Folk Concert Series

Next date, April 18, 2009
Michael Lee Ammons

Michael Lee Ammons
and the Water Street Hot Shots

April 18, 2009, 7 p.m.

Michael Lee Ammons & the Water Street Hot Shots will perform hot old-time blues and traditional folk music at the Plymouth Arts Center, April 18, at, 7PM In keeping with the hard driving, foot stomping, ‘kick-up-some-dust acoustic blues’ of the 1920’s & 30’s the Hot Shots throw a party for their listeners.  They work to “shake it and break it” with the rhythm of Casey Jones’ locomotive and the clamor of its whistle and bell.  Using traditional instruments including the steel-bodied resonator guitar, washboard, mandola, string bass, harmonica and kazoo, this string band shows that its influences are rooted in bottleneck-slide delta blues, fingerstyle blues and early washboard bands. Ammon’s performances also include a few sweet slide-guitar instrumentals and lots of crowd participation.

The unique sound of the metal-bodied National resonator guitar and the power of early blues recordings of the 1920’s and ‘30s provided a direction for Ammons to follow as he began performing regularly with the guitar in the late 1980’s. The contact with contemporary performers Greg Brown, Catfish Keith, and Paul Geremia also fueled Ammons drive to pursue the technically challenging and idiosyncratic styles of fingerstyle blues guitar. Performing with Madison's Catfish Stephenson in the 1990's influenced Ammons style and repertoire.

Other members of the band include, Tim Dekker on fiddle and vocals, Rich Higdon on washboard, bass and jug; and Alan “Doc” Mock on mandolin, banjo-mandolin, guitar and vocals. Judy Rose, host of Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Simply Folk” said, “…Mike Ammons gets my highest recommendation for style, solid musicianship and fine entertainment.” John McEuen, formerly of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band said, “It’s hard to find a musician like Ammons, he addresses tradition with a fresh attitude.”

Join us for this great family show!
Tickets for the concert are $6.00 adults, $2.50 children (ages 7-10)
Free admission for children under 7, family tickets are $15.00
Tickets are available at the door.
In the tradition of folk music gatherings, please bring
a snack, dessert or non-alcoholic beverage to share! Don’t Miss It!

For more information please call the Plymouth Arts Center office at (920) 892-8409, email paf@excel.net