Mid-Week Opry Shows 10/1; 10/2 and 10/3

Here is what I currently have for the upcoming mid-week Opry shows:

Tuesday October 1
7:00: Riders In The Sky; Jamie O'Neal
7:30: Bill Anderson; Matt Stell
Intermission
8:15: David Ball; Carly Pearce
8:45: Po' Ramblin' Boys; Charles Esten

This will be the Opry debut for the Po' Ramblin' Boys

At a time when most people feel constantly distracted by technology and barraged by the news, authenticity and straightforward honesty are paramount. There’s something about the music of The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys that cuts right through the noise of the world and speaks plainly to the soul. Formed in the Smoky Mountains, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys are at once exactly what you would expect and not at all what you would expect from a tattooed East Tennessee Bluegrass outfit. No strangers to hard work, the boys are as much at home riding in their 1965 GM Tour bus as they are crawling underneath to fix it when it needs maintenance. But they take pride in being ambassadors of their genre, and the group has brought their music from rural bluegrass festival stages to the rock clubs of Europe, with stunning results. “I think to a certain extent everyone is just craving music that they can feel, and any music that feels real will reach any audience” says CJ Lewandowski, the groups founder, “We want to put bluegrass right where it’s least expected”.

 Lewandowski was working at Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery in Sevierville, TN when the band first formed. The distillery employed musicians to play for visitors seven days a week, and Lewandowski, who primarily plays Mandolin and sings, was occasionally hired to fill in when the entertainment didn’t show. Eventually, the distillery approached him about forming a band for a full time slot, so he reached out to long time music friends Jereme Brown, who plays banjo for the group, and Josh Rinkel, who plays guitar.  Also joining the group would be bassist Jasper Lorentzen. The four friends played multiple times a week for a year and half, honing their band sound, meanwhile word was spreading about their music.

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys passion for bluegrass is as clear as it is contagious. With a heavy touring schedule across the United States and Europe and recently signed record deal with the esteemed Rounder Records, the Boys are well on their way to becoming the quintessential bluegrass band of their generation. Despite all of their recent success, they maintain a humble perspective. “Bluegrass has left such a mark on us that we feel like we owe something back to the music”, says Lewandowski. “We want to do something for the music to show our appreciation… There’s no telling what could have happened to us, what we would have become if we hadn’t found this music. It’s gotten us through a lot, the good and the bad. When I think about all of the damn medications that I didn’t have to take because I had music to turn to. We didn’t have to go to the doctor and pay for something to make us feel better, because we had this music, so we really want to honor it by bringing it out of the shadows and onto new stages and wider audiences. Because we know that if we can bring Bluegrass to new folks, those folks will come with us and support the bluegrass community.”
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While the running order has not been posted for the Wednesday Night Opry on October 2, the list of performers scheduled to appear has been posted.

Scheduled to appear are Riders In The Sky, Zach Williams, Lindsay Ell, The Bacon Brothers, Dailey & Vincent, John Berry, Mandy Barnett and Mo Pitney

As far as Opry Country Classics on Thursday October 3, Larry Gatlin will be the host and Lorrie Morgan the Spotlight Artist. Also scheduled are The Gatlin Brothers, Louise Mandrell and Wade Hayes.