03/14/2024
Guitarist and vocalist Gary Brewer of Gary Brewer and the Kentucky Ramblers will bring his âHouse of Axesâ tour with the Kentucky Ramblers to the next KASU Public Radio Bluegrass Monday concert. The concert will be Monday, March 25, at 7:00 p.m. at the Collins Theatre of Paragould, AR, 120 West Emerson Street, in downtown Paragould, Arkansas.
Brewer formed the first Kentucky Ramblers band in 1980 when he was only a teenager. He recorded 29 studio albums for a variety of record labels before establishing his own label, Stretch Grass Music, and producing an additional 22 albums.
His most recent album, House of Axes, showcases Brewer playing vintage acoustic guitars from his collection of over 100 instruments. For the concert in Paragould, Brewer many of these guitars, featuring them on different songs and briefly describing each guitarâs significance. His collection includes Martin, Silvertone, Mossman, and Stelling guitars.
Brewer is part of a family whose musical heritage crosses six generations, stretching back to the 1920s. Two of Gary Brewerâs adult sons perform with him as the Kentucky Ramblers: Wayne, who sings, plays fiddle and plays upright bass, along with Mason who sings, plays mandolin and also plays upright bass.
Brewerâs 2020 album, 40th Anniversary Celebration, spent 16 weeks at the number one position on Billboard Magazineâs bluegrass album sales chart, becoming the third best-selling bluegrass CD of 2021.
In his career, Brewer has recorded with major bluegrass artists including Bill Monroe, J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Russell Moore, Sam Bush, and Ralph Stanley II. He has performed in all 50 states, in 19 countries, at the Grand Ole Opry, at the Lincoln Center in New York City, and at numerous noteworthy bluegrass festivals and venues.
In addition to bluegrass music, Brewer and his band perform country music, gospel music, and old-time music. More details about the group can be found at www.brewgrass.com.
The admission fee to the Bluegrass Monday concert is $10 per person, payable by cash at the door the night of the concert. Everyone aged 18 and under will be admitted free. Advance tickets can be purchased at www.kasu.org/tickets. The first 12 persons to purchase tickets online in advance will also receive a free copy of Brewer's "House of Axes" CD. All ticket proceeds go to the musicians, compensating them for their performance.
All seating is general admission. Doors open to the theatre at 6:00, and seating is first-come, first-served.
The Bluegrass Monday concert series is a non-profit presentation of KASU-FM, providing music fans with an affordable and outstanding evening of entertainment. These concerts are held on the fourth Monday night of each month. They are presented with support from sponsors including the Paragould Advertising & Promotion Commission, Affordable Medical, Bibb Chiropractic Center, Gardner-Milner Law Firm, the Posey Peddler Flowers and Emporium, Hyde Park Cafe, Holiday Inn Express and Suites of Paragould, and KASU.
KASU is the public media service of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro broadcasting at 91.9 FM and streaming on a variety of online platforms. For more information, contact KASU Program Director Marty Scarbrough at mscarbro@astate.edu.
