For years, both Sam Jackson and Lester Armistead have held their very own private annual bluegrass pickin parties, at their homes, which attract over 600 of their closest friends from around the country. But for the last several years, they have dreamed of, and tossed the idea around, amongst themselves about holding an annual Bluegrass festival in the Nashville Area.
According to Sam Jackson, the closest bluegrass festival to Nashville, before the creation of the Nashville Music Classic Festival, was held in Kentucky, that fact in itself was amazing. Although Sam has a background in Promotions, and promotes about thirty bluegrass festivals a year throughout the south, this festival was a huge undertaking and personal investment for the three.
After months of intense planning, their dreams became a reality in the fall of 2003, when the 1st Annual Nashville Music Classic Festival opened its doors to the public.
The weekends line up included over 24 hours of some of the best non-stop Bluegrass music and entertainment to been seen, and gathered in Nashville for years. Some of the impressive entertainment included
- Cowboy Jack Clement
- Rhonda Vincent and the Rage
- Pine Mountain Railroad
- Marty Raybon- (formally of Shenandoah)
- Lonesome River Band
