BY JONAS BEALS

Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out can flat-out sing.

But plenty of bluegrass groups can do that, you say. Gospel tunes and high harmonies come with the territory.

True, but plenty of bluegrass groups don't win seven consecutive International Bluegrass Music Association vocal group of the year awards. IIIrd Tyme Out did.

That puts them in the upper echelon of the bluegrass world, alongside other noted vocal acts like The Isaacs, the Seldom Scene and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.

It also might help explain why local bluegrass man Mark Newton tapped them to play at his Homecoming Pickin' Party at Maury Stadium on Saturday.

"Vocals are the top priority," Moore said. "That's my first love, and that's what I love to do."

He has surrounded himself with players who can meet his high vocal standards, including fiddle player and Fredericksburg native Justen Haynes.

Moore likes to take advantage of all the talent he has to work with, and arranges their songs to cover the gamut of vocal styles: solos, duets, trios and quartets. IIIrd Tyme Out typically does at least one a cappella number, and more often than not, it brings the house down.

"You have to have variety in your show," Moore said. "We knew there was a calling for really good quartets, so we try to utilize everything we've got."

That includes their instruments. Band members are just as proficient with their fingers as they are with their voices.

"Our vocals tend to overshadow what is taking place instrumentally," Moore admitted, "but we're OK with that. We've got great musicians in this group, and it's all working."

Moore's bluegrass journey began in Texas when his parents started attending concerts and taking him along. He was oblivious to the music at the beginning, but was eventually impressed by how accessible the musicians were. He took up the guitar.

Then his mom bought him "Voices in Bluegrass" by The Osborne Brothers. That was it.

It is a fitting influence. The Osborne Brothers are perhaps the most innovative bluegrass band of all time. They incorporated drums, electric instruments and twin banjos into their sound when most purists frowned on such things.

No matter how they tweaked their sound, however, their voices remained impeccable. Their harmonies are still a benchmark for bluegrass singers, including Moore.

Whether it is with his own band, or as part of the all-star jam that will cap off the Homecoming Pickin' Party, Moore thinks giving a band freedom to experiment and express itself is the key to making good music.

"I think the whole thing will be a real treat," he said of the concert. "For the artists and the audience. We'll just get up there and see what kind of soup we can make."

Jonas Beals: 540/368-5036
Email: jbeals@freelancestar.com