OREGON – The fast tempo and sweet, harmonious sounds of mandolin, bass, banjo and guitar have traveled from the tip top of the Appalachian Mountains, down the plains of Kentucky, and landed right here at the Maumee Bay Lodge.
Larry Efaw, mandolinist of the Larry Efaw & Bluegrass Mountaineers, started the annual Bluegrass in Super Class Winterfest 36 years ago with his wife, Lisa.
“We started this for the love of the music,” said Efaw.
Being a musician himself and having family and friends of the same accord, it seemed natural to bring everyone together and jam.
Originating in the rural south in the 1930s, bluegrass is traditionally acoustic and includes banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin and bass. Unlike country music, bluegrass is high-pitched, with each musician taking turns playing the melody while the other band members provide the backing. As the father of bluegrass Bill Monroe acutely described, bluegrass has a high, lonesome sound.
“This started as a family event, and we want that to continue. I started playing music with my dad 60 years ago; being on stage with dad so long this really makes me miss him,” said Efaw.
The Efaw family isn’t the only family with bluegrass roots; many of the other bands on the roster for the Bluegrass in Superclass formed with family members.
Kicking off the event Thursday was the Ottawa County Bluegrass Band, with brothers Joe and Denny Mitchell from Port Clinton. The Mitchells are known throughout Ottawa County and beyond for their family’s musical talents. In the 1990s, Joe (banjo) and Denny (guitar) played bluegrass with their dad, Joe, who played the mandolin, but he has since passed.
Other members of the band include Danny Bryant on mandolin, who currently lives in Fostoria and is from Whitesburg, Kentucky, and Simon Edwards on upright bass, who currently lives in Waterville and is from Flat Gap, Kentucky.
The familial bonds and sense of community are strong among these musicians and festival goers; so strong that every year the festival gives back to the community with its earnings. This year, proceeds from the festival will go to the American Brain Tumor Association and, specifically, to one local individual suffering from brain cancer.
Efaw also said one of the goals of the festival is to bring national acts to northwest Ohio. At this year’s festival, Rhonda Vincent will perform on Saturday, which is the last day of the festival. Vincent is the Grammy winning Queen of Bluegrass and is a Grand Ole Opry member. Her career also started in her family’s band, The Sally Mountain Show.
The lineup:
Friday:
- Little Roy & Lizzy Show
- Harbourtown
- Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road
- Larry Efaw & Bluegrass Mountaineers
- Open Highway
Saturday:
- Rhonda Vincent & Rage
- New Outlook
- Dean Osborne Band
- Larry Efaw & Bluegrass Mountaineers
- 7 Mile Bluegrass
The Bluegrass in Superclass Winterfest runs from Jan. 9-11 at the Maumee Bay State Park Lodge and Conference Center in Oregon. Music starts at 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. General tickets are $30. Next year, the festival will take place Jan. 8-10, 2026.
