By 2014, King Street Bluegrass was making a serious name for themselves, playing at prestigious events like the Washington Folk Festival and their favorite, Tiffany Tavern – a serious stomping ground for bluegrass fans at the time.
But by Thanksgiving weekend of that same year, things changed in a major way, not only for Robert Swain but the entire King Street Bluegrass band. It began when the band returned home from their largest gig, the Roscommon Circle Festival in Ireland. Robert had taken his dog for a walk and by the time he got home, he was unable to talk.
In hindsight, the incident had all the warning signs for a stroke: difficulty speaking, facial irregularities, and even arm weakness. After a brief visit to Inova Mount Vernon Hospital,