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Community Corner

Chuck Mead and His Grassy Knoll Boys; The Black Lillies

After leading several popular ‘80s cult bands in and around his hometown of Lawrence, Kansas, CHUCK MEAD landed on Nashville’s Lower Broadway where he co-founded the famed ‘90s Alternative Country quintet BR549. The band’s seven albums, three Grammy nominations and the Country Music Association Award for Best Overseas Touring Act would build an indelible bridge between authentic American Roots music and millions of fans worldwide. With BR on hiatus, Chuck formed The Hillbilly All-Stars featuring members of The Mavericks, co-produced popular tribute albums to Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, guest-lectured at Vanderbilt University, and became a staff writer at one of Nashville’s top song publishers. In 2009, he released his acclaimed solo debut album, Journeyman’s Wager, and toured clubs, concert halls and international rock, country and rockabilly festivals with his band The Grassy Knoll Boys.

As music director for the Broadway smash Million Dollar Quartet, Chuck began crafting the music arrangements during the show’s original Daytona and Seattle workshop productions, supervised the musical performances for its 2008 Chicago opening, created new music material for the show’s Tony-winning Broadway run, produced the original cast album, and oversaw the music for its smash 2011 premiere at London’s Noël Coward Theatre.  http://www.chuckmead.com/

*************** Born in the rumbling cab of a stone truck and aged in the oak of Tennessee’s smoky night haunts, The Black Lillies have quickly risen to the forefront of the Americana scene. Founded by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Cruz Contreras (Robinella and the CCstringband), the group honors the traditions of their Appalachian heritage while blazing new trails in the roots rock genre. Strains of old time, bluegrass, country, rock and jazz are heard throughout their music, creating a sound that is uniquely their own. 
The band is one of the only independent acts to have been invited to play the Grand Ole Opry, and their debut on that venerable stage was such a success that they have since become mainstays on the show. The Black Lillies’ music has earned them the Independent Music Award for Best Album, Americana; spent more than four months in the top 20 Americana radio charts, and held the number two spot in CMT’s Pure 12 Pack Countdown. 

Hailed by critics and fans alike, the band has appeared at festivals ranging from Bonnaroo and CMA Fan Fair to Pickathon and graced the stages of clubs and performing arts centers nationwide. Earthy and gritty, their songs speak of pain, love, revenge and revelry with such spirit that they seem to be carved out of the planks of an abandoned backwoods cabin. They haunt your thoughts long after the curtain closes, rattling through your head like a crooked screen door slaps against its frame when a storm is coming. 

Admission is $15.

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