Bluegrass Pickin' Time

Labor Day - 43 Years

2011-10-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

Everyone present had a wonderful, fun-filled weekend. We celebrated 43 years of traditional bluegrass music again. Our bands were superb. Special Consensus first time here, The Martins, great, as always, Missouri River Band, fine musicians, Bluegrass Addiction has been truly supportive in every way, Blue Steel Rail, a great new-formed group, Wild Rose, Shirley has always been a very-much requested entertainer, Mona Jones and The Bluegrass Travelers, which presented her with her retirement award, Beverly's Hillbillies, always supportive, Backroads Bluegrass and Rodlee Lewis Family, upcoming performers and, of course, The Bluegrass Pickin Time Band.

The reunion of The Bluegrass Five was a fun-filled, entertaining hour. During that show, Bessie presented the traditional musician's award to a well-deserving musician, J. D. Fritchy. Thanks to everyone who made all this possible one more time.

And my thanks every time to my MC, Gene Skinner, he is the greatest and to Phillip Pitts and Spectacular Sound, who are my favorite and the greatest, also. Thanks, guys.

Our goodbyes,
May God richly bless all of you.
Bessie & Scott Reeder

Surprise for Labor Day 2011

2011-06-30T04:45:00.000-07:00

Hi, Music Fans
Just finished our Memorial Day Festsival and had a great time with great bands. The Midnight Flight is really in the lime-light with their new faces (girls' that is). Enjoyed Rhonda's girls with Next Best Thing again. And, of course, Blugrass Addiction is getting really good. I don't want to leave anyone out, but the festsival was one of the best we have had. Just coming out of winter makes it a good place to go.

We have been in much prayer and support for the victims in Joplin, which suffered one of the largest tornados in 60 years. A one-mile by seven-miles of destruction through the heart of their town. If there is any way you can support them by working or financially, please do. BUT the best thing is Prayer.

During my show, Bluegrass Pickin' Time Band, I presented our musician's award. It was awarded to Jerry Rosa. For those of you who were here at the festsival, Jerry was shocked to say the least. I was so proud to award this to him. We are doing this at every festival. To give something small for a great contribution and dedication to our traditional bluegrass music time in history. We have awarded in the past, Harold Rowden and Mona Jones with a "This Is Your Life" segment; Carolyn Vincent with the Bluegrass Pickin' Time Family of Bluegrass Music Award; Richard Brown and Jerry Rosa. Be sure to be present at our 43rd Labor Day Festival, September 1-4, 2011 for our next musician award.

NOW, for the surprise at our next Labor Day Festival . . . . . We are presenting one more time a "reunion" of Harold Rowden and The Bluegrass Five. All members of that band are invited on stage with Harold. We will also remember those who have passed on. This will be a special time for us as well as for Harold.

Thanks for supporting the park at our festivals and throughout the year.
Bessie & Scott Reeder

We've Been Busy

2011-01-27T17:33:00.000-08:00

Gee, its been a year since I have written. We have celebrated one year here at Out Of The Way Cafe. It has been an exciting year meeting and serving new friends every week. We have changed our hours, though. We are closed Sunday and Monday. Open Tuesday-Wednesday 7:00am to 2:00pm and Thursday through Saturday from 7:00am to 8:00pm. Our Catfish specialty on Fridays is really good. It is tasteful and about all you can eat.

The Bluegrass Park is still open year round for camping. We offer full hookups for those traveling or contractors needing a park to stay in while going back and forth to work (whether it be on our highways, power lines, or at Ft. Wood. Make us your first stop after the Winter at our 30th Annual Bluegrass Music Festival this Memorial Day weekend, 2011.

As for Scott and me......I am doing really great. Celebrated my 2nd birthday with my new heart and with my last biopsy in October 2010, my rejection percentage factor was 0%. I am so thankful to my Lord for his hand on me. I have been enjoying my grandchildren very much. Scott, on the other hand, had a major stroke in March 2010 and has been trying to recover ever since. It is slow. He is able to walk and get around, like always, but his memory is short-wired. It's been a struggle for him and he gets frustrated very easily. We are holding on to make this next festival and are looking forward to the great bands in the line-up.

Want each one of you to come support Bluegrass Pickin' Time and May God protect you on your travels to and from our park. See you!

Bessie & Scott Reeder
January 28, 2011

OUT OF THE WAY CAFE

2010-02-28T09:11:00.000-08:00

Just want to say that we have really good food ! We specialize in the home-cooked meals, Fried Chicken, Country Fried Steak, Meatloaf, Chicken N' Dumplins, Spaghetti & Meat Balls, BBQ Pork Steak, Hamburger Steak, Catfish and lots of 1/3 lb. burgers. Come eat with us. Friday nights feature Seafood specials and Saturday nights feature Steak specials. The atmosphere is peaceful and friendly. And, of course, it is a Smoke-free facility for health purposes only.

