CONTRIBUTED BY SUNDILLA
AUBURN —
You don’t last for more than 50 years in the entertainment business if you aren’t very good at entertaining. And “Three On a String” is better than “very good.” They are fantastic, incredible, hilarious and legendary, and they’ll be bringing all of that and more to Sundilla on Friday, Aug. 25. The festivities will take place at the AUUF, 450 E. Thach Ave., in Auburn. Showtime is 7:30 p.m., and advance tickets are $20. You can get those at Spicer’s Music, Ross House Coffee and online at www.sundillamusic.com; admission at the door will be $25. Free coffee, tea and water will be available, and the audience is invited to bring their own favorite food or beverage.
Describing themselves and their shows as “Mirth and Merriment,” member Jerry Ryan said “I hate it when I have more fun than the audience.”
Ryan and Bobby Horton were the original duo, as they teamed up for one performance at Horse Pens 40 in 1971. Someone suggested they add a bass and thus “Three on a String” was born. Some personnel changes and lots of one-nighters eventually evolved into performances with symphony orchestras in several states, including a nine city tour with the Alabama Symphony, opening for Bill Cosby, Red Skelton, Barbara Mandrel, Jeff Foxworthy, George Lindsey, Ray Stevens and many more top stars.
Though their aim is to get you laughing and smiling and then to keep you there, don’t be fooled into thinking that they only have comedy to offer. All four members of the group are excellent musicians. Horton is proficient on more than 20 instruments; you have heard his work in at least 10 documentaries from Ken Burns, including those about the Civil War, baseball, the National Parks and Mark Twain. Andy Meginnis was an integral part of the band for more than a decade who left to work on his own projects for a while, then re-joined the group in 2013 and now said he is “having more fun than ever.” And Brad Ryan has grown up in the group, since taking over bass 30 years ago. It all culminated earlier this year with their long-awaited and much-deserved induction into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands (maybe more) of people who have enjoyed “Three On A String” in the past, you’ve already stopped reading and have hurried to secure your tickets. The rest of you don’t know what a treat you are in for. Most people have a reaction similar to this “thank you” from a venue: “Your program had the perfect balance of musical entertainment and humor. It has been well over five weeks and I am still getting compliments on how much our people enjoyed you! One man said, ‘I haven’t laughed that hard in a very long time.’ Another lady said, ‘I laughed so much, my cheeks hurt! Thanks for presenting a good, clean, entertaining and completely hilarious program. Our people have demanded that you come back!'”
You do not want to miss this one, but if you don’t hurry to get your tickets, you just might. There are a limited number of $20 advance tickets available at Spicer’s Music, Ross House Coffee and online at sundillamusic.com; admission at the door is $25.
For more information, go to sundillamusic.com.