This Month on Western Beat

Schedule - Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 30, 2003 SEPT 2 \| SEPT 9 \| SEPT 16 \| SEPT 23 \| SEPT 30
Billy Block's Western Beat is EVERY Tuesday Night at Exit/In - 2208 Elliston Place, Nashville, TN
Otis Gibbs	Otis Gibbs - 8 pm Having spent the ‘90s recording and touring with his band, The Lost Highway, Indiana native Otis Gibbs has become a bit of a mid-west legend. When asked what his influences are, you’ll not only hear names like Townes Van Zandt, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Bob Dylan, but also Wim Wender, Jack Kerouac, and Gustav Climt. Both haunting and beautiful, Gibbs’ 3rd full-length release 49th & Melancholy is a 14 song collection that illustrates just how deep and wide Gibbs’ breadth as a singer/songwriter as well as a reluctant witness to the human condition goes. Available now from Flat Earth Records.
Nashville Mandolin Ensemble	Nashville Mandolin Ensemble - 8:30 pm With its scintillating contemporary qualities, the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble - America's only large professional touring mandolin group - has been hailed for revitalizing and reshaping a type of ensemble music that enjoyed nationwide popularity at the turn of the last century. Through its array of mandolins, mandolas, mandocello, guitar and bass, NME commands expressive string colors of kaleidoscopic range and variety. Founded in 1991 by Butch Baldassari of the Blair School of Music, NME performs period arrangements for mandolin orchestra along with animated transcriptions of Celtic folk songs, jazz and pop music.
Dodd Ferrelle & Tin Foil Stars	Dodd Ferrelle & Tin Foil Stars - 9:00 pm This Athens, GA roots rock band arrives at time when new artists seem to appear weekly riding the coattails of the current rock ‘n roll sub-genre fad, but Dodd Ferrelle & The Tinfoil Stars manage to make modern rock while staying true to their influences. Their first CD, Always Almost There, is a big rock ‘n roll record that maintains a roots sound. Call the band Americana, Heartland Rock, Roots Rock, call them what you will, but there is no denying their smart song writing, clever hooks and that the band just plain rocks. www.doddferrelle.com
Lauren Lucas	Lauren Lucas - 9:30 pm Lauren Lucas, from Columbia, South Carolina, started coming to Nashville when she was 11-years-old. She was a little girl with big dreams and a voice that was good enough to land her a spot in the Grand Ol’ Gospel Hour at the Grand Ol’ Opry. Shortly after, Lauren was signed to her first production and publishing deal at the age of 15. RCA Records showed tremendous interest and gave Lauren the opportunity to have a development deal. She is excited to have her first cut as a songwriter in the Broadway musical, "Urban Cowboy." Even though Lauren spends most of her time singing demo sessions and working with producers and songwriters during the day, she also performs at local clubs in Nashville. www.laurenlucas.com
Mike Barfield	Mike Barfield - 10:00 pm Best known for his work as lead singer and songwriter with the Texas-based band, the Hollisters, Mike Barfield has just released his first solo recording, Living Stereo. This new effort explores the connections of Southern soul and r&b to country music. With the Hollisters, Barfield was featured on two critically acclaimed recordings and in 1996, Houston music critic Rick Mitchell stated: "the Hollisters may be the best band to come out of Houston in the past decade." The band stayed together in various forms for the next few years until Barfield decided a change was in order and started considering a solo career. He was inspired by the soul and blues singers he had always loved and with a renewed spirit, Barfield went into recording with one primary goal that he felt was important: that everyone has a good time and just enjoy making music. www.mikebarfield.com
©2002 Western Beat Entertainment