EVENT LINK: https://www.ulenhitterdal.k12.mn.us/top-hat-theatre/
FEE: $20 adults, $10 students
The High 48s featuring Becky Schlegel
Barry J. Houglum Auditorium, Ulen-Hitterdal School
March 13, 7 - 9 PM
Music lovers from Ulen and the surrounding area are in for a special treat when The High 48s take the stage at the Top Hat Theatre on Friday, March 13, joined by acclaimed Minnesota singer and songwriter Becky Schlegel. The concert brings together two beloved forces in Midwest roots music for an evening of high-energy modern bluegrass, soulful vocals, and storytelling songs that ring true.
This concert brings together two long-time collaborators whose musical partnership has grown steadily over the years. Blending The High 48s’ high-energy modern bluegrass sound with Schlegel’s soulful vocals and thoughtful, three-chords-and-the-truth songwriting, the performance promises a rich mix of tradition, storytelling, and fresh musical ideas.
The collaboration began well before their current lineup performances.
“We were Becky fans long before we started the band, but it took us a few years to work up the courage to ask if she had any songs for us,” said High 48s fiddler and mandolinist Eric Christopher. “And as it turned out, she did have some songs. Lots of them.”
Those songs quickly became part of The High 48s’ catalog. The band recorded Schlegel’s “Baltimore and Ohio,” co-written with Nashville songwriter Craig Market, for their 2014 album Great Northern Railroad, followed by “Christmas Every Day” on 2016’s Holidays with the High 48s. Each recording session revealed more standout material than would fit on a single album.
That deeper partnership led to the recording of “Laramie,” a Becky Schlegel original that tells a story of lost love set against the windswept plains of eastern Wyoming. The song highlights Schlegel’s gift for vivid storytelling alongside the band’s driving bluegrass arrangements.
Formed in northeast Minneapolis in 2006, The High 48s have built a reputation for combining the soulful roots of classic bluegrass with a modern edge. Equally at home honoring Bill Monroe or reimagining songs by artists like M. Ward or even The Clash, the band stands out for its originality and versatility. Their songwriting reflects their own lives as northern city-folk, offering a refreshing contrast to traditional bluegrass tropes.
Beyond the stage, The High 48s are deeply committed to music education. They are in demand nationwide as instructors, teaching workshops, private lessons, and youth programs, including their twice-yearly Grass Seeds Academy, a bluegrass jam camp for kids.
Becky Schlegel, an award-winning songwriter and performer, brings a powerful and expressive voice shaped by classic country, bluegrass, folk, and Americana. After time spent as a Nashville songwriter, she returned to the Midwest, where she has become a familiar presence on RFD-TV’s “Midwest Country,” A Prairie Home Companion, and stages across the region. Her songs are intimate, honest, and deeply human- music that whispers, soars, and lingers.
With years of shared history and a genuine musical connection, The High 48s featuring Becky Schlegel promise an unforgettable night of live music. This night of exceptional musicianship and heartfelt storytelling is a special opportunity for audiences to experience a collaboration that continues to evolve.
