Eddie Owen Presents: Seldom Scene

The Seldom Scene are due to take on the Red Clay Music Foundry stage as presented by Eddie Owen Presents in Beautiful Downtown Duluth on Saturday, October 13th at 8pm.

The Seldom Scene is an American bluegrass band formed in 1971 in Bethesda, Maryland. The Scene has been instrumental in starting the progressive bluegrass movement as their shows include bluegrass versions of country music, rock, and even pop. What does it take for a bluegrass band to remain popular for more than four decades? For The Seldom Scene, it's taken not only talented musicians, a signature sound, and a solid repertoire, but also a sheer sense of fun.

Since their inception, The Seldom Scene have thrived on playing bluegrass a little differently than everyone else. While other bands used a fiddler, the Seldom Scene used a Dobro, and when others maintained old standards, the Seldom Scene played rock classics like J.J. Cale's "After Midnight." Through skilled musicianship and a fresh approach to bluegrass, the Seldom Scene have become one of the most influential -- if not the most influential -- bluegrass bands of their time.

In 1971, mandolinist John Duffey, banjo player Ben Eldridge, guitarist John Starling, bassist Tom Gray, and Dobro player Mike Auldridge formed the Seldom Scene. Early albums like 1973's Act 1 and 1975's Live at the Cellar Door set the pace for progressive bluegrass while defining a unique sound that included Starling's smooth vocals, Duffey's versatile tenor, and Auldridge's ringing Dobro. The band's smooth harmonies, love of eclectic material, and Duffey's colorful stage antics further separated the band from its peers. In 1977, Starling left the group to return to his medical practice and was replaced by vocalist Phil Rosenthal.

This change began a chain of band member alterations; however, despite the Seldom Scene's history of weathering more hurdles than most bands, the band member shifts did little to alter the signature Seldom Scene sound.

While Eldridge is the only remaining original member to date, the band continues to carry the spirit set forth by the Seldom Scene back in 1971. Their 2000 recording Scene It All features both ringing Dobro and tight harmonies, as well as covers by Chuck Berry, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Dylan, while 2007's Different Roads anthology and the all-new Scenechronized continue the group's love affair with melody and impeccable musicianship. In what turned out to be a reunion of sorts, the band welcomed back both Starling and Gray to rework many of the band's most requested live songs for their 2014 studio album Long Time...Seldom Scene, which featured guest spots from Emmylou Harris, Chris Eldridge, and Rickie Simpkins. It was also the band's first recording for the Smithsonian Folkways label. The Seldom Scene continues to garner both critical acclaim and adoration from a legion of fans, emerging at the forefront of progressive as well as traditional bluegrass bands, continuing to amaze fans and influence future generations of musicians.

On Saturday, October 13th 8pm Eddie Owen will present The Seldom Scene to perform on the Red Clay Music Foundry stage. Tickets are available at the Box Office, by phone (404) 478-2749, and online: https://goo.gl/KvG7hv