New Cumberland (presented by Cuckoo's Nest)

Event Details

Event type: All Ages / Licensed

Featuring inventive solo work, driving rhythms and three-part vocal harmonies, New Cumberland’s musical integrity and joy in playing together resonates in every performance. The resumes for the various individuals in New Cumberland include bluegrass stints with The Dixie Flyers, Rural Retreat and Cumberland Wail – as well as wide ranging experiences outside bluegrass in rock and folk music. New Cumberland’s members are Tom Burns (guitar/vocals), Blair Heddle (mandolin/dobro/guitar/vocals), Paul Hurdle (banjo/vocals), Tom Rutledge (bass), along with special guest Darrin Schott (fiddle/mandolin).

“The boys in New Cumberland never fail to deliver an entertaining mix of classic bluegrass songs along with lots of great material pulled from other traditions – old and new. Solid lead vocals, sweet harmony singing, and some of the finest instrumental playing you’ll hear anywhere. It’s always a great show.” - Ian Bell, The Crooked Stovepipe, Villa Nova

Proficient in the straight-ahead driving bluegrass of Bill Monroe and Jimmy Martin, New Cumberland also stretches the genre in directions taken by The Seldom Scene, John Hartford and Jerry Garcia’s Old and in the Way. Songs from non- bluegrass artists such as the Grateful Dead, Neil Young, The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Willie P. Bennett are also liable to appear on a New Cumberland set list.

The group’s leader Tom Burns says, “We have a current repertoire of over 100 songs and tunes. Audiences at our shows will get a chance to hear some traditional bluegrass, along with songs by a wide range of diverse songwriters ranging from Bill Monroe and John Hartford to Steve Earle. Jerry Garcia, Robbie Robertson and Neil Young. We also feature some original material as well. We’ll do what we always do, play with heart and energy in order to make the best possible music we can. Our music is driven by the live interaction of the musicians on stage. Everybody plays with what we call ‘big ears.’ We listen to each other in order to make the music come alive in the moment. We hope to see friends both old and new at this welcoming venue.”

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