We’re just two days away from Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands at Caltech on Saturday, October 18 in Beckman Institute Auditorium (Little Beckman) at 8:00 PM.  Those of us who know Laurie’s music don’t need to be told what a special occasion this is, but if you aren’t familiar with her, you might watch and listen to a seven minute interview, with some music, that KQED did in the Bay area recently at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-SW6bQMT_g.

She talks about what attracted her to bluegrass in the first place- the plain spokeness and the natural imagery.  As wonderful as her vocals, songwriting, guitar and fiddle playing, harmonies with Tom Rozum, and the dynamics with the excellent musicians she surrounds herself with are, people are also attracted to her spirit and the way she is fully engaged with life. Laurie has written a lot of songs over the years, and she continues to capture the essence of a huge variety of situations.

See Laurie and The Right Hands perform Barstow, a recent song from the One Evening in May CD, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG0jos-ieb4.  This ballad of a woman doing her best to survive in the highway town of Barstow depicts a message of hope amidst a difficult life in a struggling desert town, which is portrayed with sensitivity and respect.  Some great mandolin from Tom and banjo from Patrick Sauber, too.  Also on the same CD is a delightful song called Kisses, which will definitely bring a smile to your face.   Sorry, it is not on Youtube, but maybe they’ll play it Saturday night!

Hear Laurie and Tom in a slightly different configuration (Laurie Lewis and Her Bluegrass Pals) sing a classic song that Bill Monroe recorded, “Tall Pines,” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mitohz4Y7N8.  Laurie’s brand new CD with Kathy Kallick is another gem, and you can hear Laurie and Kathy sing the gospel song “Happy I’ll Be” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QChUl05zA4.  See below for more about Kathy. And here’s a link to Laurie’s beautiful rendition of “Lark in the Morning,” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtgzUNub_hY.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear some great music.  At this point, plenty of tickets are still available, $18 for adults and $5 for Caltech students and children. Call the Caltech Ticket Office at (626) 395-4652 to purchase them in advance or for more information. If there is a late run on tickets today and tomorrow, things could become tight, as we expect strong ticket sales at the door on Saturday. Arrive a bit early to be sure you don’t miss out.

You’ll notice that we’ve gotten our upcoming concerts listed on our web site!  Check the list to see the outstanding shows coming up in the next 9 months.

Incidentally, you can hear Kathy Kallick, who is performing with her band (but, alas, not Laurie) next week in show in Northridge, sponsored by the Bluegrass Association of Southern California.  We don’t know what the ticket availability is for that one, but check http://www.socalbluegrass.org/SpecialEvents/KallickPage.html for contact information.