Join us for an evening of bluegrass music, played by our Bright Star pit musicians!

Banjo player and bandleader Jesse Burdick will tour North Dakota and the surrounding region with a run of performances celebrating bluegrass and American roots music, beginning with his role in the pit band for Bright Star, the Tony Award–winning musical by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, and culminating at the Missouri River Bluegrass Festival.

The tour highlights Burdick’s versatility as both a traditional bluegrass musician and a seasoned ensemble player. His work on Bright Star underscores his deep connection to roots-based theater and acoustic performance, while the festival and concert appearances that follow showcase his high-energy live sound as a banjo player, singer and bandleader.

Based in Smithfield, Virginia, Burdick is best known as the founder of The Auld Country, a bluegrass ensemble blending traditional influences with original material and modern arrangements. Throughout the tour, audiences can expect tight musicianship, engaging stage presence and a mix of original songs and classic bluegrass selections tailored to concert halls, listening rooms and festival stages.

The Upper Midwest run concludes at the Missouri River Bluegrass Festival, where Burdick will bring the tour full circle with a festival set rooted in tradition and driven by contemporary energy. Additional dates and venues across North Dakota and neighboring states will be announced.