Bluegrass coming to Wayside Theatre

    DEXTER — The Sandy River Ramblers will bring their uniquely Maine bluegrass show to the Wayside Theatre/Grange on Saturday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. The Ramblers have played many concerts in central Maine, but this will be their first Dexter show. Ramblers concerts are full of variety with many bluegrass styles, jokes and stories. Their three-part harmony singing is exceptional, and so are the instrumentals.

    The Sandy River Ramblers are Stan and Liz Keach, from Rome, on guitar and upright bass; Dan Simons, from Mt. Vernon, on mandolin; Bud Godsoe, from Madrid, on banjo; and fiery young fiddler, Jay Smith, from Industry. Stan Keach, with the help of his wife, Liz, wrote all 14 songs on the Rambler’s new CD “Cry of the Loon” and other original songs about Maine. Other titles include “Slow Down (You’ll Hit a Moose),”  “Donn Fendler; Logger’s Son,” and “Rugged Rocky Shore.”
    Keach is a nationally-known bluegrass songwriter whose songs have been recorded by some of the biggest names in bluegrass.  “I’ve been working on writing the songs for this new CD for 30 years,” Keach said. The “Cry of the Loon” CD has drawn praises from critics, and has been getting a fair amount of radio play all over Maine and out-of-state.
    Simons is one of the best mandolin players in Maine ranging from gorgeous flowing tremolos to blazing, hell-bent-for-leather note-slinging. He was heavily influenced by the playing of Bill Monroe, the man who invented bluegrass music back in the 1940s. “Dan’s the most Monroe-based player in Maine,” says Keach, “and it fits our style just right.”
    Godsoe, a retired building contractor and shingle mill operator from Madrid, learned to play banjo while working on the Alaska Pipeline in the 1970’s. “I had long shifts, and then plenty of time between shifts, with not much going on up there in the tundra,” Godsoe explained.
    Keach and Simons sometimes work as a duet (Stan & Dan).  Their performance of Keach’s song, “What the North Pond Hermit Knows,” is popular on YouTube and other sites. 
    Admission to the Aug. 24 show is $10. Baked goodies and refreshments sold at intermission as well as pie auctions, a door prize and a 50/50. For more information  contact Chester Bekier 924-5711, Joe Kennedy 277-3733 or WaysideGrange@yahoo.com.