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Della Mae

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della-mae-postIn just a few short years, Della Mae has become a sensation in the world of contemporary bluegrass. With vocal, instrumental, and songwriting talent to spare, these five young women revitalize time-honored musical traditions to create a bluegrass sound that’s unmistakably modern. Nominated for a Grammy in 2014, Della Mae combines centuries’ worth of musical influences with a fresh, acoustically gritty sensibility. Armed with classical training and bluegrass smarts, the members of Della Mae showcase their considerable technical talent with Texas-style fiddling and vocal abilities beyond their years, imbuing live performances with a chemistry, finesse, and vivacity that’s captivating.

Date: Monday, September 1, 2014

Presenting Sponsor: Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik
Major Sponsors: Door County Advocate, Main Street Market, White Gull Inn
Supporting Sponsors: Parkwood Lodge, Signature Pieces of Egg Harbor, Wild Tomato

DCA Presents Buckets of Rain IV on September 14

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On Sunday, September 14, six of Door County’s favorite musicians will take the Door Community Auditorium (DCA) stage to play a one-night-only concert of their musical revue Buckets of Rain: The Songs of Bob Dylan. The Buckets of Rain team has played to enthusiastic (and often sellout) crowds at Woodwalk Gallery and Door Community Auditorium for each of the past three years. This year at DCA, Memphis multi-instrumentalist Eric Lewis, California string player Chris Irwin, local folk crooners Katie Dahl and Jeanne Kuhns, and bassist-percussionists Rich Higdon and Patrick Palmer will reunite in this one-night-only tribute to one of America’s most iconic songwriters.

Each possessed of considerable vocal and instrumental skills, the Buckets of Rain crew breathes new life into some of Dylan’s best-known songs, summoning the power of such driving anthems as “The Times They Are A-Changin’” and making classic ballads like “Blowin’ in the Wind” spark and crackle. This year’s performance will contain favorite selections from past Buckets of Rain shows, as well as a few Dylan tunes the troupe hasn’t yet covered. The six Buckets of Rain musicians will play in a variety of different configurations, backing each other up with fine vocals, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, electric guitar, dobro, harmonica, bass, and percussion.

Bob Dylan is arguably one of America’s most important songwriters, influencing countless musicians and writing dozens of hits in his long tenure on the music scene. His songs range from straight-ahead folk to classic rock-and-roll, from modern jazz to traditional blues. The depth and breadth of Dylan’s songwriting make him an ideal subject for the wide-ranging talents of the Buckets of Rain ensemble.

Multi-instrumentalists Eric Lewis and Chris Irwin are well-known on the Door County music scene for their astounding musical wizardry on a multitude of stringed instruments. Lewis has won the Premier Player Award for Strings by the Memphis Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Lewis (based in Memphis, TN) and Irwin (based in Los Angeles, CA) have worked locally with American Folklore Theatre and a plethora of local Door County musicians.

Katie Dahl is a Door County resident and national touring artist who is known for her work as an American Folklore Theatre playwright, as well as for her solo music shows. Her rich alto voice and lively performances have earned her many accolades, including 2010 Big Top Chautauqua Songwriter of the Year. Jeanne Kuhns is a singer-songwriter who weaves themes of blues and jazz into her own unique blend of progressive folk. Kuhns (who also owns Lost Moth Gallery and is a member of the band Small Forest) sings with a versatile voice that is both powerful and intimate. In 2008, Kuhns was voted “Best Female Musician” in Door County Magazine.

Rich Higdon is a bassist and percussionist who regularly performs with a variety of Door County artists, including Katie Dahl and Julian Hagen. Higdon is also a well-known Door County potter. Patrick Palmer, a member of the band Small Forest, accompanies musicians across the peninsula with his skills on both electric and upright bass. He also works as an audio engineer through his company Wired for Sound.

Buckets of Rain is sponsored by Door County Land Trust, Ecology Sports / Base Camp Coffee Shop, and Main Street Market.

The Buckets of Rain ensemble will perform at DCA on Sunday, September 14 at 7:00 PM. Tickets for the concert range from $16 to $22. Advance reservations are recommended and can be made through the DCA box office, located at 3926 Highway 42 in Fish Creek. The box office is open Monday-Friday, 12-5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in person, on the phone at (920) 868-2728, or online at www.dcauditorium.org.

DCA Presents Rising Bluegrass Stars Della Mae

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On Monday, September 1, young bluegrass sensations Della Mae will electrify the stage of Door Community Auditorium (DCA). Nominated for a Grammy this year, the five young women who make up Della Mae combine centuries’ worth of musical influences with a fresh, acoustically gritty sensibility. Armed with classical training and bluegrass smarts, the members of Della Mae showcase their considerable technical talent with Texas-style fiddling and vocal abilities beyond their years.

“Move over, bluegrass boys,” writes American Songwriter magazine. “Della Mae’s newest album…[is] proof that Americana ain’t a man’s world any longer.”

In just a few short years, Boston-based Della Mae has become a sensation in the world of contemporary bluegrass. With vocal, instrumental, and songwriting talent to spare, these five young women revitalize time-honored musical traditions to create a bluegrass sound that’s unmistakably modern. Their most recent album, The World Oft Can Be, was nominated for a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album in 2014. In demand at festivals across the country even before their Grammy nod, Della Mae imbues their live performances with a captivating chemistry, finesse, and vivacity.

Each of Della Mae’s members brings an impressive musical pedigree to bear on the band’s music. Band founder Kimber Ludiker hand-picked the musicians of Della Mae from all over the United States: singer Celia Woodsmith comes from a blues/rock background, guitarist Courtney Hartman studied at Berklee College of Music, bassist Shelby Means played with various bands in Nashville, and mandolin player Jenni Lyn Gardner was well versed in traditional bluegrass.

The Boston Globe says, “The five young women who make up the group all possess instrumental virtuosity that coheres in vintage bluegrass fashion while giving lively support to the throaty sibilance of lead singer and principal songwriter Celia Woodsmith. This World marks Della Mae as an emerging bluegrass force.”

Della Mae is sponsored by Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant and Butik, Door County Advocate, Main Street Market, White Gull Inn, Parkwood Lodge, Signature Pieces of Egg Harbor, and Wild Tomato.

Della Mae will perform at DCA at 7 p.m. on Monday, September 1. Tickets for the concert range from $18 to $32. Advance reservations are recommended and can be made through the DCA box office, located at 3926 Highway 42 in Fish Creek. The box office is open Monday-Friday, 12-5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in person, on the phone at (920) 868-2728, or online at www.dcauditorium.org.

Ziggy Marley – The Fly Rasta Tour

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ziggy-postJamaica native Ziggy Marley first sat in on recording sessions with his father’s band, the legendary Bob Marley and the Wailers, when he was ten years old. Since then, in conjunction with his family band The Melody Makers, Marley has crafted his own soulful sound, which blends blues, R&B, hip-hop, and roots reggae. His potent messages of love, peace, and political activism, set to reggae’s infectious tropical beats, have earned him five Grammy Awards. A torchbearer of the reggae tradition, Ziggy Marley honors his father’s incomparable musical legacy while at the same time casting his own bright light.

Date: Sunday, August 10, 2014

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Major Sponsors: Alexander’s Restaurant, Tapuat Kombucha, Young Automotive
Supporting Sponsors: Grasse’s Grill, RocketDSD.com / IceCreamSource.com, The Cordon Family Foundation, Wild Tomato

Boy Bands in Fish Creek Bring DCA Audiences to their Feet

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Two classic “Boy Bands” arrived at Fish Creek’s Door Community Auditorium mid-July to present a pair of amazing concerts within one week. The classic Oak Ridge Boys and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy performed to enthusiastic audiences where standing ovations invited the bands to play double encores for each captivating live performance.

In a two hour, no intermission concert, the four Oak Ridge Boys arrived in Door County for the first time. While the original band began in the 1940’s, the four singers on the DCA stage had been together 41 years: Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, William Lee Golden, and his waist length white beard, and Richard Sterban. After mentioning this milestone anniversary, the band wanted to “get the party started” accompanied by their six piece band while playing songs from their first live recording “Boys Night Out.” During the concert, the band’s long term camaraderie shone through each song.

A rousing chorus of “American Made” remembers a brand of home loving fun with the lyrics, “My baby’s American made, born and bred in the USA.” Other hit songs included “Crying Again, and “Sail Away,” a tune perfect for Door County harbors…”Sail away on the wings of love, will you sail away with me?’” In what could have been a child’s lullaby, their poignant melody “Dream On” spoke to encouraging children to imagine a better world to grow up in, and how adults could help them achieve their dreams.

A great production number highlighted the boys and their band’s incredible performance energy and brought the house down: “Little Things.” The song speaks to the wonders of long term love, the cherished “little things” a person does for another, and had everyone singing along. One gospel number, which returned the Oak Ridge Boys to their musical roots, showcased their incredible a cappella harmonies, while a rendition of the more familiar “Ramblin’ Man” was a tribute to the Allman Brothers.

These four “boys” have no intention of retiring because “they’re having too much fun” and recently became the spokesmen for the 100th Anniversary of the American Legion. The band’s unique blend of blues, country, gospel and rock and roll ended with the hit encore: “Elvira.” The song brought the DCA house to their feet, clapping and whoaaooing to cap off a riveting evening of musical fun. Afterwards, “Touch a Hand, Make a Friend,” finally finished with the perfect “touch,” as hands across the audience reached out to discover new friends. Memories from a Door County summer experience, when people from across the country, indeed even the world, meet in the peninsula for a memorable live performance by the outstanding Oak Ridge Boys.

The following Saturday, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (BBVD) took to the DCA stage: Bandleader Scotty Morris, Andy Rowley, Dirk Shumaker, Kurt Sodergran, Joshua Levy, Karl Hunter, Tony Bonsera and Alex Henderson blowing on the their variety of big brass instruments. BBVD celebrates 21 years together, all the members original, producing 11 recordings, including their newest release “Rattle Them Bones,” available September 4th, which proves once again swing and big band songs remain timeless.

