Please join us for an evening with Words + Music live at the Barn!
Words + Music 2023 Edition with Laurie Lewis, Don Henry, Claudia Russell and Nina Gerber
Sure, you could call Words + Music a song circle, but with four of folk music’s most distinctive musicians rounding it out, it’s much more than that. When Laurie Lewis, Don Henry and Claudia Russell take the stage, they elevate the experience, singing harmony and accompanying each other instrumentally, while Bruce Kaplan provides the icing on the cake with tasteful guitar and mandolin. Magically, they are transformed into a pop-up band.
Laurie Lewis is well known to Freight audiences and a world-renowned singer, songwriter, fiddler, guitarist, producer and educator. As bandleader, she often performs with her band, The Right Hands at festivals all over the world. According to Linda Ronstadt, “Laurie’s voice is a rare combination of grit and grace, strength and delicacy. Her stories are always true.” Lewis has twice won the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year. She has recorded nearly 20 albums for such labels as Flying Fish, Rounder, Sugar Hill and her own label, Spruce & Maple Music. Laurie has had multiple Grammy nominations, and won the coveted award for her contribution to “True Life Blues: the Songs of Bill Monroe.”
Nashville’s Don Henry is a songwriter’s songwriter, bringing humor, depth and a profound sense of humanity to his songs. Miranda Lambert, Ray Charles, Patti Page, Conway Twitty, Blake Shelton, and others have recorded his songs. Don won a Grammy, too, his for Kathy Mattea’s version of his “Where’ve You Been” as well as Song of the Year honors from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. According to Entertainment Weekly, “Henry comes across as a first cousin to Randy Newman, with hot-wired songs about born-again whores, interfaith marriages, and the homeless taking over the White House. This is funny and thought-provoking stuff, all of it good.” When not performing solo and with Words and Music, Henry opens shows for and plays with folk legend Tom Paxton.
Words + Music was the brainchild of Freight regular Claudia Russell. Her heartfelt and humorous songs have won her accolades on both sides of the Atlantic. According to Britain’s Country Music People UK, “Few singers can construct a song as well as Claudia Russell, and her sharp, well-observed lyrics have an engaging, timeless feel.” American Songwriter hailed her 2013 CD, “All Our Luck Is Changing,” as “a masterpiece,” and Sing Out magazine called her “an outstanding talent in the crowded field of singer/songwriters.” Boston’s WUMB-FM named Russell Artist of the Year and the East Bay Express selected her as Best Musician.
It would take pages to include all the accolades Nina Gerber has received from the many songwriters she has worked with. In 2018 Maria Mulduar wrote of Gerber, "It is so Zen the way she under-girds and complements whatever music is at hand, never playing an extraneous or superfluous or irrelevant note." Acclaimed songwriter Karla Bonoff says, "Nina has this uncanny ability to weave an emotional tapestry throughout a song...never getting in the way of the song, but adding this incredible depth to it...Sometimes, I am just amazed at what I hear coming from her side of the stage."
This extra special evening of savvy songwriting, superior singing, and beautiful accompaniment happens just once each year. So join us on January 19th for an evening to remember with Words + Music.
Please welcome Words + Music back to the Barn!
Friends, family and music. What better way to spend an evening. Bring along your favorite beverage or snack. Or enjoy the bottled water and sodas that will be provided. Hope to see you there. Carpooling is suggested.
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In Person Reservation Instructions:
a. Click on the "i" Info button contains info about the Performer,
a. Click on Register to make Seat selections. Seats are labeled by Row and Price.
b. Enter Quantity in your desired Row(s) and click Register.
c. Enter First name, Last name and confirm email address. Click Register and you're all set!
d. Please be sure to read the waiver and the message that appears after you have completed your reservation. If you do not see the message or receive the confirmation email, chances are all steps were not completed and your reservation was not successful.
If you need to cancel a reservation, send me an email. [email protected]
Thanks!
Eric and Cheryl