The American Roots Music Festival, a fundraiser for local school music programs, returns for its seventh year on Oct. 11.
Since 2004 proceeds from the event to support school music programs total $24,500. The festival includes a student music showcase starting at 2:30 p.m.
This year’s evening performance features the return of an audience favorite from last year’s festival, the Black Swan Classic Jazz Band. The band, performs a mix of Dixieland, early jazz, ragtime and old-time gospel music.
Opening the evening show is Salem-based Bluegrass band True North. The group combines traditional bluegrass instrumentation with soulful vocals, tight harmonies and folk-edged songwriting. Original songs written by Dan Wetzel and Kristen Grainger give the band a fresh, modern bent, but you can also count on True North to perform bluegrass standards with originality and style, and give classic rock songs a new identity.
The evening show starts with True North, followed by the community sing-along, a tradition at the festival.
The Black Swan Classic Jazz Band will then take the stage to close out the show. Two local school groups will also perform short sets at the evening show.
