Americana Music Festival on the Sound

Saturday, Aug. 6, 5 to 8 pm
Camp Burton Amphitheater, 9326 SW Bayview Dr , Vashon Island
Tickets: $10 (18 and under), $13 VAA members, seniors, $16 general, Available at Blue Heron, Heron’s Nest, Books by the Way, www.brownpapertickets.com
or call 206.463.5131
(Camp Burton is an alcohol-free venue)

Celebrate Americana Music

This year Vashon Allied Arts’ summer music festival brings it home with sweet nostalgia and foot stompin’ fun-- Americana music at Camp Burton’s waterfront outdoor amphitheater. Get ready to dance and sing along when Nashville’s Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart, Seattle’s Rachel Harrington and the Do Right Boys and Vashon’s own Magpies take the stage!

Americana music, defined as an amalgam of roots music formed by the varied traditions defines American musical ethos; folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other influential styles. It’s also sometimes referred to as alt-country. Since about 1995, Americana has showcased American music in an effort to bring fans, musicians and professionals together to celebrate the music that makes us who we are, both past and present. Musical icons such as Bob Dylan, Steve Earle (Stacey’s big brother), John Fogerty, J.J. Cale, John Hiatt and more recently notables like Fleet Foxes and Mary Chapin Carpenter have further defined the genre.

Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart are the real thing in every way. They’re the kind of people you want to sit down and have a beer with, chat about any old thing and know you’ll enjoy every minute of it. Both solo and together, these two have made their mark in musical history by logging nearly 500,000 miles on their trusty Chevy Suburban since 2000, playing more than 150 concerts per year for their loyal fans in theaters, coffeehouses, festivals and clubs east to west. This married guitar duo dishes up lively acoustic music, tasty lyrics and absolutely delicious harmonies. With personality to spare, their live shows are simply a delight for the senses. Between them they have recorded 9 CD’s on their own Gearle Records label. Their most recent, Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart Town Square, is a wonderful double ‘celebration of 17 years of love.’

Rachel Harrington, penned an “ancient-sounding country noir” by one critic, conjures up songs that feel old and new at the same time. Songs about love and heartbreak, sacred and profane, share the spotlight with drunken lullabies and traditional tunes reworked. And it’s all grounded in a sweet and simple honesty and sultry, distinctive voice that whispers of longing. She says the goal of her music is to play music that reminds us of who we are, of where we come from.

Growing up sheltered by the Oregon woods and a strict Pentecostal upbringing, Harrington claims many powerful influences from Gospel and Motown to Otis Redding, Loretta Lynn, Sam Cooke, Hank Williams and Ray Charles. Shades of early Emmylou Harris may be heard in Harrington’s songwriting and vocals. “I got into country music as a teenager when I started riding horses. I lived in Texas for a handful of years as a young adult and played in a band that was something akin to psychedelic folk rock. Then in college, I sang in a rockabilly band doing Brenda Lee and Wanda Jackson covers. So generally, I'm drawn to anything roots-based.”

Since her debut CD, The Bootlegger’s Daughter (2007), put Harrington in the limelight as a serious contender for album of the year. Her 2008 CD, City of Refuge, earned extensive airplay at Starbucks and her most recent, Celilo Falls Four stars from Mojo, Q, and Songlines magazines. Harrington and her Do Right Boys bring American folk, shades of bluegrass, country and rural soul together for a set of music that transcends its influences. She says if she could duet with anyone, it would be Dwight Yoakam, Conway Twitty, George Jones or Hank Williams. But if I had to choose ... I'd have to resurrect Hank Williams from the dead - after all, I do have a "HANK" tattoo in his honor.

The Magpies, a core trio comprised of Island luminaries will pick up the pace and get feet moving. Guitarist Steve Amsden, bassist Dan Brown and fiddler Jean Richstad will be joined by musical guests mandolin marvel Paul Colwell, banjo queen Rochelle Munger and Cliff Simpson, guitar, mandolin and fiddle. All about down-home fun, this group sports an endless repertoire of songs, both traditional and original in musical styles that range from bluegrass and country to Celtic and American folk. Perfect vocals, married to sweet harmonies, this group brings nostalgia and good times to the forefront of every concert they play. “Fun is the name of the game, no matter what,” adds Amsden.

Food will be available at the concert, and all ages are encouraged to bring a few beach chairs and blankets for an evening of Americana Music on the Sound! No alcohol please.

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