Imagination Theater Welcomes Old West Trio and McAvoy Layne for Benefit Concert Tonight

Imagination Theater welcomes the Old West Trio and McAvoy Layne to the stage tonight, March 8 at 7:30 p.m.

From the first yodeling toe-tapper until the last lilting coyote chorus, the Old West Trio delivers uplifting cowboy and folk music to listeners of all ages. The trio, composed of Steve Ide, Leslie Ide, and Steve Johnson, is based in the foothills, just a stone's throw from where the Gold Rush of 1849 began.

As lead guitarist Steve Johnson puts it, "The Old West is the most celebrated era of our American heritage and cowboy music is a history lesson with a melody." To honor that heritage, the Old West Trio performs both traditional and contemporary songs that explore a variety of styles, including gunfighter ballads, western swing, classic Sons of the Pioneers, and lively yodeling tunes. Leslie Ide adds, "Our contribution to the cowboy culture is in capturing the Spirit Of The West in song."

Also slated to perform is McAvoy Layne. For twenty four years, in 2,000 performances from Leningrad University in Russia to Piper's Opera House in Virginia City, McAvoy Layne has been preeminent, in preserving the wit and wisdom of "The Wild Humorist of the Pacific Slope," Mark Twain. McAvoy says, "It's like being a Monday through Friday preacher, whose sermon, though not reverently pious, is fervently American."

All seats are $15.00 and proceeds benefit keeping live theater thriving in our community. Tickets can be purchased online at www.imagination-theater.org or IT! Box Office (530) 642-0404. Imagination Theater, located on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds, brings quality, live, local community theater to Placerville and El Dorado County.