Blueberry Bluegrass Concert in the Park presented by Rex Perry Autoplex

The Texas Blueberry Festival kicks off with the Blueberry Bluegrass Concert in the Park, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, June 11 at Festival Park in downtown Nacogdoches. This free outdoor concert will allow for safe social distancing, and organizers encourage attendees to bring blankets and lawn chairs.
 
Rex Perry Autoplex is sponsoring Friday’s family-friendly bluegrass concert that will feature three well-known musical acts: The Purple Hulls, Hickory Hill and The Farm Hands. We will also introduce an up-and-coming group the Gent Mountain Grass Burrs, who are sure to make you smile!
 
The Purple Hulls are identical twins Katy Lou and Penny Lea Clark. The Clark sisters were raised on a working family farm in Kilgore and they paid for college with money from the family's purple hull harvest. After graduation, they moved to Nashville, where they began touring with various country artists and writing songs for Nashville’s largest publishing company, Sony Tree. The sisters returned home in 2012 to care for their terminally ill father and they stayed in East Texas after he passed away, helping their mother with the farm while continuing their music career. This will be the Purple Hulls’ fourth appearance at the Blueberry Bluegrass Concert.

Celebrating their 40th anniversary in September 2019, Hickory Hill has proven to be one of Texas' most popular and enduring acoustic groups. The band continues to emphasize original material, seldom heard "gems" and songs adapted from other styles of music. Original and classic gospel songs are some of the band's favorites. 

With over 80 national awards and nominations, the Farm Hands are one of the most exciting and in-demand bluegrass bands in America. Touring over 150 dates each year, this talented foursome features veterans of the world famous Grand Ole Opry, Grammy award winners, hit songwriters, and celebrated instrumentalists.
 
The Farm Hands are always a huge presence at the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America awards, and last year was no exception. They were named Gospel Group of the Year, and Tim Graves was presented with a SPBGMA Grand Master award after winning the Dobro player of the year for the fifteenth time.