The Steel Wheels
Irene and I were sitting backstage at the Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival in late May of 2013 waiting for Dailey & Vincent to go on to close the show. As with many festivals, Sunday afternoon at Gettysburg is pretty laid back, most people having left after the morning gospel show by Dry Branch Fire Squad and Seldom Scene's traditional long Sunday set. Even as big an attraction as Daily & Vincent couldn't hold onto a big audience on Sunday afternoon. We heard the Steel Wheels introduced and break into their opening song, and Irene said, "Let's go out front and listen to this band." Magic, pure musical magic. Ten minutes later she turned to me and said, "Go buy their CD's." "How many?" I asked, knowing that she wasn't a spendthrift. "All of them!" Still listening hard, I also wanted to beat whatever crowd there would be to the merch table, where I bought all four of their releases. On Monday, driving home, we listened to all four, over and over and over.
Trent Wagler
The Steel Wheels will present a free concert at Blue Ridge Community College, Weyer's Cave Campus on Saturday, September 12. Be sure to go to their web site, and click on the Buy Tickets button to obtain a parking permit to gain admittance to the campus for this concert beginning at 7:00 PM.
Jay Lapp
The Steel Wheels, based in Harrisonburg, VA are a very special band. Relying on the Mennonite and Amish roots and values, their music communicates a spiritual quality while hearkening back to the ancient tones of Appalachian music and somehow speaking to our commercial and secular age with wisdom and wit. Their music is stirring, contemporary, and traditional. Their harmonies close, their acapella singing haunting, and the effect of their performances stay with any audience willing to give in to their unique appeal.
Eric Brubaker
The Steel Wheels live out their values in their annual tour to concerts on bicycles and their relatively new Red Wing Music Festival where there is no smoking and huge crowds. I wrote after a Steel Wheels show at a small room in Northampton, MA, Trent Wagler "speaks of the responsibility of carrying on tradition while, at the same time, handing it off to the next generation to take it where they will with respect and the courage to interpret it in their own way." They continue to uphold these values while becoming increasingly popular. Don't miss this opportunity to see The Steel Wheels.
Brian Dickel
The Steel Wheels at The Parlor Room in Northampton, MA
Blue Ridge/Honey Bear/Hangman's Reel - Video
How to Get to Blue Ridge Community College
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