A (Long-Awaited) Dobro Workshop with IBMA "Dobro Player of the Year"* ROB ICKES

Saturday , February 10, 2007
02:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Location: Elderly Instruments
workshop ($80.00)

Yes, not only has Rob Ickes won the International Bluegrass Music Association "Dobro Player of the Year" award seven times; he is also the only person other than Jerry Douglas to ever receive this coveted award.

Rob Ickes' three-hour hands-on Dobro workshop welcomes all levels of Dobro players. As Rob explained to us, he always customizes his workshops to fit the interests and needs of those attending on any particular day. Dobro players of all levels will gain valuable insight into how to improve their playing.

Some of the topics that Rob usually covers during his workshops are: right-hand techniques; rolls; left-hand techniques; scales; playing in odd keys without a capo; improvising; "the blues;" playing fills and backing a vocalist; rhythm techniques; chords; slants; "and much more!!" he adds. Bring your instrument.

At age 13, Rob Ickes (which rhymes with "bikes") was exposed to the Dobro playing of Mike Auldridge, and the unique sound caught his attention as nothing else has. He is a founding member of the bluegrass supergroup Blue Highway, which swept the IBMA awards in 1996 after the release of their first recording, winning the awards for "Album of the Year," "Emerging Artist of the Year," and "Dobro Player of the Year."

Since then, Rob has won IBMA's "Dobro Player of the Year" award an unprecedented seven times--and, as mentioned above (because it's worth saying twice), he's the only person other than Jerry Douglas to have ever received the valued award.

In addition to his performances and recordings with Blue Highway, Rob is also a highly-sought session player in Nashville. In 1996 he was recorded on two Grammy-winning recordings: Alison Krauss and the Cox Family's "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow" and the all-star Dobro release titled "The Great Dobro Sessions," produced by Jerry Douglas. Rob was the youngest player invited to participate in the project, which was--and is--a virtual "who's who" of Dobro players. Rob has four solo albums on Rounder Records which have been landmark achievements for the Dobro.

Rob is also a highly-sought instructor. His workshops are popular, and he recently released a two-video instruction set for Homespun Tapes. Workshop space is limited, so register soon.

Here's a smattering of the artists Rob has played and/or recorded with: Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, Ricky Skaggs, Patty Loveless, Earl Scruggs, Marty Stuart, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, The Oak Ridge Boys, Claire Lynch, Lynn Morris, Mary Chapin Carpenter...
the list goes on, and on....

Rob and Blue Highway may be seen in concert at Michigan State University's Wharton Center Saturday evening, February 10.

Check out recordings we carry featuring Rob Ickes