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Homegrown Music Series: The Brothers Young
All of us are broken. But no-one is beyond repair. It’s a philosophy that Walter Trout has lived by during seven volatile decades at the heart of America’s society and blues-rock scene. Even now, with the world more fractured than ever – by politics, economics, social media and culture wars – the fabled US bluesman’s latest album, Broken, chronicles the bitter schisms of modern life but refuses to succumb to them.
“I’ve always tried to write positive songs, and this album is not quite that,” considers the 72-year-old of an all-original tracklisting that rages and soothes. “But I always hold on to hope. I think that’s why I wrote this album.”
For the last half-century, however rocky his path, hope has always lit the way. The beats of Trout’s unbelievable story are well-known: the traumatic childhood in Ocean City, New Jersey; the audacious move to the West Coast in ’74; the auspicious but chaotic sideman shifts with John Lee Hooker and Big Mama Thornton; the raging addictions that somehow never stopped the boogie when he was with Canned Heat in the early-’80s.
Even now, some will point to Trout’s mid-’80s guitar pyrotechnics in the lineup of John Mayall’s legendary Bluesbreakers as his career high point. But for a far greater majority of fans, the blood, heart and soul of his solo career since 1989 is the main event, the bluesman’s songcraft always reaching for some greater truth, forever surging forward, never shrinking back.
It’s a peerless creative streak underlined by the guitarist’s regular triumphs at ceremonies including the Blues Music Awards, SENA European Guitar Awards, British Blues Awards and Blues Blast Music Awards. The iconic British DJ ‘Whispering’ Bob Harris spoke for millions when he declared Trout “the world’s greatest rock guitarist” in his 2001 autobiography, The Whispering Years.
If he were a less questing artist, Trout could mark time and dine out on those past glories, leaving the polemics and calls-to-arms to a younger generation. But that’s not enough, considers the still-hungry veteran. “I have to grow. I want to be a vital contributing artist. I don’t want to come out every night and play my first hit, Life In The Jungle. I feel young. I know I’m not. But in my head, I’m still 25, still wanting to get better and do something I haven’t before. I have more to say.”
As the pandemic burnt out, Trout got back to business: the career-long cycle of writing, touring and resting still as natural to him as breathing. But scarcely had the world’s turntable needles dropped on his latest album, 2022’s Ride, when Trout felt the first tingles of incoming inspiration. Alternating between his homes in the remote Danish fishing village of Vorupør and Huntington Beach, California – or sometimes even in the back of the van, still slick with sweat after that night’s gig – the twelve songs of Broken demanded to be born.
“A lot of times I put on headphones, listen to music that gets me emotional, and then start just writing lyrics,” explains Trout of a process that still fascinates him. “I think these songs are as honest as I can be. The band came down to my house for rehearsals so we could just go in the studio and blow through this stuff.”
Kingsize Soundlabs in LA was the scene of the crime – a familiar Trout Band haunt that also hosted 2019’s Survivor Blues – and producer Eric Corne once again the man behind the glass. “This is our 15th album together,” calculates the bluesman. “Eric and I just have a way of working, man. A friend who came into the studio and watched us and said, ‘Man, you guys are like a machine’. It’s unspoken.”
Shinyribs defies genres as a sonic melting pot of Texas Blues, New Orleans R&B funk, horn- driven Memphis Soul, country twang, border music, big band swing, and roots-rock. The Austin-based nine-piece (sometimes 10-piece) supergroup is led by Kevin Russell, the charismatic frontman with colorful suits and extravagant shoes who continuously swaps out an electric guitar for a ukulele and never falls short of creating a cinematic experience with on- stage antics that often include him donning a light-up cloak or leading a conga line through the crowd.
Shinyribs was named ‘Best Austin Band’ at the Austin Chronicle’s Austin Music Awards in 2017 and 2018.
DISCOGRAPHY:
Well After Awhile (2010)
Gulf Coast Museum (2013)
Okra Candy (2015)
I Got your Medicine (2017)
The Kringle Tingle (2018)
Fog & Bling (2019)
Late Night TV Gold (2021)
Transit Damage (2023)
Tickets for Night 2 at https://tixr.com/e/130714
The SteelDrivers are a group of seasoned veterans – each distinguished in his or her own right, each valued in the town’s commercial community – who are seizing an opportunity to follow their hearts to their souls’ reward. In doing so, they are braiding their bluegrass roots with new threads of their own design, bringing together country, soul, blues, and other contemporary influences to create an unapologetic hybrid that is old as the hills but fresh as the
morning dew. This is new music with the old feeling. SteelDrivers fan Vince Gill describes the band’s fusion as simply “an incredible combination”
Specializing in a unique mix of what might be called bluegrass soul, the SteelDrivers have become one of the biggest names in progressive bluegrass after making their debut in 2005. While there’s a strong traditional streak in the SteelDrivers sound, they bring a passion to their delivery that adds a distinctive
flavor, and they’re not afraid of adding a forceful grit to the music.
The SteelDrivers have been nominated for four Grammys, the Americana Music Association’s New Artist of the Year and was IBMA’s 2009 Emerging Artist of The Year. In 2015, “The Muscle Shoals Recordings” won the Grammy award for Best Bluegrass Recording.
The SteelDrivers are:
Richard Bailey (banjo), Tammy Rogers (fiddle), Mike Fleming (bass), Brent Truitt (mandolin), and Matt Dame
(Guitar)
Tickets for Night 1 at https://tixr.com/e/130711
The SteelDrivers are a group of seasoned veterans – each distinguished in his or her own right, each valued in the town’s commercial community – who are seizing an opportunity to follow their hearts to their souls’ reward. In doing so, they are braiding their bluegrass roots with new threads of their own design, bringing together country, soul, blues, and other contemporary influences to create an unapologetic hybrid that is old as the hills but fresh as the
morning dew. This is new music with the old feeling. SteelDrivers fan Vince Gill describes the band’s fusion as simply “an incredible combination”
Specializing in a unique mix of what might be called bluegrass soul, the SteelDrivers have become one of the biggest names in progressive bluegrass after making their debut in 2005. While there’s a strong traditional streak in the SteelDrivers sound, they bring a passion to their delivery that adds a distinctive
flavor, and they’re not afraid of adding a forceful grit to the music.
The SteelDrivers have been nominated for four Grammys, the Americana Music Association’s New Artist of the Year and was IBMA’s 2009 Emerging Artist of The Year. In 2015, “The Muscle Shoals Recordings” won the Grammy award for Best Bluegrass Recording.
The SteelDrivers are:
Richard Bailey (banjo), Tammy Rogers (fiddle), Mike Fleming (bass), Brent Truitt (mandolin), and Matt Dame
(Guitar)
Franklin County High School Band fundraiser. Come out and support our band.
Tickets are free, but you need to reserve your tickets, due to limited seating.
The Dip is a Seattle-based Rhythm and Blues band that is known for its poignant songwriting, detailed arrangements, and vintage sound. Featuring a three-piece horn section, the group’s music harkens back to earlier soul and funk influences while hinting at the jazz foundations that brought the band’s members together. Along with singer and guitarist Tom Eddy, bassist Mark Hunter and drummer Jarred Katz are equally at home in a tight-pocketed groove as they are spacious free-improvisation. Trumpet player Brennan Carter joined by saxophonists Evan Smith and Levi Gillis serve as the band’s melodic counterpoint, playing off Eddy’s vocals to create a distinct sonic character that has drawn in millions of listeners to date.
"Love Direction";, the follow-up to 2022’s "Sticking With It"; (which landed at #1 on the Billboard Current R&B Albums Chart) is the band’s fourth full-length studio album and second for Dualtone Records, is out now. This new record is the sound of the band taking their next step forward. The interplay of old and new is on full display throughout the album; and, the group augments their classic sound with an expanded instrumentation throughout. Eddy says of the
album’s inspiration: “As you get further along in a relationship, sometimes you lose your way. The things that came easily in the beginning get hard. The love is still there, it’s just that people and life are complicated. Sometimes you don’t have the tools in the toolbox to figure out what you need to do to support the other person, so you have to get help and ask for directions.”
Still, despite the title, this latest record isn’t a collection of straightforward love songs, but an investigation into the different angles and challenges that relationships can bring. Expanding on the album’s theme, Eddy further notes “These aren’t ‘Love Songs’ in the most obvious sense.
They deal with the middle stages, the hinterlands of love and life together - figuring someone out and what they need, learning how to communicate, and examining your own faults. We set out to write music that felt more grown, a little wiser. The songs that emerged all pointed in the Love Direction.”
Their last album cycle saw the band headline and sell-out shows at iconic venues across the country. They have also had the opportunity to support new friends like Lake Street Dive and The Black Pumas, while also appearing at major festivals including Bonnaroo and Outside Lands. No strangers to the road, this new album represents a reflection on the band’s touring gravitas as well as the promise of a new destination appearing on the horizon. Directions now in
hand, The Dip is looking forward to furthering this exploration into all matters of the heart by bringing this expansive and detailed new recording to life in their next travels together.
BAILEN
Bailen is an American indie-pop, folk-rockband that has been captivating audiences with theirharmonious blend of folk, rock, and soul since their formation. Hailing from New York City, thegroup consists of fraternal twins Daniel and David, andyounger sister Julia, whose close familialbond is evident in their tight-knit musical arrangements and rich, emotive harmonies.The band's journey began in 2017, when the siblings, each seasoned musicians, decided tocombine their talents. Their self-titled debut albumThrilled to Be Here, released in 2019,showcased their knack for crafting infectious melodies and introspective lyrics, earning themcritical acclaim and a dedicated fan base.With their second album,Tired Hearts(2023), Bailenhas continuedto push musical boundarieswhile staying true to their roots. Their evolution as artists is marked by a deepening of theirsound and an expanding exploration of lyrical themes, promising new and exciting developmentsfor their ever-growing fan base.Inaddition to their studio work, Bailen is renowned for their engaging live performances, whichfeature a blend of heartfelt ballads and high-energy anthems.Touring with the likes of Hozier,Amos Lee, The Lone Bellow, and many more, their stage presence andchemistry have madethem a standout act at various music festivals and venues across the country.As they look to thefuture, Bailen remains dedicated to their craft, driven by a passion for creating music thatresonates on a personal level and connects with listeners around the w
For The Bacon Brothers, music is all about exploration.
