World Class Bluegrass Duo Springfield Exit Appearing at the Chalfonte
07/13/2008 - 8:30p.m. to 07/13/2008 - 10:00p.m.
Music
Price: $10 for adults, $7 for children, or free with dinner in the Chalfonte's Magnolia Room
Springfield Exit, a revolving band of world-class bluegrass musicians appears in the Chalfonte Hotel's "Concerts by Candlelight" series on Tuesday, July 13 at 8:30pm in the hotel's performance venue, the Henry Sawyer Room. The duo performing at the Chalfonte, David McLaughlin and Scott Brannon have been individually well-known on the national bluegrass music scene for many years. Both live in the Shenandoah Valley, but have spent most of their careers with their own separate bands. Together, Scott and David have a wonderful old-time county sound, similar to the vocal and stringed instrument duos of 40 years ago, and by popular demand have performed together for the last two decades.
Springfield Exit got its name from songwriting icon Tom T. Hall of "Harper Valley PTA" fame, and longtime friend of McLaughlin's. Hall, a resident of Nashville, suggested McLaughlin name his band Springfield Exit because "It's familiar to almost everyone in the country because every state has a Springfield!" And so it went. Springfield Exit was formed and became a flexible group with personnel changes from time to time, depending on performer availability. No matter who hits the stage, audiences are treated to bluegrass music by the finest musicians the genre has ever seen.
David McLaughlin has been a full-time and highly respected musician since 1978. Though David plays all kinds of music, he was a founding member of well-known bluegrass group, the Johnson Mountain Boys. With that group, he was twice nominated for a Grammy Award, and has won countless other awards, including IBMA, WAMA, and SPBGMA. David has spent thirty years touring the world, performing everywhere from the White House, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, and the Grand Ole Opry, to Kala Academy in India. He has also made countless TV appearances in the USA and in several foreign counties. David is the producer and engineer of Springfield Exit's recordings and plays mandolin and lead guitar with the group. In addition to playing and recording music (and collecting rare Rickenbacker electric guitars), McLaughlin also operates a newly restored historic property and B&B, The Nancy Shepherd House Inn in Winchester, VA.
Brannon, one of the Valley's favorite singers and rhythm guitar players, has been singing since he could talk and grew up listening to the traditional styles of Charlie Moore, Reno & Smiley and Bill Harrell. He began performing at festivals at the age of 16 as a member of The Potomac Highland Grass. During the 1980s, Scott was a member of Frank Necessary's Stone Mountain Boys, and performed with Bluegrass star, Bill Harrell and the Virginians and Buck Ryan. Scott's own CDs have received rave reviews all over the world, and he has appeared on several CDs by other artists. Anybody familiar with Washington, D.C.'s WAMU radio has heard Scott Brannon countless times on their bluegrass programs since the early 1980s.
McLaughlin and Brannon as Springfield Exit, appear in The Henry Sawyer Room at The Chalfonte, 301 Howard St, Cape May. Tickets $10 per adult/$7per child, or free with dinner in The Chalfonte’s Magnolia Room. For reservations, call 609-884-8409.
