One of the highlights of this year’s Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree was the appearance of Grand Ole Opry stars Dailey & Vincent, which were honored during Saturday evening’s events, followed by a performance by the Multi-Gammy nominated duo.
Jamie Dailey was presented with the Jamboree’s 2021 Blue Blaze Award, which honors an individual or group that keeps the embers of bluegrass music burning for future generations.
“It means a lot to me,” Dailey told the Smithville Review. “I was over here in Smithville every year about the time I was five or six years old. I might have been a little older, but I was over here competing. Back at the time members of Rhonda Vincent’s band, now including Josh Williams and Mickey Harris, were competing with Michael Cleveland and Andy Leftwich. There was a bunch of us here competing together so to get this award takes me back to my childhood memories of being here playing until 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning under the shade tree and then going home so I competed here. Although I lost more than I won it was fun,” said Dailey.
Darrin Vincent, who was presented the award in 2014, was celebrated by the State of Tennessee with the unveiling of his “Tennessee Music Pathways” marker on the square in Smithville. Vincent’s wife, children, mother and other family members joined him on stage for the presentation. His musical partner, Dailey, introduced Vincent for the presentation, telling the crowd that until the two teamed up, Vincent stayed in the background as a sideman for others.
“Darrin has never been comfortable being in the spotlight,” Dailey told the crowd. “He had always supported the star in front of him, but now he was front and center, singing lead, and he was helping talk during the show, and the audience was seeing something from him they had never seen before. It was a different life for him. Today, little buddy, we all stand behind you. Today is your day, and we love you.”
Tennessee Music Pathways is an online planning guide [tnmusicpathways.com] that connects visitors to the people, places and genres that make Tennessee the Soundtrack of America. A statewide driving tour, the Pathways represents hundreds of landmarks across the state and spans seven genres of music: blues, bluegrass, country, gospel, soul, rockabilly and rock 'n' roll.
“I feel unworthy but I am so grateful that the state of Tennessee honored me for all the years I have been in music,” Vincent told the Smithville Review. “I want to thank my father. He passed on about six years ago, but he is looking in from Heaven. I have my momma here, my whole family, so I’m grateful. And of course Jamie Dailey. I’m so glad he was here. He received this same award two years ago, and it’s a good place to be.”
“Of course Bluegrass is what Jamie and I represent in country music,” Vincent said. “So, in our hometowns where we live now they have or will be putting up a historical marker in our honor signifying our contributions to the music over our lifetime.”
Dailey & Vincent invited fans to their Cumberland River Music Festival to be held in Gainesboro, TN, on October 8-9, 2021. The two-day festival, presented by Springer Mountain Farms, will feature Country, Bluegrass, and Gospel icons such the Oak Ridge Boys, the Bellamy Brothers, The Voice winner Jake Hoot, Billy Mac, Lost Saints, two nights of Dailey & Vincent, and some new artists to be announced in the next few weeks.
They will also be playing at the Mother Church of Country Music. “Come to the Ryman Auditorium July 22, and see Daily & Vincent live there,” Vincent said “Hopefully we will sell that thing out. We have sold it out for like six years in a row.”
