By Marty Warburton, For Iron County Today
The recent sight of hundreds of Sheep literally marching down Main Street serves as a reminder of Cedar City’s many historic traditions. Among these traditions, and perhaps slightly under the radar, is Cedar City Music Arts. For 95 years CCMA has been bringing world class talent from around the globe to perform in our little corner of the state. Second only to The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, CCMA is the oldest arts organization in Utah.
Season number ninety-five started with a bang on October 1st with The Utah Symphony’s annual visit, the first of a total of six concerts slated for this season, all to take place at The Heritage Center Theater.
CCMA will present it’s second event, “An Evening of Double Duos,” on Thursday, November 21st.. The Tim May and Steve Smith Duo begin the evening with original, traditional and swing music with mandolinist/vocalist Steve Smith and Nashville guitarist/vocalist Tim May. Based out of New Mexico, their show includes tight vocal harmonies, dazzling guitar, mandolin, octave mandolin and twin mandolin works throughout a broad range of styles, and an array of vocal and instrumental selections.
After a short intermission, the duo of Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley will close out the evening in a most impressive fashion. Ickes grew up in a suburb of San Francisco and discovered the Dobro slide guitar as a teenager. It turned out that Rob and the instrument were made for each other. He later moved to Nashville to pursue recording session work, appearing on hundreds of releases and earning an unprecedented number of IBMA Dobro Player of the Year awards. Rob Ickes is a true master of the resophonic acoustic guitar.
Trey Hensley grew up in East Tennessee and began singing when he was just 6 years old. A few years later, his parents took him to a bluegrass festival where the lineup included Jimmy Martin, the “King” of bluegrass. Hensley decided then and there that he wanted to play guitar. At age 11, he gave a life changing first performance on the Grand Ole Opry, playing guitar with Earl Scruggs and Marty Stuart. His capabilities on acoustic guitar are other-worldly.
GRAMMY nominees Ickes and Hensley have performed in places as close to their home as the Grand Ole Opry, and as far away as Denmark’s Tonder Festival. Together, this duo is musically unstoppable. Pure fire.
“We want to keep doing the music that we love, no matter what the genre, and find audiences that get what we’re mixing together” says Ickes. Hensley adds, “I love what we’re doing.” So will you.
The concert begins at 7:30pm on Thursday, November 21st (one week before Thanksgiving), at the Heritage Center Theater, doors will open at 6:30pm. Cedar City Music Arts wishes to thank the RAP tax commission, and the loyal season ticket holders, sponsors and volunteers that will help to make a cold winter night just a little bit warmer. For Tickets call 435-865-2882 or visit CedarCityMusicArts.org.