SHENANDOAH IN CONCERT:
Grammy-winning country outfit Shenandoah has been depicting small-town life with their moving lyrics and soulful sound for more than three decades, and their live shows remain fun as ever under the continued leadership of founding frontman Marty Raybon. In concert the band's gospel and bluegrass influences shine bright as Raybon fills the venue with his warm voice and deft acoustic fingerpicking, treating fans to an uplifting experience brimming with the tones and tales of life in the South. Soaring harmonies have always been the group's sonic calling card, and Shenandoah doesn't disappoint in concert, nailing their lush multi-part vocals with a precision that has only gotten more impressive with time. As pioneers of the new traditionalist country movement the band puts musicianship first and foremost, and seeing them perform favorites like "Two Dozen Roses" and "The Church on Cumberland Road" in the flesh leaves no doubt that they remain at the height of their playing powers.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
Shenandoah formed as a house band in Muscle Shoals, AL in 1984 and cut their teeth performing to a nightly bar crowd of neighborhood locals. After sending their demos to Columbia Records the label suggested the name Shenandoah, and in 1987 the band released their self-titled debut album under the moniker. The record failed to chart, but their 1989 follow-up The Road Not Taken cracked the Top 10 on country charts in both the US and Canada thanks to three No. 1 singles including "Sunday in the South". After a whirlwind tour that saw the band play 300 shows in 1989 alone, Shenandoah continued to enjoy success in the '90s with a string of Top 40 albums that included Long Time Comin' (1992) and Under the Kudzu (1993). In 1995 they won a Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for their song "Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart," a duet with bluegrass sweetheart Allison Krauss. Despite the success, lead vocalist Marty Raybon left the group in 1997 to pursue a solo career, but he got the band back together in 2000 with a new lineup and released the album Shenandoah 2000. They've been back at it ever since with founding members Raybon and drummer Mike McGuire performing with a rotating roster of players who always live up to the band's sterling reputation.
