Article Contributed by Victory Lap PR
Published on 2026-06-30
After fifty years on the road with Dry Branch Fire Squad, Ron Thomason has chosen the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival for his farewell performances. This July, Grey Fox will celebrate the extraordinary career of one of bluegrass music's most beloved performers.
For generations of Grey Fox audiences, Thomason's unique blend of traditional bluegrass, masterful storytelling, quick wit, and musicianship has been one of the defining experiences of the festival. Throughout the weekend, fans will have multiple opportunities to celebrate his remarkable career, including Dry Branch Fire Squad performances; a special conversation with Ron, his bandmates and guests; his beloved Hambone Workshop; and the band's traditional Sunday Gospel Set.
Mary Tyler Doub, founder of Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, said, "Very few people become part of a festival's identity. Ron Thomason is one of them. For decades, his music, wit, and friendship have helped define Grey Fox. I'm so grateful to have shared this journey together, and I hope everyone joins us in celebrating this remarkable man."
Raised in the mountains of Russell County, Virginia, above the Clinch River, Thomason began performing professionally at age 13 and developed the deep appreciation for traditional Appalachian music and storytelling that has defined his career. Along the way, he also distinguished himself as an athlete, teacher, farmer, and horseman.
Thomason founded Dry Branch Fire Squad in 1976, creating one of bluegrass music's most enduring bands. Since 1985, the band has served as host band for the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival while also hosting Colorado's High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival. Dry Branch Fire Squad has toured throughout the United States and internationally, serving as a musical ambassador through U.S. cultural exchange programs, recording more than 25 albums, and earning a reputation for its uncompromising dedication to traditional bluegrass. Thomason has also performed and recorded with bluegrass legends including Ralph Stanley, Hazel Dickens, Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, Joe Isaacs, and The Clinch Mountain Boys.
Beyond his musical career, Thomason is widely regarded as a true renaissance man. An award-winning educator, he taught mathematics and English for three decades and still finds former students thanking him for the difference he made in their lives. He has also trained champion Arabian horses, advocated for conservation, helped produce major bluegrass festivals, and mentored countless musicians and students.
Festival attendees are invited to join in celebrating Thomason's remarkable career and thanking him for the joy, laughter, and unforgettable performances he has shared over the decades.
Fans will have a number of opportunities to celebrate Ron throughout the festival:
Festival schedules and ticket information are available at GreyFoxBluegrass.com.
Now in its fourth decade, the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival is one of North America's premier bluegrass and roots music festivals, bringing together internationally acclaimed performers, emerging artists, workshops, dancing, family programming, and thousands of music lovers each summer in New York's scenic northern Catskill Mountains.
Hosted by Dry Branch Fire Squad with AJ Lee as Artist-in-Residence, the 2026 lineup is led by Rhiannon Giddens & The Old-Time Revue, Del McCoury Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, The SteelDrivers, Darrell Scott String Band featuring Rob Ickes, Della Mae, The Brothers Comatose, Amy Helm, and East Nash Grass, and more national and international bluegrass and roots music artists.
WHAT: Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival
WHEN: Wednesday, July 15–Sunday, July 19, 2026
WHERE: 1 Poultney Road, Oak Hill, NY 12460
TICKETS: Click Here to Purchase
FESTIVAL WEBSITE: GreyFoxBluegrass.com
