Get Back To The Garden: BoxerWoodStock 2010   “By the time we got to Woodstock, we were half a million strong, and everywhere was a song and a celebration.” Joni Mitchell wrote those lyrics commemorating the original Woodstock music festival that took place in 1969 on a sprawling farm in upstate New York. Now the folks at Boxerwood Nature Center are staging a family-friendly version of the iconic event on their own 32 acres in the southwest corner of the Shenandoah Valley. They’re hoping for a big gate, but half a million? “That would run us clean out of food and drink before the first act was over!” laughed Jeff Pufahl, Boxerwood Board member and head of the food concessions at BoxerWoodStock. The music festival, billed as “one day of music in a peaceful place,” will be held at Boxerwood this Saturday, July 17. Gates will open at noon, with music starting at 1:00 and continuing until 8:30 p.m. Boxerwood, with its unique natural amphitheater and Blue Ridge Mountains in the backdrop is the perfect stage for this diverse and quintessentially Virginian music festival. BoxerWoodStock is being organized by local musicians both to showcase their talents, with music styles ranging from ole time to classic rock, and to raise funds to support the Boxerwood Education Association’s environmental education programs. Amanda Baxter, lead singer with Loose Gravel and a member of the festival organizing committee described how the idea for a music festival first germinated. “When the Boxerwood staff met to come up with a new fundraiser, Clara Williams, who comes from a family of musicians, suggested a music festival. Someone jokingly referred to it as BoxerWoodstock, the name stuck, and the rest, as they say, is history.” Local musicians like Baxter quickly rallied around Boxerwood and BoxerWoodStock. “We’re all excited to be performing in such a unique venue,” she affirmed. “Hopefully, this will become an annual event.” In addition to Baxter’s band, Loose Gravel, performers will include The Rag Tops, Lesley Tucker, Brad “Dog Soldier” Young, Honest Labor, Andy and Toni Williams with Nate Leath, Bruce Clark & friends, James Leva, and the Poison Bottom Boys. Several performers plan to render their versions of songs originally performed at the 1969 music festival. BoxerWoodStock will be very family friendly, organizers say. Clothes are required, not optional, and smoking of any kind is prohibited. Kids of all ages are invited to attend; in fact, special activities are planned just for them. Like the flower children of the Sixties, they can tie-dye T-shirts and string love beads. And they’ll stay “cool” running through the Kids Wash (a tunnel of sprinklers spraying every which way) and playing on swings and hammocks under the pines. BoxerWoodStock is a rain or shine event. Food and drink will be available to purchase on site along with festival T-shirts and water-freshened bandanas. No coolers are permitted, but chairs, picnic blankets and sunscreen are strongly recommended. Boxerwood staff and volunteers will serve up burgers (meat and veggie), hotdogs, pulled pork barbeque, and side salads. Beer, wine and soft drinks will also be available. Admission is $10 per person or $25 per carload on the day of the event, so festival-goers are urged to think green and bring a carload. Advance tickets cost $20 per carload and can be purchased online at www.boxerwood.org. All proceeds go to Keep Boxerwood Blooming, a campaign to raise funds to continue Boxerwood’s environmental programs for the local schools. The Boxerwood Education Association is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire people of all ages towards becoming successful and responsible stewards of the Earth. Boxerwood’s Executive Director, Tony Russell, admonishes, “Someday your kids or grandkids may ask, ‘What was it like at BoxerWoodStock?’ You don’t want to have to say you weren’t there.” In other words, be there or be square. Boxerwood is located at 963 Ross Road in Lexington, approximately a mile and a half from the center of town. For more information and directions, visit the nature center webpage www.boxerwood.org or call 540-463-2697. Performance Schedule – subject to change Time Performer & genre Location 1:00 - 1:45 - Toni & Andy Williams featuring Nate Leath – Ole Time, Beech Tree Stage; 1:45 - 2:00 - Brad “Dog Soldier” Young - Native American Flute, Crow’s Nest; 2:00 - 2:45 - Bruce Clark & friends – Ole Time, Beech Tree Stage; 2:45 - 3:00 - Brad “Dog Soldier” Young - Native American Flute, Crow’s Nest; 3:00 - 3:45 - James Leva - Appalachian music, Beech Tree Stage; 3:45 - 4:00 - Nate Leath - Scary Good Fiddler, Crow’s Nest; 4:00 - 4:45 - Leslie Tucker – Classic folk, Beech Tree Stage; 4:45 - 5:15 - Poison Bottom Boys – Blue Grass Crow’s Nest; 5:15 - 6:00 - Honest Labor – Acoustic Blues, Beech Tree Stage; 6:15 - 7:15 Loose Gravel – Jazz & Blues, Beech Tree Stage; 7:15 – 8:30 - The Rag Tops – Classic Rock, Beech Tree Stage • Artist Bios & Photos Leslie Tucker is one of those rare talents that seem destined to turn the music community on its ear. As a songwriter, she has started out where most end up if they're lucky. Her writing is beautifully crafted but never contrived. As a singer, her pure and unadorned vocals have been compared in warmth to Kate Wolf and in strength to Linda Ronstadt. Veterans of the business have been quick to praise her eminently likable style. Tim O'Brien has said: "I would pay to hear Leslie sing from the index of a computer manual." * James Leva is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter whose music is deeply rooted in Appalachian tradition.  