Event is a fundraiser to fix hall’s floors

The Edgar Loudermilk Band will play April 14 at the Morgan Hill Grange Hall in downtown.
Photo courtesy Edgar Loudermilk Band

By Marty Cheek

South Valley bluegrass fans are in for a treat as the Edgar Loudermilk Band brings their high-energy music to town for an April 14 benefit concert supporting the Morgan Hill Grange.

Hailing from Georgia, the band has been wowing audiences across the country with their signature blend of traditional and modern bluegrass, and they’re excited to share their music with the community while helping to raise funds for the nonprofit to make repairs to its building.

Edgar Loudermilk is a highly respected bluegrass musician and singer-songwriter who has performed with some of the most well-known names in the genre. The other members of the band are Zack Autry (mandolin/harmony vocals),  Anthony Howell (banjo/harmony vocals), and Jamey Pittman (lead guitar/harmony vocals).

A talented bass fiddle player, Loudermilk is known for a powerful, emotive singing voice and enjoys engaging with the audience during shows.

“Let the folks know that we love to interact with the fans,” he said. “I want people to come out and visit with  us. We have a lot of  fun with people. I’m a storyteller songwriter. I love telling stories.”

The Edgar Loudermilk Band blends traditional bluegrass sounds with contemporary influences. Their music is characterized by tight harmonies, fast-paced instrumental solos, and heartfelt lyrics. They play a mix of original songs written by Edgar, as well as traditional bluegrass tunes and covers.

Loudermilk has previously performed at the Grange in Morgan Hill, where he sold out shows.

On returning to Morgan Hill, he said, “We love the Grange and want to do everything we can to help, and I’m glad we’re part of the fundraiser.”

He’ll play a mix of bluegrass, gospel, and country. Some people have called his brand of bluegrass a mixture of Americana and bluegrass. It’s a unique sound that blends swing, jazz, and bluegrass.

Loudermilk is also a prolific songwriter and has had other artists perform songs he has written. His creativity flows when he’s writing music and his songwriting process often begins with hearing a melody in his head, which he records on his phone’s voice recorder. He then writes lyrics that fit the melody.

With a 25-year career in music, Loudermilk’s signature voice, bass skills, and songwriting have become his trademark, garnering industry awards and nominations.

The Morgan Hill Grange building is a historic community center located in downtown on Fourth Street across from the entrance to the parking garage. It was built in 1913 as a grammar school and was later sold to the Grange for $1,200. It has since served as a gathering place for local residents and organizations.

Morgan Hill Resident Tim Edes uses the building to practice bluegrass music with his friends. When he learned that cracks appeared on the floor and workers found asbestos underneath so the Grange has to redo the entire floor, he asked his friend Loudermilk to perform the concert to help pay for the repairs.

The Grange is a nonprofit organization that does community service for Morgan Hill, said Heidi Golden, who manages the Grange building. The venue is available for rental for a variety of events, including weddings, parties, and community meetings. A stage in the mail hall is available for concerts and other performances.

During the pandemic, the Grange made the building available to test and inoculate people for COVID-19, she said.

“We actually did a lot of community service when we were in COVID. We fed 150 seniors breakfast and lunch for weeks at the Grange,” Golden said. “And then when we were closed, we had the Health Department in there for six month without payment so they could do COVID testing and for three months they did injections (of the vaccines).”