The Glass City Opry opens its fourth year with returning bluegrass artists Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out Sept. 19.

With Moore on guitar, Steve Dilling on banjo, Justen Hayens on fiddle, Wayne Benson on mandolin and Edgar Loudermilk on bass, IIIrd Tyme Out has won numerous bluegrass and gospel music awards.

Glass City Opry owner Jeff Birdwell said, “They’re a big time bluegrass group. They actually called us and asked to come back, which was really a really nice feather in our cap.”

The 3 p.m. show Sept. 19 at the Maumee Indoor Theater is free to children 15 years old and younger. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased the day of the show.

Moore said the group tries to present a unique show and balances their material between old and new songs, requested songs, instrumental and gospel content.

“We throw the whole thing at them [the audience]. The whole kitchen sink,” Moore said. “First and foremost our goal is to entertain people. We want them to leave with some great memories.”

Traveling by their preferred mode of travel via tour bus and away from home 200 days out of the year, Moore said the relationship between band members is very close.

“We like keeping our feet on the ground, so to speak. Seven people is definitely enough on that bus, especially after a couple of days,” Moore said. “We spend more time with each other than we spend with our families. We’re more like brothers.”

All five members of IIIrd Tyme Out have been dedicated to bluegrass music their whole lives and haven’t tried any other genre, Moore said. For Moore, the best part of playing bluegrass music, besides not having to conform to a 9 to 5 job, is that it has given him opportunities he would have never been able to experience without it.

“The people that I’ve met because of the traveling all over the U.S. and up into Canada, Europe, South and Central America: The people and friendships and relationships I’ve gotten out of it is the biggest thing,” Moore said.

Even though Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out are away from home many days out of the year, their families are always on their minds.

“Without them we wouldn’t be as successful as we are, they help keep us sane,” Moore said. “We couldn’t do this without them.”

Tags: Glass City Opry, IIIrd Tyme Out, Russell Moore

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 14th, 2010 at 11:38 am and is filed under In Concert, Star.
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