130 Past Events at Canan Commons

Muncie, Indiana – YART is Coming! 

YART is a Yard Sale for Art! YART began in Muncie, Indiana with students at Ball State University and continues here and in several U.S. cities - a Muncie original! The Muncie YART is now held Downtown, at Canan Commons, twice a year, Spring and Fall, and coincides with ArtsWalk. The Spring 2022 Muncie YART is scheduled for the evening of Thursday, June 2nd!

This community art sale, with a goal of making art affordable and accessible to everyone, brings together Artists and Art patrons in a casual and unique setting. The Spring 2022 Muncie YART will be held in conjunction with the 2022 Brink of Summer ArtsWalk on Thursday, June 2nd, from 5-8p. You can find YART and LIVE music performances at Canan Commons, Muncie's great urban greenspace park and amphitheater by the roundabout on South Walnut Street in Downtown Muncie, Indiana. 

All forms of Art are welcome at YART! Art of all kinds, by all kinds of Artists! YART encourages pandemic-safe interaction between Artists and the community, hoping to make Art more accessible, especially to those who think they cannot afford to buy Art for themselves and their homes. To this goal, all YART Art will be priced below $40! YART works to enable local creative entrepreneurs and to improve the Muncie economy. Shop local, support independents, enjoy your town! 

The last YART featured over 100 Artists! Each YART Artist will be present throughout YART to meet the public, discuss their Art, handle sales personally, and some Artists will be making Art LIVE at YART! This is a great opportunity to enjoy your family interacting with local culture in a dynamic, lively, and relaxed atmosphere. 

The Spring 2022 Muncie YART will feature a wide variety of handmade jewelry, photography, clothing, oil/acrylic/watercolor paintings, fused glass, ceramics, knits, pottery, candles, toys, drawings, sculpture, lampwork glass, stuffed animals, digital art, mosaics, LIVE ART and LIVE MUSIC, and so much more!

Outdoor fun for all ages - YART and ArtsWalk are for the whole family!

Miss Moth (YART Director) and the YART Artists very much thank Cheryl Crowder of the Muncie Downtown Development Partnership and the City of Muncie for their generous support! YART is an all-volunteer, zero-budget, community event. THANK YOU!

LIKE Muncie YART on FaceBook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Muncie-Yart/156725934394407

It's the summer’s first performance of the Big Band from America’s Hometown Band. The music lineup is a primer of hugely popular swing-band tunes & the bandleaders who made them great. From the Glen Miller Band’s 1945 hit, Leap Frog, to the Dean Martin vocal chart-buster in 1954, Sway, to the fabulous Ray Charles song released in 1962, I Can’t Stop Loving You – this is some of the most-loved American music ever.

  From Muncie's own America's Hometown Band, since 1988. This free, public concert is the One – the best of USA patriotic tunes, performed LIVE and lively, to celebrate our Nation's Independence Day. Plus - a spectacular finish with Sousa's rousing march tune Stars & Stripes Forever!

  The fabulous songs of the 60's & 70's rock on in Muncie, with the coming together again of America's Hometown Band and the Reminisce Band. The scene is LIVE downtown on the Canan Commons stage. And of course with lots of audience space on the huge lawn for picnics, dancing, singing along, and just feelin' groovy again.  Free admission & open to all. 

The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is thrilled to present the 9th season in which the series presents critically acclaimed national recording artists in four FREE concerts at Canan Commons in Downtown Muncie. All shows begin at 7 PM and are all ages. And this season, we will also be presenting a special “Bonus” concert at Cornerstone Center for the Arts. Complete information on the series and all artists, including samples of their music, can be found at www.munciethreetrails.com.

Americana artist James McMurtry will open our series on Saturday, July 30th. With eight albums, including American Music Awards’ “Album of the Year” winner Childish Things, a Grammy nomination, and having one of his songs, “We Can’t Make It Here” named by famed music critic Robert Christgau in 2010 as “Song of the Decade,” McMurtry’s list of accolades is impressive. His latest release, The Horses and the Hounds, continues his tradition of writing hardscrabble songs about good people at bad extremes and the disintegration of small towns in flyover America. Muncie native Mike Martin and the Beautiful Mess will open the show.

