Upcoming Dates:
October 14, 2011: Bishop Dready Manning is a blues preacher who spent some 20 years totally “in the blues life,” until a conversion experience led him into the church. For the past 40 years, he’s used blues guitar, harmonica, and vocals to share the gospel message with his congregations.
November 11, 2011: Michael Reno Harrell and David Childers, two of our region’s most accomplished and popular singer/songwriters, trade songs on the GASC stage. Randy Saxon will accompany David Childers. Come hear their reflections on 21st century life in the South.
December 11, 2011: CFS Holiday Jam & Potluck features a short performance of diverse seasonal songs by Carol Raedy’s Community Singers. Tentatively taking place at Dilworth United Methodist Church, 605 East Blvd., Charlotte. 4:00- 9:45 PM. Bring a dish to share or donate $5/person towards expenses.
Janary 13, 2012: Annual Young Talent Showcase highlights impressive talents of young musicians, including 2011 Marilyn Meacham Price Youth Scholarship recipients Jake Bartholomew and Davy Fee.
All musical genres have what I call ‘gateway’ artists. Once you discover them, a whole new musical world opens up that you never knew existed.
I found my way to folk music through Bob Dylan. So how did Bob Dylan find his way to folk music? He found it through Woody Guthrie. That’s the beauty of folk music – there is more than one way to get there.
Some people discover folk music and find that they want more. And if you’ve lived in and around the Charlotte area for the last thirty years, then you’ve probably heard of the Charlotte Folk Society. Last month, this group of folk music lovers kicked off their 30th Gathering Season.
A ‘gathering season’ consists of monthly folk music concerts ranging in all sounds and styles. They may feature a singer-songwriter one month, and the next offer up a blues performer. The folk music banner is wide and varied. And the monthly gatherings reflect the diversity within the folk music genre.
But they are more than just concerts. A concert implies there are performers and spectators. A true musical gathering allows the folk music community to come together to perform and/or to spectate.
In addition to the monthly concert, the a folk society gathering also offers opportunities for those attending to socialize, to join a song circle or even partake in a jam session. No matter the skill level of the player, there is an opportunity for all to join in the fun.
Perhaps it could be said that a Charlotte Folk Society monthly gathering is like Thanksgiving dinner. However, the food is the music. And people of all ages have a seat at the table to take in the great sounds.
A full list of upcoming musical gatherings can be found online at www.folksociety.org. All events are free to the public.
by Ben Dungan – [email protected]
