MikeMooreMedia

Stokes County Arts Council 07.24.24

Eddy McGee, Executive Director. Upcoming events, John Berry, Mason Via, Red Hawk's PowWow, Sina Theii, 50th Annual Stokes Stomp.
www.StokesArts.org

Duration:: 8m
Broadcast on:: 24 Jul 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

our monthly podcast with the Stokes County Arts Council executive director Eddie McGee is on the line. Hey, Eddie, welcome back. How you doing? Thanks, Mike. I'm doing great. On the road out of the office this morning, but doing doing wonderful, doing some pickups for our market. Yeah. Doing some food pickups with some of our regional artists and food producers and all as well. How about yourself? All is well here and before we get into some of the exciting, wonderful upcoming events, maybe a recap because you've you've been busy the last couple of weeks for sure as usual. We have. We've we had just incredible couple of weeks with we had our special needs kids and adult visual and theater arts camp and that that culminated in a weakening theatrical performance, which was just there was not a dry eye in the house. We also had a hand building clay class for some for some young people. Our summer camps, Mike, are just phenomenal. We love their always full and we're educating that next generation of artists to continue and to kind of find their own creative talents. And then we hosted Mike Ferris on Saturday night sold out concert at the Arts Place in Danbury. Mike is a Grammy winner, Maricato winner, Dove Award winner, and he just if you've never heard Mike Ferris live, I would encourage everyone. This guy's voice. We will just the hair on your arms will raise up. I've never heard of a more spiritual soulful voice. He actually played it. They had an Aretha Franklin tribute concert at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And Mike Ferris was on the stage singing. That's how incredible he is. Wow. And we followed that up Sunday with a book signing about John Callan, new grass revival member and and do be brothers member. And then we had some locals from local musicians we invited in and John sat down with them and performed Colin Baton Rouge and several other new grass classics. And so it was just, uh, just memorable. That's the only way to put it. Yeah. Yeah. Making good memories there for sure. Yeah. And you know, people here we are in Danbury population 150 with those stoplights that differ in large conflict. And, uh, and people are asking us, how do you all do this? And it's just making connections and being around creative people and people that want to, uh, uh, you know, perform and demonstrate what the talent that they have. Sure. That's been a great couple of weeks. Uh, go looking forward this Saturday is going to be another Deller, memorable. Um, uh, weekend Saturday, John Berry, Grammy winner, country music artist John Berry is going to be there. And, uh, I think we got a six o'clock show time. Another sellout. Uh, we'll take place with that. And, uh, I think John's biggest hit was your love amazes me and he's been here several times. He's, he always packs the house and just a, just a great person. So that's going to be this Saturday. Uh, we followed that up with, um, let's see, who do we have? Mason by. So formerly with old Crow medicine show, one of our own locals, Madison by, uh, that'll be August the 4th. That's a four p.m. concert. Uh, again, local boy. He grew up in our organization. He's out on his own now as a solo artist. And that will be another, uh, sellout. And then we, then we're in the August, uh, August 10th and 11th. The, uh, Red Hawk's gathering nation's powwow. We're sponsoring that. That's King American Legion and King. A lot of, uh, Native American crafts, uh, dancers, musicians. Um, um, I'm trying, I don't know how many years we've been doing this, Mike, but this is just a, it's a great cultural experience. Kind of get to tap into our Native American roots. And we're honored to be doing that. Uh, Sunday, August the 11th, see him play Plinta. That's at the first place. South American artists and performers. That's going to be a 3 p.m. show. Oh, good gracious. Uh, Mike Moore. It just, it, it doesn't stop my friend. Oh, it doesn't. It's, it's, uh, it's just, it's happening at, uh, at the arch place in Danbury. That's for sure. And, and then we go to artist 31st. I'll mention Peanut Feel, one of Ireland's, uh, top female singers will be there. That's already close to being a sellout. She was in Chicago at a, uh, Irish Festival, uh, about two months ago, she's returning, uh, to the United States in a couple of weeks. And she'll be at our venue, August 31st, uh, doing her own original music and some Irish classics, Peanut Feel, phenomenal performer. I think we still have some tickets left, but if anyone's interested, you better get them now. And then September 14th, I'll go and jump up September. We're a little bit out. But the 50th Stokestop Festival on the Dan River and Mooretock Park in Danbury, um, celebrating 50 years. Incredible lineup, kind of a youth movement this year with Caleb Coddle and Shadowgrass, which is a national touring act. Both of those are from our area and, uh, we've got dancers, Old Dominion cloggers, CC dance out of Rockingham and Stokes County. Uh, we've got some other wonderful groups. We always have our high school bands, North Stokes, South Stokes, West Stokes, marching bands, perform lots of art and craft vendors. 50th Stokestop September 14th, might more. 50 years for Stokestop. That is, that is a much wonderful. Yeah. And, uh, and it goes along with the Stokest County Arts Council. This is, you know, we, right now, we're in our 50th year of service. So, uh, uh, you think we'd be completely exhausted and out of gas at this point, but, um, we keep refueling and, uh, people continue, new artists join. And we, we like to think we're carrying on the foundation that was created 50 years ago by some wonderful, passionate folks with the arts. And, uh, so great things ahead. Come to the arts place in Dan Berry, uh, our gallery exhibit right now, Kitty Ray Brown, Patty Young, photography, and it's just, again, visual arts, performing arts, literary arts. We do it all night more. We try to do it all. Mm-hmm. Well, I believe you do. Yeah. When you just kind of click off all three of those, uh, the different arts. Yeah. Um, well, well, Eddie, I know you're, um, you're, um, on the go, so we don't want to keep you, you got things to, you got people to see and places to go. So, um, we'll let you get back on the road. And, uh, thanks for the update. Always good to talk to you. And, um, you and your team there at the arts place and Stokestop County Arts Council for putting it all together for us to enjoy for, uh, so many wonderful years and many years to come. Well, we appreciate that, Mike. And we're honored to have you, you're part of the family. You're part of the team. You helped us promote, get the word out and people, uh, I can't tell you how many times people have showed up and said, Hey, you know, we heard you would like more. And, and, uh, so it is working. And, and we, again, you're, you're, you're part of the family. And, uh, it's just an honor to have your friendship and, uh, let's keep it going, young man. Let's do it. Ditto here. Thank you, Eddie. Always a pleasure. Talk to you. See you soon. All right, buddy. Thank you too. Bye bye. That's Eddie McGee. He is executive director of the Stokes County Arts Council. Yep. Uh, please check out their Facebook page, uh, their website, uh, all their social media. And you can keep right up to the minute on, uh, some of the things that are coming up that you and, and your family and friends can get out and enjoy too. Uh, yeah, he mentioned that, um, uh, Stokes stop coming up 50 years. Isn't that great? And that is Saturday, September 14th. Lots to go, uh, to see and do between now and then. Thank you for supporting the Stokes County Arts Council. [BLANK_AUDIO]