Love to see you here anytime of the year. Our hours now are Monday thru Thursday from 6:00am to 2:00pm. Friday and Saturday we are open from 6:00am to 8:00pm. As soon as we get our workers hours lined out, we will open on Sunday. Watch for that date. You won't go home hungry ! !

The Reeders

Bessie's New Heart

2010-02-28T09:06:00.001-08:00

Just to let you know.....all is going really great with my new heart. This past October, I celebrated my 1st birthday with it along with my grandchildren. We had our own little party.

We opened the Out of the Way Cafe on December 7th and I have been working as the waitress and guess what ? ? ? my last tests, bloodwork and biopsy has been the best I have ever had. And it is because I am walking a lot, meeting new people, catching up with the old friends and just doing what I like. I do like to work. Anyway, come see me at the festival, will have one show for you on Friday. Am getting back into pickin' again.

Love you all,
Bessie

2010 Great Year Ahead!!

2010-02-28T08:30:00.000-08:00

Hello from Bluegrass Pickin' Time again. 2010 looks like a great year for us. We have been busy again getting ready for YOU to come join in with us in celebrating our 29th annual Memorial Day Festival and our 42nd annual Labor Day Festival. Browse the website for all details and photos at www.bluegrasspickintime.com

Our health is good and we have been busy......in fact, we have enclosed the cook shack, added onto it, updated kitchen equipment, for you as a full-time restaurant and we call it "The Out Of The Way Cafe". It is new to Dixon and we are planning for a busy year.

We want to thank these very special people for their "free" time in making this possible: Jim Humphries, Larry Weber, Allen Brown, Alan Pledger, Greg, Craig Ozee, Richard Ozee, Danny Rollins, Brad Reeder, and of course, Scott & Bessie.

As we get closer to the festival, we could always use help in getting ready. If you wanted to come for a day or come camp for the week, we might even get in a little "jammin".

The band line-up is another great one. These bands have music fans from near and far. Missouri has a lot of fine, traditional bands and we have acquired some of them for you. They will be jammin' throughout the park and you might have the opportunity to play with one of your favorite pickers. We thank them for that.

Our vendors will be available, as always, with their fine treasures. Make sure you have your Christmas list so you can work on it while you are here. We will also have the "camper yard sales". That means that you bring your junk or treasures for someone else to use. It is a good way to make new friends.

Wanted to let you know that Mona had hip surgery this past fall and she is doing very well. She is getting around now even without a walker or any assistance. She has recovered quickly. Her band is still playing around and will be here at both festivals. There is a documentry being filmed on her and will be previewed at our Friday night festival. Be sure you are here to view it. And be here Saturday and Sunday to hear her once again.

See you all here at Dixon Bluegrass Pickin' Time on May 27 or before.

May God bless you as you travel and give you peace and love.

Our prayers are with you,

Bessie Reeder

2009-03-24T15:05:00.000-07:00

We are excited to be the winners of the "Promoter Of The Year" at the SPBGMA 2009 Awards. We are also more excited that there are 15 award winners booked at our Memorial Day festival. Come enjoy this family fun weekend. You will be able to read about all the winners in our souviner books that are given to each family that purchased a gate ticket.

AND remember there will be a $500 cash drawing Saturday evening at 9:00pm. These tickets are given to you when you purchase a gate ticket, any purchase at the cook shack or dessert shack and with each vendor purchase. The tickets are placed in the tumbler and placed on stage for the 9:00 drawing on Saturday evening.

Our new dessert shack will serve all sorts of sweets from shakes, pie, ice cream, cobblers, cake, deep-fried oreos, banana splits and the whole line of drinks. It will take a load off the cook shack line and make it a little easier and faster to be served your lunch and dinner meals.

Thanks for making our festivals fun and festive.

The Reeders
Scott & Bessie

2009-03-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

It is the NEW YEAR ! ! ! 2009
This past year has been really different. Bessie did get her new heart. Her transplant was on October 15, 2008. She was home in about 10 days. But after being home for fouor weeks, she got a very serious virus and was hospitalized another two weeks. She is home doing really great. Her boipsies have been negative rejection, which we are thankful for. Her strength is gaining every day. She has two shows on the schedule for Memorial Day festival and is looking forward to them.

We want to thank all of you for your dedicated prayers for her. PRAYER DOES WORK, PRAISE GOD ! ! ! He is SO good.

Now we are looking ahead to our festivals in 2009. The Memorial Day Festival is looking really great. Of course, the Fish Fry will kick us off on Wednesday evening at 6:00pm. We always bring a dish to go with fish.