The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is a non-profit partnership between Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, Muncie Arts and Culture Council, and Rick Zeigler, series founder and organizer. The mission of the series is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s premier outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown Muncie. A second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” -- The White River Greenway, Cardinal Greenway, and Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope attendees will heed our slogan, “Explore the Trails, Enjoy the Music”.

#MTTMS

#LiveMusic

#MuncieArts

#Summer2022

The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is thrilled to present the 9th season in which the series presents critically acclaimed national recording artists in four FREE concerts at Canan Commons in Downtown Muncie. All shows begin at 7 PM and are all ages. And this season, we will also be presenting a special “Bonus” concert at Cornerstone Center for the Arts. Complete information on the series and all artists, including samples of their music, can be found at www.munciethreetrails.com.

Canadian duo The Small Glories will grace the Canan Commons stage on Saturday, August 13th. Featuring Cara Luft, a founding member of The Wailin' Jennys, along with partner JD Edwards, the folk duo have what American UK has labelled “Lennon-McCartney syndrome,” writing, “Some things just work together… to witness a performance by The Small Glories is a rare opportunity to experience that indefinable quality that creates perfection.” Apparently critics agree as the group walked off with Album of the Year, Ensemble of the Year, and Vocal Group of the Year at the 2020 Canadian Folk Music Awards, along with an “Artist of the Year” accolade from the International Folk Music Awards. In addition, Paste Magazine has selected them as one of the “Top 10 Folk Artists You Need to Know”. Opening the show will be Flatland Harmony Experiment. This concert is sponsored by DeFur Voran.

The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is a non-profit partnership between Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, Muncie Arts and Culture Council, and Rick Zeigler, series founder and organizer. The mission of the series is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s premier outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown Muncie. A second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” -- The White River Greenway, Cardinal Greenway, and Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope attendees will heed our slogan, “Explore the Trails, Enjoy the Music”.

#MTTMS

#LiveMusic

#MuncieArts

#Summer2022

The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is thrilled to present the 9th season in which the series presents critically acclaimed national recording artists in four FREE concerts at Canan Commons in Downtown Muncie. All shows begin at 7 PM and are all ages. And this season, we will also be presenting a special “Bonus” concert at Cornerstone Center for the Arts. Complete information on the series and all artists, including samples of their music, can be found at www.munciethreetrails.com.

2021 Grammy and Latin GRAMMYs nominees Flor de Toloache, an all-female mariachi ensemble, will return to the Canan Commons stage for our third concert of the year on Saturday, August 27th. Flor De Toloache, which translates as “deadly flower” and also refers to a main ingredient in traditional love potions, was founded in 2008 and is lead by singers Mireya Ramos & Shae Fiol. They weave a variety of influences (e.g., salsa, bactata, cumbia, gypsy, Latin jazz, pop, hip-hop, soul) into their unique sound, giving them an edgy, versatile and fresh take on traditional Mexican music. They perform original songs, new arrangements of classic Mariachi tunes, as well as an eclectic selection of covers that can include songs by artists such as Adele and Erykah Badu. Pavel & Direct Contact will open the show. This concert is sponsored by Ball State University.

The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is a non-profit partnership between Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, Muncie Arts and Culture Council, and Rick Zeigler, series founder and organizer. The mission of the series is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s premier outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown Muncie. A second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” -- The White River Greenway, Cardinal Greenway, and Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope attendees will heed our slogan, “Explore the Trails, Enjoy the Music”.

#MTTMS

#LiveMusic

#MuncieArts

#Summer2022

The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is thrilled to present the 9th season in which the series presents critically acclaimed national recording artists in four FREE concerts at Canan Commons in Downtown Muncie. All shows begin at 7 PM and are all ages. And this season, we will also be presenting a special “Bonus” concert at Cornerstone Center for the Arts. Complete information on the series and all artists, including samples of their music, can be found at www.munciethreetrails.com.

