Lindsay Ell ‘Trippin'' to Cape Girardeau with The Band Perry

Country singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lindsay Ell will perform Feb. 21 at the Show Me Center as one of the opening acts for The Band Perry.

Ell began touring with the band in November, playing 20 shows in nine countries across Europe. Now she, along with country music singer Easton Corbin, is playing stateside with the band as it continue its We Are Pioneers World Tour.

"They're just some of the best people to tour with and some of the hardest working people," Ell said of her tour mates. "Everybody that's traveling on the road is like one big family."

Ell's debut single "Trippin' On Us," has caught the attention of country music critics. The song is indicative of her musical style, which she said is happy and upbeat. She believes her sound works well with those of Corbin and The Band Perry.

"We all three have different styles," said Ell. "So it's a well-rounded night of music, because we all have our own thing."

While she plays multiple instruments -- including piano, fiddle and violin -- Ell said she focuses mostly on her guitar for the shows. She began playing piano at age 6, but after learning guitar two years later, Ell said it's been her "go-to" instrument ever since.

She plays both acoustic and electric guitar during the show. She credits Randy Bachman -- a founding member of the rock bands The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive -- with introducing her to the music of artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. As a young guitar player, she said this helped expand her influences and styles.

She also grew up listening to a lot of bluegrass music and in her younger years was a big fan of Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks.

Now, Ell said she loves walking into a new venue with her electric guitar and seeing the surprised looks from others.

"There's not a lot of girls that play electric guitar, especially in country music, so I'm hoping to kind of pave the way," she said. "I love seeing the reactions from people that haven't heard of me. ... It's nice to see that sparkle in their eye or that look on their face."

Tickets are still available for the concert and may be purchased at showmecenter.biz or the Show Me Center box office, 651-5000. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show begins at 7:30 p.m.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

1333 N. Sprigg St, Cape Girardeau, Mo.