By DEB WUETHRICH

Country music entertainer Hal Ketchum will perform at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. Ketchum burst onto the country scene in 1991 taking his first single “Small Town Saturday Night” to No. 1 on the charts. Other top ten hits include “Past the Point of Rescue,” and “Hearts are Gonna Roll.”

“I love my live shows, getting in front of my people,” Ketchum recently said. “They give me the drive and enthusiasm to make more music.”

Born in New York State, Ketchum was exposed as a youth to both country and symphonic classics, and started lining up gigs at local venues when he was 14 and playing the drums. It was a move to Texas that really launched his career in an area that spun off such artists as Lyle Lovett. He paid to have his own first album produced and it caught the attention of a major label, taking him to Nashville where he currently resides with his wife and three daughters.

Ketchum has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1994 and also is a master woodworker, his former occupation, and is also an accomplished painter whose work has been placed in various galleries.

Last year, the artist released “Father Time,” his ninth album, and some have called it his best work with its trademark stories of real people revealed through the lyrics. On Ketchum’s official website, Neal Diamond notes that it takes someone with real talent to cut an album “old school” style in the two days that Ketchum did, with no overdubs.
“I find it impossible to listen to it without smiling at the sheer exuberance of these tracks,” wrote Diamond.

Local entertainers Pat Dunn and Jim Ingle will open the show with a new band, Longshot. Dunn said the TCA was talking about booking Ketchum about a year ago. “I told them then that if they did, I wanted to be part of that show,” said Dunn, who’s performed at the TCA before. “I said I’d even fetch water for them, but I wanted to be there.”

TCA Executive Director Johanna Walker learned Dunn had been working with a new band and after he said they’d be interested in doing a 25-minute set to open the show, Walker contacted Ketchum’s manager.

“They said it would be fine,” Dunn said, admitting he’s very excited about the show and the new group.

Ingle, who with his wife, operates Tecumseh Place, plays rhythm guitar for the group. Dunn said they’ve become friends over he past year or so and will start the show together with a little-played Alan Jackson ballad entitled, “To Do What I Do.”

“Jim plays it really well, and we think it will be a nice fit,” said Dunn. He said he and Jim have fun playing the music together.

“We’re not driven to be the next Brad Paisley, although if something were to happen, that would be okay, too,” he said. “We’re just doing this because it’s great fun.”

The other professional musicians are mostly affiliated with the Indian Ridge recording studio in Delta, Ohio, where Dunn recorded his CD “What a Ride” in 2007. They are: Randy Shaffer on lead guitar and vocals, who Dunn calls, “The absolute spine of the group;” Gabe Holdridge on drums; Zach Shaffer on bass; Jimmy Thompson on mandolin; Brenda Holdridge on fiddle; and Doren Wells on banjo.

The group gathered on Tuesday night for a rehearsal to prepare for the show.
“We’re working very hard,” said Dunn, who is pumped to be singing with a live band after being used to recorded music. “This is all for a half-hour show. I have a new respect for those major artists and what they have to do to go on for two hours. A lot is expected of them,” said Dunn.

Tickets are still available at $22 adult and $19 senior/youth at the TCA Box Office, 400 N. Maumee Street or online at www.theTCA.org [1] or call 423-6617.