Bluegrass Monday to Host Kim Robins and Band
JONESBORO – Kim Robins and Forty Years Late will perform a concert of bluegrass music on Monday, Oct. 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.
Born into a musical family and singing in church since the age of five and in her father’s band, Robins was influenced largely by the music of Connie Smith, Loretta Lynn, Buck Owens, Ray Price, Bill Monroe, and Barbara Mandrell. Robins traveled across the country as part of an opening act for musical legends including Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Barbara Mandrell and The Oak Ridge Boys.
Robins took a break from music to raise a family and to earn two college degrees. Her love for music and performing was rekindled when she met and married renowned bluegrass banjo player Butch Robins. With his encouragement, she once again began performing, and at that time, she also began writing her own songs.
She formed a band, Forty Years Late, and they have performed at the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America’s annual convention, at the Folk Alliance conference in Memphis, and at the prestigious Merlefest bluegrass festival. The ensemble has also been an opening act for well-known bluegrass artists including Ralph Stanley, Bobby Osborne and Junior Sisk.
In both 2015 and 2017, Robins was nominated for the Momentum Award given by the International Bluegrass Music Association. This honor recognizes rising stars in the world of bluegrass music. In 2016, Robins released her first CD for the prestigious bluegrass record label Pinecastle Records. That CD has produced numerous hit songs heard on bluegrass radio stations across the country and on Sirius XM satellite radio.
Robins’ band, Forty Years Late, includes guitarist Kyle Estep, bassist Chris Martin, mandolinist Dewayne Guffey, and banjo player Josh Woods. More information about Robins can be found at her website kimrobins.com.
Seating at the concert is first-come, first-served. Doors to the theatre will open at 6 p.m. KASU will literally “pass the hat” during the concert to collect money to pay the group. The suggested donation is $5 per person.
In addition to the concert, Terry’s Café, 201 South Pruett Street in Paragould, opens on Bluegrass Mondays to welcome bluegrass music fans. The café serves a country-style buffet meal beginning at 4:30 p.m. on the evenings of Bluegrass Monday concerts. Concessions will also be available at the Collins Theatre.
Bluegrass Monday concerts are on the fourth Monday night of each month. These concerts are presented with support from Bibb Chiropractic Center, the Posey Peddler, Holiday Inn Express and Suites of Paragould, 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”).
