Folk Music Concerts
The following folk music concerts are presented by The Living Tradition. These concerts feature international and local artisans of contemporary folk music and traditional folk music.
To view a list of artists who have performed in The Living Tradition concert series, click Concert History, or scroll to the bottom of this page. These events are partially funded by a grant from the Anaheim Arts Council.
Note: The Living Tradition newsletter will continue to be mailed, but concert fliers will be sent by e-mail. Click here for more information.
Location & Time
All concerts are held on the 3rd Saturday of most months at the Anaheim Downtown Community Center, 250 E. Center St., in Anaheim (in the heart of Orange County). Free parking.
Concerts start at 7:30 PM, unless otherwise noted.
Price
Unless otherwise noted: $18 per person ($15 with Living Tradition membership discount). Children under 18 FREE with paid adult.
Contact
For reservations, concert information and booking
inquiries, please call Ron at (714) 997-8590 or e-mail
concerts@thelivingtradition.org.
The Living Tradition
2017 Folk Music Concert List (PDF)
Schedule
July 15, 2017
Rusty Richards
: Cowboy western songs written and performed by a cowboy who sings. Rusty Richards grew up on a ranch in Modjeska Canyon in Orange County, CA. Here, he learned to turn calves into steers, and lived a life worth singing about. Rusty began playing guitar at age 11 and learned more than 100 cowboy songs. By age 16, he had his own 15-minute television show. Rusty lived in the days when cowboys were stars on TV and in film and became one of Hollywood’s favorites, carousing with Hollywood royalty. With the help of actor Burt Reynolds and cowboy singer Ken Curtis (“Gunsmoke”), Rusty was offered a tryout with the famed cowboy band, Sons of the Pioneers, with whom he sang for the next twenty years. He has appeared on such shows as “The Virginian,” “Rawhide,” “Zorro,” “Bonanza,” ‘and “Wagon Train.” He has appeared on Johnny Carson, Mike Douglas, and Merv Griffin, as well. He is a writer, singer, songwriter, poet, storey teller, and, no doubt, at age 83, is one of the last of a generation of singing cowboys. are an Austin, TX husband-wife musical duo specializing in making listeners smile. With training at Berklee College of Music and GIT in Hollywood, Jimmy Joe is a skilled guitarist. country, bluegrass, folk, jazz, Latin and classical styles create a widely appealing repertoire. He has a talent for crafting story songs, and one of his car songs was featured on NPR’s “Car Talk” and Kerrville Folk Festival’s Newfolk Contest Regional Performance. Chrissie joins him with sweet vocal harmonies and rhythm guitar. Her whimsical, melodic songwriting earned her the chance to perform on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion.” Together they write funny, touching duets with clever lyrics and real boy-girl banter. They also play rousing Chet Atkins influenced instrumentals, including a piece played four hands on one guitar, which always brings down showers of applause! Their songs uplift and entertain all ages, and they perform in settings from weddings to schools to festivals. They have been a staple at one of Austin’s largest farmers markets for over a decade, where they touch hearts and get toes tapping with their upbeat, fun, and inspiring music.
Aug 19, 2017
Blue Deux and Friends: For this special performance Elias and Calvin will be joined by some of their talented friends performing originals and well-worn folk standards originating from both sides of the Atlantic accompanied by a traditional Irish dancer. Instruments in addition to guitar and violin will be bodhran/percussion, upright bass, ukulele, as well as traditional Irish folk instruments. Tackling various genres of folk terrain including Irish, Bluegrass and Americana, their ability to adapt music of any genre to their unique folk style has led them to perform frequently across southern California for a wide range of audiences. This group of musicians recently had the opportunity to work with Blizzard Entertainment being chosen to arrange and perform Celtic renditions of Blizzard’s Hearthstone video game themes at Blizzcon 2015 at the Anaheim Convention Center. These musicians have assembled into several different groups who all perform locally including Flint & Farrow and The Reelers. You are just as likely to hear a 100 year old tune as a popular song from the radio in their unique folk style. This concert is sure to leave you with happy feet, a happy mind and a happy soul.
