Three Progressive Bluegrass Stars Unite on Cain Park Stage

BÉLA FLECK photo by Alan Messer

 

Fri 7/1 @ 7:30PM

Banjo player Bela Fleck, mandolinist/fiddler Sam Bush and lap steel player Jerry Douglas are three of the towering stars and influences in what came to be called the “progressive bluegrass” movement. It became popular in the 60s and 70s among hippie musicians and jam bands looking for “authentic” sounds such as folk, country, blues and bluegrass. While respecting the roots of this Appalachian folk music, they updated it with their own contemporary ideas, often changing the instrumentation and other set rules of the genre.

Fleck, for instance, is known for expanding the range of the banjo, exploring classical music, jazz, rock and world music in addition to traditional bluegrass. Bush, now 70, was one of the progenitors of progressive bluegrass who formed the New Grass Revival in 1971. And Douglas has contributed his distinctive sound and production skills to bluegrass albums by artists such as Alison Krauss and Del McCoury, but has also played on albums by James Taylor, Johnnny Mathis, Elvis Costello, Phish, Eric Clapton and Garth Brooks, among others.

The three will be joining forces at Cleveland Heights’ Cain Park for an evening of music centered on Fleck’s recent release, My Bluegrass Heart, which takes them all back to their roots. For tickets go here.

 

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