Bristow, OK — Renowned western-bluegrass-gospel group Prairie Grass will appear in concert at the Freeland Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at 7:30 p.m., presented by the Freeland Center Arts Council. Featured opening act is A Little Farther West.
Prairie Grass, based in Bristow, includes leader Mike Newell (guitar and vocal), Roger Boomer (fiddle and vocal), Milt Alexander (upright bass and vocal), Steve Whitehouse (mandolin, upright bass, and vocal), Ron Tennison of Boynton, OK (dobro and vocal), and Roy Sinor of Mounds, OK (lead guitar and vocal). The group formed in 2011, emerging from previous ensembles the Sidekicks and the Peacekeepers, all led by Newell.
Merging western and cowboy music with bluegrass, Prairie Grass is steeped in the Southern Gospel tradition. The group plans to feature their western side during the show’s first half, and, following intermission, return with gospel and patriotic material. Prairie Grass trail boss Mike Newell long has been a fixture on the Green Country western and country music scene, performing extensively throughout Oklahoma and surrounding states. His strong bass-baritone vocals anchor the group, although each of the members sings lead.
Opening act A Little Farther West is a western music duo consisting of husband and wife Susie and Robert Maxwell Case. The combination of their spaghetti-western lead guitar, warbling keyboard, and baritone vocals evokes the spirit of classic western movie soundtracks. The group will perform traditional and new songs from their debut self-titled cd, “A Little Farther West,” released in October of last year. A Little Farther West’s Susie Case recently was named President of the Oklahoma Chapter.of the national Western Music Association.
A portion of the proceeds from the concert will be donated to Bristow Social Services and Food Bank. General admission tickets are $15 each and may be purchased in Bristow at: Kemps Pharmacy, Bill Kelley & Associates, Shooter’s Shop, or by telephone at 918-367-6762.
The six-year-old Freeland Center for the Performing Arts is a well-appointed 795-seat venue that has hosted such acts as Riders In The Sky, Michael Martin Murphey, and Asleep At The Wheel. For additional information: freelandcenter.org, alittlefartherwest.com
