Publicity Photo of ETSU Pride Band members from left to right Reid Warren (fiddle), Audrey Neel (guitar), Will Potts (bass), Ethan Church (mandolin), Walker Boone (banjo) performing at IBMA World of Bluegrass, Chattanooga, TN. ETSU will be one of many performers at Lake Havasu’s Bluegrass on the Beach.
LAKE HAVASU CITY – Next weekend’s Bluegrass on the Beach festival, will be giving Lake Havasu a good dose of harmonious melodies from East Tennessee State University(ETSU) Pride Band. Created by former instrumentalist Jack Tuttle who played mandolin and guitar, the Bluegrass Old Time and Roots Music Studies program took off in the early 1980s. Tuttle was hired as an adjunct faculty member and music director and taught three bluegrass connected classes such as the History of Country and Bluegrass Music, Bluegrass Guitar, and Bluegrass Ensemble.
Prior to teaching at the university level, Tuttle also wrote articles about producing bluegrass music as well as writing an instructional Book on the music style. Almost 45 years later, his music program still remains active. Within those years, the student program has produced music industry giants like Becky Buller, Adam Steffey, and Kenny Chesney. The award-winning student entertainers have shared this distinctive style of music in seven foreign countries. By invitation only, the lively musicians have also played in affluent arenas like the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Now our local outdoor state park venue will be welcoming the collegiate bluegrass band for a second year. The group is made up of seven members who will be blending instruments such as bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and four part harmonies. Listeners may even hear some twin and triple fiddles. The musicians will be performing a mix of original spontaneous interactions and famous tunes from the bluegrass catalogs. University Alumni now music director of the program, Daniel Boner is excited at the opportunity to once more come back to Lake Havasu to perform.
He also emphasized that the students are eager to experience the beach town that is rich in tourism. “Everyone including myself is really looking forward to taking in the sights of Lake Havasu, we really enjoy the scenery there,” Boner said.
This year attendees will have two chances to see ETSU Pride Band. Their scheduled concerts will be taking place on Friday, March 6 from noon to 12:45 p.m. and Saturday, March 7 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. at Lake Havasu State Park located at 699 London Bridge Rd.