The siblings have spent the better part of three decades creating their own mix of folk, rock, soul, and country music. They call that diverse sound "forosoco," and it's taken them around the world, from headlining gigs in Japan to American performances at iconic venues like Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry and Gruene Hall.
The exploration continues with the band's twelfth release, Ballad Of The Brothers . It's a record that highlights not only the similarities between Kevin Bacon (known worldwide as an A-list Hollywood actor) and Michael Bacon (celebrated as an Emmy-winning composer), but the differences, too. The two siblings may be bound together by blood and a mutual love of American roots music, but they've grown into sharp songwriters and cinematic storytellers with their own distinct approaches. Ballad Of The Brothers makes room for both of those approaches, offering a mix of edgy alt-rock ("Take Off This Tattoo"), Motown-inspired soul ("Put Your Hand Up"), fingerpicked folk ("Let That Be Enough"), and everything in between.
"We're two musicians who write songs very differently, and we've grown to really appreciate those differences," says Michael. "Whenever I go see a band play live, I'd much rather see them do a thousand things than just one thing. We take a similar approach to our albums."
While writing new material for Ballad Of The Brothers , the Bacons made several trips to Tennessee, where they teamed up with Nashville-area songwriters like Casey Beathard, Brett Tyler, and Kimberly Kelly. They continued to travel once it came time to record the album, too. "Live With The Lie" was tracked in New Jersey, where the band abandoned the use of a click track in favor of capturing a raw, real performance with their touring band. "Put Your Hand Up," a brassy soul song that splits the difference between Memphis grit and Motown groove, was recorded in Philadelphia. "Take Off This Tattoo" was produced in Los Angeles by Kevin's son, Travis Bacon. "It sounded like a country song when we wrote it," Michael remembers, "but once we decided to give it to Trav, who has more of a rock and electronic sensibility, it became something new." The band even added a fiddle solo to "Take Off This Tattoo" — an unexpected choice for a rock song, perhaps, but one that emphasizes the Bacon Brothers' willingness to break new ground. "We worked with fiddle player Brian Fitzgerald on that song," explains Kevin, "and the direction we gave him was: 'Imagine that you're playing an electric guitar, but it just looks like a fiddle.' He absolutely crushed it."
Like much of the Bacon Brothers' work, Ballad Of The Brothers offers a mix of autobiography and richly-detailed fiction. The tongue-in-cheek "Old Bronco" finds Kevin turning a song about his 1969 Bronco truck into a metaphor for aging. "Airport Bar," one of the most gorgeous tracks in the Bacons' catalog, compares a doomed relationship to a sports bar in an airport terminal. On the album's title track (inspired by Gruene Hall, the historic dancehall where Willie Nelson played some of his most memorable shows), the brothers deliver a Wild West narrative about two East Coast city slickers who take a road trip to Texas. Whether by fate or by Faust, they find themselves onstage at a Texas honky-tonk, blessed with musical talent they didn't know they had. "I wanted to write a Faustian story set in one of my favorite states ever," says Michael. "It's sort of like Texas' own version of Charlie Daniels' 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia.'"
For Michael and Kevin Bacon, Ballad Of The Brothers marks the continuation of a musical partnership that began long ago in Philadelphia, where the two siblings were raised on a soundtrack of 1970s singer/songwriters, Philly soul bands, and classic rock acts. They're creating their own soundtrack now, and like many artistic endeavors, the work is never truly done.
"We're still exploring the sound we began making all those years ago; we've just gotten a lot better at it," Michael says. "Music is a life's work. It's a universe of things yet to know. We're still making new discoveries."
Hawthorne Heights are back this year with the release of their eighth studio album ‘The Rain Just Follows Me’ that dropped in September via Pure Noise Records. The 11 tracks on this record stand as some of JT Woodruff’s most resonant writings to date, as he unravels themes of both physical and emotional distance from his wife and daughter in Ohio, as well as personal identity as the frontman of one of the most iconic emo acts of the new millennium.
Throughout their long and storied career, Hawthorne Heights have overcome obstacles at every turn – but these roadblocks always seemed to come from external forces, from unscrupulous record labels and the shifting whims of fickle audiences to unimaginable personal tragedy threatening to derail them.
Despite the odds, the quartet composed of JT Woodruff (Vocals, Guitar), Mark McMillon (Guitar, Backing Vocals), Matt Ridenour (Bass, Backing Vocals), and Chris Popadak (Drums), have overcome it all: earning two Gold albums (2004’s The Silence In Black And White and 2006’s If Only You Were Lonely), penning some of the genre’s most well-known songs (“Ohio Is For Lovers,” “Saying Sorry”), and remaining a hard-touring act nearly two decades after forming in Dayton, Ohio.
There is no other performer who looks and sounds so much like Elton John, nor any tribute act that provides the experience of being at an Elton John concert the way Gerald Brann and Yellow Brick Road do. Brann not only bears an uncanny resemblance to the international superstar — complete with gap-toothed smile and many of his mannerisms — but recreates Elton John's vocals and playing to a tee.
To capture the essence of the piano man, Brann dresses in replica costumes and wears Elton's trademark outrageous glasses. A trained jazz pianist, Brann has been a lifelong Elton John fan, and his admiration for and love of his music comes shining through as he plays one hit after another with remarkable likeness to the pop music icon. Brann and his talented five-piece band evoke audience participation throughout the entire show — whether singing along to "Rocket Man" and "Your Song," swaying to "Candle in the Wind," or hopping and bopping to "Crocodile Rock."
Join Martin Barre for an intimate evening of acoustic music and anecdotes, as he is joined on stage with Dan Crisp and Alan Thomson.
Martin presents a personal and thoughtfully curated show highlighting his favourite Tull moments, both musically and narratively. Engaging the audience in a special and intimate evening of acoustic playing and story telling.
On the night enjoy a mix of Tull, Martin's solo material plus a few surprises woven in along the way as the audience is invited to be part of the show with Martin opening the floor to questions. This intimate show will be a closeup experience with Martin, Dan and Alan that fans will love to experience.
Expect acoustic guitars and basses, mandolins and flutes, all put together in a totally exclusive and unique performance with an addition of good humour!
Not just a band unplugged, but a brand new show.
Line Up:
The Martin Barre Band performing on this very special night - Martin Barre, Dan Crisp and Alan
Thomson.
Shaun Hague has built quite the resume in the last decade of his life. At just 17, he was named “The Best Young Blues Guitarist” by The House of Blues and by 21, the young guitarist was playing guitar for blues phenom Kenny Wayne Shepherd. His career has also seen him sharing the stage with Amos Lee, John Waite, Terra Naomi, performing on Jay Leno and sitting in with John Fogerty.
In honor of his biggest musical influence (Eric Clapton), Hague has been making waves with his Journeyman – A Tribute to Eric Clapton which has become the #1 selling tribute to Eric Clapton in North America.
Robert Monroe is the founding member of Journeyman and a versatile performer of blues, gospel, latin, jazz, and classical. He is a Hammond artist and a highly sought after freelancer in the Chicagoland area. Robert is a regular performer with Elan Artists, Simply the Best, a Tribute to Tina Turner, Andrew Blake Band, and many others.
Darius Peterson has been a fixture on the Chicago music scene as a professional for over 25 years. He began playing at the age of 3, and has had the opportunity to share stages with many notable artists. Well versed in the gospel, R&B, Pop, and Rock genres, Darius continues to contribute to the music scene not only in Chicago, but all across the country.
Dina Bach, Chicago-based singer-songwriter and recording artist, has been performing and building an original music career for over a decade, with music airing on Big 95.5, WGN Radio, NPR’s WNIJ, Radio One Chicago, and Radio Sobro Nashville. To add to these original music accomplishments, she was also asked to sing the National Anthem for her home-town Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. With a genuinely charismatic and glowing personality live and off stage, her warm vocals and evocative lyrics create a sound that is both original and approachable. When she is not touring with Journeyman- A Tribute to Eric Clapton, you can find her performing throughout the Midwest, writing music in Nashville and releasing original recordings. (www.dinabach.com)
Brandon Stephens is an accomplished bassist, producer, and professional musician with over 10 years of experience in the music industry. His style is heavily influenced by the greats in the bass world, including Marcus Miller, James Jamerson, and Sharay Reed. Brandon was born and raised in Chicago, Il, where he continues to reside and be an active member of the music community. He has a passion for all genres of music, and his work showcases his ability to seamlessly blend various styles and create something truly unique. With his exceptional talent and unwavering dedication to his craft, Brandon Stephens is a rising star in the music industry.
Unlock the mind of a murderer.
Join forensic psychologist Dr. Rachel Toles for an illuminating journey into the mind of a killer. In The Psychology of a Murderer, Dr. Toles thoroughly examines the various factors and breaking points that might lead someone to kill, while exploring infamous cases, such as the Menendez brothers, Chris Watts, Aaron Hernandez, Jeffrey Dahmer, the Columbine killers, Aileen Wuornos, and more. The pending case of Luigi Mangione will also be covered.
Discover the complex interplay of trauma, environment, and mental health that can drive individuals to cross the line into murder. Through a detailed explorative analysis of these gripping case studies, along with audience Q&A, you'll gain a deeper understanding of what turns ordinary people into murderers.
Whether you’re a true crime enthusiast or simply curious about the human mind, The Psychology of a Murderer promises to be an unforgettable experience. Don't miss this captivating evening of insight, discussion, and reflection.
