The Infamous Stringdusters Bring Bluegrass to Alma
A progressive style of bluegrass music is coming to Alma College for a concert that promises to heat up a cold January night.
The Infamous Stringdusters, named “Best Emerging Artist” by the
International Bluegrass Music Association in 2007, performs at 8 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 16 in the Remick Heritage Center at Alma College. Concert
tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors 62 and up, and free for Alma
College staff, students and youth 18 and under. Seating is reserved.
Call (989) 463-7304 for ticket information.
The Infamous Stringdusters
The
group is known for its well-crafted songs, instrumental virtuosity,
improvisation, harmony and sound that combines tradition and innovation
for a new level of “newgrass” music, says Tom Ball, bluegrass
aficionado and host of the public radio show “Homespun.”
"The Infamous Stringdusters are a great addition to the Alma College
lineup this year,” says Ball. “The Stringdusters manage to balance the
traditional style of bluegrass with an eye clearly on the future.”
The group consists of six singer/musicians: Andy Hall on the dobro, a
louder version of the guitar; Andy Falco on guitar; Chris Pandolfi on
banjo; Jeremy Garrett on fiddle; Jesse Cobb on mandolin; and Travis
Book on upright bass.
The group performed more than 150 shows during its breakout year of
2007, including festivals with big names like David Grisman and Sam
Bush. It also landed a deal for motion picture music with Lions Gate
Entertainment.
That same year, their debut album, “Fork in The Road,” won “Album of
the Year” by The International Bluegrass Music Association. Its title
track won “Song of the Year,” and the band itself won “Best Emerging
Artist.”
“The musicianship is first-rate, with all the players getting
opportunities at one point or another on the CD for impressive solos,”
says national public radio host and music journalist George Graham.
“The vocals are top-notch, with the traditional high-lonesome tenor
sound tempered somewhat to be a bit more mellow, with excellent vocal
harmonies.”
The group’s most recent album, “The Infamous Stringdusters,” released
last summer, includes such songs as the sentimental “Bound for
Tennessee,” “When Silence Is the Only Sound,” “Loving You,” and the
bluesy “Get It While You Can.”
After performing at Alma College, the Stringdusters will continue their
U.S. tour at the Big Sky Big Grass Festival in Big Sky, Montana, and
the Savannah Music Festival later in March.
Posted: Sat, January 3rd, 2009 at 9:24AM
