Jonesboro, AR – (Contributed) – Sept. 15, 2025 – Special Consensus brings bluegrass music to the Collins Theatre in Paragould at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, as part of the Bluegrass Monday concert series presented by KASU 91.9 FM.
Formed in 1975, Special Consensus crafts a unique style by blending traditional bluegrass sounds with contemporary influences. The band has produced 22 albums; their latest, “Been All Around The World” for Compass Records, highlights guest performances from former members, many of whom enjoy successful solo careers.
The group was nominated for Grammy awards in 2012 and 2018 for Bluegrass Album of the Year. Additionally, they have received eight International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) honors. These include Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Video of the Year and Collaborative Recording of the Year.
In addition to extensive touring throughout the United States and Canada, Special Consensus has also performed in Australia, Europe, South America, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The group has also appeared on numerous radio and television programs, such as the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
Band co-founder and banjo player Greg Cahill is a recipient of the highest honor from the IBMA, its Distinguished Achievement Award. He is also a member of the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America’s (SPBGMA) Hall of Greats.
Cahill has also released three solo albums, served for over a decade on the IBMA Board of Directors and taught banjo at the collegiate level.
Special Consensus’ guitarist Greg Blake received the 2023 IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year award. He is also a past winner of the Kansas State Flatpicking Guitar Championship and a five-time recipient of SPBGMA-Midwest’s Guitar Player of the Year award.
Blake is a past member of the Bluegrass Missourians and Jeff Scroggins’ band Colorado. In addition to performing with Special Consensus, he also leads his own bluegrass group, Hometown.
Bassist Dan Eubanks obtained a master’s degree in jazz studies from Webster University in St. Louis. Like Cahill, he has also taught music at the collegiate level.
Eubanks has worked extensively as a session musician in Nashville, and he appeared in multiple episodes of the television program “Nashville.” He has been a member of the band for over a decade.
Brian McCarty sings and plays mandolin in the band. He’s a past winner of the Country Gospel Music Association’s International Bluegrass Artist of the Year award. He spent 15 years playing with the Kansas City-based Bluegrass Missourians, and he was also part of the group the Matchsellers.
Additional details about Special Consensus are available online.
Tickets are $10 per person, payable by cash at the door the night of the concert. Everyone 18 and under will be admitted for free. Advance tickets can be purchased online. All ticket proceeds go to the musicians, compensating them for their performance.
Groups of eight or more may request reserved seating by contacting KASU’s Marty Scarbrough. The theatre doors open at 6 p.m. and seating is first-come, first-served.
Acoustic musicians are invited to participate in a bluegrass music jam session to begin at 5 p.m. in the Joe Wessell Building, adjacent to the Collins Theatre. A section of seats in the theatre will be reserved for jammers and guests, so they can play until the concert begins.
The Bluegrass Monday concert series is a non-profit presentation of KASU-FM, providing music fans with an affordable and outstanding evening of family-friendly entertainment. These concerts are held on the fourth Monday night of each month except in July and December.
These concerts are presented with support from sponsors including the Paragould Advertising & Promotion Commission, Bibb Chiropractic Center, Gardner-Milner Law Firm, the Posey Peddler, Kiss The Cook, Holiday Inn Express and Suites of Paragould and KASU.
KASU is the public media service of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, broadcasting at 91.9 FM and streaming on several online platforms. For more information, email Scarbrough or call 870-972-2367. Additional information is also available on the Bluegrass Monday Facebook page.
