John McCutcheon in Concert Saturday 2/22

John McCutcheon (www.folkmusic.com) has emerged as one of their most respected and loved folksingers. As an instrumentalist, he is a master of a dozen different traditional instruments, most notably the rare and beautiful hammer dulcimer. His song writing has been hailed by critics and singers around the globe. His recordings have garnered every imaginable honor, including seven Grammy nominations. He has produced over twenty albums by other artists, from traditional fiddlers to contemporary singer-songwriters to educational and documentary works. His books and instructional materials have introduced budding players to the joys of their own musicality. And his commitment to grassroots political organizations has put him on the front lines of many of the issues important to communities and workers. John was a close friend of Pete Seeger, and his concerts echo Seeger's commitment to community building through singing and storytelling.

McCutcheon will be performing this Saturday, Feb. 22nd, 2014 at the James A. Little Theater in Santa Fe, NM. Tickets are available through www.ticketssantafe.org. The concert benefits Rio Gallinas School, a K-8 public charter school in Las Vegas, NM.

McCutcheon's latest album, 22 Days, began as an homage to his friend, Vedran Smailovic, the "Cellist of Sarajevo," who, in honor of 22 people killed by a bomb in a Bosnian breadline, played for 22 days in a row at the bombing site. "20 years to the day of the beginning of Smailovic's action I sat down for the same number of days, at the same hour every day, to write. There was no goal, no album in sight. I simply wanted to write and see what happened. Over 30 new songs is what happened. With a couple of exceptions, it is songs from that writing intensive that comprise the songs of 22 Days," wrote McCutcheon.

The Washington Post described John as "Virginia's Rustic Renaissance Man," a moniker flawed only by its understatement. "Calling John McCutcheon a 'folksinger' is like saying Deion Sanders is just a football player..." (Dallas Morning News). Besides his usual circuit of major concert halls and theaters, John is equally at home in an elementary school auditorium, a festival stage or at a farm rally.

It is in live performance that John feels most at home. It is what has brought his music into the lives and homes of one of the broadest audiences any folk musician has ever enjoyed. People of every generation and background seem to feel at home in a concert hall when John McCutcheon takes the stage, with what critics describe as "little feats of magic," "breathtaking in their ease and grace...," and "like a conversation with an illuminating old friend." Whether in print, on record, or on stage, few people communicate with the versatility, charm, wit or pure talent of John McCutcheon.

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