CUMBERLAND — A record number of students at the 2024 DelFest Academy are receiving music instruction from some of the top stars performing at the event.
The four-day DelFest bluegrass and Americana music festival is held annually at the Allegany County Fairgrounds over Memorial Day weekend. Centered in the fairground’s multi-use building, the academy takes place Monday through Wednesday before the festival kicks off on Thursday.
Lisa McCoury, academy coordinator and wife of Del McCoury’s son Rob, who plays banjo for the Del McCoury Band, said roughly 155 students are enrolled, the largest number since the academy began in 2009.
“Every year I’m asked how it’s going and I say it’s the biggest one ever,” said Lisa McCoury, “but this year it’s absolutely the largest group of students we’ve had since it started.”
The academy offers instruction for guitar, mandolin, banjo, standup bass, fiddle and voice, as well as courses in songwriting and sound engineering.
“This year we added an additional guitar instructor, which makes five guitar teachers and the classes were all sold out,” said McCoury. “We also had the largest (standup) bass class ever.”
Lisa McCoury said the 2024 academy included five attendees sponsored by the Troy (“Motely”) McKenzie DelFest Academy Scholarship Fund. The recipients were Briana Merkel, Dave “Dub” Williams, Jonathan Schmoyer, Corrina Twigg and Bob Deremer.
“We are really happy to be a part of that,” Lisa McCoury said. “They get to participate in the academy and get to go to the festival, which is great.”
McKenzie, the scholarship’s namesake, died in 2023 after a long bout with cancer. His friends organized the fund in his name.
“Motely loved DelFest; he was there from the first festival,” said Darron Jones, a founder of the fund. “We want people to feel the love and positivity that was Motley through this sponsorship fund. He was very passionate about DelFest and this is a way to honor his legacy.”
Lisa McCoury said the academy features a band scramble where the students are split up into 12 bands and learn a song before performing on the final night. The winning band gets to play Thursday on the Grandstand Stage following the Del McCoury Band soundcheck set.
“There have been a number of bands created over the years from people coming out of the academy,” Lisa McCoury said. Examples of some of groups include The Price Sisters, Fireside Collective and Pictrola.
Instructors for the academy include the members of The Travelin’ McCourys, East Nash Grass, Yonder Mountain String Band and singer/songwriters Ronnie Bowman and wife Garnet. Ronnie Bowman has written songs recorded by artists such as Chris Stapleton, Lee Ann Womack, Kenny Chesney and Brooks and Dunn.
Liam Robinette, 18, of Cumberland, is participating in the academy for the third time. “I wouldn’t be playing guitar toady if it weren’t for Ronnie and Garnet,” said Robinette, who also sings. “They are top notch. Everyone is so genuine here. The best part is all these instructors are some of the best in the industry, but they’ll walk up and talk to you like they’re your neighbor.”
Merkel is also in the academy for the third year taking intermediate guitar, voice and songwriting.
“I love the sense of community. We are all here for a common reason. You can find where you want to grow with instructors that are some of the best in the business.”
Dave Williams is taking a guitar course. “It’s a vacation for me,” he said. “We come out with the kids and make a whole week of it. It’s a surreal feeling getting to learn from these teachers. They are like heroes to us but they are people just like you and I, but they put the work in.”
Chris Blaney, 26, of Wellersburg, Pennsylvania, is also a returning student. He is an accomplished guitarist who performs solo and with the bluegrass band Black Diamond.
“This year is a new experience for me because I’m taking banjo and I’m not really a banjo player,” said Blaney. “It’s a great place when you’re starting to learn and you can ask questions and get answers. When you make connections and lifelong friends from all over and it’s great thing.”