PLYMOUTH NOTCH, Vt. – The President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site hosts the fifth annual Plymouth Folk & Blues Concerts on Labor Day Weekend, August 30 & 31,  2:00 PM – 5:00 PM.  The event teams Vermont stars and nationally known musicians in a lively folk and blues festival held in the pure country air of historic Plymouth Notch. The concerts are free; a donation is suggested.    

   August 30.  Larry Zarella, Amber deLaurentis, and Craig Bickhardt

            Larry Zarella left his hometown of Sagamore Beach, MA in 1989 and drove to Alaska with the dream of building a log cabin. He found his place in the woods, built his cabin, and began writing songs.  In 2006, Larry returned to the east coast with his latest release, “No Place Special.”  His songs have been used on television, compilation CDs and featured on Boston’s WUMB folk radio.  Since his return, Larry is quickly becoming recognized as a top notch performing songwriter, often sharing the stage with the legendary Bill Staines.  Larry is back to Plymouth by popular demand after a stunning performance in 2007. 
        
            “Instant classic” is an appropriate term to describe Burlington, Vermont’s                                                                        phenomenal performer/writer Amber deLaurentis.  Her forceful piano style and powerful vocals drive a diverse catalogue of melodic original songs, co-written with lyricist, Sarah Blue.  The material is at once contemporary and timeless; influences range from Elton John to Emmylou Harris. The Amber deLaurentis Band won best out of 1200 in the Discmakers/Billboard Independent Music World Series (Northeast), and has been honored by Billboard's International Songwriting Competition, the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and by the Just Plain Folks Musicians' Network.  Amber is celebrating the 2008 release of her debut, "Hey Sadie."
            Craig Bickhardt is a hugely successful songwriter who has written songs       
         recorded by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, B. B. King, Alison Krauss, and many others. With soulful vocals, virtuoso guitar playing, and a literary songwriting style, Bickhardt is also a polished performer who regularly appears in concert around the country with the likes of Livingston Taylor and Maura O'Connell. Craig's years in the studio as an A-team picker helped to polish his signature finger picking guitar style, which can be heard on CDs by The Judds, Kathy Mattea, and Jonathan Edwards. His most recent honor is first prize from IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards) 2008.
 August 30.  Jam Session at Bear Creek Mountain Club, Plymouth, VT.  Featuring Phil Henry.  8:00 PM

        August 31.  Mare Wakefield, Alastair Moock, and Meg Hutchinson

         Nashville star Mare Wakefield has been called the sonic love child of
Emmylou Harris and John Denver.  Residing in the wide-open spaces between contemporary folk and alt-country, Mare - pronounced "Mary" - Wakefield has a voice that's "Oregon cafes, small Texas towns and twangy Nashville rolled into one" (Cranky Crow, Seattle WA).  Mare is currently touring in support of latest release “Ironwood.”  All four of her studio albums are receiving airplay on stations nationwide and in Canada, Australia, and Europe.
                                  
     Alastair Moock has won top honors at many of the country's most prestigious
contests, including Falcon Ridge, Sisters, and Great Waters folk festivals, as well as the Boston Music Awards. The Boston Globe calls him "one of the town's best and most adventurous songwriters," and The Washington Post says "every song is a gem." His CD, “Let it Go,” cracked the Americana Music Chart's Top 40 in February 2006 and Worcester Magazine calls it "one of the best roots music records to come out of New England in recent memory." Daniel Gewertz of The Boston Herald included it in his Top 10 list for 2006.  The much anticipated follow-up CD, “Fortune Street,” has just been released.
              Meg Hutchinson is a lyric-based, contemporary acoustic songwriter whose                                                 influences include poet Mary Oliver, songwriter Shawn Colvin, and mood maker David Gray.  Originally from rural western-most Massachusetts, Hutchinson now lives in the Boston area.  Although only 29, she has already won numerous songwriting awards in the United States, Ireland and UK, including recognition from prestigious competitions at Merlefest, NewSong, Kerrville, Falcon Ridge, and Rocky Mountain Folk Fest. She recently signed with Red House Records for the release of her new album "Come Up Full."

       This year’s festival also features a food drive for the Vermont Food Bank (please bring non-perishable food items).  Other highlights: wagon rides and children’s face painting on Saturday and Sunday, and the site restaurant, Wilder House, is having a barbecue on Sunday beginning at 12:00 Noon.  The event is organized by Jay Ottaway and the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation, and is generously supported by Bear Creek Mountain Club, Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation, Plymouth Cheese Factory, Plymouth Country Store, Salt Ash Inn, Sonicbids, and Wilder House Restaurant.  The concerts are held rain or shine; bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on.  For more information, call the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site at 802-672-3773, or visit the website: www.plymouthfolk.com 
  

THE VERMONT STATE HISTORIC SITES

History Where It Happened

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John P. Dumville
Historic Sites Operations Chief
Vermont Division for Historic Preservation
National Life Building, 2nd Floor
Montpelier, Vermont 05620-1201
Telephone: (802) 828-3051
Fax: (802) 828-3206
Email: John.Dumville@state.vt.us

Web: www.HistoricVermont.org/sites

The Vermont State Historic Sites:  History Where It Happened