Claire.

TWIN CITIES — SEPTEMBER 29, 2014 — American Roots Revue works from the core of America’s richest musical traditions of First Nation, gospel, blues, folk, rock and R&B. Fresh off of a 2014 five-city ‘Legacy’ summer tour in Minnesota, American Roots Revue continues to reinvent itself with a new line-up of powerful vocal artists that spans generations and genres.

Joining its ranks for a special November 1, 2014 concert at the Dakota at 7:00 and 9:00 p.m., are three high-profile Twin Cities singers, including red hot folk-rock singer-songwriter Chastity Brown, longtime Jazz stalwart and chanteuse, Prudence Johnson and formidable Gospel singer, Robert Robinson. The ensemble will be backed by the vocal group, Joyful Noize (Adara Thomas, Amanda Snyder, Rachael Okerlund, Rachel Svanoe.)

Led by renowned troubadour and community builder Larry Long, the Revue’s revamped lineup of world-class singers is equaled only by the strong supporting musicians such as: Drummer Michael Bland (Prince, Soul Asylum, Paul Westerberg, et al); Guitarist Cory Wong (Bryan White, Alexander O’Neal, Foreign Motion, others); Pedal Steel player Joe Savage (Hank Thompson, Dan Wilson, Wanda Jackson, David Frizzell, John Gorka, and many others); Bass Player Jimmy Anton (Jonny Lang, Jesse Johnson, Doc Severson, others).

American Roots Revue first featured these dynamic artists together during the celebration of what would have been Pete Seeger’s 95th birthday last spring in a sold-out concert at the Fitzgerald Theater called “For Pete’s Sake.”

Chastity Brown — who will perform songs from her upcoming album – is breaking out nationally and just returned from a one-month tour of Europe.   Add these veteran and remarkable singers like Prudence Johnson, Larry Long, and Robert Robinson together with Chastity and you have an evening to measure time from.

“…. a must-see event….…abundant talent”  – Star Tribune

Tickets are $30.00. The Dakota is located at 1010 Nicolet Mall, Downtown Minneapolis and at www.dakotacooks.com, 612-332-5299. American Roots Revue’s previous five shows there have all sold out!

For more information about American Roots Revue — or to interview the group — please contact Martin Keller, Media Savant Communications Co., 612-729-8585, mkeller@mediasavantcom.com

Community Celebration of Place (501 C-3), through a Minnesota State Art’s Board ‘Legacy Tour Grant’, sponsored American Roots Revue, which features several of Minnesota’s most gifted performers and arts educators, to perform in five outstate Minnesota communities in partnership with homeless shelters, incarceration facilities; community and veterans organizations. Each event FREE and open to the public.

American Roots Revue features: Larry Long (Smithsonian Folkways Recording artist who has made his life work the celebration of everyday heroes.), JD Steele (Mr. Steele and his dynamic vocal siblings, “The Steeles”, have garnered nearly every major music award and accolade that Minnesota has to offer), Billy Peterson (Bass player, songwriter, composer, session musician, producer, and oldest musical son of the renowned Peterson family), Tonia Hughes (Tonia’s vocal style is colored with melodic acrobats and elements of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, R&B, Rock and Worship), Cory Wong (Cory Wong may be young, but he has already proven himself to be a standout guitarist/musician in the Twin Cities), Marc Anderson (World percussionist, ethnomusicologist, teacher, composer, grandfather, and bandleader), and Waubanewquay-Dorene Day (Traditional Midewiwin Anishinabe Ojibwe Head Woman Singer.)

American Roots Revue has now performed at festivals in three of the five host communities, including: Duluth, Cass Lake, and St. Cloud in partnership with Hands Across the World; Cass Lake Chamber of Commerce; Leech Lake Boys & Girls Club; and Peace United Church of Christ and Churches United in Ministry (CHUM).

Each American Roots Revue concert features a song collectively written by members of each host community at a two-hour songwriting session facilitated by Larry Long.

