Salina Stiefel Theater Announces Summer / Fall Lineup

KSAL Staff - Tue 04:05 PM 05/08/2012

The Salina Stiefel Theatre unveiled its summer and fall schedule Tuesday afternoon.

Executive Director Jane Gates tells KSAL News that "it's been a lot of work getting all of these show lined up". Gates says that she is happy with the diversity of the lineup, which includes everything from classic country to classic rock.

The lineup includes:

Joe Walsh, Friday, July 13, 8pm

Best known for his powerful guitar licks, Joe Walsh has entertained the masses and captivated his peers for more than three decades with such classics as “Funk #49,” “Walk Away,” “Life’s Been Good,” and “Ordinary Average Guy.” A colorful character in the rock and roll scene, Joe’s reedy vocals, distinctive guitar playing and eccentric lyrics have entertained the masses for over 40 years. After playing with many band, Joe was asked to be the guitarist for the Eagles in 1976. During the next four years, the Eagles released chart-topping songs such as "Hotel California", "The Long Run" and "Eagles Live". Joe's solo career was extensive with albums such as "But Seriously Folks" which included the hit "Life's Been Good", “There Goes The Neighborhood” (1981), followed by “You Bought It, You Name It” (1983), “The Confessor” (1985), “Got Any Gum?” (1987), “Ordinary Average Guy” (1991), and “Songs For a Dying Planet” (1992). In 1994, the Eagles reunited for the release of a new album, titled “Hell Freezes Over”, which reached #1 on the Billboard Charts and sparked one of the most successful tours in music history. Joe’s catalogue of songs is the authentic soundtrack of our lives. $69, $89, $109

Steve Earle & Los Lobos, July 27, 8pm

(Playing two sets and hopefully some together)

Steve Earle

A protégé of legendary songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, Steve Earle quickly became a master storyteller in his own right, with his songs being recorded by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, Travis Tritt, The Pretenders, Joan Baez and countless others. In 1986, Steve released his debut record, Guitar Town, which shot to number one on the country charts and immediately established the term “New Country.” What followed was an extremely exciting and varied array of releases including the biting hard rock of Copperhead Road (1988), the minimalist beauty of Train A Comin’ (1995) the politically charged masterpiece, Jerusalem (2002) and the Grammy Award Winning albums The Revolution Starts…Now (2004), Washington Square Serenade (2007) and Townes (2009). I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive is Steve Earle’s 14th Studio Album and features the song “This City” which has garnered both Emmy and Grammy Award nominations. The new album has been met with overwhelming critical acclaim including a 3 ½ out of 4 Star review in the Los Angeles Times while the New York Post stated that the album was “American roots music at its best” in their 3 ½ out of 4 star review.

Los Lobos

Since 1974, Los Lobos have explored the artistic and commercial possibilities between their roots and their love of rock & roll. Los Lobos has varied their sounds by playing norteño, blues, country, Tex-Mex, ballads, folk, and rock rolled into one. More than three decades have passed since Los Lobos released their debut album, Just Another Band from East L.A. Since then they’ve repeatedly disproven that title—Los Lobos isn’t “just another” anything, but rather a band that has consistently evolved artistically while never losing sight of their humble roots. The Grammy winning band celebrated Tin Can Trust in 2010, their first collection of new original material in four years. A rare example of longevity in a volatile music world that stresses style over substance, Los Lobos' lineup has remained the same since 1984, when saxophonist/kepboardist Steve Berlin joined original members Louie Pérez, David Hidalgo, Cesar Rosas and Conrad Lozano, each of whom had been there since the beginning in 1973. $44, $56

Loretta Lynn, Aug. 9, 7:30pm

For fifty years now, Loretta has fashioned a body of work as artistically and commercially successful—and as culturally significant—as any female performer you’d care to name. Her music has confronted many of the major social issues of her time, and her life story is a rags-to-riches tale familiar to pop, rock and country fans alike. The Coal Miner’s Daughter—the tag refers to a hit single, an album, a best-selling autobiography, an Oscar-winning film, and to Lynn herself—has journeyed from the poverty of the Kentucky hills to Nashville superstardom to her current status as an honest-to-goodness American icon. Her latest album, the Jack White-produced Van Lear Rose, is poised now to remind the world yet again of Lynn’s power as a vocalist and her skill as a songwriter. As she puts it on “Story of My Life,” the new album’s closing track: “Not half bad for this ol’ KY girl, I guess… Here’s the story of my life. Listen close, I’ll tell it twice.” $49, $59, $67

