American songbook. Marty stuart & connie smith. Lincoln Center presents. January 28 June 12, 2014 LARGE PRINT PROGRAM.

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1 LARGE PRINT PROGRAM LINcOLN center for ThE PERfORMING ARTs frederick P. ROsE hall home Of JAZZ AT LINcOLN center ThE ALLEN ROOM Lincoln Center presents American songbook January 28 June 12, 2014 Sponsored by Prudential Investment Management Wednesday Evening, February 19, 2014, at 8:30 Marty stuart & connie smith Kenny Vaughan, Guitar Paul Martin, Bass and Vocals harry stinson, Drums and Vocals Gary carter, Steel Guitar This evening s program is approximately 75 minutes long and will be performed without intermission. PLEAsE TuRN PAGEs quietly (program continued)

2 2 Major support for Lincoln Center s American Songbook is provided by Fisher Brothers, In Memory of Richard L. Fisher; and Amy & Joseph Perella. Wine generously donated by William Hill Estate Winery, Official Wine of Lincoln Center. This performance is made possible in part by the Josie Robertson Fund for Lincoln Center. Please make certain your cellular phone, pager, or watch alarm is switched off. Additional support for Lincoln Center s American Songbook is provided by The Brown Foundation, Inc., of Houston, The DuBose and Dorothy Heyward Memorial Fund, The Shubert Foundation, Jill and Irwin Cohen, The G & A Foundation, Inc., Great Performers Circle, Chairman s Council, and Friends of Lincoln Center. Endowment support is provided by Bank of America. Public support is provided by the New York State Council on the Arts. Artist catering is provided by Zabar s and Zabars.com. MetLife is the National Sponsor of Lincoln Center, Inc.

3 Movado is an Official Sponsor of Lincoln Center, Inc. 3 United Airlines is the Official Airline of Lincoln Center. WABC-TV is the Official Broadcast Partner of Lincoln Center, Inc. William Hill Estate Winery is the Official Wine of Lincoln Center. Lincoln center s Large Print and Braille programs are made possible thanks to a generous endowment established by frederick P. Rose, Daniel Rose, and Elihu Rose in honor of their mother, Belle B. Rose. upcoming American songbook Events in The Allen Room: Thursday Evening, February 20, at 7:30 and 9:30 Portraits of Joni: Jessica Molaskey sings Joni Mitchell Friday Evening, February 21, at 8:30 Aoife O Donovan Saturday Evening, February 22, at 8:30 Ann harada Wednesday Evening, March 5, at 8:30 Taylor Mac s 24-Decade history of Popular Music: The 1920s

4 4 Thursday Evening, March 6, at 8:30 Deer Tick (limited availability) Friday Evening, March 7, at 7:30 and 9:30 Jim caruso s cast Party Goes to the Movies with Billy stritch, featuring Marilyn Maye, Jane Monheit, christina Bianco, & Jeffry Denman Saturday Evening, March 8, at 8:30 Norm Lewis (limited availability) The Allen Room is located in Jazz at Lincoln Center s Frederick P. Rose Hall. For tickets, call (212) or visit AmericanSongbook.org. Call the Lincoln Center Info Request Line at (212) or visit AmericanSongbook.org for complete program information. Join the conversation: #LCSongbook We would like to remind you that the sound of coughing and rustling paper might distract the performers and your fellow audience members.

5 5 In consideration of the performing artists and members of the audience, those who must leave before the end of the performance are asked to do so between pieces. The taking of photographs and the use of recording equipment are not allowed in the building. country Music Royalty by Laura Cantrell Independently, Marty Stuart and Connie Smith are two of the most important artists in country music today. Smith is a Country Music Hall of Fame member with a 40-plus year career, and Stuart has for over 30 years made his mark as an instrumentalist, country hit maker, and chronicler of country music traditions. Together, Stuart and Smith share several parallels: both made their impact on commercial country music with mainstream successes, Smith in the 1960s and 70s and Stuart in the 1990s; and both followed their own muses beyond their initial period of commercial success, building significant bodies of work exploring their deep roots in the traditions of country and gospel music. In addition to sharing musical talent deeply rooted in American country music history and traditions, they ve sustained a long marriage based on faith and mutual musical respect. Connie Smith was raised in a music-loving family of 14 step-, half-, and whole-siblings in rural Ohio. While recuperating from an accident as a teenager, she was given a guitar, and she later began performing in local talent contests. Despite her youth,

