Music festival on tap
With rock ‘n’ roll, yodeling and bluegrass bands
By Rene Smith
Special to the Argus Observer
Friday, August 8, 2008 2:26 PM PDT
COUNCIL �” The seventh annual Council Mountain Music Festival will entertain with a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll, the Idaho Yodeler and a variety of bluegrass bands Aug. 15 through Aug. 17 at the American Legion Peace Park in Council. This free, three-day festival welcomes musicians from not only the Council area but throughout the state of Idaho.
An all-star from years past is returning to the stage: the Idaho Yodeler, Buzz Goertzen. Goertzen will be doing two performances, 7 p.m. Aug. 15 and 3 p.m. Aug. 16. This gifted songwriter and humorist is a professional at what he does. He has written most of his own compositions but also sings many of the “old favorite” yodeling songs of the past.
Strings Attached is a bluegrass band from Twin Falls. They have appeared at the Northern Rockies Folk Festival, the National Oldtime Fiddler’s Contest in Weiser, the National Country Music Festival in Avoca, Iowa, the Southern Utah Bluegrass Festival in Kanab and the Brenda, Ariz., Jamfest. Strings Attached will play at 7 p.m. Aug. 15.
The classic rock band River Rock will perform at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 15.
Amy & the Wildcats will begin at 6 p.m. Aug. 15, and Tradition will step on stage at 7 p.m. Aug. 15.
The local performers range from soloists Marthetta Blakley, Rick Lee and Steve Bougher to the hit bands Highway 95 and Hotwire. Highway 95 performs bluegrass, folk and country, and Hotwire is a high voltage bluegrass band.
Because the festival has expanded, it will try a new venue this year, the American Legion Peace Park near the fairgrounds. The festival is grateful to the American Legion for preparing and grooming the park, creating a wonderfully shady, comfortable location to relax and enjoy the great music. Patrons should bring blankets or lawn chairs.
