Jon Vezner, who brought the songwriter-in-the-round Unplugged event to the North House campus 10 years ago will be returning for Unplugged X, along with his wife, singer/songwriter Kathy Mattea and an amazing slate of talented musicians. The 10th anniversary of this event will also include two shows of the National Public Radio program Mountain Stage. Visit www.northhouse.org for more information.
Ten years ago, Minneapolisborn and Grammy award-winning songwriter Jon Vezner had a vision to nurture the success of an aspiring non-profit called North House Folk School in Grand Marais. As a result, Unplugged: The Northern Harvest was born as an educational endowment fundraiser that has since become a vibrant, multidimensional weekend event celebrating music, craft and community, with this year’s event taking place September 15-18 on the Grand Marais waterfront.
The 10th anniversary of this premier music event will be celebrated in a big way, beginning with a Minnesota music first: the National Public Radio show Mountain Stage will present and record two shows. Mountain Stage is a dynamic and longrunning radio show featuring live music in the folk, roots and Americana traditions. Produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting, the show is distributed by NPR and enjoys a large and loyal worldwide audience.
Joining Vezner to perform over the weekend are inspiring singer/songwriters Kathy Mattea, Lindsay Mac, Great Lake Swimmers, Pat Donohue, Michael Johnson and Tim O’Brien, plus a special appearance and presentation by celebrated guitar-maker James A. Olson. Artists such as Sting, Justin Hayward, David Crosby and Paul McCartney have used Olson’s guitars, and James Taylor is said not to play anything else.
“Mountain Stage is very excited to be a part of the 10th anniversary celebration of the North House Folk School’s music offerings,” said Mountain Stage host Larry Groce. “The integrity of the North House Folk School is well established, the site is one of the most beautiful spots in North America and the songwriter-in-the-round series, under the artistic direction of our friend (and very successful songwriter) Jon Vezner, has been superb. We look forward to recording two shows in Grand Marais this September.”
“Mountain Stage’s involvement with Unplugged X is a fitting affirmation of Jon Vezner’s vision to nurture the success of a young and aspiring non-profit called North House,” said North House Executive Director Greg Wright. “Mountain Stage’s passion for the craft of music and the arts meshes perfectly with North House and helps draw attention to the region’s rich tradition of the arts.”
Concert tickets for all three Unplugged concerts range from $20.00 to $50.00 and may be purchased by visiting www.northhouse.org or by calling 218-387-9762. Additional information and registration for North House Folk School classes and special events also is available at www.northhouse.org. Sponsors include The Minnesota State Arts Board’s Arts Tour Minnesota Program, Iron Range Resources Culture and Tourism Program and the Cook County Visitors Bureau.
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