Award-winning folk musicians Dan Berggren, Dan Duggan and Peggy Lynn will perform at the 1891 Fredonia Opera House as part of the Folk in Fredonia Music Series tonight, June 29, at 8 p.m.
The three seasoned solo musicians have combined talents to create the dynamic trio Jamcrackers, named in honor of the river drivers who broke up log jams. "These loggers worked hard to find solutions and to get things rolling on a job that couldn't be done alone," says Lynn, speaking on behalf of the group. "Dan, Dan and I feel the same way about our music."
These good friends and accomplished musicians bring a rare blend of humor, history and musical spirit to their performances. Award-winning educator and songwriter Dan Berggren has deep roots in the Adirondacks. His music, which reflects the spirit of the hard-working people of that region, has traveled around the world from Central Africa to Transylvania. Author and environmental activist Bill McKibben says Berggren "is a throwback to the old role of the folk singer ... he's articulating things that need to be said, right now."
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Dan Berggren, Dan Duggan and Peggy Lynn form the group Jamcrackers, which will present a Folk in Fredonia Music Series concert at 8 p.m. on Fri., June 29, at the 1891 Fredonia Opera House.
Well-known to Fredonians as a Professor of Communications at SUNY Fredonia for 27 years and a former member of the folk group The Newton Street Irregulars, Berggren is the recipient of both the President's Award for Excellence in Teaching and the New York State Outdoor Education Association Art & Literature Award. He has released five recordings of original songs.
National Hammered Dulcimer Champion Dan Duggan is known from Maine to California for his wizardry on the hammered dulcimer, flat-picking guitar and keyboards. His dulcimer talent is spotlighted on Paul Simon's Grammy-nominated album "You're the One." Duggan has recorded four collections of original compositions as well as three albums of traditional holiday music. His CD of original songs for children, "The Pieces of Our Life," received a Parent's Choice Approval Award.
Peggy Lynn, better known as "The First Lady of Adirondack Music," writes and performs songs about the women and natural beauty of the North Country; and her bluesy alto voice melts every audience. Recognized nationwide for her soulful songwriting and extraordinary vocal versatility, her work has been featured at the famous Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.
Named 1996 Adirondack Woman of the Year, Lynn has released six recordings; and with Sandra Weber, she coauthored the book "Breaking Trail: Remarkable Women of the Adirondacks." In 2005, Lynn and Berggren both received the Adirondack Mountain Club's Education Award.
"A Jamcrackers' performance is genuine and contagious," noted one recent reviewer. "The trio's diverse blend of folk and blues, ballads and gospel and dance tunes sparks a rare chemistry and guarantees a good time."
Tickets are $15 general admission and may be purchased in person at the Opera House Box Office or by phone at 716/679-1891 Tuesday through Friday, 1-5 p.m. They also may be purchased online any time at www.fredopera.org.
Jamcrackers' performance is part of the Folk in Fredonia Music Series, which is generously supported by the Gilman Family. The event also is made possible, in part, with public funds from NYSCA, a state agency, and the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County. Opera House media partners are WDOE-AM and Kix Country 96-FM radio, in Dunkirk.
Chautauqua County's only year-round performing arts center, the 1891 Fredonia Opera House is a member-supported not-for-profit organization located in Village Hall in downtown Fredonia. A complete schedule of events is available at www.fredopera.org.
