The 2009 Lovett Live/WKMS-FM Music from the Front Porch Concert offers bluegrass fans both seasoned and brand-new talent as the stellar Blue Highway headlines after a young bluegrass ensemble New Blue opens the concert in Murray State's two-thousand seat Lovett Auditorium Saturday, January 17 at 7 p.m.
Just two months ago Blue Highway earned two IBMA awards (International Bluegrass Music Association) as "Through the Window of a Train" won the Song of the Year Award, and Rob Ickes, perhaps the most awarded instrumentalist in IBMA history, won his 10th Dobro Player of the Year trophy. "Through the Window of a Train" ranked #1 on both the National Bluegrass Survey's album chart and the singles chart in September and November of this year. Blue Highway members - Jason Burleson (banjo, guitar, mandolin), Rob Ickes (dobro), Shawn Lane (mandolin, fiddle, vocals), Tim Stafford (guitar, vocals), and Wayne Taylor (bass, vocals) – together have achieved two Grammy nominations and a Dove Award for their eight album performances.
“Blue Highway’s music is a staple on Music From the Front Porch,” says Front Porch co-host and WKMS Program Director Mark Welch, “I’m really looking forward to hearing Rob Ickes, whose dobro work ranks right up there with Jerry Douglas’.” Music from the Front Porch airs on 91.3 FM WKMS Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with Mark Welch and John McMillen alternating weeks as hosts.
New Blue is a recently formed band of musicians ranging from ages 13 to 23. Members Clint Morgan (guitar, lead vocals), Cody Campbell (upright bass, vocals) and Aaron Thompson (banjo) hail from Benton, KY. Logan Yandell (mandolin, vocals) and Miles Thompson (fiddle) come from Franklin, TN. Meeting and picking together at various bluegrass competitions prompted these young talents to form their own bluegrass band to showcase the music tradition they love. Along with many individual recognitions, New Blue recently placed 2nd in competition at the 2008 Western Kentucky Regional Fiddle Festival.
General admission only tickets are on sale for $16 at all Ticketmaster locations, Ticketmaster.com, Murray State's Regional Special Events Center Box Office, or 1-877-894-4474. The tickets are also available the night of the concert at Lovett Auditorium, which opens at 6 p.m., January 17. Public radio station WKMS also starts its annual silent auction fundraiser at 6 p.m. with items donated by area businesses and individuals. Support for 2009 Music From the Front Porch Concert comes from Flamingo Row of Paducah, Legacy Oxygen and Home Care Equipment of Murray and Paducah, Trover Health Systems of Madisonville and Western Baptist Hospital of Paducah.
Contact WKMS - phone: 1-800-599-4737 or 1-270-809-4359 mail: 2018 University Station, Murray, KY 42071
The mission of WKMS is to foster excellence, build partnerships and create community. These imperatives direct the selection and creation of programming; news reporting; financial administration and collaboration with professional, volunteer and student staff, listeners, other community institutions, and our licensee, Murray State University.
The 2009 Lovett Live/WKMS-FM Music from the Front Porch Concert offers bluegrass fans both seasoned and brand-new talent as the stellar Blue Highway headlines after a young bluegrass ensemble New Blue opens the concert in Murray State's two-thousand seat Lovett Auditorium Saturday, January 17 at 7 p.m. 
