66 past events with the country music tag

The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is thrilled to present the 9th season in which the series presents critically acclaimed national recording artists in four FREE concerts at Canan Commons in Downtown Muncie. All shows begin at 7 PM and are all ages. And this season, we will also be presenting a special “Bonus” concert at Cornerstone Center for the Arts. Complete information on the series and all artists, including samples of their music, can be found at www.munciethreetrails.com.

Americana artist James McMurtry will open our series on Saturday, July 30th. With eight albums, including American Music Awards’ “Album of the Year” winner Childish Things, a Grammy nomination, and having one of his songs, “We Can’t Make It Here” named by famed music critic Robert Christgau in 2010 as “Song of the Decade,” McMurtry’s list of accolades is impressive. His latest release, The Horses and the Hounds, continues his tradition of writing hardscrabble songs about good people at bad extremes and the disintegration of small towns in flyover America. Muncie native Mike Martin and the Beautiful Mess will open the show.

The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is a non-profit partnership between Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, Muncie Arts and Culture Council, and Rick Zeigler, series founder and organizer. The mission of the series is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s premier outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown Muncie. A second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” -- The White River Greenway, Cardinal Greenway, and Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope attendees will heed our slogan, “Explore the Trails, Enjoy the Music”.

#MTTMS

#LiveMusic

#MuncieArts

#Summer2022

Local musicians jam in an informal improvisational setting!  Lead by Chad Nordhoff!  Craft Cocktails and dinner are served.  No cover charge but please plan to spend at least $5 to contribute towards the venue!  

Local musicians jam in an informal improvisational setting!  Lead by Chad Nordhoff!  Craft Cocktails and dinner are served.  No cover charge but please plan to spend at least $5 to contribute towards the venue!  

Local musicians jam in an informal improvisational setting!  Lead by Chad Nordhoff!  Craft Cocktails and dinner are served.  No cover charge but please plan to spend at least $5 to contribute towards the venue!  

Perfect Strangers plays a hard rock acoustic set and Opie Hendrix opens with original music! We're happy to present two bands you may not have heard before and two different genres of talented musicians. Perfect Strangers led by Jay Kennedy will play an acoustic hard rock set and Opie Hendrix who normally plays venues and Honky Tonks all over Texas will play original music from the road. We'll have all you can eat barbecue specials and some great cocktails on sale too! Dave graduated from Delta High School locally with both of these guys, Opie Hendrix used to go by Steve Buchanan. $5.00 cover/tickts goes to the band.

Local musicians jam in an informal improvisational setting!  Lead by Chad Nordhoff!  Craft Cocktails and dinner are served.  No cover charge but please plan to spend at least $5 to contribute towards the venue!  

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper LIVE at the 2023 Muncie Three Trails Music Series!

Please join us on Friday, August 25th at 7:00pm, at Canan Commons in Downtown Muncie, Indiana for our Summer of FREE CONCERTS with Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper and special guest opener The Punkin Holler Boys!

"My desire to present the amazing artistry of Michael Cleveland to residents of Muncie and East Central Indiana was one of my main motivations in starting the Muncie Three Trails Music Series."

- Rick Zeigler, Founder, Muncie Three Trails Music Series

The tension between tradition and innovation is at the core of bluegrass music, and the fiddle playing of Michael Cleveland exemplifies this musical tug of war. As a boy, Cleveland heard a local fiddler play “Orange Blossom Special,” which sparked a lifelong obsession with the tune that mimics the sound of a train. Cleveland’s improvisational versions push the piece’s descriptive tones and percussive bowing to a new level. With an encyclopedic memory for melodies, and an uncanny intuition for improvisation, Cleveland’s music is both rooted in tradition and fueled by his melodic imagination.

From an early age, Cleveland heard old-time and bluegrass music at local jams and festivals near his hometown of Henryville, Indiana. His grandparents hosted regular bluegrass gatherings at the American Legion, and at age four, he began playing the fiddle. He attended the Kentucky School for the Blind in Louisville, where he learned the Suzuki method of violin. While he practiced the violin at school, he played fiddle at home. Traveling with his grandparents to area bluegrass festivals, he heard many legendary players perform at Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Festival in Bean Blossom, Indiana. At the age of nine, Cleveland got to play with Monroe—a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship in the inaugural class of 1982—at the festival. When Cleveland was 12, he met music historian Dave Samuelson, who recognized the young musician’s interest and talent. Samuelson curated several Braille-labeled tapes for the young musician, which served as Cleveland’s essential listening guide to bluegrass music. Cleveland’s repertoire and musicianship grew, and in 1993 he played the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards show with the Bluegrass Youth All-Stars.

