Bluegrass Monday series to feature Cedar Hill Nov. 26
JONESBORO, AR – Cedar Hill will perform a concert on Monday, Nov. 26, at 7 p.m. at the Collins Theatre, 120 West Emerson Street, in downtown Paragould, Ark. The concert is part of the Bluegrass Monday concert series presented by KASU 91.9 FM. KASU will literally “pass the hat” during the show to collect money to pay the musicians. The suggested donation is $5 per person.
Cedar Hill was formed in 1967 by Frank Ray who still leads the band today. This Missouri-based group plays traditional bluegrass music heavily influenced by the music and culture of the Ozark hills. The band has received numerous awards from the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA), including CD of the year and vocal group of the year. The band performs regularly across the United States, and the group recently toured the United Kingdom and Canada.
Mandolin-player Frank Ray sings tenor and lead vocals. He has won SPBGMA’s songwriter of the year award multiple times, and is a member of the Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame.
Jimmy Bunch sings and plays banjo for the band. He appeared on the group’s first recording decades ago. He has been a featured performer at Silver Dollar City and at the Shepherd of the Hills Farm in Branson.
Shannon Cox sings and plays guitar in Cedar Hill. He began his career as a professional musician at age 12, playing in the Tall Timbers Opry. He has played bluegrass music with the Guy Stephenson Band and with the Randolphs and also led a country band that has appeared with Waylon Jennings, Tracy Byrd, and Diamond Rio.
The other two members of Cedar Hill, Patti LaFleur and Pete Brown, are also members of the Acousticatz, a group that has appeared at numerous regional events including past Bluegrass Monday concerts.
Patti LaFleur started picking banjo at a very young age and bought a bass at the age of 12 to join a group that needed a bass player. Her driving bass style forms the backbone of Cedar Hill. La Fleur also sings tenor and lead vocals.
Pete Brown is an award-winning fiddle player. He has been performing bluegrass and country music for more than 30 years, and he frequently judges state and national fiddle championships.
Additional information about the group is available at www.cedarhillbluegrass.com.
In addition to the concert, Terry’s Café, 201 South Pruett Street in Paragould, one block to the east of the Collins Theatre, opens on Bluegrass Monday nights, offering a gathering place for bluegrass music fans prior to the concerts. The café serves a buffet meal beginning at 4:30 p.m. on the evenings of Bluegrass Monday concerts. Concessions will also be available at the Collins Theatre.
Doors at the Collins Theatre will open at 6 p.m., one hour before the concert begins. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Bluegrass Monday concerts are held on the fourth Monday night of each month. These non-profit concerts are presented with support from Backbeat Music, Hollis Bee Company, the Posey Peddler, the Northeast Arkansas Bluegrass Association and KASU.
KASU, 91.9 FM, is the 100,000-watt public broadcasting service of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. For more information, contact KASU Program Director Marty Scarbrough at mscarbro@astate.edu or 870-972-2367. Bluegrass Monday is also on Facebook (search “Bluegrass Monday”).
