ROCK SPRINGS – There are only a couple of weeks left in the Concerts in the Park Series.
There will be three performances this week starting on Thursday with folk singer Ben Bedford. The concerts take place at Bunning Park and are free to the public. Music kicks off around 7 p.m.
Ben Bedford delivers intriguing sketches of America, its individuals, their victories and their struggles. Poignant, but never sentimental, Bedford’s portrait-like songs capture the vitality of his characters and draw the listener deep into the narratives.
With three albums to his credit, Bedford’s songs tackle scenarios including homelessness, the plight of a Confederate soldier’s wife during the American Civil War, the aerial triumphs of Amelia Earhart, the life of Jack London, the murder of Emmett Till in 1955, John the Baptist, the poet Vachel Lindsay and even the 1973 standoff between members of The American Indian Movement and federal agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Often drawing upon history, Bedford’s songs have a strong sense of time and place. The songs are rich in sensory detail which allows the listener to hear, see and feel each narrative.
Bedford has played his songs for audiences all over the United States hitting notable venues such as The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Folkstage in Chicago, and the Fayetteville Roots Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
His music has received extensive airplay on folk and roots radio in the U.S., as well as in Europe, taking him overseas on several occasions for concert dates on the continent and in the United Kingdom.
In July of 2010, Bedford was named one of the “50 most significant Folk singer-songwriters of the past 50 years” by Rich Warren of WFMT-Chicago. The list also included such stalwarts as Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Judy Collins and John Prine.
Bedford will spend 2014 and 2015 touring in support of What We Lost, working on material for his next album, as well as touring with fellow singer songwriter, Tim Grimm and violinist Diederik Van Wassenaer as the trio, The Tall Trees.
Nowhere Fast on Wednesday
On Wednesday, a band which is very familiar to many residents will take the stage. Nowhere Fast will will be bringing its fan favorite sounds to the park.
On their Facebook Page, the band said they will be playing a few great new songs from bands like Radiohead, Sammy Hagar, Blake Shelton, and many more. They will perform music from the 70’s, 80’s, originals, classic rock, some 80’s metal and more.
Steve Frame on Thursday
On Thursday, Country artist Steve Frame will have attendees up and dancing. Frame will bring his music which touches several genres including country, alt-country, honky tonk and dance country.
Frame’s hometown in Casper and he brings this to the stage. He describes his music as cool ol’ school country with a modern edge. A little gritty with a lot of energy and always genuine.
Steve and his band mix artists like Dwight Yoakam, Johnny Cash, and Chris LeDoux with his own experiences to bring a familiar yet unique sound that has entertained thousands of people.
Check out Frame’s music and merchandise at http://steveframe.net/