Cleveland began playing professionally after he graduated from high school, first with Jeff White and later with Dale Ann Bradley and Rhonda Vincent. Since he was young, however, Cleveland had dreamed of leading his own band. In 2006, he formed Flamekeeper, now seven-time recipients of the IBMA’s “Instrumental Group of the Year” award. Flamekeeper includes Josh Richards, Nathan Livers, Jasiah Shrode, and Chris Douglas. In addition to touring with his band, Cleveland has performed with a legendary list of bluegrass greats. Nevertheless, he remains rooted in his local Southern Indiana community, where he continues to play with friends when he is not on tour.

Widely considered the best bluegrass fiddler of his generation, Cleveland has been recognized 12 times as the IBMA’s “Fiddler of the Year,” and in 2018 he was inducted into the National Fiddler’s Hall of Fame. His recording Fiddler’s Dream was nominated in 2018 for a Grammy for “Best Bluegrass Album,” and in 2019, his album Tall Fiddler won that award. In 2019, Cleveland’s amazing life of adversity and achievement was featured in the documentary film Flamekeeper: The Michael Cleveland Story. And in 2022, he, like his idol Bill Monroe, was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship.

Visit Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper here:

www.michaelclevelandfiddle.com

Presented by Ball State University, THANK YOU to our Sponsors!

The primary mission of the Muncie Three Trails Music Series is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s newest outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown. All concerts are free to the public. Our second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” -- The White River Greenway, The Cardinal Greenway, and The Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope that the combination of outstanding concerts and Muncie’s attractions will provide both local citizens and visitors from throughout the region and state with a full day of fun and music.

Explore The Trails, Enjoy The Music!

Please visit our website to learn much more about our 2023 Muncie Three Trails Music Series:

https://www.munciethreetrails.com

Local musicians jam in an informal improvisational setting!  Lead by Chad Nordhoff!  Craft Cocktails and dinner are served.  No cover charge but please plan to spend at least $5 to contribute towards the venue!  

Destination: Muncie is helping make Muncie the place to be for The Total Solar Eclipse! 🎶

2 Stages & a Dance Party! One Venue, the beloved Cornerstone Center for the Arts!

Muncie is The Magic City for many reasons! We celebrate the magic that makes Muncie the place we all love to call home! We're inviting the good people of Earth to come learn why we love Muncie and one reason we love Muncie is we know how to DANCE! Come dance with us and welcome in the cosmic experience of a Total Eclipse of the Heartland! ❤️

Line Up:

Davey & The Midnights

Mike Martin & The Beautiful Mess

Free Joel

The Fierce

BSU Jazz Ensemble

Ashley Gray

Katie Jo Robinson

Jansen Duncan

All Out Productions Dance Party w/ Curtis Dorgan

Arttacgo

Foxxy

Smoking Horses

Dr. John's Juke Joint Road Show

Odd Shape of Joy

Replaced By Robots

The Normal City Slickers

Eartherial

Jerry Barker

Cory Matters

Annnnd MORE!

Saturday May 18th

Come out and hear Jansen play, we'll have bourbon specials, and Jansen's favorite drink on special! We'll have our smoker going and amazing pulled pork specials!

Opie Hendrix is back home from touring in Texas, and we'll have the smoker out for a barbecue event!  Cocktail specials and more!

REVEREND PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND TO HEADLINE FREE CONCERT IN MUNCIE, INDIANA

Acclaimed country blues group The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band will be performing in a FREE outdoor concert as part of the 2024 Muncie Three Trails Music Series. The concert will take place at 7:00 PM on Saturday, July 27th at Canan Commons (500 South Walnut Street) in the heart of Downtown Muncie! Muncie's own Lovesick Moan will open the show. Lawn chairs, picnic blankets, and dancing are always welcome! We encourage you to come early, and to come hungry and thirsty to enjoy local food and beverage vendors before the show. This concert is sponsored by DeFur Voran, thank you!

RSVP that you are "Going" to the show here:

The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band at the 2024 Muncie Three Trails Music Series

There aren’t a lot of Warped Tour veterans who can claim proficiency in the use of bottleneck slides, washboards, and five-gallon buckets. Most didn’t spend their teens playing along to Charlie Patton and Bukka White albums. And just about none are fronted by a commissioned member of the Honorary Order of Kentucky Colonels. Say hello to Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, the greatest front-porch blues band in the world!