Blue Deux is:
Elias Schwartzman: Hailing from the Washington
D.C. metro area, Elias Schwartzman is a founding member
of Blue Deux. A violinist from the age of 5 as well as
mandolinist and vocalist, he currently performs with
numerous southern California acts. In addition to
obtaining his degree in Biology from Oberlin College, he
studied baroque violin performance at Oberlin’s
prestigious Baroque Performance Institute. His
expertise of Celtic, Bluegrass and Folk music is rivaled
by his deep knowledge of the classical repertoire
including performing the Solo Partitas of J.S. Bach.
Calvin Anderson: Calvin Anderson is a southern California native and a founding member of Bleu Deux. A multi-instrumentalist, composer and vocalist, he has toured the west coast twice performing at the renowned Grass Valley Bluegrass Festival. In addition to performing, Calvin is an avid teacher and composer/arranger/orchestrator. His skills have led him to direct many music groups as well as allowed him to work with many notable artists including Lionel Hampton New York Big Band, Metropole Orchestra, Michael Bublé and many others.
Sept 16, 2017
Mike Mullins has been a regular fixture on the California acoustic music scene for over 30 years. He toured and recorded with notable bands and musicians including renowned fiddler Phil Salazar, The Acousticats, The Hay Dudes, The Tom Corbett Trio, and he is a current member of The Cache Valley Drifters. In 2014, Mike released his first solo project, “Windows of Time,” a compendium of guitar and mandolin Americana styles showcasing Mike's original material over a 25-year span. Mike is widely regarded as a top-tier mandolinist and for multiple summers has been an artist-in-residence at David Grisman and Mike Marshall's annual Mandolin Symposium. Penny Nichols, like many musicians in the sixties, started her career as a folk singer in coffeehouses around Orange County, CA. She shared stages with many legendary artists such as Jackson Browne, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Ponies, Jennifer Warnes, Mary McCaslin, and others. In 1964 & 65, she sang in a bluegrass band with John, Bill & Alice McEuen. In the late 70's & 80's, she has recorded and toured with many performers including: Art Garfunkle (Fate for Breakfast) Suzi Quatro, Danny O'Keefe,Yvonne Elliman, Jennifer Warnes, Albert Brooks, The Credibility Gap, Steve Gillette, Jimmy Buffett, and she earned a Grammy nomination for her work on Arlo Guthrie's album The Power of Love.Joyce Woodson has been a favorite on the Cowboy Poetry and Music circuit these past 15 years. She has shared the stage with such western music greats as Belinda Gail, Liz Masterson, Dave Stamey, and Jean Prescott, and she performed at top folk and western clubs and festivals such as the Elko National Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering in Nevada, the Cochise Cowboy Gathering in Arizona, and the Autry Museum of Western Heritage in California. Her voice has been described as warm, soothing, and intimate. Joyce Woodson is a Grammy-nominated performer and the recipient of Song of the Year from the Western Music Association in 2008 for her song "If I Hadn't Seen the West," as well as Songwriter of the Year in 2014 for her multiple cuts by other western music artists. She also won Female Performer of the Year in 2008 from the Will Rogers Academy of Western Artists.
Oct 21, 2017
Gemini Bruce Farwell and Renata Decher make up the wonderful duo Gemini. Known for their close harmonies, smooth arrangements, and warm and friendly manner, Gemini has delighted audiences throughout the Southern California area in a variety of settings, including clubs, performing venues, house concerts, radio shows, and folk festivals. They perform a diverse repertoire including pop and standards, tunes from shows and musicals, country and folk favorites, humorous songs and many originals. Renata's songwriting and Bruce's arrangements and outstanding guitar playing are hallmarks of this excellent duo. They have won several awards for their singing and playing, and have produced two CD's, Twin Spirits and Heart, Heart and Soul.
