Feller and Hill, Bluegrass Buckeroos To Perform For KASU Bluegrass Monday
JONESBORO, Ark. — Feller and Hill and the Bluegrass Buckaroos will perform a concert of bluegrass music on Monday, May 12, at 7 p.m. at the Collins Theatre, 120 West Emerson Street, in downtown Paragould. The concert is part of the Bluegrass Monday concert series presented by Arkansas State University’s public broadcasting service KASU 91.9 FM. KASU will literally “pass the hat” to collect money to pay the group. The suggested donation is $5 per person.
Tom Feller was born into a musical family in Milan, Ind. As a child, he was exposed to a wide range of country and bluegrass music. Family members were in the professional band The Boys From Indiana, and from a young age, he accompanied them on their tour bus, learning the bluegrass music business. He is a former member of the Larry Stephenson Band, Rhonda Vincent’s band The Rage, and Three Fox Drive. Feller plays mandolin and sings.
Chris Hill grew up in Covington, Ky., listening to his grandmother’s Southern Gospel and Stanley Brothers records. He was a competitive and professional clogging dancer, twice being named national champion. As a dancer, he appeared on the Grand Ole Opry. At age 21, Hill began playing banjo, at that time immersing himself into all things bluegrass. Hill has been a member of the James King Band, The Wildwood Valley Boys, and Karl Shiflett and Big Country Show.
Feller and Hill crossed paths professionally, and when they made music together, they realized that they had something special, especially with their vocal harmonies. Once they decided to form a group based around their vocals, they quickly became one of the most in-demand bluegrass bands on the circuit, playing venues across the country. Their vocal styles are reminiscent of bluegrass duets from the past and of classic country singers like Buck Owens and Ray Price. The duo released their second CD last month for Blue Circle Records.
Joining Feller and Hill on tour as the Bluegrass Buckaroos are Tom Poe and Glen Inman. Poe has been playing bluegrass since age five and performing professionally since age 12. He has performed in the bands of Dave Evans, Larry Sparks, Dr. Ralph Stanley and Country Music Hall of Fame member Mac Wiseman. Poe is also a bluegrass music radio disc jockey, an in-demand emcee for bluegrass events, and a bluegrass concert promoter.
Inman has a long career playing bass for well-known bluegrass bands including those led by Red Allen, James King, Gerald Evans and Larry Sparks.
More information about the group is available at www.fellerandhill.com.
KASU’s Bluegrass Monday concerts are typically on the fourth Monday night of each month; however, with Memorial Day falling on the fourth Monday in May, the concert for this month only will be moved to Monday, May 12, the second Monday of the month.
In addition to the concert, Terry’s Café, 201 South Pruett Street in Paragould, opens on Bluegrass Monday nights to welcome bluegrass music fans. The café serves a catfish buffet meal beginning at 4:30 p.m. Concessions will also be available at the Collins Theatre.
These concerts are presented with support from Bibb Chiropractic, the Posey Peddler, Holiday Inn Express and Suites of Paragould, the Northeast Arkansas Bluegrass Association and KASU.
KASU, 91.9 FM, is the 100,000-watt public broadcasting service of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. For more information, contact KASU Program Director Marty Scarbrough at mscarbro@astate.edu or 870-972-2367. Bluegrass Monday is also on Facebook (search “Bluegrass Monday”).
