The Rick Fowler Band will have a special sound for its concert at Meson Park on Saturday night.
Band member Michael Doke, who lives in Sandy Cross, said the band will play an acoustic set on guitars made by Deadwood Guitars, the Lexington-based company owned by Jason Booth.
“All these acoustic shows we do, we only use Deadwood guitars,” Doke said. “I usually don’t play anything except Deadwoods.”
The free concert is scheduled for 7-9 p.m.
The blues rock band, which features Doke, Rick Fowler, Greg Veale and Deane Quinter, also plays electric instruments, but decided to go acoustic on Saturday. The musicians have performed professionally with bands such as R.E.M., Drivin’ n’ Cryin’, Greg Allman and members of Widespread Panic.
“We do these acoustic shows, they’re both fun, just different dynamically,” Doke said.
Doke has played for 60 years. Originally “drug into” into the music scene by his two brothers, the three created The Doke Brothers in the early 1970s.
“We had no musical heritage in our family anywhere till we started,” Doke said.
The Doke Brothers went on to open for musicians Joe Walsh, Hydra, Tinsley Ellis, among many others.
Doke is now a guitarist and vocalist for The Rick Fowler Band, which has created a tight bond after 20 years of performances.
“It’s kind of like a second family,” Doke said. “Music is much like a second language, too, because it’s a lot of communication that goes back and forth without speaking.”
The thrill of performing live is one of Doke’s favorite things about being in a band. He’s excited to be able to interact with the crowd this Saturday for the first time in a couple years.
“It is hard to explain how it feels,” Doke said. “Playing live is my favorite part, and interacting with the audience.”
Ronnie Boggs, Lexington city councilman and chairman of the Downtown Development Authority, reached out and asked the band to play in Lexington again. He said the band played in Lexington about 10 years ago.
“They always had a good crowd when they played,” Boggs said. “And I thought it was time to bring them back.”
Excitement is felt throughout the band members, as the concert comes closer.
“We played down there a few years ago, a couple times,” Doke said. “Looking forward to it.”