Reverend Peyton is recognized as one of the world’s foremost country blues finger-style pickers, playing the bass with his thumb while picking the lead at the same time. His prowess has been recognized with multiple Blues Music Awards nominations, including in 2021 for “Best Blues Rock Artist”, as well as being the cover subject for Vintage Guitar magazine. But the Big Damn Band isn’t just about the Reverend. Beside him on stage are his wife, “Washboard” Breezy Peyton, playing with all the nuance and percussive power of a New Orleans drum line, and keeping the train moving is Max Senteney on a lean drum kit that includes a 5-gallon maple syrup bucket. But one listen will convince you that there's nothing dusty or sentimental about Peyton's music. There's no songs about picking cotton. They aren't a museum piece. The Big Damn Band have taken nearly a century of country blues history and crafted a thing all their own. “I like songs that sound happy but are actually very sad,” Peyton says. “I don’t know why it is, but I just do.”

The Big Damn Band has built its reputation the long, slow, hard way. After 12 years of playing as many as 300 shows each year, in a total of 37 countries, the biggest little band in the country has pieced together one of the most dedicated followings out there. As audiences everywhere will tell you, there is not another band out there that sounds like this or has a stage show of this caliber. So get ready to celebrate, because that is what you will end up doing when Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band graces the Canan Commons stage!

The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is a non-profit partnership between Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, Muncie Arts and Culture Council, and Rick Zeigler, series founder and organizer. The mission of the series is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s premier outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown Muncie. A second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” -- The White River Greenway, Cardinal Greenway, and Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope attendees will heed our slogan, “Explore the Trails, Enjoy the Music!”

A BIG thank you to Ball State University for sponsoring the entire 2024 series! Complete information about the Muncie Three Trails Music Series can be found at our website here:

https://www.munciethreetrails.com

If you're free tonight, and like cheap drinks and live music, or would like to come and show off some of your musical talent, I will be hosting open mic at Room 5 Piano Bar with food, drinks, a backline provided, and a sign up sheet with time slots starting at 8. Doors open at 7, see you there!

Seamlessly merging hits from Pop, Rock and Oldies to Americana and Country, the genre smashing, vocal/instrumental trio, TAKE3, lives at the intersection where art and pop culture collide.

Described by audience goers as a mini–Trans Siberian Orchestra experience, TAKE3 is nothing short of exhilarating and has electrified audiences at hundreds of venues and performing arts centers throughout the U.S. Known for their infectious and down to earth onstage personalities, this threesome leaves their indelible mark on captivated crowds around the country. 

TAKE3’s interactive lighting shows, comedic stories of their journey from scales in conservatory practice rooms to pop music in packed stadiums, come together in unforgettable experiences that have fired up concert goers all over the nation.

World-class artists and musicians brought together in the Coffee and Cabernet Series. Experience these internationally renowned artists in the intimate setting of Pruis Hall and enjoy a selection of wine, craft beer or coffee while attending the performance. 

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

GRAMMY-winning bluegrass greats Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper will be performing a FREE outdoor concert as part of the 2026 Muncie Three Trails Music Series. This concert is sponsored by the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County. Locals The John Beatrtice Band will open the show. Widely considered the best bluegrass fiddler of his generation, Michael Cleveland has been recognized 12 times as the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) “Fiddler of the Year,” and in 2018 he was inducted into the National Fiddler’s Hall of Fame. His recording Fiddler’s Dream was nominated in 2018 for a GRAMMY for “Best Bluegrass Album,” and in 2019, his album Tall Fiddler won that award. In 2022, he, like his idol Bill Monroe, was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship. And most recently, Michael’s latest recording with Jason Carter, Carter & Cleveland,  won IBMA’s 2025 “Album of the Year” award and has been nominated for a 2026 GRAMMY for “Best Bluegrass Album.”

Pokey LaFarge

Critically acclaimed musician Pokey LaFarge and his band will be performing a FREE outdoor concert as part of the 2026 Muncie Three Trails Music Series. This concert is sponsored by Defur Voran. Locals Jerry Barker & the Onion Cutters will open the show.

LaFarge never wanted to be an artist that had one gigantic record and then kept repeating the same thing over and over. His last three albums, including his newest, Rhumba Country, gives evidence that he is in no danger of doing that. 2020’s Rock Bottom Rhapsody, hailed as a “Best of 2020” by NPR’s Fresh Air, was dark, lean and melancholy, without horns or anything else that might interfere with the vocals and the lyrics. By contrast, 2021’s In The Blossom of Their Shade showcased Pokey’s positivity, capturing the vibe of a perfect summer afternoon soundtrack. And as with all his previous works, In The Blossom of Their Shade continued to mix and match a wide variety of styles and traditions, this time around drawing on sounds from hot swing, ragtime, country blues, and Americana, as well as incorporating influences from the Southwest, South America, and the Caribbean. And now, on Rhumba Country, his latest full-length, LaFarge revels in his newly heightened devotion to making music that channels pure joy. As Pokey immersed himself in the album’s creation, he once again began dreaming up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock-and-roll. Wherever his musical inspirations may take him, there is one thing you can be sure of – when Pokey LaFarge takes the stage, he will continue to entertain audiences everywhere with his unique mix of styles and dynamic showmanship. We are extremely pleased to be able to welcome Pokey LaFarge back to the Three Trails stage.

