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Key COVER FEATURE From Emerald Isle to Appalachia MILWAUKEE IRISH FEST, North America's largest celebration of Irish music and culture, celebrates its 32nd anniversary this summer, Aug. 16-19 at the Henry W. Maier Festival Park in Milwaukee on the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan. Milwaukee Irish Fest celebrates link to folk music tradition Spread throughout the expansive 75-acre festival grounds, the four-day festival will feature the cul- ture, music and heritage of Ireland. In addition to all the traditional attractions that keep fans coming back, this year's festival will feature a special show- case on Bluegrass music. Guests are invited to cele- brate the genre's rich past while renewing their appreciation of this style of music today. "The entire Bluegrass lineup is exciting as it brings Ireland and Bluegrass cultures together," said Ed Ward, entertainment director for the festival. "We even have a few collaborations you won't see any- where else that keep Milwaukee Irish Fest on the leading edge of entertainment." It's not widely known that Bluegrass music evolved out of the folk music traditions of 18th century immigrants who settled in the Appalachia region of the U.S. With origins in Irish, Scottish, English and Welch ballads and tunes, the early music had a pre- dominant string band format dominated by fiddle, and grew to include the iconic banjo, guitar, man- dolin and autoharp. Called "mountain" or "Old Time" music, it frequently accompanied rural danc- ing styles. As recordings and radio programs began to spread, the commercial "country music" industry was born. Over time, the center of country music was shifted to Nashville with the growing success of the Grand Ole Opry. 8 The term "Bluegrass" first came into to use in 1948 and is often credited to long-time Opry performer Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys. Bluegrass has since continued to merge with jazz, gospel, coun- try and Celtic music to produce the sound enjoyed around the world today. Milwaukee Irish Fest's Bluegrass music showcase will come to life on the Celtic Roots stage, featur- ing several Bluegrass musicians and an exhibit by the International Bluegrass Music Museum located in Owensboro, Ken. Guests will also find the sights and sounds of Bluegrass on other stages and areas of the festival. Bluegrass headliners include Del McCoury whose music has defined authenticity for hard core Bluegrass fans for 50 years. An International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Famer, McCoury was a member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys and today stands as a living link to the days when Bluegrass was made only in honky- tonks and on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. On the other end of the spectrum headlining the showcase is progressive Bluegrass band, The Punch Brothers, who, with Grammy awards and a single on the soundtrack of the "The Hunger Games," is helping push the genre into main- stream culture. Unique collaborations between Irish and U.S. bands will take place during the Bluegrass show- case, emphasizing the similarities in the styles of music. High Roads & Railroads brings together Ireland's Téada with New York City-based Ebony Hillbillies. Meanwhile, another pairing brings Irish

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