MUSIC

The Grand 1894 Opera House presents Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers.  An Evening of Bluegrass and Banjo, Saturday, August 27, 2011, at 8 pm. Mix “wild and crazy guy” Steve Martin with the Bluegrass sounds of the Steep Canyon Rangers and you get one unforgettable evening of music and fun!

Internationally-acclaimed Emmy, Grammy, and American Comedy-winning entertainer - Steve Martin, takes to The Grand’s stage with North Carolina’s Steep Canyon Rangers, for just one superb performance this summer. When Martin takes center stage with these talented Bluegrass musicians, the theatre will be filled with non-stop music and comedy! His impressive musical talent – especially playing the banjo – has long played a supporting role when he was filling arenas with his wild and crazy stand-up comedy shows in the 1970s. And this special night at The Grand is sure to be just as wild, crazy, and fun!

Steve Martin is recognized as one of the most diversified performers in the motion picture industry today. He has been successful as a writer and performer in some of the most popular movies of recent film history, including The Jerk (1979), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), Father of the Bride (1991) and It's Complicated (2009). Since becoming involved in the modern bluegrass scene, Martin has been impressed with the overall level of musicianship that exists in the world of the professional and semi-professional players. As such, in 2010, Martin established The Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass, an annual award which brings recognition to an individual or group for outstanding accomplishment in the field of five-string banjo or bluegrass music. In its inaugural year, the award was presented to Noam Pikelny. In January 2010, Martin’s banjo album, The Crow / New Songs For The Five-String Banjo, won a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album, and was later released as Rare Bird Alert on Rounder Records.

The Steep Canyon Rangers latest record, Deep In The Shade, stayed on the Billboard Bluegrass Top Ten for 18 weeks. Along with Martin, they have headlined Merlefest and Bonaroo, and appeared on Late Night with David Letterman and Austin City Limits. Known for their smooth vocals, smart songwriting, ferocious instruments and jaw-dropping harmony, the Steep Canyon Rangers have developed from college picking buddies in Chapel Hill, N.C. to one of the premier acoustic ensembles of the day.