This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Music Steeped in American History - Sparky & Rhonda Rucker in concert




1. April 12,
2014: Sparky and
Rhonda Rucker


 


Branford
Folk Music Society favorites Sparky and Rhonda Rucker from Tennessee will
make a return visit to the coffeehouse on April 12, bringing their musical
performances steeped in American history and tradition.

Find out what's happening in Madisonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


For
more than 40 years, Sparky and Rhonda Rucker have performed throughout the
U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American
folk tradition. Sparky is internationally recognized as a leading American
folklorist, musician, historian, storyteller, and children’s author. He
accompanies himself with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar,
banjo, and spoons. Rhonda, a medical doctor and also an author with a lengthy
list of published articles and a recently released historical novel set in
the Civil War, is an accomplished harmonica, piano, banjo, and bones player,
and also adds vocal harmonies to their songs.


            Together they take their audience
on an educational and emotional journey that ranges from poignant stories of
slavery and war to an amusing rendition of a traditional tale or witty
commentaries on current events. Their music includes a variety of old-time
blues, slave songs, Appalachian ballads, spirituals, work songs, Civil War
music, cowboy music, railroad songs, and their own original compositions.

Find out what's happening in Madisonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


The
Ruckers have been featured tellers at the International Storytelling Center
and Festival. Sparky is a natural storyteller, having grown up hearing his
father, uncles, and other family members endlessly telling tales. Sparky and
Rhonda each tell solo stories, but they also tell stories together (in
tandem), always adding life and humor to the characters and tricksters in
their Brer Rabbit tales, Jack tales, High John the Conqueror stories,
preacher tales, and family stories.


            Their special passion for the
American Civil War inspired the development of “The Blue and Gray in Black
and White”, a historical program that tells stories from the war in music and
narrative.


The
couple has performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and the
Smithsonian Folklife Festival as well as on nationally syndicated radio shows
such as “Prairie Home Companion”, “Mountain Stage” and NPR’s “Morning
Edition”.


They’ve
recorded numerous albums, and their 1991 release, Treasures and Tears,
was nominated for the W.C. Handy Award for Best Traditional Recording. The
duo contributed to the 2009 anthology tribute CD dedicated to the late Bruce
“Utah” Phillips entitled Singing
Through the Hard Times
which was a finalist for a GRAMMY in the Best
Traditional Folk category.







Admission: $15 for nonmembers, $12
for members, $5 for kids 12 and under       Pay at the door.



Branford Folk Coffeehouse

First Congregational Church of Branford

1009 Main Street, Branford, CT.



8:00pm



Wheelchair accessible.



For more information call 203-488-7715

Email: branfordfolk@gmail.com


http://folknotes.org/branfordfolk/




Branford Folk Coffeehouse welcomes refreshment donations of pastries, cold
drinks and other assorted goodies! Bring your own travel mug or thermos and
take home any leftover coffee!



Branford Folk Music Society -
Traditionally, the Best Folk Music in southern Connecticut since 1973. 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?