AGE
We recommend “This event is for ages 13+ and will include subject matter and images that some patrons may find disturbing
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TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@thepsychofamurderer?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Grace Bowers was baptized by rock ‘n’ roll music. She cut her teeth on sweat soaked stages inside dive bars and found fellowship in the divine playing of B.B. King. She once studied six-string scripture – written by Slash and Leslie West – for hours a day, mastering her favorite riffs on a ‘61 cherry-finished Gibson SG.
As an up-and-comer in Nashville, Dolly Parton recruited her for a network television special and Tyler Childers requested that she join him on stage. She’s played with a who’s-who of three-chord storytellers and guitar-pickin’ torchbearers – Lainey Wilson, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Susan Tedeschi, to name a few.
And she’s not yet old enough to graduate high school. Phenom? Wunderkind? … Prodigy? No matter what label may be pinned to Bowers, she’s just a teenager who’s putting her faith in rock ‘n’ roll – one song at a time.
“[It’s] a cool thing,” Bowers said. “It blows people’s minds that I’m a 17-year-old girl, playing guitar. And as much as I hate being labeled as that, it’s true.”
But Bowers isn’t just a sought-after 17-year-old guitarist storming jam sessions with her Gibson and a gold-blonde mop of shoulder-length curls, of course. She’s a bandleader and songwriter preparing to leave her mark on some of the biggest stages in music. Her debut album, Wine On Venus – produced by ace guitarist and songwriter John Osborne (of hitmaking country group Brothers Osborne) – hits turntables and streaming services later this year.
Listeners get a first taste of the album on lead single and standout number “Tell Me Why U Do That,” where Bowers and her band – affectionately called The Hodge Podge – deliver a throwback, feel-good tune that comes jam-packed with funk grooves, soul-inspired melodies and a stop-you-in-your-tracks guitar solo. It’s the type of song that dares listeners not to stand up and sing along.
Bowers co-wrote “Tell Me Why U Do That” alongside Osborne and his singer-songwriter wife Lucie Silvas, plus Nashville artist-songwriters Meg Mcree and Ben Chapman.
“I hope this is the one that gets stuck in people’s heads,” Bowers said, with a laugh.
“Tell Me Why U Do That” and the rest of Wine On Venus showcases Bowers’ journey from a teenager who livestreamed bedroom practice sessions on Reddit – sometimes to 20,000+ viewers, no less – to a bona fide album-maker with more than 200,000 followers on Instagram. She picked up the acoustic guitar as a nine-year-old obsessed with so-called “cheesy” hair metal videos. A few years later, her fandom progressed to blues music after she stumbled across B.B. King while shuffling through radio stations in her mom’s car. The proverbial floodgates opened, leading her to discover essential blues artists Mississippi John Hurt, T. Bone Walker and others.
A native of Northern California, Bowers and her family relocated to Nashville two-and-a-half years ago, weeks before her freshman year of high school (Bowers now studies online). Not yet old enough to drive, she continued to grow her audience on social media, becoming a Gibson-endorsed artist by age 14.
She found her way to performing live, taking her skills to dive bars and pay-at-the-door rock clubs before graduating to guest spots at Newport Folk Festival, Nashville’s Big Bash New Year’s Eve concert and her own fundraising gig for victims of the city’s Covenant School shooting in 2023, among others.
How did one teenager cover so much musical ground in such a short time? “Lots of practice,” she said. “Lots of cutting teeth. Lots of not saying ‘no’ to people when I should’ve. Just being stubborn and persistent. I have worked my ass off to make this happen. Just hard work.”
On the album, Bowers and The Hodge Podge graduate from traditional rock and blues influence to sounds inspired by Parliament-Funkadelic and Sly and the Family Stone, she said. The group takes its name from a mixed bag of players that Bowers would invite to share the stage with on a given night. Despite now being a solidified group, the name stuck. The Hodge Podge includes vocalist Esther Okai-Tetteh, bassist Eric Fortaleza, drummer Brandon Combs, guitarist Prince Parker and keys player Joshua Blaylock.
Bowers co-wrote most of Wine On Venus in songwriting circles – a creative exercise that took her “a hot second” to comfortably navigate. But listeners wouldn’t know a first-timer was behind much of Wine On Venus; that’s clear on “Holding On To Something,” a savvy and confident number anchored by a riff Bowers began toying with years ago, she said. The song features a slow-building solo that culminates with harmonized playing and a high-flying howl from Okai-Tetteh.
“I never forgot [that riff] and I was jamming on it one day with a friend of mine. We were writing some lyrics to it and we called over Esther,” she said. “This was the first time we had ever written [together]. It turned out to be that song.”
And Wine On Venus features a cover of Sly and the Family Stone’s “Dance To The Music” that takes on a Hodge Podge twist.
“It was just fun,” Bowers said, recalling the cover session with a laugh. “If you listen to it, you can hear all of our voices in the background throughout the entire song, which I thought was a cool thing to keep in. That one took us a couple hours to knock out. It was a fun, easy song.”
This year, Bowers and the band take Wine On Venus on the road for a run of dream-making festival shows, including slots at BottleRock Napa Valley, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Bourbon & Beyond and Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, among others.
But a booked schedule doesn’t mean Bowers isn’t already thinking about the next project. Like most people who believe in something, she wants to find out where this rock ‘n’ roll journey leads her.
“I love it,” she said. “Seeing where I can go with it, I still have so much to learn.”
Della Mae with Laurie Lewis and Alice Gerrard celebrating 100 years of Hazel Dickens
“Celebrate the life and legacy of Hazel Dickens, a trailblazer in bluegrass and a powerful voice for women in traditional music, as we mark the 100th anniversary of her birth. This special evening will feature a heartfelt tribute led by the Grammy-nominated all-woman string band Della Mae, whose artistry carries forward Dickens’ enduring influence. Joining them on stage are California bluegrass legend Laurie Lewis and the incomparable Alice Gerrard, Hazel’s collaborator in the groundbreaking duo Hazel & Alice. Don’t miss this unforgettable night honoring a true icon of American roots music.”
Della Mae is a GRAMMY-nominated all-woman string band featuring founding members Celia Woodsmith (lead vocalist/guitarist) and 2-time Grand National champion fiddle player Kimber Ludiker, along with guitarist Avril Smith, and two-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year Vickie Vaughn.
Hailing from across North America, and reared in diverse musical styles, Della Mae is one of the most charismatic and engaging roots bands touring today. They have traveled to over 30 countries spreading peace and understanding through music. Their mission as a band is to showcase top female musicians, and to improve opportunities for women and girls through advocacy, mentorship, programming, and performance.
Their live shows are foot-stomping, crowd-pleasing riots, full of the kind of high-octane instrumental skills that the band – now in its twelfth year and its third incarnation – was always intended to showcase. - The Guardian
Artist Website: https://www.dellamae.com/
Learn more about Laurie Lewis here.
Learn more about Alice Gerrard here.
Learn more about Hazel Dickens here.
The Wood Brothers have learned to trust their hearts. For the better part of two decades, they've cemented their reputation as freethinking songwriters, road warriors, and community builders, creating a catalog of diverse music and a loyal audience who’ve grown alongside them through the years.
That evolution continues with Heart is the Hero, the band's eighth studio album. Recorded analog to 16-track tape, this latest effort finds its three creators embracing the chemistry of their acclaimed live shows by capturing their performances in real-time direct from the studio floor with nary a computer in sight. An acoustic-driven album that electrifies, Heart is the Hero is stocked with songs that target not only the heart, but the head and hips, too.
"We love records that come from the era of less tracks and more care," explains co-founder Oliver Wood. "When you use a computer during the tracking process, you have an infinite number of tracks at your disposal, which implies that nothing is permanent, and everything can be fixed. Tape gives you limitations that force you to be creative and intentional. You don't look at the music on a screen; you listen to it, and you learn to focus on the feeling of the performance."
Throughout Heart Is The Hero, those performances are matched by the visceral storytelling and songwriting chops that have turned The Wood Brothers into Grammy-nominated leaders of American roots music, even as their music reaches far beyond the genre's borders. The stripped- down swagger of "Pilgrim" underscores Oliver's reminder to slow down and experience each moment as an interactive observer, rather than a passive tourist. A similar theme anchors "Between the Beats," where Oliver draws upon a meditation technique — maintaining one's focus on the space between heartbeats — to reach a new level of presence. The gentle sway of country soul gem “Rollin’ On,” featuring horns by Matt Glassmeyer and Roy Agee, expounds on the time- honored tradition of love as the guiding light through darkness, while ”Mean Man World" finds Chris Wood singing about his responsibilities as a father whose young daughter is poised to inherit an uncertain future. "Line Those Pockets" is a universal call for mercy and understanding over materialism. "Everybody's just trying to be happy, so put your money away; line those pockets with grace," the band sings in three-part harmony during the song's chorus, which emphasizes compassion over cash as the world's true currency. Together, these songs offer a snapshot of a spirited, independent-minded group at the peak of its powers, always pushing forward and seeking to evolve beyond what’s come before.
"There's still acoustic guitar, upright bass, and percussion on this album — things people use all the time — but we're always thinking, 'How can we make this sound like us, but not like something we've already done?'" Oliver says. "Sometimes, the only way to do that is to get weird."
That sense of exploration pumps its way through Heart is the Hero like lifeblood. Arriving on the heels of 2019's Live at The Fillmore, 2020's Kingdom In My Mind, and Oliver Wood's solo album Always Smilin' — all of which were released on Honey Jar Records, the band's independent label — Heart is the Hero is bold, bright, and singularly creative, a fully realized collective effort ultimately greater than the sum of its parts. Perhaps that's to be expected from a group whose willingness to experiment has earned acclaim from Rolling Stone and NPR, as well as an annual touring schedule of sold-out music halls and theaters on both sides of the Atlantic. Ask The Wood Brothers, though, and they'll tell you to expect the unexpected.
