Calgary bluegrass band Go Ask Earl return to Lethbridge to play the Lethbridge College Cave a for the Lethbridge Folk Club, Jan. 16.
In between day jobs and family, they play quite bit around Calgary, especially during the Calgary Stampede.
“We play a lot during the Stampede” said Go Ask Earl guitarist/ vocalist Carolin McBrien.
“My father played in the bluegrass band Safety Round, so Bluegrass music was always around. The rest of the band have been playing bluegrass music for 35 years. I’ve learned a lot from them, ” she said of band mates Brad Lindberg - banjo, guitar; Bruce Leinan - fiddle, mandolin; - guitar; Keith Uyeno - Stand up Bass; Jack Loree - dobro, guitar complete the five piece band.
“We’d like to play more so we’re figuring out different ways of doing that,” she continued, adding they also play the Foothills Bluegrass Society and events like the Shady Grove Bluegrass festival but don’t play a lot of folk club shows.
“That’s something we badly want to do in the future, but we’ve all got full time jobs and kids, you know the drill,” she said.
She is excited to bring the band back to Lethbridge.
“We play some traditional and some new bluegrass and we grassify pop and rock songs. We do a Bee Gees song and we grassify some Allman Brothers and some Michael Jackson,” she said.
“We also do some originals,” she continued, adding they play what comes naturally to them.
“Bluegrass fans like us and if you aren’t a bluegrass fan, hopefully we’ll make you a fan,” she said.
“We have five lead vocalists so there are a lot of harmonies. And we all play a lot of different instruments,” she said.
Go Ask Earl play the Lethbridge College Cave at 8 p.m., Jan 16. for the Lethbridge Folk Club. Tickets are $25 for members, $30 for invited guests. Cathy Hawley will be opening the show.
