CLEVELAND, Tenn. (July 2, 2008)—The Dan Tyminski Band and The Grascals will headline the eighth annual White Oak Mountain Bluegrass Festival. The festival is set for July 19-20 at Tri-State Exhibition Center.

Hardee’s is the presenting sponsor of this all-star lineup. Organizers say that Hardee’s generous support has made this two-day festival with first-quality talent possible.

Most mainstream music and movie fans would recognize Dan Tyminski as the voice of George Clooney as he croons Man of Constant Sorrow in the Coen Brothers’ epic movie, O’ Brother Where Art Thou.

For the past 13 years, Tyminski has been a member of Union Station, backing Alison Krauss with harmony vocals and incredible picking on guitar and mandolin. He has appeared with Krauss on a string of acclaimed albums both with Union Station and her solo projects. The band has been showered with Grammy, Country Music Association (CMA) and International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards.

Tyminski has been named IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year three times and was recognized as 2004’s Male Vocalist of the Year by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America.

With Union Station on hiatus for most of 2008, Tyminski has formed a new incarnation of the Dan Tyminski Band, with whom he is currently recording a new album and will perform with at the White Oak Mountain Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, July 19.

Headlining Sunday’s show are The Grascals, IBMA Entertainers of the Year for 2006 and 2007. Signed with Rounder Records, the group’s 2005 release The Grascals and 2006’s Long List of Heartaches were both Grammy nominees. Long List of Heartaches was the number one album on Bluegrass Unlimited Charts for three consecutive months.

The Grascals are comprised of award-winning musicians and are sure to be crowd pleasers, according to festival organizers.

Also in Sunday’s lineup are Dailey & Vincent, one of the hottest new bands on the bluegrass scene today. Jamie Dailey has most recently been with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and Darrin Vincent with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder.

The slate of talent also includes Steep Canyon Rangers, the Clack Mountain String, The Lovell Sisters Band, Dismembered Tennesseans and Southern Cross.

“Festival co-chair John Everhart books our talent, and each year he raises the bar with one great lineup after another,” Melissa Woody, festival co-chair, said. “I can’t wait to enjoy these incredible musicians featured this year.”

Woody added, “But we couldn’t book this kind of talent without our sponsors. I can’t say enough about Hardee’s and their generous support, as well as US-101 and their help getting the word out to their huge listening audience. Toyota of Cleveland is also a major sponsor.”

The bluegrass festival will start at noon on Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday with a special “Biscuits & Jam” session that will include a devotional.

“Hardee’s will bring a limited number of biscuits on Sunday morning, and you bring the jam—your instrument and voice, that is,” Woody explained. “Join in the picking and playing or just sing along and enjoy the music and biscuits while they last.”

Sunday’s regular festival lineup will continue on the big stage at 1 p.m.

Tickets for the festival will be sold at the gate, which will open at 10 a.m. both days. Discount coupons are available at all 42 area Hardee’s restaurants owned by J&S Restaurants.

A warm-up party featuring a band competition will be held at the Hardee’s on Keith Street at 6 p.m., Friday, July 18, the night before the festival opens. US-101 will be on hand for a live remote broadcast, and Hardee’s will be open for dinner. Admission is free to the warm-up party, and the audience should bring a lawn chair for the show.

The winning band will open the festival the next day with the first performance of an incredible slate of talent and will receive a $500 cash award. Second and third place winners will receive $250 and $100 respectively.

“It’s easy to enter the contest—just show up at 5 p.m. and register,” Woody said.

Check out the festival website at www.whiteoakbluegrass.com for details.

The Martha White Flour Bluegrass Bus Museum will be at the festival and available for tours. The bus is a big hit at festivals all over the country and full of bluegrass memorabilia.

Primitive camping is available on the grounds, as well as a limited number of RV hookups. Call 423-476-9310 for information or to reserve a spot.

The White Oak Mountain Bluegrass Festival benefits operations at Tri-State Exhibition Center, a multi-use event center located at exit 20, just west off I-75.

Gates open at 10 a.m. both days of the festival. Don’t miss the biggest bluegrass weekend Bradley County has ever experienced.

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