Al Green, Sept. 23, 8pm

Al Green was the most popular and influential soul singer of the early '70s. He incorporated elements of gospel but his records were stylish, boasting immaculate productions that rolled along with a tight beat, sexy backing vocals, and lush strings. Al Green was at the peak of his popularity when he suddenly decided to join the ministry in the mid-'70s. At first, he continued to record secular material, but by the '80s, he was concentrating solely on gospel. During the late '80s and '90s, he occasionally returned to R&B, but he remained primarily a religious performer for the rest of his career. Al Green’s newest album, Lay It Down, is a collaboration with other R&B voices such as John Legend, Anthony Hamilton and Corinne Bailey Rae. $79, $89, $109

Nellie McKay, Sept. 29, 8pm

Nellie McKay’s music is as tuneful and clever as the best of the Great American Songbook-part cabaret, part sparkly pop. But beneath the charming melodic surface is a wit that cuts, and a sharply tuned social conscience. Nellie is hard to categorize. She has performed Brecht on Broadway, opened for Lou Reed at Carnegie Hall, sung Woody Allen movie songs at the Hollywood Bowl, performed on A Prairie Home Companion, sung duet with Eartha Kitt and Triumph The Insult Comic Dog, played Hilary Swank’s sister on the big screen, paid tribute to Doris Day, and released three wildly acclaimed albums of original music. Home Sweet Mobile Home is McKay’s latest and first album of all-original material since 2007′s Obligatory Villagers, and features the musical wanderlust, lyrical playfulness and unique point of view that has characterized her music since her breakthrough debut Get Away From Me. Songs from the new project were recently debuted at her NYC engagement at Feinstein’s, and The New York Post noted that “songs like ‘Bodega’ and ‘Caribbean Time’… feature a blend of whimsical humor and social commentary that blended in beautifully alongside the Doris Day standards from the Blueberry Pie album.”

$35 (We will let people go on stage with Nellie at this show, as if it is a Piano Bar.)

Steve Vai, Sept. 30, 8pm

While many musicians fit easily into a single category, Steve Vai’s unique musical vision remains unclassifiable. After more than 20 years, Vai continues to use unbridled guitar virtuosity and soulful artistry to explore the spectrum of human emotion. From his self-released solo debut “Flex-Able” (1984) to his most recent “Alive in an Ultra World” (2001, Epic), Vai creates a sound all his own by striking a balance between technical ability and poetic phrasing. “I make music to push my own buttons,” explains Vai. “I’ve always been driven by an addiction to create sounds that are unique – not better than what other people do, just different.” That obsession with running down the voodoo in his head remains the guiding force behind Vai’s ongoing musical evolution and what he loves most about being a musician. $34, $54, $74

Kansas Oct. 5, 8pm

KANSAS' first public statement appeared on their self-titled album in 1974, "From the beginning, we considered ourselves and our music different and we hope we will always remain so." From the beginning, KANSAS achieved success by playing only their original music. This "garage band" from Topeka was discovered by Wally Gold who worked for Don Kirshner. The band has produced eight Gold albums, three sextuble-Platinum albums (Leftoverture, Point of Know Return, Best of), one platinum live album (Two for the Show) and a million-selling gold single, "Dust in the Wind." KANSAS appeared on the Billboard charts for over 200 weeks throughout the '70s and '80s and played to sold-out arenas and stadiums throughout North America, Europe and Japan. In fact, "Carry On Wayward Son" was the #2 most played track on classic rock radio in 1995 and went to #1 in 1997. $44, $56

