger Lee Music Park is a 100-acre family-owned campground, farm, and concert venue located on Vernon Williams Road on the edge of Appling and Jeff Davis counties near Hazlehurst and Graham, Georgia.
The park was co-founded by Donald Paul Lee Jr., widely known by his stage name, "Stagger Lee". Born in Tampa, Florida, in 1952, Lee is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, bass, and piano. Over a decades-long career, he performed the first country/bluegrass show at the Empire State Building in the 1970s, wrote the regional hit "Wacky Tobakky," and was named the 1982 Louisiana Hayride Entertainer of the Year. He was eventually inducted into the Georgia Country Music Hall of Fame as a songwriter. After making Georgia his home for over 30 years, Lee decided to channel his love for roots music and the outdoors into building a dedicated gathering space for musicians and campers
To maintain a "hillbilly roots" and old-timey mountain aesthetic, the family chose to keep the infrastructure as rustic as possible. Much of the early architecture and buildings on-site were constructed using lumber harvested straight from a portable sawmill on the property. Development has remained a family affair; in 2021, the park established the "George and Sherry Lee shop," named after Lee’s cousin George, who travels from Pennsylvania every winter to build, repair, and upgrade the park’s structures.At 12:00 noon, The Brothers Five took the stage. They are a youth bluegrass band from Bloomingdale, Georgia, consisting of five brothers from the Lindblom family. They also tour alongside their family band, their parents and older siblings, Headin' Home Bluegrass band.
The five younger brothers are between 20 and 12. The band leader is 20-year old Linus Lindblom. He plays guitar and lead vocals. His 18-year old brother, Logan Lindblom plays the upright bass and contributes to the vocals. Liam Lindblom is 17-years old and plays the fiddle, the dobro and adds to the vocals. Levi Lindblom is 15-years old and plays banjo and does some vocals. The youngest of the family (the 9th box car) is Leo Lindblom. At 12-years old he is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist with his own EP. In the band he focuses on mandolin and vocals.
At 1:00pm, our MC, Justin Mason, changed hats from MC to performer. His new bluegrass collaboration is taking shape with the formation of an MC-fronted band “CrossRoads” featuring Lisa Kay Howard-Hughes. Bringing together musicians who love talking Bluegrass, the group promises to put on a show while bringing stories of Bluegrass lore to the fans. Justin added players from other bands he has created to round out this group for this festival.
Lisa Kay is a world-renowned radio host of Bluegrass Country and MC of premiere festivals across the country. Since the early 80s Lisa Kay has put her soaring vocals to use in bands across the DC area making a name as one of the most sought after mandolin players and vocalists of the DMV and beyond. Lisa has told the stories of Bluegrass in countries across Europe with bands such as Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Level Best and her own Lisa Kay Band and has built a following that spans multiple time zones.
Justin, AKA Mr Bluegrass earned his moniker in the Florida Bluegrass scene as one of the states top artists of the last decade. His unique singer songwriter style blends powerful vocals with stories that bring memories of the Blueridge Mountains to life. Now in the DC region, Justin adds his MC prowess to a band already stacked with “frontman” energy. “CrossRoads was my grandfather’s band since the 70s and always brought together so many different people who just loved Bluegrass music. After connecting with Lisa Kay at a Jam, things just clicked into place and it was time to bring back that tradition of blending styles and vocals to make something unique” Justin said.
At 2:00pm a group we have never heard before was up, Strings of Green. The family recently moved to Walnut Ridge in Arkansas from Beckley, West Virginia. As a band they made history in January 2026 as winners of the SPBGMA International Band Championship in Nashville, Tennessee. What makes this achievement particularly remarkable is that two of the band’s members were preteens at the time, showcasing a level of musicianship and maturity that has captivated audiences across the country.
Five years ago, while attending a large church in East Tennessee, the Greens felt called to provide music for a much smaller offshoot congregation. Week after week, they would learn six or seven hymns and worship songs, practicing together as a family to serve their church community. What started as an act of service became something more—a shared passion that drew them closer together and revealed just how special their combined talents could be.
As word spread about the family band, opportunities began to open up. Country markets, restaurants, and local venues across East Tennessee welcomed them, and their repertoire expanded beyond traditional hymns to encompass the rich heritage of bluegrass music. With each performance, the boys grew more confident, their skills sharpened, and their love for the music deepened.
The idea to compete at SPBGMA came during a family trip to the Walnut Valley Festival in Kansas in September 2025. It was an ambitious goal—the competition is known for launching the careers of acts who go on to major recording contracts. Past winners include Brand New Strings, Mountain Faith, Flatt Lonesome, Blue Mafia, and High Fidelity. But the Greens decided to go for it, and in the months that followed, they worked harder than ever. Josiah focused on transitioning from drums to rhythm guitar, Ezra traded his uke-bass for an upright and built up the calluses needed for serious playing, and the entire family committed to bringing their best to Nashville. When their name was called as winners in January 2026, they could hardly believe it. Even now, they’re still processing what they’ve accomplished.
At 3:00pm, one of our favorite showmen took the stage, The Kody Norris Show. This four-piece, multi-instrumentalist, bluegrass band quickly became four of the most epic entertainers of our time. 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 is definitely looking ahead! The talented group, made up of frontman Kody Norris, Mary Rachel Nalley-Norris, Charlie Lowman, and newest member 14 year old, ‘Jim’ Hensley, finds themselves with a growing legion of fans craving the comfort that comes from their retro look, but equally craving dynamic instrumentation and thought-provoking lyrics – all of which can be heard throughout their latest albums Rhinestone Revival and Highfalutin Hillbilly.
