Tag Archives: Bonnie Montgomery

Creative Class of 2015: John Willis

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JQW 2015John Willis is a throwback to the era of singer-songwriters who did not focus on genre, but instead letting the mood and theme of quality songs lead them to the appropriate style.

His new single “Enough” is available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/johnwillis2

After the success of his solo EP “King of the Cocktail Party” he and Late Romantics, his relatively new band have a new EP, “Bad Boyfriend.”  Willis spent his early musical years as a classically trained pianist playing private parties and backing several successful performing artists around Little Rock, including Cody Belew and Bonnie Montgomery.

With his release, King of the Cocktail Party EP, Willis stepped into his own light as a front man with an intoxicating blend of piano-based pop, jazz, and parlor music that has elicited comparisons to Harry Nilsson, Leon Russell, Rufus Wainwright, and Feist.  As a composer and performer, he has been featured on AETN and the UALR Songwriter Showcase.

Raised on a steady diet of old-time gospel sung in his father’s church, Motown and early ’70s singer/songwriters beloved by his mother, and Chopin, Debussy, and Gershwin tapes given to him by an elderly mentor, Willis has grown up to create a sophisticated musical style that is both instantly familiar and at the same time fresh.

Willis is actively promoting his new release locally and planning a tour in the coming months with his band. Though he still delights cocktail party audiences as one of Little Rock’s favorite piano guys, he is enjoying the success and sharing his stylish mix of piano grooves and heartfelt ballads with lush, vocal harmonies liberally dosed throughout. These well-crafted songs are as much a nod to the past as they are a well-placed note hovering on the musical horizon.

2nd Friday Art Night ‘neath the June Moon

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2FAN logo Font sm2Tonight at Historic Arkansas Museum during 2nd Friday Art Night, there will be a reception celebrating Arkansas artists Heather Condren & Miranda Young.  It will feature live music by Handmade Moments.  Historic Arkansas Museum’s Year of Arkansas Beer* continues with Core Brewing Company of Springdale, AR.

Heather Condren uses repurposed books to create low relief portraiture illustrating that “books don’t have to tell a story through writing, they can also tell a story through form.” Condren (Conway) earned her BFA with an emphasis in Graphic Design at the University of Central Arkansas.

Miranda Young combines her experience working with diverse media in this exhibition of linocuts and quirky ceramic sculptures mounted like taxidermy. Animal imagery in Young’s work explores the spiritual and emotional meanings that humans associate with animals. Young (Little Rock) is a Printmaking Instructor and Scenic Designer at the Arkansas Arts Center. She earned her BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute.

The exhibition continues in the Second Floor Gallery through August 9, 2015.

 

At the Old State House Museum, live music will be the artform that is celebrated.  Join musicians Bonnie Montgomery and Geoff Robson will play on the lawn of the Old State House Museum on Friday, June 12, to kick off a weekend celebrating 179 Years of Arkansas Statehood. Bring your picnic blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy the music and weather. This event is free.

 

 

 

The Wildflowers on stage tonight at Ron Robinson Theater

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wildflowersArkansas Sounds brings the Sounds of Arkansas to the stage of the Ron Robinson Theater.  Tonight is a special treat as three songstresses join forces performing as The Wildflowers.

Amy Garland, Bonnie Montgomery, and Mandy McBryde have recently formed the Wildflowers, performing music with folk, country, rock, and blues influences.

This concert will feature a brief solo set by each artist, followed up with a full set to be performed by the trio all-star back up band (Nick Devlin on guitar, Bart Angel on drums, Brent LaBeau on upright bass and Geoffrey Robson on fiddle).

The concert starts at 7pm. Tickets are $10 for the general admission seating.

The glorious song-stylings of Bonnie Montgomery are on display tonight in concert at Wildwood Park

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BonnieMontgomeryHouse_UpdateBonnie Montgomery and band, penned by San Diego Beat as “…like Patsy Cline fronting a twangier Crazy Horse…more or less a perfect formula for country rock..” is tearing a streak across the country with her Arkansas/Austin-based sound. Following the release of EPs “Cruel” (2012, Fast Weapons) and “Joy” (2013, Fast Weapons), Arkansas born and bred Bonnie Montgomery released her self-titled LP in July 2014 on Portland/Arkansas label Fast Weapons.

A classically trained singer whose southern roots run deep, Montgomery has taken her authentic spin on golden-era country/western music through the U.S. and Europe, headlining shows and also supporting Gossip, Shovels and Rope, Robert Ellis, Hayes Carll, Billy Joe Shaver, Turnpike Troubadours, Pokey LaFarge, and Wayne “the Train” Hancock, among others.

Bonnie’s composition of the modern folk opera “Billy Blythe”, about the childhood of Bill Clinton, previewed in New York, and has earned her the attention of publications such as The New Yorker, The Economist, The Huffington Post and the London Daily Telegraph.

