Birthday Bliss ... Roots music festival looks back on its roots

When Blissfest kicks off this Friday the festival will celebrate 25 years of promoting the diversity and heritage of traditional styles of music. Executive Director Jim Gillespie believes there might be a celebration within the celebration over the weekend.
“We owe $3,000 on our mortgage and we should be able to pay it off over the weekend,” said Gillespie. “I might come on stage at some point and do the ceremonial burning of the mortgage.”
The free and clear ownership of its 120-acre parcel is a major accomplishment for the festival that for many years lost money or barely broke even. There was a time or two when Gillespie and others were unsure whether they would even continue Blissfest.
“Early on when we were losing money the core people kept asking ourselves why we were even doing this in the first place,” said Gillespie. “It was really a labor of love. We would say that we weren’t going to do it again. But after awhile the reality of the importance of this would kick in and we would be back to planning the next festival.”
Then there was the challenge with the neighbors in the late 1990s that also put the festival’s future in doubt.
“I think that challenge was a reality check for us,” said Gillespie. “What we found out was while we were connected to the world of music, we didn’t have that same connectivity to those that lived in our own backyard. I spend a great deal of my time in the off-season staying connected with the local community. It reassures the residents that we share the same values and that we are good stewards of the land.”

POTATO ROOTS
Blissfest got its name from its original location in 1980 when it started on a potato farm in Bliss Township near the village of Bliss (between Harbor Springs and Cross Village). While organizers were grateful for the farm, it came with its challenges.
“Every year we had to move to a different location on the farm to hold the festival,” said Gillespie. “In 1988 we found a farm (at the current location) where everything could stay the same from year to year.”
The new farm was located in Redmond Township, and despite moving seven miles down the road from Bliss, organizers felt the name shouldn’t change.
“There really is something magical about our name,” said Gillespie. “I really believe from the beginning it has conveyed a certain mindset that carries over to each festival. For the most part things are pretty ‘bliss’ around here.”
In 1995 the farmer decided to sell the Blissfest Music Organization the 40-acre farm. Three years later a neighbor sold them an additional 80 acres, giving Blissfest the adequate space to hold 4,500 daily festival attendees of which 3,200 camp on the grounds for the weekend.
“We really become a mini-city that weekend,” said Gillespie. “There is a lot to this logistically in regards to accommodating the needs of everyone. Despite the numbers, we have made it through each festival without any major challenges.”

THE TWO PERCENT
Surely there must have been some incidents over the years?
“Well of course every event, no matter what, has the two percent asshole factor,” said Gillespie. “Essentially two percent in your crowd are going to be jerks. We just kick them out. This festival is also self-policed. People who have been coming for years help to keep things in line.”
Gillespie says that there is an ironic twist to some of the “jerks” who have been at the festival in the past.
“Not always but a lot of times it is teenagers raising the hell,” said Gillespie. “Well, a lot of those hellraising kids have come back and are volunteering on committees.”
But at the end of the day it really has and continues to be about the music.
“When we started this it was primarily local and regional musicians,” said Gillespie. “We have expanded over the years to include national and internationally recognized groups. But we are proud of the fact that Blissfest still has several local performers each year.”
Choosing the 40 musical acts for the three-day festival is a challenge for the selection committee. The process begins in November when committee members come forward with suggestions. In addition, Blissfest annually receives 500 plus requests from artists all over North America asking to perform.
“We have built a reputation as one of the best roots festivals in the country so a lot of musicians want to come here,” said Gillespie. “We have a formula that we use in our process that measures several aspects including diversity. It is important that our festival maintain diversity.”

CANADA, EH?
Gillespie is proud of the fact that Blissfest has built a reputation as one of the festivals in America that showcases Canadian talent.
“Several years ago I attended a Canadian musician workshop and was blown away by the musical talent there,” said Gillespie. “Every year since we have had several acts from Canada. This year we will have an unbelievable blues singer-Rita Chiarelli returns.”
Another act returning will be Claudia Schmidt who performed at the first Blissfest.
“Claudia had just become a national renowned folk artist when we started Bliss,” said Gillespie. “It meant a lot to have her at that first festival and it means a lot to have her back for the 25th.”
Over the years Bliss has had a lot of great artists to many for Gillespie to pick a favorite. There have been some who have offered a few challenges as well.
“Let’s put it this way: there have been a few artists that have been difficult,” said Gillespie. “I don’t say anything -- I just file it away upstairs that they seem to not be invited back.”
Just because a band isn’t invited back doesn’t mean they were a problem. Bliss has a reputation of looking for new acts each year and often waits several years before inviting a band back.

GILLESPIE’S ROOTS
It has been a long road for Jim Gillespie, a Petoskey native who set out in the early ‘70s to become an anthropologist. While studying anthropology at Central Michigan University he performed with a folk band, often in the small town of Remus. It was there that he met other like-minded individuals, and soon Gillespie found himself a part of the original group that started the Wheatland Festival.
Gillespie would move on to U-M and obtain a Masters degree, beginning a career in mental health. Upon returning to his hometown in 1980 he connected with friends and began hatching a plan to start a music festival. Now 25 years later Gillespie finds himself working full-time as the executive director (he left his mental health position in 2003). The demands of the festival and the numerous other music and dance events throughout the year, along with a Celtic festival in August, require full time, year round administration.
So, does Gillespie see himself running things for the 50th anniversary?
“No way. What I am looking to do is retire as soon as possible as executive director and become the artistic director,” said Gillespie. “I think that would be a cool way to go out. Let somebody else handle the headaches while I walk around and say, ‘No, I am the artistic director -- you will have to see someone else for that.’”
Until that day comes Gillespie will stay in his current position. He says that he is blessed because the strength of the festival comes from the commitment of several hundred volunteers and a core group who donate numerous hours year round to make it all happen.

CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Jim Gillespie wanted to be an anthropologist and without realizing it, he became one. Blissfest has been a successful experiment in “cultural anthropology.” Gillespie and his team of researchers have proven that people living in different places with different cultural experiences can come together around the universal communicator known as music. When 4,000 strangers can live together for a weekend in harmony it sends a message of hope and proves that even in these fast paced times of technological madness, one can find “Bliss,” even if it is just for a weekend.

For additional information on Blissfest and the artists performing visit www.blissfest.org or call the box office at (231) 526-0836. Tickets for previous festivals have sold out.

Musical highlights for the Blissfest Silver Jubilee weekend:

Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie: A legend in Zydeco circles Delafose fuses traditional French style tunes with modern Zydeco sounds by trading between the button and piano accordions. Be prepared to dance when these guys hit the stage.

Burrito Deluxe: Formed by Sneaky Pete Kleinow of the Flying Burrito Brothers and legendary organist Garth Hudson of The Band, Burrito Deluxe has a mainstream alt-country sound. While the steel pedal guitar work from Sneaky Pete is sure to wow, keep an eye on drummer Rick Lonow-he certainly impressed Johnny Cash who used him often.

Railroad Earth: Formed a few years ago as a result of six friends getting together and jamming. The result is now one of the top bands on the roots music festival circuit. With 400 shows in the last two years, these guys are in high demand and even have a major deal with Sugar Hill Records.

Other crowd pleasers will include Lansing based Steppin’ In It, Claudia Schmidt, legendary folk guitarist Jack Williams and Detroit Music Hall of Fame member Dick Siegel.

View On Our Website