6 6 Smith s voice had natural depth and feeling, carrying weight and knowledge beyond her years. Country artist and songwriter Bill Anderson spotted her ability to carry a song at a local country music show and invited her to come to Nashville and sing demos of songs he d written for other artists. That trip led to her eventual signing with RCA records by legendary producer Chet Atkins. Her first single, Once a Day, written by Anderson, was the first debut single for a female artist to reach the No. 1 spot in Billboard magazine, and for many years held the record for being the longest-running No. 1 single by a female artist in country music. Smith was a consistent hit maker in the 60s and early 70s; splitting her time between recording, performing at the Grand Ole Opry, and traveling to one-night performances across the U.S. on the package tours of the day. On one such show at a Choctaw reservation in Mississippi in the 70s, Smith met a precocious young mandolin picker and country music aficionado, Marty Stuart, then 12 years old. That night, Stuart asked his parents to take a photo of himself with Smith; on his way home, he told his mother he would marry Connie Smith someday. While Smith s career slowed in the late 70s as she raised her family of five children, Stuart s was just beginning. As a 14-yearold, he impressed bluegrass mandolinist Roland White and was invited to perform at the Grand Ole Opry with White and Lester Flatt, of the seminal bluegrass duo Flatt and Scruggs. Despite his youth, Stuart s parents allowed him to apprentice with Flatt and White, and Stuart s career as a professional musician began.

7 7 After Flatt s death in 1979, Stuart played with artists like Vassar Clements and Doc Watson, eventually joining Johnny Cash s touring band. In the late 1980s, Stuart released his first albums as a mainstream country artist, fusing his love and knowledge of old-school country veins like honky tonk, rockabilly, and bluegrass with a contemporary sensibility and songwriting style. His successes in that era are now classics of the neo-traditionalist style with songs like Tempted, Honky Ton kin s What I Do Best, The Whiskey Ain t Working, and This One s Gonna Hurt You, the latter two from his memorable collaboration with Travis Tritt. My own appreciation for the depth of Marty Stuart s knowledge and commitment to country music came, ironically, at a funeral. Hundreds of people were gathered to celebrate the life of Country Music Hall of Famer Hank Snow at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Amid the heartfelt tributes and homilies, Stuart s graceful eulogy quoting Woody Guthrie stood out and a song tribute played on a guitar passed from Jimmie Rodgers s family to Snow and then to Stuart was an elegant demonstration of the lineage of artistic influence that connected all the artists in the room. Stuart s work since the late 1990s has evolved with albums dedicated to Native American experience, farmers, traditional gospel, and the bluegrass of his youth. Along with his excellent band, the Fabulous Superlatives, Stuart returns in his live show to the fast-paced hillbilly rock of his early career, and can be seen regularly on the both retro and cool Marty Stuart Show country music variety program on the RFD cable network.

8 8 In his 2012 album, Nashville Vol. 1: Tear the Woodpile Down, Stuart makes it clear that country music is what he does best. In the late 1990s, Stuart produced and co-wrote an album with Smith simply titled Connie Smith. That effort led to a more personal collaboration, as Smith and Stuart married and have worked together frequently since. Smith s 2011 album, Long Line of Heartaches, is their most recent joint effort; recorded at Nashville s historic Studio B, it is a great example of country music craft at its finest. Though they have plenty of import as individuals, together Smith and Stuart bring an urgency to the joyful creation of country music, eliciting the riches of our culture through song. Laura Cantrell is a country singer born in Nashville and based in Jackson Heights, New York, with a new album called No Way There from Here. Copyright 2014 by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. Meet the Artists Marty stuart Marty Stuart is a five-time Grammy winner, platinum recording artist, Grand Ole Opry star, country music archivist, Southern culture historian, photographer, musician, songwriter, television show host, charismatic force of nature, and country music fan.

9 9 Since starting out singing gospel as a child, Mr. Stuart, 54, has spent over four decades celebrating American roots music with a missionary s zeal. His teenage years on tour with bluegrass legend Lester Flatt in the 70s were followed by six years in Johnny Cash s band during the 80s and a chart-topping tenure as a solo artist in the 90s. The turn of the century saw Mr. Stuart looking inward to make deeply felt records paying homage to his love of vintage gospel, his Native American passions, and as always, his core footstompin, tail-shakin, honky tonkin, rockin hillbilly music. His latest musical oeuvre is ably supported by the coolest cats in Nashville, his backing band the Fabulous Superl atives: guitarist Kenny Vaughan, drummer Harry Stinson, and bassist Paul Martin. Mr. Stuart s zest for every conceivable flavor of country music is seen regularly by television viewers these days on RFD- TV s Marty Stuart Show, a musical variety show and the No. 1 program on the network. So, what s next? As musicologist Peter North writes, Marty Stuart seems wrapped in his destiny at this point in time. Not only as country music s most notable ambassador/caretaker, but as its main archetypical crusader. He has without question evolved into one of the most important roots musicians and visionaries in America. Stay tuned.

