It’s been forever since the legendary Western band Sons of the Pioneers was a regular wintertime fixture in Tucson.
But this weekend, they return for three shows at Old Tucson.
The group, with its trademark harmonies and nods to Western music made popular by singing cowboys including Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Rex Allen and Eddie Dean, had been winter residents of Tucson for nearly 25 years before pulling out in 2006.
They returned in 2010 and few times since for a show here and there. But it wasn’t the same as having them performing supper club and campfire cookout shows several times a week during the cold months.
The group — Tommy Nallie, Ken Lattimore, John Fullerton, Paul Elliott and Chuck Ervin — will play at 7 p.m. Friday, April 26-Sunday, April 28, in Old Tucson’s iconic Grand Palace Saloon, 201 S. Kinney Road. Tickets are $39 through oldtucson.com.
Looking ahead to next weekend: Yachtley Crew, that smartly nautically dressed lovers of all things soft rock, brings its super fun yacht rock (think 1970s-80s adult contemporary) to the Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St., on Friday, May 3.
This will be the third time we’ve seen the band since last summer, when they played their first show here at the Rialto. They returned last October for a show with Ambrosia at the AVA at Casino del Sol, and now they are circling back to the Rialto to celebrate the release of their debut EP “Seas the Day.”
They must really like us, and vice versa based on the fact that general admission floor tickets are sold out. Balcony general admission is $47 through rialtotheatre.com, but don’t dawdle; the prospect of a sellout is highly likely.
Yachtley Crew returns for its third Tucson show in less than a year, this time to celebrate the release of their debut EP, “Seas the Day.”
The May 3 show starts at 9 p.m. with doors opening at 8.
Old Tucson closed indefinitely due to the pandemic. It was the premiere authentic Western filming location before it burned in 1995. More than 400 movie and TV projects were made there. Produced by Rick Wiley / Arizona Daily Star