For example: In Duluth Larry wrote music with incarcerated women in the St. Louis County Jail. The American Roots Revue performance of their song was filmed at the Rhubarb Festival (In memory of Steve O’Neil) in Duluth and later shown to the incarcerated women, who helped compose it.

Here’s the opening verse to their song, It’s Another Day:

I dream of a future sober and bright
Progressively moving towards the light
Free of shackles and jails, addiction and crime
The rattling keys which measures time
Of another day
Leech Lake Girls & Boys Club, Collective Songwriting, Cass Lake, Minnesota

The final two American Roots Revue ‘Legacy’ performances will be held: August 15^th, Crookston, Minnesota, in partnership with Beyond the Yellow Ribbon and theCrookston Chamber & Visitor’s Bureau; August 22^nd, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, in partnership with The Refuge (regional homeless shelter)

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Featuring: JD Steele, ‘Waubanewquay’ Dorene Day, Larry Long, Tonia Hughes

American Roots Revue celebrates in story and song the many nations of people who call this country home. The American Roots Revue works from the core of America’s richest musical traditions of gospel, folk, blues, R&B and First Nation traditions of the Anishinabe Ojibwe people. Backed by some of the finest Twin Cities musicians making music across the world, the American Roots Revue is a must-see event.

In a satisfying two-hour performance that’s good for body and soul, this earthy ensemble is led by Smithsonian/Folkways Recording artist, Larry Long, an American singer-songwriter who has made his life work the celebration of everyday heroes whom author, historian, actor, and broadcaster Studs Terkel called “a true American Troubadour.” Joining Long is national recording artist and producer, J. D. Steele, who heralds from the dynamic vocal family of siblings, The Steeles, a group that has garnered every major music award and accolade the state has had to offer.  J.D. and the family began touring the international hit show “Gospel at Colonus” with Morgan Freeman around the world before finally landing on Broadway in 1988 for a successful nine-month run.

Rising powerhouse singer Tonia Hughes has deep roots in the African-American church but has also become a sought-after back-up singer on other genres and is a star in her own right. She’s served as a lead vocalist with the Grammy- and Stellar Award-nominated Excelsior Chorale Ensemble and has sung with a host of gospel and secular artists, including rock bands and pop performers. Keeper and Singer of the Song ‘Waubanewquay’ Dorene Day, the inspired Native Life Ways Singer/Practitioner, plays many roles in her rich artistic life. She sang as “Spirit Woman” in the play “Song Catcher” written by Marcie Rendon, performed in the WPT series, Wisconsin Stories-Ojibwe Music and sang for the Disney mini-series “Dream Keeper.” She also sings with her eldest Son’s Drum Group, ”Midnite Express” and is on several recordings. Dorene also won the 2010 Female singing competition in Mille Lacs Lake for the Minnesota Round Dance.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. 

Check out the great article from Kim Ode at the Star Tribune on Larry and his work:

Larry Long doesn’t care for the term folk singer, “which sounds like something from Greenwich Village in the 1960s.”

He prefers troubadour, like the medieval singers who traveled from court to court, delivering messages in song.

Troubadours, Long says, are bridge builders, which sounds all kumbaya until he adds what he’s learned from experience: “It’s been said that a bridge builder is someone who gets stepped on by both sides. So it can be a very uncomfortable place. Your very presence makes people uncomfortable.”

At peace rallies, he pointedly sings a song honoring veterans. At veterans’ rallies, he sings a song seeking peace.

For 40 years, Long has sung at protests, festivals, union actions and political rallies around Minnesota, the nation and the world. He writes and, in his lilting voice, sings in the social justice tradition of Pete Seeger, whom he knew for decades until Seeger’s death in January. He hews to Seeger’s belief that everyone has “a sacred obligation to do their best at what they’re called upon to do.”

Read the full article >

Every day this week at noon, Larry will be on the Radio Heartland music stream with
host Mike Pengra to talk about Pete Seeger and introduce a song. Radio Heartland is
a 24-hour roots and Americana music stream from Minnesota Public Radio at
www.radioheartland.org. It’s also on HD radio in the Twin Cities at KNOW 91.1 FM HD2.