"We are never satisfied if we are not searching for new musical recipes," says Jano Rix, nodding to the uncharted territory that Heart is the Hero covers. Chris Wood agrees, adding, "We are one of those bands that isn't easily categorized. We know what our strengths are, but we can’t help but push the envelope, as well. It’s too much fun."
Viv & Riley
Viv & Riley's sound is old-soul roots music to its core, elegantly combining a traditional backbone with the fresh iconic melodies of future-leaning indie-folk, and the tightly wound vocal harmonies of the old-time and classic country music they came from. Although they grew up on opposite sides of the country, Riley in Seattle, Washington, and Vivian in Lexington, Virginia, the two had an instant musical connection upon meeting in 2018. The pair has been collaborating since then, honing their sound playing hundreds of shows across the US, UK, and Canada. Since 2018, they’ve recorded and released multiple albums to critical acclaim from the likes of NPR Music, Rolling Stone, and No Depression, and have garnered nearly six million streams on Spotify.
There’s a moment right at the very beginning of any Twitty & Lynn show that affords country music fans the chance to look back in time. Just after the band has played the signature intro to “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man,” Tre Twitty and Tayla Lynn shoot each other a glance that summons the electrifying chemistry of their grandparents: Tre is the grandson of Conway Twitty, Tayla is the granddaughter of Loretta Lynn.
Audiences can’t believe their eyes. From that moment, for the next 90 minutes, they’re in the presence of living country music history. “Fans have told Tayla and me that when they see us onstage singing, talking, and just looking at each other, they think, ‘Wow, there must be something genetic in those two families,’” Tre says. “It validates the experience of the concert for them. We’re telling our grandparents’ story through our story.”
But Twitty & Lynn — and their internationally popular show “A Salute to Conway & Loretta” — aren’t impersonators. Tre doesn’t groom Seventies sideburns and perm his hair; Tayla doesn’t mimic her grandmother’s mannerisms. Rather, they are onstage celebrating country music, the lost art of duet singing, and the two beloved icons they refer to as “Poppy” and “Memaw.”
“I think of us as the ambassadors of the Twitty and Lynn names - we’re just the new version of what they’ve already
established,” Tre says. “But we also want to be caretakers of the past. At our shows, we get generations of fans because country music is passed down.”
“It’s about family — the fans’ families and our own,” Tayla says. “We have so much love and respect for Conway and
Loretta and we want to carry this on in such a way that we make our families proud.”
Loretta herself was impressed. The Country Music Hall of Fame member helped her granddaughter and Tre with their
show and had the same time-traveling experience that today’s audiences do while watching them perform. “Memaw just loved it. It brought up so many memories of Conway for her and took her back to a place in her life when they were building their careers. She’d always say that Tre has Conway’s heart,” says Tayla, who lives at Lynn’s Tennessee ranch and used to tour with her grandmother, cuddling up together in the bus’s bedroom to watch old movies while on the road. “We were very close,” she says.
Tayla first had the idea for the show after witnessing Tre perform Conway’s songs during a concert at the ranch. She
approached him about teaming up and, after a few shows to test the waters, they embarked on a tour of Canada in 2018. “Even though we didn’t grow up together, meeting each other wasn’t like meeting strangers,” Tayla says. “It was like we had always known each other because we had the same experiences.”
Now together as “Twitty & Lynn” for five years and poised to launch a huge summertime tour, the duo has cultivated an audience and caught the attention of Nashville along the way. In 2022, they made their debut on the world-famous Grand Ole Opry, singing “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man” on the very same circle of wood where Conway and Loretta once stood.
About Steve Earle:Steve
Earle is one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation. A protege oflegendary songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, he quickly became a master storytellerin his own right, with his songs being recorded by Johnny Cash, WaylonJennings, Joan Baez,Emmylou Harris, The Pretenders, and countless others. 1986 saw the release of his record,Guitar Town, which shot to number one on the country charts and is now regarded as a classicof the Americana genre.Most recently, Earle’s 1988hitCopperhead Roadwas made an officialstate song of Tennessee in 2023.
Morgan Wade Meet & Greet Experience (available as an add-on. Does not include concert ticket. Must have concert ticket to attend Meet & Greet)
Only 75 available
$90 per person
Description of package:
Exclusive Meet & Greet with Morgan Wade
Personal Photograph with Morgan Wade
One (1) Lyric Card, Signed by Morgan Wade
One (1) Commemorative VIP Laminate
Morgan Wade was feeling the urge to simplify. The Virginia-born singer-songwriter was on a roll, having exploded onto the scene with her debut album Reckless and nabbing nominations from the Academy of Country Music and the Americana Music Association as her song “Wilder Days” became a hit. At the same time, she was reaching a point of exhaustion from nonstop touring and having to deal with a barrage of intense media scrutiny. She wondered if it was all worth it.
“I had all this stuff coming up, and it was such a weird, dark time that I was going through,” says Wade. “Then I sat down with a guitar and started writing songs. They were just coming to me left and right.” This bountiful period of creation is captured on Obsessed, Wade’s third full-length album and the follow-up to Psychopath, which arrived less than a year ago in August 2023. Produced by Wade’s touring guitarist Clint Wells with every song penned by Wade, the 14-track project pares things back to the essence of who she is as a musician, storyteller, and human. It’s Wade at her rawest and most vulnerable, the way she started out, and a convincing statement that she’s one of country music’s most distinctive talents.
“I really wanted to get back to doing what I used to do,” she says. “Just make this whatever the fuck I wanted it to be. For me, it’s a miracle record, which makes sense with where I was at mentally.”
Aidan Canfield
Canfield’s artistry infuses a unique combination of Rock and Country influences from the sounds that he grew up on–a little bit of Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen, a little bit of Kenny Chesney meets Zach Bryan. His heartfelt lyrics and melodies have struck a chord of relatability he’s witnessed on the road on support dates with Riley Green and, most recently, the Cameron Sacky Band.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, Aidan used the time to discover his passion for playing the guitar, and he started singing and writing songs. In two short years, he started growing a following on social media platforms and released his first single, “The Idea Of Me,” in April of 2022. Since then, Aidan has released six additional singles, an album and his music has nearly 3 million streams. Aidan’s heartfelt lyrics and melodies are what make his music relatable to his fans.
Morgan Wade Meet & Greet Experience (available as an add-on. Does not include concert ticket. Must have concert ticket to attend Meet & Greet)
Only 75 available
$90 per person
Description of package:
Exclusive Meet & Greet with Morgan Wade
Personal Photograph with Morgan Wade
One (1) Lyric Card, Signed by Morgan Wade
One (1) Commemorative VIP Laminate
Morgan Wade was feeling the urge to simplify. The Virginia-born singer-songwriter was on a roll, having exploded onto the scene with her debut album Reckless and nabbing nominations from the Academy of Country Music and the Americana Music Association as her song “Wilder Days” became a hit. At the same time, she was reaching a point of exhaustion from nonstop touring and having to deal with a barrage of intense media scrutiny. She wondered if it was all worth it.
“I had all this stuff coming up, and it was such a weird, dark time that I was going through,” says Wade. “Then I sat down with a guitar and started writing songs. They were just coming to me left and right.” This bountiful period of creation is captured on Obsessed, Wade’s third full-length album and the follow-up to Psychopath, which arrived less than a year ago in August 2023. Produced by Wade’s touring guitarist Clint Wells with every song penned by Wade, the 14-track project pares things back to the essence of who she is as a musician, storyteller, and human. It’s Wade at her rawest and most vulnerable, the way she started out, and a convincing statement that she’s one of country music’s most distinctive talents.
“I really wanted to get back to doing what I used to do,” she says. “Just make this whatever the fuck I wanted it to be. For me, it’s a miracle record, which makes sense with where I was at mentally.”
Aidan Canfield
Canfield’s artistry infuses a unique combination of Rock and Country influences from the sounds that he grew up on–a little bit of Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen, a little bit of Kenny Chesney meets Zach Bryan. His heartfelt lyrics and melodies have struck a chord of relatability he’s witnessed on the road on support dates with Riley Green and, most recently, the Cameron Sacky Band.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, Aidan used the time to discover his passion for playing the guitar, and he started singing and writing songs. In two short years, he started growing a following on social media platforms and released his first single, “The Idea Of Me,” in April of 2022. Since then, Aidan has released six additional singles, an album and his music has nearly 3 million streams. Aidan’s heartfelt lyrics and melodies are what make his music relatable to his fans.
For more than six decades, The Beach Boys’ music has been an indelible part of American history. Their brilliant harmonies conveyed simple truths through sophisticated, pioneering musical arrangements. The Beach Boys transcended their music and have come to represent Californian culture. They provided fans around the world with a passport to experience love, youthful exuberance, and surf culture. Founded in Hawthorne, California in 1961, The Beach Boys were originally comprised of the three teenaged Wilson brothers: Brian, Carl, and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love, and school friend Al Jardine. The Beach Boys signed with Capitol Records in July 1962 and released their first album, Surfin’ Safari, that same year.
The Beach Boys are one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful bands of all time, with over 100 million records sold worldwide. Between the 1960s and today, the group had over 80 songs chart worldwide, 36 of them in the US Top 40 (the most by a US rock band), and four topping the Billboard Hot 100. Their influence on other artists spans musical genres and movements. Countless artists have cited Pet Sounds as their inspiration for creating their own musical masterpieces. Rolling Stone ranked Pet Sounds No. 2 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time,” and The Beach Boys No. 12 on its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”
Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and recipients of The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY Award®, The Beach Boys are a beloved American institution that remains iconic around the world.
The Beach Boys are led by lead singer and critically acclaimed chief lyricist Mike Love, who, along with longtime member Bruce Johnston, musical director Brian Eichenberger, Christian Love, Tim Bonhomme, Jon Bolton, Keith Hubacher, Randy Leago and John Wedemeyer continue the legacy of the iconic band.
