For Alison Krauss fans....

shack

Here is an article that was in our local paper today. I thought a few might enjoy reading it (and the picture is nice as well)...

Alison Krauss can't believe she’s touring with Tony Rice

Shock & awe

By WAYNE BLEDSOE, bledsoe@knews.com
May 11, 2007

It's been a long time since Alison Krauss hopped the fence from prodigy to adult star, but the emotional connection she has to the music she fell in love with as a child has never been stronger. "It's worse," says Krauss. "I feel like when I get out the records that I listened to as a younger person I go, 'Oh my gosh!' Before, you just like it and you don't know why. Now I just can't even deal with it!"

Krauss says that's why she's having a tough time coming to terms with going on tour with acoustic music star Tony Rice. The tour will celebrate Rice's career in music, with Rice and Alison Krauss & Union Station performing together.

She first heard Rice when she was 12 years old. She remembers the moment clearly: She and bassist/songwriter John Pennell were on the way to play music, and Pennell put a tape of Rice's music on.

"We stopped at Burger King, getting bacon double cheeseburgers, and he played me 'John Hardy.' And I never even knew there were words to that song at that point. I'd only heard it as a banjo tune."

Krauss fell in love with Rice's music.

"In an ideal world, I would've been there when he recorded (the album) 'Cold on the Shoulder,' " she says.

Rice was already a legend in the flat-pick guitar world when Krauss heard him in 1982 or '83. He and Ricky Skaggs had performed with J.D. Crowe and the New South, and Rice had become a star of both hard-core bluegrass music and progressive acoustic music.

A few years later, Krauss was herself becoming legendary as both a fiddler and a vocalist. She released her first album, "Too Late to Cry," at the age of 16. Eight years later, "Now That I've Found You: A Collection," a sort of combination of retrospective, rare tracks and new songs, turned Krauss into an international star.

"It's so funny; we put that together and I thought, 'Nobody will want this!' " says Krauss.

Spurred on by the country hit "When You Say Nothing at All," and with adult contemporary radio embracing the title cut, the disc sold more than 2 million copies.

Krauss also took her share of jabs from bluegrass purists during the time. Many were none too happy to see their new queen explore other styles of music. However, she and her band Union Station have paid little attention to musical barriers.

"Really, my duty is to follow what grabs me," she says. "Music is an emotional experience, and if we don't follow what moves us, the music will not have the integrity that it's supposed to have."

Krauss' latest disc, "A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection," is a similar project to "Now That I've Found You," but Krauss thinks, overall, a better one. It includes duets with John Waite (a Krauss favorite from the 1980s).

That follows her producing the album "Like Red on a Rose" for Alan Jackson.

She says being able to work with artists whom she admired as a child has been "unbelievable."

"It has just been the most amazing journey playing music, and I am so grateful and blown away for the opportunities that have come my way. And this thing with Tony, if I even talked about it or thought about it for very long, I was just a mess. And his records and who I have imagined him to be through what he chooses to sing for so many years - it's so much who I am as a person, besides musically. It's so connected to who I was as a young girl and who I am now; it's so much a part of my existence that I cannot believe that we get to spend this time together."

Copyright 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.

Ricardo

Nice!!! I'm gonna be out of the country in July...exactly when they'll be presenting close :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

I'd love to go see them.

strider

Those 2 are definitely among the top 10 musicians in the Americana/bluegrass genre. That show's a no-brainer if they come within a couple of hours...

okiepolkie

I'm going to have to wait until next year, but I will travel quite a ways to see her. Her newest album is pretty good. It seems to be a little slower than some of the other stuff I've got of hers, but I like it nonetheless.

Definetly one of my favorite artists.

schwarcw

I'm going to see Tony Rice with Allison Kraus and Union Station tonight.

I'll post my impressions later. I'm stoked!

G-2

We got to see Allison Krauss and Union Station open for Bob Dylan several years ago, they do it live just like they do it on the CD/SACD/DVD/DVD-A, if you get the chance see them, she's amazing!

mhardy6647

wow, what a photograph of her!

Bill Ayotte

Man, I thought they would bring this through Nashville of all places...I guess they are only doing it in Knoxville.....Guess I am waiting another year...Not only is it in Knoxville, it is the week I am doing my cert...Suck.

Ern Dog

Dang, she's a cutie.

shack

Tony Rice with Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas.

Tuesday night, May 15th, 8:00 PM, the Historic Tennessee Theatre, Knoxville TN...At least one member of Club Polk will be in attendance...;)

madmax

Ern Dog wrote: »

Dang, she's a cutie.

Have to agree with that one!
madmax

TroyD

She is coming to Charleston on May 20th.....hoping to be there!

BDT

aaharvel

she's great. and nickel creek was her brain-child (so to speak)

Mike Reeter

She has the voice of an Angel...I've been in love for quite some time...she also performs with a pretty good band

engtaz

great photo

shack

It was a good concert....but not great. It was the music of Tony Rice and not Union Station. Union Station's typical music is more crossover into country and pop and you really need to like bluegrass to apreciate this concert. Not being a knowledgeable bluegrass fan I was unfamiliar with much of the music. I liked most of it. It was well performed. Alison's voice was as usual..."sweet"! Only a little over an hour and a half. The mood was more somber than lively and really gave more of an impression that it was a tribute...rather than just a performance. Tony played but did not sing. The Tennessee Theatre is a small venue with only a few hundred seats (1600 ±) so it is a nice setting. All in all an enjoyable evening.

danger boy

So Alison Krauss and Union station are coming to town this Friday night.. i know nada, zilch, about Alision Krauss and her music..

what can you all say about her and her music? Is she similar to Diana Krall or someone else?

Should I spend the $90+ to go see her? (that's for 2 tix).

strider

danger boy wrote: »

So Alison Krauss and Union station are coming to town this Friday night.. i know nada, zilch, about Alision Krauss and her music..

what can you all say about her and her music? Is she similar to Diana Krall or someone else?

Should I spend the $90+ to go see her? (that's for 2 tix).

It would fall into the bluegrass catagory, some diehard bluegrass fans may call it newgrass. She has the voice of an angel, her band is world class. Did you see "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" If so, her bass player provided the vocals for all of George Clooney's parts. As far as spending the coin to see her, I dunno. I love bluegrass, right now I wouldn't go because I have other things to do with that money. If you like to catch new music, like the venue, and have the coin, I'd say go for it.

skipf

Dang, that lil gal sure is growing up. I've been a fan of hers and her bands since her first album. Seen them play 7-8 times. Union Station is one of the tightest bands I've ever heard. Had front row center seats in the Snitzer Hall in PDX 4 years ago and it was awesome. Jerry Douglas has taken over for Mike Auldridge as the best bluegrass dobro picker IMHO. Ron Block, Dan Taminski and Barry Bales are some of the best in the business. The addition of Tony Rice would only make it better. Wish I could see 'em on this tour. I was too late to pick up tickets for the Charleston show dang it. If any have a chance to go, I would highly recommend it.