Chesterwood Launches Friday Night Americana Music Series

 

The Pistolwhips

The Pistolwhips

(STOCKBRIDGE, Mass.) – Bluegrass outfit the Picky Bastards and singer-songwriter Mikey Sweet will kick off Chesterfest, a new Friday night Americana music series at Chesterwood, on Friday, July 11, 2014, at 6:30 p.m. The summer-long series will include a wide range of contemporary American musicians, from folk, alt-country and rockabilly to garage, punk and psych-folk bands.

Upcoming performers in the series include Emily Mure, Jeb Barry, Moot Davis, the Junk Rumblers, Bruce Mandel, and the Rambling Kind.

The concerts will be held at Chesterwood on Friday evenings, rain or shine, from July 11 through August 29. Solo artists perform at 6:30 p.m., followed by bands at 7:30 p.m. The grounds open at 6 p.m.; attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for lawn seating. Tickets are $10 per person; children under 18 are free. A glass of Wandering Star Craft Brewery beer, made in the Berkshires, is included with adult admission. Homemade snacks from Delicious Traditions and refreshments, including beer, will be available for purchase.

Tickets may be purchased at each performance and online at Chesterfest

The full line-up of concerts is listed below:

July 11
6:30 p.m.: Mikey Sweet. 7:30 p.m.: The Picky Bastards

July 18
6:30 p.m.: Emily Mure. 7:30 p.m.: The Pistolwhips

July 25
6:30 p.m.: Niall Connolly. 7:30 p.m.: The Junk Rumblers

August 1
6:30 p.m.: Jeb Barry. 7:30 p.m.: Doug Tuttle

August 8
6:30 p.m.: Moot Davis for both sets

August 15
6:30 p.m.: Bruce Mandel. 7:30 p.m.: The Frontmen

 

August 22
6:30 p.m.: Liz and Jim Beloff. 7:30 p.m.: The Rambling Kind

August 29
6:30 p.m.: Alex Smith. 7:30 p.m.: TBA

About the Musicians

Mikey Sweet, July 11, 6:30 p.m.
Sweet is a singer-songwriter who grew up in Western Massachusetts. At the age of 15 he quit school and hit the road, picking up a guitar and learning to sing, he says, on sidewalks, subways, and interstate on-ramps. “Life is just a collection of stories, and we might as well make them our own,” Sweet said. Musical style: Folk/road dog gospel.

 

The Picky Bastards, July 11, 7:30 p.m.
A bluegrass-centric band led by Chris Merenda on vocals and banjo. A staple of the Berkshires’ music scene, Merenda has performed with The Wheel, The Mammals and Arlo Guthrie. Musical style: Bluegrass-centric.

 

Emily Mure, July 18, 6:30 p.m.
Another encore performer this year at Chesterfest, Mure, with the help of award winning musicians of both classical and folk backgrounds, has composed an album of “unpretentious, straight-and-true songwriting that draws from contemporary folk, acoustic country and intimate chamber pop” (Direct Current Music).  Musical style: Contemporary, folk, acoustic country and chamber pop.

The Pistolwhips, July 18, 7:30 p.m.

Making their Chesterfest debut, The Pistolwhips have been called Albany, New York’s, finest purveyors of garage rock. Get ready for some high-energy rock and roll! Musical style: High-energy garage rock.

 

Niall Connolly, July 25, 6:30 p.m.

“Deeply Passionate. Engaging songs that are very much in the vein of early Dylan and showcase the strength of his voice and the potency of his words”, said The Irish Independent. Reminiscent of the sounds of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Wilco, Irish-born and Brooklyn-based Connolly is considered one of the most vibrant, poignant and authentic indie folk artists in New York City.  Musical style: Vibrant indie folk.
The Junk Rumblers, July 25, 7:30 p.m.

From New Brunswick, New Jersey, The Junk Rumblers combine vintage ’50s rockabilly with a danceable, modern sound. Infectious vocals drive this quartet with campy B-movie swank.  Musical style: Vintage ’50s rockabilly.
Jeb Barry, August 1, 6:30 p.m.