The lively band’s mix of musical origins revisits the blues, New Orleans jazz and swing beginning in New York’s Cotton Club era when Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington ruled the stage. Zoot suits topped with fedoras popular in the 1940’s adorn the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy boys in keeping with the style of the era. Their collection of unique music mingled “You & Me & the Bottle Makes 3 (Baby)” with a jazzy but melancholy “Why Me?” where the lyrics relate: “If you see my baby, tell her this, she drives me crazy.” Or the incredibly jumpin’ “ZIg Zaggity Woop Woop,” which had audience members tapping their feet, and then clapping hands to the playful words.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s 90-minute, no intermission, return performance was extended by an enthusiastic DCA crowd, and had the audience swing dancing in the front aisles. What better way to enjoy a summer evening than enjoying the fantastic music the DCA Main Stage series brings to Fish Creek? When the concert’s last notes ended with “So Long-Farewell-Goodbye,” the audience could hardly wait for the next program in the DCA series, which invites world class entertainment to the peninsula through December 2014. Keep on jivin’ and jumping with DCA all year long.

Door Community Auditorium presents the 2014 Main Stage Concert Series through December 2014. For information on their Sounds Great! campaign or tickets, please call: 920.868.2728 or www.dcauditorium.com.

Jason Isbell

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jason-postSpin magazine calls southern singer-songwriter Jason Isbell “one of the finest lyricists working today.”. An Alabama native, Isbell began his career as a member of the popular alt-country band Drive-By Truckers. In 2007, Isbell embarked on a solo career, garnering popular and critical acclaim for his stark and poignant story songs. The raw, open power of Isbell’s 2013 album Southeastern landed the record on top-ten lists across the country. The New York Times calls Isbell “one of America’s thoroughbred songwriters, with a knack for rueful melodies and the kind of grainy blue-collar detail that pins a song in your mind.”.

Date: Friday, August 1, 2014

Presenting Sponsor: Main Street Market
Supporting Sponsors: Peninsula Pulse, Door Country FM 97.7

DOOR COUNTY, ITS LAND AND WATER

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Quilts by Members of the Trillium Quilt Guild

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The Trillium Quilt Guild, Sister Bay, WI is proud to display its members’ works at the Link Gallery from August 4 – 27, 2014.

The exhibition, Door County, Its Land and Water features approximately 30 quilts that depict the richness of Door County. Among the subjects are landscapes, water scenes, wildflowers and wildlife, and the county’s abundance of agricultural products.

The quilts exhibited vary greatly in style, in technique and in combinations of techniques. Of particular interest is a miniature quilt entitled “Around the Door” by Jenni Stultz of Fish Creek. Consisting of 12 panels, each portrays a treasured aspect of Door County (three panels are pictured above).

The Trillium Quilt Guild has been part of the Door art scene for more than 16 years. Fully participating in community and charitable initiatives, its recent projects have included donating quilts to Sister Bay’s Centennial, the Neighbor to Neighbor organization, victims of Hurricane Sandy, the Cancer Center at DCMH, and the Quilts of Valor project. The Guild annually donates quilting books and magazine subscriptions to the Sister Bay Library, and it has also participated in community celebrations including the recent Baileys Harbor winter quilting project, the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse Exhibit and Gibraltar Heritage Days.

Trillium Quilt Guild’s regularly scheduled exhibitions have included a collaboration with Door County Poets that resulted in two exhibitions and a publication, as well as shows at the Fairfield Gallery, the Link Gallery, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Gallery, the Corner of the Past Museum, the Scandia Village Gallery, and The Ridges Sanctuary’s Invitational Show celebrating its 75th Anniversary. Quilts by individual members have been juried into shows at the Hardy Gallery and the prestigious Quilt Expo in Madison.

The Trillium Quilt Guild meets the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month at the Sister Bay Fire Station, 220 Mill Rd., from 10am to noon. Membership is open to all levels of quilters for a nominal membership fee. New members are welcome.

Carrie Rodriguez and Luke Jacobs

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carrie-luke-postMusical maverick Carrie Rodriguez uses her sultry contralto voice and fiery fiddle playing to create music that is both alluring and defiant, ranging from red-hot country to noir rock to plaintive folk. A Texas native who grew up playing classical violin, Rodriguez has written and toured with such luminaries as Lucinda Williams, John Prine, and Alejandro Escovedo. At DCA, Rodriguez will perform with Minnesotan guitarist Luke Jacobs, whom The Guardian calls “an impressive exponent of acoustic, electric and lap steel guitar.”. Shifting easily between a desert swing and an urban strut, Rodriguez and Jacobs have been hailed by the Boston Globe as “one of the most compelling new voices on the roots-rock scene.”.

Date: Saturday, July 26, 2014

Major Sponsor: Wild Tomato