Music in the Parks is free to all, but we rely on the generosity of those who can contribute to make this program available to the community. Please help if you are able. Thank you for your support.

When the Random Strangers start singing songs like “Blue Bayou” and “Ring of Fire,” it’s natural that you’ll want to sing along. According to vocalist and rhythm guitar player Suzanne Todd, that’s quite alright. They choose the music they play based on what they like, and they’re pleased when audiences like it too.  
 
“All the songs we choose are our favorites,” Todd said. “Something will come to a band member, and we email it around to make sure everyone is on board with it. Very rarely do we disagree.”
 
Agreement is evident in their tightly woven vocal harmonies and instrumental breaks; Todd and vocalist Larry Park sing with clear, fancy-free voices, and Park, once named one of the 50 fastest guitar players on the planet by Guitar World Magazine, keeps things interesting between chorus and verse. And Dave Wren on pedal steel guitar—what Todd jokingly called a Black & Decker steel workbench—makes the instrument whine, curl and cajole. Wren was inducted into the Western Swing Music Society’s “Hall of Fame” in 2008 and the Northwest Western Swing Music Society’s “Pioneers of Western Swing Music” in 2010, and he knows how to bend the strings. Rounding out the band are bass player George Spriggs and drummer John Duvall.
 
With a pure strong voice, Todd adds zest to their sparkling harmonies. Swinging into her second career (her previous job was with the Fire Service) as a country/rock/Americana performer, she said, “I feel like the luckiest girl on the planet to be surrounded by such high-caliber musicians. They’ve been around the horn musically and it really shows.”
 
The Random Strangers, based in the Foothills near Placerville, are popular in El Dorado County. “They pack the house,” according to Andy Tannehill, owner of Manzanita Kitchen & Events. With their blend of  country, roots-rock, folk, bluegrass, R&B and blues—a genre they call Rocking Americana—they  deliver “dynamite picking, smooth harmonies, blistering ballads, and foot stomping romps,” said Todd.
 
Utica Park is a big house to pack, and by June 28 the heat storm should be over, so come out and dance to the swing, sing to tunes, and have a great time.

We rely on the generosity of those who can contribute to make this program available to the community. Please help if you are able. Thank you for your support.

By Maggie Sloan 

I’ve got to come clean. I once had the amazing opportunity at the Cowboy Poetry Festival in Monterey to play music on stage with Juni Fisher. It was the high point of my musical “career” to play Irish dance music in counterpoint to the tales that Juni told—in story and song—about the Irish diaspora in the American West. She was the most professional, capable, and organized musician I’ve ever met.

She held the audience riveted.
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​In truth, Juni is an inveterate story teller. She spins yarns about the heartbeat of the American west, what she calls the Western Vista. Sodbusters, cowboys and cowgirls, sideshow attractions, horses, pigs, chickens, and cows all come to life with Juni’s recounting of heartbreak, hope, love, cunning, and foolishiness. She sharpens the excitement that helped build our shared Western mythology.

Don’t think that these are some kinds of novelty songs, because they’re not. Juni sings stories told in spare lines of poetry set to lyrical tunes that are bewitching. If you find yourself tearing up at the plight of a little red horse, or sighing romantically over two lovers who are, well, unusual, you can be forgiven for falling under her spell. Juni has been described as having “luminous intensity [that] ignites her writing and her performances. At the heart of her unique and complex artistry is her ability to bring alive what become unforgettable characters and images, stunning stories that often carry a deep and compassionate reflection of the human spirit."
 
Plus, she’s a solid entertainer; her performance topknotch. She punctuates her songs with clean, clear, crisp guitar playing, and her singing never strays from pitch, tone, or the sheer joy of performing the stories she loves to tell.
 
So it’s without a shred of reluctance that I advise you to go to Brice Station Vineyards on Wednesday, June 21 and celebrate the second longest day of the year by letting Juni charm you into falling in love with the Western Vista. It will be a magical show on a magical night, and you will not want to miss it. This time I’m looking forward to being in the audience.

​*Wine, beer and drinks for sale — cheese, fruit and dessert
 (no offsite alcohol permitted)

'Yakima', is about the legendary Yakima Canutt, early rodeo champion and Hollywood stunt man/horse wrangler. It comes from her stellar CD project, "Let 'Er Buck, Let 'Er Go, Let 'Er Fly'", produced for the centennial of the Pendleton Roundup.​

Music in the Parks is free to all, but we rely on the generosity of those who can contribute to make this program available to the community. Please help if you are able. 

​On Wednesday night the Lava Cats will rock Copperopolis Town Square with 1950s doo-wop, swing, blues, and original tunes.  A popular band in Sonora area, they are making their debut in the Music in the Parks series presented by the Calaveras County Arts Council, and they’re hoping everybody will show up to party.
 
