Like so many bluegrass pickers and grinners, Shelby Cargile knew this time was coming – the time for The Last Bluegrass Pickin’ at Henderson.
Rex Locklar, the Father of Bluegrass in Pike County, died on February 22, 2014. A bluegrass festival – the last at Henderson, Alabama, will be held in Locklar’s memory April 10, 11 and 12 at the old Henderson Music Park in the Henderson community in rural Pike County.
“For 48 years, Rex held a bluegrass festival the second weekend in April so that’s when friends of Rex will host The Last Bluegrass Pickin’ at Henderson,” Cargile said. “There’s not going to be any charge to park RVs and there will be no admission charge. We just want all of Rex’s friends to come together for the last time at Henderson.”
Cargile said the pickin’ will last throughout the weekend but Saturday will be set aside to remember the Father of Bluegrass in Pike County.
“At each one of his bluegrass festivals, in April and October, Rex always held a memorial service at 10 a.m. on Saturday in front of the old schoolhouse,” Cargile said. “He wanted to remember those who has passed away since the last festival. And, we’ll do that just like he did it. We’ll remember anyone who passed away since October. And, then we are going to remember Rex.”
Cargile said everyone will have an opportunity to share his or her favorite “Rex” stories and special remembrances of the Henderson Bluegrass Festival.
“We’ll sing three or four gospel songs, just like Rex would have done,” Cargile said. “Then, we want everybody to stay around and keep the bluegrass going for a long time, in memory of Ol’ Rex.”
Cargile said all of Locklar’s friends and those who love bluegrass are invited to The Last Bluegrass Pickin’ at Henderson.
“It’s going to be special because there will never be another Rex Locklar,” he said. “And this will be the last pickin’t at Henderson and the end of an era.”