This week, a special road trip episode featuring up and coming high energy traditional Irish trio Socks in the Frying Pan recorded live at the 2024 Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas. Also, a performance from world famous singer-songwriter and folk music icon John McCutcheon.

The annual Walnut Valley Festival, now in it’s 53rd season, is one of the oldest and most respected acoustic music festivals in the world. Held at the Winfield, Kansas fairgrounds, more than 30 musical acts will perform on four separate stages, presenting over 200 hours of live music. Also, there is a dedicated contest stage where contestants vie for national and international championships in Finger Style Guitar, Flat Pick Guitar, Bluegrass Banjo, Old Time Fiddle, Mandolin, Mountain Dulcimer, Hammered Dulcimer, and Autoharp. There is a juried arts and crafts fair, exhibits by renowned instrument makers and music shops, family activities, a bevy of food vendors, a farmer’s market and even a pub! An unusual aspect of Walnut Valley is its campground tradition. Campsites are not reserved and campers line up to claim a choice campsite during the "Land Rush.” Walnut Valley Festival goers often bring their own musical instruments to participate in the sometimes all night campground jam sessions. Bands like Old Sound and Sally & The Hurts that began as "Jam Bands" in the campgrounds, have even been invited to perform at the festival.

Socks in the Frying Pan, a multi-award-winning trio from Ennis, County Clare, Ireland—the Mecca of Irish traditional music—was formed in 2014. Forged together by a fire of pure joy and passion for their art, the band comprises Aodan Coyne on guitar and lead vocals, Shane Hayes on accordion, and younger brother Fiachra Hayes on fiddle. Their ‘Socks Sound’ combines virtuosic musicianship with a burning passion for the music and tradition, pitch-perfect harmonies and a big splash of quick wit and banter. Their electrifying performances and on-stage charm have established them as kingpins on the Irish traditional music scene, today. They have toured extensively, capturing hearts in 46 US states, dozens of countries, and every continent, showcasing at renowned festivals such as the Walnut Valley Festival in Kansas, Electric Picnic in Ireland, Tønder Festival in Denmark and the world-famous New Orleans Jazz Festival. To date, Socks in the Frying Pan have released three studio albums, each adding to their list of accolades including ‘Best New Band’, ‘Best Live Band‘, ‘Album of the Year‘, and ‘Best Live Performance of the Year’, Their latest release, Raw & Ríl, recorded live at Glór Theatre, was immediately awarded ‘Best Live Album’. - https://socksinthefryingpan.com/band/

John McCutcheon is an American folk music singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has produced 45 albums since the 1970s. He is regarded as a master of the hammered dulcimer, and is also proficient on many other instruments including guitar, banjo, autoharp, mountain dulcimer, fiddle, and jaw harp. He has received six Grammy Award nominations. Born and raised in Wisconsin, in his 20s, he travelled to Appalachia and learned from some of the legendary greats of traditional folk music, including Roscoe Holcomb and Tommy Hunter. - https://www.folkmusic.com/

In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1984 archival recording of Ozark original Sheryl Irvine performing the traditional Child ballad “Sweet Peggy,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives.

In his segment “Back in the Hills,” writer, professor and historian Dr. Brooks Blevins presents part one of his series recounting the history of the Ozarkland Jamboree, a 1960’s country music variety show based in Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas that never made it on the air.