VPM

We first enjoyed the thoughtful story songs of North Carolina son of a preacher man and Gulf War veteran Jonathan Byrd when he played our concert series solo nearly a dozen years ago. He’s spent the last two decades sharing his gift of telling small, simple, human stories in an eloquent and elegant way.

This show spotlights the New England collective known as Crocodile River Music, a talented and diverse collaborative dedicated to preserving and celebrating traditional African culture.

When Tricia Pearsall moved to Richmond in 1966, she wasted no time getting familiar with her new waterway by canoeing and kayaking on the James. Over time, she witnessed transformative changes in the river that has made it one of Richmond’s most beloved features today.

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The James River has been a constant and cherished companion in musician Elizabeth Wise’s life. When she was homesick for the river, she wrote a song about it called “Richmondtown (Peace of Mind)”, which has become the title track for Stories by the James.

This edition of the show featured a refreshing hour with Tarheel songstress and cellist Shana Tucker and her engaging accompanist Christian Tambur. Together they brought us a tasteful sampling of what’s been dubbed ChamberSoul, that weaves jazz, folk, acoustic pop, and a touch of R&B into melodies that might echo in your head for days.

Throughout her life, Amber Ellis has turned to the James River for comfort and inspiration. Whether seeking a spot in nature to clear her head, or trying to find more meaning in her work, the river has flowed through Amber’s world as a guide every step of the way.

Andrew Alli was drawn towards the James River from a very early age. What began as a magical waterway he visited sparingly as a child eventually flowed into one of the strongest links between his career, his passions, and his life.

The music you’ll hear on this show is hard to put in any kind of cubbyhole as it represents the attempt of two Texas born musicians to make some kind of musical sense of the world as we know it.

Guitarist, singer and interpreter of the music we call the blues, Elizabeth Wise was born in Virginia and currently calls RVA home. But she's traveled the world inhaling that music wherever she finds herself. Her career now spans more than a decade of performing professionally in bars, clubs, and living rooms as well as on festival stages up and down the East Coast.