THE BEACH BOYS
You can capsulize most pop music acts by reciting how many hits they’ve had and how many millions of albums they’ve sold. But these conventional measurements fall short when you’re assessing the impact of The Beach Boys. This band has birthed a torrent of hit singles and sold albums by the tens of millions. But its greater significance lies in the fact that The Beach Boys’ songs have forever changed the musical landscape, profoundly influencing countless performing artists to follow.
At the helm of The Beach Boys is lead Singer & Critically acclaimed lyricist, Mike Love, a founding member whose leadership has steered the band through decades of musical evolution. Grammy-winning songwriter Bruce Johnston joined The Beach Boys in 1965, replacing Glenn Campbell, who filled-in for Brian Wilson, on vocals/bass, when he retired from touring. Highly regarded in his field, Johnston brought with him a wealth of experience from working with icons like Elton John and Pink Floyd, The Byrds, cementing his place among rock's elite.
The current lineup, including musical director Brian Eichenberger, Christian Love, Tim Bonhomme, Jon Bolton, Keith Hubacher, Randy Leago, and John Wedemeyer, continues to honor and expand upon the band's iconic Live performance legacy. This dedication is evident in their rigorous touring schedule, with the band performing an average of 150 shows a year across a variety of venues worldwide.
In 2012, The Beach Boys marked their 50th anniversary with a reunion tour and the release of "That's Why God Made the Radio," which debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts, their highest chart position in 37 years. This resurgence of interest highlighted the band's continued relevance and their ability to resonate with both long-time fans and new listeners alike.
Their discography includes milestones like the triple platinum-certified Sounds of Summer and "The Warmth of the Sun, which have contributed to a renewed interest in their music. Despite having numerous opportunities to retire at the height of their success, such as after the release of the groundbreaking Pet Sounds masterpiece in 1966, or after Mike Love’s concept album Endless Summer ignited a second generation of Beach Boys fans and stirred a tempest that rocked the music world, or after recording Love’s co-written Golden Globe nominated “Kokomo” in 1988 and seeing it become its best-selling single ever, or after being inducted that same year into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The Beach Boys have chosen to continue touring and sharing music with the world, a testament to their commitment to their art and fans.
The Beach Boys celebrated the 50th anniversary of the hit “Good Vibrations” – which is widely considered one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of rock and roll – in 2016 with a 50 Years of Good Vibrations tour, underscoring the song's status as a rock and roll masterpiece. Mike Love's memoir, GOOD VIBRATIONS: My Life as a Beach Boy, further cemented their place in music history by becoming a New York Times Best Seller.
Recent years have seen the release of comprehensive box sets like Feel Flows – The Sunflower and Surf’s Up Sessions 1969-1971" and Sail On Sailor – 1972, exploring in-depth the band's transformative periods. These collections, featuring a plethora of previously unreleased tracks, showcase the band's versatility and profound influence on the music industry.
In 2023, The Beach Boys were celebrated in the CBS tribute special “Grammy Salute to the Beach Boys,” featuring performances by a diverse array of artists including Beck, Brandi Carlile, Michael McDonald, Pentatonix, St. Vincent, Weezer, Norah Jones, John Legend, and Mumford & Sons among others.
Looking ahead, the band is set to debut their official book, The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys, in April 2024 via Gensis Publications. Published in a limited edition of only 500 copies worldwide, the book offers an intimate look at the band’s journey from a Hawthorne garage band to international stardom, enriched with rare photographs and historical documents.
The Beach Boys have been a significant presence at major events, including Live Aid and the Statue of Liberty’s 100th Anniversary Salute, showcasing their unparalleled ability to captivate audiences. Mike Love's contributions as a songwriter, in collaboration with Brian Wilson, have produced timeless hits like “Surfin’,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” and “California Girls,” “Warmth of the Sun,” “Good Vibrations,” and long list of other titles highlighting his enduring talent.
Continuing to engage his fans with new and innovative projects, in 2020 Love released the single "This Too Shall Pass" featuring John Stamos aimed at offering hope during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2019, he released "12 Sides of Summer," featuring a mix of original songs, covers, and new versions of Beach Boys hits including “Surfin," "Surfin' Safari" and "It's Ok," featuring Hanson. The song marked Love's second recording with Hanson, after previously collaborating on "Finally it's Christmas" for Love's 2018 holiday album, Reason For The Season, which also features vocals from Love’s children: Ambha, Brian, Christian, and Hayleigh Love. In 2017, Love released a special double album entitled Unleash the Love featuring 13 previously unreleased songs and 14 re-recordings of Beach Boys classics to positive acclaim.
Mike Love's philanthropy extends his influence far beyond the musical stage, demonstrating a deep commitment to giving back to the community. A Grammy® winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, Love has been at the forefront of numerous charitable efforts, using his platform to support a wide range of causes. In 1990, he responded to President George H. W. Bush's call for service by founding StarServe, an initiative aimed at motivating young people towards community service, showcasing his early commitment to philanthropy. His philanthropic efforts were recognized when he and his wife Jacquelyne received the prestigious Points of Light Award, highlighting his significant contributions to volunteer service and impacting lives across the globe. Through the Love Foundation, Mike has supported initiatives focusing on education, health, environmental conservation, and disaster relief, showcasing a legacy of compassion and service alongside his storied musical career.
OFFICIAL ARTIST PLATFORMS:
Website: https://www.thebeachboys.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebeachboys
Twitter: https://twitter.c om/TheBeachBoys
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeac hboys/
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheBeachBoysVEVO
OFFICIAL MIKE LOVE PLATFORMS:
Website: https://mikelove.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialMik eLove/
Twitter: https://twitter.c om/MikeLoveOFCL
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikeloveofficial /
You Tube: https://www.y outube.com/channel/UCxffbn4jfkMNQ9Gu62TSXLg
Originating from Gainesville, FL, Sister Hazel is comprised of five gifted, seasoned musicians whose well-spring of natural talent has been called "one of the Top 100 Most Influential Independent Performers of the last 15 years" by Performing Songwriter Magazine. Song "All for You," topped the adult alternative charts during the summer of 1997 and the success propelled their album to platinum status. . Since then, the band has become firmly established not only in rock and alternative music, but now in country with four back-to-back Billboard Top Country Albums Chart entries along with making their debut on the most revered stage in country music, the Grand Ole Opry. They have most recently co-produced a cleverly themed EP compilation series entitled “Elements,” that includes a bonus seventh track that continued throughout the series.
Living up to their fan-centered reputation, the band was a pioneer in the themed cruise industry by co-founding "The Rock Boat" and annually hosts events like the “Hazelnut Hang,” and "Camp Hazelnut" that focuses on creating unique experiences and interacting with the fans. Sister Hazel has been equally attentive to connecting with their audience through social media having amassed over a million social followers. In addition to the events and touring, the band also gives back with “Lyrics For Life.” Founded by singer Ken Block, the charity unites musicians and celebrities for concerts and auctions to benefit cancer research and patient-care charities.
"The music and energy of two legendary stadium rock bands comes together in one electrifying show! Their repertoire of classics hits by Foreigner and Journey provide a crowd-pleasing night of unforgettable music. Get your wine coolers, mullets and stone washed jean vests ready for a night of sing along debauchery and dance grooves that will pop you from your seats. From heartwarming power ballads like "Faithfully," "I Want to Know What Love Is," to anthems like "Feels Like The First Time," "Don't Stop Believin'," "Cold As Ice" and "Any Way You Want It," Foreigners Journey A Tribute to Foreigner & Journey featuring vocalists from American Idol are more than a tribute band. They're a time machine, and their energy is infectious!"
Featuring 2X Tony Nominated Star of Broadway's Rock of Ages and American Idol Icon - CONSTANTINE MAROULIS! Their repertoire of classics by Foreigner and Journey provide a crowd-pleasing night of unforgettable music. Not only heightened to new levels with the addition of Constantine, expect added "Rock Of Ages" mash ups that will take you right back to the Sunset Strip!! Get ready for a night of sing along and dance grooves that will pop you from your seats. From heartwarming power ballads like "Faithfully," "I Want to Know What Love Is," to anthems like "Hot Blooded," "Separate Ways," "Jukebox Hero" and "Don't Stop Believin'," FJ with Constantine Maroulis are more than a tribute band. They're a time machine, and their energy is infectious!"
Judy Collins has inspired audiences with sublime vocals, boldly vulnerable songwriting, personal life
triumphs, and a firm commitment to social activism. In the 1960s, she evoked both the idealism and steely
determination of a generation united against social and environmental injustices. Five decades later, her
luminescent presence shines brightly as new generations bask in the glow of her iconic 50-album body of
work, and heed inspiration from her spiritual discipline to thrive in the music industry for half a century.
The award-winning singer-songwriter is esteemed for her imaginative interpretations of traditional and
contemporary folk standards and her own poetically poignant original compositions. Her stunning rendition
of Joni Mitchell's “Both Sides Now” from her landmark 1967 album, Wildflowers, has been entered into the
Grammy Hall of Fame. Judy’s dreamy and sweetly intimate version of “Send in the Clowns,” a ballad written
by Stephen Sondheim for the Broadway musical A Little Night Music,won "Song of the Year” at the 1975
Grammy Awards. She’s garnered several top-ten hits gold- and platinum-selling albums. Recently,
contemporary and classic artists such as Rufus Wainwright, Shawn Colvin, Dolly Parton, Joan Baez, and
Leonard Cohen honored her legacy with the album Born to the Breed: A Tribute to Judy Collins.
Judy began her impressive music career at 13 as a piano prodigy dazzling audiences performing Mozart's
“Concerto for Two Pianos,” but the hardluck tales and rugged sensitivity of folk revival music by artists such
as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger seduced her away from a life as a concert pianist. Her path pointed to a
lifelong love affair with the guitar and pursuit of emotional truth in lyrics. The focus and regimented practice
of classical music, however, would be a source of strength to her inner core as she navigated the highs and
lows of the music business.
