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By Ginny Ackerson
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The Springville Arts Commission will present the Red Desert Ramblers in concert on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 4:30 p.m. in the Springville Museum of Art. The concert is part of the museum’s Sunday Concert Series, which offers concerts on the third Sunday of each month except June and July and features excellent local artists and a wide variety of genres. It is always free to the public. The museum is located at 126 E. 400 South in Springville.
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The Red Desert Ramblers play Bluegrass, Classic Country and Swing music, blending harmonies with smoking instrumental breaks. The Salt Lake Tribune wrote, “When it comes to locally produced bluegrass bands, it’s hard to do better.”
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They have been honored by the International Bluegrass Music Association by being the first Utah Band to be hired for an IBMA performance and were the only bluegrass band featured at the Mountain West Conference of the Arts. Members have won several awards including Sharon Mitchell as best Utah dulcimer player and Rick Martinez as best banjo player for IAMA. They are a regional band with national recognition and members hail from Salt Lake and Summit counties.
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Sharon Mitchell is the band leader and manager and has played hammered dulcimer since 1989. In addition to Red Desert Ramblers, she also plays with the Public Domain String Band and the American Irish Duo. Mitchell runs the Intermountain Acoustic Music Association Local Concert Series. She is the “roots and branches” of the band, adding both an old-time flavor and a unique progressive twist.
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The concert series’ annual Utah Valley Hand Bell Choir concert will be held on Sunday, Dec. 13, at 4:30 p.m. at the museum. The concert is free but, because of the popularity of this concert, tickets need to be picked at the art museum. Tickets will be available starting Saturday, Nov. 28, during the normal operating hours of the museum.
