Dodging rains, bluegrass festival basks in sunshine for three music-filled days

Posted on April 6, 2016

While the threat of rain kept some people at home this past weekend instead of enjoying the music at the 14th annual Florida State Bluegrass Festival, those in attendance made up for it with their enthusiasm, delivering multiple standing ovations and demanding an encore after almost every performance.

According to Festival Coordinator Dawn Taylor, the crowd included bluegrass fans from across the country as well as Canada and even two from Scotland.

Photo: Ronnie Bowman, center, joined his fellow members in the “Band of Ruhks” for a Friday night performance at Taylor County’s annual bluegrass festival; his next stop? The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas for the 51st annual Academy of Country Music Awards (ACA) where Bowman took home an ACA award for “Song of the Year.” He was one of two co-writers who penned the hit “Nobody to Blame” along with artist Chris Stapleton. Bowman was also spotlighted by Rolling Stone magazine for having one of the night’s best moments: “Best Shoutout to Mom.”

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