Darin & Brooke Aldridge celebrate in North Carolina

Darin & Brooke Aldridge celebrated the release of their Faster and Farther album with a special concert in their hometown of Shelby, NC last Friday night. Dennis Jones, popular bluegrass host of Goin’ Across The Mountains on WNCW radio, served as master of ceremonies for the sold out show at The Don Gibson Theatre.

Before the concert, Darin and Brooke hosted a VIP reception attended by fans and friends who paid a premium price to join the couple for refreshments, and to hear a brief, acoustic mini-concert ahead of the main event.

In addition to the Aldridge’s touring band, the show featured a special guest during the second set. John Cowan of New Grass Revival fame joined them on stage for the several songs he performed with Darin and Brooke on the new record, plus a couple of NGR hits that were warmly welcomed by the crowd.

Also featured were Matt Menefee on banjo, late of Cadillac Sky and Chessboxer, Carly Arrowood on fiddle, Allen Shadd on guitar, and Billy Gee on bass.

Mountain Home Music President Mickey Gamble was in attendance showing support from the label.

Darin and Brooke played a total of 31 songs, including numbers from their previous releases, along with the new ones.

Here’s an audience video of one of my favorites from Faster and Farther, one called Cumberland Plateau which Cowan wrote with Darrel Scott, betraying just a hint of Beatles influence.

Thanks to Brian Smith of Leadership Artists for the photos.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.