3 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Lyle Lovett to join San Francisco Symphony for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass celebration
Country singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett will join the San Francisco Symphony and conductor Edwin Outwater for a special concert at Davies Symphony Hall this fall, marking the 25th anniversary of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass.
The performance, set to take place Sept. 13, will feature Lovett and his Acoustic Group alongside the Symphony in a tribute to the free Golden Gate Park music festival that has become a San Francisco institution since its 2001 inception.
'Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has been an important part of the cultural soul of San Francisco,' said San Francisco Symphony CEO Matthew Spivey in a statement. 'It has been a joyful celebration of music, community and the spirit.'
Lovett, a four-time Grammy winner and genre-defying performer, has long blurred the boundaries of country, jazz, swing, gospel and folk. Known for his lyrical storytelling and wry stage presence, he has released 14 albums since his 1986 debut.
His collaboration with the Symphony is expected to blend the intimacy of his acoustic sound with orchestral arrangements, offering a unique musical experience that honors both the spirit of bluegrass and the sophistication of symphonic performance.
The evening will also honor Nancy Hellman Bechtle, the late arts patron and sister of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass founder Warren Hellman. Bechtle, who led the Symphony from 1987 to 2001, was a frequent performer at the festival and a passionate supporter of the city's cultural life.
'This first-ever collaboration brings the meadows of Golden Gate Park to the stage of Davies Symphony Hall,' said Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Executive Director John Caldon in a statement. 'It's a beautiful way to honor the legacy of our dear friend Nancy Hellman Bechtle — and an uplifting reminder that music, in all its forms, brings us together.'
