Pocketgrass, A Musical Variety Show Produced by Wintergrass
INITIAL DATES: 9/10/20, 10/8/20, 11/12/20, 12/10/20 and 1/14/21
TIME: 7:00 PM PST
CONTACT: Wendy Tyner, wendy@wintergrass.com 206.669.3931
INFORMATION: www.wintergrass.com
www.facebook.com/wintergrassmusicfestival
https://twitter.com/wintergrass
Wintergrass Pivots: Pocketgrass is at the Heart of It (https://wintergrass.com)
What is Pocketgrass?
As time passes during this global pandemic, Wintergrass wondered how it could fit the Wintergrass experience into a pocket and onto electronic devices, large and small. As a result, Pocketgrass was born. Starting on Thursday, September 10 at 7pm PST, PocketGrass will stream on the Wintergrass YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/wintergrassfestival Click to subscribe.
Pocketgrass will air monthly for a total of 12 episodes. Each 45-minutes episode will feature local and national bluegrass music, magic, stories and a lightning workshop. The highlight will be never-before-seen Wintergrass archival artist footage dating back to 1994.
The first of twelve episodes has a theme of Blackberries. Storyteller and host, Aunt Mama, will take us on a musical trip around the world that includes Mike Block and Sandeep Das, Runaway Train, Squirrel Butter and magician Chris the Conjurer. Ricky Gene Powell will teach a song in lightning speed on various instruments. Designed for all ages, Pocketgrass will be built around a theme that includes a recipe and a story.
Since blackberries came to the Pacific Northwest from the Himalayas, Mike Block and Sandeep Das will take us to Nepal
via their music. “We won’t always stray that far, but will always use a theme that takes us to all the places bluegrass lives”, wrote Patrice O’Neill, Executive Director of Wintergrass. Core to each week’s show, a featured recipe will be offered in advance so everyone can create their own culinary delight in advance and eat along. Sign up for the enews so you will be kept in the loop. http://wintergrass.com/newsletter.html
Future Pocket Partners in the bluegrass pipeline include Laurie Lewis, Mike Marshall, Betse Ellis and Nefesh Mountain, Kenny & Amanda Smith and additional artists beloved by the Wintergrass audience.
What Lies Ahead?
Although Wintergrass 2021 was canceled, and staff have received pay reductions,
Wintergrass is only on a short hiatus and determined to return. O’Neill states, “We are in this, and rather than looking back or holding our breath, until a different future emerges, we’re creating something that provides both work for artists, while entertaining and connecting with our fans. We miss our bluegrass family and want to be together, even if it’s virtual.”
A donation of any amount to each show will allow Wintergrass to support our very talented artists, produce 12 fun-loving episodes while enabling Wintergrass to plan for its future. A generous donation will have an immediate impact helping to keep the music and musicians alive as Wintergrass weathers these challenging times together. When inspiration and remuneration are hard to find, all of our partners will offer their true creativity and comedic personalities, while receiving a much-needed paycheck. Donations can be made at www.wintergrass.com/donations.html
