Laurelyn Dossett
listen now children a story I’ll tell …

The Gathering string band

It wasn’t too long ago that Rhiannon and first I worked together at Triad Stage. She was one of the holiday singers in “Beautiful Star,” one of the first Appalachian music-with-play projects I co-wrote with Preston Lane. For me, her take on “O, Holy Night” changed that song forever.

We’ll share the stage together again when “The Gathering” string band performs there Tuesday, December 6 at 8 pm. This special show is a string-band only performance by “The Gathering” band featuring Rhiannon, Mike Compton, Joe Newberry, Jason Sypher and myself.

We’ll play some songs from “The Gathering” record, which includes a special version of Rhiannon singing “O, Holy Night,” and I think we can reprise a version at Triad Stage … for old times sake.

Tickets are available now. And thank you sweetly, in advance. Just remember to unwrap that hard candy before you head into the theater.

A Winter Concert at Triad Stage
8 pm December 6 at Triad Stage, Greensboro NC
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The Gathering record
Available now on CD Baby
Buy now

World premier of “The Gathering: A Winter’s Tale in Six Songs”
November 25 and 26
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Virgina Center for Creative Arts

If the Virginia scenery isn’t inspiring enough, there’s always a night at the “dive in movie.”

I’m spending a little time away from home here at the Virginia Center for Creative Arts in Amherst, Virginia. The creative retreat provides quiet time and ample freedom for a small group of writers, composers and visual artists to develop new ideas (or recover from the last one).

Past Fellows are recipients of some prestigious fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as winners of National Book Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and MacArthur genius awards.

Whatever they put in the water here, has good effect.

On the drive up, I had some time to think about this last year. 2010 brought some new and challenging projects, and I wanted to thank all of you who shared in the creation, production, and performance of each of them:

Providence Gap
Beautiful Star
Songs in the Rear View Mirror
Redbird Round
Polecat Creek and Steep Canyon Rangers

A walk around this gorgeous campus is helping me settle in. A few conversations with some Fellow guests will help, too. And there’s always the pool.

Residents here turned the empty pool into a “dive in” movie. Just the kind of creative idea I’d like to dive into.

See you when I get back.