Red State Ramblers Reunite to Play UK
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 8, 2009) – Old-time string band the Red State Ramblers will reunite for a performance at their alma mater, University of Kentucky, where they will present the last concert of "Appalachia in the Bluegrass," a concert series that explores traditional music in the Appalachian region. This concert marks the first time the group has played together since one of its members, Jeff Keith, started teaching at Warren Wilson College. The free public concert featuring the Red State Ramblers is set for noon Friday, Dec. 11, at the Niles Gallery, located in the Lucille C. Little Fine Arts Library and Learning Center.
The Red State Ramblers focus on playing music rooted in Kentucky’s rich traditional music heritage. The group has performed around Kentucky for several years and at additional shows in the northeast, as well as the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Festival held in Tennessee.
In 2006, the band released its first CD, comprised of favorite old-time songs that display both old and new Kentucky traditions. In 2008, the group received the Red Ribbon for a performance at the 2008 Appalachian String Band Music Festival held in Clifftop, W.Va. Most recently, the band released its second CD, "Commonwealth," based on the traditional music of Kentucky.
The Red State Ramblers, whose members all have attended or are still attending UK, features Will Bacon on the banjo and kazoo; Kevin Kehrberg on bass and guitar; Jeff Keith on the guitar and mandolin; and Nikos Pappas on the fiddle. At UK, Kehrberg and Pappas are doctoral candidates in musicology and Keith is a doctoral candidate in history. Bacon received his bachelor's degree in business from UK, Keith and Kehrberg have already completed master's degrees at the university.
To hear music from the Red State Ramblers, visit the group's MySpace page at www.myspace.com/redstateramblers.
The Red State Ramblers, showcasing UK's own talented musicians, has traditionally closed the "Appalachia in the Bluegrass" concert series since 2006.
The "Appalachia in the Bluegrass" concert series, presented by UK's John Jacob Niles Center for American Music, showcases a diverse selection of traditional musical expression. This series focuses on the many faces of indigenous American folk music, celebrating its roots in old-time music. All "Appalachia in the Bluegrass" concerts take place in the gallery of the Niles Center in the Little Fine Arts Library on UK's central campus. Niles Gallery concerts are scheduled on Fridays at noon and are free and open to the public.
The John Jacob Niles Center for American Music is a collaborative research and performance center of the UK College of Fine Arts, UK School of Music and UK Libraries.
For more information on the Red State Ramblers concert at UK's Niles Gallery, contact Ron Pen, director of the Niles Center, by phone at (859) 257-8183.