The Cultural Center in New York Mills kicks off its fall concert series with musician Annie Humphrey, plus special guests, The Long Hairz Collective, this Saturday, Sept. 23.
Annie Humphrey opened the tour for her new album release, The Beast and the Garden, during a Sept. 1 concert at Bluestem Amphitheater in Moorhead with Bonnie Raitt and the Indigo Girls.
Various artists have accompanied Humphrey on her five-week tour of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. For this concert in New York Mills, as well as one the following Friday in Park Rapids, she will be joined by The Long Hairz Collective (LHC).
LHC is a project of Joe Reilly of Ann Arbor, Mich., and William Copeland of Detroit, Mich. Copeland studied at the Berkeley School of Music and continues to do the work of music, environmental policy, and social justice. Reilly is the official Troubadour of National Get Outdoors Day. He is an educator, a recording artist, and an environmental advocate. Together, their sound is a powerful blend of folk and hip hop. Their albums weave together word with tone, and drum beats with heartbeats.
Native American singer/songwriter Annie Humphrey was born and raised on an Ojibwe Indian reservation in Minnesota, the daughter of author Anne Dunn. Her father taught her to play the guitar when she was in the first grade, and two years after that, she taught herself piano and began writing songs. Humphrey's music career began out of pure necessity. With two young children to care for, she began performing at coffee houses and local events. Over the years her songwriting has focused on a specific theme with a message to "Be brave and have a good journey."
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All songs on :"The Beast and the Garden" (except "Geronimo's Cadillac" by Michael Martin Murphy) were written during Humphrey's fight against tar sands oil and the pipeline reroute which crawls through Minnesota's 1855 treaty lands. This oil line threatens the lakes, rivers, wild rice, fish and plant medicines which Humphrey and her community use to sustain their families.
Regarding recording music again after fighting for environmental protections of treaty lands, Humphrey says, "Organizing and activism is keeping the beast out of the garden. I think playing music for a while is me taking care of the tomatoes."
Humphrey is supported in her music and environmental journey by Honor the Earth, an organization founded by activist and political candidate, Winona LaDuke. Honor the Earth is a proud sponsor of this concert.
The Sept. 23 concert in New York Mills begins at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Light refreshments will be served, and a cash bar is available. Tickets are $15 at the door or $12 in advance (minus a $2 member discount), or $5 for students.
The concert is part of the Weaving Waters Fiber Arts Trail Grand Opening Weekend, which lasts Friday and Saturday, Sept. 22-23 and stretches from Little Falls, up to Brainerd, and over to New York Mills.
To buy tickets, please call the Cultural Center at 218-385-3339 and for more information, visit the Center's website at www.kulcher.org .
Humphrey also coming to Park Rapids
Humphrey will also be bringing LHC along on her next "Beast and the Garden" tour stop at Park Rapids, where they will perform a free concert on Friday, Sept. 29 at Jasper's Theater from 6 to 8 p.m., Park Rapids
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KKWE-FM, also known as Niijii Radio, will be broadcasting live from this event as part of its "Minnesota Mixdown" concert series. Jasper's Theater is located at 17339 Highway 34 in Park Rapids.
