Three years ago Sundilla became the first venue to be awarded with an Award For Excellence from the SouthEast Regional Folk Alliance. Part of the honor was standing on stage with John McCutcheon, one of the other award winners. (The third was Kathy Mattea.) And it is just as much of an honor to be able to bring John McCutcheon to the area for a second time, when he plays Sundilla on Friday, January 31. People will be coming from far and wide for this one, so getting tickets early is highly recommended. A limited number of advance tickets are available for $20 from Spicer’s Music, Ross House Coffee, and online at www.sundillamusic.com; admission at the door will be $23. Free coffee, tea, water and food, and attendees are invited to bring their own favorite food or beverage.
John McCutcheon has emerged as one of our 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 songwriting has been hailed by critics and singers around the globe. His 40 recordings have garnered every imaginable honor including seven Grammy nominations. He has produced over twenty albums of 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.
Even before graduating summa cum laude from Minnesota’s St. John’s University, this Wisconsin native literally “headed for the hills,” forgoing a college lecture hall for the classroom of the eastern Kentucky coal camps, union halls, country churches, and square dance halls. His apprenticeship to many of the legendary figures of Appalachian music imbedded a love of not only home-made music, but a sense of community and rootedness. The result is music…whether traditional or from his huge catalog of original songs…with the profound mark of place, family, and strength. It also created a storytelling style that has been compared to Will Rogers and Garrison Keillor.
The Washington Post described John as folk music’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. He is a whirlwind of energy packing five lifetimes into one. In the past few years alone he has headlined over a dozen different festivals in North America (including repeated performances at the National Storytelling Festival), recorded an original composition for Virginia Public Television involving over 500 musicians, toured Australia for the sixth time, toured Chile in support of a women’s health initiative, appeared in a Woody Guthrie tribute concert in New York City, gave a featured concert at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, taught performance art skills at a North Carolina college, given symphony pops concerts across America, served as President of the fastest-growing Local in the Musicians Union and performed a special concert at the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
But 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. That’s why he is in demand all over the country, and the world… so don’t miss the chance to see him in Auburn.
“John McCutcheon is not only one of the best musicians in the USA, but also a great singer, songwriter, and song leader. And not just incidentally, he is committed to helping hard-working people everywhere to organize and push this world in a better direction.”— Pete Seeger
“The most impressive instrumentalist I’ve ever heard.”— Johnny Cash
“An impressive facet of McCutcheon’s shows is their universal appeal. Folks of all ages flock to his concerts, making the audience a model of diversity.”— Daily Barometer, Corvallis, OR
“John McCutcheon, the American dissident composer, is the most versatile and compelling performer this reviewer has ever seen.”— Pravda, Moscow, Russia
“None of the advance publicity could have prepared us for the depth and breadth of his ability.”— Lorna Dawes, University Center, Wright State University, Dayton, OH
“McCutcheon’s work will survive the test of time … the quality of his work puts him in the same league as a Prine, Waits or Dylan. This is Steinbeck with a guitar.”— Flagpole, Athens, GA
“ … his songs are embraceable by everyman.”— Gazette Telegraph, Colorado Springs, CO
“John McCutcheon … transcends all age barriers.”— Connecticut Post
“McCutcheon was the multi-instrumentalist wonder, a master at leading into a song with a story.”— The Sun, Lowell, MA
“A virtuoso instrumentalist who never lets his technical wizardry interfere with the heartfelt message of his songs. My only regret is that I’ll never again experience the thrill of hearing him for the first time.”—Asher Raboy, conductor, Napa Valley Symphony, CA
“He has an uncanny ability to breathe new life into the familiar. His storytelling has the richness of fine literature.”— Washington Post
“Calling John McCutcheon a ‘folksinger’ is like saying Deion Sanders is just a football player.”— Dallas Morning News