Three Trails’ favorite Pokey LaFarge will be featured at Canan Commons in the fourth concert of our 2022 series on Saturday, September 10th. Mr. LaFarge’s appearances at the 2016 and 2017 Muncie Three Trails Music Series attracted some of the biggest crowds in our history, so we were anxious to have him back. However, we have had to wait, as he first had some personal travails to deal with, self-described as “a fall from grace,” that was then swiftly followed by the Covid pandemic. LaFarge states, “Before the pandemic, I was in a dark place, but the pandemic actually created the much needed space for me to reflect. ... I found peace in the stillness. I was able to recalibrate what it is I do and why I’m doing it. Who I’m to do it with and most importantly, who I’m doing it for.” His newest album, In the Blossom of Their Shade, signals yet another stylistic shift for Pokey, adding influences from the Southwest, South America, and the Caribbean to his mix of hot swing, ragtime, country blues, and Americana. The Ball State University Jazz Ensembles will open the show. This concert is sponsored by The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc..

The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is a non-profit partnership between Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, Muncie Arts and Culture Council, and Rick Zeigler, series founder and organizer. The mission of the series is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s premier outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown Muncie. A second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” -- The White River Greenway, Cardinal Greenway, and Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope attendees will heed our slogan, “Explore the Trails, Enjoy the Music".

#MTTMS

#LiveMusic

#MuncieArts

#Summer2022

Muncie, Indiana – YART is Coming! 

YART is a Yard Sale for Art! YART began in Muncie, Indiana with students at Ball State University and continues here and in several U.S. cities - a Muncie original! The Muncie YART is now held Downtown, at Canan Commons, twice a year, Spring and Fall, and coincides with ArtsWalk. The Fall 2022 Muncie YART is scheduled for the evening of Thursday, October 6th!

This community art sale, with a goal of making art affordable and accessible to everyone, brings together Artists and Art patrons in a casual and unique setting. The Fall 2022 Muncie YART will be held in conjunction with the 2022 ArtsWalk on Thursday, October 6th, from 5-8p. You can find YART and LIVE music performances at Canan Commons, Muncie's great urban greenspace park and amphitheater by the roundabout on South Walnut Street in Downtown Muncie, Indiana. 

All forms of Art are welcome at YART! Art of all kinds, by all kinds of Artists! YART encourages pandemic-safe interaction between Artists and the community, hoping to make Art more accessible, especially to those who think they cannot afford to buy Art for themselves and their homes. To this goal, all YART Art will be priced below $40! YART works to enable local creative entrepreneurs and to improve the Muncie economy. Shop local, support independents, enjoy your town! 

The last YART featured over 100 Artists! Each YART Artist will be present throughout YART to meet the public, discuss their Art, handle sales personally, and some Artists will be making Art LIVE at YART! This is a great opportunity to enjoy your family interacting with local culture in a dynamic, lively, and relaxed atmosphere.

The Fall 2022 Muncie YART will feature a wide variety of handmade jewelry, photography, clothing, oil/acrylic/watercolor paintings, fused glass, ceramics, knits, pottery, candles, toys, drawings, sculpture, lampwork glass, stuffed animals, digital art, mosaics, LIVE ART and LIVE MUSIC, and so much more!

Outdoor fun for all ages - YART and ArtsWalk are for the whole family!

Miss Moth (YART Director) and the YART Artists very much thank Cheryl Crowder of the Muncie Downtown Development Partnership and the City of Muncie for their generous support! YART is an all-volunteer, zero-budget, community event. THANK YOU!

LIKE Muncie YART on FaceBook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Muncie-Yart/156725934394407

YART is a Yard Sale for Art! But don’t think it’s a yard sale like you’ve ever been to before! YART began in Muncie, Indiana with students at Ball State University and continues here and in several U.S. cities - a Muncie original! The Muncie YART is now held Downtown, at Canan Commons, twice a year, Spring and Fall, and coincides with ArtsWalk. The Spring 2023 Muncie YART is scheduled for the evening of Thursday, June 1st!

This community art sale, with a goal of making art affordable and accessible to everyone, brings together Artists and Art patrons in a casual and unique setting. The Spring 2023 Muncie YART will be held in conjunction with the 2023 Brink of Summer ArtsWalk on Thursday, June 1st, from 5-8p. You can find YART and LIVE music performances at Canan Commons, Muncie's great urban greenspace park and amphitheater by the roundabout on South Walnut Street in Downtown Muncie, Indiana. 

