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Weekly live bluegrass series returns to Red Sky Ranch today

Daily Staff Report

WOLCOTT – Red Sky Ranch serves up music with soul as the second annual Bluegrass on the Green series kicks off today.Groove to live bluegrass on the outdoor patio of Summer Thyme Restaurant from 6-10 p.m. each Thursday through Aug. 31. On their way to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, the Greencards kick off the series.Though the Greencards are steeped in the tradition of bluegrass, The Greencards weave influences as disparate as Bob Dylan, Newgrass Revival and Patty Griffin. Their willingness to color outside the lines has earned the band accolades from critics and fans alike. In their relatively short existence, they formed at the beginning of 2003, The Greencards have hauled in a Best New Band award at the 2004 Austin Music Awards and been nominated for Best New Emerging Talent at the 2004 Americana Music Awards. They were also selected to open all 30 dates of Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson’s 2005 Summer tour.It all began in Austin, Texas, when Kym Warner (mandolin) and Carol Young (bass) met Eamon McLoughlin (fiddle) in a recording studio to work on a project for another artist. The connection was immediate and based on a shared love of traditional acoustic music. The trio decided to work together after jamming around and realizing they knew an inordinately large number of songs. They joined forces to try to crack the Austin music scene and landed a regular Sunday gig playing three-hour sets of bluegrass and country cover tunes. “You have to start with something,” says Warner. “We knew all these songs and wanted to play out so that’s what we did. Part of the reason we all moved to the States was because we didn’t have very many opportunities to play this kind of music in Australia and England.”

Ah yes, that’s the ironic part of the story – the band making distinctly American music is comprised of two Australians (Warner and Young) and a Brit (McLoughlin). Members’ passion was so strong they crossed oceans and continents to chase down the driving rhythm and high harmonies of bluegrass in the land where it was born. But, because of their backgrounds, they couldn’t help but infuse their brand of bluegrass with a different, more global energy.”We each have listened to so many kinds of things and that comes into the music we create,” says Warner. “I listen to a lot of Tom Petty and Bob Dylan. But as a band, our sound is probably most influenced by New Grass Revival, Emmylou Harris and Alison Krauss.””When I was a kid I listened to Ricky Skaggs almost exclusively,” adds McLoughlin. “I really shunned pop music. As I grew up I realized how much of an influence Irish music was. My parents are Irish and I spend a lot of time there. I try to add some of that into what we do. As I got older, especially after I moved to America, I began listening to more English music-The Beatles, Richard Thompson. Maybe I’m getting hip in my old age.” All concerts are free and open to the public. Specialty bourbons, barbecue and more will be available for purchase. Summer Thyme restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating at the Guest Clubhouse. For more information, call Summer Thyme at 477-8431 or visit http://www.redskygolfclub.com.Bluegrass on the Green schedule

Today – The Green Cards, a national actJune 22 – Sweet Sunny SouthJune 29 – 3 Left FeetJuly 6 – Two High String Band, from Austin TexasJuly 13 – SlipstreamJuly 20 – Hit and Run, huge following in ColoradoJuly 27 – Sweet Sunny South



Aug. 3 – Bluegrace Mountain Band Aug. 10 – Open Road Bluegrass, a national actAug. 17 – Nashville String Dusters, a national actAug. 24 – SlipstreamAug. 31 – Two High String BandVail, Colorado


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