Grass Cats

Location: R.A. Fountain

our promo for this concert

The Grass Cats, for over a decade the premier original bluegrass band in North Carolina, return to Fountain General Store for a Friday night concert.

Fronted by co-founder Russell Johnson, of Four Oaks, the Cats have produced several chart-topping bluegrass hits. Johnson, who plays mandolin and sings lead tenor, has also been nominated, for the second year in a row, for “Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year.” Earlier this year, he was selected to the International Bluegrass Association’s “Leadership Bluegrass” class.

Tim Woodall, the other co-founder, plays bass. He is also co-host of WQDR-FM’s long-running PineCone bluegrass radio show on Sunday evenings.

Also in the band are Snow Hill’s Chris Hill on fiddle, Rick Lafleur on banjo, and, new to the band and performing in Fountain for the first time, guitarist Allan Mullen.

“Russ has that high, lonesome tenor that for many people really defines bluegrass music,” said Fountain General Store proprietor Alex Albright. “And he’s got what’s really an all-star band of pickers with him. This is always a terrific show, and we’re fortunate that a band of this stature likes playing Fountain so much that they keep coming back.”

The Grass Cats have released seven CDs. Their last number one bluegrass hit was the title track from their most recent, “A Good Way to Get the Blues.” All will be on sale at Friday’s show.

Local garden tomatoes: $2 a lb at tonight’s show only.

A few Mattamuskeet Sweet onions still available, 2 for $1.

Tags: bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, Concert, original, tradtional bluegrass