The band line-up is one of the best we have ever had. We have the "Next Best Thing", which is Tinsel and Sally Sandaker, Rhonda Vincent's daughters. They will be here Friday only. Also, Carolyn Vincent will be playing with Vern Young that weekend. It will be a family affair. The Faris and Martin families will be here with their wonderful talents. Family bands are the Punches Family, The Muellers, The Link Family, Rowden Review, Triple "L" Band and The Park Family. We love to show off the children with their musical talents. Trent Wagler and Steel Wheels is traveling from West Virginia to Colorado and will be stopping by for a show on Thursday evening.

Bring your family, your neighbors kids, and your friends. Come, stay a while, we love to jam and visit before and after the festivals. Come early, Stay late.

Be sure to visit our website to get an update on the Labor Day festival events in September. Call if you need anything. Scott doesn't have enough to do, so he will be glad to answer your call.

May God bless you as you travel is our prayer.
The Reeders, Scott & Bessie

Preparations for Memorial Day festival

2008-01-06T12:50:00.000-08:00

This past winter has not been an easy one for us. Bessie has been in Kansas City since the end of the year. She came home for Christmas. She was put on the transplant list the end of the year. To date, she has not matched 5 hearts that were examined for her. She still has problems with the antibodies not matching. Keep her in your prayers.

The park has had many problems with busted water pipes,roads washed out, and not enough time, energy or funds to fix it all. Scott has about exhaused himself trying to keep up with it but he is doing an excellent job. We sure do need a maintenance person or couple to live at the park to help with these kinds of situations.

Anyway, things are finally getting ready and looking like there is going to be a festival. The grass is beautifully green, our kitchen is totally equipped for our eating needs and our beautiful stage still looks great. We have a teriffic band line-up, over 40 shows for the weekend. On Saturday at 10:00 there will be instrument workshops and there will be your very own mandolin lesson from David Davis.

We are also displaying beautiful hand-crafted quilts again. This showing will be in Bill Jones' garage. There will be refreshments served, a guest book to sign with comments and, of course, you may make purchases of special items.

We will be priviledged to have Gene Skinner as our emcee and Phillip Pitts as our sound man. They do an excellent job. We hope you will bring your family and friends to this fun-filled weekend. We are expecting you. Oh, and be sure to celebrate our 40th annual festival this coming Labor Day weekend. See you soon.

Scott & Bessie Reeder

Another year of Bluegrass Pickin' Time

2007-10-16T18:36:00.000-07:00

Labor Day 2007 was a great festival. Many comments about the bands being exceptional was received by several of the workers. The bands were top performing bands and we were very proud to have them grace our stage.

As you well know, Bessie was not at the Labor Day festival as she was in the hospital beginning the work-up for her heart transplant. At this time, she is on the transplant list awaiting the new heart. She and her daughter-in-law, Crystal, and her two grandbabies have moved to Kansas City to await her surgery. Thank you for your prayers for her at this time.

A "medical fund" is set up for her at the Bank of Freeburg, P. O. Box 38, Freeburg, MO 65035. The account is a savings account #26229. Checks should be made out to Bessie Reeder. This is strictly used for her medical expenses involving her transplant, biopsies, and prescriptions needed. This will be a life-long expense, but the beginning of it is in excess and additional help is needed. Thank you very much for your donations. May God bless each cent that is sent to her and a special blessing be sent your way.

This winter is a clean up, paint up, fix up time at the park. We have opened the park to campers and we are looking for campers to come live in the park with us. The fee is $250 per month, utilities paid. If you want to work for your rent, that is possible. We welcome you to come stay with us. This year, 2008 is a very special one here at Bluegrass Pickin' Time as the Labor Day Festival is celebrating our 40th annual festival. We are very proud to be here to offer that to you as bluegrass lovers.

Scott has been really busy and has met many friends in the two years we have been at the park. He says "thank you" for your support and little chores that you have helped him to do. He has had his hands full making sure that Bessie has what she needs during this time. We are looking forward to 2008 and wanting to see you and your friends at our festivals. May God bless you in 2008.

Scott & Bessie Reeder

Labor Day Festival is coming up

2007-06-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Music Family,

Scott and I want to tell you that we have had an "OK" summer, lots of work. Guess we will "vacation" later on in the year. But we are really excited about our Labor Day Festival coming up soon. The lineup of bands is super.

Get your campers ready and come early. We have a great time jammin' and just visiting. We have had some great music at our summer jams and opry shows that have been worth supporting, but, unfortunately, they have not been very well attended by an audience. Our cook shack has served wonderful, tasty steaks, taco salads and burgers. We want to stress to you to come, camp for the weekend and join us. You need the "get away" to rest and enjoy the music you love. Get a camping club together with your friends and neighbors. If not well-attended the rest of the year, it could be our last effort to offer this type entertainment on the weekends. So, come see us!!!

