Hot Rize, one of the most influential bands in any genre to come out of Colorado, is kicking off their 40th anniversary with a celebration at the Boulder Theater, and they're inviting some of their friends to come along.
In 1978, when Pete Wernick, Tim O'Brien, Nick Forster and Charles Sawtelle started playing music together, they discovered a rare chemistry that allowed them to literally take bluegrass music in a new direction, one that showcased their collective talents as instrumentalists, songwriters, and innovators. They all respected the tradition and were students and fans of artists like Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs and the Stanley Brothers, but their musical tastes covered a lot more ground as well. They started out in the bars and clubs, but shortly after they got together, they played on Prairie Home Companion, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and the Grand Ol Opry. The world was ready for their brand of bluegrass. Their original songs are part of the bluegrass cannon, their showmanship earned them the first-ever Entertainer of the year award from the IBMA, and their "partnership" with Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers is the stuff of legend. There is no other band like Hot Rize, and the Colorado bands that followed in their wake all cite Hot Rize as a major influence.Tickets available at Boulder Theater Box Office, by phone at (303)-786-7030 or online at http://www.bouldertheater.com.
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