In 1961, she released her masterful debut, A Maid of Constant Sorrow, which featured interpretative works
of social poets of the time such as Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, and Tom Paxton. This began a wonderfully fertile
thirty-five year creative relationship with Jac Holzman and Elektra Records. Around this time Judy became
a tastemaker within the thriving Greenwich Village folk community, and brought other singer-songwriters to
a wider audience, including poet/musician Leonard Cohen – and musicians Joni Mitchell and Randy
Newman. Throughout the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and up to the present, she has remained a vital artist,
enriching her catalog with critically acclaimed albums while balancing a robust touring schedule.
Prolific as ever, Judy recorded a DVD special Judy Collins: A Love Letter To Stephen Sondheim, in her
hometown of Denver, CO. Along with the Greely Philharmonic Orchestra, Judy dazzled the audience with
Sondheim’s beautiful songs and her lovely, radiant voice. DVD and CD companion will be released in early
2017. Judy also released a collaborative album in June 2016, Silver Skies Blue, with writing partner, Ari
Hest. Silver Skies Blue has been GRAMMY nominated for BEST FOLK ALBUM in 2017, this is the first
GRAMMY nomination for Collins in over 40 years.
Larry, Steve & Rudy, the Gatlin Brothers are Grammy award-winners who have dazzled audiences
for more than sixty-seven years. They have accrued a lifetime of noteworthy achievements in their
storybook career, including a Grammy for Best Country Song (“Broken Lady”), three ACM awards
for Single of the Year (“All The Gold In California”), Album of the Year (Straight Ahead) and Male
Vocalist of the Year, along with five nominations for CMA Vocal Group of the Year, Single, Album.
The Brothers have accumulated 7 # 1 Singles, 32 Top 40 Records, 24 Studio Albums and 5 BMI
“Million-Air” Awards. As a solo writer, Larry ranks 4 th on Billboards top 40 self-penned hits. His
impressive song catalog has been recorded by the “Who’s Who” of entertainers, including Elvis
Presley, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Glen Campbell, Kris Kristofferson, Sir Tom
Jones, Dottie West, Charlie Rich, Johnny Mathis, and many others, securing his legacy as one of
BMI’s top solo songwriters. He was also most recently inducted to the Nashville Songwriter Hall
of Fame.
For more than 67 years, the Gatlin Brothers have entertained audiences in venues and stages all
over the world from the Grand Ol’ Opry to Carnegie Hall. They have performed for the Grammy
Awards, the American Music Awards, and the People’s Choice Awards. They appeared on The
Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Oprah, Hee-Haw, Love Boat, the Midnight Special with
Wolfman Jack, the Merv Griffin Show, Solid Gold, the Barbara Mandrell Show and their own
variety special on ABC.
In 1976, the Gatlin Brothers were on the fast track musically thanks to the chart-topping success
of their single “Broken Lady”. The hits continued throughout the decade with their signature song
“All the Gold in California” followed by “Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer To You).” The next
decade brought number one songs with “I Don’t Wanna Cry”, “I Just Wish You Were Someone I
Love,” “Statues Without Hearts,” “Love Is Just A Game”, and “Night Time Magic.” Larry has also
written & produced a musical, “Quanah”, which was performed in April 2017 to rave reviews &
plans for another possible run in the Summer, 2023.
They have performed at the White House, the President Reagan Library, Air Force One, Ford’s
Theater, Camp David, President Bush’s 80 th Birthday Party, The Lincoln Theater, Carnegie Hall,
Madison Square Gardens, West Point, The Mall in Washington D.C., The Greek Theater, Billy
Bob’s Texas, Radio City Music Hall, Disney World and The Wembley Music Festival, to name a
few. They have been privileged to grace the stage with legendary entertainers, like Kenny Rogers,
Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Vince Gill, The Oak Ridge Boys, the Gaither Vocal Band, the Isaacs
just to name a few.
The brothers have also proudly entertained our U.S. Troops in Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Germany and
at many military bases in the United States as well. They have appeared at many sporting events
and venues singing the National Anthem, including the ’85 and ’89 World Series, and the U.S.
Open Tennis Tournament. They have performed in Yankee Stadium, the Astrodome, Nissan Titans
Stadium, Candlestick Park, Chicago White Sox Ballpark, NHL All Star Hockey Game in Calgary,
Alberta Canada, Darlington NASCAR Speedway, the Cotton Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Rose Bowl, Giants
Stadium, New Orleans Saints Superdome, Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium, Houston Texans’
Reliant Stadium and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.
Their career began in Abilene, Texas in 1955 when Larry was seven, Steve was four and Rudy
was two. The brothers grew up singing gospel music while listening to James Blackwood and the
Blackwood Brothers, Hovie Lister, and The Statesmen Quartet as well other accomplished gospel
artists. As children the brothers would sing for anyone who would listen. Soon they were singing
from coast to coast and appeared at the World’s Fair in 1964 in New York City. They recorded
four Gospel records early in their career. In 1966, Larry went to college at the University of
Houston where he studied English and Law. In 1971, he auditioned for The Imperials, Elvis’
backup group. While he did not get the job, he met Dottie West, who was the opening act for
Jimmy Dean. Dean would later become one of Larry’s oldest and dearest friends. Dottie was
initially taken with Larry’s resemblance to Nashville songwriter Mickey Newbury. She told him
one night in Las Vegas that he looked so much like Mickey, he had to be able to write great
songs too. Encouraged, Larry returned to Houston, wrote eight songs, and sent them to Dottie.
She liked them so much she sent him a plane ticket to Nashville.
Through Dottie’s friendship, Larry met Kris Kristofferson, who championed his talents as a
writer and singer. Kristofferson’s introduction to Fred Foster at Monument Records resulted in a
recording contract with the label. Larry’s first album, The Pilgrim, was released later that year.
Johnny Cash wrote the liner notes for the album and dubbed him “The Pilgrim”, a name he
called him the rest of his life. At this time Steve and Rudy were still in college at Texas Tech
University, but by 1975 they moved to Nashville to join Larry to form the group as we know it
today.
The brothers still perform approximately 50 shows per year as well as many performances at the
famed Grand Ole’ Opry. They are also in the planning stages of recording some new music.
“We are blessed that fans still love our music & attend our shows” says Steve & “we hope to
continue as long as that’s the case.”
Listed below are a few of the awards, television shows & venues the brothers have worked.
1964 World’s Fair New York City, New York / Hee-Haw / Hee-Haw Honeys
Huckabee TV Show / The Barbara Mandrel Show/ The Merv Griffith Show
The Mike Douglas Show / Gatlin Brothers ABC Special / Solid Gold TV Show
The Dinah Shore Show / John Davidson TV Show / SALUTE with Dick Clark
Johnny Cash Special / Crook & Chase Show / Midnight Special with Wolfman Jack
Love Boat / Marty Stuart TV Show / Larry’s Country Diner
Jason Crabb TV Show / Pop Goes the County / Marty Robbins TV Show / Ralph Emory TV Show
Tommy Hunter TV Show (Canada) / Bill Gaither Videos / Carnegie Hall (New York)
AT&T Stadium (Dallas) / Wembley Stadium (London) / Death Valley (Clemson University)
Band of Horses Bio
There might be no other band that was able to channel the generational anxiety in those
early millennial years and turn it into such powerful and inclusive art quite like Band of
Horses. Band of Horses fashioned gorgeously ragged epics, Ben Bridwell’s high-flying
vocals and eccentric enunciation floating like a specter that felt like a prelude to a dream. Full of profundity, truth, and sometimes just homespun advice on how to live, Band of Horses songs have becomeanthems and touchstones for fans. Emotionally intense, both on a personal and elemental level, the songs for Band of Horses’ sixth album, Things Are Great, finds Bridwell more autobiographical than he’s ever been on record, detailing the nebulous frustrations and quiet indignities of relationship changes and what a person will do to make things right.
And what you do when you can’t. Band of Horses is composed of Bridwell, Creighton Barrett on drums, Matt Gentling (of Archers of Loaf) on bass, and guitarist Brett Nash.
This fresh chapter finds the band recapturing the raw emotion and unpolished punk-rock
spirit of its early days. The songs on Things Are Great document the connections in
Bridwell’s life that have shifted, or remained. An epic album, Things Are Great is not an
exercise in nostalgia or regret. It’s closer to the classic pattern of the hero’s journey, one
where Bridwell doesn’t locate those elusive answers but does find himself in the end,
providing hope that all of us can do the same.
ABOUT SAME AS IT EVER WAS:
This 7-piece outfit of Knoxville musicians came together in the Summer of 2004 out of their mutual love and respect for the music of the Talking Heads.. Over the years the band has performed extensively, and now nearly have the entire Talking Heads catalog at their fingertips; They bring the excitement and energy of everything from ’77 to Naked, and all the B-sides in between. SAIEW aims to maintain the integrity of the Talking Heads’ groundbreaking music, while also bringing their own panache and energy to the game, allowing space to stretch and bend these arrangements in the moment. Whether the music of the Talking Heads moves your mind, your body, or both simultaneously, it’s going to be a party any way you slice it.
Atlanta Rhythm Section have entertained audiences all over the world with their many Top 10 hits. Along with contemporaries Lynyrd Skynyrd, they carry the mantle of “Southern Rock,” but by performing more musically diverse hits with a softer, pop flavor, they have a sound all their own Hits include “So Into You,” “Imaginary Lover,” “Champagne Jam,” “Doraville,” “I’m Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight,” “Do It Or Die” and “Spooky”.
JIMMIE VAUGHAN
In true Texas fashion, four-time Grammy-winner Jimmie Vaughan has helped breathe new life into the music that has been his lifeline all these decades, becoming a hero to those who cherish America's real gift to musical history.
