Bluegrass on the Green Attracts A Crowd of Fans and 'Pickers"

By early afternoon July 13, more than 1,000 had gathered at Briedert Village Green in downtown Frankfort to enjoy the music, camaraderie and kids activities.

Seated on blankets and chairs, the crowd watched the band, Eric Lambert and Friends, as they "picked out" tunes that are part of an authentic American style of music. 

Lambert, who lives in Lowell, Ind., delighted the crowd with his home-spun style of bluegrass tunes. A native of Chicago's Southside, he fell in love with the sounds of what he refers to as "flatpicking Americana style of music, inspiring, dance, happiness and good times." 

He and his band of friends—anyone of his musician friends who could make the festival—took the stage in the early afternoon. "I've been playing for 40 years," said Lambert, who teaches guitar and several other string instruments in Park Forest. 

A writer and performer, Lambert has inspired a number of Bluegrass musicians and vocalists. He shared the stage with Steve Haberichter, owner of Down Home Guitars, 11 S. White St. Haberichter is a founding member of the non-profit Frankfort Bluegrass Festival organization that planned, coordinated and collaborated on the festival.  

Haberichter has his own band of acoustic players called Leadfoot. A music educator as well, he was a major influence for Bridget Cavanaugh, a bluegrass vocalist. A native of Orland Park who now makes her home near Nashville, Tenn., she was welcomed on stage with Lambert. A life-long lover of music, she started singing praise hymns at church when she was 5 years old. Her love of bluegrass evolved when she met Haberichter. 

"He asked me to join his band about six or seven years ago. I didn't know anything about bluegrass. Now I love it."
 
READ: On Tyme Pickers Play Under the Trees in the Shade

Cavanaugh said she'd started playing coffee houses in the Chicago region when she was 18 years old. After she met Haberichter, she joined with his band. "It just opened up a whole new world."

Harmonica player Denny Nicholson of Frankfort, and his family enjoyed the music from their seats on the lawn. Nicholson is a member of the Leadfoot band that regularly performs at Tribes Alehouse, 11220 Lincoln Highway, Mokena. 

This one afternoon, he opted out of performance to watch the music with his family—three of four adult children, three grandchildren and wife JoAnne. Nicholson is a self-taught harmonica player with a history that stretches back close to 20 years. 

More nationally-known bands, including the Boxcars and the Hillbenders, stepped on stage Saturday night, drawing thousands to the watch the music under the stars. 

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