—illustration by Bud Wudlick

The Depot Creek Stringband performance at Bittersweet Coffee in Henderson on March 21, 2009 has been forever immortalized in an illustration by Excelsior artist Bud Wudlick. Thanks Bud, we love it.

One more chance to catch The Boxcar Children.

Sunday, March 22 at the Nicollet High School

Music starts at 1:30 p.m.

Performances dates are Friday, March 13, 14, and 15 and next Sunday March 22nd.

Times of performances are Friday the 13th at 7pm, Sat. the 14th at 7pm and Sunday the 15th at 2pm. The following Sunday, March 22nd, will also be a 2pm performance and will take place at the Nicollet High School. For more informantion call: 934-8228

Ticket prices are: $6 for adults and $4 for seniors and children 12 and under

The play takes place during 1930 after the market crash of ‘29 and the start of the Great Depression. It tells the story of the Alden children, Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny suddenly orphaned after their parents drowned while saving them. During the hardships and lessons they faced, they come across an abandoned boxcar which they creatively turn into a home of their own. Along their journey, they meet up with hobos, a baker’s wife and eventually their long lost Grandfather.

Depot Creek was approached in the beginning of this year and asked to add a little music flavor to the production. As some of you know, depression era music is our bread and butter and we were more than excited to help out. One-half hour before the actual play starts, the band will perform musical selections alongside a show of photographs from this moment in American history.

Their theme this year: The Darker Side of Nature, explored the yuckiness of the natural world. Squeamish things such as fish guts, rattle snakes, bugs and deformed frogs. I, unfortunately, missed out on Dr. Mark Seeley, U of M climatologist and frequent Minnesota Public Radio guest, talk about traumatic weather trends in Minnesota climate.

Really, a big thanks to these people again. These are the folks that slave tirelessly in our parks and nature centers to teach us, and more importantly, our children about the natural world. Many are volunteers, and if they are getting paid for their work, it is little, and completely at the mercy of obtaining that next grant.

A special thank you to Crystal for booking us, and negotiating warm accommodations for us.

Best of luck to all, and keep up the hard work.

John would always request Hank Snow, and we usually obliged with Hank’s lonesome I Wonder Where You Are Tonight. Of course he sang along; he was a great singer.

A complete obituary is published at gaylordhub.com. Here’s a video of the Singing Ranger and his band playing Movin’ On and Fool Such as I.

Design by Free Man

Don’t forget about this Saturday at the Coffee Hag. More info here.

Posters are done. More pictures coming soon.

Good for us admirers of folk music that there are a few local places to hear it. Even better for listeners is that there is usually no admittance charge associated with folk music. But what’s good for the audience doesn’t necessarily make folk musician a sustainable profession. Even farmers are treated to a good year now and then.

If I had to epitomize folk music in one local band it would be Folky Dokey. Unabashed playing of the greats from the 60s and 70s like Peter, Paul and Mary, and further back to the Carter Family, back when we used to call it country music. All songs you can’t help want to sing along with.

Folky Dokey is Bruce Davis and Don and Joni Myers of St. Peter, Minnesota. Joni sings and plays autoharp. Don Myers sings and plays mountain dulcimer, guitar and autoharp. Bruce sings and plays six and twelve-string guitar.

Bruce also hosts the Tuesday Night Folk Scene on KMSU 89.7 FM, every Tuesday of course, from 7 – 9 p.m. It’s required listening in my house. Great folk music, old, new, foreign and local. And it’s commercial free. I love it!

Henderson is bringing back their summer Music on Main series, and the schedule looks better than ever. The Kickoff was last weekend at Charlie’s Parking lot, and now this Friday moves back to the usual spot, on the patio next to the Drug Store. Don’t miss Folky Dokey, Friday, May 23 at 6:30 p.m. next to the drug store. It’s free, and there’s ice cream right next door.

MUSIC ON MAIN SCHEDULE

Friday Nights with music starting at 6:30 p.m.

May 23 – Folky Dokey
May 30 – Marti Ryan Family & Friends
June 6 – Amy Korteum (Harpist)
June 13 – Thoughts From Beyond
June 20 – Depot Creek Stringband

To get a sample of some more good folk music, cheap and local, check out: KMSU 89.7 FM.