The American Roots Music Festival is coming to Turner Memorial Tabernacle this month.
“The festival celebrates genres of music that evolved from America’s unique blend of cultures and influences, music that has become part of our shared cultural heritage, including folk, jazz, bluegrass, western swing, blues, gospel and Americana,” said Steve Gehlen, one of the founders of Keeping the Arts, the Oregon-based nonprofit that is sponsoring the day-long event on Saturday, Nov. 2.
Keeping the Arts is passionate, they say, about introducing and keeping youth and others interested in distinctly American music genres through the festival.
“The festival is the original fundraiser for KTA,” said Gehlen, a Stayton High School alumnus. “KTA provides grants to youth Arts education programs throughout Oregon, focused on rural communities, and has granted over $155,000 so far to such programs. This includes over $62,000 to communities that are within 12 miles of the festival location in Turner.”
To date, Keeping the Arts has awarded grants to the North Santiam, Cascade, Jefferson and Salem-Keizer school districts, according to Gehlen.
“The headliner for this year’s American Roots Music Festival is The Western Flyers, winners of the Western Swing Band of the Year and Western Swing Album of the Year, both in 2018,” Gehlen said of the band which will perform at 6:30 p.m. Other festival performers include: Mary Flower, blues; Lauren Sheehan, Americana; and Fern Hill, bluegrass.
A free youth concert kicks off the day at 9:30 a.m. and is followed by jam sessions and workshops. Tickets are $20 for adults, available for purchase at the venue. Students 18 and under get in for free. Turner Memorial Tabernacle is at 5605 Jubilee Drive SE, Turner.
For more information, visit www.americanrootsmusicfestival.com or www.keepingthearts.org.
