FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | February 29, 2008 |
Contact: Jennifer M. Guild, Senior Officer for Public Relations and Marketing
Tel: (804) 342-9665 | Email:
jguild@vahistorical.org
The Country Gentlemen Perform at VHS
Bluegrass Musicians Will Explore Influence of Well-Known Band Over Last Fifty Years
Richmond, VA – The Country Gentlemen Reunion Band, made up of Eddie Adcock, Tom Gray, Jimmy Gaudreau, and Randy Waller will perform at the Virginia Historical Society (VHS) on Thursday, March 20, 2008, at 6:00 p.m. Band historian Martha Adcock will also be on stage exploring, through story and song, the evolution of The Country Gentlemen and the group’s influence on bluegrass music over the past fifty years.
"We are very excited about the opportunity to work with the Historical Society on this concert," said Tim Timberlake, board member of JAMinc. "The Country Gentlemen had a profound impact on widening the appeal of bluegrass at a critical time in its evolution."
The Country Gentlemen emerged from the hotbed of bluegrass music that developed around Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., in the late 1950s. Bringing a new energy and approach to a music that was being overshadowed by the growing popularity of rock and roll, The Country Gentlemen reached beyond traditional bluegrass standards, performing works of new songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Ian Tyson, and British rockers Manfred Mann. Humorous antics added spice and interest to their live performances, and the superb musicianship of the band members inspired thousands of young musicians.
The band's original members were Charlie Waller, John Duffey, Bill Emerson, and Larry Lahey. Throughout the years, more than three dozen musicians have played with The Country Gentlemen, including renowned bluegrass artists Doyle Lawson, Ricky Skaggs, and Jerry Douglas. Charlie Waller remained the sole original member until his death in August 2004. After Charlie's death, his son Randy Waller continued with a reconstituted version of the band. In 1996, The Country Gentlemen were inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Association's Hall of Honor.
Tickets for The Country Gentlemen Reunion Band concert are $15 for VHS members and $20 for non-members. Register online at www.vahistorical.org, or purchase tickets in the Society's museum shop, located at 428 North Boulevard in Richmond. This event is presented in conjunction with JAMinc.
The Virginia Historical Society is located at 428 N. Boulevard. The Story of Virginia, An American Experience, a 10,000-square-foot exhibition with more than a thousand objects covering all of Virginia history from prehistoric
times to the present is featured in the Robins Center for Virginia History. Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am - 5pm
and Sunday 1pm - 5pm (Museum Galleries only). Admission: $5/adults, $4/seniors 55+ ($2/Tuesdays–galleries
only), $3/children and students, free/members. Admission to the galleries is free on Sundays. For group tour
information, call (804) 342-9652. For more information, please call (804) 358-4901 or visit
www.vahistorical.org.
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