Bluegrass Martins to present Christmas concert at Bluegrass Monday
JONESBORO — The Bluegrass Martins will perform a special bluegrass concert of Christmas music Monday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m. at the Collins Theatre, 120 West Emerson Street, in downtown Paragould. The concert is part of the Bluegrass Monday concert series presented by KASU 91.9 FM. KASU will literally “pass the hat” to collect money to pay the group. The suggested donation is $5 per person.
(Left to right) — Anne Martin, Dale Martin, Larita Martin, Lee Martin, Janice Martin and Jeana Martin-Faris
Formerly known simply as The Martins, The Bluegrass Martins is a family band from Jefferson City, Mo. The Martin siblings have been performing and recording bluegrass music since 2001. The group has appeared at bluegrass venues from California to the Carolinas, from Minnesota to Texas, and from Florida to Maine.
Since 2003, the Bluegrass Martins have received 47 awards from the Midwest Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA). Named the 2016 Instrumental Band of the Year, the Martins have won this title an unprecedented 12 times.
In 2016, the group received five Midwest SPBGMA awards including Instrumental Band of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Fiddle Performer of the Year and Banjo Performer of the Year. In 2007, the band won the prestigious SPBGMA International Bluegrass Band Championship, recognizing their outstanding live performance skills.
Oldest son Dale Martin sings and plays guitar. He is a four-time winner of SPBGMA Midwest’s Guitar Player of the Year award and two-time winner of Male Vocalist of The Year honor.
Janice Martin sings and plays banjo. She is an eight-time winner of SPBGMA Midwest’s Banjo Player of the Year award. Jeana Martin-Faris sings and plays fiddle. She is a five-time winner of SPBGMA Midwest’s Fiddle Player of the Year honor and two-time winner of the Female Vocalist of the Year award.
Larita Martin plays Dobro. She is a seven-time winner of SPBGMA Midwest’s Dobro Player of the Year award. Youngest son Lee Martin plays mandolin in the band, and youngest daughter Anne Martin clogs and plays upright bass and fiddle.
More information about the band is available at http://www.bluegrassmartins.com/ and http://themartins.homestead.com/.
In addition to the concert, Terry’s Café, 201 South Pruett Street in Paragould, opens on Bluegrass Monday nights to welcome bluegrass music fans. The café serves a catfish buffet meal beginning at 4:30 p.m. on the evenings of Bluegrass Monday concerts. Concessions are also available at the Collins Theatre.
Bluegrass Monday concerts are held on the fourth Monday night of each month. These concerts are presented with support from Bibb Chiropractic, the Posey Peddler, Holiday Inn Express and Suites of Paragould, the Northeast Arkansas Bluegrass Association and KASU.
KASU, 91.9 FM, is the 100,000-watt public broadcasting service of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. For more information, contact KASU Program Director Marty Scarbrough at mscarbro@astate.edu or (870) 972-2367. Bluegrass Monday is also on Facebook (search “Bluegrass Monday”)
