Crazy Horse Campground / Bluegrass Festival

The Chris Talley Trio played at the bluegrass festival at Crazy Horse Campground last night, and we sure did have fun!  The campground is really beautiful.  It's in the middle of Jacksonville, IL in the country.  There is a lake that folks can swim in, and lots of big trees all around for shade.  Probably one of the best things about the campground is the store that's there.  It is big, air-conditioned, has beautiful bathroom facilities, a cafe, and a great setup for jamming indoors or out!

The stage area was the back porch of the store.  When we got there at 6:00 p.m., people already had their lawnchairs setup ready to listen even though the concert didn't start until 7:00 p.m.  It was ironic that on the way up there, we were all talking about when we played at the Red Clay festival in Village of Tignish (Prince Edward Island, Canada).  When we got to Crazy Horse, the first person to come up and talk to me was Terry who is from PEI!  We met him at the Red Clay festival seven years ago when we played there.  Several of my students came to Crazy Horse, and we also saw quite a few people from the Springfield, IL festival.  It never ceases to amaze me how bluegrass pickers and fans become like families over the years.  It's really a wonderful feeling.

The Chris Talley Trio played first for a very receptive audience.  I noticed a number of folks singing along with many of our songs.  Even though the temperature was still in the 90's, several kids were in full swing dancing along with the music.  We played for about an hour, then gave the stage up to three other bands.

If you are looking for a new festival to start attending, I would recommend this one!  It has everything you could want in a campground.  Maybe next time we'll see you there!