TONY FURTADO TRIO

WITH OTTER OPRY

AT MONTEREY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

What do you get when you put three brilliant multi-instrumentalists together? You get a fantastic show! And that’s just what Otter Opry has in store for you on Friday, October 10th, with the unbeatable combination of Tony Furtado, Luke Price, and Simon Chrisman bringing their special brand of music to the stage. 

Tony is an evocative and soulful singer, a wide-ranging songwriter and a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist adept on banjo, cello-banjo, slide guitar and baritone ukulele who mixes and matches sounds and styles with the flair of a master chef. (He’s also an accomplished sculptor, but that’s another story.)

Luke – a five-time Grand National Fiddle Champion – is a multi-instrumentalist performer, composer and studio musician based in Portland, OR. He has his roots in American fiddling and swing traditions, which have influenced his rhythm, taste and style as they have spread into Soul, Jazz, Pop and Americana. Luke brings a unique voice to any music he plays, whether he’s on the fiddle, electric guitar or singing.

Hammer dulcimer wizard Simon Chrisman brings a whole new approach to an instrument 

previously thought to have limited range and technique. His inventive virtuosic touch and sophisticated rhythmic sensibilities are redefining the instrument and earning the attention of musicians from all over the world.

With their dizzying musical toolbox, the Tony Furtado Trio represents the best in Americana Roots. This is a show you definitely don’t want to miss! The event includes a delicious chicken dinner at 5:30pm ($15 before October 4th, $20 at the door). Online sales will end at 11AM the day of the performance.

7pm. 

 $35/show (CBA members $30; 15 and under free); $15-20/pre-show dinner. 

Online ticket sales will end at noon on the day of the performance.

larry@otteropry.org

CALIFORNIA BLUEGRASS REUNION

WITH OTTER OPRY

AT MONTEREY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Having brought the house down at their first three Otter Opry performances, the California Bluegrass Reunion will be back on Tuesday, November 18th at the United Methodist Church to do it again – and it just gets better every time! This star-studded band is highlighted by the awesome fiddling of Chad Manning and features an abundance of original instrumentals from mandolinist John Reischman and banjo player Bill Evans. Anchoring the rhythm section is Jim Nunally on guitar and vocals, Mike Witcher on Dobro, and Sharon Gilchrist on bass. The show will open with a four-song set by Nell & Jim, featuring Jim Nunally on vocals, guitar and banjo, with Nell Robinson on vocals and miniflute; this amazing duo delivers tight harmonies and original genre-bending music that will get the evening off to a sizzling start. 

Back to California Bluegrass Reunion: Grammy Award-winning John Reischman is a foundational mandolinist, composer, bandleader and musical educator in bluegrass and North American roots and folk music. Bill Evans – winner of the 2022 Steve Martin “Excellence in Banjo” Award – occupies a unique niche in the music world, celebrated for his varied bluegrass banjo styles as well as his innovative original compositions. Jim Nunally is a musician, composer, record producer and teacher – all in addition to being one of the finest guitar players in the world. Chad Manning is a bluegrass, old-time and swing fiddler who has performed with more famous bands than you can count. Sharon Gilchrist has long made her home in the American acoustic music scene, performing on concert and festival stages all over North America. Growing up the youngest of five in a musical and artistic family in the suburbs of Los Angeles, Mike Witcher found his voice playing the Dobro at the age of 14. 

These musicians have made music in various combinations for decades, but this all-star performance is an incredible opportunity to see and hear them together. There might be a change of personnel as we get closer closer to the date. The event includes a Salisbury steak dinner at 5:30pm ($15 before November 15th, $20 at the door). Online sales will end at 11am the day of the performance.

7pm. 

 $35/show (CBA members $30; 15 and under free); $15-20/pre-show dinner. 

Online ticket sales will end at noon on the day of the performance.

larry@otteropry.org

SPECIAL CONSENSUS

WITH OTTER OPRY

AT MONTEREY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

“Music like this is the reason people come to love bluegrass,” says Folk & Music Exchange. “Special Consensus approaches this hallowed American musical art form with boundless energy and an aesthetic reverence that tickles the ribs, tugs at the heart, and puts a restless two-step into boots and bare feet.” This iconic bluegrass band is coming to Otter Opry on Saturday, January 10th for a matinee performance, which you truly will not want to miss!

