Summer concert series starts tonight

One of Mountain Home's great summer traditions returns tonight, Thursday, with the 2008 Summer Concert Series.

Those attending are urged to bring their lawn chairs or blankets and join Parks and Recreation and the Mountain Home Arts Council for the first concert in the park featuring "Ruby Dee and the Snake Handlers." The free family event will take place from 6-8 p.m., Thursday, July 17, at Carl Miller Park.

"Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers" are described as "a high octane four-piece Americana Roots and Rockabilly combo" that covers NW alternative country, Texas honky-tonk, Bakersfield twang, Memphis rockabilly, Western swing, Tex-Mex and "good ol' fashioned rock 'n' roll."

"Skip the big hats, pyrotechnics and choreography," organizers said. "It's all honest, original music, influenced by band members' heroes like Buck Owens, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Bob Wills, Hank Williams, Los Lobos, Stray Cats, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn and more."

The band is fronted by vocalist/songwriter Ruby Dee accompanied by Jorge Harada on electric guitar, and a variety of backup musicians.

Known for its high-energy shows, the band has made a name for itself across the Pacific Northwest, the Southeast and Southwest as a group that delivers and performs to capacity crowds in local clubs, rodeos and county fairs, as well as large festivals such as Folklife 2004-2007, Bumbershoot 2005, and the Yellowstone Festival in 2007. The band was voted Best Unsigned Band in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer People's Picks 2005 and Best Signed Band in 2006.

Additionally, Ruby's song "Cold Pines and Red Dirt" won runner up in Songwriter Magazine's 2007 songwriting competition, and the band was named Best Country Band with Vocals by the Los Angeles Music Awards in 2007.

"Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers make a sweet honky-tonk country racket that's perfect for long road trips, lazy afternoons and jumpin' and jivin' at the corner bar," the Seattle Times said "If you like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Buck Owens, or any combination thereof, you'll immediately recognize the band as kindred souls. If you don't like those great artists, guess what? You may end up dancing to The Snakehandlers anyway, despite yourself. The band's that good."

The Summer Concert series will continue with the Hoochie Coochie Men on July 31, Lara Price on Aug. 14, and will conclude with B-3 Sides on Aug. 21.

The 2007 Summer Concert Series is made possible by the Mountain Home Arts Council, Mountain Home Parks and Recreation, Hiddleston Drilling and Pumping, McDonalds, Team Bayles from Castlerock Realty, Footnotes Bookstore, Johnson Bros. Hospitality, Pioneer FCU, Los Pinos Restaurant, and other local sponsors.