The opening act for this year’s Bulldog Bash is Nash Street, a Starkville-based bluegrass band that has been around for about 10 years. They are also the only local band performing at this year’s festival.
Nash Street was originally formed in 1996 under the name the Goat Ropers, featuring band members as young as age 7. Now, the name and attitude of the band members has been updated. The name Nash Street is derived from the street that the band did its practicing on, but also alludes to the incredibly musical town, Nashville, Tenn.
When reading the instrument and musician list of the band, it is not hard to notice a large difference between them and the other bands at Bulldog Bash. For one thing, the band members’ ages range from 17 to 22, making them a fair amount younger than most of the performers at this year’s event. Also, beyond the guitar, the instruments played by the bluegrass band include fiddle, mandolin and upright bass, giving them a totally different sound than the other groups.
Three of the four Nash Street musicians are Mississippi State students, balancing time between the band and their educations. Taylor Mathis plays guitar, Hannah Melby provides the fiddle, Daniel Hare takes care of the bass and Caroline Melby lends support with the help of her mandolin.
The band has received numerous awards and honors over the years. They took first place in the Mississippi State Talent Contest and the Neshoba County Talent Contest in 2003. In 2001, they took second at the Tuscaloosa, Ala., Bluegrass Contest. They also have twice been the opening act for Tim McGraw’s Swampstock festival held in Rayville, La.
Nash Street will begin their bluegrass, folk, country and blues set at 7:30 p.m. on the Deli Stage tonight.
Nashstreet.tif: Starkville-based bluegrass band Nash Street kicks off the musical festivities tonight.