Cristina Vane

Critically acclaimed Americana/blues artist Cristina Vane and her band will be performing a FREE outdoor concert as part of the 2026 Muncie Three Trails Music Series. This concert will take place at 7:00 PM on Saturday, August 8th  at Canan Commons (600 S. Walnut St.) in the heart of downtown Muncie, IN. Locals Lovesick Moan will open the show.

More than a mere practitioner of her craft, Cristina Vane has a breadth and depth of serious musical skill compiled from countless miles across all kinds of geography. On her third studio album ‘Hear My Call,’ the pairing of a lifetime pursuit and growing treasure trove of songs makes for a record that demands to be heard.

A deft multi-instrumentalist and captivating vocalist, she began writing songs and playing guitar in her teens, before the power of slide guitar captured her attention one summer in London and changed her trajectory. Her sound is a product of a merging of numerous worlds- her classic rock, 90s indie, and heavier roots with her passion for prewar blues, old time fiddle banjo music, country and bluegrass. On Hear My Call, Vane refuses to bend herself into a box, writing excellent bluegrass songs that exist cohesively alongside her blues, rock, and hill country blues inspired tunes. Indeed, a decade of finding herself has brought her full circle; in her words, “ “When it came to the album, I wanted it to be a reflection of who I am, not just of the old music that I’ve come to love”, she explains, “and I’m essentially a rock kid who is obsessed with old music. After being exposed to all of this music that was foreign to me, I am slowly figuring out how to find my own voice within it." 

Blue Moon Marquee

Acclaimed Canadian blues/jazz group Blue Moon Marquee will be performing in a FREE outdoor concert as part of the 2026 Muncie Three Trails Music Series. Locals The Prairie Creek Sirens will open the show.

Blue Moon Marquee writes and performs original compositions influenced by anything that swings, jumps or grooves. A.W. Cardinal (vocals/guitar) and Jasmine Colette a.k.a. Badlands Jass (vocals/bass/drums) have played for a vast gamut of crowds at jazz clubs, Lindy Hop dance halls, folk venues, blues haunts, hospitals, prisons, markets, motorcycle joints, dive bars and prestigious festival stages. The vast repertoire of this band is a reflection of their bounteous years on the road, and the result is a trademark blend that pulls the different parts of their musical worlds together, taking the tones of early blues, the expressions of jazz, the heart of country, the spirit of folk, the swagger of soul and the rhythm of rock ‘n’ roll. Their gift is bringing all these elements together without anything sounding out of step. For their Canan Commons show, the duo will be joined by Alison Young on sax and Darcy Phillips on keys.

In recognition of the band’s excellence, Scream, Holler & Howl, their 5th album, won the JUNO Award (the Canadian equivalent of the GRAMMY) for Blues Album of the Year. The album was also honored with the Blues Foundation’s award for Emerging Artist of the Year (2023), and it swept the 2023 Maple Blues Awards (Canada’s highest honour in blues) with four wins. including Album of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Acoustic Act of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.  Co-produced by GRAMMY-winning guitarist Duke Robillard and recorded live to tape, the album blazes forward with its astonishing mix of genres. As Mr. Robillard states, “To say A.W. and Jasmine are old souls is an understatement. They are poised for worldwide recognition in a brilliant and unique genre-bending ride through American blues and folk, Gypsy jazz, Native American themes, jump blues, swing and more. These century-old traditions have been redefined and delivered in a new light here”. Unbound by genre or era, Blue Moon Marquee has an edge that demands you take notice. With an authentic mixture of tempo, melody and imagery, they are timeless artists perfect for this time. 

Pay homage to the iconic female vocalists of yesterday and today with RHINESTONE COWGIRLS: Legendary Ladies of Country Music! Three powerhouse singers perform fresh arrangements of classic and contemporary country hits in this elegant and authentic journey celebrating the evolution of country music’s humble beginnings to the giants of today’s music industry.

Relive classics like Patsy Cline's “Crazy,” Tammy Wynette's “Stand By Your Man,” and Loretta Lynn's “Coal Miner’s Daughter” as well as new favorites like Martina McBride's “Independence Day” and Carrie Underwood's “Last Name.”

Tickets on sale Friday, August 7 at 10 a.m. Get tickets here: https://www.ticketmaster.com/ball-state-university-pruis-hall-tickets-muncie/venue/41609