All forms of Art are welcome at YART! Art of all kinds, by all kinds of Artists! YART encourages interaction between Artists and the community, hoping to make Art more accessible, especially to those who think they cannot afford to buy Art for themselves and their homes. To this goal, all YART Art will be priced below $40! YART works to enable local creative entrepreneurs and to improve the Muncie economy. Shop local, support independents, enjoy your town! 

The last YART featured over 150 Artists! Each YART Artist will be present throughout YART to meet the public, discuss their Art, handle sales personally, and some Artists will be making Art LIVE at YART! This is a great opportunity to enjoy your family interacting with local culture in a dynamic, lively, and relaxed atmosphere.

The Spring 2023 Muncie YART will feature a wide variety of handmade jewelry, photography, clothing, oil/acrylic/watercolor paintings, ceramics, stuffed animals, drawings, knits, pottery, candles, toys, sculpture, glass, digital art, mosaics, LIVE ART and LIVE MUSIC, and so much more!

Outdoor fun for all ages - YART and ArtsWalk are for the whole family!

Miss Moth (YART Director) and the YART Artists very much thank Cheryl Crowder of the Muncie Downtown Development Partnership and the City of Muncie for their generous support! YART is an all-volunteer, zero-budget, community event. THANK YOU!

LIKE Muncie YART on FaceBook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Muncie-Yart/156725934394407

“Love Is In the Air” – jazz up your summer night on June 8 with the fabulous Big Band musicians from Muncie's own America's Hometown Band. This group of top-notch performers is led by jazz trumpeter pro Larry McWilliams, also a BSU music professor, emeritus. 

Enjoy this program of treasured love songs done right – plus beautiful vocals by special guest artist, Cozette Myers, professional vocalist from Indianapolis.

It's all Free & open to the public, with plenty of lawn seating space.

Based on the animated PBS KIDS show DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD, and with a nod to MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD, this event focuses on the importance of being neighborly.

BE MY NEIGHBOR DAY will feature more than 20 booths (neighbors) offering fun activities for the whole family.

We have a lot of great things planned:

• Meet Daniel Tiger!

• Dance along to music by the Atomic Sharks!

• Visit our great neighbors from arts organizations, community centers and other awesome non-profit groups!

• Enjoy performances by Muncie Ballet and Youth Symphony Orchestra, too!

• Pick up your very own Be My Neighbor Day tote bag packed with goodies!

“Oh, What a Night!”

  Come join the AHB concert band on Thur , June 15, for some ‘8 o’clock’ rock’.  

Enjoy this evening of fun, familiar tunes from the classic rock era. FREE to all and plenty of lawn seating space for you and your kin!

 4th of July music that speaks to our hearts—
   Come celebrate this country that’s full of character — and its characters!  
  Free and open to all, with plenty of lawn seating space.  Concludes pre-fireworks. 

  🎵A First-Thursday First! 

  At 6:30 pm, 20 Trombonists take the Canan Commons stage to sound off their horns in 4-part harmony.  It’s the Bernie Pressler Trombone Choir with Director Don Lamb. Make it your first encounter with Brass en Masse!   Free listening for all 🎵

Tommy Castro & The Painkillers LIVE at the 2023 Muncie Three Trails Music Series!

Please join us on Saturday, July 29th at 7:00pm, at Canan Commons in Downtown Muncie, Indiana for the 2023 season kickoff of our Summer of FREE CONCERTS with TOMMY Castro & The Painkillers and special guest opener Lovesick Moan!

Whether he’s squeezing out the deepest blues or playing the funkiest soul grooves, legendary blues and soul giant Tommy Castro knows how to ignite a crowd. Over the course of his still-unfolding career, the guitarist, vocalist and songwriter has released 16 albums ranging from horn-fueled soul and R&B to piping hot blues to fiery rock ‘n’ roll. He’s performed all over the world, earning countless fans with his legendary, sweat-drenched, exhilarating live shows. Castro’s band, The Painkillers—bassist Randy McDonald, drummer Bowen Brown, and keyboardist Michael Emerson—have now been playing together for over seven years. After hundreds of live shows, they have coalesced into one of the telepathically tightest units Castro has ever assembled, making them one of the most in-demand live roots music acts performing today. “This is the best band we’ve ever had,” says Castro. “We really got something going on beyond just being good musicians. Every song we play live now has that right feel—all the dynamics. It allows us to jam out more on stage.”