"When I talk about country and blues, they're the same thing" Jimmie Vaughan says. "Muddy Waters and Hank Williams, Webb Pierce and Jimmy Reed. When I was a kid, I didn't understand the difference. Everybody was always asking me, Why do you want to play blues? Why don't you play country? But I would listen to the country guys and they would be doing a Jimmy Reed song. They're playing the same lick. And Ray Charles, Little Milton, Guitar Junior, Lonnie Brooks, B.B. King--they all did country songs. Is Bob Wills country, blues, or jazz? And the answer is, it's American music. I'm tired of trying to pigeonhole everything. I want to bring it together; it comes from the same place."
As a young teenager in Oak Cliff, Texas, his father told him to take guitar lessons if he wanted to really learn the instrument. But when Vaughan's teacher told the guitar student it wasn't going to work because the student "was too far gone" to learn from the lesson books, Jimmie Vaughan knew he was on his own. Which was perfect for him, because the blues would be his teacher for life. For those who find themselves living inside this true American
music, it becomes a way of life, and a musical force to follow forever.?
Jimmie Vaughan became possessed by his instrument while listening to the blues on the Black radio station in Dallas, and it has been that way ever since. When something this strong takes over, there is no way out—the pursuit just keeps going deeper. Jimmie Vaughan has been playing the blues he hears in his head and feels in his heart for over a half-century.
When he first heard songs like Phil Upchurch's "You Can't Sit Down", The Nightcaps "Wine, Wine, Wine" and B.B. King's many hit songs in the early 1960s, he knew he had found his music. And ever since then, it's been a constant quest to play the blues, whether it was in early 1970s Austin bands like Storm and then the Fabulous Thunderbirds, or later with brother Stevie Ray Vaughan on their FAMILY STYLE album, and on his own releases throughout the 1990s and in 2001.
Then the solo albums stopped, until in 2010, Vaughan had an idea to start recording The Great American Blues Songbook. He assembled the kind of band most musicians can only dream about, and began recording his dream set list at Top Hat and Wire Studios in Austin. Never one to back down from a great idea, in 2011 Vaughan and band went back into the same studio and recorded a second collection of some of his favorite songs, zeroing in on that music's ability to light a fuse wherever it was heard.
Last fall, to help celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the first of the BLUES, BALLADS AND FAVOURITES albums, THE PLEASURE’S ALL MINE compiled both albums as a collection,?and was released alongside a Vinyl reissue of 2016's JIMMIE VAUGHAN TRIO featuring Mike Flanigin LIVE AT C-BOY'S release, which featured songs recorded at the venerable Austin nightspot that Vaughan and crew call home when they are in town.
In 2019, his newest release, BABY, PLEASE COME HOME brought him back into the spotlight with yet another Grammy nomination, and a Blues Foundation Award for BestMale Artist.
This year, he celebrates his life in the blues and on the road with THE JIMMIE VAUGHAN STORY, a special limited-edition box set and book including over 200 photos covering his life and the breadth of his remarkable career. And yet, Vaughan still feels like he is just getting started, devoted to making sure he is able to give back to the music that has given him so much. The blues is in Jimmie Vaughan's blood, has been there since the start, and will stay there forever.
Beginnings - A Celebration of the Music of Chicago brings the magic of a live Chicago performance to
life and exceptionally recreates their enormous songbook of contemporary hits.
The music of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Chicago spans more than five decades and includes
five # 1 albums and over 20 top-ten hits. The band transports the listener back to a time of big arena
concerts with all the sound, excitement, and emotion generated from Chicago's extensive catalog of gold
and platinum recordings.
Beginnings has one of the most entertaining live performances you can see today. Expect a family-
friendly entertainment event that is pleasing to music lovers of all ages!
SHOW HIGHLIGHTS: Beginnings, Make Me Smile, 25 or 6 to 4, Call on Me, Saturday in the Park, Old Days,
You're the Inspiration, Alive Again, Color My World, Just You and Me, I've Been Searchin' So Long, Free,
Hard to Say I'm Sorry, and many, many more!
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.beginningslive.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/BeginningsTributeBand
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/beginningstribute/
TWITTER: twitter.com/Beginnings_Live
YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/channel/UC5525O46vGYWFlpxIkg1xvw
The Machine has forged a 30+ year reputation of extending the musical legacy of Pink Floyd. The New York-based quartet performs a diverse mix of The Floyd’s extensive 16-album repertoire, complete with faithful renditions of popular hits as well as obscure gems.
With stellar musicianship and passionate delivery, The Machine explores collective improvisation rivaling that of an early 1970’s Pink Floyd, while their use of expanded theatrical elements and elaborate stage displays and lighting continues The Floyd spirit of the 1980’s. The band is also known for recreating entire albums as a part of their show, accepting requests from fans, and for taking an A – Z approach in which one song is played for every letter of the alphabet.
The Machine has sold out theaters, premier showcase rooms and casinos across North America, Europe and Asia, performed at renowned music festivals such as Bonnaroo, Riverbend, and Gathering of the Vibes, and shared the stage with full symphony orchestras, including the Atlanta, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Charlotte and San Diego Symphonies, as well as the Buffalo Philharmonic.
The band features founding member Tahrah Cohen (drums), longtime bandmates Scott Chasolen (keys, vocals) and Ryan Ball (guitar, vocals), and newest member Chris DeAngelis (bass, lead vocals). The band continues on to celebrate the music of Pink Floyd and to honor the life of Joe Pascarell, who co-founded the band with Tahrah in 1988.
“They duplicate the sound and hits of Pink Floyd with chilling accuracy, and they play for a hell of a long time.”
Rolling Stone Magazine
“These guys are great!”
Spin Magazine
“The Machine look nothing like Pink Floyd, but that doesn’t matter – they sound exactly like Pink Floyd, and that’s what counts.”
Spin Magazine
Multi-platinum selling, Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Geoff Tate is best known for his30-plus years as the creative and driving force behind the progressive metal band Queensryche. Since its inception with Geoff at the helm, Queensryche has sold over 20 million albums worldwide and has performed in upwards of fifty countries. Geoff is regarded as one of the most skilled vocalists in the genre with hundreds of modern, popular artists citing him and his former band as a major influence. Combining social consciousness and expertly crafted lyrics with high-energy, melodically complex music, Queensryche with Geoff Tate at the forefront became internationally recognized as the thinking man's rock band. The band's first three albums-- their self-titled EP (1983), The Warning (1984) and Rage for Order (1986)-- all hit gold status selling over 500,000 units each.
With the release of their landmark concept album Operation: Mindcrime (1988)-- which won critical and popular acclaim and comparisons to the Who's Tommy and Pink Floyd's The Wall-- Queensryche went on to bring their progressive music to sold-out audiences the world over. Following the album's platinum success, Queensryche released Empire, which quickly entered the Top Ten on the Billboard charts, eventually generating sales of more than three million copies. The album featured the hugely popular hit, "Silent Lucidity," which would be the band's first Top Ten single (#9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart). Geoff and the band would ultimately perform the Grammy nominated song live at the Grammy awards accompanied by a supporting orchestra. In all, Queensryche has been nominated for a Grammy four times and has had their music featured in three feature films.
In 2006, the band released Operation: Mindcrime II, a scorching sequel to their original 1988 tale of "Rock, Revenge and Redemption." The band would soon hit the road performing both albums back-to-back in their entirety in an incredible theatrical presentation. The spectacle would be captured on Mindcrime at the Moore, a double CD/DVD release so popular that the DVDwould debut at #1 on Billboard's Top Music DVD chart and eventually reach gold status. Shortly after the release of that hugely successful set, Queensryche would release another gem in 2007 titled, Sign of the Times: The Best of Queensryche, that featured 17 career-spanning tracks including seven Top 10 hits with a two-CD deluxe Collector's Edition that added fifteen rare and previously unreleased recordings. Later that year, the band found themselves on the fall leg of the highly acclaimed Heaven and Hell Tour with the late, great Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice along with other special guest, Alice Cooper. The year would culminate with the release of Take Cover, an adventurous 11-song collection of covers ranging from Black Sabbath to Broadway.
In early 2009, Queensryche released American Soldier (via Atco/Rhino Records), a concept album inspired by the stories of military veterans that examines the consequences of war from the soldier's perspective... yet another effort that will solidify Geoff and the band in rock history. A truly memorable experience, the band met with, and performed for, troops in both the U.S. and the Middle East. In the year 2010, Queensryche would, once again, display their immense creativity by presenting the Queensryche Cabaret, which was heralded as "the first adults-only rock show." In 2011, the band would find themselves celebrating their 30th Anniversary in rock, marking the occasion with the release of Dedicated to Chaos (Roadrunner Records/Loud & Proud) and an extensive support tour.
At the end of 2012, Geoff released his first solo album in over a decade titled, Kings & Thieves (InsideOut Music), that was quickly followed by the news of a 25th Anniversary Mindcrime Tour that would encompass the United States in 2013. Also that year, Geoff would release what would be his last album under the Queensryche name, Frequency Unknown (Cleopatra Records), an effort that would feature such guest musicians as Ty Tabor, K.K. Downing, Brad
Gillis, Dave Meniketti and Chris Poland along with the members of his version of Queensryche at the time- Rudy Sarzo, Robert Sarzo, Simon Wright, Kelly Gray and Randy Gane.
In 2014, it was announced that Geoff and his band mates would be embarking on their farewell tour as Queensryche, with a subsequent announcement stating that Queensryche with original lead singer Geoff Tate would be changing its name to "Operation: Mindcrime" in September for future tours and recordings. By the end of the year, Geoff began working on one of his most ambitious works to date, an entirely new concept album, titled The Key, that would be the first in a trilogy. Released in September of 2015 (Frontiers Music SRL), the debut album examined the
question, "What would you do if you discovered the key to changing the way we view the world, the way we look at time, the way we travel, and could essentially change the human condition-- for better or for worse?" Next in the trilogy would be 2016's Resurrection, completed by 2017's The New Reality. All three albums were followed up with international tours that included extensive tours of the United States.
