Hickory Hill, a premier bluegrass band in Cass County, Texas, celebrated its 40th year of playing together with the first of its twice-yearly concerts Saturday at Music City Texas Theater in Linden.
Hickory Hill includes regional performers but has its roots here because John Early and and Roland Foster, the founders in 1979, were from Avinger. Hickory Hill was the former name of the town of Avinger.
Early and Foster lived across the street from each other and enjoyed playing music. At college, the two met Ronny Singley, who gave up the saxophone to take up the mandolin and play with them.
The three played rock 'n' roll and country in a band called Pecos before discovering bluegrass. The transition was complete when Don Eaves joined them with his five-string banjo and Bob Stegall signed on with his string bass.
The band has recently added well-known local musician Richard Bowden and Milo Deering of Dallas, a performer who travels and plays with The Eagles.
After the concert, Deering explained his reason for playing with Hickory Hill.
"The group has been together for a long time, and they sound like it. It's hard to find another group with this much talent who enjoy doing what they do this much. They are always great to play with. Real entertainment," he said.
Hickory Hill is the only musical group at MCT that is regularly scheduled. It plays each third weekend in February and August.
Music City Texas Theater with its capacity of 400 wasn't quite full this night, but the quality of Hickory Hill's music was high as usual. The sound was mellow and understated and the banter between the performers themselves and the audience as well was entertaining.