Born in San Jose, California in 1955, Tommy first picked up a guitar at age 10. He formed the first Tommy Castro Band in 1991, releasing his debut album in 1996 on the Blind Pig label. During the 1990s and into the 2000s, Castro recorded a series of critically acclaimed albums for various labels, then hooked up with Alligator Records in 2009, releasing Hard Believer to massive acclaim. Castro formed the first incarnation of The Painkillers in 2012, and by 2014 (with Brown and Emerson taking over drums and keys respectively), Castro stripped his music down to its raw essence with the new, smaller band, creating a larger than life sound. The San Francisco Chronicle describes Castro’s music as, “funky Southern soul, big city blues and classic rock...silvery guitar licks that simultaneously sound familiar and fresh.” No Depression says “Castro plays gritty, string-bending blues like a runaway soul train...a glorious blend that rocks the soul and lifts the spirits.” The Washington Post says Castro is “phenomenal and funky” with “soulful vocals and inspired blues-rock guitar.” Blues Revue perhaps sums it up best by simply saying, “Tommy Castro can do no wrong.”

In 2022, hot on the heels of his latest release, A Bluesman Comes to Town, Castro and his band snagged Blues Music Awards for Album of the Year, Band of the Year, and, for the third time, the coveted B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year (the very highest award a blues performer can receive). His relentless road-dog approach—gig after gig, night after night—has won him loyal, lifelong fans everywhere he plays. Live on stage, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers’ road-hardened musicianship brings an unmatched passion to Castro’s blue-eyed California soul and hard-rocking, good-time songs. We are happy to welcome Tommy Castro & The Painkillers back to the Muncie Three Trails stage!

Visit Tommy Castro & The Painkillers here:

https://www.TommyCastro.com

Presented by the The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, THANK YOU to our Sponsors!

The primary mission of the Muncie Three Trails Music Series is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s newest outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown. All concerts are free to the public. Our second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” -- The White River Greenway, The Cardinal Greenway, and The Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope that the combination of outstanding concerts and Muncie’s attractions will provide both local citizens and visitors from throughout the region and state with a full day of fun and music.

🎶 Explore The Trails, Enjoy The Music! 🎶

Please visit our website to learn much more about our 2023 Muncie Three Trails Music Series:

https://www.munciethreetrails.com

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys LIVE at the 2023 Muncie Three Trails Music Series!

Please join us on Saturday, August 12th at 7:00pm, at Canan Commons in Downtown Muncie, Indiana for our Summer of FREE CONCERTS with The Po' Ramblin' Boys and special guest opener The Bashville Boys!

At a time when most people feel constantly distracted by technology and barraged by the news, authenticity and straightforward honesty are paramount. There’s something about the music of The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys that cuts right through the noise of the world and speaks plainly to the soul. Formed in the Smoky Mountains, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys are at once exactly what you would expect and not at all what you would expect from a tattooed East Tennessee Bluegrass outfit. No strangers to hard work, the boys are as much at home riding in their restored Eagle tour bus as they are crawling underneath to fix it when it needs maintenance. But they take pride in being ambassadors of their genre, and the group has brought their music from rural bluegrass festival stages to the rock clubs of Europe, and even the Grammy Red Carpet, with stunning results. “I think to a certain extent everyone is just craving music that they can feel, and any music that feels real will reach any audience” says CJ Lewandowski, the groups founder.

In 2014, Lewandowski was working at Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery in Sevierville, TN. The distillery employed musicians to play for visitors seven days a week, and Lewandowski, who primarily plays mandolin and sings, was occasionally hired to fill in when the entertainment didn’t show. Eventually, the distillery approached him about forming a band for a full time slot, so he reached out to long time music friends Jereme Brown, who plays banjo for the group, and Josh Rinkel, who plays guitar. “Jereme was doing a lot of welding work at that time, and Josh was running a sign company”, says Lewandowski, “I think we were all ready to do something new, something with our music but we didn’t know when or how”. Bassist Jasper Lorentzen happened to be working in the tasting room at the distillery, and he turned out to be the perfect addition to the band. Apparently the bluegrass world agreed, as the group garnered the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) Emerging Artist of the Year award in 2018. Then, in 2020, the finishing touch was added to the quartet when Laura Orshaw, a seasoned fiddle player and singer, joined the Boys.

