Singer-Songwriter Christopher Battles will be performing from 5-6 p.m. uly 26, at the rivers’ end bookstore, 19 W. Bridge St., to raise funds for the Literacy Coalition of Oswego County. All donations at this performance will go directly to LCOC.
“We are extremely grateful for Christopher’s support for the coalition,” said Jon Spaulding, LCOC leadership council president. “Because it’s Harborfest weekend, there will be plenty of folks downtown who will want to stop in and hear the music. It’s both a nice enhancement to the weekend activities and an aid to LCOC.”
Battles, an Oswego native, has been a professional singer/songwriter since 2009. A decade prior he began learning guitar and singing, during the same time period earning an all-state timpanist seat and principal musical roles in his native New York State. Putting contemporary music aside in 2006, he chose to become a classically trained percussionist, jazz drummer, and music educator. He earned his Suma Cum Laude Bachelors of Music in 2010. A year before graduation however, his purpose had been reborn. Deeply enriched by his classical and jazz studies, Battles has developed a unique sound that clearly distinguishes him from all others in the music industry, according to his resume.
In 2012 he recorded and released his “Miles Upon Miles EP” while spending the year substitute teaching in New York City. Battles’ music captures the human experience, which is translated through sound directly into the heart of his audiences. His songs are so perfectly arranged that they leave a profound impact on those who have the privilege of listening to his music. Each stroke of a chord is equally matched by his incredible vocals. This is a story of one man’s life and has taken the audience by the hand giving them a glimpse of who he truly is.
The songs: “Oh My God” is an anecdote about pure relief. “It is about how the little things build up and sometimes make life seem so impossible that it takes a dramatic moment to snap you back to reality, reframing the important things in life and taking down the small things that divide us”, said Battles. According to his bio: This song is a beautifully arranged acoustic, which captures his crisp vocals so eloquently. The arrangement of this song is incredibly touching. The crispness of his vocals and the delicate yet intricate detailing of his guitar playing is something that makes you lose your breath.
“Miles Upon Miles,” is Battles’ calling card, the song of a journeyman. After two days of riding his bicycle against the wind and across the state of Florida he sat down to pen “Miles upon miles against the wind. Miles upon miles with my face a grin. Miles upon miles against the wind.” His adventure to “get away from it all” coincided with the grave Japanese Tsunami disaster of 2011, upon departure not knowing if a tsunami could also wash away the West Coast of the US as well. Battling headwinds on this journey became a cathartic experience for him and still has the same impact to this day. This song has more of a folk feel to it and has quite an extraordinary delivery method. He has this innate ability to bring audiences into his world, singing only to them. His soft vocals and the acoustic back rhythm capture the essence of the story taking you on the journey with him. This song has a particular motion and mood that you can feel. “Footprints” was written looking out his bedroom window at the snow, which slowly fell to the ground. He was home in Upstate New York and has become his version of Landslide, a dialogue with someone past that you are speaking to in your head. This single captures the beauty and impermanence of footprints made in the snow that was created by boots that were once worn but didn’t fit any other feet. This song is soft spoken, gently delivered yet creates a profound impact.
The LCOC is a growing coalition of more than 36 local organizations.
These organizations work together to address the literacy needs of people of all ages.
Members of the LCOC Leadership Council include: Alliance Bank; Assemblyman William Barclay 124th District; Cayuga Community College; Chirello Advertising, City of Fulton; City of Oswego; Constellation Energy; Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County; Eastern Shore Associates; Entergy Nuclear Northeast; Fulton City School District; Fulton Family YMCA; Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce; Literacy Volunteers of Oswego County; Operation Oswego County; Central Southern Tier Regional Adult Education Network.
Other Leadership Council supporters include: NYS Education Department; NYS Sen. Patty Ritchie 48th District; Oswego City School District; Oswego County Administrator Phil Church; Oswego County BOCES; Oswego County Federal Credit Union; Oswego County Legislature; Oswego County Opportunities; Oswego County Workforce Development Board; Oswego Family County Family Court Judge Kimberly Seager; Oswego Health; Oswego Public Library; Oswego YMCA; Pathfinder Bank; Pulaski School District; State University of New York at Oswego; The Palladium-Times; United Way of Greater Oswego County; and the Wes Hyde Foundation.
An estimated 40 to 44 million adults in the United States demonstrate skills in the lowest level of prose, document, and quantitative proficiencies.
Many are unable to total an entry on a deposit slip, locate the time and place on a meeting form, or identify a piece of specific information in a brief news article (ProLiteracy Worldwide).
In Oswego County, close to 17,000 adults cannot read above a fifth grade reading level. With the help of volunteers, donors and advocates, the Literacy Coalition of Oswego County helps adults develop their basic literary skills.
For more information about The Literacy Coalition of Oswego County, visit www.oswegocounty.com and click on the literacy coalition link.
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