Bill Kirchen

Five Lost Planet Airmen Fly Again: Bill Kirchen, Bobby Black, John Tichy and Buffalo Bruce Barlow, with Austin de Lone and Paul Revelli GRAMMY-nominated guitarist, singer and songwriter Bill Kirchen celebrates America’s musical traditions of rock ‘n’ roll, Western swing, and California honky-tonk. He’s been called a “Titan of the Telecaster” by Guitar Player Magazine, “an American treasure” and “one of our best” by Rolling Stone Magazine. Kirchen co-founded the original Americana band, Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen. His telecaster licks drove their version of “Hot Rod Lincoln” into the Top Ten of 1972. He has recorded and/or played guitar with a who's who of roots music, among them Hoyt Axton, Elvis Costello, Hazel Dickens, Bo Diddley, Sammy Hagar, Emmylou Harris, Linda Rondstadt, and Dan Hicks. One of the Commander Cody albums, "Live From Deep in the Heart of Texas," made Rolling Stone’s “100 Best Albums of All Time.” Bill's most recent album, "Transatlanticana," stayed on the Americana Top 40 Radio chart for 5 months, cracking the Top 10 in 2016. Master steel guitarist Bobby Black has played and recorded with an astonishing number of musical stars, from his pal George Jones’ very first recordings in 1953, to Ray Price, Lefty Frizzell, Webb Pierce, Barbara Mandrell, Asleep At The Wheel, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Elvin Bishop and Tom Waits. He was inducted into the Western Swing Hall of Fame in 1997, and the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 2004. John Tichy, Ph.D., Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, is the Founding Father of the Lost Planet Airmen, playing with George Frayne, aka Commander Cody, since the early 1960’s. Tichy is listed in the Who’s Who in Rock & Roll (1996) and the Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (1998) for his work as singer, songwriter and guitarist. Buffalo Bruce Barlow, bass player with Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen, plays bues, rock ’n’ roll, country & Western, Western Swing, and a whole lot of boogie woogie. He’s played with Chicago bluesmen Magic Sam, Luther Allison, Sam Lay, Elvin Bishop, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, Matt Guitar Murphy, Albert Collins, John Lee Hooker plus Byrds frontman Roger McGuinn and hit singer-songwriter Hoyt Axton. Andy Stein: Our two-time Grammy winner joined Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen in 1968 when Kirchen spotted him jamming at a coffee house with future Prairie Home Companion original Bill Hinkley. Two decades later, Andy began his 22-year run on that show’s weekly national broadcasts with Garrison Keillor. Post CC & his LPA, Andy continued his unique quadruple-threat career, playing, writing and arranging for top names in Pop, Jazz, Classical and Country fields. Here are a few: Bob Dylan, Sir Paul McCartney, Wynton Marsalis, Jon Hendricks, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Ray Charles, B. B. King, Tony Bennett, Carole King, James Taylor, Michael Jackson, Merle Haggard, Placido Domingo, Itzhak Perlman etc. Andy sez: “But right now I’m right here back with my old buddies. The Best.” It is recommended that you be there or be square.  Doors open at 7:30 PM. Music begins at 8:00 PM.  FAQs: -Can I reserve a seat? Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis; we do not generally reserve seats unless special accommodations are required. Please contact us at palms@palmsplayhouse.com if you need assistance with seating. -Are children allowed? Yes, we are an all-ages venue. It's up to the parents to decide if the content is appropriate for their children. -Are you ADA accessible? Yes, there is an elevator to the second floor, and the bathrooms are accessible. Please contact us ahead of time if you need seating accommodations. -What's your refund policy? Please contact us before the day of the show; in most cases, we will be able to provide a refund of the ticket price (fees are non-refundable). -Where can I park? Plan to arrive early to find the best parking; you should be able to find a space within four blocks of The Palms. You can either park on the street or in a nearby lot; all public parking in Winters is free. Photo/Video/Recording Policy Our policy is no photos or unauthorized video or audio recording during performances. Please put away your devices and enjoy the performance in real time. Additional information available on our website.