Marking its 50th anniversary in 2025, Special Consensus continues to deliver a vibrant contemporary bluegrass sound deeply rooted in tradition. Led by founder Greg Cahill, the band has been a cornerstone of the bluegrass community for five decades, with 22 acclaimed recordings, eight   International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards, and two Grammy nominations testifying to their enduring artistry and

innovation.

With the foundation of Greg Cahill’s unique banjo playing style and the vocal prowess of Greg Blake (guitar), Dan Eubanks (bass) and Brian McCarty (mandolin), these musicians effortlessly support each other and consistently maintain their bluegrass center whether they’re playing a jazz-tinged instrumental or a song from any of their award-winning recordings. These four talented vocalists and instrumentalists follow their creative desires without straying too far from their roots. 

3pm. 

 $35/show (CBA members $30; 15 and under free);

Online ticket sales will end at noon on the day of the performance.

larry@otteropry.org

EVIE LADIN BAND

WITH OTTER OPRY

AT MONTEREY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Guess what’s coming up? A really cool matinee that’s guaranteed to make your weekend extra special! Otter Opry is thrilled to bring foot-stompin’, down-home bluegrass and old-time music back to Monterey on Saturday, February 21st with the amazing Evie Ladin Band. Tenacious, innovative string musicians, the Evie Ladin Band – consisting of Evie Ladin, Keith Terry and Erik Pearson – throws down captivating, truly entertaining live shows that get rave reviews every time. 

Grounded in Appalachian old-time repertoire, seasoned in African-diaspora roots, writing from life in modern cities, blurring the lines between music and dance, the polyrhythmic heat of Evie's clawhammer banjo, resonant voice, real stories and rhythmic dance have been heard from “A Prairie Home Companion” to the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival. 

Come on down to the United Methodist Church and treat yourself to Evie’s mastery of the clawhammer banjo and what WOMAD Festival calls “the soulful, salty tanginess of her voice” that grips the listener and refuses to let go. You don’t want to miss this one! 

3pm. 

$35/show (CBA members $30; 15 and under free)

Online ticket sales will end at 9am on the day of the performance.

larry@otteropry.org

WATER TOWER

WITH OTTER OPRY

AT MONTEREY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

You can almost feel the sizzle in the air already! On Thursday, April 9th, Water Tower will grace the Otter Opry stage, and this band is literally the talk of the town. At its core, Water Tower is a triumph of unlikely alchemy—three virtuosos from wildly different worlds, colliding to create a sound that defies genre.

Kenny Feinstein, the punk-bluegrass outlaw, wields banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and guitar like weapons, splicing Old Time grit with punk rock fury. Tommy Drinkard—audio engineer, rock frontman, and banjo prodigy—went from student to champion in a year, taking 1st place at the Topanga Banjo & Fiddle Contest before merging his reggae-rock swagger into Water Tower’s DNA. Jesse Blue Eads, the 23-year-old jazz phenom, was a Berklee-awarded bassist hiding a banjo-shredding secret. 

But no sonic rebellion is complete without its rhythmic foundation. Taylor Estes (The Bass Lord) is a low-end warlock whose basslines don’t just hold down the groove, they command it. And John Seltzer is the band’s human metronome, a mandolin player whose precision and adaptability flow as naturally as his seltzer-water namesake from breakneck bluegrass to psychedelic jam explosions.

Bound by a love for bluegrass, Old Time, and jam-grass, yet electrified by their divergent influences, Water Tower is a sonic rebellion. This isn’t just a band, it’s a movement! Come see for yourself, and let the sizzle wrap its arms around you. Dinner before the show ($15 in advance, $20 after April 4th) will add to the magic of the evening. See you there!

7pm. 

$35/show (CBA members $30; 15 and under free)

Online ticket sales will end at noon on the day of the performance.

larry@otteropry.org