OXFORD – On Saturday, at 7:30 p.m., 6 On The Square (6OTS) is pleased to welcome back Rod Picott and Amanda Shires. Rising from the sun-driven plains of West Texas is fiddler and singer/songwriter Amanda Shires and from the northern mill towns of New England is Rod Picott. A yankee singer-songwriter and a Texas fiddler might seem an unlikely pairing but the natural chemistry between Rod and Amanda is undeniable.
Listening to Rod, you feel like you are hearing an old friend, one you don’t even know you had or had missed. Fellow songwriters Slaid Cleaves and Fred Eaglesmith have included Rod’s songs on their CDs, and his co-produced with Slaid hit “Broke Down” was in the soundtrack of the recent movie Solitary Man. Rod has opened for Alison Krauss, and she performed a duet with him on his last CD. Rod is never an “in your face” performer; his whiskey voiced delivery and intimate story telling seduces you with charm and warmth. He seamlessly toggles between alt-country and folk, sometimes mixing them up with a little blues, one of his original music genres.
Amanda is a Texas style fiddler, and has been called “an onstage sparkplug” by Tom Geddie of Buddy Magazine. At 16, she was playing fiddle with Tommy Allsup and The Texas Playboys, an auspicious start that testifies to her natural talent and soulful delivery. From there, Shires went on to be one of the founding members of Lubbock, Texas’ Thrift Store Cowboys, releasing 4 albums independently and reaching top ten status on many CMJ charts around the country. Amanda’s sweet melodic voice rings true on her songs, as she sings of heartache and happiness, loss and the journey of life.
Hearing Rod and Amanda together pairs an incredibly talented duo and a mix of genres. Due to popular demand, their return visit to 6OTS is becoming a winter tradition. Join them for an evening of music, stories, and energized fiddle playing “as near perfect as you can get!” Purchase tickets on-line at the discounted price of $12, until the day of the show; $15 on the day of the show. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
