Bean Blossom Festival - Bean Blossom, Indiana on June 16, 2001

I happen to witness the Jimmy Martin show at Bean Blossom in which Marty Stuart was his special guest.

Jimmy Martin came out and actually played some songs at the start. This is new for Jimmy. He usually only sings 4 songs per concert and spends 75% of the time telling bad stories and whining that he can't play the Opry.

Anyway, through the first part of his set, people kept asking for Marty...he finally introduced "the man." Marty's first number with Jimmy was "Doin' My Time." Marty sounded great and refreshed. Marty sang and played mandolin.

Marty then made a comment about being brought to the stage in a County Police Car. Said that felt too comfortable and that the main difference was that his wrists didn't hurt this time...he was funny and the Bean Blossom Bluegrass Faithful loved him.

They played a number of bluegrass songs and Marty kept Jimmy playing by making requests.

Near the end, Marty told Jimmy Martin that if the Grand Ole Opry had any guts, they would let Jimmy come on stage with him. Jimmy responded by saying he loved the Opry, but then turned and started ripping on it. When he started to say something about "that Ricky Skaggs," Marty cut in and said, "Just play your song, son!"

The bluegrass crowd was WILD at the end...all up by the stage and singing along. This just doesn't happen at a bluegrass festival. The crowd asked for encores four times and the only reason it stopped was that JD Crowe and the New South was scheduled to play next and the announcer put a stop to the encores.

Marty was dressed in a black suit with a neon pink shirt...he was total class...the bluegrass fans loved him and I heard them talking about him being there all day long...and he managed to get more songs out of a Jimmy Martin concert than I have ever heard. Jimmy Martin may be the King of Bluegrass, but at Bean Blossom, the impression was that Marty Stuart walked on water. (PS. In my own special opinion, Ralph Stanley is ten times better and ten times more professional than Jimmy Martin...to me, Ralph Stanley is the King of Bluegrass!).

Review by Jeff Small, Summitville, IN