Chuck Mead plans tour

Thursday, April 16, 2009 – Chuck Mead, the former BR549 member, who will release his solo debut "Journeyman's Wager" on May 12, will launch a tour in June supporting the release.
"Journeyman's Wager" was produced by Grammy award winning producer Ray Kennedy and combines country, pop, pub rock and honky tonk. "What sets Chuck apart from so many artists is that he's a genuine hard-working, blue-collar performer. I hate the word 'old-school,' but we didn't want this album to sound like a lot of modern records where everything is over-tweaked and perfect. We knew we had to make it intimate and real," said Kennedy.

Mead recorded with Kenny Vaughan (Marty Stuart), Audley Freed (The Black Crowes), Mark Miller (BR549), Mark Horn (The Derailers), Dave Roe (Johnny Cash), Mike Henderson (The SteelDrivers), Pat Sivers (The Everly Brothers) and Jen Gunderman (The Jayhawks).

Since leaving BR549, Mead founded the touring collective The Hillbilly All-Stars featuring members of The Mavericks, co-produced tribute albums to Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings and became a staff writer at one of Nashville's top song publishers. In 2007, he was named musical director of "Million Dollar Quartet," the new stage musical based on the night in 1956 that Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley came together for an impromptu jam session. "It's been incredibly liberating to do all these things I've never done before," he said. "But most of all, I wanted to call my own shots and make a record that mattered." Mead will sit in with the Million Dollar Quartet band on his tour stop to Chicago on June 18.

Mead will kick off a 25-date tour on the West coast on May 1. The touring band will consist of Miller, Martin Lynds (Marah) and Carco Clave (Asleep at the Wheel, Tex Ritter). Additional dates will continue to be added through the summer.

Tour dates are:
May 1: Alterknit Lounge Spokane, WA
May 2: Snoqualmie Ballroom Snoqualmie, WA
May 3: Roseland Ballroom Portland, OR
May 6: Palms Theater/Sacto Winters, CA
May 7: Powerhouse Pub Folsom, CA
May 8: The Ranch San Miguel, CA
May 10: Don Quixote Hall Felton, CA
May 12: Crystal Palace Bakersfield, CA
May 13: The Mint Los Angeles, CA
May 14: Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown, CA
May 19: The Rhythm Room Phoenix, AZ
May 22: Daniels Hall Denver, CO
May 23: Bottleneck Lawrence, KS
May 26: Proud Larry's Oxford, MS
May 27: Hi-Tone Cafe Memphis, TN
May 29: The 5 Spot Nashville, TN
May 30: The Basement. Nashville, TN
June 14-16: Oneida Casino Green Bay, WI
June 17: Schuba's Chicago, IL
June 19: The Ark Ann Arbor, MI
June 20: Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH
June 23: Lee's Minneapolis, MN
June 26: Southgate House Newport, KY
Aug. 9: Musikfest Bethlehem, PA
Aug. 29: Minneapolis State Fair St. Paul, MN
Sept. 4: Mystic Theatre Petaluma, CA
Sept. 6: Strawberry, Fest. Camp Mather, CA
June 17, 20 and 23 with James Intveld