Music Is in the Air

For as long as many Missourians can remember, the Sally Mountain Park Bluegrass Festival and the Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festival shared the same special date on the calendar.

“Ironically, our festivals were always on the very same weekend,” recalls bluegrass legend Rhonda Vincent. “We were friendly competitors for many years because our festival went on for over 30 years, and this festival has gone on for over 30 years.”

Indeed, it was 1986 when Vincent’s parents, Johnny and Carolyn Vincent, first invited bluegrass lovers from across the country and around the world to their 63-acre property in Queen City for a weekend of fun, fellowship, and music at the Sally Mountain Park Bluegrass Festival.

But in 2020, the longtime festival was forced to close due to COVID-19 restrictions, and in 2022, the picturesque land was put up for sale.

“Last year, the Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festival became like a mini Sally Mountain because my mom sold our property and we don’t have a festival anymore,” explains Vincent. “So we did a reunion of the Sally Mountain show at Starvy Creek, and it was a wonderful thing to kick things off.”

And now, Rhonda Vincent and the Rage find themselves as one of the featured headliners at this year’s Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festival, taking place from July 9th to 12th in Conway.

Over 2,000 music lovers are expected to attend this year’s festival, a four-day event featuring amenities such as more than 350 camper hookups with water and electricity, modern bathrooms and a shower house, a cook shack, and lots of shade for tent camping.

The festival has also brought together some of the genre’s finest groups, including The Seldom Scene, Appalachian Road Show, and Lonesome River Band.

“Bluegrass has always been a family atmosphere, but it truly is also a family reunion for many performers,” says Vincent, a native of Greentop, a Grammy winner, and a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2020. “You might only see them that time of the year.”

“Starvy Creek is a unique family friendly environment where people of all ages can come enjoy great traditional bluegrass music,” adds Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festival promoter Aaron McDaris, who has been attending the festival since he was a teenager and took over the festival in 2022 from longtime organizers Don and Bobbie Day, following their retirement. “Add friends and fellowship to the mix, and it’s just an unforgettable time for everyone.”

Indeed, Vincent adds, “It’s the people that make the place special. The music is in the air. You can smell homemade pies. It’s just a wonderful setting of contentment.”

It’s a setting Vincent herself hates leaving.

“You’re very sad when it’s over,” Vincent says. “You can’t wait to get back to that feeling of family and of the music and a collective love for Missouri. Missouri is a place that you can’t explain. It is like a little heaven. And for me, it’s the peacefulness of being back home.”

For more information, visit StarvyCreek.com.

This story originally appeared in the June 2024 edition of Missouri Life.