Loading Events
  • This event has passed.

The WDVX Blue Plate Special – 6/29 – The Young Fables / Tim O’Brien

June 29, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Event Navigation

Born in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1954, Grammy winning singer songwriter and multi- instrumentalist Tim O’Brien grew up singing in church and in school. After seeing Doc Watson on TV, he became a lifelong devotee of old time and bluegrass music. Tim started touring nationally in 1978 with Colorado bluegrass band Hot Rize. His songs “Walk the Way the Wind Blows” and “Untold Stories” were bluegrass hits for Hot Rize, and country hits for Kathy Mattea. Soon more artists like Nickel Creek, Garth Brooks, and The Dixie Chicks covered his songs. Over the years, Tim has collaborated with his sister Mollie O’Brien, songwriter Darrell Scott, and noted old-time musician Dirk Powell, as well as with Steve Earle, Mark Knopfler, Dan Auerbach and Sturgill Simpson.

Living in Nashville since 1996, O’Brien’s skills on guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and banjo make him an in-demand session player. He tours throughout the US and abroad, most often with his wife Jan Fabricius on mandolin and vocals. A voracious reader who loves to cook, he has two sons, Jackson (born 1982) and Joel (born 1990). The International Bluegrass Music Association awarded him song of the year in 2006 and named him best male vocalist in 1993 and 2006. He was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2013 and into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2022.

O’Brien’s latest release, 2021’s “He Walked On”, weaves historical and socially conscious themes through songs about ordinary and not so ordinary people just trying to “keep it between the ditches”. Other notable O’Brien recordings include the bluegrass Dylan covers of “Red on Blonde”, the Celtic-Appalachian fusion of “The Crossing”, and the Grammy winning folk of “Fiddler’s Green”. His duet recording “Real Time” with Darrell Scott is a cult favorite, and he won a bluegrass Grammy as part of “The Earls of Leicester”. His 2017 release “Where the River Meets the Road” paid tribute to the music of his native West Virginia. A new release of original material “Cup of Sugar” drops June 16.

The Young Fables (TYF) create music with classic storytelling weaved into Americana roots music with pop sensibilities. East Tennessee (Maryville) natives, Laurel Wright and Wes Lunsford are influenced by timeless treasures like Patsy Cline, Bonnie Raitt, Glen Campbell and Chet Atkins. The duo’s unique sound has resonated with audiences around the globe as live performances have become stages from which The Young Fables discuss themes and topics typically saved for the therapy couch. Strong advocates for mental health awareness, The Young Fables are focused on helping to erase the stigmas surrounding the topic. Recognizing the duo’s advocacy, the pair were honored with The Troy Gentry Compassion Award in 2021 for compassion, commitment, kindness and love.

The couple has dropped 3 full length albums Two, Old Songs, and Pages (the latter two collaborations with GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Mitch Dane). Their sound – a whimsical, distinguishable classic country-meets-Americana pop blend – was praised by iconic artists and taste-makers alike, with nine-time GRAMMY® Award winning artist Sheryl Crow tweeting, “Laurel’s as good as any country singer out there!” Their releases opened the door for a Rolling Stone “10 Best Country and Americana Songs of the Week” nod, direct support for artists like Vince Gill, Amy Grant, and Rascal Flatts and an invitation from multi-platinum songstress Shania Twain to take part in the CBS showcase celebration Real Country. “Wes is a perfect partner for Laurel’s voice. I fell in love with these guys as a genuine, authentic talent and sound,” mused Twain, and Travis Tritt added, “Our industry needs (TYF) right now!”

2023 will see Wright and Lunsford releasing Short Stories, the band’s 4th studio effort, and their feature documentary ‘The Fable of a Song’, winner of the 2021 Nashville Film Festival Audience Choice Award. “Every album that we have released has become sort of journal entry for us and Short Stories is the next chapter.” Wright reveals. “We feel fortunate to have a space to share our music and are so grateful that our story seems to be helping others with their healing. That’s a reward unlike any other.”

Details

Date:
June 29, 2023
Time:
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Event Categories:
,

Venue

WDVX
301 S. Gay Street
Knoxville, TN 37902 United States
+ Google Map
Phone:
865-544-1029
Website:
View Venue Website

Organizer

WDVX
Phone:
865-544-1029
Email:
info@wdvx.com
Website:
View Organizer Website