Interlude - March 18
March 18, 2021
Welcome back to Interlude, a life-affirming vaccination of arts, entertainment and education to inoculate you against the late-winter blues.
Get your Indiana music history here
Indiana isn’t generally cited as a showbiz hotspot, but our state’s place in pop music lore goes back way further than John Mellencamp. Did you know Jimi Hendrix played here before he was famous? And Louis Armstrong made his first recording in Richmond? And where do you think Cole Porter and Hoagy Carmichael came from?
For our next event in the Luminaries speaker series at 2 p.m. next Tuesday, music historian and IUPUI lecturer Randy Albright will discuss Indiana's Amazing Role in American Popular Music. Grab a ticket and come join us. (You can watch from home too, but you have to supply your own snacks.)
Experience the power of three
From Cream to Rush to Nirvana, some of the heaviest bands in rock history have been rooted in the “power trio” format of guitar, bass and drums. In that proud tradition stand the Warrior Kings, an Indianapolis-based riff machine comprising Benjamin Williams on drums and vocals, Austin Shearer on bass and Casey Harshbarger on blazing lead guitar.
And guess who is the featured artist for our next Live at the Center free livestream! Register now to watch the Warrior Kings rock the Tarkington on Wednesday, March 24.
The life of a working musician
What does it take to succeed as a musician and songwriter in Nashville? Adam Ollendorff has been there and done that – touring and recording with Kacey Musgraves, Carrie Underwood and John Oates; playing the CMAs, the Grammys and the network late-night shows; sharing stages with legends like Willie Nelson and Loretta Lynn, etc. He also has a day job at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
If that life sounds good to you – or to a talented young person you know – then don’t miss Ollendorff’s KAR Front Seat presentation on Monday, March 29. Students can join in the Zoom Q&A session, and other folks can listen in for free! Find out how to catch the talk.
An online intro to music for seniors
Our friends at the Great American Songbook Foundation are hosting their first-ever virtual Perfect Harmony workshop for healthcare workers, activity directors and care partners (both professional and family). With two-days of interactive presentations from board-certified music therapists, memory care experts and author Meredith Hamons (Music, Memory, and Meaning), the workshop is an opportunity to learn about the benefits of music for older adults, connect with other members of the elder-care community, and master simple techniques and exercises that can foster shared music experiences with loved ones or residents.
Register now for the live sessions March 25 and 26 from 10 a.m. to noon ET and also gain access to a wealth of on-demand offerings.
Learn more about Perfect Harmony and check out this month’s free music resources, which encourage you to tap your toes and DANCE!
This week in performing arts history
Actors Theatre of Indiana's production of Chicago
March 16: On this date in 1942, country singer-songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker was born in Oneonta, New York. His song “Mr. Bojangles” was a Top 10 hit for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1971 and has since been recorded by countless artists. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has performed twice at the Palladium, in March 2016 and in September 2018.
March 18: On this date in 1927, musical composer John Kander was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Actors Theatre of Indiana presented Kander’s Chicago in April 2011 (pictured above) and Cabaret in November 2016.
March 20: On this date in 2020, recording artist and actor Kenny Rogers died of natural causes at age 81. He charted more than 120 hit singles across various music genres, topping the country and pop album charts for more than 200 individual weeks in the U.S. alone. He was voted the “Favorite Singer of All-Time” in a 1986 joint poll by readers of USA Today and People. Rogers performed at the Palladium twice, in January 2014 and in April 2017.
