Grammy winning producer Jim Rooney, Hall of Fame songwriter Pat Alger and singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Chris Brashear will join forces for a great night of folk, country and bluegrass music Saturday, April 28, at Deb’s House Concerts.
Jim, Pat and Chris will be swapping songs, telling stories and generally sharing their genuine love of music which has given so much enjoyment to themselves and their audiences for so many years.
“Inspired by the Hank Williams and Leadbelly recordings he heard as a teenager growing upoutside Boston, Jim Rooney began a musical journey that intersected with some of the biggest names in American music including Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Bill Monroe, Muddy Waters, and Alison Kraus...
Following his stint as a “Hayloft Jamboree” hillbilly singer in the mid-50’s, Rooney managed Cambridge’s Club 47 (now Club Passim), a catalyst of the 60’s folk music boom. He soon moved to the Newport Folk Festival as talent coordinator and director where he had a front seat to Dylan ‘going electric.’
In the 1970’s Rooney’s odyssey continued in Nashville where he began engineering and producing records. His work helped alternative country music gain a foothold in Music City and culminated in Grammy nominations for singer-songwriters John Prine, Iris DeMent and Nanci Griffith. Later in his career he was a key link connecting Nashville to Ireland’s folk music scene.” ….”
(Book Jacket, In It for the Long Run: A Musical Odyssey by Jim Rooney)
“Without Jim Rooney’s early encouragement, I would not have a career.” (Nanci Griffith)
“I know how lucky I am to have connected with Jim all those years back when I was starting out….” (Iris DeMent)
“I have to say a special ‘Thank You’ to my old buddy, my partner in crime, producer extraordinaire, and my ‘German Afternoon’ friend of many years, Jim Rooney. Thanks, Rooney, for going back to ‘duetland’ with me. As always, it was wonderful to work with you again.”(John Prine: August 2016, Galway. Liner notes For Better, Or Worse )
http://www.jimrooneyproductions.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah_nXEQfKhA&list=RDah_nXEQfKhA : Livin' On The Mountain [1963] - Bill Keith & Jim Rooney with Joe Val
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Jim Rooney received a Distinguished Achievement Award from IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) in 2016
https://ibma.org/awards/recipient-history
Bill Keith & Jim Rooney: 2012 Musician Award Winners, Boston Bluegrass Union (BBU) Heritage Awards
http://www.bbu.org/events/joe-val-festival/heritage-awards/
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Pat Alger and Jim met when part of the Woodstock Mountains Revue. Jim persuaded Pat to move to Nashville where he joined Jim’s newly formed Forerunner Music Co. as a songwriter. Pat established himself as one of Nashville’s foremost songwriters with a string of #1 hits, including “Goin’ Gone” (Kathy Mattea) “Small Town Saturday Night” (Hal Ketchum), “Unanswered Prayers” & “The Thunder Rolls” (Garth Brooks), “Like We Never Had A Broken Heart” (Trisha Yearwood). Pat has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
Jim met Chris Brashear when he was playing with Robin & Linda Williams, who were regulars for many years on Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion. After hearing Chris’s songs, Jim happily agreed to produce an album with Chris called “Heart Of The Country.” Chris now performs with a variety of groups, most recently with the Piedmont Melody Makers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJahns_na1c&list=PLfpwtkFKzpYTwtuh3TIXE…
For more information about this show please call 603-827-2905
or Email: deb@pfmsconcerts.org
