Comic Steve Martin announces first UK music gig
American comedian Steve Martin has revealed details for his first music performance in Britain as a musician.
The famous eternally-white-haired actor, who is known for his comic performances in such motion pictures as ‘The Pink Panther’, ‘Planes, Trains & Automobiles’ and ‘Father Of the Bride’ will give a concert at the Royal Festival Hall in London next Monday, November 9.
Presented under the name of ‘An Evening of Bluegrass And Banjo’, the concert will see Martin perform tunes played on a clawhammer banjo while he’ll be joined by The Steep Canyon Rangers, his own bluegrass ensemble.
The Steep Canyon Rangers released an album this year titled ‘The Crow: New Songs For The Five-String Banjo’ which features a series of songs in most part instrumental with a host of guest performers.
Mary Black, who also performs on the band’s new album, will support the Steve Martin gig.
Martin was previously invited to play the banjo on a remake of bluegrass classic ‘Foggy Mountain Breakdown’. The piece had won the 2002 Best Country Instrumental Performance a Grammy award.
Born in 1945 and raised in California in a Baptist family, Steve Martin is also a writer, playwright and film producer. Martin worked at Disneyland in his younger days. He became famous as a writer first, thanks to his involvement with the American TV show Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Later on, Martin was frequently invited as guest on American TV programmes the Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live.
Fans can check availability of Steve Martin tickets at NME.COM/TICKETS or by calling 0871 230 1094.