YEAR-ROUND FIDDLIN’: Groups announce 4-part concert series

Published 6:45 am Sunday, December 9, 2018

The Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention is held each October, but two groups recently teamed up to bring old-time music to Athens State throughout 2019.

The school’s foundation and steering committee of the Convention recently announced a four-part concert series, set to kick off in January. A press release about the announcement said the idea “will allow bluegrass lovers to enjoy the sounds of old-time music throughout the year.”

All four concerts will be held at Athens State University. The first concert in the series, featuring the Grammy-nominated duo, Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, at McCandless Hall. Future events will be announced as they are finalized.

Dobro player Rob Ickes and acoustic-electric guitarist Trey Hensley joined forces in 2015. The duo share a mutual love of bluegrass, country, blues and western swing, along with other kinds of string band music.

“Their sound continues to delight and astound audiences of traditional American music around the globe,” the release said.

The duo cut its Grammy-nominated first album, “Before the Sun Goes Down,” in 2015, followed by their sophomore album, “Country Blues,” in 2016.

“Their music is a perfect reflection of their ever-growing and diversifying collaborative talent,” the release said.

For more information, call the office of University Advancement at 256-233-8185 or visit https://bit.ly/2zQtQjd.