Mercury Rizing is a newly formed Bluegrass group that is made up of some of the area’s top musicians. Combining or ‘mashing up’ bluegrass with favorites, original music and incorporating swing makes them a must see band. They join the free concert series “Thursdays in the Park” for the first time on July 26. The series is presented by the Queen Anne’s County Arts Council.
Guitarist Ron Hall began playing guitar at the age of three. He has been a member of several bands including: Bill Brown and the Bluegrass Mountain Boys, Ivan Sexton, and Midnight Rendezvous. He is a multi-instrumentalist, but is most well-known for his versatile guitar playing and his vocals.
Ethan Hughes is on dobro and vocals where he shines with his ability to convey emotion in his playing and his singing. He has played regularly with bands such as The Fitzmaurice Band and Darren Beachley and The Legends of the Potomac. His dobro technique has been influenced by Mike Auldridge, Jerry Douglas, and Rob Ickes while his vocal heroes include Vince Gill, Russell Moore, Randy Travis, Del McCoury, and Chris Stapleton.
As the banjo player for Blue Daze for twenty-years, performer Tim Kruzic has also played for several well-established bands in the Maryland area including The D&D Revue, Windy Ridge, and Shiloh Ridge. Playing mainly in the Scruggs style, he also enjoys venturing into other styles as needed to frame a song. He is an active participant in the greater Bluegrass community including the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) World of Bluegrass and the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA) annual awards show event.
Paul Unkert is a multi-instrumentalist recently adding bass to his repertoire. He has played with a number of well-known artists including Fog on the Oregon Coast, Plug Nickel, The Wright Brothers, Bluestock, and Small Change. He also played with Avalanche featuring Gene Lowinger, a former member of Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys. The warm tone in his bass playing and singing brings a fullness to songs. Unkert is also an expert craftsman of both acoustic and electric instruments and is known as the “Guitar Guy.”
Mandolin player Adam Kruzic has performed around Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. A number of local mandolin players have had a significant impact on his approach to the mandolin which is both inside and slightly outside the Bluegrass genre.
The Thursdays in the Park series is presented by the Queen Anne’s County Arts Council, the Maryland State Arts Council, and the United Way of Queen Anne’s County, and sponsored by Frank Kratovil and media partners Tidewater Trader and WCTR. Bring blankets or chairs; picnicking is encouraged. Food and beverages available for sale. Concerts start at 7 pm and will be held rain or shine. Contact the Arts Council in the event of extreme weather conditions or alerts. For additional information or to receive a concert schedule call 410-758-2520 or email: exhibit@arts4u.info
The Queen Anne’s County Arts Council, Inc., is a non-profit organization committed to promoting, expanding and sustaining the arts. We connect artists to audiences and the community to the arts. Visit us on the web at www.arts4u.info.