Greg Cahill, banjo master, IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award recipient, and band leader of the Grammy-nominated bluegrass band Special Consensus, is proud to announce the band’s upcoming 50th Anniversary Celebration in Chicago. This highly anticipated golden anniversary event will take place on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 6:00 pm CST at the Old Town School of Folk Music (Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall), located at 4544 N Lincoln Ave.
Alison Brown, Grammy Award winner and co-founder of Compass Records, said, “In my opinion, Special Consensus is Chicago’s greatest gift to bluegrass music. It’s been a pleasure to produce their past seven albums, including this year’s golden anniversary release, Been All Around This World, which features some of the band’s most notable alums. I have no doubt that their 50th anniversary show at The Old Town School will be one for the history books!”
Greg Cahill shared, “We did our first official band reunion concert in 1990, celebrating the fifteenth year of Special Consensus as a full-time touring and recording bluegrass band. We’ve continued doing reunion shows every five years at the Old Town School of Folk Music. This year is very special, as we celebrate 50 years of Special C.”
Please join current band members Greg Cahill, Dan Eubanks, Greg Blake, Brian McCarty, and numerous band alums for this exciting event. Former Special C members who have confirmed to appear on stage include Chris Jones, Dallas Wayne, Andrea Roberts, Marc Edelstein, Don Stiernberg, Scotty Salak, Justin Carbone, Keith Baumann, Rick Faris, Chris Walz, Tres Nugent, with more to be announced.
The concert will feature songs from the band’s 22 recordings, performed by the musicians who originally recorded them. Fans can expect to hear songs such as “Chicago Barn Dance,” “Like A Train,” “Dream of Me,” “Squirrel Hunters,” “Alberta Bound,” and their most requested, “Carolina in the Pines.”
Tickets are $61 General Public ($50 + $11 fee) and $59 for Old Town School Members ($48 + $11 fee) and can be purchased at:
oldtownschool.org/concerts/2025/10-18-2025-special-consensus-50th-anniversary-concert/.
For more information on Special Consensus, please visit specialc.com.
More about Special Consensus:
Celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2025, Special Consensus is a Grammy-nominated bluegrass band led by banjo master and IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award recipient Greg Cahill. With twenty-two albums, eight IBMA awards, and two Grammy nominations, the band is known for its distinctive blend of traditional bluegrass drive with contemporary harmonies and songwriting. Current members include Cahill, 2023 IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year award winner Greg Blake (guitar), who is nominated in the same category this year, Dan Eubanks (bass), and Brian McCarty (mandolin). Their dynamic sound continues to earn accolades, including the 2023 IBMA Collaborative Recording and the 2024 inaugural Video of the Year Award for “Alberta Bound.”
Special Consensus tours worldwide and records for Compass Records, most recently releasing Been All Around This World to mark their 50-year milestone. Their legacy includes international performances, symphony collaborations, and the long-running Traditional American Music (TAM) educational program. With a deep respect for bluegrass roots and an ever-evolving creative spirit, Special C remains one of the genre’s most enduring and innovative bands.
