Sequim Gazette staff

First Step Family Support Center, a United Way community partner, announces the 12th Snowgrass concert is set for a 6:30 p.m. start on Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Port Angeles High School auditorium, 304 E. Park Ave.

Tickets for the annual event are $12 in advance, $14 at the door, $9 for seniors and free for youths 10 and under. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Five local bands provide old-time, hand-clapping, toe-tapping bluegrass music to raise funds for First Step Family Support Center. This year’s line-up includes Crescent Blue, The Fiddle Kids, Witherow, Good Machine & the Kings of the Wild Frontier and Luck of the Draw.

Artists performing at Snowgrass are donating their time and talent for the fundraiser.

“The enthusiasm that these bands have for this event, and how loyally they each support First Step’s mission, is sure to play a part in the overall feeling and enjoyment of the night,” First Step development manager Staci Matthes said. “We are extremely fortunate to have such wonderful talent care about the concert and help us raise funds and awareness of First Step.”

Buy tickets in Sequim at at Pacific Mist Books or in Port Angeles at Odyssey Books, Port Book & News, KONP, Strait Music, Sound Community Bank and at the First Step Family Support Center.

This year’s event is sponsored by the law firm of Johnson, Rutz & Tassie and Sound Community Bank.

For more than 30 years, First Step has worked with thousands of Clallam County families to help their children thrive through parent education, family support and child development programs. All proceeds of Snowgrass will benefit the charity. To learn more about First Step or Snowgrass, call Matthes at 457-8355 or see www.firststepfamily.org.

More about the bands:

Crescent Blue

A Snowgrass favorite, the Crescent Blue Bluegrass Band starts the concert off with a bang. The band has been playing weddings, parties, church functions and concerts on Clallam County’s the West End for seven years. At this year’s Snowgrass event, a special father-daughter double banjo instrumental features Barney and Rochelle Munger. Other band members include Ken Lambert (lead guitar/vocals), Mary Meyer (rhythm guitar, vocals) and Dave Lenahan (bass, vocals).

The Fiddle Kids

The Fiddle Kids are a close-knit group who have been playing together in one configuration or another for more than a decade. Band members are busy with music at school and in private lessons, sports and other community activities. The Fiddle Kids say they had a lot of fun playing Snowgrass last year and are excited about this year’s performance. Members include Al Watkins (mandolin, vocals), Adam Watkins (bass), Charlotte Hertel (fiddle, vocals), Lael Butler (fiddle, vocals), Elizabeth Watkins (guitar, vocals) and Imogen Fraser (sand blocks, vocals).

Witherow

With soaring vocals, heartfelt harmonies and intricate guitar, sweethearts Abby Mae and Dillan Witherow are taking the Northwest by storm. Witherow had one of its Seattle shows selected to be on the “The Best Moments of 2013” year-end list by music critic Adrienne Pollock and was featured on the PBS television program “PIE.” Band members include Dillan Witherow (vocals, acoustic and electric guitars), Abby Mae (vocals, acoustic and electric guitars), Jason Taylor (bass guitar) and Josh Kirsch (drums).

Good Machine & the Kings of the Wild Frontier

Good Machine is made of Cole Gibson (the Gibson in Witherow & Gibson), Taylor Thomas-Price (the ampersand in Witherow & Gibson) and Hayden Pomeroy (the tall guy from Abby Mae & The Homeschool Boys). Having recently toured across the United States, Good Machine finally has returned home to their roots, bringing their boisterous and thoughtful folk to the Olympic Peninsula. Kings of the Wild Frontier is made up of David Rivers, formerly of Abby Mae & The Homeschool Boys, and anyone he can get to play with him. Currently, that person is the mischievous Joey Gish, former fiddler for Abby Mae & The Homeschool Boys. Together, Good Machine & Kings of the Wild Frontier become more powerful than you could possibly imagine, and with great power comes great responsibility. Their sound is described as big, joyful and just plain silly.

Luck of The Draw

Dave Secord’s Luck of the Draw band is one of the longest ongoing performing bands on the Olympic Peninsula. From the first Joyce Daze and every year since, the band has entertained the crowds with toe-tappin’ tunes from rock n’ roll to bluegrass and other old-time favorites. In 1998, the band opened for Roy Clark at the Port Angeles Speedway. In 2012, the Steppenwolf Band asked Luck of the Draw to warm-up the audience for their performance. Secord sings and plays the mandolin, strumstick, banjo, and lead guitar. Known for joking and jesting with the audience, he mixes it up playing requests, crowd favorites and good old-fashioned fun music. Band members include Dave Secord (vocal, guitar, banjo, mandolin), Rosalie Secord (vocal, rhythm guitar and mandolin), Dennis Schosboek (violin and vocal) and Barb Priebe (washtub bass).