Laurelyn Dossett
listen now children a story I’ll tell …

Photo by Andrew Rein

One could never accuse me of being overly linear about my musical career.

But if I were to have one guiding principle it would be this: When people who do good work ask you to work with them, say “yes.”

That is what I said 5 years ago when Preston Lane asked if I might want to write some songs for a play, that he had not yet written, based on an epic poem I’d never read. The result was Brother Wolf, an Appalachian version of Beowulf.

Since that first “yes” we have written 4 plays-with-music together – Brother Wolf, Beautiful Star, Bloody Blackbeard, and the upcoming world premiere of Providence Gap.

It might seem that writing songs for plays would be confining, but it turns out those constraints of time, place and story end up taking my songwriting to places I would not have gone to otherwise.

And while Preston is a single-minded visionary, he is also a generous collaborator.  Triad Stage is a courageous supporter of our new works  — it’s almost unheard of in regional theatre.  I don’t think North Carolinians realize how fortunate they are to have Triad Stage, but I know how lucky I am.

Laurelyn Dossett and Scott Manring, by Andrew Rein

Speaking of luck, our next play, Providence Gap, is all about luck, chance, providence – and love.  It opens June 6th and we are having a blast working on it.

In the meantime Preston and I will head up to Minnesota on February 13 to see Brother Wolf at St. Olaf College; we’ll have a little talk-back with the audience afterward.

If you happen to be in the Minneapolis area, say yes, and come on over.

You all know I love a good songwriter’s round. So last summer when I first met Diana Jones and heard her original songs in the Appalachian style, I knew I had one for the round. As a long-time fan of Alice Gerrard’s work, I also knew she would complete the circle.

The three of us will be taking this short concert series on the road, cutting through the winter’s dismal gray like a bunch of red birds, singing songs and sharing stories. I look forward to seeing what comes of this.

Hope to see you all there. Meantime, you can visit redbirdround.com for more information.

7:30 pm Wednesday, December 9
EMFfringe at Triad Stage, Greensboro, NC.
Tickets: $20. Order online.

Noon, Friday, December 11
Live on WUNC’s The State of Things

8 pm Friday, December 11
House Concert and Potluck Dinner at the Clemens’ house, Cornelius, NC.
Dinner at 6 pm. Music at 8 pm. Advance payment necessary to confirm seating.
Tickets $20 adults; $12 students. Call Bethli at (704) 892-4914, or email emiescher@bellsouth.net

7:30 pm Saturday, December 12
The ArtsCenter’s new performance space at University Mall, Carrboro, NC.
Tickets $15; Friend $13. Order online.

7 pm Sunday, December 13
The Poplar Knight Spot, Aberdeen, NC
Tickets $15 presale, $18 at the door. Order online.

Tags: alice gerrard, appalachian summer festival, diana jones, emf fringe, female, house concert, redbird round, songwriter's round, songwriters, the rooster's wife, triad stage