OSWEGO COUNTY – The Oswego Music Hall’s Guest Curator Series continues on Saturday, April 12 with Tony Trischka’s Earl Jam: A Tribute to Earl Scruggs, featuring Trischka, Michael Davies, Casey Driessen and Jared Engel. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at the McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake St., Oswego.
Born in Syracuse, Trischka was raised in a home filled with music. There were Broadway scores and a sweeping range of classical music, from Stravinsky to Beethoven. The wide-open American vistas of Aaron Copland had an especially potent impact on him, as did the folk music his father held dear. “The Almanac Singers,” the solo work of its founding members Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and Lead Belly’s children’s LP were in constant rotation.
? Trischka fell in love with the banjo by way of the Kingston Trio’s 1959 recording of “M.T.A.,” and, in 1993, crafted a wildly ambitious love letter to the instrument and its mighty journey through American culture for his release of “World Turning.” With frequent airings on PBS stations across the country, “Give Me the Banjo” was another opportunity for Trischka to advocate on behalf of his chosen instrument.
He’s raised the banjo’s profile in other ways as well. His work with pal Steve Martin has helped the banjo gain a wider audience and deeper understanding. Trischka’s Grammy-nominated album “Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular” released in 2007, and “Great Big World” from 2014 feature Martin within a mix of veterans and up-and-coming luminaries. His forthcoming album, “Shall We Hope,” is a visionary exploration of Civil War history featuring an all-star cast—from Michael Daves and Maura O’Connell to the Femmes, Catherine Russell, Guy Davis, the actor John Lithgow and many others.
In addition to his Grammy nominations, he’s earned a number of honors over the years, including the International Bluegrass Music Award for Banjo Player of the Year in 2007, and he was named a United States Artists Friends Fellow in 2012.
For more information, visit https://www.tonytrischka.com/home or view a video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV3aaGjq0mo.
The Oswego Music Hall’s season continues with Sam Robbins and opener Neil Minet on Saturday, April 26.
Shows start at 7:30 p.m. and doors open at 7 p.m. for all National Stage concerts. For a complete performance schedule and ticket information, visit the Oswego Music Hall website at https://www.oswegomusichall.org/ or stop at the river’s end bookstore, 19 W. Bridge St., Oswego.
Ticket prices for the National Stage range from $17 to $30 at the door. Admission is half-price for children aged 6 to 16 and free for those aged 5 and younger. Tickets can be purchased at any concert, online, or at the river’s end bookstore in Oswego. The community is encouraged to buy tickets early to ensure a seat.
Located in the McCrobie Building, the wheelchair accessible venue 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 at reasonable prices.
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].
For more information about the Oswego Music Hall, visit https://www.oswegomusichall.org/ or email [email protected].
Oswego Music Hall 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.
Discover more from Oswego County Today
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.