Dynamic bluegrass band and ROMP favorite, Della Mae will be the third band take to the Woodward stage Saturday as part of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s 2019 fall concert series.
Della Mae was formed in 2009 when two-time national champion fiddle player Kimber Ludiker, yearned to see a band showcasing female musicians within the acoustic music scene. Not seeing that representation, Ludiker set out to collaborate with other top women musicians to create an all-female bluegrass band. Lucky for Ludiker, others saw the need for a powerhouse female band as well and thus Della Mae was formed. Keeping with the theme of strong women, the band’s name, Della Mae is directly inspired by the female character in the classic bluegrass song, Big Spike Hammer and was chosen by the band to celebrate her strength.
With the band members ready and a band name selected, Della Mae, set out to change the perceived face of bluegrass music. Their dedication to making a difference was elevated when they were selected for the U.S. Department of State’s American Music Abroad program, an opportunity allowing the band to travel extensively sharing the sound of bluegrass music and their unique outlook.
Over the years the band has evolved and changed, but a constant has been the praise for their ability to creatively blend traditional bluegrass music with vibrantly current modern energy. In 2013, they were named International Bluegrass Music Association’s Emerging Artist of the year and in 2014 Della Mae’s second album. “This World Oft Can Be,” was nominated for a Grammy.
Another constant is Della Mae’s perpetuation of women’s issues in a majority of their songs.
“We have a lot of material that does reflect what it is like to be a woman and I feel like a decade ago it was extremely Important and a decade later it is even more important, because of women’s issues coming to the forefront of American culture and politics,” Ludiker said of the recurring theme of women’s empowerment their music.
Ludiker also said how Della Mae’s music is inspiring the next generation of musicians.
“There have been young women who have come up to us after a show who were extremely young first going to our concerts and now have their own bands,” she said.
In spring 2019, Della Mae released “The Butcher Shoppe” EP on Rounder Records. The recording debuted at number one on the Billboard Bluegrass chart and remained in the top five for the following three weeks. Della Mae friends, Molly Tuttle, Alison Brown and Avil Smith also make appearances on the album enhancing the band’s mission of showcasing talented women in acoustic music.
Fans of Della Mae can also enjoy a look at band memorabilia showcased inside the Hall of Fame.
Saturday night’s all-female lineup will feature: lead singer Celia Woodsmith, fiddle Kimber Ludiker, mandolin Jenni Lyn Gardner, guitar Avril Smith and Vicki Vaughn on bass.
Della Mae will perform at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Saturday. VIP tickets are already sold out. Reserved seats can be purchased for $22. Doors will open at 5 p.m. and the Woodward Theatre will open at 6 p.m. Della Mae will take the stage at 7 p.m.
