 Nestled in the mountains of central Idaho, the picturesque town of Challis bustles every August when it plays host to the Braun Brothers Reunion Festival. Regarded as one of the state’s premier musical gatherings by both attendees and artists alike, the BBR is a family-friendly event that draws thousands of visitors from across the globe, bringing artists and fans together in an unparalleled setting for three unforgettable days.
This year, the BBR will be held from August 9th-11th and will feature fifteen plus Americana, Texas, and Red Dirt artists including Ned LeDoux who marks his second appearance in Challis after a warm reception in 2017. Ned notes, "We play Idaho every once in a while, but last year was our first time in Challis and it was terrific. I love the location, how you’re wrapped up in the mountains; the crowd, who were incredibly attentive and singing along to every song we played; and the atmosphere backstage – it’s a gathering of good and future friends and talented musicians who support one another and cannot wait to see the next person get up and play. We really enjoyed it and are honored to have been invited back." At last year’s BBR, the crowd was incredibly responsive to you. They not only loved your originals, but were so grateful to hear you playing your dad’s songs as well. When I started playing and singing songs, I never bothered to learn anyone else’s except for my dad’s. The first one was “Rodeo Man” and from there it was “Hippies in Calgary,” “The Yellow Stud” and others. I got a good setlist together and thought maybe I could do a show someday. At the time, I was busy playing drums in two different bands, but when winter came around, things slowed down and that freed me up to try this singing thing (laughing). Starting out, I only performed dad’s songs, but even if I get to the point where I have five albums and could fill a 90-minute slot with only my stuff, I will always have my dad’s songs in there as well.
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 Courtesy of the Artist Nestled in the mountains of central Idaho, the picturesque town of Challis bustles every August when it plays host to the Braun Brothers Reunion Festival. Regarded as one of the state’s premier musical gatherings by both attendees and artists alike, the BBR is a family-friendly event that draws thousands of visitors from across the globe, bringing artists and fans together in an unparalleled setting for three unforgettable days.
This year, the BBR will be held from August 9th-11th and will feature fifteen plus Americana, Texas, and Red Dirt artists including the Grammy-winning band Asleep At The Wheel whose unparalleled musicianship (and an alumni roster of 80+ members) has seen them through almost five decades touring with artists such as Bob Dylan, George Strait, Van Morrison, Lyle Lovett, and many more bringing their singular style to fans across the country and beyond. One such stop will be Challis, Idaho when they play the BBR August 10th. On making the return trip, front man Ray Benson notes jokingly,“ I told them [the Brauns] they couldn’t pick a more inconvenient or picturesque place for us to get to,” before adding, “They’re good pals of ours and we are so happy to be able to make it out again. The setting is so beautiful, it’s the perfect place to play to a crowd who are true music fans who just get it – they’ll really listen to you, then they’ll boogie with you. We can’t wait to get out there.” Formed in 1970, Asleep At The Wheel has gone through many transitions during its 48 years, but it has always remained true to playing and championing American roots music. Having released more than 25 studio albums, this September the eight-piece will release a new project with a line-up that Benson says, “knocks it out of the park.” “We worked on the new album for over a year. There are some old tunes and some original tunes, including one I co-wrote with Katie [Shore, fiddle and vocals], as well as a collaboration with the Avett Brothers who are kindred musical souls...appreciating roots music and approaching modern music with a glance to the past. They sang on our Bob Wills’ record [Still the King] and did an ACL show with us, so when they brought us a song, we decided to put it on the record.” |