By Larry Nager
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Larry Goshorn (left), with brother Tim Goshorn (middle), is impressed with the talent slated for Tall Stacks this year. (Enquirer file photo) | ZOOM |

Cincinnati's country/blues/rock royalty the Goshorn Brothers Band has the honor of opening the 2003 Tall Stacks Music, Arts & Heritage Festival (5:50 p.m. today, Yeatman's Cove Stage).

Brothers Larry and Tim Goshorn have been at the forefront of the local music scene for more than 30 years. They date back to the psychedelic blues band the Sacred Mushroom in the late '60s, and spent much of the '70s as part of country-rock icon Pure Prairie League.

Today, both as an acoustic duo and a full-blown electric band, the Goshorns are synonymous with soulful, downhome music.

We caught up with singer/guitarist Tim Goshorn to ask him five Tall Stacks-related questions.

How does it feel to kick off the festival at the Yeatman's Cove Stage, one of the three main stages?

I'll tell you what, it's gonna be amazing! This is the coolest thing that's ever happened around here for hundreds of miles. It's the biggest thing that I've ever been involved with in this town, definitely.

Have you planned anything special?

We're gonna have a keyboard player sitting in with us, Dave Morris. Not many people know about him, but he's a great player and we did a couple things this summer. And we'll probably throw a little river song in there.

What will be the first song you'll play?

(Laughs). Y'know? I don't know yet. I haven't really thought about that. Probably "Trouble and Strife," the first song off the (Life) CD. Start it off right.

As a fan, who are you most excited about seeing at Tall Stacks?

I'm a huge mandolin fan and Nickel Creek and Ricky Skaggs, I'm just in awe. That Chris Thile (from Nickel Creek), he's scary. Los Lobos, I love those guys. Delbert McClinton, the Blind Boys of Alabama - I couldn't even rattle them all off. I'd like to go to all of 'em. I'm so impressed that the city did this.