10 10 connie smith Dolly Parton once noted that there were just three real female singers around Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, and Connie Smith. What the singers Connie Smith has been influencing for decades spot in her performances besides her genius for phrasing, perfect diction, and vocal range, which have all long been envied is her fervent joy in singing itself, which is as evident on her recordings as it is in front of audiences at the Grand Ole Opry, on RFD-TV s weekly Marty Stuart Show, or on the road. In recent decades the appearance of a new Connie Smith record has become a rare, much-anticipated event; Long Line of Heartaches, released in 2011, is her most recent, her first since 1996 and her 53rd album to date. What she sings on this disc is the same broad range of traditional country moods, themes, rhythms, and sounds that marked her remarkable run of hit records and classic country albums in the 1960s and 70s. Ms. Smith has always emphasized crediting her songwriters, including icons Bill Anderson, Harlan Howard, Johnny Russell, Kostas, and Dallas Frazier. Her own songwriting came more to the foreground when she began co-writing with Marty Stuart; five of their collaborations appear on Long Line of Heartaches, including the title track. A first-time occurrence on the album is the appearance of Ms. Smith s daughters, Julie, Jeanne, and Jodi, adding striking family harmonies to the contemporary hymn Take My Hand. Ms. Smith always prioritized family life over

11 career, though she has been a much-loved mainstay at the Grand Ole Opry. 11 It is a Nashville legend that Ms. Smith s first song, the aching and unforgettable Once a Day, written by Bill Anderson and recorded when she was just 23, became one of the most celebrated singles in country music history the first debut single by a female country singer to go to No. 1, a position it held for eight weeks. Once a Day and her stunning rendition of How Great Thou Art remain the two most requested songs by her fans to this day. Kenny Vaughan On stage and in the recording studio, Kenny Vaughan (guitar) is the consummate 21st-century guitarist. His style, both as a soloist and ensemble player, includes rock and roll, blues, country, soul, Western swing, jazz (he took lessons from Bill Frisell), and tomorrow-grass. Born in Oklahoma and raised in Denver, Colorado, he was electrified as a teen by front-row exposure to the likes of British Invasion titans the Yardbirds, the Jeff Beck Group, the Animals, and Led Zeppelin seminal experiences that inspired him to spend his life mastering various musical forms. Dedication and experimentation have enabled him to forge his own unique style of technique and interpretation. After stretches in Chicago and New York as a young man fronting his own band, the Jonny Three, Mr. Vaughan moved in

12 to Nashville, where he has since toured and recorded with a roster of artists that includes Marty Stuart, Lucinda Williams, Patty Loveless, Rodney Crowell, Kim Richey, Tim O Brien, Greg Garing, R.B. Morris, the Roots Rock Action Figures, Mindy Smith, and Hayes Carll. Mr. Vaughan and his wife, singer-musician Carmella Ramsey, have two daughters, Velvet and Talia. In 2000 he was named Best Guitarist at the Nashville Scene Music Awards. Paul Martin Kentucky born and bred, Paul Martin (bass and vocals) made a name for himself during his five years of playing guitar and singing lead vocals with the country/pop super group Exile. After a successful run of hits, Exile stopped touring in the mid- 90s, lending Mr. Martin time to focus on some of his other passions writing, producing, and engineering in his recording studio. Being a multi-instrumentalist, he enjoyed several tours on the road, playing both steel guitar and keyboards for Kathy Mattea, bass guitar and steel for the legendary Oak Ridge Boys, and bass for Steve Wariner, and he even sang as one of the Oak Ridge Boys prior to William Lee Golden s return to the lineup in the mid- 90s. Mr. Martin delved into writing and recording a wide range of projects, including com-posing national and regional commercial jingles, recording album projects for acclaimed major-label and independent artists, and singing and playing on numerous

13 13 recordings of country, rock, pop, bluegrass, gospel, and more. Mr. Martin and his wife, Jamie, also started raising a family. Watching their four children all share their parents passion for music has been a thrill beyond their imagination. After years of focused studio time, Mr. Martin got a call from Marty Stuart, asking him to join the Fabulous Superlatives, with whom he now performs live and on RFD-TV s Marty Stuart Show. harry stinson A Nashville native, Harry Stinson s (drums and vocals) musical roots run deep. Currently known as a drummer, singer, songwriter, and producer, he began his professional career touring with Dottie West in the early 70s. Next he headed west to the California scene for a ten-year tenure, working with Al Stewart, Etta James, and Peter Frampton. Mr. Stinson returned to Nashville in 1985 and hooked up with producer Tony Brown and Steve Earle and the Dukes, performing on the classic Guitar Town. Immediately, Mr. Stinson became an in-demand session drummer and singer. It was at this time that he met Marty Stuart and played on some of his early hits, including Tempted, Little Things, and Burn Me Down. He has also recorded with Patty Loveless, Joe Ely, Lyle Lovett, Alison Krauss, Conway Twitty, Mark Knopfler, Buck Owens, Earl Scruggs, Dolly Parton, Bob Seger, and a host of others.

