The premier Bluegrass band, The Seldom Scene will headline the first concert of the season at the Southern Maryland Bluegrass Concert Series at the Calvert Elks in Prince Frederick.
Bluegrass returns to the Calvert Elks Lodge #2620 in Prince Frederick, MD, on Sunday, October 5 at 2:00 PM, featuring the world-renowned Seldom Scene. Entering its fourth year as Southern Maryland’s leading live Bluegrass venue, the series will present seven of today’s top artists.
Alongside The Seldom Scene, the lineup includes Russell Moore (fresh off the road with Alison Krauss & Union Station) & IIIrd Tyme Out, High Fidelity, The Kody Norris Show, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, The Country Gentlemen Show featuring Calvert County’s Mike Phipps, and Special Consensus. Tickets for the October 5 Seldom Scene performance are available now.
Over their fifty-three-year history, The Seldom Scene has built a reputation as a progressive Bluegrass quintet, experiencing significant changes in members while retaining their distinctive sound. Their current lineup—guitarist/mandolinist Lou Reid, bassist Ronnie Simpkins, banjoist/fiddler Ron Stewart, dobro player Fred Travers (a Calvert County native), and new guitarist Clay Hess—carries the tradition forward after Dudley Connell’s retirement.
Formed in 1971 by John Duffey, Ben Eldridge, Tom Gray, Mike Auldridge, and John Starling, the group began as a weekly jam session in Eldridge’s home. All members were part of notable Washington, DC-area bands such as The Country Gentlemen and Cliff Waldron & the New Shades of Grass. Their name, “The Seldom Scene,” originated from Charlie Waller’s observation that the group rarely performed in public.
The Seldom Scene has skillfully blended original and traditional material with soulful renditions of songs by artists like Merle Haggard and James Taylor. Their willingness to experiment with genres has influenced the Bluegrass scene, inspiring peers to broaden their horizons and fueling the genre’s revival.
The Seldom Scene’s latest release, “Remains to Be Scene,” is available on CD, LP, and digital platforms via Smithsonian Folkways. Tickets for the October 5 show are $40 per person, with advance purchase recommended as the event is expected to sell out. For more information, visit www.somdbluegrass.com or call 301-737-3004.
