Say hello to The Atkinsons

The Atkinsons are so excited to be playing Friday Cheers this year on Brown's Island in downtown Richmond, VA!  We'll be opening up for THE Jerry Douglas!  Friday Cheers starts at 6pm and ATK will hit the stage at 6:30pm so come early to see us!

Here's a little about Jerry Douglas:

Jerry Douglas is widely renowned as perhaps the finest dobro player in contemporary acoustic music. His main foundation is bluegrass, but Douglas is an eclectic whose tastes run toward jazz, blues, folk, and straight-ahead country as well, and he’s equally capable of appealing to bluegrass aficionados or new agers with a taste for instrumental roots music. What’s more, his progressive sensibility as a composer has earned him comparisons to like-minded virtuosos Bela Fleck and David Grisman.

Douglas began playing the dobro at age 8 with encouragement from his father, who was also a bluegrass musician. By his teen years, Douglas was already a member of his father’s band, and his playing was especially influenced by Josh Graves of Flatt & Scruggs’ Foggy Mountain Boys. Douglas was discovered at a festival by the Country Gentlemen, who took him on tour with them for the rest of the summer and later brought him into the recording studio. From there, Douglas established himself as a hugely in-demand session musician; during the latter half of the 1970s, he worked with the likes of J.D. Crowe & the New South, David Grisman, Ricky Skaggs, Doyle Lawson and Tony Rice. Additionally, Douglas released his debut album, Fluxology, on Rounder in 1979; he followed it three years later with Fluxedo, which like its predecessor stuck relatively close to traditional (albeit sometimes jazzy) bluegrass.

During the early 1980s, Douglas continued his session career with even greater success, adding Emmylou Harris, Bela Fleck, the Whites, and Peter Rowan to his list of credits. He returned to his solo career in 1986 with Under the Wire on Sugar Hill, which reflected his interest in the progressive new-acoustic (or “newgrass”) movement. He subsequently signed with MCA, where he issued Changing Channels (1987) and the smoother, strongly jazz-influenced Plant Early (1989). More session work for increasingly prominent artists brought him into the 1990s, with names like Alison Krauss, Del McCoury, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Randy Travis, Clint Black, Patty Loveless, Suzy Bogguss, Reba McEntire, Kathy Mattea, and Dolly Parton on his resume. In 1992, he returned to Sugar Hill for the more traditional bluegrass outing Slide Rule, which many critics ranked among his finest recordings. The following year brought the all-instrumental Skip, Hop & Wobble, a trio recording with Russ Barenberg and Edgar Meyer. In 1994, Douglas contributed to the Grammy-winning compilation Great Dobro Sessions, and cut a duo album with Peter Rowan, Yonder, in 1996. Restless on the Farm (1998), true to its title, was a return to Douglas? freewheeling eclecticism, which continued on 2002s Lookout for Hope. Best Kept Secret arrived in September of 2005.

Jerry Douglas myspace

The Atkinsons have been asked to open for Cross Canadian Ragweed on Sunday, January 18th at Toad's Place in Richmond!  This band rocks and we're really psyched to play with them.

The Atkinsons are selling advance tickets to the show; please contact the band if you want to come to the show!  info@theatkinsons.us

We're coming to the end of 2008 and are reflecting on what a great year The Atkinsons have had!  We've been honored to have been able to play some great new venues and festivals and grateful to have been asked back to many others. 

Cafe Diem - We continued our 'Every Second Saturday Each Month' stint at Cafe Diem; one of the most fun places to hangout in Richmond!  They have great food, a great staff, awesome music and never a cover.  We love playing there and have appreciated all the folks that come out each month to see us.  We're looking forward to continuing our monthly gigs there in 2009.

Toad's Place - We were asked to open for Grace Potter and the Nocturnals in March of 2008; our first time playing there.  We had an awesome show and were able to play to lots of new faces who seemed to really like what we do.  We also played Highwater Restaurant at Toad's twice; once for their Wednesdays on the Water series and the next time as an early show before the Reverend Horton Heat/Reckless Kelly/Nashville Pussy show.  We're excited to come back to Toad's in Jan. 2009 opening for Cross Canadian Ragweed!

