Dobro master coming to Kent

Staff report

KENT

Dobro master and 13-time Grammy winner Jerry Douglas — a Leavittsburg native — will perform in concert Aug. 2 at Kent Stage, 175 E. Main St.

Tickets are $31 and $36 and are on sale now at ticketfly.com. The concert starts at 8 p.m.

Douglas’ mastery of the resonator guitar has been compared with Jimi Hendrix’s prowess on the electric guitar: elevating and transforming, a reinventor of the instrument in many ways.

Widely recognized as the foremost master of the dobro, Douglas is also known as a freewheeling, forward-thinking recording artist who blends elements of bluegrass, country, rock, jazz, blues and Celtic music into his work.

Called “dobro’s matchless contemporary master” by The New York Times, Douglas is one of the most innovative recording artists in music, both as a solo artist and member of groundbreaking bands, including J.D. Crowe & the New South, the Country Gentlemen, Boone Creek, and Strength In Numbers. He has performed on more than 1,500 albums, including discs released by Garth Brooks, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Elvis Costello, Earl Scruggs and Ray Charles.

Since 1998, he’s been a key member of Alison Krauss and Union Station, featuring Jerry Douglas, with which he has toured extensively and played on a series of platinum albums.

He has produced albums for Krauss, the Del McCoury Band, Maura O’Connell and Jesse Winchester and is co-music director of the acclaimed BBC TV series “Transatlantic Sessions.”

Douglas’ latest solo album, “Traveler,” features guest appearances by Paul Simon, Mumford & Sons and Eric Clapton.