Material for the group’s freshman Rounder Records album, Toil, Tears & Trouble, is a combination of original songs and old numbers that honor the group’s mentors and bluegrass heroes. “We love to dig up old songs that haven’t been heard in years and bring them back into the spotlight”, explains Lewandowski. The record has enjoyed great acclaim, receiving the band’s first Grammy nomination for “Best Bluegrass Album,” an “Album of the Year” nomination from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), and winning “Song of the Year” award from the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music for America for the tune “Next Train South.”

Visit The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys here:

https://www.theporamblinboys.com

The primary mission of the Muncie Three Trails Music Series is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s newest outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown. All concerts are free to the public. Our second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” -- The White River Greenway, The Cardinal Greenway, and The Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope that the combination of outstanding concerts and Muncie’s attractions will provide both local citizens and visitors from throughout the region and state with a full day of fun and music.

Explore The Trails, Enjoy The Music!

Please visit our website to learn much more about our 2023 Muncie Three Trails Music Series:

https://www.munciethreetrails.com

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper LIVE at the 2023 Muncie Three Trails Music Series!

Please join us on Friday, August 25th at 7:00pm, at Canan Commons in Downtown Muncie, Indiana for our Summer of FREE CONCERTS with Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper and special guest opener The Punkin Holler Boys!

"My desire to present the amazing artistry of Michael Cleveland to residents of Muncie and East Central Indiana was one of my main motivations in starting the Muncie Three Trails Music Series."

- Rick Zeigler, Founder, Muncie Three Trails Music Series

The tension between tradition and innovation is at the core of bluegrass music, and the fiddle playing of Michael Cleveland exemplifies this musical tug of war. As a boy, Cleveland heard a local fiddler play “Orange Blossom Special,” which sparked a lifelong obsession with the tune that mimics the sound of a train. Cleveland’s improvisational versions push the piece’s descriptive tones and percussive bowing to a new level. With an encyclopedic memory for melodies, and an uncanny intuition for improvisation, Cleveland’s music is both rooted in tradition and fueled by his melodic imagination.

From an early age, Cleveland heard old-time and bluegrass music at local jams and festivals near his hometown of Henryville, Indiana. His grandparents hosted regular bluegrass gatherings at the American Legion, and at age four, he began playing the fiddle. He attended the Kentucky School for the Blind in Louisville, where he learned the Suzuki method of violin. While he practiced the violin at school, he played fiddle at home. Traveling with his grandparents to area bluegrass festivals, he heard many legendary players perform at Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Festival in Bean Blossom, Indiana. At the age of nine, Cleveland got to play with Monroe—a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship in the inaugural class of 1982—at the festival. When Cleveland was 12, he met music historian Dave Samuelson, who recognized the young musician’s interest and talent. Samuelson curated several Braille-labeled tapes for the young musician, which served as Cleveland’s essential listening guide to bluegrass music. Cleveland’s repertoire and musicianship grew, and in 1993 he played the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards show with the Bluegrass Youth All-Stars.

Cleveland began playing professionally after he graduated from high school, first with Jeff White and later with Dale Ann Bradley and Rhonda Vincent. Since he was young, however, Cleveland had dreamed of leading his own band. In 2006, he formed Flamekeeper, now seven-time recipients of the IBMA’s “Instrumental Group of the Year” award. Flamekeeper includes Josh Richards, Nathan Livers, Jasiah Shrode, and Chris Douglas. In addition to touring with his band, Cleveland has performed with a legendary list of bluegrass greats. Nevertheless, he remains rooted in his local Southern Indiana community, where he continues to play with friends when he is not on tour.

Widely considered the best bluegrass fiddler of his generation, Cleveland has been recognized 12 times as the IBMA’s “Fiddler of the Year,” and in 2018 he was inducted into the National Fiddler’s Hall of Fame. His recording Fiddler’s Dream was nominated in 2018 for a Grammy for “Best Bluegrass Album,” and in 2019, his album Tall Fiddler won that award. In 2019, Cleveland’s amazing life of adversity and achievement was featured in the documentary film Flamekeeper: The Michael Cleveland Story. And in 2022, he, like his idol Bill Monroe, was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship.