The National - ATK was thrilled to get a chance to play The National!  We were asked along with four other bands from Richmond and Charlottesville to play in October.  We played with Grinding Stone, The Silverbacks, Black Rose and South29.  Our friend Forest came out and took some really cool videos that we were able to upload for all to see and thanks also to our friend Christen for taking some great pictures. 

Festivals - We made a return appearance at several great festivals again this year including the annual Irish Festival in Church Hill, the annual Carytown Watermelon Festival at Babe's, and Beaverdam Heritage Days.  New festivals we played this year were the annual Brunswick Stew Festival at 17th Street Farmer's Market and Glen Allen Day with The Taters.  We also played the Rhythm, Bets & Brews Festival at Colonial Downs with Last Train Home.  It was a blast although it poured rain soon after LTH started. 

Events - We were asked to play the annual auction at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church for the first time, which was a blast!  And were asked back for Massey Alliance's annual Swinetangle BBQ fundraising event, which we love to be a part of.  We also came back to play the annual Bark in the Park event at Deep Run Park benefitting Henrico Humane Society. 

Other venues - The Atkinsons also played several other great venues in Richmond besides Cafe Diem including Poe's Pub, Cary St. Cafe, The Triple and the new Grandpa Eddie's BBQ in the west end.  We also were able to play Cabo's twice before it's demise.

Concert series - We were honored to play twice at Pocahontas State Park for the Pocahontas Premieres summer concert series.  We played with Blue Line Highway first and then were asked back just two weeks later for Page Wilson's Out O' The Blue Stage Revue with the Sara Arthur Band.  And the awesome PBS show The Music Seen that we filmed two years ago at The Canal Club in Richmond spread its wings this year to other PBS markets around the U.S.  The show has been airing in Chicago, Detroit, Charlotte, Raleigh, Greenville, Birmingham, Buffalo, Huntsville, Montgomery and Wilmington and even in New Jersey.

The Atkinsons Gig Calendar 2008:
1/12 - Cafe Diem
1/25 - Poe's Pub w/Glitter Boot
2/02 - St. Thomas' Episcopal Church annual auction
2/09 - Cafe Diem
2/15 - Cary St. Cafe w/The Ex-Patriots and Alan and Matt from Mozely Rose
3/05 - Toads Place with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and Benevento/Russo Duo
3/08 - Cafe Diem
3/30 - Irish Festival in Church Hill
4/12 - Cafe Diem
4/26 - Grandpa Eddie's BBQ
5/10 - Cafe Diem
5/23 - Dickie Wood solo at Grandpa Eddie's BBQ
5/24 - Cafe Diem
6/07 - Cabos Corner Bistro
6/14 - Cafe Diem
6/21 - Colonial Downs Rhythm Bets & Brews w/Last Train Home
7/05 - private party
7/12 - Cafe Diem
7/26 - Cabos Corner Bistro
8/09 - Pocahontas Premiers w/Blue Line Highway
8/09 - Cafe Diem
8/10 - Watermelon Festival at Babes
8/23 - Page Wilson's Out O' the Blue Stage Revue, Pocahontas w/Sara Arthur Band
9/10 - Wednesdays on the Water, Toad's Place
9/13 - Bark in the Park
9/13 - Cafe Diem
9/20 - Glen Allen Day w/The Taters
9/21 - Massey Alliance's Swinetangle BBQ
10/10 - The National w/Grinding Stone, The Silverbacks, South29 and Black Rose
10/11 - Beaverdam Heritage Days
10/11 - Cafe Diem
10/24 - Poe's Pub w/Workhorse Blue & The Dirty Truth
11/01 - Brunswick Stew Festival, 17th Street Farmers Market w/Son Quatro
11/07 - Highwater Restaurant before Rev. Horton Heat and Reckless Kelly
11/08 - Cafe Diem
11/22 - The Triple
12/06 - private party
12/13 - Cafe Diem

