Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. — RANDOLPH — The Bluegrass Gospel Project returns to Vermont on Oct. 10 at the Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, at 7 p.m. It’s one of five concerts on a four state tour this October. With roots planted in the bluegrass tradition that yield complex, inspiring music, this group has been together for more than 10 years. The Bluegrass Gospel Project has been exploring and expanding the tradition of bluegrass gospel, from U2 to the Stanley Brothers, Sam Cooke to Steve Earle.
The six members of the BGP bring decades of experience to the group. Taylor Armerding, the group’s front man, mandolin player and singer, was a founder and lead singer for Northern Lights, the progressive bluegrass group that took the bluegrass world by storm in the 1980s. He was invited by Gene White, Jr. (fiddle) to form the group in 2001 along with Paul Miller (vocals, guitar), Steve Light (banjo, Dobro, guitar, vocals) and other notable musicians to do a one-time performance to a packed house on New Year’s Eve.
The band’s chemistry and the music’s broad appeal was powerful beyond anyone’s expectations, and the group continued to perform, with Colby Crehan (female lead vocalist) and Kirk Lord (upright bass) joining the BGP in 2007. The group’s natural on-stage abilities sweep the audience off their feet with smooth, blissful vocal work, seminal musicianship, and a camaraderie that few bands exhibit.
The Boston Globe describes the intersection between Gospel and Bluegrass and the BGP’s universal appeal: “Whether your interests are sacred or secular, their music ripples with human emotion and imponderable mystery, beautifully evoking the plaintive pilgrim that wanders, yearning and hopeful, through the heart of American musical tradition.”
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at tinyurl.com/VTBluegrass. Tickets also available at the door while they last.
For more info, email thomasj@vtcucc.org.