Visit Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper here:

www.michaelclevelandfiddle.com

Presented by Ball State University, THANK YOU to our Sponsors!

The primary mission of the Muncie Three Trails Music Series is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s newest outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown. All concerts are free to the public. Our second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” -- The White River Greenway, The Cardinal Greenway, and The Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope that the combination of outstanding concerts and Muncie’s attractions will provide both local citizens and visitors from throughout the region and state with a full day of fun and music.

Explore The Trails, Enjoy The Music!

Please visit our website to learn much more about our 2023 Muncie Three Trails Music Series:

https://www.munciethreetrails.com

The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio LIVE at the 2023 Muncie Three Trails Music Series!

Please join us on Saturday, September 9th at 7:00pm, at Canan Commons in Downtown Muncie, Indiana for our Summer of FREE CONCERTS with The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio and special guest opener Ball State University Jazz Ensembles!

Soul-jazz groove-machine the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio (DLO3) never would have happened without years and years of crummy gigs and Delvon’s staunchly supportive wife, Amy Novo. The story goes that Hammond B3 organist Delvon would regularly lug his 400-pound instrument from venue to venue, barely breaking even, to play other people’s music, and Amy just got tired of it. She fiercely believed in Delvon’s talents, and, eventually, she made an offer he couldn’t refuse: If Delvon picked the musicians, she would take care of all the business surrounding the gigs.

The three-piece DL03 started in May, 2015, and since then has issued three #1 Billboard-charting albums, as well as a 45. The Seattle-based trio’s music is best described as “feel good music.” DLO3 conjures the smoky 1960s jazz and soul stylings of Jimmy Smith, Booker T. & The M.G.’s, The Meters, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and Charles Earland. Within DLO3’s distinct jazz stew there are also dashes of Motown, Stax Records, blues, and cosmic Jimi Hendrix-style guitar. The band features Delvon Lamarr on the legendary Hammond B3 organ, with dynamo Jimmy James on guitar, and Julian MacDonough on drums.

Live, the band is telepathically musical, easing through improvisational ideas, grooves, and extended jams with silken swagger. Their exhilarating live performances also showcase the band’s deep personal connections, with witty between-song repartee, song story vignettes, and unpredictably dynamic flights of in-the-moment musicality. The three-piece has quickly made a name for themselves, including a feature on Seattle’s KEXP “Local Artist Spotlight”; a live performance at Upstream Music Festival which has garnered over 7 million views; and numerous national and international tours and performances. The band’s live connection also carries over into the studio and the band’s compositional approach, as much of the band’s recorded repertoire is written on the spot during soundchecks, on the bandstand, or while in the studio.

Besides prodigious talent and a rare chemistry, a constant ingredient in DLO3’s success has been manager/den mother Amy Novo, who heads up Novo Productions LLC. Amy is affectionately referred to as “Shortcake” by the band, and has been called “Mafia” by some industry professionals, resulting in the modified nickname, “Shortcake Mafia.” Years ago, Amy would hear Delvon’s fears about being known as the local legend who never went anywhere. Today, through Amy’s tireless work ethic, and Delvon’s bottomless talent, the power couple have taken the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio beyond their wildest dreams. “I used to listen to the old jazz greats and think about their European travels. For years, I thought it would never happen for me, and then Miss Novo made it happen. Without her we would still be in the basement,” Delvon marvels. Amy adds: “I’m not a salesperson—I can only do something I believe in—but Delvon is so talented, and I am passionate about keeping his music alive. I fight for the artists I work with.”

Visit The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio here:

https://delvonlamarrorgantrio.com

Presented by DeFur Voran, THANK YOU to our Sponsors!

The primary mission of the Muncie Three Trails Music Series is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s newest outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown. All concerts are free to the public. Our second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” -- The White River Greenway, The Cardinal Greenway, and The Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope that the combination of outstanding concerts and Muncie’s attractions will provide both local citizens and visitors from throughout the region and state with a full day of fun and music.

Explore The Trails, Enjoy The Music!

Please visit our website to learn much more about our 2023 Muncie Three Trails Music Series:

https://www.munciethreetrails.com