The popular North Carolina-based bluegrass ambassadors, Steep Canyon Rangers, are proud to announce a new partnership with Oskar Blues Brewery, brewers of Dale’s Pale Ale, Mama’s Little Yella Pils and other craft beers. This collaboration, which kicks off this month, is the culmination of a long-standing friendship rooted in a shared commitment to music, the outdoors and community-oriented charitable causes. A shared love of craft beer helped seal the deal.
The relationship between Oskar Blues and Steep Canyon Rangers started in the late ’90s, when the band met Oskar Blues Soul Founder Dale Katechis during a trek to RockyGrass Festival in Lyons, Colo. They camped in Katechis’ yard, and he invited them to perform at the original Oskar Blues Grill & Brew in Lyons. When the Steep Canyon Rangers started Mountain Song Festival to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County, Oskar Blues signed on as the beer sponsor and has since become the exclusive beer of Mountain Song.
The partnership kicks off with a ticketed pre-show Meet and Greet to benefit CAN’d Aid on Jan. 10, in The Pulp space at the Orange Peel music venue in Asheville, N.C. This casual event will feature Oskar Blues’ newest beer release, PINNER Throwback IPA, and a chance to visit with the Rangers. In the first quarter of 2015, the pair will announce unique fan opportunities such as fishing with 20-year veteran fly fishing guide and guitarist Woody Platt and trail running with bassist Charles Humphrey, plus music offers exclusive to fans.
“Partnering with Oskar Blues is exciting,” Platt said. “We’ve personally known Dale and have considered him a good friend for well over 10 years. Now that he and Oskar Blues have a brewery in our hometown of Brevard, N.C/, this pairing is a perfect fit.”
Foremost for both parties are the charitable causes supported by Oskar Blues’ CAN’d Aid Foundation, founded in 2013 in response to the flooding that devastated many towns in Colorado, including Lyons. The organization has since expanded to support a variety of causes that align with their passions, including music, the outdoors and sustainability. CAN’d Aid has distributed $700,000 to flood recovery and another $200,000 to other nonprofits across the country. Since the beginning of 2014, Oskar Blues has matched every donation, dollar for dollar. For the last two weeks of this year, Katechis is personally matching every donation as well, making it a triple-pay.
“We’re psyched to have the Rangers on board to help support CAN’d Aid,” Katechis said. “Opening our expansion brewery in their hometown of Brevard has cemented our long friendship.”
“We look forward to using our music and touring to help raise money and awareness for the CAN’d Aid Foundation,” Platt added. “We want to help introduce the Oskar Blues brand to our fans along the way.”
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