Corsair Concert Series Events

Events Schedule

Events Schedule
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This is the 20th season for the Corsair Concert Series in Tawas City, Michigan - presenting nationally-renown Bluegrass and Americana music in an old-time, up close atmosphere.
Presented by the Corsair Trail Council, proceeds from the concert series are used to maintain and operate the Corsair Skiing and Hiking Trails in the Huron National Forest.
Events are held at the Tawas United Methodist Church Family Center, on highway M-55, in Tawas City. Showtime is 7:30 pm. For further information please contact Gary Nelkie (989) 362-2001

..... click on artist's photo (below) for band info .....

January 21, 2012
Corsair Concert Series presents
DONNA ULISSE and THE POOR MOUNTAIN BOYS

Listening to Donna Ulisse is like smelling sweet honeysuckle or listening to the sound of a clear mountain stream. She has a beautiful vocal range that is honest and pure.
In her youthful years Donna Ulisse made the rounds of Hampton Roads, VA area venues. She moved to Nashville in the 1980s and was immediately signed to Atlantic Records. Her 1991 album "Trouble at the Door" launched the singer's country music career that led to national television and many other appearances. Donna soon discovered another true voice through songwriting and she spent the next 15 years turning her attention to perfecting that craft.
Donna's songs are in a league of their own, intelligently crafted, thoughtful, inspired and married to some truly interesting and memorable melodies. There's a level of depth to her songs seldom heard in the typical bluegrass bill of fare. Noting that her songs were generally starting to take on a bluegrass feel, she was encouraged to record a vocal project. Her 2007 CD release, "When I Look Back" was enthusiastically received by radio and fans. As her first bluegrass release was catching on, Donna stayed busy doing some select dates and focused on writing new tunes for a follow-up CD at the request of her label. She went back in the studio with producer Keith Sewell in March of 2008 to start the recording process once again with the final result being "Walk This Mountain Down," a new collection of self-penned tunes.
Her unforgettable voice, killer songs and the ability to sing bluegrass with passion, soul and just a little bit of country produces mellow acoustic music that is very well done. Donna is taking her music out on the road with tour dates in 2012.
Supported on stage by the fine musicianship of her five-piece band, The Poor Mountain Boys, Donna Ulisse's rich voice sings beautiful songs of love, family, good times and bad times, faith and tradition.
www.donnaulisse.com
Admission : $15

March 3, 2012
Corsair Concert Series presents
DELTA REIGN

From their home in the Mobile River region of the Alabama gulf coast, where five rivers flow together into Mobile Bay to form the delta, so Delta Reign brings together the musical influences of each member - bluegrass, western swing, blues and jazz. They call it "delta bluegrass." We say "bluegrass meets western swing".

The group is the brainchild of Pat and Benita Murphy of lower Alabama, or LA as they refer to it down on the Gulf Coast. They grew up with an interest in bluegrass music, a fascination they nurtured by moving to central Virginia, only to return to Mobile to start their family after a few years in the Blue Ridge. Back home in Alabama, they continued their musical odyssey and performed in regional touring bands. In recent years, the concept for a bluegrass/swing hybrid group took shape, and Delta Reign was born.
Benita is a strong rhythm guitarist, and Pat an agile banjoist. Both are great vocalists. They are joined by fiddler George Mason and bassist Joshue Faul. The band is driven by strong fiddle and banjo, pushed along with swing rhythms and solid upright bass. With tight bluegrass harmonies woven throughout, this is an exceptional band that plays a mix of original and classic songs that very uniquely cross the bluegrass and swing boundaries. We are thrilled to introduce them to Michigan.
www.deltareign.com
Admission : $15

April 21, 2012
Corsair Concert Series presents
BLUE HIGHWAY

The legendary band returns to our Tawas City stage! With ten highly-acclaimed albums to their credit, Blue Highway has garnered two Grammy nominations, a Dove Award, topped the Bluegrass Unlimited radio charts, and won numerous International Bluegrass Music Association awards. Refusing to coast on past glories, Blue Highway continually pushes their music to new levels of accomplishment.

Individually, Jason Burleson (banjo, guitar, mandolin), Rob Ickes (Dobro), Shawn Lane (mandolin, fiddle, vocals), Tim Stafford (guitar, vocals), and Wayne Taylor (bass, vocals) are masters of their respective roles. Together the five gifted artists merge their talents into a seamlessly brilliant group sound that makes Blue Highway a powerhouse band. With their remarkable songwriting, dazzling instrumentation, and stunning vocal harmonies, this band continues to set themselves apart from the rest of the bluegrass world.
www.bluehighwayband.com
Admission: $15

What is “Americana Music”?
American folk music, also known as Americana, is a broad category of music that includes Native American music, bluegrass, country music, gospel, old time music, Appalachian folk, blues, zydeco and cajun. The music is considered "American" because it is either native to the United States or the music varied enough from its origins that it struck musicologists as something distinctly new. For example, traditional bluegrass instrumentation consists of the banjo which originated on the African continent, guitars from Europe, fiddling styles which have their roots in traditional Irish and other Gaelic fiddling techniques, and yodeling from the alpine regions of Europe. It is also considered "roots music" because it served as the basis of music later developed in the United States, including rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and jazz.

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