The Old West Trio

Live In Concert at the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts

Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture is proud to present The Old West Trio in concert in its Sutter Theater Center for the Arts. The group takes their lead from the great classic western music performers like the Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry, and Patsy Montana. The Old West Trio will perform on Saturday, April 27 at 7pm, in the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts, 754 Plumas Street in Yuba City.  The Trio performs songs of the American cowboy by combining the best of three voices, two guitars, and one bass. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for under 18 and are available at yubasutterarts.org. 

The audience will hear a variety of styles including swing, yodeling, and just some lighthearted fun. The group’s members are Steve Johnson on lead guitar, Steve Ide on rhythm guitar and Leslie Ide on bass. 

The group plays an extensive repertoire that includes songs like Ghost Riders in the Sky, They Call the Wind Mariah, I’m An Old Cowhand (from the Rio Grande), My Rifle, My Pony and Me, and Navajo Rug. 

Western music performed by the Old West Trio is a form of music composed by and about the people who settled and worked throughout the early days of the western United States. It celebrates the lifestyle of the cowboy on the open range, along the Rocky Mountains, and among the prairies of the west. It comes out of the era of the “1923” chapter of “Yellowstone,” the popular TV show, and could act as the series soundtrack. The genre grew from the mix of cultural influences in the American frontier and the southwestern U.S. It came from the folk music traditions of those living the region, including hillbilly music from those that arrived from the eastern U.S. the corridos and rancheras from northern Mexico, and Tejano styles from the southwest. The music industry of the mid-20th century grouped the western genre with that of similar folk origins, instrumentation and rural themes, to create the banner of country and western music, which was has become country music.

Western music is said to be influenced by the folk music traditions of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, and cowboy songs sung around campfires in the 19th century, such as \”Streets of Laredo,” can be traced back to European folk songs. The music reflected the realities of the open range and ranch houses where the music originated, and the earliest cowboy bands were often string bands supplemented occasionally with a simple flute style instrument. The harmonica, invented in the early 19th century in central Europe, arrived in North America shortly before the American Civil War; its small size and portability made it a favorite among the American public, cowboys, and the flood of pioneers heading westward. 

Come support live music in the community and enjoy these very gifted northern California-based musicians. For more information about this event and other 2024 programs, contact Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture at 530-742-ARTS or email david@yubasutterarts.org.