Colorado, meet the Western Flyers
Hello friends and fans of fiddling,
As many of you know, I have been playing and touring fairly extensively the past two years with The Western Flyers out of Texas. It has been a musical and career thrill for me to play with Joey McKenzie, former guitarist and arranger of The Quebe Sisters Band and world-class upright bassist Gavin Kelso. Our trio’s music is a distinctive cross section of the Great American Songbook: authentic Western swing, Hot Jazz and swing standards, cowboy songs and electrifying old-time fiddle tunes.
We are super excited about our 2016 U.S. and European tour dates, as well as the release of our first studio album Wild Blue Yonder. We will be playing our first Colorado run of shows in May:
Friday, May 6th – House Show, Niwot 7:00 pm
Click to buy tickets – limited seating
Saturday, May 7th – Swallow Hill, Denver 8:00
Click to Buy tickets
Sunday, May 8th –
Western Swing & Texas Fiddle workshops
(Bass, Guitar and Fiddle) – eTown Hall, Boulder
Send me an email for more information
More about us: I first met legendary guitarist Joey Mckenzie when I was a kid playing in fiddle contest. We began jamming together and I would always ask him to back me up in the contest. I always admired Joey and his love and knowledge of Texas fiddling and Western swing. He is a virtuoso rhythm guitarist and a true student of upholding the integrity, quality and tradition of Western swing and Texas Oldtime fiddle music. He honors the music and the musicians of the past and by doing so, has been an incredible mentor to me over the years. Playing with Joey is an unparalleled rhythmic experience, an honor and a welcome into the long chain of Western swing fiddlers. Musically, he is invested in passing along the music that was passed to him.
Gavin joined the Quebe Sisters Band for two years and that’s where he and Joey developed every fiddle player’s dream team rhythm section. Joey and Gavin have won the 2015 National Swing Fiddle championships with me, as well as the Bob Wills Open Division and Swing Division and many other contests. As an upright bass player, Gavin wows every crowd whether he’s playing simple bass lines or virtuosic solos. Playing every note with good feel and authenticity, he has studied the greats and truly ties us all together. As a band, we share the vocals and truly love playing together and I think you’ll hear that when you see us!
Here’s what folks are saying about “The Biggest Little Band in the Land”:
“I love The Western Flyers. They are a fearlessly dedicated band that swings hard. Joey, Katie and Gavin, in the words of Handsome Harry, “Lay it down where it stays down till they leave town”. Their music makes me smile. When I listen to them play I know that I am in the presence of modern masters in motion. Here’s to the Wild Blue Yonder and all points in between.” Marty Stuart
“Every once in awhile a new musical group comes along that absolutely blows your ears back….The musicians are seasoned pros, combining the incredible rhythm guitar playing of Joey McKenzie with the flaming fiddle of Katie Glassman and the upright bass of Gavin Kelso. They deliver everything from western swing and jazz to cowboy and country with an infectious energy and virtuosity that will leave you knowing you have just seen and heard the best of the real deal.” Charlie Seemann – Emeritus, Western Folklife Center, Elko NV
I’m super excited for you all to hear this band!
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