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Guest stars
New Guest Stars
Next Event: May 18, 2024 at 7 PM
FORREST O’CONNOR of the MUSIC CITY RAMBLERS is a Nashville-born mandolinist, guitarist and singer/songwriter. He earned national recognition with the O’Connor Band, a group he co-founded with his wife and his father, seven-time CMA Award-winning violinist Mark O’Connor. Forrest wrote the title track for the O’Connor Band’s debut album “Coming Home,” which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums chart. He won a Grammy Award in 2017. Forrest has performed or recorded with Paul Simon, Zac Brown, Steve Martin, Kenny Loggins, Clint Black, Emmylou Harris, Suzy Bogguss, Judah & The Lion, Bela Fleck and Jerry Douglas and has performed at the Grand Ole Opry and the 57th Grammy Awards ceremony. He also appeared on the hit TV show Nashville.
Welcome Forrest O’Connor to Gainesville on May 18 at the HOGTOWN OPRY. For tickets call 352-392-2787. $40, $60, $100.
SHAD COBB of the MUSIC CITY RAMBLERS is a Wisconsin-born musician who began playing the fiddle at age 13 with his family’s band. In 1995, he moved to Nashville and began recording with many of the city’s major artists, including the Osborne Brothers, Mike Snider, Marty Rabon & Shenandoah, Willie Nelson and Steve Earle. Shad is one of the most in-demand session players in Nashville.
Let’s give Shad a big Gainesville welcome at the HOGTOWN OPRY on May 18. Tickets are now available at 352-392-2787.
Current Guest Stars:
ROBERT BOWLIN of the MUSIC CITY RAMBLERS is a consummate musician, having started his career with the ukulele at age one, moving on to the guitar at five and picking up the fiddle and the banjo later on. In the 1980s, Robert was a sideman to Maura O’Connell and Kathy Mattea, appearing with the latter on Austin City Limits. In 1993, Bowlin was chosen to fill the fiddle spot with the iconic Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys, appearing at the Grand Ole Opry. He later played recording sessions with Tom T. Hall, the Osborne Brothers, Boxcar Willie and Hank Thompson in addition to touring with Ray Price, Bobby Bare, Faron Young and Ricky Van Shelton. Robert dazzled an appreciative crowd at the Hogtown Opry’s First Night show with his partner Wil Maring in 2023.
Welcome Robert back to Gainesville at the HOGTOWN OPRY on May 18. Tickets at 352-392-2787
LILLIAN (WIL) MARING of the MUSIC CITY RAMBLERS grew up in Makanda, Illinois, where she began playing guitar and singing songs at an early age. With her band, Shady Mix, Wil toured throughout the U.S. as well as Europe and Japan, attracting particular acclaim in Germany, where she settled for awhile. Maring’s songwriting illustrates a fondness for country music, bluegrass and folk forms from many lands, which seems natural for someone with a Master’s degree in anthropology. In 1998, she won the Chris Austin Songwriting Competition at Merlefest in North Carolina. Although they are much more, Wil once called her work “thinkin’ songs, not drinkin’ songs.” However, in her dual role as femme fatale of the M.C. RAMBLERS, almost anything might sneak out.
Welcome back to Gainesville one of the heroes of the 2023, HOGTOWN OPERA, Lillian Maring, this May 18. Tickets at 352-392-2787.
THE HOGTOWN OPRY BAND, led by Gainesville’s eternal Cathy DeWitt, leads off the action at the May 18 fireworks at University Auditorium at 7 pm sharp. Cathy and her owlhoots kicked off last year’s show with an engaging and energetic set, so you better be there when the band starts playin’. Tickets at 352-392-2787. Photo by Rick Davidson.