International Bühler Bluegrass Festival
The International Bühler Bluegrass Festival has been taking place annually in April / May in Bühl (Baden) since 2003 and presents four to seven bands from the USA, Canada and Europe every year. The musical spectrum ranges from oldtime, bluegrass and folk to Americana. The organizers are the city of Bühl and the Bühler cabaret “Schüttekeller”. The city of Bühl has been the sole organizer since 2011. The radio host and non-fiction author Walter Fuchs led the program until 2015, and in 2016 his son Patrick Fuchs took over the artistic direction and moderation.
The festival, which was limited to one day each until 2008, has been held on two days since 2009 because of the great response from the audience. In 2013 it took place for one day for cost reasons, and since 2014 the festival has been two days again.
Since 2017, the first day of the festival has been moved to the main sponsor's site (an agricultural machinery dealer). The second day of the festival will remain in the Neuer Markt community center.
Right from the start, the festival concept also included an open-air event on Saturday morning on Johannesplatz in downtown Bühl. Only in 2017 had to switch to the main road, which is closed to car traffic, for organizational reasons.
history
The forerunner of the Bühler event was the Güglinger Bluegrass Festival ; an annual music festival held from 1986 to 2001 in Güglingen (district of Heilbronn). Soon after its inception, it became the most important bluegrass festival in continental Europe. The best-known bands of the American bluegrass scene who performed in Güglingen include The Nashville Bluegrass Band, Country Gazette, The Tony Rice Unit, Laurie Lewis & Grant Street, Tim O'Brien & the O'Boys. The Güglinger Bluegrass Festival took place for the last time in 2001; officially not because of a lack of audience response, but because of organizational problems.
Bluegrass and country music expert Walter Fuchs and the then mayor of the city of Bühl Hans Striebel launched the international Bühler Bluegrass Festival in 2002, together with the city director of the cultural department Hans Störk and Rüdiger Schmitt from the “Schüttekeller” cabaret stage took place for the first time on April 12, 2003 after one year of preparation. The festival has now become the most important event for bluegrass folk and Americana music in the entire German-speaking region.
List of artists who have performed at the International Bühler Bluegrass Festival so far
| date | Artist |
|---|---|
| 17./18. May 2019 | Henhouse Prowlers (USA), Dieselknecht (D), Bluegrass Breakdown (D), Stereo Naked (D), Lonesome Ace Stringband (CAN), Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley (USA), Jeff Scroggins & Colorado (USA) |
| 11./12. May 2018 | Pert Near Sandstone (USA), Murder Murder (CAN), St. Beaufort (D), Ila Auto (NOR), Sierra Hull (USA), Peter Rowan (USA) & Red Wine (I) |
| 19./20. May 2017 | Jussi Syren & The Groundbreakers (FIN), The Dead South (CAN), Dapper Dan Men (D), The Country Pickers (CH), Curly Strings (EST), Chris Jones & The Night Drivers (USA), Balsam Range (USA ) |
| 13./14. May 2016 | Thomm Jutz & Milan Miller (USA), Ruben & Matt and The Truffle Valley Boys (I), Flats & Sharps (GB), The Dead South (CAN), Monroe Crossing (USA), Claire Lynch Band (USA) |
| 15./16. May 2015 | New Step In Grass (F), Dunderhead (S), Growling Old Men (USA / D), Rawhide (B), Milk Drive (USA), Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (USA) |
| 2nd / 3rd May 2014 | Field & Thompson (USA), Foghorn Stringband (USA), John Lowell Band (USA), Tabea & TRAM (CH / I), Tumbling Bones (USA), Della Mae (USA) |
| 4th May 2013 | Chris Jones & The Night Drivers (USA), The Deadly Gentlemen (USA), Monroe Crossing (USA), The Roys and Band (USA / CAN) |
| 4th / 5th May 2012 | Bluegrass 43 (F), Oh My Darling (CAN), G-Runs'n Roses (CZ), Alecia Nugent (USA), Tabea & Bluegrass Stuff (CH / I), The Gibson Brothers (USA) |
| 13./14. May 2011 | Sunny Mountain Grass (CH), Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike (USA), Redgrass (CAN), The Toy Hearts (GB), Special Consensus (USA), Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (USA) |
| 14./15. May 2010 | 4WheelDrive & Jolanda Peters (NL), Uncle Earl (USA), The Midnight Ramblers (USA), G2 Bluegrass Band (S), James Talley & 4WheelDrive (USA / NL), The Sons of Navarone (B) |
| 1./2. May 2009 | Wayne Henderson & Helen White (USA), The Looping Brothers (D), Crooked Still (USA), Nugget (A), Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands (USA), Randy Waller & The Country Gentlemen (USA), The Moonlighters ( UNITED STATES) |
| May 3, 2008 | Main Spring (D), Frigg (FIN), Don Rigsby & Midnight Call (USA), The Infamous Stringdusters (USA) |
| May 5, 2007 | Sacred Sounds Of Grass (D), Turquoise (F), Roland Heinrich & The Jimmie Rodgers Experience (D), The Wilders (USA), The Claire Lynch Band (USA) |
| April 29, 2006 | Night Run (D), Red Wine (I), Chris Jones & The Night Drivers (USA), Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike (USA) |
| April 9, 2005 | Grand Ole Country (NL), Lost Highway (USA), Nugget (A), The Crooked Jades (USA) |
| April 3, 2004 | Bluegrass Boogiemen (NL), One4Five (D), The Musselwhite Family (USA), Turquoise (F), The Kathy Kallick Band (USA) |
| April 12, 2003 | Groundspeed (D), 4 Wheel Drive (NL), Bluegrass Stuff (I), Special Consensus (USA) |
Individual evidence