Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives will appear at the Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts for two nights; Thursday, February 11 and Friday, February 12 at 7:30 pm to kick off the 62nd annual Gold Rush Days Festival in Wickenburg.

In a career that has spanned from playing with Johnny Cash to serving as president of the Country Music Foundation, Marty has been playing county music with the greats since he was 13 years old when he became a member of Lester Flatts Nashville Grass. After Lester died in 1979, Marty branched out, playing a kind of bluegrass fusion with fiddle player Vassar Clements and working with guitar virtuoso Doc Watson; followed by a six year stint touring with Johnny Cash.

The Grammy winner plays guitar, bass, mandolin, and fiddle and became a sought-after session and concert musician, playing with the likes of Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Randy Travis and Roy Rogers.

He broke into the Top 10 for the first time in 1990 with the album Hillbilly Rock, which went gold, as did the follow-up album, Tempted, which featured four big hits, including its title song. His duets with friend Travis Tritt, “The Whiskey Ain’t Working” and “This Ones Gonna Hurt You (For a Long, Long Time),” brought the duo a Grammy and a CMA award.

His 1999 album The Pilgrim was a critically acclaimed country-opera cycle that included key parts with Ralph Stanley, Johnny Cash and George Jones. In 1991 liner notes, Marty pondered, “I don’t know, maybe I’m a bridge between the past and the future.”

More recently, in an attempt to bring recognition to Southern Gospel and Roots music, Stuart launched Superlatone Records, to emphasize the southern culture in which he was raised.

Always the showman, Marty and His Fabulous Superlatives will be dramatically attired, as they share music that celebrates American roots music. Considered an accomplished musician, songwriter, photographer, historian, collector, storyteller and archivist, Marty still finds time in his busy schedule to hit the road for his loyal fans.

By Cathy Weiss