Barry, who lives in Adams, Mass., has written over 3,500 songs that roam through all styles of music and was named a ‘Songwriter to Watch’ by the Nashville Songwriters Association. He is the lead singer/songwriter in the “hard dirt” Americana group, Pawn Shop Saints, which features edgy, bluegrass-types of songs. Musical style:  Hard dirt Americana.

 

Doug Tuttle, August 1, 7:30 p.m.

In his widely acclaimed 2014 debut solo album, “Tuttle deftly forges a sound that is all his, weaving nebulous jams into masterfully crafted pop gems…While ‘Forget the Days’ is reminiscent of the best Rick Wright Pink Floyd tune, ’‘Turn this Love’ is perhaps the cornerstone of the record; practically pouring out of the speakers. At once hazy and yearning, the tune builds upon melodic organ drones & splashing cymbal crashes before turning into an extended jam that you wish would go on forever.” (Spin) Musical style: Psych-folk indie.

 

Moot Davis, August 8, 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

“If Keith Richards, Raul Malo and Dwight Yoakam had a love child, it would be Moot Davis.” (Country Standard Time) “Moot Davis is primed to be the leader in the new insurgent country music scene.” (Entertainment Today) Davis has taken the country music world by storm. His fourth album, “Goin’ In Hot” was released in 2014 to continued critical praise. Davis has more than 20 film and television placements, including the Oscar-winning film “Crash” and the horror-hit “The Hills Have Eyes”.  Musical style: Country/honky tonk/ Americana.
Bruce Mandel, August 15, 6:30 p.m.

“Reminiscent of the singer/songwriters who penned the soundtrack of the ’60s and ’70s, Bruce Mandel brews up a coffeehouse sound that’s espresso rich in inspiration and experience.  As a vocalist, Bruce comes across as smooth, comfortable and quite likable. As songwriter, he’s a storyteller.” (Singer & Musician Magazine) Musical style: Coffeehouse; guitar and vocals.
The Frontmen, August 15, 7:30 p.m.

Berkshire-based band The Frontmen, composed of Luke Germain (guitar, songwriter), John Hartcorn (bass), Dan Karp (guitar), and Dana Delarosa (drums), play an eclectic mix of original and classic rock music. Musical style: Classic, eclectic rock.
Liz and Jim Beloff, August 22, 6:30 p.m.

The Beloff’s company, Flea Market Music, publishes the world-renowned Jumpin’ Jim’s series of ukulele songbooks. This series includes The Daily Ukulele: 365 Songs For Better Living and The Daily Ukulele: Leap Year Edition, the largest ukulele songbooks ever published. They regularly perform together, including ukulele tours of Japan and Australia. Musical style: World-renowned ukulele duo.

 

The Rambling Kind, August 22, 7:30 p.m.

The Rambling Kind, based in the Pioneer Valley, play a diverse and unique variety of original songs, bluegrass standards, and rocking fiddle tunes. With strong harmonies, skilled instrumentals, and a big repertoire, The Rambling Kind explores new directions for acoustic music while remaining loyal to their bluegrass roots.  Musical style: Bluegrass.

 

Alex Smith, August 29, 6:30 p.m.

“Alex personifies the next generation of Adirondack singer-songwriters.”(Chris Shaw, Adirondack Folk Legend) Smith grew up in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains and has been immersed in folk tradition from a very young age. Promoting a sense of pride in the traditions of one’s culture while at the same time speaking about the issues presented in modern times is the backbone of Smith’s music. He tours and records extensively; both solo and with his band The Mountain Sound. Musical style: Folk/rock/traditional.
Chesterwood, a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is the summer home, studio and gardens of America’s foremost sculptor of public monuments, Daniel Chester French (1850-1931). French is best known for his sculptures of the Minute Man (1871-75) and the seated figure of Abraham Lincoln (1911-12) for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

Situated on 122 acres in the idyllic hamlet of Glendale near Stockbridge, Mass., the property and its buildings were donated to the National Trust for Historic Preservation by French’s only child Margaret French Cresson (1889-1973). Chesterwood is recognized as both a National Historic Landmark and a Massachusetts Historic Landmark.

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