Calaveras County Announces Free Music in the Parks
for 2014
For over two decades Calaveras Arts Council
has hosted free summer concerts. Music
in the Parks 2014 will be
another great music series.
The “first day of summer” starts a week earlier in Calaveras
County. On Wednesday, June 11, the
Calaveras Arts Council begins its 23nd year of providing free music
in the county parks from Copperopolis to Arnold, and Valley Springs to West
Point. This fun fill musical road show
is called Music in the Parks. Residents
and visitors pack up their favorite picnic treats, pull together their lawn
chairs and blankets, and set out for ten weeks of great music, family friendly
environments, and kick back to savor the experience.
MIP performers hail from the foothills, Stockton, Alameda County,
Oregon, Texas, and as far away as Paradise.
We have brought back favorites and first timers will soon become
favorites as well.
The Calaveras Arts Council’s mission is to support, awaken, and nourish
the arts in our community. This is done
because of the financial support we get throughout the year from our
membership, advertisers, and fund raisers.
Without financial support free events would not happen so during MIP
arts council volunteers dance throughout the parks with colorful buckets
welcoming audience donations as well.
The donations help pay for the bands, the hospitality, and for the all around
good time.
This summer’s musical road trip starts June 11 in Copperopolis, Town
Square with Snap Jackson & the Knock on Wood Players. They sing folk Americana bluegrass, soul and old
time music.
On June 18 Delta Wires comes to Angels Camp, Utica Park. The town will ring out with horns and
harmonica, guitar, drums and keyboard their very own expression of rhythm and blues.
To change the tunes a bit, Men of Worth, a Celtic duo entertain us at
Angels Camp, Greenhorn Creek’s CAMPS Restaurant outdoor grassy area on June 25. Sit back and enjoy the sounds and humor of
Ireland and Scotland.
The Hot Dark bring us post, new-wave sax, rock music at West Point on
July 2. This six member band will turn
up the heat when they perform and get us ready for fireworks. They like to say, their music is a little bit
indie rock mashed with 1960’s TV sound.
Foothill favorites, JoAnn Ebbett and Don Barker make up a super, secret
rock and roll band called Suprecret. You
may not be able to pronounce their name but you’ll be familiar with their music
when they play on July 9 at Valley Springs Ball Field. They play it all.
Summer kicks into mid season with Murphys musician Grover Anderson
appearing on July 16 at Mokelumne Hill’s Shutter Tree Park. Grover will get us dancing and swinging to
his original folk and rock.
Moving right along through the summer heat but in a cool environment,
Soughdough Slim and his side kick Robert Armstrong return to us on July 23 at
Arnold’s Cedar Center. You will laugh
with this entertaining cowboy duo and yodel till the cows come home.
Newcomer, The Lemon Hammer play their own sound adaptation of the blues
and rock on July 30 at Mountain Ranch Community Park. Folks coming to this lovely park always take
a turn or two on the dance floor so be prepared to kick up your heels and groove
to the tunes.
Rounding out the full music genres of rock and roll, folk and the blues,
on August 6 at Turner Park, Pipp Gillette comes back to MIP with his cowboy
stories and song. He truly is one of our
favorite cowboy minstrels.
We say good bye to summer in Murphys at the Community Park on August
13. Local favorites, Black Irish, will
take us to Italy, Ireland and back home to America with their music, talk, and
tales.
For a downloadable
schedule of Music in the Parks, artist links, art and music classes, and other events
presented by the Calaveras Arts Council, log on to www.calaverasarts.org or call (209) 754-1774.
