Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers

Music is what feelings sound like. 
                                        ~Author Unknown


Mr. Cottage and I went to a fabulous concert last evening at the Meijer Gardens Amphitheater, featuring Steve Martin.  How many of you were aware that Steve Martin is an excellent banjo player?  He told us last evening that he has been playing the banjo for over 50 years.  About four years ago, while visiting North Carolina with his wife, they went to hear a local band play named Steep Canyon Rangers.  Next thing you knew, he had joined them and in 2011 they won the best bluegrass Grammy Award...

Mr. Cottage and I had never attended a concert at the Gardens before, so I went online and read all the rules and requirements, especially for the size of beach chair to bring along.  We also read that the gates opened at 6 pm, so we decided to be there no later than 5:15.  OMG, the lines were already quite long, but because most everyone had their own chairs with them, they just opened them up and sat down to wait.  Fred Meijer, who the Gardens are named after, has a collection of grocery and one-stop shopping stores in the Midwest.  So while everyone waited, we were given shrimp cocktail and a few other appetizers as the waiters walked down the lines of people.  Finally the gates opened and as we started to move, I was so thankful we were where we were in line because the lines were three to four times in length behind us from when we first arrived...

New this year, Edie Brickell who joined to sing and play a guitar...

Obviously, Steve Martin was one of the hits of the night, along with some comedy thrown in...

But the other person that was fantastic, was Nick Sanders, playing the violin on the far left.  He told us that he's been playing since he was 5 years old.  He was absolutely amazing...

Bottom line, if you ever get a chance to hear this group, please do; you will not be disappointed...

By the way, I forgot to mention that this show sold out in a record 20 minutes.  Only Meijer Garden members can get show tickets in advance until they're opened to the general public.