The 26th season of the Nightfall Concert Series kicks off downtown in May at Chattanooga’s Miller Plaza, and once again, the lineup proves to be very diverse. One musician that is sure to have people talking this year is St. Louis musician Pokey LaFarge.
Known for his mixture of string ragtime, folk, blues, jazz and true Americana storytelling, Pokey LaFarge has come a long way from his early days of hitchhiking across the countryand performing on street corners. And it seems 2014 may be his breakout year, as the spotlight is starting to shine much brighter on this skinny, 30-year-old Midwesterner on a mission to bring old-time music back to the forefront.
Spending years studying classic blues and folk music, learning to play multiple instruments and paying his dues in the Americana music circles, LaFarge’s journey is beginning to pay off. Adding to his talented longtime band, The South City Three, two new horn players bring even more depth to that old sound LaFarge is replicating and growing. The band released its new self-titled album in 2013, recorded under Jack White’s label, Third Man Records, which opened up the opportunity for the band to record and tour with White as well. All of this, along with late-night television talk show performances and having songs featured on the television show Boardwalk Empire and the new Disney movie The Lone Ranger, the audience keeps building for Pokey and the band.
Pokey LaFarge and the band are in route to skyrocket up to the bigger stage soon. So expect a Nightfall treat on Friday, May 23. You could see threepiece suits and ties, suspenders, fedoras and maybe even a few swing dancers in the crowd. But the one thing to listen for is Pokey’s spin on that old familiar sound that is sure to have Chattanooga dancing into the night.