Bluegrass at BSC | Video

Kristin Clouston | 1/11/2013

A Mandan native and his band from Nashville are headlining this weekend`s 8th Annual Blizzard Bluegrass weekend at BSC. At just 26 years old, Preston Schmidt says he`s living his dream.

"Doing this right now is just a long shot from what I ever imagined me doing. I mean I`d just be happy playing the fiddle, but playing with the caliber of musicians as these guys is really eye opening and really fun.

Schmidt has been playing with Brand New Strings since the band formed in 2008.

"He`s a great guy, really knowledgeable about all the sound equipment and the technical end of things. Where we were just like, `Yeah you go ahead, do that because I don`t want to or I can`t.` And he`s obviously an awesome fiddle player and musician in general," said guitarist Randall Massengill.

Band members say one of the best parts of the festival is getting to play for students. "I think for us to be able to play in front of small kids and to think that we might play some role in their desire or their want to say I want to do that, that`s really big for us," Massengill said.

"I really like blue grass and I don`t listen to it enough and I also know that Preston Schmidt is from Mandan. I`d seen him before so I knew it was going to be a really good concert," said MHS senior Genna Boehm.

Schmidt says he`s just happy to be back seeing his old friends and old music playing buddies.

The band is performing tomorrow night at 7:30 in the Sidney J. Lee Auditorium at BSC. Washburn area band Cotton Wood is opening the show.

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