In 2023, While opening for “The Queen of Bluegrass,” Rhonda Vincent at the Ryman Auditorium for Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman, sponsored by Springer Mountain Farms, The Kody Norris Show was surprised by Vincent with an invitation to make their Grand Ole Opry debut. They ain’t retro. They have something different. They have something uniquely theirs. They have something that makes them stand out.
4:00pm came the Dinner Break. It is still a hot one today and the mosquitos could carry you off. Back to the RV to cool off and tend to the bug bites!
At 5:30pm CrossRoads came back for their second set.
For only having 2 core members of CrossRoads and members from different bands that Justin has played with come together for this show, the harmonies and vibe are tight! Today's lineup for CrossRoads band was Justin Mason on guitar, Lisa Kay Howard on mandolin, Mary Kate Brennen on guitar, all three sharded in the vocals. Rex Putnam added the steady beat on the upright bass, plus some excellent playing and awesome antics! Steve Leonard provided excellent licks on the 5-string bango.
The earlier set from Strings of Green was awesome, the 6:30pm set was not a disappointment! Brandon Green leads the family on banjo, dobro, and guitar. A two-time National Bluegrass Banjo Champion, Brandon brings over 20 years of musical expertise to every performance. His accolades include winning the first annual Southeast Banjo Championship across three instruments, placing first in the 2026 International Fingerstyle Guitar Championship, and earning multiple West Virginia Vandalia Gathering banjo titles. Beyond performing, Brandon spent over a decade as faculty at East Tennessee State University, where he taught in the Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies program. He has toured with acclaimed acts including the Abrams Brothers, the Darrell Webb Band, and Jonathan Buckner & Chosen Road. He relocated his family for the opportunity to start a Bluegrass (Roots) program at Williams Baptist University, in Arkansas.
The eldest son, Josiah 19-years old, serves as the rhythmic backbone of the band on percussion and guitar. A talented composer, Josiah writes original music that adds a fresh voice to the band’s traditional bluegrass foundation. Though he played drums for most of the band’s early years, he recently transitioned to bluegrass rhythm guitar, quickly mastering the style just in time for their championship run.
Ezekiel Green, 12, commands the mandolin with skill far beyond his years. Already a 2025 West Virginia Vandalia Gathering mandolin champion, Ezekiel earned second place at the 2025 Galax Old Fiddlers’ Convention Youth Mandolin Contest and first place at the inaugural Southeast Banjo Championships mandolin division. The youngest in the group, currently, is Ezra at just 11-years old he holds down the low end on upright bass. A second-place winner in the youth division of the first annual Southeast Banjo Championship, Ezra made the switch from uke-bass to upright bass specifically to prepare for the SPBGMA competition, building up his calluses and his chops in the months leading up to their historic win.
There are two more young Greens are already learning their craft: Malachi, 8, on guitar and dobro, and Moriah, 6, on fiddle. The future of Strings of Green continues to grow. Moriah, joined them for two songs! If she follows in her Dad's and brother's foot steps, her musical future is bright!
The host band came on again at 7:30pm. Headin’ Home's family musical journey began under the direction of parents Jon and Marina Lindblom, both classically trained musicians with degrees from the Eastman School of Music. Over the years, all of their 9 children have picked up traditional acoustic instruments, accumulating numerous individual and group championship titles across Georgia and regional festivals. 1st Places at the prestigious Galax Youth Band Competition; 2nd Places at the Georgia State Bluegrass Band Competition, and 4th Place at the Silver Dollar City KSMU Youth in Bluegrass Competition in Branson, Missouri.
Interesting fact: The surname Lindblom is a Swedish ornamental name combining lind (lime tree) and blom (flower), often the lime tree traditionally symbolized peace and protection in Scandinavian culture.
Headin' Home is fronted by Jon Lindblom (Dad) on upright bass and vocals; Marina Lindblom (Mom) on fiddle, vocals and songwriting; Luke Lindblom on dobro (resophonic guitar), vocals and the sound tech; Libby Lindblom on guitar, vocals, marketing, songwriter and author; Lucy Lindblom on mandolin, vocals, and lighting operator; and Timothy Lindblom on banjo and guitar. In 2023, Headin’ Home won the Dailey & Vincent Band Contest in Hiawassee, Georgia. In 2024, they won the official Georgia State Bluegrass Band Competition. And in 2026, the band took 2nd place in the SPBGMA (Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America) International Band Championship in Nashville, Tennessee. They continue to tour the southeast and beyond in their 45-foot bus, sharing their gift of skillfully-made music along with their sincere desire to bless and brighten lives wherever they go.
At 8:30pm The Kody Norris Show came back on stage for their second set. 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.
They brought a fiddle champion on stage with them for a number, I wish I could remember where she was from and what Championship she won.
Kody Norris is a true showman, he makes every set a joy to watch and listen too!
Awesome finale with Kody Norris and Headin' Home! What a way to end a Friday night at the 6th Annual Headin' Home Fest with 'Will the Circle Be Unbroken.'
Stay tuned for more #TwoLaneAdventures
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