Live at Red Clay Theatre in downtown Duluth
ABOUT SHAUN...
Acoustic "fingerstyle" guitar player/wizard Shaun Hopper is at first glance an unassuming presence, a true southern gentleman whose humility stands in sharp contrast to the prodigious talents he unveils on stage. Merging complex melodic lines, harmony and bass lines along with a one-of-a-kind percussive technique, he mesmerizes everyone within earshot. His original compositions and pop covers are infused with a cutting edge resonance found only in the new breed of You Tube virtuosos, including players like Adam Rafferty, Don Ross and Andy McKee, and yet he remains loyal to his roots. His overall approach to guitar remains inspired by the legends; Andre Segovia, Tommy Emmanuel, Michael Hedges, George Benson, Martin Taylor, Leo Kottke and Chet Atkins. The final result is a "signature style" which crosses over the full range of musical genres, including; Alternative, Folk, Classical, Celtic, Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues and Percussive-New Age.
Shaun's stagecraft is equally impressive. Weaving in humorous tales from his small town Georgia roots along with an occasional glimpse into his "backwoods" upbringing, he stirs his audience with both humor and introspection. Moving thematically through his repertoire, Shaun takes his audience on a global tour from Celtic Imagery and Classical Medley to Soulful Ballads and Jazzy Improvs, all of which he counters with a cliff hanging Nashville "hot licks session", neck-popping original or 70's pop song.
ABOUT JOE...
Joe Smothers was born in the Piedmont area of North Carolina in 1950. He grew up on barbecue, chili dogs, Brunswick stew and Elvis. Skinny belts and two tones were replaced in 1964 with Chelsea boots, Cuban heels and long hair thanks to the Beatles.
Joe got his first guitar when his mom Betty purchased a Stella at the local pawn shop when he was thirteen. One morning Joe's dad JM called him to the TV to see a blind guitar player on a local channel in Raleigh, North Carolina. The man's name was Doc Watson. Little did either one of them know that years down the road Joe would have the honor of becoming a member of Doc and Merle Watson's band Frosty Morn. Years of touring and more than a dozen albums with Doc, forged a relationship of deep respect. Joe has performed at every Merle Fest (26) and was also asked to be a performer at Doc's funeral.
Joe also toured extensively with Jack Lawrence. Their duo was Smothers and Lawrence. They recorded an album called Smothers and Lawrence.
With the children grown, Joe is again writing and touring in earnest. He recently completed his first CD called These Things I Know. One of the cuts is a song called The Three Buglers. It is a mix of fiction and historical facts on how Taps was written. Joe performed it at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas in 2007. He received a first place for this song.
Joe's voice is strong and pure. His guitar playing is solid. His mastery in song writing keeps your attention from beginning to end.
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