Marty Stuart, who recently traded licks with Warren Haynes and Trey Anastasio at the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam, has a storied career. He first toured with Lester Flatt at 13 and joined Johnny Cash’s band before the age of 20. In recent years Bob Dylan has invited him to sit in for entire shows. Stuart is a musician’s musician and a brilliant mandolinist whose recent trilogy of releases touching on country, gospel and bluegrass has received critical praise. In a live setting, he also broaches Americana, old-time, roots and even country-rock styles.

Beginning this Friday at Atlanta’s Variety Playhouse, Stuart is taking his new band, The Fabulous Superlatives, on the road. The group features Yardbirds-influenced guitarist Kenny Vaughn (Lucinda Williams, Tim O’Brien), drummer Harry Stinson (Steve Earle, Mark Knopfler, Peter Frampton) and bassist Brian Glenn. While an acoustic version of the band performed two sold out shows at Chicago’s Old Town School of Music earlier this year, they will kick off a national tour with a full version of the band this Friday.

“I’m looking forward to introducing Cousin Kenny Vaughan, Brother Brian Glenn, and Handsome Harry Stinson to the great music fans in Atlanta, as well as the rest of the tour,” Stuart says, “There’s a reason that I call them my Fabulous Superlatives.”

The rest of the tour will cross the country and include multiple performances in Florida, as well as two gems in North Carolina (The Foundation at Isothermal Community College on May 12 and the 32nd Annual North Carolina State Bluegrass Festival in Cherokee, North Carolina on June 16).

By Rob Turner