OSWEGO COUNTY— Guy Davis, with Larry Kyle opening, will make their appearance at the Music Hall Main Stage, McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake Street, Oswego on Saturday, March 11.
Guy Davis is a two-time, back-to-back Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues, a musician, actor, author, and songwriter. Guy uses a blend of Roots, Blues, Folk, Rock, Rap, Spoken Word, and World Music to comment on, and address, the frustrations of social injustice, touching on historical events, and common life struggles. His background in theater is pronounced through the lyrical storytelling of songs “God’s Gonna Make Things Over” about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, “Welcome to My World”, and “Got Your Letter In My Pocket”. His storytelling is sometimes painful, deep, and real, an earthy contrast to modern-day commercial music, meant to create thought, underlined by gentle tones from his guitar or banjo fingerpicking.
Guy won “Keeping The Blues Alive” Award, and was nominated by The Blues Foundation for Best Acoustic Album of the Year, Best Acoustic Artist of the Year, and Best Instrumentalist. In fact, he’s been nominated nearly two dozen times by the Blues Foundation.
A self-taught “Renaissance Man”, he first heard the banjo at a summer camp run by John Seeger, the brother of the American Folk Musician, Pete Seeger, and soon after, asked his father for one. Guy sings, plays six and twelve string guitars, the five-string banjo, harmonica, and didgeridoo.
His records, while terse and truthful, are softened by songs like “We All Need More Kindness In This World”, denoting lyrical inspiration from Pete Seeger’s “If I Had A Hammer”, then teased with lyrically strutting works nudged by Hip Hop and Honky Tonk, like “Kokomo Kidd”. The contrast between pieces provides a robust, balanced experience, while giving Guy and his audience a healthy outlet for frustration through song and dance.
His performances feature a mix of his original songs and cover songs by Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Mance Lipscombe, Blind Willie McTell, Leadbelly, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and many others. His admiration for antiquities parallels his love of music, “I like antiques and old things, old places, that still have the dust of those who’ve gone before us lying upon them.” Blowing that dust off just enough to see its beauty is something Guy has excelled at for over twenty-five years of songwriting and performing. like savoring the ghosts of old sounds while still enjoying
modern music.
When asked about his experience as a performer, Guy has replied, “There is no tale so tall that I cannot tell it, nor song so sweet that I cannot sing it.” “Truth be told, there just aren’t many who can deliver Americana in as interesting and entertaining a manner— or give acoustic traditional blues such a contemporary sound—as Grammy nominated Davis.” ~The Blues PowR Blog. For further information visit http://guydavis.com/wp/ or view a video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUor5JPlZto.
Being a veteran and friend of the music scene, Larry Kyle has performed over the course of six decades starting in 1977! He has released five original albums in his brothers-based blues group, DAMDOG. That is over seventy-five self-penned songs and has written hundreds more. Not only performing live with his band, he does justice to an acoustic solo and duo act in which he incorporates guitar, harmonica, vocals, foot percussion, slide guitar, kazoo and more to create a unique live show! With over 190 dates a year under his belt, his passion still burns hot. For further information visit https://www.facebook.com/larry.kyle.37.
Shows start at 7:30 PM and doors open at 7:00 for all National Stage concerts. For a complete performance schedule and ticket information, visit the website at https://www.oswegomusichall.org/ or stop at the river’s end bookstore, 19 West Bridge Street in Oswego.
The Winter/ Spring season continues with Deeper Than Skin w/ Greg Greenway and Reggie Harris on the 25. April shows include Jonathan Byrd on the 15 and the Burns Sisters Band on the 29. The Season Finale on May 13 will feature Annie Sumi & Travis Knapp.
Ticket prices for the National Stage range from a low of $15 to $20 at the door. Children 16 and under are half price and under 5 are free. Purchase tickets at any concert, online or at the river’s end bookstore.
The Oswego Music Hall venue is located in the McCrobie Civic Center, on 41 Lake Street in Oswego, and is wheelchair accessible. It is adjacent to Breitbeck Park and overlooks Lake Ontario and the Oswego Harbor. The atmosphere is intimate with candle-lit tables surrounding a small stage. Light refreshments will be available.
The Oswego Music Hall is a family-friendly, non-profit organization that has been run entirely by volunteers from its inception over 40 years ago. Volunteers can earn admission to shows through various tasks — from running the sound board to making popcorn. Students can also earn credit for community service. To volunteer, email Volunteer Coordinator Michael Moss at [email protected].
COVID precautions: The Music Hall pays close attention to CDC, State, and local guidelines and is trying to do what’s best for performers and patrons; mindful of everyone’s safety and their enjoyment of the show. Masks are now strongly recommended. Should conditions warrant, we may revert back to stricter requirements without notice. Please check https://www.oswegomusichall.org/ for updated information. Masks will be available at the door.
Find more information online at www.oswegomusichall.org/ or email [email protected].
Concerts are made possible in part with funding by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the governor and New York Legislature. Other major supporters are the City of Oswego and Shineman Foundation.
2023 Music Hall Calendar 45th Season:
Winter/Spring 2023
National Stage
Mar. 11 Guy Davis
25 Deeper Than Skin w/ Greg Greenway & Reggie Harris
April 15 Jonathan Byrd
29 Burns Sisters Band
May 13 Season Finale featuring Annie Sumi & Travis Knapp
The Hook Songwriter Series
April 21 Cam Caruso, Gary Carpentier, & Tim Forbes
Open Mic Guest Hosts
March 24 Larry Kyle
April 14 Joe Henson
28 Steve Watson
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