Staff Reports
Crossroads Entertainment Inc. will host an appearance by The Steel Wheels next month.
The concert will be at 5 p.m. Sept. 19 at Aerial Farmer’s large green hangar, 1155 A Ave., at Freeman Field in Seymour.
Advance tickets are $25 and available online at crossroadsacousticfest.com. Beer and food trucks will be onsite during the show.
This will be the group’s third visit to Seymour and is part of its current multi-state fall tour.
From their base in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, The Steel Wheels have played the most prestigious festivals, listening rooms and clubs in the world, cementing a reputation as one of the top independent bands on the scene today.
“Over the past few years, we’ve been fortunate to attract some incredible acts to Seymour,” said Shawn Busby, president of Crossroads Entertainment Inc. “None have been better received than The Steel Wheels. Their fantastic vocal harmonies and musicianship are undeniable.”
With their 2020 release, “Everyone A Song, Vol. 1,” the innovative string band demonstrated the humanizing power of honest storytelling, setting the personal experiences of their supporters to song.
What started as a touring season ruined by the COVID-19 pandemic turned into a time of great creativity, as the band devised a new model of writing and recording. With the five members isolated from each other and their listeners, they quickly shifted from veteran touring outfit to home recording gurus.
Songwriter and lead singer Trent Wagler conceived a project entitled “Distance Together,” an avenue for fans of the band to commission works and send musical greetings to their loved ones. The initiative sparked a surprisingly impactful and intimate songwriting process with Wagler setting the personal stories of fans to song and verse.
The Steel Wheels recorded more than 60 songs in their isolated studios. The process yielded some exciting new sounds, from the neo soul vocals and punchy bass lines of “Florida Girl” to the second line swagger of “The Man Who Holds Up the World.”
“Everyone A Song, Vol. 1” was born out of a desire to close the distance created in the midst of the COVID-19 shutdown.
For a sample of The Steel Wheels music, visit youtu.be/8E3Eh3lvdjU.
The Crossroads Acoustic Fest committee recently completed the necessary legal steps to form an official nonprofit entity, Crossroads Entertainment Inc.
Officers include Busby, president; Shane Busby, vice president; Alicia Froedge, secretary-treasurer; and directors Arann Banks, Roland Freeman, Darnell Dukes, Cindy Ruddick, Bill Klaes and Joe Persinger.
Plans are underway for the 2022 Crossroads Acoustic Fest, which will be April 29 and 30 at various venues in downtown Seymour.