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LilFest 2016 Spring Music Series at First Street Community Center

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graphic image of the LilFest MV-L Music Series

The First Street Community Center is thrilled to announce that LilFest has organized a 2016 Spring Music Series and is hosting the following events in our building!


Saturday, April 2nd at 8pm in the Uptown Theatre we have:  Nashville, via Iowa – Chad Elliott & Claudia Nygaard

Claudia is a California native living in Nashville, Tennessee, and is the owner of a gorgeous, powerful voice and performs with a sweet mixture of engaging candidness and unparalleled musicianship.

Claudia has performed at over 150 fairs and festivals in 47 states and across Europe, and was chosen one of the Emerging Artists at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in New York.

Chad Elliott, of Coon Rapids, Iowa, joins Claudia.  He has recently recorded “Wreck and Ruin” in Nashville with platinum record producer Ken Coomer, and drummer of Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, and Steve Earle’s band.

His Americana song-style and extraordinary voice puts him on the road for 200 performances a year; often with greats like Odetta, Tom Paxton, Loudon Wainwright III, R.L. Burnside, Greg Brown, Bo Ramsey.


Friday, April 29th at 8pm in the Uptown Theatre we have: From L.A. & “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” – The Sweet Potatoes

Picture of a music group called Sweet Potatoe PieThe Sweet Potatoes concerts feel like an old fashioned variety show – original music, fresh takes on traditional and cover songs, & even a little back porch storytelling.

Kelly infuses every song with warmth and emotion, going straight to the listener’s heart. Rick and Laura’s improv backgrounds (The Second City, Whose Line is it Anyway) make their shows lively, spontaneous & fun, with an easy connection with their audiences.

Kelly cut her teeth on the road after being discovered by Eddie Van Halen. Eddie brought her band, “Private Life” on a his world tour, and produced their two albums.

Laura is best known as the pianist on the hit TV show, “Whose Line is it Anyway”. She came up in the acoustic music scene in Chicago, teaching at The Old Town School & playing in bands with local favorites Michael Smith, Buddy Mondlock and Tim Grimm.


Saturday, May 14th at 8pm in the Uptown Theatre: From Texas and nearly everywhere else – Eric Taylor

Picture of Eric TaylorEric Taylor is a sage musician, a lyrical genius and a master of the guitar. If you’re familiar with the intricate Texas singer/ songwriter jigsaw puzzle, you probably already know a lot about Taylor.

If you’re not familiar with Taylor by name, you’ve probably heard his songs performed by people such as Nanci Griffith and Lyle Lovett.

He has created a multitude of fans and devotees that are legends themselves, artists who have long considered Taylor to be a teacher and a lantern bearer.

In his early days in Houston, Eric developed his own unique guitar picking style that would be imitated by many of his contemporaries from the early Houston days, such as Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Robert Earl Keen & Steve Earle.


Saturday, June 4th at 8pm in the Uptown Theatre:  From Minneapolis – Mount Vernon’s Own Phil Heywood

Picture of musician Phil HeywoodMount Vernon’s Phil Heywood is a winner – both of the National Fingerpicking Championship & then of the American Fingerstyle Guitar Festival Competition!

A veteran of NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion with guitar legend Chet Atkins, Phil performs with peer acoustic guitar luminaries Peter Lang, Pat Donohue, Tim Sparks, and Dakota Dave Hull.

He also opens shows for such artists as Norman Blake, Greg Brown, John Renbourn, Chris Smither, and John Hammond.

He has recorded six CDs. For one of his recordings he received the following endorsement:

Acoustic guitar fans should consider this recording a must have….Heywood gives us all something to enjoy for a long time. (Music Reviews Quarterly)


Created by Nancy Emrich Freeman, LilFest has been bringing world-class touring performers to Mount Vernon-Lisbon since 2011.   Past Concerts have included James Lee Stanley, Guy Mendilow Trio, Radoslav Lorković, Red Sea Pedestrians & more…

For these concerts, the suggested contribution is $15. Seating is limited. Subscription Sponsorships for the series @ $80 each ensure center front section seating if received at least 2 days in advance of the performance.

Reservations are not required for any of the LilFest 2016 Spring Music Series performances. If you have any questions contact Nancy Emrich Freeman via email at [email protected]; or by phone at 847-256-0000 & 518-576-9513; or visit the LilFest website.

LilFest – Deeply rooted songs and stories of passion and power for our modern lives.

picture of Nancy Emrich Freeman of LilFest

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Nashville, via Iowa – Chad Elliott & Claudia Nygaard – April 2nd

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graphic image of the LilFest MV-L Music Series

The First Street Community Center’s Uptown Theatre is proud to host award-winning singer/songwriters Chad Elliott & Claudia Nygaard performing as part of the LilFest 2016 Spring Music Series in Mount Vernon, Iowa.  This performance will take place April 2nd from 8pm – 10pm.

Photo of Claudia NygaardA California native living in Nashville, Tennessee, Claudia Nygaard is the owner of a gorgeous, powerful voice and performs with a sweet mixture of engaging candidness and unparalleled musicianship.

Claudia has performed at over 150 fairs and festivals in 47 states and across Europe, and was chosen one of the Emerging Artists at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in New York.

