Shenandoah's 40th Anniversary Celebration with Special Guests

The Read

Shenandoah ran a string of country hits during a period when the genre briefly rewarded bands with actual harmony singing and a rhythm section that swung: “Two Dozen Roses,” “The Church on Cumberland Road,” “Next to You, Next to Me.” Raybon’s voice sits somewhere between country and bluegrass, and it has weathered better than most of his contemporaries. The material holds up because it was written to be played, not programmed. The Ryman’s acoustics suit Raybon’s voice, and the seated crowd will know every word without treating the night as a guilty pleasure. The gospel and bluegrass sides of the band should come forward here. Shenandoah still plays these songs with visible affection.

The Venue

Ryman Auditorium

116 5th Ave N

The best-sounding hall in American music. A riverboat captain built it as a tabernacle in 1892, the pews are the originals, and artists talk about getting to play here the way athletes talk about a title.

The production