14 14 Mr. Stinson has enjoyed No. 1 success as a songwriter and producer, as well as being a familiar face on TNN, GAC, and CMT for years. In addition to all this, he has found musical soul mates playing with Marty, Kenny, and Paul, and is having a blast on this latest chapter of his Superlative career. Gary carter Gary Carter (steel guitar) is one of those people who loves to listen, write, arrange, and talk music. A veteran of the Nashville music industry, he arrived in Tennessee in 1970 from Laurel, Maryland. He began his career by playing with a family band for 18 years, which took him on tour across the U.S. He next performed with Lorrie Morgan. In 1986, he joined Randy Travis s team of musicians, playing steel guitar and Dobro on Travis s first live album, as well as serving as music director. Mr. Carter also toured for seven years as music director for Faith Hill. More recently, Mr. Carter has expanded into different styles of music; he especially loves the many hours he spends in the studio, recording and playing for his first instrumental album. Other successful acts in Mr. Carter s past include Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Pam Tillis, Wade Hayes, Daryle Singletary, Rhett Akins, Connie Smith, and Marty Stuart. He has appeared in music videos with Travis, Hill, Keith Stegall, Glen Campbell, and Roy Rogers. Mr. Carter has played steel guitar at the Grand Ole Opry for the last 12 years.

15 American songbook 15 In 1998, Lincoln Center launched American Songbook, dedicated to the celebration of popular American song. Designed to highlight and affirm the creative mastery of America s songwriters from their emergence at the turn of the 19th century up through the present, American Songbook spans all styles and genres, from the form s early roots in Tin Pan Alley and Broadway to the eclecticism of today s singer-songwriters. American Songbook also showcases the outstanding interpreters of popular song, including established and emerging concert, cabaret, theater, and songwriter performers. Lincoln center for the Performing Arts Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) serves three primary roles: presenter of artistic programming, national leader in arts and education and community relations, and manager of the Lincoln Center campus. A presenter of more than 3,000 free and ticketed events, performances, tours, and educational activities annually, LCPA offers 15 programs, series, and festivals including American Songbook, Great Performers, Lincoln Center Festival, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Midsummer Night Swing, the Mostly Mozart Festival, and the White Light Festival, as well as the Emmy Award winning Live From Lincoln Center, which airs nationally on PBS. As manager of the Lincoln Center campus, LCPA provides support and services for the Lincoln Center complex and the 11

16 16 resident organizations. In addition, LCPA led a $1.2 billion campus renovation, completed in October Lincoln center Programming Department Jane Moss, Ehrenkranz Artistic Director Hanako Yamaguchi, Director, Music Programming Jon Nakagawa, Director, Contemporary Programming Lisa Takemoto, Production Manager Bill Bragin, Director, Public Programming Charles Cermele, Producer, Contemporary Programming Kate Monaghan, Associate Director, Programming Jill Sternheimer, Associate Producer, Public Programming Mauricio Lomelin, Associate Producer, Contemporary Programming Nicole Cotton, Production Coordinator Regina Grande, Assistant to the Artistic Director Julia Lin, Programming Associate Ann Crews Melton, House Program Coordinator Kristin Renee Young, House Seat Coordinator for American songbook Matt Berman, Lighting Design Scott Stauffer, Sound Design Sara Sessions, Production Assistant

17 17 Program and artists are subject to change without notice. This material is current at the time of production. Please refer to this evening s Playbill or inquire of the house staff for any program changes. Large Print and Braille Programs are a service of the Lincoln Center Department of Programs and Services for People with Disabilities. This program has been prepared for American songbook at Lincoln Center. Department of Programs and Services for People with Disabilities, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc., 1881 Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, New York, Phone: Accessibility Hotline:

18 18 Department of Programs and services for People with Disabilities (PsPD) All of Lincoln Center s services for patrons with disabilities, such as these program notes, are made possible through generous private contributions. We need your assistance to continue to provide these services. If you enjoyed these program notes, and would like to help us maintain this and other services for people with disabilities, won t you please consider making a contribution to support them today? Contributions are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. Checks should be made payable to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. and mailed to the Department of Programs and Services for People with Disabilities at the address above. Contribution forms are also available at the PSPD information table in the lobby. We thank you in advance, and look forward to the pleasure of your company at future Lincoln Center performances. If you would like to give feedback or volunteer for our department, please contact PSPD at (212) or by at Access@lincolncenter.org A copy of the last annual report filed with the New York State Office of the Attorney General may be obtained upon request by writing to New York State Office of the Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, New York or Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc., 70 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, New York