MANSFIELD – Chris Smith – a bluegrass musician and organizer of the Mansfield Jamfest – is convinced that everyone can enjoy this type of music.
“If you give bluegrass a chance, you’ll love it,” he said.
After a one-year absence, this annual bluegrass and country music festival returned to the Richland County Fairgrounds from Thursday, Aug. 24 to Saturday, Aug. 26, featuring more than 10 bands and raising money to support those affected by cancer.
“It’s been beautiful weather, and there’s been huge crowds. I couldn’t ask for it to go any better,” he said. “It’s been a lot of work, but I have a deep love for the music.”
Smith previously organized a music festival in Norwalk, but a friend took that over this year when Smith began preparing for the Mansfield-based event. It was previously known as the “Helping Families with Cancer Benefit Bluegrass Festival.”
Despite this change, the goal of the event remains the same: to raise money for families affected by cancer. At the end of the weekend, a donation is made to the American Cancer Society.
In addition to organizing this year’s Jamfest, Smith sings and plays guitar for the host band, Caney Creek of Akron. The group, which has been together for about nine years, is known to play a mixture of traditional and modern bluegrass.
Smith received his first guitar at age 5 and attended his first bluegrass festival at age 12. Ever since, “it’s stuck,” he explained. His love for music, especially bluegrass, has grown year after year.
This year, the Mansfield Jamfest featured dozens of bands. Nationally-recognized inclued The Grascals and Junior Sisk and Rambler’s Choice. The Grascals of Nashville was a last-minute addition when Russell Moore and Third Tyme Out was unable to play due to unforeseen circumstances.
Smith counted nearly 200 campers at the fairgrounds Friday night, and hundreds of people were in attendance Saturday afternoon, reclining in lawn chairs that overflowed from a large tent set up near the stage. The jamming continued until about 10:30 p.m. Saturday night.
The Mansfield Jamfest is expected to return next year. Smith says he’s already making arrangements.