The Reeders, Scott & Bessie

Stage remodeling

2007-02-14T19:12:00.000-08:00

From The Dixon Pilot:
"There will be a new look to the stage at Carol's Memorial Bluegrass Park, known to many as Bluegrass Pickin' Time, in Dixon for their Memorial Day Festival." says Marilynn. Buck and Marilynn Moehle, of Dixon, are working hard to transform the stage area into a "traditional mountain cabin look".

The outer portion of the stage on either side will represent a "front porch theme" while the stage's mid-section will reveal "lodge-type decor, including a simulated fireplace and cedar siding. They plan to place cedar flower boxes in front of the stage as an accent to this warm Ozark Mountain look.

The Moehle's are helping Scott and Bessie Reeder prepare for the festival out of their appreciation of Bluegrass Music. "Our 'Memorial' sign at the front gate is another one of Buck's projects as a master gardener. This is an on-going project and we are proud for the new look at the gate." says Scott. "Many hours have gone into this project and we are truly thankful and appreciative to Buck and Marilynn."

2007-01-12T13:45:00.000-08:00

Scott and I were going "south" for the winter but the "south" is cold too. After talking to Bill and other neighbors about the ice storm, we know that we have a lot of cleanup at the park. Some of your favorite trees are just ruined! So, Scott has purchased a bucket truck to do our own work.....and he has bought a chipper, so that ought to take care of the trees and limbs.

The kitchen is being remodeled. We have some newer equipment and willl be ready for the Memorial Day festival. We are needing workers there. The small shower house will undergo a face lift. The roads need more gravel and smothed out, but only after the limbs are removed. Scott had marked the trees to be thinned out, but you know how the "hand of the Lord" works......he marked off some himself. So thankful to God for all he has done for us. We are putting up more lights in some of the dark walkways and other needed areas. Handicapped facilities are being put in or made more accessible for them nearer the stage. There will be a new look on the stage, but don't know now just what that will be. We have so many that are willing to help us. Scott thought maybe we could have a "work week" and you can come camp with us and draw a chore from the hat.

We are working hard to make it a beautiful festival and campground. Please bring your friends and neighbors. As last year....between festivals we will be jammin in the park every Friday and Saturday evenings. Come camp for the weekend and enjoy that. Scott wants to have some stage shows, so watch the web or call to see what is going on.

Bill and Mona have had a good winter so far with the exception of a cold or two. Bill was pretty sick during December. They are looking for another good year playing music. Call them to know the places 573-759-7716. They love to hear from you.

We really need helpers all during the summer. If you know of someone that would be willing to come camp and work or just sign up for a special talent that they have, please call Scott or Bessie at the park 573-759-3544. Can't wait for summer....it's going to be fun.

Ladies, I am excited about our 'QUILT SHOW' on Saturday of the festival. I will be sending out cards, e-mails, notices in papers, etc. to announce it and want you to register your entries. Whatever it might be.....one of grandma's quilts, one you have hand stitched, one of your favorites, one of the good 'ole antique patterns. We will display them, sell them, whatever you want to do. You may even set up a table and sell what you have. We will have tea and tea cakes. It will be an exciting time. I also need someone to coordinate this for me. Call me.

Thanks,

We love you all......Scott & Bessie Reeder

573-759--3544 or e-mail breeder46@yahoo.com

How it all started

2006-07-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

In 1968, Bill and Mona Jones with daughter Carol, began their music park at the Fairview school house on Hwy HH near Dixon, Missouri. The festival was held every Labor Day weekend. It is now one of the oldest on-going festivals west of the Mississippi River. In 1981 they moved the festival to their 40 acres on Hwy 133 just outside of Dixon and began a Memorial Day weekend festival. They now host two festivals a year performing traditional Bluegrass music. Bands from near and far perform on this beautiful Ozark stage at Bluegrass Pickin' Time. Bluegrass music has been their love and life for the past 38 years. Their band, Bill Jones and The Bluegrass Travelers has hosted each festival and has graced many stages across the US.

It was with sadness that Carol had to give up her life to cancer in 2001. The park was renamed in her honor as 'Carol's Memorial Bluegrass Music Park'. A brick sign with a flower bed was built at the entrance of the park.

Bill and Mona, in April 2006, retired from the park but not from the music. They still have a schedule of performances each year. The new owners of the Bluegrass Pickin' Time are Scott and Bessie Reeder. They will continue the traditions set forth by Bill and Mona as they still live at the park and will attend and play each festival. They will now have time to visit, chat and have coffee with their treasured music friends.

Scott and Bessie welcome you to each festival. Starting this year in the park is a summer weekly jam session on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00pm between the Memorial Day and Labor Day festivals. Park improvements will be necessary at some times. We want to make it comfortable for you as our guests and look forward to your return. Your suggestions will be appreciated.

Our sincere thanks,

Scott & Bessie Reeder