Sunday Morning began with local favorite
Yvonne Blake (pictured below) on the Peace Hill Stage. Yvonne has a beautiful
voice and sings what is described as Christian-Folk music.
Listening to Blake first thing in the morning is the perfect way
to start any day.
Following Blake was Regional Star Cornbread
Harris. Harris is a Twin Cities local music legend, James Samuel
Harris, was born on April 23, 1927 in Chicago. In the 1940’s,
Cornbread started his own band and established a reputation on
the local music scene; in those days, he was known as
Huckleberry.
On the singing Hill Stage the day began
with one of my Festival favorites, Hymn For Her. This was their
second appearance at this year’s Festival. Boys are they good!
This Pennsylvania couple gained a lot of followers at the event,
that’s for certain.
Following Hymn For Her on the Singing Hill
Stage was “Bathtub Mothers”, John Norland (guitar), Pat Wynes
(mandolin), and Phil Redman (upright bass). Each member of the
Madison, Wisconsin area band brings a love of blues, country,
rock, and acoustic music to create a blend that is unique to the
Mothers. They have just completed their self-titled debut CD.
Other performers making their first
appearance of the year were Krista Door, and John Doe.
Detor pictured above is from Indiana and has a highly
acclaimed album, Mudshow ("A Small Miracle..." — Rolling
Stone) Krista Detor was established as a gifted player on
the world stage. Together with partner and producer, David
Weber, she’s since released the follow-up album, Cover Their
Eyes ("One of the best albums of the year..." — Revolver)
continuing to push the edges of genre while remaining close
throughout to the lyrical thread that defines her work. Krista
has a fantastic voice and is a great performer. She was a real
standout at this year’s Music Festival.
Making their second performance of the
weekend was: Dangermuffin, pictured above the truly great group from
Charleston, Charlie Parr, the Ragbirds and the super great group
Po’ Girl.
John Doe, pictured above, is a founding member of the seminal LA
punk rock outfit X and the country spin-off band The Knitters.
Doe's solo career began with 1990 album Meet John Doe, and he
has since garnered worldwide acclaim. Entertainment Weekly calls
his work, "rip-roarin' and warm-hearted," Q deems it "the
tightest, finest and most morally acute music of the last 20
years," and The Boston Globe praises its "striking emotional
territory..." In 2009 Yep Roc Records released Doe's much
anticipated A Year in the Wilderness, the follow-up to 2005's
acclaimed Forever Hasn't Happened Yet, of which Rolling Stone
said, "John Doe proves again that this punk legend/journeyman
actor can still make great music." Last year Doe collaborated
with the Canadian band, the Sadies, culminating in the CD
‘Country Club’. If Doe looks familiar, chances are you have seen
him in film or television.
A well respected character actor, Doe has taken on numerous
roles...the most widely known being the ‘baddie bartender’ in
the movie ‘Roadhouse’. He also took the lead role in the 1992
cult film Roadside Prophets alongside Adam Horovitz of the
Beastie Boys.
Po' Girl, pictured above, was a big crowd favorite. It is
another act that holds your attention every minute of their
performance. Po' Girl was the grand finale of this year's
show. No wonder, they have that super star quality that everyone
came to see.
The Sunday included a performance by the
Children. Each year, kids attending the PorkieFest perform on
Sunday afternoon. Their performance will be reported on
separately as will the performances that took place on the
Festival’s third Stage, The Buskin’ Barn, where many
professional and amateur performs come to jam.
The Porcupine Music Festival is sponsored
by “The Friends of the Porkies” and other private and commercial
entities. It also receives funding from Arts Midwest’s
Performing Arts Fund, funded in part by the National Endowment
for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Michigan
Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, General Mills Foundation,
and Land O’ Lakes Foundation.
Over 120 people volunteered to make the
event the great success that it was. Find out more at
www.porkiesfestival.org
Great weather, great scenery, and great
performances all add up to one fantastic event, the Porcupine
Mountain Music Festival.
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