Del McCoury Band Celebrates Five Decades of Music with Special Series at The Barns at Wolf Trap in Virginia – Review and Photos

Review by Dan Rozman

Photos by Mark Raker

On January 21, 2025, at The Barns at Wolf Trap, fans gathered for something really special – the first show of Del McCoury Band’s five-night concert series. Del and his amazing band kicked off their “Celebrating 50 Years Of Del McCoury” of music by focusing on songs from the 1960s.

The Barns at Wolf Trap is a perfect place to experience bluegrass music. The venue is two 18th-century barns that were moved from New England and rebuilt into one amazing performance space. With its wooden walls and intimate setting, the natural acoustics make every note sound crystal clear. On this cold January evening, concert-goers stayed warm and cozy in the historic barn, tapping their feet and swaying to the music.

During the mini-residence leading up to his 86th birthday, Del’s energy had the crowd cheering and singing throughout the night. Fans were treated to more than just music – as he is known to do Del shared stories about each tune before playing it. The audience laughed with him as he shared funny memories about other musicians and even admitted to some stories he “probably shouldn’t tell” about his old friend Mac Wiseman.

The band amazed the audience with their incredible talent. Del’s sons Ronnie (on mandolin) and Rob (on banjo) played alongside Jason Carter on fiddle and Alan Bartram on bass. The crowd was especially excited to see Del’s grandson Heaven joining them on guitar, making it three generations of McCourys on stage. Later in the week they were joined by Rob and Lisa’s youngest son Vassar McCoury.

Concert-goers were treated to lots of great songs from the ’60s, including “I Wonder Where You Are Tonight” and “Dark Hollow.” The audience watched in awe as the band played incredibly fast, complicated music with seemingly effortless skill. While the band had a planned partial setlist for the evening, some lucky fans got their song requests granted at the end of the show.

Music lovers who couldn’t make it to the venue could still enjoy the show through Nugs.net’s live stream. This opening night kicked off their five-show run, with each following performance featuring music from a different decade – the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s.

The enthusiasm in the barn was contagious as both the band and the audience shared in the joy of live bluegrass music. For those who missed these special shows, the McCoury family will return to Cumberland MD, in May for their annual DelFest festival, which promises to be another unforgettable event this year.

Setlist:

I Wonder Where You Are Tonight (Johnny Bond cover)

Remembering

Rain and Snow (Del McCoury song)

Are You Teasing Me (Del McCoury and The Dixie Pals cover)

Dreams (Del McCoury and The Dixie Pals cover)

White House Blues (Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys cover)

Dark Hollow (Bill Browning and His Echo Valley Boys cover)

The Girl Of My Dreams

Sure Fire

Don’t Stop the Music (Del McCoury song)

The Prisoner’s Song (Vernon Dalhart cover)