DLQ – coast to coast

Josh Swift, the newest member of Doyle Lawson & QuicksilverWe just received a note from Josh Swift, resonator guitarist with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.

He sent along a mini-travelogue report which will give Doyle’s many fans a look inside a road trip with Quicksilver.

Josh’s tale starts earlier this month…

“We departed Bristol Tennessee on June 5th where we performed in Cullman, AL, then onto Glen Saint Mary, FL on the 6th. We then headed west towards California making a stop in Foley, AL to hit Lamberts Caf?©, home of the thrown rolls – and it became apparent that some of the members can’t catch. Our new fiddler Brandon Godman got initiated into the DL&Q birthday club.

New boots for the Quicksilver clanNext stop was San Antonio to visit the Alamo. Richard, our bus driver, decided he wanted a sombrero. Then, it was onto El Paso, TX where Doyle added to his ‘way cool’ boot collection. We spent the day boot shopping.

Along with Doyle, Darren Beachley also added to his colorful boot collection and Brandon Godman started his own.

Darren Beachley and Doyle Lawson at The Grand CanyonAfter drooling over the cool boots, we headed toward the Grand Canyon for a sundown stop at one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Nature was in full force as Key Chang was holding the door of the bus open for Darren Beachley to get a picture of a coyote and as it began to run towards the bus, Key, in a very panicked voice, said ‘Hurry up man – I am shuttin’ this door.’

The next stop was Williams, AZ on historic Route 66. A little local town shopping and doing laundry were in order that day. Then it was on to Victorville, CA for the Huck Finn Jubilee.

Carl White has a new lookWe got into town a little early and Carl needed a haircut. Let’s just say he wasn’t too thrilled with the local Barber Shop. We arrived at the show, where DL&Q soon played to a great crowd and even met Mark Twain (well almost).

Next stop was the 33rd annual California Bluegrass Association’s Father‚Äös Day Bluegrass Festival in Grass Valley. DL&Q closed the show on Saturday night and did a 11am gospel show then a afternoon bluegrass set on Sunday. DL&Q seemed to be a fan favorite at both events and as Doyle says ‘We Love the fans in California and wish we would get out here more often.’

We left Grass Valley last night and are headed toward Nashville, where we will appear on the Grand Ole Opry on Friday June 20th. After playing the Opry, we will be headed toward a Saturday Evening Show in Cherokee, NC that will conclude our 17 Day Coast to Coast tour with DLQ!!!”

You can catch Doyle and the guys on the Friday Grand Ole Opry between 9:30-10:00 p.m. (EDT) on the radio in the Nashville market on WSM AM 650, on XM channel 11 (XM Nashville), and simulcast worldwide via online streaming at wsmonline.com.

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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.