Delta Reign soaks Corsair stage with musical talent

News-Herald, East Tawas, Mi., Wednesday, March 7, 2012 - 7A
ENTERTAINMENT
Delta Reign soaks Corsair
stage with musical talent
by Jason Ogden
TAWAS CITY – It was hard to
place the sound of the music coming from the Tawas United Methodist Church on Saturday. Some
songs were bluegrass, some were
swing, some sounded like Dijango
Reinhardt guitar jazz and others
sounded like 1930s swing numbers.
But wasn’t a dozen bands playing at the second concert of the
Corsair Concert Series’ 20th season, but the Mobile, Alabamabased bluegrass band Delta
Reign.
According to concert organizer
Gary Nelkie, the band is renown
for its unique sound that isn’t always bluegrass, isn’t always swing
and isn’t always something that
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As founding member and banjo
player Pat Murphy said, although
many of the songs they play are
original, the ones that are not original have a delta spin on them.
“We don’t deconstruct a song,
we decompose it,” he quipped.
Along with his wife, lead guitarist and singer Benita Murphy,
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newest member, Joshua Faul, the
group was something to hear.
Benita Murphy is a standout in
the group with her guitar playing
skills and singing voice. She sang
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Loretta Lynn, hitting the audience
in the guts with her original music
and a booming voice.
Pat Murphy said this was the
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WKHÀUVWWKDWWKH\HYHUKDGWRWUDverse through adverse weather to
get to a venue. He said driving up
I-75 was like going through a never ending NASCAR race as they
dodged wrecks.
He thanked the people of Michigan for being so nice and said our
snowfall – although what many
would consider slim to none – was
enough to shut down the south.
Although the band played a
lot of bluegrass standards (at one
point they went into a version of
Bill Monroe’s “The Shenandoah
Breakdown”) and went into typical bluegrass solos, they didn’t
sound like bluegrass they sounded
like high-tempo jazz solos.
The concert series itself has
been taking place for decades to
raise money for the Corsair Ski
and Hiking Trail System in the
Huron National Forest. The funding is used to groom and maintain
the more than 40 miles of trails in
the system.
People come from around the
state to watch the shows; some are
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coming for years.
Cass City resident Laura Mills
traveling from the Thumb area
to the concert. Mills said she got
turned on to the concerts after a
group of friends brought her. Mills
said although she didn’t know
much about bluegrass, she really
liked the music.
Closer to home was East Tawas
resident Paline Webber who had
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Saturday after her friend, Louie
Kendal brought her.
She said the event was wonderful and did not realized that concerts like this were taking place in
East Tawas.
Harrisville resident Carol Martin said she been attending Corsair
concerts for a long time. The selfdescribed concert junkie said she
travels the state going to smaller
venues to see what she calls excellent music.
Delta Reign was not a band
Martin had seen before, but she
said she really liked them a lot.
“This is great,” she said of the
concert series. “It really has something for everyone.”
More information about the
band can be found by visiting
www.deltareign.com. Information
about the series can be found by
visiting www.n-sport.com and following the links to the series.
Slated for April 21 is the band
Blue Highway, according to orgaQL]HUV7KDWZLOOEHWKHÀQDOVKRZ
of this year’s season.
Photo by Jason Ogden
BANJOTASTIC – Pat Murphy winds up his banjo during Saturday’s concert between original songs and making the audience
laugh with his hilarious wit.
Photo by Jason Ogden
Photo by Jason Ogden
CORSAIR CONCERT SERIES – Mobile, Alabama band Delta Reign played the second show of the BASE NOTES – Bass man Joshua Faul provided funky basslines
20th Corsair Concert series Saturday at Tawas United Methodist Church in Tawas City. The band, that were not exactly jazz and not exactly bluegrass during his solo
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guitar and bass player Joshua Faul.
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TAWAS CITY – Tawas Masonic Lodge, located along M-55
LQ 7DZDV &LW\ ZLOO KRVW ÀVK GLQner fundraisers on Friday, March
9 and April 13.
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both days from 4 to 7 p.m. DinQHUVZLOOLQFOXGHÀVKSRWDWRFROH
slaw, green beans, roll, drink and
dessert.
Cost is $8 per person or $10
for all-you-can-eat. Take outs are
available by calling 362-6311. All
proceeds will be shared with Relay for Life of Iosco County.
Join Red Hawk now
with a 2012 seasonal
membership!
Enjoy unlimited golf on the
areas premier course!
(Riding cart fees apply)
Single $725
Couple (Living in the same household) $975
Save money
with our
multi-policy
discount
hen you insure
your car and
home or mobile
home with us,
through Auto-Owners Insurance Company, we’ll save
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Mature policyholders can earn
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Contact our agency today!
Family (Includes children under 19 living in the same household) $975
Senior Single (60+) $675
Senior Couple (Living in the same household & both 60+) $925
TAKE A $100 DISCOUNT FROM THE ABOVE RATES IF PAID IN FULL BY APRIL 1st!
Red Hawk Golf Club
350 W. Davision Road, East Tawas, MI 48730
Call (989) 362-8200 for more information
Men’s, Women’s
& Couples leagues
available!
Myles Insurance Agency
642 W. Lake Street
Tawas City, MI 48763
(989) 362-3425
John L. Lesneski, D.D.S.
Dennis W. Mollard, D.D.S.
General and Family Dentistry
All services provided
ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS
508 Lake Street, Tawas City, MI
989-362-6159
CARE CREDIT FINANCING
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seek earnestly after what is true, and
every fresh experience points out some
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