The Blue Ridge Music Center presents The Steep Canyon Rangers with special guest Lakota John live in concert in our spacious outdoor amphitheater on the Blue Ridge Parkway
STEEP CANYON RANGERS
Steep Canyon Rangers are Asheville, North Carolina’s GRAMMY winners, perennial Billboard chart-toppers, and frequent collaborators of the renowned banjoist (and occasional comedian) Steve Martin. In 2020 Steep Canyon Rangers have release two albums, both on Yep Roc Records. The North Carolina Songbook which is a recording of their live performance of all North Carolina Songwriters performed in 2019 at Merlefest in Wilkesboro, NC. They also released Be Still Moses. Perhaps their most singular musical partnership to date – teaming with Philadelphia soul legends Boyz II Men and their hometown Asheville Symphony to completely overhaul the Rangers’ original “Be Still Moses,” which was first recorded on their 2007 breakout album Lovin’ Pretty Women. The album includes re-imagined versions of Steep Canyon’s previously released original songs performed with an orchestra. The Rangers are made up of Woody Platt on guitar and vocals, Graham Sharp on banjo and vocals, Mike Guggino on mandolin/mandola and vocals, Nicky Sanders on fiddle and vocals, Mike Ashworth on drums and vocals, and Barrett Smith on bass and vocals.
LAKOTA JOHN
John Lakota Locklear cites musical greats like Jimi Hendrix, Reverend Gary Davis, and Etta Baker among his main influences, teaching him timing and how to combine the simple and complex seamlessly. Lakota John speaks through his instrument, leaving space and breathing room in between heartfelt notes, and bending his thumb around the top of the neck to hit bass notes that punctuate jaunty ragtimes and lilting blues numbers.
Though Lakota John plays ragtime and blues, he still “represents native,” and speaks proudly of his Lumbee and Lakota Sioux ancestry. He also uses his guitar as a symbol—an eagle feather is tied to his instrument, and it is important for him that people know that he is proud to be Native American.