Society Hall is excited to welcome back Valley favorite and legendary southwestern music icon Bill Hearne and his trio, with special guest Don Richmond sitting in on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m.
Appearing with Hearne will be Santa Fe bassist Susan Holmes and pedal steel and guitar ace John Grabof, also from Santa Fe. Alamosa’s multi-instrumentalist and producer Don Richmond also will sit in.
CONCERT INFORMATION
WHO: Bill Hearne and his trio
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. (doors open 6 p.m.)
WHERE: Society Hall, 400 Ross St., Alamosa
TICKETS: $20; available at societyhall.org or at the Green Spot, 711 State Ave. in Alamosa. The concert will also stream live on the Society Hall Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Hearne will perform selections from his many CDs on Alamosa label Howlin’ Dog Records, as well as tunes from his earlier CDs. His latest CD is “Always Trust Your Cape,” which features songs from Hearne’s musical influences and his many friends from across the music world, such as Guy Clark and Robert Earl Keen. Keen says of Bill’s cover of his song “I Gotta Go”: “Bravo my friend and thanks for doing my song. I like it better your way, it’s awesome. Looking forward to the entire record — these are great choices.”
Hearne is no stranger to the San Luis Valley, having performed in the area many times over the years, from way back at the Sunshine Festival in the 1970s.
Hearne began performing in Austin, Texas, in the late 1960s, where he met his wife, Bonnie, and began performing as Bill and Bonnie Hearne, achieving national recognition as well as a near legendary reputation among fellow musicians such as Nancy Griffith, Lyle Lovett and Jerry Jeff Walker, all of whom have appeared on Hearne’s recordings. Bonnie retired from active performing in 2003 due to health issues, and passed away in 2017, but Bill has continued to perform solo, with his trio, and in other band configurations.
Hearne is widely known for his amazing flat-picking acoustic guitar style, using a cross-picking technique that combines accompaniment chords, rhythm, and lead runs simultaneously, all with one single pick, as well as his husky baritone and his gift of song interpretation.
Richmond credits Hearne as being a profound influence on his own music, saying, “Back in the ’70s I used to watch Bill and Bonnie play in Red River, New Mexico, at their house gig at the Alpine, whenever I was in the area, and I never left there feeling anything but good. I really feel like they taught me what live music was supposed to do, and how it was supposed to make you feel.”