Beginning in March 2025, Geoff and the current line-up of Operation: Mindcrime, hit the road to celebrate the final chapter of Operation: Mindcrime, performing the 1988 landmark concept album from beginning to end in its entirety... It's a show that Geoff loves to perform and fans love to see, only proving that good music never goes out of style. As always, Geoff looksforward to the musical journey that lies ahead and can’t wait to perform his next big rock show
Tomas McCarthy
Following his groundbreaking win on NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2006, Josh Blue has risen through the ranks to become a well-established headliner at venues throughout the world. In 2018, Josh crushed his set on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In the same year, he was honored with a performance at the William H. Macy Gala at the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, Canada. He wrapped up 2018 by recording his fifth hour special at his home club, Comedy Works in Denver, CO. Josh does over 200 shows a year, continuing to spread laughter and break down stereotypes of people with disabilities. His stand-up routine is in a constant state of evolution and his off-the-cuff improvisational skills guarantee that no two shows are alike.
Critics have said Josh is not a cerebral palsy comic; he’s a comic who happens to have cerebral palsy. However, his closest friends describe him as “a d-bag.”
Josh made his television debut on Comedy Central’s Mind of Mencia. His story has been featured on Fox, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, and CNN. He was the first comedian to perform stand-up on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, was named Best Winning Reality Show Guest on Live with Regis and Kelly, and made standout appearances on Comics Unleashed. He has appeared twice on Ron White’s Comedy Salute to the Troops on CMT and made his late night television debut on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. He became the first comic to premiere a stand-up special on the big screen when 7 More Days in the Tank was shown in movie theaters across the country. It also aired on Bravo Network. Josh starred in Comedy Central Presents: Josh Blue in 2011. His third one-hour special Sticky Change aired on Showtime and Netflix. In 2016, Josh released his fourth one-hour special, DELETE on HULU and Amazon. Josh dropped a music CD Josh Blue and the Hooligan Stew Review with some original songs. It has been described as “Tom Waits meets the Muppets.”
Josh is a repeat guest on such nationally syndicated radio programs as NPR’s Talk of the Nation, The Mancow Show, and numerous podcasts including Getting Doug with High, and WTF with Mark Maron. He has been featured in numerous print publications including People Magazine and The New York Times. Josh is all over social media with over 1 million views on his YouTube clips and almost one million followers on Facebook.
Josh represented the United States in 8 countries as a member of the US Paralympic Soccer Team. Josh and his team were thoroughly disgraced in the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece by not scoring a single goal. He is a single father living in Denver, CO with his son, Simon and his daughter, Seika. He also boasts a girlfriend.
“A band ought to have a sound all of its own. It ought to have a personality.” – Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was born in Clarinda, Iowa on March 1, 1904. But it was in North Platte, Nebraska, several years later that Glenn actually got his musical start when, one day, his father brought home a mandolin. Glenn promptly traded it for an old battered horn, which he practiced every chance he got. In fact his mother worried, “It got to where Pop and I used to wonder if he’d ever amount to anything.”
In 1923, Miller entered the University of Colorado, although he spent more time traveling to auditions and playing where and whenever he could. After flunking three of his five courses one semester, Glenn dropped out to concentrate on his career as a professional musician.
He toured with several orchestras and ended up in Los Angeles where he landed a spot in Ben Pollack’s group, a band that included a guy named Benny Goodman. Here, Miller also got the chance to write some arrangements. Arriving in New York City, he soon sent for, and married his college sweetheart, Helen Burger in 1928, and for the next three years, earned his living as a free-lance trombonist and arranger.
Miller played and recorded with the likes of Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey (who on several of their records, featured an up-and-coming singer by the name of Bing Crosby), Gene Krupa, Eddie Condon and Coleman Hawkins. In addition, during that time, Glenn cut 18 sides for Goodman, and also worked for radio studio conductors like Victor Young, Carl Fenton and Jacques Renard. In 1934, Miller became the musical director of the Dorsey Band, and later went on to organize The Ray Noble Orchestra, which included such players as Charlie Spivak, Peewee Erwin, Bud Freeman, Johnny Mince, George Van Eps and Delmar Kaplan, among others.
In April 1935, Glenn Miller recorded, for the first time, under his own name. Using six horns, a rhythm section and a string quartet, he recorded “Moonlight on the Ganges” and “A Blues Serenade” for Columbia. But selling only a few hundred records, he continued his position with the Noble Orchestra.
In 1937, Glenn Miller stepped out to form his own band. There were a few recordings — one for Decca and one for Brunswick — a couple of week-long stints in New Orleans and Dallas, and many one-nighters, but it was not to be. Though the group would play one more date several days later in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Glenn gave his men their final notice on New Year’s Eve at the Valencia Ballroom in York, Pennsylvania. Broke, depressed and having no idea what he was going to do, he returned to New York City.
It is said that Miller could never remember precisely the moment he decided to emphasize his new reed section sound. But it was during this disheartening interim, that he realized the unique sound — produced by the clarinet holding the melodic line while the tenor sax plays the same note, and supported harmonically by three other saxophones — just might be the individual and easily recognizable style that would set his band apart from all the rest.
Formed in March 1938, the second Glenn Miller Orchestra — which would later include the likes of Tex Beneke, Marion Hutton, Ray Eberle, Paul Tanner, Johnny Best, Hal McIntyre, and Al Klinck — soon began breaking attendance records all up and down the East Coast. At the New York State Fair in Syracuse it attracted the largest dancing crowd in the city’s history. The next night it topped Guy Lombardo’s all-time record at the Hershey Park Ballroom in Pennsylvania. The Orchestra was invited by ASCAP to perform at Carnegie Hall with three of the greatest bands ever — Paul Whiteman, Fred Waring and Benny Goodman — and created more of a stir than any of them.
There were record-breaking recordings, as well, such as “Tuxedo Junction”, which sold 115,000 copies in the first week. “In the Mood”, and “Pennsylvania 6-5000?, all appearing on the RCA Victor Bluebird label. In early 1940, Down Beat Magazine announced that Miller had topped all other bands in its Sweet Band Poll, and capping off this seemingly sudden rise to the top, there was, of course, Glenn Miller’s “Moonlight Serenade” radio series for Chesterfield cigarettes which aired three times a week over CBS. In 1941, it was off to Hollywood where the band worked on its first movie, “Sun Valley Serenade”, which introduced the song — and soon-to-be million selling record –”Chattanooga Choo Choo”, and featured the Modernaires and the Nicholas Brothers. Then came “Orchestra Wives”. But the war was starting to take its toll on many of the big bands as musicians, and the rest of country’s young men, began receiving draft notices.
On October 7, 1942, Alton Glenn Miller reported for induction into the Army and was immediately assigned to the Army Specialist Corps. His appointment as a Captain came after many months of convincing the military higher-ups that he could modernize the army band and ultimately improve the morale of the men. His training complete, he was transferred into the Army Air Corps, where he ultimately organized the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band. Miller’s goal of entertaining the fighting troops took another year to be realized, but in late 1943 he and the band were shipped out to England.
There, in less than one year, the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band engaged in over 800 performances. Of these, 500 were broadcasts heard by millions. There were more than 300 personal appearances including concerts and dances, with a gross attendance of over 600,000. But Glenn was not to participate in the final six months of these activities.
In the Fall of 1944, the band was scheduled to be sent on a six-week tour of Europe and would be stationed in Paris during that time. Miller decided to go ahead, in order to make the proper arrangements for the group’s arrival. And so, on December 15th, Glenn Miller boarded a transport plane to Paris, never to be seen again.
In his book “Glenn Miller & His Orchestra”, George Simon wrote this about the man. “His favorite author was Damon Runyon. His favorite book was the Bible. Spencer Tracy and Olivia de Havilland were his favorite movie actor and actress. His big loves were trout fishing, playing baseball, listening to good music, sleep and money. His pet hates were bad swing, early-morning telephone calls (he liked to sleep from 4 a.m. to noon), and the phrase ‘goodbye now’. His favorite quotation, one he stated, was not from the Bible, nor from Runyon, but from Duke Ellington: ‘It Don’t Mean a Thing If it Ain’t Got that Swing!’
I'm With Her has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 per ticket goes to supporting Conscious Alliance’s mission to end hunger nationwide and feed families in need. www.plus1.org
With the 2014 formation of I’m With Her, singer/songwriters Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sara Watkins introduced an essential new force into the world of folk music: a close-knit alliance of highly esteemed musicians, each graced with a deep understanding of folk tradition and unbridled passion for expanding its possibilities. Since delivering their critically lauded debut See You Around and standalone singles like “Call My Name” (winner of the 2020 Grammy for Best American Roots Song), the trio have routinely taken time out from their individual careers to dream up songs together—eventually arriving at a new album exploring themes of ancestry, lineage, and the collective human experience. On their long- awaited sophomore LP Wild and Clear and Blue, I’m With Her now bring their luminous harmonies to a soul-searching body of work about reaching into the past, navigating a chaotic present, and bravely
moving forward into the unknown.
In a departure from the stripped-back intimacy of See You Around—a 2018 release that turned up on best-of-the-year lists from the likes of the New York Times—Wild and Clear and Blue centers on a far more elaborate sound informed by the trio’s intensified sense of musical kinship. All multi-Grammy- winners with deep roots in the folk scene, Watkins, Jarosz, and O’Donovan first discovered their near- telepathic chemistry during an impromptu performance at the 2014 Telluride Bluegrass Festival, then co- founded I’m With Her and began touring extensively and performing at acclaimed festivals across the globe.
Produced by Josh Kaufman—a member of Bonny Light Horseman and multiinstrumentalist/songwriter/arranger/producer who’s worked with Bob Weir and TheNational—Wild and Clear and Blue ultimately adds a bold new urgency to their delicate entangling of lived-in narrative, fable-like storytelling, and nuanced reflection on cycles of life.