Bluegrass show at Sunset Theatre will ring in the new year

Looking for somewhere to celebrate on New Year’s Eve? If you enjoy good music and fun times, then head to Sunset Theatre in downtown Asheboro. Hindsight Bluegrass will perform at 8 p.m. on Dec. 31.

Hindsight Bluegrass is comprised of a powerhouse group of local musicians. Band members include Stan and Julie Brown on banjo and bass, Scott Hancock on guitar, and Al McCanless on fiddle. Special guest will be Jimmy Cameron on mandolin.

Banjoist, Stan Brown, grew up in Randolph County playing guitar and banjo at an early age with his father, the late Odell Brown. After graduating from NC State, he relocated to Nashville to pick banjo with Wilma Lee Cooper on the Grand Ole Opry and festivals. Brown also played with musical greats such as Bill Monroe, Skeeter Davis, and the Osborne Brothers. After returning to his home state, "Stanjo" (his nickname) performed with several bands, before forming Hindsight Bluegrass.

Brown's wife of over 20 years, Julie, initially from Angier and a veteran musician herself, explained the origin of Hindsight Bluegrass. "The band started in December 2017 by accident. Stan and I got together a little jam session one night with a few friends and fellow pickers because we don't typically pick much through the winter and we didn't like the down time. We had so much fun we decided to do it again the next week and the next week and the next week and so it was on."

"The name popped in my head while driving. I wasn't even thinking about the band at the moment. Afterwards, I noticed that a video game that I play used the term 'Hindsight' for hints so that might be why it came to me. I added 'Bluegrass' to the name to classify us. So ‘Hindsight Bluegrass’ was on the market. We've played quite a few private parties and weddings, churches and concert series. We played the Sunset Theatre for New Year's Eve and will be doing that again this year for the eighth time."

Like Stan, guitarist Scott Hancock, grew up playing music with his father in Randolph County. A multi-instrumentalist, he prefers picking guitar. Hancock sings lead and tenor with Hindsight. 

Allen McCanless, aka “Fiddlin” Al McCanless of Seagrove, has over 50 years in the music business. Starting on harmonica and guitar in high school, he took up fiddle when a student at UNC-CH School of Pharmacy. A founding member of the legendary Newgrass group, The New Deal String Band, and later with the Bluegrass Experience, McCanless spent years learning Irish-Celtic fiddle tunes and recorded two projects with his own group, Celtic Jam. The potter and retired pharmacist has served as a guest fiddler on recordings with musical notables such as the Red Clay Ramblers, Mike Cross, and Alice Gerrard.

Special guest, Jimmy Cameron from Barbecue, NC, is no stranger to bluegrass music. He has performed with several local and professional bands.

Stanjo shared, "We're looking forward to being back at the theatre for New Year's Eve. We'll be playing a lot of tunes from our CD ‘2020’ that was released early last year just before COVID hit and shut everything down. Ironically, it was recorded in 2019 not knowing what was about to happen."

Julie, added, "I never take for granted getting to play with such talented musicians. The pure vocals and rhythm guitar coming from Scott Hancock, the fine fiddle playing of Al McCanless and of course the tastefulness of Stanjo's banjo playing never get old. And to top it off, this year we'll have Jimmy Cameron on vocals and mandolin to complete the mix. After many years with The Bluegrass Experience, Ralph Stanley and other top bands he has the experience to put the icing on the cake.”

Sunset Theatre is located at 234 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. Tickets are $10 and are available at Monroe’s Music (320 Sunset Ave, Asheboro) and Silver Dollar Pawn (6787 Jordan Rd, Ramseur) or call 336-302-2274 or email: hindsightbluegrass@gmail.com.