Shenandoah Spills the Beans on Their Worst Show Ever

– Marty Raybon, the frontman for the classic country band Shenandoah, recalls their worst performance ever: a 1987 debut show in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
– They were mistaken for another band named Shenandoah, and attended by die-hard fans of Bluegrass music. This incident led to quite the surprise for both the band and the audience.
– The band was supposed to play for an hour, but after having endured an unexpectedly tough crowd for 45 minutes, they got off the stage.
– Raybon described the night as a massive learning experience and confessed to Taste of Country’s Clay Moden: “If we got booed off once, we got booed off 100 times.”
– Today, Shenandoah is an influential classic country band that taught many musicians the value of not giving up despite unfavorable odds.

When Shenandoah Wasn’t The Shenandoah The Audience Expected

From Booing Hecklers to Influential Country Pioneers

Well, butter my biscuits! Shenandoah, remember that name, y’all? Now, these boys have a tale that’ll ruffle your raptors! They were once mistaken for a whole ‘nother band with the same dang name – talk about a switch-a-roo! Picture this: Imagine standing there, ready to belt out your honky-tonk tunes, only to be met by an audience expecting some sweet ol’ Bluegrass jigs. That’s about as comfy as a porcupine in a nudist colony, I do declare!

Our boys were supposed to get the crowd hootin’ and hollerin’ for an hour, but heck, after 45 minutes of grumpy faces, they hopped off that stage quicker than a jackrabbit on hot asphalt. Marty Raybon likened the whole hullabaloo to being thrown into a bear pit. But bless their hearts, they didn’t let a few boos scare ’em off the stage forever.

Now look at ’em! Shenandoah’s holdin’ on stronger than a hickory stump and spreadin’ their sound all over this fine country of ours. They’re proof, hon, that a little pickle don’t mean the picnic’s ruined. So, whether you’re finding yourself booed or hailed as the next big thing, remember ole Shenandoah; they sure made sweet lemonade out of a bitter lemon of a debut, didn’t they?



Original article: https://tasteofcountry.com/shenandoah-worst-show-ever-interview/