Grammy Award-winning Bluegrass Band Kicks Off WKCTC's Clemens Fine Arts Center Season
Paducah, KY (08/14/2019) — The Steep Canyon Rangers have performed in some of the nation's top music cities across the United States. The next stop for this premier, Grammy award-winning, American bluegrass group will be to open West Kentucky Community and Technical College's 2019-2020 Clemens Fine Arts Center season. The band will perform on the Clemens stage August 23 at 7:30 p.m.
The Steep Canyon Rangers have been pickin' and strummin' on tour for audiences across the country for years but the band traces its humble beginnings back to North Carolina. With nearly all of the band's six members from the southeastern state, they grew up with the musical influences of the area, which are steeped in the traditions of bluegrass and old time mountain music.
Bluegrass to the core, the Steep Canyon Rangers continue to evolve with a fresh sound and identity all their own. With a passionate and energetic on-stage style, the band evolves to bend and shape the bluegrass aesthetic, collaborating with artists and producers such as Jerry Douglas, Joe Henry and Mitch Easter to explore new frontiers of music and create honest and energetic songs.
"They may be the most versatile and unique band performing in contemporary American music today," said Todd Birdsong, Clemens Fine Arts Center director. "As they perform in Paducah at the CFAC, the audience will have the chance to experience bluegrass music that pushes and expands their understanding of the genre. They are simply incredible!"
The Steep Canyon Rangers took shape in 2000 when Woody Platt (guitar), Graham Sharp (banjo) and Charles R. Humphrey III (bass) were students at the University of North Carolina playing together in area bars. In 2006 the group was named the International Bluegrass Music Association Emerging Artist of the Year, and earned a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album in 2013. As they fast approach their second decade, the Steep Canyon Rangers are still moving forward, searching for new horizons and musical vistas. Their 2018 OUT IN THE OPEN album is an undeniable milestone for the band in its ongoing creative journey.
The Steep Canyon Rangers concert is part of the Clemens Center's Arts in Focus Series. Tickets are on sale now. Visit artsinfocus.org to purchase tickets online or call 270-534-3212.
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Grammy Award-winning Steep Canyon Rangers Kick Off WKCTC’s Clemens Fine Arts Center Season August 23.