GRASSY MID-SUMMER FESTIVAL

Continental Divide will perform Saturday at the Grassy Mid-Summer Festival.

Like many musicians, Don and Marge Ezell have other jobs. Both teach in the Van Buren schools. But 40 weekends a year they're off performing at a Midwest bluegrass festival as The Ezells.

The Ezells, whose son Rory is also part of the group, were nominated for Midwestern Bluegrass Contemporary Band of the Year the past two years, and Marge was named the 1995 Midwestern Traditional Female Vocalist of the Year by the Society for Preservation of Bluegrass Music Association.

Now they've launched a new career as promoters. The first Grassy Mid-Summer Festival with the Ezell Family begins today and continues through Saturday.

The bluegrass festival will be held at the Arrowhead Campground on the Castor River in Grassy. Shows will be at 2 p.m. and at 7 p.m. all three days.

Don, the leader of The Ezells, plays bass and rhythm guitar, wife Marge sings and plays upright bass, and son Rory plays mandolin, banjo and guitar and sings lead and harmony. Middle son Cory helps set up the sound and sell the five tapes they've recorded. Toddler Myles is just along for the ride.

The Ezells began playing bluegrass music six years ago. "We already played Southern gospel," Marge said. "We decided to have a family band," added Don. "And our son took off with it."

They also have a sound production company called Professional Sound that provides technical support at festivals. They do the sound for the largest bluegrass festival in Arkansas.

This festival will feature a new stage and new concession stands. The campground and Castor River provide plenty to do when bands aren't performing.

"There's lots of shade and a playground and the Castor River, and volleyball and horseshoes," Marge says. "But most people just like to swim."

Don says retirees who travel in RVs provide the fan base for festivals such as his. "I hope to have 150 RV units there," he said.

On Tuesday, 21 campers there for the festival were already at the campground. "I hope we have 1,000 people" for the festival, he says.

He calls this is the best lineup of talent at a Grassy mid-summer bluegrass festival in the past 10 years. Among the festival's headliners Thursday and Friday are Kenny Baker & Josh Graves, a Nashville-based fiddler and a dobro player who've been associated with the legendary likes of Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs.

On the bill Saturday is Continental Divide, a band which features the lead vocals of David Parmley and the banjo playing of Scott Vestal. The newest band member is Aubrey Haynie, the Florida state fiddle and mandolin champion.

Playing both Friday and Saturday will be Twice As Nice, a band that claims to hail from Texarkana, U.S.A. They are a traditional bluegrass band and one of Don Ezell's favorites.

Also performing will be Gospel recording artists The New Tradition, and Ozark Pioneers, a husband and wife team who live in a log cabin in the Missouri Ozarks.

The New Tradition will play Friday and Saturday, while the Ozark Pioneers will perform Thursday only.

Serving as emcee will be Jamie Hovis of Buckhorn.

More regional bands will be St. Louis-based Twin Rivers, another SPBGMA favorite who will perform Friday and Saturday, along with Ellsinore's The Baileys & Friends Thursday and Saturday and Fredericktown's The Sitze Family on Thursday.

Grassy is 45 miles west of Cape Girardeau on Highway 34. The campground is one mile south on Highway Y.

Admission is $6 for each of today's shows or $9 for both, $7 for each Friday show or $20 for both, and $8 for each Saturday show or $12 for both.

A weekend pass is available for $20.

Camping is $5 per night with electricity or $2 without.

No alcohol is allowed in the stage area. Lawn chairs are recommended.