Vince Gill, Oct. 11, 8pm

Vince Gill has sold more than 26 million albums. He has earned 18 CMA Awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 1993 and 1994. He is tied with George Strait for having won the most CMA Male Vocalist Awards (five), and is currently second only to Brooks and Dunn for accumulating the most CMA Awards in history. Gill is a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and has received 19 Grammy Awards to date, the most of any male Country artist. Vince Gill co-hosted the CMA Awards for the first time in 1992. He continued to host “Country Music’s Biggest Night” for 12 consecutive years, ending his run in 2003. Gill not only set a record for the most times anyone has consecutively hosted a televised award show, but he set the bar for other television awards emcees with his respect for his peers and the audience, quick ad libs and gentle humor. “Vince Gill is quite simply a living prism refracting all that is good in country music. He uses the crystal planes of his songwriting, his playing, and his singing to give us a musical rainbow that embraces all men and spans all seasons.” – Kyle Young/Country Music Foundation on Vince’s induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. $62, $74, $81

The Gershwin Experience, Oct. 27, 8pm

Here to Stay is the new multimedia concert celebrating the greatest team of collaborators in the history of American music. With a top notch touring party, including Kevin Cole the leading Gershwin interpreter and Grammy Award-winning soprano Sylvia McNair, this concert event provides an unprecedented insider view into the legendary duo, complete with photos from the Gershwin family archives, rare video clips, and elegant, state-of-the-art visual elements that provide a distinctive experience never before seen in a Gershwin show. $27, $35, $42

Straight No Chaser, Nov. 18, 7:30pm

Straight No Chaser (SNC) has built a reputation as an unforgettable live act. If the phrase “male a cappella group” conjures up an image of students in blue blazers, ties, and khakis singing traditional college songs on ivied campuses… think again. SNC is neither strait-laced nor straight-faced, but neither are they vaudeville-style kitsch. In the process, they are reinventing the idea of a cappella on the modern pop landscape. Originally formed over a dozen years ago while students together at Indiana University, the group has reassembled and reemerged as a phenomenon - with a massive fanbase, more than 20 million views on YouTube, numerous national TV appearances, and proven success with two holiday releases. In an era when so much pop music is the product of digital processing and vocal pro-tooling, Straight No Chaser is the real deal - the captivating sound of ten unadulterated human voices coming together to make extraordinary music that is moving people in a fundamental sense… and with a sense of humor. $49, $59

Kenny Rogers

Christmas and Hits Dec. 2, 7:30pm

Known for instantly identifiable sweetly raspy vocals and an extraordinary ability to vividly inhabit each song he performs, Rogers has sold more than 120 million records worldwide and recorded more than 65 albums during his storied 52 years in show business. His long list of timeless classics includes an impressive 24 #1 hits - "The Gambler," "Lady," "Lucille," "She Believes in Me," "Islands in the Stream," and "We've Got Tonight" among them. Two of Rogers' albums, The Gambler and Kenny, are featured in the About.com poll of "The 200 Most Influential Country Albums Ever", and his Greatest Hits album has sold over 24 million copies worldwide to date. He is the RIAA's 8th best-selling male artist of all time with 1 Diamond album, 19 Platinum albums and 31 Gold albums. With his unique storytelling ability and soulful voice, Kenny has continued his amazing run into the 21st century with a critically acclaimed album (Water and Bridges) and hit single, "I Can't Unlove You," a gold certified record (21 Number Ones), and now, the sweetly timeless The Love of God. Kenny's relevance in the world of music and pop culture has never been stronger. $64, $77, $84

Aaron Neville

A Christmas Celebration Dec. 8, 8pm

Neville's first major hit single was "Tell It Like It Is", which topped Billboard's R&B chart for five weeks in 1967 and also reached #2 on the Hot 100. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. In 1989 Neville teamed up with Linda Ronstadt on the album Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind. Among the duets recorded for the disc were the #1 Grammy-winning hits "Don't Know Much" and "All My Life". "Don't Know Much" earned a million-selling Gold single, while the album was certified Triple Platinum for US sales of more than 3 million. His other hits have included "Everybody Plays the Fool", his 1991 cover of the 1972 Main Ingredient song, that reached #8 on the Hot 100; "Don't Take Away My Heaven", "Hercules" and "Can't Stop My Heart From Loving You (The Rain Song)." $39, $44, $49

Tickets for Corporate Sponsors and for Friends of the Stiefel who have donated at least $300 go on sale May 15th. Tickets for everyone else go on sale June 1st.

Gates adds that they have only announced shows through the end of the year. Already, several big shows have been booked for 2013.

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