The Atkinsons played The National on Friday, October 10th to an enthusiastic, woo-hooing crowd!  We shared the stage with a cool blues rock band called Grinding Stone along with Black Rose, The Silverbacks and South29.  www.thenationalva.com  We really appreciate everyone that came out to the show!  Thanks also to Forest George for videotaping (you can see some of his videos on our myspace and our website) and to Christen for taking some cool pics!  Thanks mostly to the folks at The National for putting The Atkinsons on.  We had a blast!

We'll be playing a dinner pre-show at Highwater Restaurant at Toad's Place before the Reckless Kelly, Reverend Horton Heat, Nashville Pussy show on 11/7.  We'll play from 6:30-8pm and then go in to see the show!  Come on out and join us!

Ashland Main Street Association has partnered with the Town of Ashland to feature local musicians on Channel 17.  The Atkinsons are one of those local bands, so when you're channel surfing, stop on by and take a listen!

Also, The Atkinsons were featured in the Summer 2008 edition Ashland's On Track newsletter!  Thanks Jenny Valent for helping us to be a part of Channel 17 and On Track!  Go to the site to read the article at www.town.ashland.va.us or read below:

Channel 17 Music: Artist – The Atkinsons

Music on Ashland's local government access channel, Channel 17, is provided by several fine local groups and musicians, and this edition of On Track is pleased to spotlight yet another of these fine artists.

The Atkinsons, who describe their music as "rock songs with a twang," came together in 2003 as the result of an open mic night collaboration at a local pub. Dickie Wood (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Jeff Williams (mandolin, guitar), began making music together at Matt's Village Pub during the open mic night that was held there on Thursdays. It was during this time that they combined Dickie's unique songwriting and rock n' roll background with Jeff's alt-country mandolin twang and created their signature sound. When asked to open up for a band at Poe's Pub, the two musicians decided that they needed a name for themselves. After an unsuccessful brainstorming session to come up with a name one night, they turned to a fellow open mic musician and asked him what his last name was.  Atkinson" came the reply from Dr. Gary Atkinson, and they decided that it sounded pretty good! Later on, when members Ricky Breland (bass), Kris Krull (drums, vocals), Mike Ferry (fiddle), and Jamie Wood (vocals, percussion) were added to create a full band, the name stuck, and The Atkinsons were complete.

The Atkinsons play what has most closely been referred to as "rockin'  Americana music." Their influences range from Whiskytown, Old 97s and Son Volt – to Old Crow Medicine Show, The Avett Brothers and Scott Miller – to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Rolling Stones and Green Day. In 2007, they released their first CD, "American Gothic." Their CD release show at Café Diem in Richmond packed the restaurant with a line out the door, and they are happy to say that their enthusiastic fan base that continues to grow. They have enjoyed sharing the stage with Scott Miller and the Commonwealth at the Shockoe Craft Beer Festival and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at Toad's Place.

One of the things they enjoy most as a band is looking out into the audience and seeing people in the crowd singing along to their original songs. Getting to meet and become friends with other local musicians is also something that they have enjoyed. When asked what the worst thing about being a band is, they respond with a smile, "Trying to figure out what to do with all the money we're making!" Their advice to aspiring bands is to "Do it because you love it, because the odds of 'making it big' are against you!" With a busy gig calendar and an increasing catalog of original songs and fun covers, it is obvious that the pay The Atkinsons receive goes well beyond any monetary value.

If you want to find out where you can see The Atkinsons live, you can check out their complete list of upcoming gigs at www.theatkinsons.us, or on their MySpace website at www.myspace.com/theatkinsons. The Atkinsons are also available for private parties, fundraisers, festivals and corporate events, and you can find out more by emailing Jamie Wood at info@theatkinsons.us.

by Jenny Valent, Administrative Assistant/Public Works