Bluegrass Festival Spotlight: Karl Shiflett and Big Country Show
Best known for their highly entertaining Retro stage show The Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show keeps the sprit of the past alive with their authentic delivery of Bluegrass and Classic Country Music. Real Country Music as they like to put it. The band not only entertains but captures in essence every aspect of an almost forgotten approach to playing music.
Deeply rooted in original bluegrass music from the 1940’s the Texas based group tastefully incorporates the shuffle beat of Texas Dance Music into the mix creating a band sound with a rhythmical swing, bounce and cadence like no other. This combined with their Old School style of performance around a single RCA 44 ribbon microphone ranks them as one of the most unique musical acts in any genre.
Officially starting in 1993 the band worked diligently paying their dues, eventually gaining national recognition in 1999 when the group signed with bluegrass record label Rebel Records. Their debut release went to the top of the charts resulting in the group becoming a household name literally overnight.
The single Where the Smoke Goes Up (and the money goes down) gave them instant recognition with a song and a sound they could easily be identified with. Similar chart success followed with their second CD release In Full Color (2001) with songs like It’s fall again, Cold cold love and Misery loves company.
Their third recording for the label Worries on my mind brought further recognition to the band with the CD receiving airplay and charting action in various alternative music markets. The single Worries on my mind went to the number one spot in both the Bluegrass Music charts as well as the Americana/Roots Music charts placing above many well known artists. The single also made it to number 40 in the Top 40 Texas Music charts in 2004.
Catch Karl Shiflett and Big Country Show in performance at the Susanville Bluegrass Festival; June 26th from 7:40 to 9:00p.m. and June 27th from 7:00 to 7:50p.m.
Other performances at this week’s festival include; Hossetts, Red Dog Ash, the Grass Kickers, the Get Down Boys, James Ream and the Barnstormers, Ron Spears and Within Tradition, Larry Gillis and West Coast Swampgrass, and Lonesome Otis.
Admission to the Festival is $20 per day or you can purchase a three-day pass at the gate for $55.
Friday
- 12:00 pm ~ 12:50 pm Lonesome Otis
- 1:00 pm ~ 1:50 pm Hossetts
- 2:00 pm ~ 2:50 pm Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show
- 3:00 pm ~ 3:50 pm Music Camp
- 4:00 pm ~ 4:50 pm Grass Kickers
- 5:00 pm ~ 6:15 pm Workshops / Dinner Break
- 6:30 pm ~ 7:30 pm Red Dog Ash
- 7:40 pm ~ 9:00 pm Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show
Saturday
- 12:00 pm ~ 12:50 pm Hossetts
- 1:00 pm ~ 1:50 pm Lonesome Otis
- 2:00 pm ~ 2:50 pm Get Down Boys
- 3:00 pm ~ 3:50 pm Red Dog Ash
- 4:00 pm ~ 4:50 pm James Reams & The Barnstormers
- 5:00 pm ~ 6:00 pm Workshops / Dinner Break
- 6:00 pm ~ 6:50 pm Ron Spears & Within Tradition
- 7:00 pm ~ 7:50 pm Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show
- 8:00 pm~ 9:00 pm Larry Gillis & West Coast Swampgrass
Sunday
- 10:00 am ~ 10:50 am Ron Spears & Within Tradition (Gospel)
- 11:00 am ~ 11:50 am James Reams & The Barnstormers
- 12:00 pm ~ 12:50 pm Red Dog Ash
- 1:00 pm ~ 1:50 pm GrassKickers
- 2:00 pm ~ 2:50 pm Get Down Boys
- 3:00 pm ~ 4:00 pm Larry Gillis & West Coast Swampgrass
For more information about the big Susanville Bluegrass Festival you can call the Lassen County Fair office at 530.251.8900.
