Wed 7/22 @ 8:30-10PM
The Cleveland-based nonprofit organization Roots of American Music, which uses music to educate audiences about American culture and history, is hosting a new series at Visible Voice Books called Master of American Music, devoting each month’s program to a foundational figure in this country’s music. It features music and storytelling to provide a backstory on that artist’s life and creativity.
The month, Kent’s bluegrass-based artist David Mayfield, who has been playing music professionally since he performed with his parents’ bluegrass band as a child, will turn the spotlight on Bill Monroe, generally acknowledged to be the founder of the bluegrass sound. With his mandolin playing and his distinctive high-pitched vocals setting the tone for his ensemble The Blue Grass Boys, he created the template for the genre and made songs like “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” “Uncle Pen” and “Kentucky Waltz” into classics covered by hundreds of subsequent bands.
It’s $15 at the door, which benefits Roots of American Music’s performance and music educator programs for all types of audiences. You can also buy presale tickets here.