Launching his family’s second Blame My Roots Fest concert Wednesday was like Christmas in July for Chris Dutton — he said he was really excited to be with people he had waited so long to see. Dutton said that is what makes all the hard work of putting the event together worthwhile for him and his sister, Nina, primary organizers of the event, along with the rest of their family and crew. Since his family owned and operated Valley View Campgrounds directly across U.S. Route 40 from the former Jamboree in the Hills site, he said they got used to spending time with the many country music fans who camped on their farm each summer.
“It’s just fun to see all these people enjoying each other,” he added. The Dutton siblings started Blame My Roots in 2019 after JITH owner Live Nation ended that decades-long concert series in November 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic canceled the planned 2020 BMR event, but the family carried on with plans to revive the festival this summer.
Chris Dutton said they are still learning the ins and outs of hosting such a large country music event, but they applied lessons from 2019 and added new events, activities and features. And since the venue is only a temporary concert site, he said a lot of work is required to put all the necessary stages, ticket booths, facilities and equipment in place.
