For Release: May 9, 2002
In 25 years of making music, Rounder recording artists Dry Branch Fire Squad have built a solid reputation as an exceptional traditional bluegrass band. Their live shows, however, set them apart from the pack, mostly due to the humor of frontman Ron Thomason. His "wise fool" persona is the perfect comic foil to the musical mastery the group brings to the stage.A native of southwest Virginia, Thomason founded the Dry Branch Fire Squad in 1976. To date, the band has recorded more than 21 projects and performed at the most prestigious acoustic music venues and festivals in North America. Their blend of musicianship and showmanship is sure to delight viewers on Jubilee. The program was taped at the Festival of the Bluegrass at the Kentucky Horse Park in 1999.
Says Chris Stuart, in the Southern California Bluegrass News, "Simply put, this is the best live band playing today...each time I was moved not only to laughter, but tears and joy as well. Every time."
Jubilee is a KET production, produced and directed by H. Russell Farmer. The program is closed-captioned for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Viewers can find out more about programming on KET by visiting the KET Web site at http://www.ket.org.