Concerts

The Grand Rapids Chorus of Sweet Adelines + The Robin Connell Trio featuring Mary Rademacher

A singer, composer and actor, Lyle Lovett has broadened the definition of American music in a career that spans 14 albums. Coupled with his gift for storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers. Whether touring as a Duo or with his Acoustic Group or his Large Band, Lovett's live performances show not only the breadth of this Texas legend's deep talents but also the diversity of his influences, making him one of the most compelling and captivating musicians in popular music. Since his self-titled debut in 1986, Lyle Lovett has evolved into one of music's most vibrant and iconic performers. Among his many accolades—besides the four Grammy Awards—he was given the Americana Music Association's inaugural Trailblazer Award and was named Texas State Musician. His works, rich and eclectic, are some of the most beloved of any artist working today.

At age 86, Buddy Guy is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee; a major influence on rock titans like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan; a pioneer of Chicago’s fabled West Side sound; and a living link to the city’s halcyon days of electric blues. He has received eight Grammy Awards, a 2015 Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award, 38 Blues Music Awards—the most of any artist, the Billboard Magazine Century Award for distinguished artistic achievement, a Kennedy Center Honor, and the Presidential National Medal of Arts. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him No. 23 in its "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." Though Buddy will forever be associated with Chicago, his story actually begins in Louisiana. One of five children, he was born to a sharecropper’s family and raised on a plantation near the small town of Lettsworth, 140 miles northwest of New Orleans. He was 7 years old when he fashioned his first makeshift “guitar”—a two-string contraption attached to a piece of wood and secured with his mother’s hairpins. In honor of his 85th birthday, PBS American Masters released the documentary “Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase The Blues Away,” following his rise to becoming one of the most influential guitar players of all time. Buddy remains a genuine American treasure and one of the final surviving connections to an historic era in the country’s musical evolution.

Franklin Park

For two decades now, Greensky Bluegrass have been building an empire, brick by brick. They are widely known for their dazzling live performances and relentless touring schedule—only the tip of the complex tale of the five musicians making up the band: Anders Beck (dobro), Michael Arlen Bont (banjo), Dave Bruzza (guitar), Mike Devol (upright bass), and Paul Hoffman (mandolin). The five are connected through a deep bond; just as they are seasoned road warriors, they’re a band of brothers who’ve seen each other through decades of ups and downs, personal and collective highlights, and the moments when life turns it all upside down. They’re real people having real experiences. As with traditional bluegrass, they write about their own contemporary day-to-day happenings, emotions and experiences in the modern world. Their underground die-hard fans pack out venues across the country. They travel in droves and sell out multiple-night show runs at iconic venues like Red Rocks and The Ryman. And, band members note, Greensky Bluegrass isn’t all for money. They did it for romantic reasons such as love, catharsis, and because it mattered to them and their listeners. They love what we do and they’re grateful for the love they receive from the people listening.

In the 24 years since eclectic improv-rock band Umphrey’s McGee formed, their sound has been an amalgamation of genres, moods, and tempos, effortlessly flowing from one feeling to the next throughout an album or a concert—or a singular song. Yet time and repetition breed personal and musical wisdom and maturity. With 2022’s album Asking For A Friend, Umphrey’s McGee entered the recording studio with something to say and a wise, measured way to say it. Mostly recorded in three distinct sessions at three different studios during the pandemic and never played live,the album is the band’s first since 2009’s Mantis that fans haven’t had a sneak peek of from stage. Working on new music by day and performing via live stream at night proved to be highly successful and entertaining for the band who’d just been sidelined a mere three months before. Pulling the ripcord and taking an enforced break after twenty years of touring resulted in a complex emotional reaction from members of Umphrey’s McGee. The astoundingly cohesive 14-song album feels like a fresh statement from a group of world-class musicians and friends reapproaching their craft with a new lens. The band longtime fans know and love remains present. It’s simply more refined; more focused.

River Rogues Jazz Band + In Full Swing

Musicians from West Michigan will gather at Meijer Gardens this summer to present the Sunday Strings live classical chamber music concert series. Produced and Directed by Haijin Choi.

Jenny Lewis released her fourth and most critically acclaimed solo album to date, On The Line, in 2019. Recorded at the distinguished Capitol Studios, the album features a who’s who of supporting players including Beck, Don Was, Benmont Tench, Jim Keltner, Ringo Starr, and Beck sidemen Jason Falkner and Smokey Hormel among others. The album continues to generate rave reviews, with Vulture declaring it her “best work to date,” and top spots on Best of 2019 (So Far) lists including Rolling Stone, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today and AV Club. A culmination of Lewis’ prolific 20-plus year career, On The Line follows her three previous solo albums as well as her universally-loved work in Rilo Kiley and several side projects. After a globe-spanning 2019 tour that saw her headline the likes of The Ryman, Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre, and a very special stop at NPR Music’s Tiny Desk, Jenny spent 2020 and 2021 recording new music, including the Dave Cob-produced, “Puppy and A Truck, and captivating audiences as special guest of Harry Styles for Love On Tour. With no signs of slowing down for 2022, Jenny Lewis is fastidiously at work in the studio and on tour as she prepares to hit the road with The Chicks in addition to her own headlining dates.

CrossBow + The Moxie Strings