JOHNSON CITY – Harmonica "wizard" Mike Stevens and Raymond McLain, assistant director of the Bluegrass and Country Music Program at East Tennessee State University, who have performed all over the world, will appear at Down Home on Thursday, Feb. 7, at 8 p.m.
Stevens and McLain play a new and unique combination of musical styles reflecting their background in bluegrass, blues and old-time country music, pushing the boundary with great respect for tradition.
Stevens is from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. At an early age, he was inspired by the sounds of groups like The Mississippi Sheiks and blues artists like Son House. Living close to Detroit, this music could be heard "alive and well" 60 miles from this Canadian border city.
A five-time "Entertainer of the Year" for Central Canada, Stevens is an innovator of bluegrass harmonica and is author of the book, Bluegrass Harmonica, published by CentreStream Publishing. He has been a frequent guest on the Grand Ole Opry, and his performance highlights include a number of appearances on "Grand Ole Opry Live," televised on TNN, as well as many other national television appearances. His dynamic performances prompted Country Music Hall of Famer Roy Acuff to say from the Opry stage, "I've never seen anyone play a harmonica like you play the harmonica!"
He has a faithful worldwide following as a result of performances for Canadian and NATO peacekeepers, two remarkable concerts at the North Pole, and other appearances.
McLain, from the hills of eastern Kentucky, was surrounded by the spirited and creative sounds of bluegrass and country music, and this year marks the 32nd year in the music business. He started his professional music career in 1969, when his family began their weekly television series in Hazard, Ky.
For the next 20 years, The McLain Family Band performed in 62 foreign countries as musical ambassadors of the U.S. State Department and in all 50 of the United States. They appeared at Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum, the Kennedy Center, the Lincoln Center, Chicago's Orchestra Hall and the Grand Ole Opry, as well as on many television programs. McLain has also performed on "Music City Tonight," "Hee-Haw," TNN's "Nashville Now," "On Stage" and "Grand Ole Opry Live" as a member of Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys, and many of these performances were with Stevens from 1989-2001.
In 2001, McLain and Stevens joined forces with the Maryville Symphony Orchestra to perform original and traditional music, combining musical styles to make an exciting program of new music. Both artists have released many award-winning, critically acclaimed recordings.
Down Home is located at 300 W. Main Street. For more information, call Down Home at (423) 929-9822 or McLain at 439-8582 or 979-7297. For more information on Stevens and McLain, visit their Web sites at www.mikestevensmusic.com and www.mclains.com.