Jeff Cooper and Lee Ann Fox lead the way with vocals made tight by the fact that they have been playing music together for 14 years, ever since meeting as musicians at the Strawberry Music Festival ("We're just now getting married," Lee Ann said). Ron Cotnam on bass and Mark Fox on drums join them in popular covers of singers like Elvis, Sam Cooke and Eddie Cochran, plus plenty of original songs written by the band..
 
The band has been together for about 8 years, according to Lee Ann. They started as a pickup band at the Twain Harte Golf Club and became a popular group; Lee Ann joked that for a while they played there so often that they were known as the “Twain Harte Town Band.”  Their original compositions often explore life in small towns; tunes like Small Town Blues that talk about “local shenanigans,” according to Lee Ann, are popular with people who understand that “it’s a small town, and a small town will tell on you.”
 
Lee Ann described the band as a party band. “We do a lot of different things,” she said. “It’s hard to categorize.”
 
But Lee Ann’s colleague, Harold, overheard our conversation, and called out, “It’s got a beat and you can dance to it!”
 
Wednesday June 14th is scheduled to be fair and comfortably warm, so get on your dancing feet and boogie on over!

This Sunday we will be creating scenes from the Korean War, with live models in costumes. This week there will be two sets of models, alternating their poses. Plus, we'll have collectibles from that time period to inspire your art (we have a loan from two Korean Veterans of their medals, stripes, and even one photo album). All artists, photographers, writers, and musicians are invited to attend and create a piece the examines homecoming for Veterans. 

Veterans and their families are especially invited to attend, create art, and share their stories.

While a RSVP of your interest would be appreciated, it is not required. There is no charge to participate although tipping the models is appreciated. You may come any time after 10:00 and stay as long as you want until 2 p.m. 

In honor of those who served, the Calaveras County Arts Council Gallery Store will be closed today, Monday, June 29, 2017. Please take a moment to remember all those who put their lives on the line for us.

June 11, 2017 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The two most beautiful words in the English language (besides Ice Cream) are Summer Afternoon; those two words are even more beautiful after we’ve all slogged through a long, wet winter. To celebrate the resurgence of all things blooming, the Calaveras County Arts Council will be hosting the 2nd annual Garden Party at Rising Sun Nursery in Burson.
 
Burson, on the northwest side of the county, might be a place you don’t visit much if you’re on the east side of Calaveras, but the CCAC Garden Party gives you an opportunity to enjoy the sight of the summer-gold hills along Highway 12, and then spend the afternoon, wine glass in hand, wandering the aisles of Rising Sun Nursery. With 3 acres of bedding plants, perennials, and roses—all in full summer bloom—as well as fruit trees and shrubbery, Rising Sun breathes the perfect atmosphere for a garden party. Add local Calaveras wines, trays of noshable snacks, and good company, and you’ve got the seeds for a great shindig.
 
Of course, the Arts Council will be adding even more: art and music, natch. Artists will be displaying their work—floral and garden art are the images of the day—and local floral designers will create flower arrangements to complement the art. 

​To help heat the party up, Nevada duo Ten Dollar Pony will perform heart wrenching ballads, raucous blues, and what they call “Outlaw Country music,” all delivered in tight vocal harmonies by singers-songwriters Larry Nair and Liza Beth Oliveto, accompanied by acoustic and electric guitar, banjo, and mandolin.  Dance if you want, or just listen while you schmooze with friends.
 

​Tickets to the Garden Party are $20 per person; space is limited so order early. You can purchase tickets online (see the button above?) or buy calling the CCAC at (209) 754-1774 or at the CCAC gallery in person, or at Rising Sun Nursery.

​There will be an opportunity drawing for art related gifts. The Garden Party is a fundraiser for the CCAC’s Arts in Education Program, which helps provide art classes in local schools, arts scholarships, and matching grants to bring professional artists into the schools for education and fun.
 
And after that long winter, who doesn’t need a little more fun?         

For the 26th year, the Calaveras County Arts Council is presenting Music in the Parks, starting June 14 and ending August 16, every Wednesday night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. There’s an all new line up of local and not-so-local musicians, and one returning favorite. The popular program, which brings free toe-tapping tunes to the county, is part of the Arts Council’s mission statement to “support, nourish, and awaken the arts in our community.”

Yes, Music in the Parks is free to all comers, but we still must pay the bands. MIP relies entirely on donations from the community, and your generosity helps keep our hills alive with the sound of music. You can donate using the button below; don't forget to write us a note about Music in the Parks when you donate. (We also offer exciting sponsorship opportunities; learn more about how you can become a sponsor at 209/ 754-1775 or arts@goldrush.com.)

This year the council is partnering with community groups to provision concert goers with real-time grub ranging from simple dessert-centered pie and ice cream in Moke Hill— thanks to the Moke Hill Lion’s Club—all the way to a full-on Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner in Mountain Ranch, served up by the Mountain Ranch Community Resource Center. And in August, the Murphys Community Club will be serving brownies with a scoop of ice cream. Future concert feasts and community partnerships will be announced on Facebook, on the website, and by weekly concert emails.
 
