Editor's pick: The Grascals at Wildflower

Saturday, August 12, 6:00 p.m. The Wildflower Amphitheatre of the Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary. $15. 570/253-5500.

After hearing the Grascals’ inaugural album, Dolly Parton, who hired them not long after they formed as both her opening act and her backing band, called their debut “one of the greatest albums I’ve ever listened to.”

The band is new to the bluegrass scene only as a group; the members are veteran musicians whose paths have crossed and recrossed for the past 15 years. Individually, the members have played in bands for Garth Brooks, the Osborne Brothers, Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time, Steve Wariner, Rascal Flatts, Wilma Lee Cooper, the Boys From Indiana, Gail Davies, the New Tradition, Jimmy Martin and the legendary Sidemen (of Station Inn fame).

Now that they’ve finally converged, a special kind of synergy appears to have been created. Over the past year, The Grascals have received the Emerging Artist of the Year and Song of the Year awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and a Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album. At the fan-voted Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) Awards, the band took home Album, Instrumental Group, and Song of the Year honors.

As always at the Wildflower Festival, the bucolic setting of the Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary should add to the audience’s pleasure. Attendees are advised to bring lawn chairs and a picnic. Beverages are for sale on the festival grounds. In event of rain, the performance will move to Wallenpaupack Area High School.

This is the second-to-last performance of the Wildflower Festival this year. The final concert will be on Sunday, August 13 at 1:00 p.m., with a performance by Broadway star Judy Kuhn in her one-woman show, “Finding Home.”

For more information call email music01@ptd.net or call 570/253-5500.