Saturday, August 12, 2017

GLORIA’S LATEST HOUSE CONCERT BLAST– PLUS -- A “HOUSE” THEATRICAL EVENT!

GLORIA’S LATEST HOUSE CONCERT BLAST– PLUS --  A “HOUSE” THEATRICAL EVENT!
 
1.   Frank Thomas concert.   (w/Lisa & Vgo) .. 
2.   Gary Reid’s  theatrical performance: A Life of Sorrow. The Life & Times of Carter Stanley. 
3.  Future Concerts.  (SoTpaHouseConcerts & Concerts in the UU Dome)   (note: grant peeples mullet fry/house concert has been added)
 
please email me (gshello@tampabay.rr.com)  your rsvp’s for the upcoming house concerts & i’ll reply w/the address & other pert info..
 
House Concerts Suggested Donation:  $15-$20  (100 % to the musicians)
**********************************************
1.  Sun Aug 20, 4pm.   FRANK THOMAS with Versatile VGO  
 
 
 

ABOUT FRANK:  This video describes Frank’s bio in a nutshell.  It’s from Frank’s 2013 induction into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.
 
The concert will feature Frank +Vgo.  Vgo will not only sit in with Frank on some songs, but he’ll also have a “special guest” set.   P.S. Frank’s wife Lisa (who is Frank’s #1 assistant & biscuit cooker) will be backing up Frank w/harmony vocals  (and I hope she’ll do the Biscuit song).
 
 
I suspect most of you reading this msg are already familiar with Frank & need no introduction.   But for those of you who maybe don’t know him,  I encourage you to google “Frank Thomas Fla Folk Music.”   You’ll be rewarded with lots of interesting links.  such as this:   https://myfloridahistory.org/frontiers/article/122
 
I LOVE Frank’s song about Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOfSmlOMFcM  
 
A personal reflection:   Altho I’m a Fla native,  I never knew much about “Fla Folk Music”  until I moved to Tampa in late 1979 shortly after WMNF started broadcasting (Sept 14, 1979).   I immediately started listening..   Frank & his late wife Ann hosted a Fla Folk Show early on.  And that show, my friends,  was my introduction to the Fla Folk World.  I guess I wouldn’t be exaggerating when I say that WMNF, & that  show in particular, changed my life..   
 
Very cool honor from Walkin’ Lawton:  Frank rec’d a state resolution honoring him from our late great  Governor Lawton Chiles – plus Walkin’ Lawton presented  Frank with a pair of his “walkin’ boots.”  
 
A peek at add’l awards/honors (some of which included Ann):   Florida Folk Heritage Award;  Julian Prescott History Award, Florida Historical Society Golden Quill Award, the Stetson Kennedy Foundation Fellow Man & Mother Earth Award. (and as mentioned above- he is in the Fla Artists Hall of Fame)..  
*****************************************************
  
 
 
ABOUT VGO:    Michael Stock, DJ, WLRN-Miami, describes Vgo as a mlti-instrumentalist & Performing Anthropologist.    Oh my.  Vgo doesn’t do computers.   Doesn’t do email.   He asked me to mail him (as in snail mail) the particulars about this concert.   Old-time.  That’s Vgo.  It’s no surprise that he’s very well known in the Fla Old Time Music World.    Alas, the Fla Old Time Music Championships no longer happen.   But when they did, year after year Vgo would either win or place in most every category.  For instance, here are stats from the 2015 Championships:  Dobro/2nd; Autoharp/1st; Finger-pick guitar/3rd;  Appalachian Dulcimer/1st; Rhythm Instrument/ 4th (jug);  Mandolin/2nd.     He didn’t win or place in the banjo category in 2015 which I suspect, bcause of all his past 1st places, he wasn’t allowed to compete.
 
I don’t know what instruments he’ll have with him at the concert – but – I hope the banjo will be included.   
speaking of banjo:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omKrqvrruYc 
 
Vgo performing a Calipso song about death live on WLRN -Miami:  “When Basil Comes,”   http://youtube.com/watch?v=0BsnuB-WFSQ
********************************************************************
 
 
http://www.alifeofsorrow.com/    He played the music.  He wrote the songs. And he self destructed.
 
   note:   This play includes some music.  But it’s not a musical..
 
Gary Reid  is a walking history book when it comes to the Stanley Brothers.  
A few months ago Craig & I  went to the Orlando main library & saw Gary in a performance of his very compelling & interesting play.   
 
As of June of this year Gary reported that  in less than three years he had offered 61 performances in 11 states.  (and there have been add’l performances since June)  Obviously, the word is out that the play is outstanding.    He’s soon to be doing a Fla tour (mostly libraries)..   Methinks we’re privileged that we were able to “piggy-back”  a performance at the house in between his “regular” performances.   And we certainly hope to have lots of company for our “house”  performance.    (This will be our 2nd theatrical performance.  The previous one was well received)..
*********************************************************
 
3.  Future Concerts.  (SoTpaHouseConcerts & Concerts in the UU Dome)  
 
2017 at the house:  9/24 Grant Peeples Mullet Fry & Concert.   10/1 Alice Wallace (she yodels –yea! )  10/7 The Adventures of Annabelle Lynn (female band from the Panhandle.  they were a hit at this year’s Fla Folk Fest ); 11/5 Johnny Azari (he defies description –adult show/kinda bizarre bluesy folkey comedy)  
 
2017  At the UU Dome:    12/3: Verlon Thompson;   12/10:  Reggie Harris   (others at the dome are on the backburner – tba) . .
 
2018 at the house:  Jan 30 Max & Ruth Bloomquist (they’re appearing at The Kennedy Center soon )    Feb 22/Sultans of String (outta this world);  Feb ? Doug MacLeod, concert & acoustic blues guitar workshop.  Congrats to Doug. He won  “Acoustic Artist of the Year”  at the Blues Foundation’s 2017 Blues Music Awards in Memphis.
******************************************
 
  Is this a great lineup or what?