McKain Lakey, Pop Wagner & Honky Tonk Ranch

×

Expand

Marc Norberg

Pop Wagner and guitar.

Pop Wagner

$20 ($15 adv.).

media release: Described by What’s Up Magazine as “a time capsule unearthed, fine-tuned and re-imagined”, McKain Lakey draws creative inspiration from far corners of the American folk music tradition. Lakey blurs lines of old and new, referencing musical textures of past eras while unabashedly exploring topics of mental health, family separation, rural identity and queer love. Her latest album Somewhere was recorded in Ballard, WA and was produced by Johnny Sangster (Mudhoney, The Posies, Neko Case), mixing trad folk, modern Americana and indie rock sounds. It was hailed as "the best country album of 2021" (Countercurrent).

Pop Wagner has quite the reputation as a singer, picker, fiddler, lasso twirler, poet and downright funny guy. He appeared quite frequently on National Public Radio's A Prairie Home Companion during the show's formative years and for the last five decades he has worked his cowboy magic throughout 44 states and 13 foreign countries. His cowboy anthems crackle with the warmth of a prairie campfire and his old time fiddle tunes set toes a-tappin' while he serves up spellbinding rope tricks and tall stories -- all with a good dose of friendly humor. After 56 years of performing, Pop is not slowing down and has started a new band featuring members of the hot old-time bluegrass band Steam Machine, including award-winning fiddler AJ Srubas,  Michigan-raised guitarist & trad dance instigator Rina Rossi and Wisconsin multi-instrumentalist David Robinson (Roe Family Singers).