The Urbana Park District’s 2nd annual Crystal Lake Park Roots Walk is happening Friday, May 15th (tomorrow or today, depending on when you’re reading this) from 6-8 p.m. You can check out the map above as well as the information from the program below.
1. The Old Time Jam started about 7 years ago and is for anyone in the community who wants to play traditional American Old-Time music with other people. We meet Thursday nights at 7pm at Lincoln Square Mall in the hallway behind the Food Co-Op. On nice nights, we are outside at the South (Carle) entrance. Our attendance is anywhere from 2 to 22 and we have welcomed traveling guests from all over the country. Usually, we have people playing acoustic instruments including fiddle, 5 stringed banjo, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, bass, and autoharp. We play music that was popular before the advent of radio with some tunes having been collected from old-time musicians in Illinois. Bring an instrument and join us!
2. John Coppess has been playing the Champaign/Urbana area since 2009. He performs both originals and cover songs of country, folk, and Cowboy music.
3. Urbana’s Last Minute Men
Dustin Norder has been playing Bluegrass Mandolin in and around the CU area for the last ten years. Performing with various groups over the years, he is also the co-host for the popular weekly event at the Rose bowl called the Urbana Hootenanny. During the day he takes care of his son, in afternoons teaches lessons and is the Studio Administrator at the Music Shoppe. At night he plays bluegrass music. Jose Agusti-“The musical stylings of local guitarist/mandolinist Jose Agusti“. Tom Koehler studied violin with Paul Rolland and plays with the High Cotton bluegrass band. Frails banjo. Their debut full-length, Off Your Horse, proudly carries on the fine tradition of country soul, pursuing and continuing to explore the frontiers of Cosmic
4. Doug Schroer & Steve Long
Doug Schroer grew up in Missouri and has played chromatic and diatonic harmonicas since his youth. He relocated to the C-U area in the early ’70s. Since then he has played in Open Road, the Squeegees, Groove Yard, the Barb Hamilton Band, the Urbana Backyard BBQ Band, Greg Baker’s Martini Brothers, the Prairie Dogs, the annual Prairie Jam’s Usual Suspects, as well as in various acoustic duos and trios. He has played harmonica on WEFT Sessions in his bands and as a side man with others, and has recorded harmonica tracks at Pogo Studio and other local studios. For a time Doug offered harmonica instruction at the Community Center for the Arts, Prairie Crossroads Blues in the Schools, and at the CU Folk and Roots Festival. Doug usually runs sound reinforcement for small groups performing at the CU Folk and Roots Festival.
Steve Long was born in Lodge, IL. His father played steel guitar and his brother played guitar so he learned music from them until he played bass horn in the high school band. He currently plays guitar as well as upright and electric bass. He played most of his musical career with the Greg Baker Band and the Martini Brothers. He also played with the Neon Neighbors, a roots trio that opened locally for Wayne Hancock.
5. Chris Maden is a traditional musician and sea chantey evangelist. A musician since a young age, he got hooked on the energy of chanteys, and has been rolling down ever since. He has been a featured performer at the Portsmouth (N.H.) Maritime Folk Festival, a workshop host at the C-U Folk & Roots Festival and Marchfest, a guest on several radio shows, and founder of chantey sings in Gainesville, FL and Urbana.
6. The Fights Alt-Country or No Depression — whatever you call it, there has always been a refuge for country artists seeking truth within the roots of their own stories. A place comfortably between genres and beyond the lyrical limitations of cowboys, trucks, and red Solo cups. The Fights call this place home. The Fights’ sound straddles country and rock music — too much twang for some, not quite enough for others. The quintet boasts three lead singers, multiple songwriters and an expressive pedal steel player, so their range knows few boundaries. If you like your harmonies dulcet and your atmospheres lush, you’ve come to the right place. Their debut full-length, Off Your Horse, proudly carries on the fine tradition of country soul, pursuing and continuing to explore the frontiers of Cosmic American Music.
7. The Firetones are John McMahon and Frank Horger. John and Frank began playing together in 2013 in local roots band Hi Ho Buffalo. The Firetones is built around acoustic guitars, vocal harmonies, John’s original songs, Frank’s deft guitar picking and a good dose of traditional folk and country music.
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Stories with Roots 7:30-8:30pm
Price: $7
Anita Purves Nature Center’s Fire Ring
All ages (under 15 w/adult)
After the Roots Walk at Crystal Lake Park, have a seat around the campfire with professional storyteller Linda Dust. Enjoy refreshments and roast marshmallows as you are entertained with folk tales! Onsite registration is available with check or correct change.