Chris Jones & the Night Drivers - last tour show, 10 Mar. 2018

Thanks to veteran promoter Tom Stapleton for a reminder that the last opportunity to see Chris Jones & the Night Drivers (USA) in their approaching tour of Ireland will be on Saturday 10 March at Leap Castle, between Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, and Birr, Co. Offaly. The show will begin at 9.00 p.m. Tom adds this description:

Steve Martin referred to the Night Drivers as '... some of the best players in bluegrass! Chris Jones’ voice is there with the great masters.'

Founded by guitarist Jones in 1995, the Night Drivers feature four distinct personalities who bring a multitude of talents to each performance: Chris Jones who hosts Siriux XM’s Bluegrass Junction, bassist Jon Weisberger, who co-hosts Del McCoury’s Sirius XM show, Mark Stoffel on mandolin, and the group’s newest member Gina Clowes on banjo. Chris is a two-time IBMA Broadcaster of the Year. The band is also becoming known as a songwriter’s bluegrass band, with Weisberger and Jones now co-writing many of the band’s current songs, and all four members contributing material. Chris and Jon are both IBMA award-winning songwriters, Jon being the 2012 Songwriter of the Year, and Chris taking home the trophy for the 2007 Song of the Year for 'Fork in the Road'. In total, Chris and the band members have won eight IBMA awards.

The band is led by Chris’ soulful lead-singing and solid rhythm and lead guitar. Chris boasts extensive performance credits as a sideman with artists like Lynn Morris, Vassar Clements, Special Consensus, Dave Evans, Earl Scruggs, and the acclaimed Irish band The Chieftains. Mark Stoffel, who is originally from Munich, Germany, has a mandolin style that perfectly fits the band sound with his beautiful tone, taste, and rhythmic sense. Jon Weisberger, whose playing has made him a sought-after fill-in bass player in Nashville with the Del McCoury Band, the Roland White Band, Larry Cordle, and others, anchors the band’s strong rhythmic foundation. Newest member Gina Clowes, a very talented banjo player, and another contributor of original material, hails from Winchester, VA. As a young banjo player, Gina was a frequent finalist in the prestigious Galax banjo contest, and came to The Night Drivers after a long stint with the the popular West Virginia/Virgina band Bud’s Collective.