Photo of Chad ElliottChad Elliott, of Coon Rapids, Iowa, joins Claudia in a new pairing. He has recently recorded “Wreck and Ruin” in Nashville with platinum record producer Ken Coomer, and drummer of Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, and Steve Earle’s band.

His Americana song-style and extraordinary voice puts him on the road for 200 performances a year; often with greats like Odetta, Tom Paxton, Loudon Wainwright III, R.L. Burnside, Greg Brown, Bo Ramsey.

BOTH PERFORMERS are back in Mount Vernon by popular demand after previous performances here. Their virtuosity, talent and stage presence will take your breath away, and then their song ideas, humility and personality will bring you back to your senses.  It doesn’t get much better than this.

The LilFest Series at Uptown Theatre in the First Street Community Center. This series brings world quality performances to an intimate concert setting. Claudia and Chad follow in the footsteps of performers like James Lee Stanley, Nathan Bell, Barefoot Wonder, Guy Mendilow, and Radoslav Lorković.

The LilFest 2016 Spring Music Series artists include: The Sweet Potatoes, Eric Taylor and Phil Heywood.

Suggested contribution is $15.00.  Subscription Sponsorships for the series $80 each ensures center-front section seating if received by April 1.

TICKET QUESTIONS: Nancy Emrich Freeman, 847-256-0000.

For further information, additional high-res photographs, interview arrangements: http://www.ChadElliott.net, www.ClaudiaNygaard.com or email to: [email protected].

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Radoslav Lorkovic & T. Bruce Bowers presented by LilFest

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Live at the First Street Community Center in the Uptown Theatre, LilFest presents:

Radoslav Lorkovic & T. Bruce Bowers Americana Folk Power Duo

Monday, December 14, 2015 at 8pm.
(Doors open at 7:45 pm)

Suggested Contribution is only $15!

This event is BYOB with purchase of an Uptown Theatre Cup, or bring an Uptown Theatre cup you already own (with the lid please).

“Music with a fiery kind of cool! Obsession and passion are concepts that Radoslav Lorković fully understands. But in his case, they’re often tangled up in a single instrument: the piano.”  – Michael Granberry, Dallas Morning News

An Iowa City native, Radoslav Lorkovic’s keyboard talent has taken him to dizzy-ing heights.  His latest musical adventure is a duo with the like-Rad-ically talented T. Bruce Bowers, a multi-fiddlist from Northern Minnesota. This is a reprise of the 2014 Winterthur (tour).

At this concert you can expect an exciting night of music featuring many styles and genres:  blues, country, New Orleans, R & B, rock, and more!

Drawing from a multitude of influences ranging from elegant classical and jazz styles to the rawest, most basic blues, country and soul, Radoslav Lorković has taken on an unusually broad musical spectrum and refined it into his distinctive piano style.

His tenure on the R&B and folk circuits has culminated in five critically acclaimed solo recordings and numerous appearances on the recordings of and performances with artists including Odetta, Shawn Colvin, Jimmy LaFave, Ribbon of Highway Woody Guthrie Tribute, Greg Brown,Richard ShindellEllis PaulRonny CoxDave MooreAndy White, and Bo Ramsey.  His thirty-year touring career has led him from the taverns of the upper Mississippi River to the castles of Italy, The Canary Islands, The Yup’ik villages of Alaska, The Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall.

facebook_event_736838013116872Born in Zagreb, Croatia in 1958, Lorković’s initial exposure to music can be attributed to two grandmothers. Antonija, his maternal Grandmother, sang to him Croatian, Slovenian and Czech. Classical music played in the home constantly due to the influence of his paternal grandmother Melita Lorković, an internationally renowned classical pianist.

Radoslav moved to the Iowa at age six. Lorković began touring at age 20 with Bo Ramsey and the Sliders. Lorković entered the band having mastered the styles of boogie-woogie greats such as Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, Freddie Slack etc.. Ramsey’s influence drove Lorković deeper to the core of the blues. The music of Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and Little Walter shifted Lorković’s focus. Lorković and Ramsey joined forces with Greg Brown adding musical authenticity to his deep Iowa Roots.

Lorković currently tours the world regularly appearing at prestigious events such as the Woody Guthrie Folk FestivalWOMAD, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa folk festivals, Falcon Ridge Folk FestivalMountain StagePrairie Home CompanioneTown as well as a litany of Italian castles and villas.

T Bruce Bowers was born in San Antonio, Texas, and has been playing professionally since 1968. Bowers has written over 20 film and television scores. Five of his scores have won awards, including “Beneath the North Atlantic,” which was nominated for an Emmy.

Bruce has performed with musicians of many different styles, including Taj Mahal, Queen Ida, the Dixie Dregs, Ed Bruce, Prudence Johnson, and Pat Donahue. Bruce is a founding member of the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua Blue Canvas Orchestra. He was bandleader from 1988 to 1994, and has been active in the creation of the style and quality of the Blue Canvas Orchestra since the beginning.

Questions?  Call: 847-256-0000. For further information about this event, check out the Facebook event page.


Photo of LilFest - Bear LogoFor more information about LilFest or these performers:

http://www.LilFest.org
http://www.RadoslavLorkovic.com
http://www.TBruceBowers.com


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