Nick Forster, host and executive producer of the nationwide radio program, etown, will give the CU-Boulder Center of the American West's annual Distinguished Lecture on March 29.
Forster will lecture on "100 Years with the King of Western Swing-- How Bob Wills Connected the Dots of American Music" at 7 p.m. in the University Memorial Center, room 235. The event is free and open to the public.
Forster will speak about the musical achievements of the legendary Wills, who began his 45-year career in 1915. Merle Haggard once called Wills "the best damn fiddle player in the world." Wills' music continues to influence American songwriting today, especially in country music.
"Nick Forster is a regional, national and international treasure," said Patricia Limerick, faculty director and chair of the center's board. "With Nick giving our Distinguished Lecture, the Center of the American West reaffirms its recognition of the importance of music and art in regional self-understanding. On March 29, we will celebrate the fact that the center's work combines serious thought and true fun in equal measures."
Forster's acclaimed career as a professional musician spans 25 years and includes co-founding the renowned bluegrass band Hot Rize, playing as a sideman for David Wilcox and Michelle Shocked, and leading the etown house band, the etones.
After moving to Colorado in the 1970s, Forster formed the contemporary bluegrass band Hot Rize with three other musicians in 1978. The band released 10 albums and toured worldwide for more than 12 years, including appearances on "Austin City Limits," "The Grand Old Opry" and Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion." The band earned a Grammy nomination and the International Bluegrass Music Association's Entertainer of the Year Award in 1991.
As etown's host, Forster leads a radio program aired on NPR and commercial stations featuring live performances by top musicians mixed with conversation and information about American communities and the environment. He also remains active in the music world, performing at major festivals and playing at recording sessions for artists including Big Head Todd and the Monsters and Kathy Mattea.
For more information call (303) 492-4879 or visit http://www.centerwest.org/.