James has performed with l traditionally focused groups exploring the boundaries of Appalachian music through his Free Will Savages period that was pronounced as “the perfect marriage between Ralph Stanley and the Sex Pistols.”  As Jones and Leva, his focus was on traditional style vocal harmonies. Since then his musical journey has taken him from exploring the Celtic roots of Appalachian music to performing renowned Cajun stars, and most recently has made explorations of the African roots of Appalachian music * Nate Leath is a remarkable talent. Just 21 years old, Leath has thoroughly absorbed the roots of traditional bluegrass fiddling -- winning numerous contests including first place in bluegrass fiddle and best all around musician at the famed Galax Fiddlers Convention when he was just 11--and commands an adventurous musical appetite that often slides into a jazz influenced terrain (he also studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston). He is currently a member of the Old School Freight Train. * Honest Labor is comprised of: Billy Friar on dobro, guitar and vocals; Lee Sauder on blues harp; Travis Weaver on bass and vocals. The trio takes its name from the daytime occupations of the band members and the way they approach the music. All three are skilled tradesmen. Friar is a stonemason; Sauder is a blacksmith; Weaver is an upholsterer. Sauder says they play music that is “honest and straightforward.” Friar is becoming widely known as a gifted blues singer, and the group adapts other musical styles to their acoustic blues method. They have been performing as an ensemble for four years. * Loose Gravel Drummer Randy Huffman and keyboardist Skip Ravenhorst are Rockbridge County natives who first began playing together as members of the Lucky Pierre Blues Band in the 1970’s. In the late 1990’s they began conspiring with bassist Fred Baker, and ultimately formed the group Loose Gravel when joined by Jim Payette on flute and saxophone. In 2005 the band was further enhanced by the addition of Amanda Baxter, who emigrated from her native England to play guitar and provide vocals. When not occupied with their day jobs as rental managers, architect, bookkeeper, and farmers, the group enjoys performing an eclectic mix of jazz, blues, and music of various genres at parties, weddings, and festivals. * Brad “Dog Soldier “Young describes himself as a simple Native American flute maker, nothing could be further from the truth. Brad views the Native American flute as about the most powerful instrument you will ever play. He believes the spirit and soul of the tree is brought forth by the flute making process but it is just a shell until the heart of a player is found to give it emotion. His simple approach to playing has allowed him to make music that stretches along a broad spectrum of musical styles. He has collaborated with many accomplished recording artists and song writers. Brad is also an accomplished flute player, having placed first place in the flute player contest at Musical Echoes in 2006. * Bruce Clark was born in June 8, 1921, and grew up on Irish Creek in the Eastern Part of Rockbridge County. Bruce learned most of his music from his mother and father. Bruce’s concern that traditional ole time music was in danger of fading prompted him to start, with his son James, the Clark’s Saw Mill Old-Time Music venue. Performances takes place at the sawmill on Friday nights and the sound of his fiddle rings clear and true as he and his fellow musicians from the surrounding community cheerfully play such old-time mountain favorites as "Cotton-eyed Joe"‚ "Old Joe Clark" (Bruce Clark’s direct ancestor)‚ and other traditional tunes and they are regularly joined by over one hundred dancers and listeners. * Toni & Andy Williams have been married for 30 years, and have played together for nearly that long. Andy played with the Plank Road String Band and the Hellbenders. Toni was a founding member of the Green Grass Cloggers and played with the local band Stay Tuned, and is currently organizer for several local music events. They both were in the prize-winning band Rattleshake Chili, and enjoy playing at home and festivals with friends. * The Rag Tops are a group of local musicians who have come together specifically to play BoxerWoodStock. The band plays classic rock and all are veterans of the local and regional music scenes. The members of the Rag Tops are: Oakey Pruett, formerly of The Convertibles, on lead vocals and keyboards, Jeremy Leadbetter, formerly of The Convertibles and Slingblade, on guitar mandolin and harmonica. Mellyora Mason Groah, solo recording artist, on lead vocals, Rexx Rexrode, formerly of Slingblade, on bass guitar, John Goode, formerly of Deep Blue Jones, on drums and John Vita also formerly of The Convertibles and currently with Fatty Lumpkin & the Love Hogs, on guitar and vocals.

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