The Stagelights Concert Series features high-quality artists and bands at the Harbor Performing Arts Center (unless otherwise noted). Ticket prices range from $10 to $15 depending on the artist. For more information or to buy tickets, call 541-412-3404. To be included on the invitation list, send an email to stagelightsmusicarts@gmail.com.
Upcoming concerts:
Saturday, Aug. 10
Bill Mize (Grammy award-winning fingerstyle guitarist )
Venue pending
Growing up in Sevier county in East Tennessee in the 50s and 60s provided Bill a deep well of musical influences to draw from. Local music showcases out of Nashville and Knoxville exposed Bill to artists of southern soul, early rock, bluegrass and mountain music. Artists like Steve Cropper, Otis Redding and Elvis Presley made a huge impact, inspiring Bill to take up the electric guitar. A few lessons with Achie Burns (Jethro Burns’ brother) began him on his path in the 1960s.
In the 1970s, Bill traded his electric for an acoustic, and began crafting his fingerstyle technique and intricate style.
In the 1980s, still working at his family’s lumber mill, Bill made a name for himself when he won the Winfield National Fingerstyle Championship (after placing 3rd the previous year). With a unique style that emphasized tone, melody and compositional substance, offers from Windham Hill and Narada acoustic labels sealed his status as an up and coming fingerstyle guitarist, and he began touring nationally with artists such as Alex DeGrassi.
In the 1990s, Bill won a GRAMMY for his collaboration with David Holt on Stellaluna.
Since then, Bill has released five CDs, one transcription book (thru Mel Bay), and has licensed music for several documentaries, film and audio projects. Most recently, his music was featured in the PBS 2009 Ken Burns production “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.”
He is a sought after performer and clinician, playing nationally at festivals and concerts such as the Montreal Jazz Festival’s Guitar Weekend, and the Healdsburg Guitar Festival.
Splitting his time between the rocky and smoky mountains, Bill still lives part time in an old cabin built by his grandfather, and draws inspiration from the forests and streams of Greenbrier.
“From a technical level, Mize’s playing is absolutely world-class, but it is his diversity and ability to focus on the melody, rather than chops, that really helps his music hit home with listeners. With such a strong background, and incredible new release hitting stores and a musical focus that is rare these days, Mize looks to have a bright future in a tough industry.” — Guitar International (Matt Warnock, 2011)
“… To call Mize a guitar maestro would be understating his ability to transport listeners beyond what most guitarists can only hope to accomplish.” -Stephen Ide of Dirty Linen Magazine
More info: www.billmize.com
Saturday, Oct. 19
Chuck Pyle (the “Zen Cowboy” singer/songwriter fingerstyle guitarist)
“Chuck Pyle’s songs, playing and singing are transporting. If you’re looking for top-flight alt-country-inflected contemporary folk… this is it.” – Sing Out!
“Vivid landscapes flow from Pyle’s pen with grown up themes of the New West . . .[his] big campfire-smoked voice and solid guitar work anchor the song… it’s really quite impressive how full the orchestration sounds with only Pyle’s voice and guitar.” – Eugene Weekly, Eugene OR
More info: www.chuckpyle.com
Saturday, Nov. 16
The Koles (Contemporary acoustic folk and pop music)
“The Koles are a musical delight – we’ve hosted them twice at Acoustic L.A.-LIVE! and our audience loves the energy and musical harmony they bring to their performances. It is a rare delight to encounter a band that sounds as good (or better!) live, as their videos and recordings.” — Sabrina & Craig – Hosts of Acoustic L.A. – LIVE! – North Hollywood, CA
More info: www.arlenekole.com/home.html
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