The Red and Black

Issue date: 9/5/08 Section: Variety

Media Credit: Courtesy U.S. Navy Band The Classic Center will host the U.S. Navy Band tonight at 7:30. [Click to enlarge]

Sail into sonic wavelengths with "Country Current," the United States Navy's premier country and bluegrass specialty unit, who will be performing a free concert at the Classic Center tonight.

"Giving the state of the economy a lot of people are having trouble affording entertainment," Luanne Byrd, the Media Relations and Business Development Manager of the Classic Center, said. "What thrills us the most is that we can bring the premier band to Athens and not only pay tribute to our nations military but bring it so everyone can enjoy it."

The ensemble is a seven-member specialty unit who, since its formation in 1973, has performed for seven U.S. presidents and played with numerous acclaimed musicians such as Boots Randolph, Alison Krauss and Charlie Daniels.

"Country Current serves as a recruitment tool for the U.S. Navy and it honors (The Classic Center) that we can bring them in because we want to support them in every way imaginable," Byrd said.

"They're phenomenal musicians that represent the Navy (and the country) in a great way."


Keith M. Arneson, the band's chief musician and banjoist, said Athens is one of the first stops on the ensemble's three-week tour.

"We got a really good crowd last time and historically that means it's going to happen again," he said.

"We're all active duty sailors and our job is to represent the Navy (musically). We've all been to boot camp, but our job is to play music."

The performance will be split up into three increments: country, bluegrass and patriotic. Arneson said only six musicians will be present for tonight's show as well as the first part of the ensemble's tour. He said there will be a number of different sounds including that of a banjo, electric guitar, mandolin, fiddle, acoustic guitar, bass and drums.

"The country songs are mainly covers. We do songs by Alan Jackson and Garth Brooks," Arneson said. "The bluegrass is mostly originals, since we have a little more freedom with it because it's more of a free form of traditional country American music," he said.

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