CONTRIBUTED BY SUNDILLA
AUBURN —
The Sundilla Concert Series will welcome Jon Shain and FJ Ventre to town on Friday, Sept. 22. Showtime at Pebble Hill (101 S. Debardeleben) is 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are just $20 and can be found at Spicer’s Music, Ross House Coffee and online at www.sundillamusic.com; admission at the door is $25.
If the weather cooperates, this will be an outdoor show, but if not it will be inside. Free coffee, tea and water will be available, and The Chill Spot food truck will be on hand with tacos, sausage dogs and frozen treats.
Jon Shain is a veteran singer-songwriter who has been turning heads for years with his words, his fiery acoustic guitar work and his evolved musical style — combining improvised piedmont blues with bluegrass, swing and ragtime. He is the 2019 winner of the International Blues Challenge in the solo/duo category. Shain’s most recent solo disc, Gettin’ Handy with the Blues: A Tribute to the Legacy of WC Handy, was released in 2018 and is soon to come out as a music book published by Mel Bay. Shain’s latest releases recorded along with long-time collaborator FJ Ventre are the gorgeous roots album, Tomorrow Will Be Yesterday Soon (2019) and Never Found Way to Tame the Blues (2021).
Shain cut his touring teeth from 1989-1998 founding the Chapel Hill, North Carolina, folk-rock group, Flyin’ Mice and the spin-off group, WAKE. The band performed with acts such as David Grisman, Tony Rice Unit, Hot Tuna and the Dixie Dregs; released four CDs; and played clubs, schools and festivals up and down the East Coast, building a legion of fans.
After his band’s breakup, Shain went solo, returning to his roots in the folk and blues circuit. In addition to two albums with FJ Ventre and one with Joe Newberry, Jon has released ten albums of his own folk-blues compositions.
FJ Ventre and Jon began playing music together in 1982 when they met in high school. The last several years has seen Shain and Ventre headlining listening rooms on the East Coast, in the Midwest and in Europe, as well as opening shows for John Hiatt, Keb’ Mo’, Little Feat and others.
For more information, go to www.sundillamusic.com.