October 28, 2003
Contact: Susan Gwynne
(805) 893-2098
e-mail: gwynne-s@sa.ucsb.edu

UCSB Arts & Lectures and Sings Like Hell present the acclaimed Americana group Alison Krauss + Union Station at the Arlington Theatre

Summary Facts:

• Alison Krauss + Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas
• The best-selling country and bluegrass superstars
• Krauss has won 14 Grammy Awards
• Co-presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures and Sings Like Hell
• Wednesday, December 3 / 8 pm
• Arlington Theatre, 1317 State Street, Santa Barbara
• General: $50/$40, UCSB students: $25, $100 for VIP seating and post-concert reception
• Tickets/information: UCSB Arts & Lectures at (805) 893-3535 or the Arlington Ticket Agency at (805) 963-4408

UCSB Arts & Lectures and Sings Like Hell present a concert by bluegrass/country superstars Alison Krauss + Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas on Wednesday, December 3 at 8 pm at the Arlington Theatre, 1317 State Street, Santa Barbara. AKUS, as the band is known, helped make the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack a surprise best-selling, Grammy-winning hit, bringing a new generation of fans to traditional American music. Alison Krauss’s wonderful vocals, a bewitching blend of sweetness and sadness, and her championship-caliber violin playing are matched by a peerless band that includes dobro ace Jerry Douglas and vocalist/guitarist Dan Tyminski. The concert will prove why one reviewer called their live show “a tour de force of modern acoustic soul” and why the Boston Globe praised them for “breathtaking virtuosity and friendly, back-porch fun.”

Alison Krauss signed a record deal with Rounder Records at age 14, and two years later released Too Late To Cry. About this incredible debut Amazon.com claims, “What amazes is the masterful command she has over her angelic voice. And her fiddle licks are even more impressive. The record simply oozes potential and poise, even if the best was yet to come.” Krauss garnered her first Grammy nomination at 18, and she has since gone on to win, collectively and individually, 14 Grammy Awards, the second highest total ever won by a female artist (Aretha Franklin has won the most).

Since her teens, Krauss has toured with Union Station, though the band membership has changed several times since she joined at the invitation of bassist and songwriter John Pennell. In 1993, Alison joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry, and in 1995 she released Now That I’ve Found You: A Collection which has sold more than two million copies and garnered Alison four Country Music Association Awards. The band’s latest release is Live, a double CD recorded at the Palace Theater in Louisville. Alison maintains a heavy touring schedule with each release but always makes time to work in the studio, whether it is at the request of a fellow band member or with artists as diverse as Dolly Parton or Yo-Yo Ma.

Dan Tyminski, acoustic guitar, lead and harmony vocalist for Union Station, is one of the most dynamic and talented performers on the bluegrass scene. His outstanding vocal abilities and hard driving instrumental style have earned him a loyal following. Before becoming a member of Union Station in 1994, Tyminski played mandolin and sang with the Lonesome River Band. Tyminski gained national recognition as the singing voice of George Clooney in the motion picture O Brother, Where Art Thou? Dan won Single of the Year at the 2001 Country Music Association Awards Show and a 2001 Grammy Award for “Man of Constant Sorrow.”

Dobro player Jerry Douglas has wielded incalculable influence on bluegrass and its many related genres. His transcendent technique and his passionate musicality have helped him net six Grammy Awards and six International Bluegrass Music Association Dobro Player of the Year awards. LIFE Magazine named him one of the ten best country musicians of all time. A former member of the Country Gentlemen with Ricky Skaggs in the 1970s, Douglas has recorded with many greats including Edgar Meyer, Sam Bush, Mark O’Connor and Béla Fleck.

Barry Bales, bass player and harmony vocalist for AKUS since 1990, has become one of the most in demand session players in bluegrass and acoustic music. He has recorded and performed with such artists as Reba McEntire, Susan Ashton, Merle Haggard, Ronnie Bowman, The Cox Family, Vince Gill and Dolly Parton. Bales has received seven Grammy Awards, five International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, and one Country Music Association Award.

For the past ten years, Ron Block has been the spiritual touchstone of Alison Krauss + Union Station, contributing not only sterling musicianship on banjo and guitar, but also a catalogue of beautiful songs that deal mostly with issues of religious faith and devotion. Before joining Union Station, Block was a member of the Lynn Morris Band (1991) and Weary Hearts (1985-1989).

Read about Alison Krauss + Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas on their website at www.alisonkrauss.com.

This show is presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures and Sings Like Hell and sponsored by the Santa Barbara Independent. Tickets are $50 and $40 for the general public and $25 for UCSB students. Special $100 tickets include VIP seating and a post-concert reception.

For tickets or more information,
call UCSB Arts & Lectures at (805) 893-3535.

Editor: For photos, please call
Susan Gwynne at (805) 893-2098.