The first concert of the summer starts on June 14 in Copperopolis, and then on successive Wednesdays takes place respectively in Brice Station, Angels Camp, Mokelumne Hill, Mountain Ranch, Rail Road Flat, San Andreas, Valley Springs and Murphys.

On June 14, the Lava Cats will shake you awake at the first concert on June 14 in Copperopolis Town Square when the 4-person dance band swings into gear. When you hear their lively mix of 40s and 50s Rock-and-Roll, country swing, and Blues, you’ll want to grab your partner to do a two-step and twirl, or just jitterbug across the square.

On June 21, Western singer and entertainer Juni Fisher brings her award-winning songwriting skills to MIP’s newest venue, the breathtaking Brice Station Vineyards. Juni sings and tells tales about ranch life, horses, love, sorrow and joy with authenticity that can only come from someone born to it in California’s Central Valley. She’s been called “The best thing to happen to Western music.”  Feel free to bring your own food and non alcoholic drinks with you. Beer and wine will be for sale; offsite alcohol is not permitted under the Brice Station alcohol license.

 From El Dorado County, the Random Strangers will tear up the night in Utica Park in Angels Camp on June 28 with Country-soaked rock and roll. They’re a great dance band with covers of faves like “Burning Ring of Fire” and “Lay Down Sally,” so get ready to boogie.

​On July 5, CAMPS restaurant in Angels Camp will host Almost Blue, a trio of musicians who explore popular mid-century American standards like “I’ve got a Crush on You,” and “Blue Skies,” that will make you want to sing along as you dance. If you like Pink Martini, you’re going to like this band.

Swing Gitane will blow into Shutter Tree Park in Mokelumne Hill on July 12 with swing from another era: the Gypsy rhythms of up-tempo Hot Club jazz, swing music, and cowboy jazz. Their website says it all: Peggy Lee meets Django. Plus, the Lion’s Club of Moke Hill will be serving pie and ice cream!

On July 19 you won’t have to pack a picnic lunch (but you can if you want); the Mountain Ranch Youth Alliance will be serving their ever-popular Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner right before Brothers Strong take the stage. Brother’s Strong combines the power of youth and crisp talent; with fiery fiddle, bumpy bass, and chunky guitar, they’ll wail through Bluegrass, Jazz, and Blues-style tunes with tight vocals that straight-up carry across the hills.

Rail Road Flat Elementary School in Rail Road Flat will go global on July 26 with the High Life Band, an authentic and unique world reggae music band from Seattle, Washington. Rhythms from the French Caribbean and West Africa are combined with Jamaican rockers, bif-baf, steppers, one-drop, and dancehall reggae traditions. Bring your best moves! As we will be at a school, substance-free-zone rules apply – no alcohol or smokables on site. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.

On August 2, Turner Park in San Andreas will ring with the sound of banjo, dobro, mandolin, and guitar as Hick’ry Switch sings sweetly enough to bring down the moon and stars, set them dancing a happy waltz, and whirl them back into the sky.

Slade Rivers is the quintessential Country band, playing a little Bluegrass, a little Bakersfield twang, a little country swing, and a whole lotta music. They’ll be warming up the night at the Jenny Lind Veterans Memorial District Gazebo in Valley Springs on August 9.

Coyote Hill wraps up the 2017 Music in the Parks series on August 16 with their blend of Jazz, folk, blues, bluegrass and Brazilian beats. Bring your dancing shoes and howl at the moon or you can just sit back and enjoy the ride at the Murphys Community Park. In addition to brownies and ice cream, the community club will be selling Margaritas, beer, wine and soda.
 
We’re all eager for summer this year, and long, warm afternoons for stretching out and relaxing with friends and neighbors. So pack up your picnic, dust off lawn chairs and beach blankets, and come out for some music and schmoozing and old-fashioned neighborliness at Music in the Parks.

Photo by Gordon Long

We had a great morning but all our artists and models have gone home. So we are closing early. Stay tuned for more images and information from our project.

Winifred Wilson shared the painting she made from our April Veterans Vignette for our ❤️Art Beats for Veterans project. It's a sweet piece, and it's been living at my desk since she brought it in. I love glancing up and seeing it.

This Sunday we will be creating scenes from World War II, with live models in costumes. Plus, we'll have collectibles from that time period to inspire your art. All artists, photographers, writers, and musicians are invited to attend and create a piece the examines homecoming for Veterans. 

Veterans and their families are especially invited to attend, create art, and share their stories.

While a RSVP of your interest would be appreciated, it is not required. There is no charge to participate although tipping the models is appreciated. You may come any time after 10:00 and stay as long as you want until 4 p.m. 
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