World famous singers Lori McKenna www.myspace.com/lorimckenna and Mark Erelli www.markerelli.com played a public concert on June 26 in Putney, Vermont, about 10 minutes from Brattleboro. The concert was produced by www.twilightmusic.org which has more concerts coming up in the Valley. video by Eesha Williams

On June 20, the Winterpills played at the Iron Horse in Northampton. The audience was appreciative. The show wasn't sold out, but there weren't many empty seats. The band www.winterpills.com will play in Greenfield on July 17 at the Green River Festival www.greenriverfestival.com Some of the Winterpills live in the Valley. video by Eesha Williams

This video shows Fred Eaglesmith and his band playing in Rockingham, Vermont on June 14. It also shows Native American stone carvings, and a waterfall, both in Bellows Falls, Vermont. Bellows Falls is about 30 minutes from Brattleboro by car or train. Eaglesmith said he will play in Bellows Falls again next year at the annual Roots on the River Music Festival. video by Eesha Williams

On June 3, the Inter-Generational Chorus gave a free, public concert at the River Garden in downtown Brattleboro. Singers ranged from third graders to retirees. The director is Andy Davis of the Oak Grove public school in Brattleboro. Anyone who wants to join the chorus should contact Davis. In this video they perform the Vermont state song. Video by Elizabeth Wood.

The lyrics are:

These green hills and silver waters
Are my home, they belong to me
And to all her sons and daughters
May they be strong and forever free

Let us live to protect her beauty

The Vermont Workers’ Center (VWC) www.workerscenter.org is bringing legendary singer-songwriter-organizer Si Kahn to Brattleboro for a concert. The VWC is building a grassroots movement of Vermonters for justice. Si Kahn is the founder and director of Grassroots Leadership www.grassrootsleadership.org a civil rights organization in North Carolina. You can hear his music for free at www.amazon.com

June 7 at 7 p.m. "Concert for Change" with Si Kahn and Scott Ainslie www.cattailmusic.com

West Village Meeting House (a.k.a. All Souls Unitarian church)
20 South Street
Brattleboro

On June 12 at 7:30 p.m., Joel Zoss and his band will play at the Hooker Dunham Theater in Brattleboro. Zoss frequently performs with B.B. King. He lives in western Massachusetts and performs all over the world. More information is at www.joelzoss.com and in the below article by James Heflin. It originally appeared in the Valley Advocate newspaper.

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Joel Zoss releases a new album and talks Valley music scene  

This article includes a one-minute video of a benefit party for Brattleboro Community Radio. More info about the radio station is at www.wvew.org

If you're in Keene, check out www.wknh.org

In Northampton, www.valleyfreeradio.org

In Amherst, Greenfield, and Northampton, www.wmua.org

Although southern Vermont has a vibrant music scene, by percentage it can be somewhat limited to similar Eurocentric genres: folk, roots rock, hard rock. And, of course, there are classic evenings of contra and New England fiddlers. It is rare that down-home, messy, slinky soul music finds its way to this trickle of the Appalachian Range. Though Vermont is statistically both the second least populous and second least ethnically diverse state in the union, musical energy does not have to suffer proportionately.

An intricate trellis bent into an archway shimmers with strings of lights against a dusky late-summer backdrop.