Fall 2000 Series
Concerts are listed with the most recent at the top. Follow the links to
visit the web sites of the performers or the organizations their concerts supported.
There aren't many songwriters whose songs have been covered by artists as
wide-ranging as country superstar John Michael Montgomery, rocker Peter
Frampton, British popster Paul Young, and blues-rock journeyman Delbert
McClinton. Steve Seskin is one of those writers. A
self-described "chameleon" who enjoys collaborating with
songwriter/artists from a variety of genres, he has made a successful career
out of writing the kinds of songs other artists love to record. He is also an
accomplished performer, having started out in the mid-'70s as a street
musician in San Francisco (he still resides in the Bay Area) spending much of
his time among the closely-knit songwriter community of Nashville.Many of his
songs have been recorded by country artists. Steve still spends a lot of time
in Nashville, writing and pitching his songs, while maintaining an active
performing career both back home in Northern California, and at festivals and
acoustic venues throughout the United States and Canada. Steve is also an
active lecturer and songwriting teacher. [from his website]
Steve
Hopkins is a native Texan. Weatherford, his hometown, was also that
of Mary Martin who, of course, was famous for her portrayal of Peter Pan. A
coincidence that Steve never really set 'growing up" as a goal? Maybe
not. He is a purveyor of eclectic, eccentric, acoustic music...an admittedly
vague answer to the perpetual question, *What kind of music do you
play?"...yet strangely accurate. Steve has been performing on a part-time
basis for over 20 years. He has recently forsaken his day job to work night
& day as a full-time performing songwriter. Alternately sensitive &
bawdy, Steve mixes humor & social awareness, whimsy romanticism...all with
passion towards his ultimate goal: FUN ... for him & his 
audience. [from
his website]
November
10
Texas Songwriters in the Round:
Ruthie Foster’s songs contain elements of blues, gospel, country
and folk that give color and texture to her vocal work and fill those who hear her music
with great joy. Her strong, vibrant voice and her easy, friendly manner instantly charm
audiences of all ages. Raised in Gause, Texas, a small town 180 miles southeast of Dallas,
Ruthie grew up surrounded by the rich, soulful sounds of gospel and blues. Her outstanding
voice and superb original music have been strongly influenced by her family. Foster’s
musical journey has taken her from McClennan Community College in Waco, Texas and a degree
in commercial music to a four year tour with the U. S. Navy Band, "Pride," to
New York City and a contract with Atlantic Records. [from her website]
A professional musician for more than 20 years, Thad Beckman has paid
his dues on these same dusty roads which run from California to New Jersey and points in
between. His finely-crafted original songs are the story of life, the voice of modern
America...from the growling delta blues of the Deep South to evocative contemporary
folk...bound by the common thread of experience gleaned from the road . You can hear it in
his voice....he's been there. [from his website]
Karen Abrahams brings a never boring eclectic mix of Texas blues, rock,
Celtic, folk, bluegrass, and country originals, as well as a few well crafted
surprise covers. If her "bluegrass-surfadelic readaptation" of Grace
Slick's (Jefferson Airplane) "White Rabbit" doesn't bring a smile to
your face, nothing will. She has won songwriting honors from the Kerrville
(Texas) and Napa Valley (California) Folk Festivals, and the Winterhawk (New
York) Music Festival. She has two CDs to her credit; the most recent "For
the Love of The Song," produced by the highly regarded Marvin Dykhuis,
has just been released.
Lorin Rowan is a seasoned musician and performer who started writing
songs at age 12. He has opened for the likes of Los Lobos, Huey Lewis and The News, Jerry
Garcia Band, Midnight Oil, The Beach Boys, NRBQ, John Hiatt, Maura O'Connell, the Bobs,
David Lindley, Leon Russell, and Laura Nyro. Lorin has toured extensively in the U.S.,
Europe, and Japan, and has performed on the same shows with James Taylor, Alison Krauss,
and Little Feat. He has also appeared on National Public Radio's Garrison Keilor's Prairie
Home Companion. Lorin's original songs have been covered by such diverse acts as Jefferson
Starship (rock) and Northern Lights (country- bluegrass). He also composed the film score
for "The Money Tree," a movie released in 1992. His most recent CD is called My
Father's Son. [from his website]
Mary
Melena studied classical guitar at the Music Conservatory at the University of
Missouri at Kansas City, using her technique as a starting point to reach into folk,
traditional and jazz stylings. She won First Place for her guitar technique at the Kansas
State Championships before relocating to the Austin music scene, and has performed at
Uncle Calvin's in Dallas, and Urban Campfires in San Antonio. Her music has been featured
on NPR's "Morning Edition." [from his website]
Reviews: Tim Bays is not just any folksinger; he has a strong, rich
voice and plays the guitar as he'd played it forever." --Pete Phillips, The
Technique, Georgia Tech (Atlanta, GA)
Reminiscent at times of John Prine, Steve Goodman and Gamble Rogers . . . Bays is a
storyteller with truths that come from within. What makes him special is his vivid and
detaild descriptions of the characters and settings in his songs. -- Nelson D. Ross, The
Red And The Black (University of Georgia), Athens GA [from website]
"This man has the gift." So said Utah Phillips, legendary figure in American
folk music, after hearing Richard Berman sing at the Kerrville Folk
Festival's Ballad Tree in 1992. And Richard has used that gift to write many songs that
tell moving, true stories. "Gil's Song", the song that prompted Utah Phillips'
appraisal, is the tale of a Wyoming sheepherder's one brief attempt at closeness and its
consequences. Humor, too, is part of Richard's performance, as in "Monopoly",
his first-person account of the power of that game on behavior, and "The Kids Are
Back", his take on the latest stage in family development, both songs from Richard's
second CD, Love, Work and Play. His new CD, Dreamer, includes his first songs of requited
love, "A Love Song" and "Here and Now". [from website]
An accomplished guitarist and pianist by the time she was a teenager, Eliza
Gilkyson is the daughter of Terry Gilkyson ("All Day, All Night,
Maryann"). Eventually relocating to Santa Fe, with a few years in Austin and Los
Angeles, Eliza pursued her passion for folk music. She wrote for films, released albums,
opened for many national artists, and toured. She first played Kerrville in 1981 with ten
appearances since. In 1984 she appeared on "Austin City Limits". Her song about
domestic violence against women, "Rosie Strike Back", was recorded by Rosanne
Cash in 1987, keeping Eliza in the national spotlight in the late 1980's. Her LP's on
Goldcastle, her CD's on Private Music, her European and American tours and recording with
Andreas Vollenweider, and domestic tours and concert dates with Ladysmith Black
Mombazo,
Dan Fogelberg, and Bonnie Raitt have kept her busy. Her new CD is just about ready for
release. In December of 1996, she co-hosted the Kerrville Music Awards with Peter Rowan.
Her music has been categorized as pop, folk, rock and new age. [from website]
Originally part of the 80's New York folk scene, Fracasso moved to
Austin and has become a favorite there. He writes songs in a sort of twang-folk vein; very
intense, sometimes moody, sometimes wry. His voice has been compared to Gene Pitney and
Roy Orbison. His material is like Roy Orbison squared. [from website]
Summer Fund-Raiser Concert: Our third annual PA benefit
Thursday, July 22, 4-9 pm
Suggested donation $10
Many of our past and future artists will be participating! The location is
the same as our other concerts.
Our annual PA Benefit concert helps us get new and better sound equipment
for your enjoyment.
Schedule of Featured Artists:
