Summer concerts at the Center Theatre
DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Center Theatre announces its 2014 Summer Concert Series, featuring folk artist Greg Brown, country star Kathy Mattea, and bluegrass duo The Gibson Brothers.
On Friday, June 13 at 8 p.m. the Center Theatre welcomes Brown. Originally from Iowa, has recorded more than a dozen albums, including his 1986 release “Songs of Innocence and of Experience” when he put aside his own songwriting to set poems of William Blake to music. “One Big Town”, recorded in 1989, earned Brown three and a half stars in Rolling Stone, chart-topping status in AAA and The Gavin Report’s Americana rankings and Brown’s first Indie Award from NAIRD. “The Poet Game”, his 1994 CD, received another Indie award from NAIRD.
His critically acclaimed 1996 release “Further In”, was a finalist for the same award. Rolling Stone’s four-star review of “Further In” called Brown “a wickedly sharp observer of the human condition.” 1997’s “Slant 6 Mind” earned Brown his second Grammy nomination. His latest CD “One Night” is a re-release of a 1983 live performance originally on Minneappolis’ Coffeehouse Extempore Records. He has frequently appeared on Prairie Home Companion.
Mattea performs Friday, July 18 at 8 p m. Signing with Mercury Records in 1983, Mattea released her self-titled debut the following year. Though it generated several Top 40 singles, it was not until her third album “Walk The Way The Wind Blows” that established her as an up and coming star. In late 1987 she released her first No. 1 single “Goin’ Gone,” and the next year saw her issue “Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses”, which won both the Country Music Association’s and Academy of Country Music’s Single Of The Year award. In 1989 and 1990 she won an ACM and two CMA awards as Female Vocalist of the Year, while keeping a steady presence at the top of the country charts with nine Top 10 singles. The same year also saw her first gold album “Willow In The Wind”.
Throughout the 1990s, successes continued, charting still more singles, including 1994’s top five single “Walking Away A Winner” and releasing three more gold albums, the platinum-selling “A Collection Of Hits” and a long-awaited Christmas album “Good News” which earned Kathy her second Grammy, this time in the Gospel category.
The Gibson Brothers, Eric and Leigh Gibson, conclude the Summer Concert Series on Aug. 22 at 8 p.m. The Gibson Brothers won IMDA’s 2013 Entertainers of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Song of the Year for “They Called It Music” and Eric Gibson was named Songwriter of the Year. This follows their first win as 2012 Entertainer of the Year Award and the 2012 Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year award for “Singing As We Rise.”
The Gibson Brothers are widely recognized as the finest brother duet in bluegrass music today, evidenced by their being named IMDA’s 2011 Vocal Group of the Year. It was the first time a brother duet won that award. They also won the 2011 Album of the Year for “Help My Brother”. It was also named the 2011 Album of the Year by PopMatters. These honors follow two 2010 IBMA awards for Song of the Year and Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year for “Ring My Bell.”
Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at 564-8943, by stopping by at 20 East Main Street between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, or by using the theatre website at www.centertheatre.org. Full bios of each artist, as well as information on other upcoming events can also be found at www.centertheatre.org.