Doors open at 6:30, concert starts at 7pm.  There is a $15 Suggested Donation.  Beer, wine and snacks will be available.  The concert will be in the Pavilion at Wildwood Park.

Sounds of Arkansas celebrated with Arkansas Sounds concert lineup

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arkansas_sounds_2013In 2015, Arkansas Sounds’ monthly concert series features diverse artists ranging from progressive jazz to historic folk music. For concerts at the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS)Ron Robinson Theater, 100 River Market Ave., tickets may be purchased atwww.arkansassounds.org and Butler Center Galleries, 401 President Clinton Ave. Tickets purchased online will not be mailed, but may be picked up in the theater’s lobby one hour prior to the show. For the concert at Hillcrest Hall, 1501 Kavanaugh Blvd., tickets may be purchased at the door one hour prior to the event. For concerts with free admission, reservations are not required. For more information, call 501-918-3033.

Charley Sandage & Harmony

Friday, February 13, 7:30 p.m., Free

Ron Robinson Theater

Charley Sandage and Harmony, a Mountain View trio comprising Mary and Robert Gillihan and Dave Smith, perform original songs that tell stories about people and events that shaped Arkansas. The group plays traditional instruments including fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, autoharp, bass, button accordion, harmonica, pickin’ bow, and spoons.

 

Bill Frisell & Kenny Wollesen

Monday, February 23, 7 p.m., $20 General Admission

Ron Robinson Theater

Bill Frisell is a jazz guitarist, composer, and arranger whose eclectic style touches on progressive folk, classical, country, and noise music. He has released over 30 albums, received numerous Grammy nominations, and won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album in 2005. Kenny Wollesen, a drummer and percussionist, has recorded and toured with artists such as Tom Waits, Sean Lennon, Norah Jones, and John Zorn, among many others.

 

Celtic Cultural Celebration Featuring Lyon College Pipe Band

Saturday, March 14, 7 p.m., Free

Ron Robinson Theater

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, celebrate Celtic culture with an Arkansas Sounds concert, featuring the Lyon College Pipe Band, an award-winning bagpipe band from Batesville, Arkansas. The concert will include traditional Scottish bagpipe music, Scottish and Irish dancers, and a ceilidh (Celtic) band with guitars, accordions, uilleann (Irish) pipes, and singers.

 

Brian Nahlen

Friday, April 17, 7 p.m., $5 General Admission

Hillcrest Hall

Singer/songwriter Brian Nahlen, a North Little Rock native, will perform a few Beatles favorites, such as “Blackbird,” “Norwegian Wood,” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and original music from his debut album, Better Than I Thought It Could Be, to be released in February, 2015.

 

The Wildflowers (Amy Garland, Bonnie Montgomery, Mandy McBryde)

Friday, May 29, 7 p.m., $10 General Admission

Ron Robinson Theater

Amy Garland, Bonnie Montgomery, and Mandy McBryde have recently formed the Wildflowers, performing music with folk, country, rock, and blues influences. This concert will feature a brief solo set by each artist, followed up with a full set to be performed by the trio with a backing band.

 

Arkansas Sounds is a project of the Butler Center focusing on Arkansas music and musicians past and present. For more information, visit www.arkansassounds.org or call 501-918-3033.

Tonight at South on Main – Bonnie Montgomery headlines Local Live concert

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Bonnie MJoin the Oxford American magazine and Landers FIAT of Benton at South on Main this week for the free Local Live music series, featuring Bonnie Montgomery and Friends! Call ahead and make a reservation to ensure your seat.

Arkansas born and bred Bonnie Montgomery is a classically trained composer and oprea singer by day and country queen by night. Briging her raucous spin on traditional Southern music to the U.S. and Europe, Bonnie’s catalog hails from a place where outlaw country saddles up with Americana and folk. In July, she released her first full length album, Bonnie Montgomery, and is currently touring with her Arkansas/Austin-based band.

 

Tonight at the Undercroft – the one the only – the Bonnie Montgomery

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Bonnie MBonnie Montgomery plays at one of Little Rock’s newest music venues when they perform tonight at The Undercroft. It is located on Capital Avenue just east of Scott Street, in the undercroft of Christ Church.

​Arkansas born and bred Bonnie Montgomery is a classically trained composer and opera singer by day and country queen by night. Bringing her raucous spin on traditional southern music to honky-tonks throughout the U.S. and Europe, Bonnie’s catalog hails from a place where outlaw country saddles up with Americana and folk.

The concert starts at 7 p.m. The cover charge is $5 at the door. The space is on the campus of Christ Church; the entrance is through the sidewalk-level red door on Capitol Avenue east of Scott Street.

For information about the new performance space The Undercroft, contact Rev. Scott Walters at Christ Church at swalters@christchurchlr.org or 501-375-2342.