LYONS -- Year-round, musicians play unique lineups as part of the MainGrass event, created by MainStage Brewing and Emma Rose in 2021. Musicians and lineups are combined based on their individual and complementary strengths, and oftentimes, the lineups have never previously played together.
“You kinda get called up by random, like, ‘Can you do it?’” says Tom Knowlton, lead guitar player of The Fretliners. “It’s pretty cool because you never know who you’re gonna play with.”
Along with changing lineups every show, MainGrass also plays in different venues. With the opening of its new Gunbarrel location, MainStage hosts the event in Lyons from May to September and in Gunbarrel from October to May.
Until MainGrass returns to Lyons, Tom is currently hosting open jams in the Lyons location to fill the same spots and welcome unpredictable combinations of local musicians. “It’s kind of a tight fit, but we manage to make it happen,” he says of the events.
Tom has been interested in musicianship since he was a kid, looking up to his writer and performer father, Jeff Knowlton, growing up in “the middle of nowhere in Arkansas.” He started playing guitar at thirteen, learning “House of the Rising Sun” from Jeff and building a bluegrass repertoire from there.
“He had a right-handed one strung up in the house, but he was a left-handed player,” Tom recalls. “I was pretty bored there as a youngster and needed something to do, so I picked the guitar up, and that’s kind of where it all started.”
Tom’s bluegrass guitar inspirations, including Tony Rice, Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Vern Williams, Ray Park, and, of course, Jeff Knowlton, have resonated throughout his life. Rock inspirations such as Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin have also influenced his sound.
Tom has been the guitarist for The Fretliners since its inception, and Jeff has written or co-written many of the songs the band has performed. Through his performances, Tom has honed his sound more than ever.
However, bluegrass can bring a certain freedom to performance, particularly in events like open jams. “There’s a right way to do it, for it to all sound right and come together right,” Tom says of playing, “but within that, you can find ways to break rules, to explore other genres.”
Tom Knowlton hosts his Pick’n with Tom open jam series at MainStage Brewing, located at 450 Main Street in Lyons, every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m., until the return of MainGrass to the Lyons location. Keep an ear out for more performances and updates from The Fretliners!
