Del McCoury Band to perform at Goshen College Jan. 17, tickets available

Del McCoury Band to perform at Goshen College Jan. 17, tickets available

GOSHEN, Ind. — One of the top bluegrass bands in the country will be playing at Goshen College on Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Sauder Concert Hall as part of the Performing Arts Series.

The Del McCoury Band is considered by critics to be the most influential bluegrass band of the 1990s. With guitar, fiddle, banjo, bass and mandolin, this band, formed in 1992, weaves together melodies that soar, dip and glide through the bluegrass tradition. The continuity among its members creates an incredibly tight band, both musically and personally. Today, the band includes Del McCoury, his sons Ronnie and Robbie McCoury, and Mike Bub and Jason Carter.

Lead singer and bandleader Del McCoury is known for his “high lonesome” tenor voice. He began playing bluegrass music at the early age of 11, having fallen in love with the distinct sound of legends Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. After six decades of bluegrass success — including a stint in Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys — Del McCoury is now recognized for helping to pave the path for a music that is flourishing in the modern era. McCoury’s band reflects his depth of knowledge and skill, not to mention his own versatile and limber voice as lead singer. The San Francisco Chronicle calls the group “one of live music’s best-kept secrets.”

The band won its eighth Entertainer of the Year award from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) this year, as well as scoring a Bluegrass Album of the Year Grammy nomination for “It’s Just the Night” (McCoury Music/Sugar Hill Records). Del also received an induction into the Grand Ole Opry this year. Band member Ronnie McCoury broke the record for consecutive IBMA player of the year awards with his eighth mandolin-playing award. Songs by Del McCoury have been sung by bands as diverse as the Grateful Dead and Phish.

Concert-goers can expect an engaging performance, with plenty of interchange between the audience and the band. Del McCoury is known for his warm demeanor and stories. “Their easy-going yet hard-driving style is matched evenly by their formidable talent, accessibility and genuine warmth,” said The North West Bluegrass News.

Opening for the Del McCoury Band is Goldmine Pickers, a band based in Goshen, Ind. To warm up the audience for a high-energy show, the innovative group will present a brief taste of their original music. Goldmine Pickers are fiddler Sean Hoffman of Cromwell, Ind.; bass player and vocalist Derek Kratzer, an Ohio native; guitar/mandolin player and vocalist Jay Lapp, of Goshen; and Lukas Simpson, also a guitar/mandolin player and vocalist of Goshen. Goldmine Pickers recently toured in Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania and will travel this summer to perform in Ireland.

Limited tickets are available. For ticket prices, reservations or more information, contact the Welcome Center at (574) 535-7566 or e-mail joannp@goshen.edu.

Future concerts in the Performing Arts Series at the Goshen College Music Center:

* Jan. 22, 7:30 p.m. — Jose White String Quartet

* Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m. — Bonnie Rideout and the Scottish Trio, with piper Jerry O’Sullivan

* March 12, 7:30 p.m. — Greg Brown (Add-On)

— Tim Nafziger

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.