Concert Featuring Buddy Merriam and Guest Dee Harris at Brookhaven Lab, October 20

September 20, 2007

Buddy Merriam (Photo credit: Gina Motisi)

UPTON, NY — A Grand Ole Opry concert featuring Buddy Merriam and the Back Roads, with special guest Dee Harris, is scheduled on Saturday, October 20 at 8 p.m. at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory in the Berkner Hall auditorium. Sponsored by the BNL Music Club, the event is open to the public. Visitors to the Laboratory age 16 and over must bring a photo ID.

Buddy Merriam and the Back Roads, an all-acoustic bluegrass-style band, formed in 1980. In addition to appearances on Country Music TV, the band has performed at many Long Island venues, such as Heckscher Park, Nassau County Folk Festival and the Stony Brook Folk and Fiddle Festival. They have also performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, NASCAR races in the Pennsylvania Pocono area, Belmont Stakes, and the kick-off for the New York City Marathon. The band received rave reviews while touring internationally in Ireland, Scotland and England. Determined to keep bluegrass music alive and introduce bluegrass music to new fans, Merriam and his band play traditional favorites as well as original tunes on mandolin, banjo and guitar.

Dee Harris is a self-taught blues guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist. He studied slide guitar with friend and legendary guitarist Fred McDowell. Harris has developed distinctive techniques and plays a mixture of Appalachian, Celtic, and classical Indian music. Harris enjoys interpreting early renaissance music and can frequently be found strumming a banjo or sitar.

Tickets for the event are $15 each if purchased in advance at www.ticketweb.com, or $20 at the door the night of the show. Call 631-344-5139 for additional information.

The Laboratory is located on William Floyd Parkway (County Road 46), one-and-a-half miles north of Exit 68 of the Long Island Expressway.

2007-10688  |  INT/EXT  |  Newsroom