Bluegrass in Herndon

Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass.  From left, Doug Meek, Ryan Paisley, Eric Troutman, Danny Paisley, and Mark Delaney/Priscilla Warnock

At the Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Herndon Saturday night, Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass entertained an audience with some down-home traditional bluegrass in high style.

In the sanctuary, guest from about three years (who danced in the aisle) to 83 (who danced in their seats) tapped their feet and legs to keep up with the lively tunes which Paisley played on guitar with his son, Ryan, a star on the mandolin, and other band members:  Doug Meek on fiddle; Eric Troutman, bass;  and Mark Delaney, banjo.

Ryan Paisley was a star again last Saturday night/patricia leslie

What is it about bluegrass which is always refreshing and energizing? And makes you happy? The mournful tunes are still able to give listeners an uplift.  Maybe it's their sincerity and their real life bases.

The titles of some of the tunes Southern Grass sang were: "I Overlooked An Orchid," "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover," "What Can I Do…You Win Again," "Road into Town," "Bluegrass Breakdown," and "I've Been Walkin' (the Dog and Thinking about You)."  Do these names sound country or what?

If you shut your eyes Saturday night, you could have been at another church, this one at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

From left, Ryan Paisley, Eric Troutman, and Danny Paisley entertained an enthusiastic crowd at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Herndon/patricia leslie

The next area appearance for the Southern Grass boys will be Sunday, January 13, at 4 p.m. at Jumbo Jimmy’s in Perryville, Maryland. 

You can take the girl out of the hills, but you can't take the hills out of the girl.

patricialesli@gmail.com