Lineup celebrates 10th year of Hot Summer Nights

Music ranging from acoustic to folk to jazz and blues will be featured this summer for the 10th Anniversary of McCook National Bank's Hot Summer Nights Concert Series.

MNB started the concert series Thursday, Aug. 19, 1999.

The very first concert featured Sly Dog (Mike Adams), Lonnie Weyeneth, and Brett Schmitz. Over the course of the 10-year history, McCook National Bank has put on 30 concerts and has entertained between 16,000 and 18,000 people. The concert series was started to provide free and fun entertainment for all ages in the relaxed and comfortable setting of Norris Park.

This year's concerts kick off Thursday, May 29, in Stratton at Pitner Park. Boulder Acoustic Society from Boulder, Colo., consists of Brad Jones (guitar, ukulele, vocals), Aaron Keim (bass, ukulele, vocals), Scott McCormick (accordion, ukulele, vocals), Kailin Yong (violin, ukulele, vocals), and Scott Aller (spoons, washboard, cajun, hand drums, snare, cymbals). Shredding guitar licks, soaring gypsy violin, a little ukulele and the thump of an old time bass bounce around with a jazz accordion and creative percussion to create a new sound that's sure to engage and entertain audiences.

The concert series takes a break during the month of June and then returns to the stage in Norris Park Thursday, July 31, with the only in-state performers, The Lonny Lynn Orchestra. Lonny Lynn and his Orchestra are back by popular demand -- they were featured in the 2004 Hot Summer Nights Concerts Series. The Lonny Lynn Orchestra is a ballroom dance band - playing music from the '30s and '40s with some country music and latin. The band has been entertaining crowds in the Midwest for over 20 years!

The Bel Airs out of Columbia, Mo., are the August 14 headliner. Fronted by brothers Dick and Dave Pruitt on bass and electric guitars, with Michael Cherry on drums, The Bel Airs play a danceable mix with an authentic but eclectic bluesy-country-soul-and-rock-n-roll sound influenced by the likes of Wilson Picket, Slim Harpo, Howlin' Wolf and Johnny Cash. Performing together for more than 20 years, the Pruitt brothers' harmony vocal style sets them apart in the contemporary music scene -- leading one reviewer to refer to them as the "Everly Brothers of Blues." David's "big guitar" and Dick's howling vocals over soulful, right-on rhythm playing make this trio a powerhouse.

Wrapping up the series on Aug. 21st will be Jalan Crossland, another previous Hot Summer Nights performer, who hails from Ten Sleep, Wyo.

Jalan Crossland is widely acclaimed by audiences, critics and his musical peers as one of the country's premier acoustic guitarists. Along with dozens of regional contest awards, his extraordinary guitar work has earned National Fingerstyle Championship honors in 1997 and the State Championship Flatpick Title in his home state of Wyoming in 1999.

He is a talented vocalist, banjo player, songwriter and an engaging showman.

The May 29 concert will be held at Pitner Park in Stratton, Nebraska and the following concerts will be held at the Norris Park Bandshell in McCook. All concerts start at 7 p.m.