The Capitol Center Presents the Music of Bill Monroe, 4/19

Peter Rowan joins Ronnie McCoury and the Travelin' McCourys to perform The Music of Bill Monroe at Concord NH's Capitol Center for the Arts on Thursday, April 19, at 7:30pm. Tickets are $26.00 Rear Orchestra/Mezzanine/Balcony and $36 Front Orchestra  and can be purchased by calling 603-225-1111, online at www.ccanh.com, and at the box office on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Considering his professional career began in 1964 and it still continues today, means that Peter has been performing for five plus decades. His first band was Bill Monroe & The Bluegrass Boys where he was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist. They were playing bluegrass music, but Bill Monroe's version always contained more blues than the usual style of bluegrass music and Peter preferred this style. Peter remained with the band for two and a half years before moving on to other musical endeavors. He was in a number of rock, folk and bluegrass combinations over the years; including joining up with Jerry Garcia, Vassar Clements and John Kahn. They formed the legendary bluegrass band Old & In The Way. This was also when Peter penned the classic hit "Panama Red" which the New Riders of the Purple Sage made into a hit.

After years of playing in band after band, Peter decided to embark on his own solo career. During this time, he released albums like Dustbowl Children, Yonder, The First Whippoorwill and Bluegrass Boy. This is how Peter earned a Grammy and also became a six-time Grammy nominee. He performs internationally as a solo act. When he is in the states though, he performs with his three bands: The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, The Peter Rowan & Tony Rice Quartet and the rocking band called The Free Mexican Air Force.

Joining Peter Rowan for the evening are the Travelin' McCourys, comprised of Del McCoury's sons Ronnie and Rob along with Jason Carter, fiddler, and Alan Bartram, bass. They are loved and respected by bluegrass faithful, but they are always trying to find ways to make things fresh. They have started teaming up with other bands and other sounds and the results have been amazing. Recently, they played with The Allman Brothers at Wanee Fest and brought the house down at Warren Haynes' Annual Christmas Jam. They had a jam with the Lee Boys that was the highlight of the evening. It was an awesome combination of sacred steel, R&B and bluegrass and once the video hit the internet, The Travelin' McCourys were entertaining an entirely new legion of fans. String musicians new and old are yearning to share the stage with The Travelin' McCourys.

The show is a retrospective of the major historical periods in Bill Monroe's musical life, starting with Peter Rowan and Ronnie McCoury on guitar and mandolin doing the old Charlie and Bill Monroe brother duets.  After a few songs, the rest of the band joins in to render the later works including duets, trios and some of the old four part gospel material.

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