Altamont Theatre hosts a Country Music Tribute series

The Altamont Theatre’s Country Music Tribute series includes Hanks A Lot: a Tribute to the many Hanks of Country Music and Sweet Dreamers: a Tribute to Patsy Cline among others.

Press release from the venue:

Country Tribute Shows

Hanks A Lot: a Tribute to the many Hanks of Country Music!
Friday May 22nd
doors at 7pm show at 8pm
PURCHASE TICKETS
The name Hank has become synonymous with country music, thanks to the great Hank Williams, Sr. who wrote and performed so many songs that are now standards of the American songbook. In addition to Hank Senior’s son and grandson, the history of country music is brimming with a number of accomplished Hanks, and they’ve all inspired our latest tribute presentation: Hanks A Lot. Join some of WNC’s most caring keepers of the country flame as we pay homage not only to the legendary Hank Williams and his kin, but to the other great Hanks as well: Thompson, Snow, Cochran, Penny, Locklin, Garland, and more.

Our band includes guitarist and singer Sammy Guns, formerly of Southbound Turnaround (voted one of the region’s best country bands in a recent poll), R. Scott Murray, pedal steel guitarist for Raising Caine (Asheville’s hottest honky-tonk outfit), and drummer David Cohen, whose list of credits includes David Holt, David Wilcox, the Faux Four, and Sweet Dreamers (who recently performed their Patsy Cline tribute to a sold-out Altamont Theatre audience). An amazing and comprehensive night of classic country and American music awaits… don’t miss it!

Sweet Dreamers: a Tribute to Patsy Cline
Friday June 12th
doors at 7pm show at 8pm
PURCHASE TICKETS
An homage to the legendary and unparalleled Patsy Cline, Sweet Dreamers will take you back to one of the sweetest times in country music. Asheville’s Sweet Dreamers features the soulful voices of CaroMia Tiller, Mary Ellen Davis and Cary Fridley singing Patsy’s ageless tunes. Join us for a night of magic and celebration of the one and only Patsy Cline.

Welcome to Buckersfield: a Tribute to Buck Owens and Merle Haggard
Saturday June 20th
doors at 7pm show at 8pm
PURCHASE TICKETS
Before the so-called Outlaw Country movement of the 70s rose up in response to the conservative country music establishment in Nashville, a working class town in the San Joaquin Valley of southern California was already famous for a harder and louder form of honky-tonk music directly at odds with the terminal slickness of Music City. The Bakersfield Sound was born in the bars and dance halls of that town, and its greatest proponents and performers were Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. Along with their respective bands, The Buckaroos and The Strangers, Buck & Merle helped forge an entire sub-genre of country music that topped the charts and is still loved and celebrated the world over.

Come help us celebrate the Bakersfield Sound of Buck & Merle, as we focus primarily on the grittier sound of their seminal 1960s output. It’s all telecasters and steel guitars on this night of west coast country in the mountains of western North Carolina.

Charles “Wigg” Walker Band
Saturday May 30th
doors at 7pm show at 8pm
PURCHASE TICKETS
Not a Tribute, but worth mentioning here! Charles Walker was born in Nashville, Tennessee on July 12, 1940. Charles or “Wigg,” as he is known by his friends (his mother nicknamed him when he was born with a full head of hair), began singing at an early age in church and school. He cut his first record in 1959 for Ted Jarrett’s legendary Champion label.

In 1960, Charles moved to New York City where studios and nightclub work were plentiful. 1962 found Charles recording with Chess Records out of Chicago, and soon he signed on as lead singer with the J.C. Davis Band. This band began touring the country opening for the greats of the era including James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Etta James, Wilson Pickett, Little Willie John, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke. The J.C. Davis Band recorded some real barnstormers for Chess like “Sweet Sweet Love” and “The Chicken Scratch.” In 1964, Charles formed his own group, Little Charles and the Sidewinders. They became one of the most in demand soul bands in New York City’s nightclub scene, performing at the Apollo Theater, Small’s Paradise and venturing out to Las Vegas and Atlantic City. In 1979, Charles signed on with Motown as a staff writer.

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About Alli Marshall
Alli Marshall has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. She is the winner of the 2016 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize and the author of the novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," published by Logosophia Books. Follow me @alli_marshall

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