John Batdorf Along the way, John has worked with many of the cornerstone figures of the music business as an artist, garnered cult status as a classic folk-rock singer-songwriter, and has reinvented himself as a successful film and TV composer, session vocalist, and inspirational musician in the substance recovery community. John’s breakthrough moment came as a part of the folk-rock duo, Batdorf & Rodney, alongside acoustic guitar whiz and harmony partner Mark Rodney (son of the great jazz trumpeter Red Rodney who played with Charlie Parker). John was the pair’s primary songwriter and singer, and his balmy musicality and tenderly uplifting lyrics fit right in alongside 1970s Laurel Canyon scene artists such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Jackson Brown, the Eagles, and Joni Mitchell. Batdorf & Rodney had the distinction of being recorded by visionaries such as Ahmet Ertegun, David Geffen, and Clive Davis. The twosome played Carnegie Hall and toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada, sharing the stages with such esteemed artists as America , Seals and Crofts, Dan Fogelberg, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, and many more. In May of 2011, Batdorf & Rodney were elected into the Las Vegas Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. John continues to be a most prolific singer, songwriter, entertainer and is much sought-after by concert venues throughout the US.
Nov 18, 2017
Men of Worth In 1986, Scotsman Donnie Macdonald and Irishman James Keigher came together to perform Irish and Scottish folk music, combining traditional and contemporary styles. The name "Men of Worth" was chosen from the title of a folk song written by the Scottish singer/songwriter Archie Fisher. Together Men of Worth blend their voices with harmony and support their collection of songs with their varied selection of instruments. They have a very simple approach to their presentation, and in keeping with tradition, remain true to the music and story. Their show is a unique combination of humor, exciting tunes, and soulful, heartfelt ballads. Amongst other notable credits, Donnie and James are responsible for your concert coordinator, Carol Schryver-Bloom, discovering her voice and nurturing her passion for Celtic music. Men of Worth are an international act and have earned much respect and success in over thirty years of touring together. Performing concerts and festivals, with twelve albums to their credit, Men of Worth continue the very tradition from which they've evolved.
The MacMammals have come full circle. The husband and wife team of Carol Schryver-Bloom and Ron Bloom share the evening with old musical pals. The MacMammals have drawn influence from Men of Worth over the years and will be presenting their own unique selections of music from Ireland, Scotland, England, and North America. Backed up by guitar, mandolin, and Irish bouzouki, Carol’s crystalline vocals blend with Ron’s warm harmonies to produce a unique compilation of music that can only be described as “MacMammalian.”
Dec 16, 2017
No concert this month. Happy Holidays.
Attention Artists:
If you are an artist who wishes to be considered for an
appearance at The Living Tradition concert series,
please first review the Concert History below.
Does your music fit in with this diverse group of
artists?
The following artists have performed in The Living Tradition Concert Series (since 1999) or are booked for upcoming shows:
Cathy Barton and Dave Para
Chris Berry
Blue Mama
The Brilliant Gypsies
Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer
Colerick-Corbett Band
Chuck E. Costa
Dan Frechette & Laurel Thomsen
Freebo & Photoglo
Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen
Ken & Phee Graydon
Terri Hendrix with Lloyd Maines
James Hurley
Richard Lappin
Richard Lappin & Rob Balmuth
Tom Lee
Tom Long
Kate MacLeod and Kat Eggleston
Evan Marshall
The Muses
Nathan & Jesse
Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements
Lisa O'Kane
One Foot In
Robin Pearl
Jenny Richards
Rusty Richards
Andy Robinson
Tanya Savory
Secondhand Smoke
Rick Shea (solo)
Sion & Anderson
Chris Stuart & Backcountry
Tintangel
Jon Wilcox
Return to schedule of upcoming concerts.
Also, we're on Meetup.com. Search for "folk" or "dance" in Anaheim, CA.
